Keith A of Hertford is perfectly correct in stating the three points that he has defended now for well over a year in threads related to the First World War. In debate and in support of those points Keith has submitted relevant quotes from Commentators and Historians and by supplying links to relevant documents, articles and histories.

The list of historians given supporting those three contentions of Keith's is way beyond a "mere handful"

"All the historians you have named have have stated that they are dedicated to changing the popular view of history"

Yes and high time that they did as what you call "the popular view of history" is based on such twaddle as OWALW, Blackadder, the partial output of a handful of poets, military theorists with a theory to push that was actually pioneered by the very men they pour scorn on, two politicians seeking to polish their own egos and images at the expense of someone who could not defend himself and a pacifist left wing historian who did not have the access to material currently available to latter day historians who disagree with the aforementioned's "popular view of history".

Ever heard of the expression, "Don't come the old soldier with me"? Whenever used, what's the context? Ever heard of, "Someone shooting a line"? What are they doing? What are they doing for?

By the way no implication about it, Lloyd George in his memoirs blatantly shifted blame from poor and bad decisions that he had made and assigned the blame to Kitchener and to Haig.

I watched each of the Paxman programmes and they did bear out and support all three of Keith's contentions.

"the obscenity of £20m spent on glass poppies"

Now you have been asked to provide evidence that the Royal British legion spent £20m on glass poppies but as yet you have come up with nothing - good reason for that isn't there Jim?

To put all reading out of their misery from the Royal British Legion's website:

"POPPIES IN THE MOAT

From 5 August 2014 to 11 November 2014, a major artistic installation entitled 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' saw the Tower of London's famous dry moat filled with over 800,000 {888,246 to be exact} ceramic poppies, creating a powerful visual commemoration for the First World War Centenary.

The ceramic poppies were on sale for £25 each with net proceeds, hoped to be in excess of £15 million, being shared equally amongst a group of carefully selected Service charities — The Royal British Legion, Confederation of Service Charities (COBSEO), Combat Stress, Coming Home, Help for Heroes and SSAFA (formerly the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association).

All poppies were sold by late October and the installation has now been dismantled, with poppies being delivered to those who ordered them."

So if they cost the British Legion £20 million like Jim says that would work out at £22.52 per poppy wouldn't it.

Now if the British Legion is selling the poppies for £25 each they would take in £25 x 888,246 = £22,206,150 of which £15,000,000 is going to charity.

Well perhaps Jim can tell us how if they cost £20 million and only brought in £22.21 million in sales where the shortfall of £12.79 million is going to come from to give to charity. Jim won't tell us of course because his - "obscenity of £20m spent on glass poppies" - is yet another prime example of Jim Carroll's Made Up Shit.

From reading the article from the Royal british Legion's website the following becomes obvious:

888,246 ceramic poppies sold for £25 each = £22,206,150
Six nominated Service Charities receive = £15,000,000
All costs associated with the ceramic poppies = £7,206,150
Say 10% of that covers the admin and transport = £720,615
Cost of making 888,246 ceramic poppies = £6,485,535
Cost of an individual ceramic poppy would be = £7.30

The above accounts for no contingencies, no spares and no breakages.

Mr Carroll - not only are you embarrassing yourself you are also just havering.