My thanks go first to the Neave family – Marigold, Patrick, William and his son Sebastian – who gave me every assistance while leaving me entirely free to arrive at my own judgements. Beyond them lie a wide circle of family and friends who have shown great generosity in sharing recollections and reflections. I am particularly grateful to Tom Rhodes for setting the project in motion and to Michael Bottenheim for his enthusiasm, his insights and his energy in driving the work along.
The foundations of the book are Airey’s own writings, public and private, but to build on them I have made use of the memories of some of those who knew him or came in contact with him, directly or indirectly. As well as his children, I would like to thank the following for their help: Jonathan Aitken, Lord Dobbs, Lady Antonia Fraser, John Giffard, the Earl of Gowrie, Billy Stirling James, Lord King of Bridgwater, Lord Lexden, Lord Lilley, Elizabeth Neave, Philippa Neave, Matthew Parris, General Sir Michael Rose, Lord Ryder of Wensum, Lady Ryder, Lord Tebbit, Hugh Tilney, Dame Veronica Sutherland, Richard Webb and Dame Jane Whiteley.
I was greatly helped by the contributions of others who offered information, expertise and advice on military, political and security aspects of the story. They include: Professor Richard J. Aldrich of the University of Warwick, Lord Bew, John Bunney, Christopher Clark, Alexander Creswell, Mary Creswell, Walter Ellis, Rebecca Fitzgerald, Clare Ireland, Dr Stephen Kelly of Liverpool Hope University, Mary Miers, Sir Hugh Orde, Michel Robinson, Peter Taylor, Sir Kevin Tebbit, Barry Strevens and Ken Wharton. My gratitude goes to John Howes who has made a special study of the Pegasus operations in which his father was involved and who has generously shared his source material and knowledge. I am also indebted to Bob Cox, the Metropolitan Police press officer of the period, and Stewart Tendler, for many years the distinguished crime corrrespondent of The Times, for their assistance. I had direct knowledge of the conflict in Northern Ireland having worked there as correspondent for the Observer between 1979 and 1983. On revisiting those times, my understanding was helped by several sources on both sides of the line who prefer to remain anonymous. I would like to thank my friends Pirate Irwin and Xan Smiley for explaining Eton customs and practices for the benefit of an Old Wimbledonian.
Lord Anderson of Ipswich QC, Lord Carlile of Berriew QC and Greg Callus of 5RB kindly contributed expert advice in my efforts and those of the family to gain access to government and police files. We would also like to thank Greg Hands MP for his representations on behalf of the family in their attempt to learn more about the police investigation into Airey Neave’s death. Susan Lord of Westminster Coroner’s Court provided valuable records of the inquest.
My work was greatly helped by Sophie Butler of the Airey Neave Trust who patiently answered my queries and ensured good communications between myself and the trustees. I would also like to acknowledge the generous financial support provided by the Trust to help fund my researches.
Georgina Robinson of the Eton College archives and Andrew Robinson, House Master of The Timbralls, assisted my researches into AN’s Eton schooldays. My thanks are due to Julian Reid and the staff of Merton College Oxford Library for showing me the material relating to his time there. I am grateful to the Fellows for permission to use the picture of the Myrmidons included in the plates.
Sergeant John Allcock and Captain Stephen King responded enthusiastically to my requests for details of AN’s army service and I am particularly indebted to Captain King for unearthing and passing on to the family records that filled in many gaps in the story. I am grateful to Andrew Riley of the Churchill College Archives Centre, Cambridge, for his support.
I benefited greatly from the professionalism of the staffs of the London Library (with particular thanks to Mandy Southern), the National Archives, the British Library, the Linen Hall Library, Belfast, and the Imperial War Museum. In Paris, the staff of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (François Mitterrand) and the information service of the Tribunal de Grande Instance were welcoming and efficient.
My brilliant niece Grace Ries transcribed many of the interviews, swiftly and painstakingly. I am grateful to the team at HarperCollins for their customary skill, patience and professionalism and in particular to Iain Hunt who oversaw the editing process. I was very fortunate to have as my copy editor Tim Waller. His corrections saved me from many errors and his suggestions were invariably gratefully accepted. A special word of thanks to Annabel Merullo, my friend but also my agent, for her unfailing support and sympathy. Annabel, you are a star.
This project had the happy effect of reconnecting me with my old tutor at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where I studied history in the early 1970s. In those days Brian Harrison was a brisk young don with a refreshingly open attitude to what counted as history and how it should be addressed. He went on to become Professor of Modern History at the university and editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Sir Brian, as he now is, kindly agreed to read and comment on the work while it was in progress. After a gap of more than forty years it was a bracing (and sometimes chastening) experience to have my efforts subjected once again to his keen gaze. His observations have improved the end result greatly. The shortcomings that remain are all my own.
Finally, to my darling wife Henrietta and beloved daughter Honor my thanks for your forbearance and support – as always.