I MUST make clear that this book is in no sense an attempt at a

biography of the late Lord Beaverbrook. This is already being

written by an historian of great eminence. It is not even a

biography of the six and a half years of his life, from March

~94o to September ~946, during which I worked for him. It is

what its sub-title states, a personal memoir , a worm s eye

view of the most remarkable man with whom I have come in

close contact.

Lord Beaverbrook became during his life to many almost a

symbol of evil, and to others the object of great devotion. Had

I to place myself in either camp it would be in the latter. The

object of this book however is to portray him neither as saint

nor sinner but as a human being. My only excuse for attempting

this task is that at the apex of his career I was in almost daily

touch with him and saw him in his every mood, G- for God

Almighty might possibly find a tiny niche as a footnote to

history. For of one thing I am convinced, history will accord

a prominent pl0ce in the first half of the twentieth century to

the subject of this book.

I am grateful to all those who have helped to refresh my

memories of the times of which I write. Specifically I would

like to mention Mr Albert Nockels and, above all, Mr George

Malcolm Thomson, my senior colleague during the years of

which I write. The reason for my deep gratitude to the latter

will, I hope, be obvious to anyone who reads the book; he

bears no responsibility at all, however, for my interpretations

of the events in which we both took part.