Walter Nash's 1939 UK and Ireland Tour

[Dave Homewood]

Looking back through the old newspaper there is a lot of coverage of the Minister of Finance, Walter Nash, making a trip to Britain in May, June and July 1939 to beg the British government for more loans, because New Zealand was on the brink of collapse and the world was about to break into world war.

One of the staggering things on this tour is I just read this, in the New Zealand Herald dated 5th of July 1939, is this:

IN CASE OF WAR

NEW ZEALAND POLICY

NO OVERSEAS CONTINGENTS

MR. NASH'S DINNER SPEECH

DUBLIN, July 3

The Prime Minister of Eire, Mr. de Valera, gave a dinner in honour of the New Zealand Minister of Finance, Mr. Walter Nash, in Dublin Castle. Members of the Cabinet, Mr. J. W. Dulanty. Fire High Commissioner in London, and Mr. W. J. Jordan, High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, were among those present. Mrs. Nash and Mrs. Jordan accompanied their husbands on their official visit to Dublin.

New Zealand was not likely to send an expeditionary force overseas in the event of Britain being involved in war, although she would certainly defend the democratic ideal, said Mr. Nash, in a speech at the dinner.

New Zealand was very jealous of her sovereignty, but was keener on the Commonwealth idea than on the Empire.

How is it in exactly two months did the New Zealand Government turn around from "we're not going" to "Where she goes, we go" The 2nd NZEF formed practically days into the war with plans to go overseas.

This statement by Nash seems totally bizarre too in that the NZ Government would express a policy of no overseas contingents just weeks before they handed over the New Zealand Squadron to the RAF, with our men and Wellington bombers as a full unit, for war.

So was the policy stated by Nash actual government policy, or was he talking crap because he was in a country that did not like Britain that much?

Or was it a case that he got the loan he was begging for but with provisos in the contract, we will bale you out but you will support us!

[chasper]

I would assume that NZ wanted something from the Irish, probably trade related as de Valera hated the British with a passion and as we know went to extreme lengths to get on with the Germans. It was he that sent the condolence card on behalf of Ireland when Hitler killed himself.

[Dave Homewood]

Yeah, exactly. But if Nash was lining up a deal or a loan or something and this was a tactic, it would have unraveled weeks later if that really was meant to placate de Valera.

[ErrolC]

Mar 3, 2023 14:15:41 GMT 12 chasper said:

I would assume that NZ wanted something from the Irish, probably trade related as de Valera hated the British with a passion and as we know went to extreme lengths to get on with the Germans. It was he that sent the condolence card on behalf of Ireland when Hitler killed himself.

And lots of things that helped the Allies - Donegal Corridor, Navigation markings, different policies for crashed aircrew etc.

[Peter Lewis]

Mar 3, 2023 13:47:15 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

So was the policy stated by Nash actual government policy, or was he talking crap because he was in a country that did not like Britain that much?

At the risk of being condemned as a political statment, the only way you can tell if a politician is lying is if his lips are moving.

[delticman]

Mar 3, 2023 13:47:15 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Looking back through the old newspaper there is a lot of coverage of the Minister of Finance, Walter Nash, making a trip to Britain in May, June and July 1939 to beg the British government for more loans, because New Zealand was on the brink of collapse and the world was about to break into world war.

One of the staggering things on this tour is I just read this, in the New Zealand Herald dated 5th of July 1939, is this:

IN CASE OF WAR

NEW ZEALAND POLICY

NO OVERSEAS CONTINGENTS

MR. NASH'S DINNER SPEECH

DUBLIN, July 3

The Prime Minister of Eire, Mr. de Valera, gave a dinner in honour of the New Zealand Minister of Finance, Mr. Walter Nash, in Dublin Castle. Members of the Cabinet, Mr. J. W. Dulanty. Fire High Commissioner in London, and Mr. W. J. Jordan, High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, were among those present. Mrs. Nash and Mrs. Jordan accompanied their husbands on their official visit to Dublin.

New Zealand was not likely to send an expeditionary force overseas in the event of Britain being involved in war, although she would certainly defend the democratic ideal, said Mr. Nash, in a speech at the dinner.

New Zealand was very jealous of her sovereignty, but was keener on the Commonwealth idea than on the Empire.

How is it in exactly two months did the New Zealand Government turn around from "we're not going" to "Where she goes, we go" The 2nd NZEF formed practically days into the war with plans to go overseas.

This statement by Nash seems totally bizarre too in that the NZ Government would express a policy of no overseas contingents just weeks before they handed over the New Zealand Squadron to the RAF, with our men and Wellington bombers as a full unit, for war.

So was the policy stated by Nash actual government policy, or was he talking crap because he was in a country that did not like Britain that much?

Or was it a case that he got the loan he was begging for but with provisos in the contract, we will bale you out but you will support us!

It's easy to join the dots together now but then Germany had not invaded Poland.

It seems like a fairly high level of a meeting, not unusual as we were both farming nations selling our produce to England.

I think I read somewhere that Ireland were worried about being annexed by London if War did break out with Germany at some time, so Ireland may have invited other Governments of the Empire to Ireland to plead their case of being an independent country.

[Dave Homewood]

There were German troops massing around the Polish border already and German troops in the Polish "Free City" of Danitz, unloading arms at the port there ready to kick off. The whole world knew Poland was next, literally any day. And by that time Britain and France had both publicly announced of the Germans invaded Poland, they'd join the fight too. So it is not like the world was unaware that war was about to kick off.

The reality was there was practically a world war already against the Axis. Through 1938 and early 1939 war was still raging in Spain, and British forces were involved there.

British forces and civil shipping had been in clashes with the Japanese in China, The Japanese invaded the British city of Tientsin in June 1939 and were taking over. Czechoslovakia and Austria had fallen to the Nazis. The Italians had invaded Eritrea, Ethiopia, Algieria.... The Japanese were fighting the Chinese and the Soviets. It was a powder keg well ablaze by June 1939.

It just seems a really stupid political move to me to be in Britain to beg for help and money from the British government and then tell their neighbour who hates them that they won't be doing anything for Britain when the war begins.

I am glad New Zealand was involved and Nash's view was wrong. New Zealanders input into the defence of Britain was a major factor in that country not falling to the Nazis.

[Dave Homewood]

On top of everything else at that time, Britain was being bombed on a weekly basis by the IRA, too.