A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham Quotes

“The ways of destroying a ship are developing far faster than the methods of protection.’18”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“Cunningham acknowledged that he had been ‘Very crotchety these last few months and difficult in temper but we have had much to try us’.2”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“The forces committed were in any case marginal, the command structure was flawed and the aims of the operation were unclear.40”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“He expressed both ‘regret’ and ‘privilege’, and his ‘heartfelt thanks’ to his men and women were sincere; he would have preferred to stay in his beloved Mediterranean.43”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“The surrender gave rise to one of Cunningham’s most famous signals (and demonstrated his Nelsonian sense of history): ‘Be pleased to inform Their Lordships that the Italian Battle fleet now lies at anchor under the guns of the fortress of Malta.’38”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“Cunningham recorded that Kirk’s landings ‘constituted one of the finest exhibitions of seamanship it had been his pleasure to witness in 45 years of sailoring’.60”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“Churchill attempted to persuade Cunningham to relieve Tovey at a tête-à-tête at Chequers, drawing the firm response, ‘If Tovey drops dead on his bridge I will certainly relieve him. Otherwise not.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“Never before’, he recalled, ‘have I felt so keenly the mortifying business of sitting behind the scenes with a heavy load of responsibility while others were in action with a vastly superior enemy.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“It appears useless to try to further pass in a convoy until the air situation in Malta and military situation in Cyrenaica have been restored.’92 It was the most insoluble of riddles. The air situation in Malta could not be restored unless more fighters, fuel and stores reached the island, while a key prerequisite of an advance in Cyrenaica”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“Cunningham and Tedder were agreed that ‘air operations, like naval operations, are conditioned by the bases available’ and that ‘the campaign is primarily a battle for aerodromes’.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“He had a love of ‘childish fun’ and ‘a great sense of humour and loved bawdy jokes’.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“Hostile to new ideas until they had proved themselves in action,”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“He had a love of ‘childish fun’ and ‘a great sense of humour and loved”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“You cannot conduct military operations in modern warfare without airfields which will allow you to at least establish temporary air supremacy.’139”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“You can build a new ship in three years but you can’t rebuild a reputation in under three hundred years’,”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“The COS insisted ‘fleet and RAF must accept risk’ involved in preventing seaborne landings.116 Cunningham replied patiently that it was essential ‘to avoid losses which without commensurate advantage to ourselves, will cripple the fleet out here’.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“There followed utterly senseless, unhelpful and uncomprehending communications from Churchill.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“Cunningham, however, knew that the Italians were unschooled in night fighting, lacking the radar possessed by several of his ships; that the enemy’s morale was probably low; that fortune favours the brave and, crucially, that he was unlikely to have another opportunity to bring the Italian fleet to battle, especially as the enemy would have the assistance of dive-bombers at dawn.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“He replied, testily, ‘I suggest I must be allowed to be the judge of what can or cannot be done.’66”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“Britain emerged with the moral credit of having furnished the maximum of military assistance to her ally and this certainly earned the approval of the Americans.63 It revealed ‘the importance of the old military virtues such as toughness, good discipline, professional proficiency, ready resource, determination and the ability to take command’.64”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“I hope it will turn out that our policy of helping Greece is the right one. To me it is absolutely right but I much doubt if our resources, particularly naval and air, are equal to the strain.’47”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“There was a great strain on the little ships, which had to evade constant bombing and mining, and minesweepers and fighters were in short supply.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“no half measures will do. If HMG decided they must ensure we hold the Mediterranean then adequate air forces must be sent out.’32”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“The Fleet has also run considerable and in my opinion unjustifiable risks in this operation which has been at the expense of all other commitments and at a time when these commitments were at their most pressing.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“test out enemy strength and resolve and to establish a moral ascendancy.107”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“cultivate a sense of initiative, speed of thought and execution, expert handling at high speed in restricted waters, and decisive action at close quarters—especially at night and in smoke-screens.”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader

“the man on the spot is likely to know best.10”
― Michael Simpson, A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader