One of the best known figures of the Second World War was Lord Haw-Haw. His real name was William Joyce, a British citizen who chose to side with, and broadcast for, the Nazi regime. Despite his crazy on-air rants, many people in Britain feared his influence, as did the government. In May 1940 a secret Home Intelligence report warned that:
‘Haw–Haw continues to be regarded as the fountain–head of rumours … Such is his influence that it appears that rumours attributed to him are far more readily believed than those which are said to have other sources.’
Amongst those who feared his influence was the Daily Mirror, which founded a so-called Anti-Haw-Haw League in June 1940. Its columnist Bill Greig accused the Ministry of Information of failing to ‘[raise] a hand… against’ the Haw-Haw threat. The paper duly asked its readers to make a pledge:
‘[P]ut your hand on that heart of yours and promise that: you will never again listen to Haw-Haw or to one of his drivelling clan. You will refuse to hear any mention of his name. You will do all in your power, by derision and use of facts, to stop the spread of any harmful rumour, whether from Haw-Haw or not’.
Anti-Haw-Haw flyers
The newspaper even issued flyers and stickers (above) for its readers to place on their wireless sets.
By 10 June, Greig claimed to have inspired all the residents of Leahurst Road, Lewisham to sign-up to being an ‘anti-Haw-Haw street’. Five days later the paper claimed that the town of Woolwich, the home of the famous arsenal, had signed-up.
By 19 June, the League boasted 50,000 pledges.
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Source: Fox Confronting Lord Haw–Haw: Rumour and Britain’s Wartime Anti-Lies Bureau. https://sas-space.sas.ac.uk/6919/1/Jo%20Fox%20-%20Final%20Revisions%20HAW%20Haw.pdf
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