Talking of real historians, I am sat with a knackered back today so watching the telly. Nick Hewitt was on. (Historian according to The BBC) speaking about Kitchener and specifically his death.

As introduction he tells of the pals brigades. "It took Kitchener two years to form them. It took the Germans a morning to destroy them." He went on to say "Kitchener was already dead by the first attack of The Somme, so didn't see the awful results of his mistakes. He was at the time of his death fired from his operational duties for his incompetence with regard to not only Galipoli but the Western front running out of ammunition."

He doesn't agree with the conspiracy theories regarding his death but did say his death was convenient for those now in charge looking for sympathy for the war effort.

Interesting, these historians.