Douglas Ritchie Explained

Douglas Ernest Ritchie (1905–1967)^[1] was a British news editor at the BBC.

World War II

Ritchie, at the time an assistant news editor, broadcast to German-occupied countries during the war of the world war of world 2. He adopted the moniker "Colonel Britton",^[2] and his identity was a closely guarded secret until after the war.^[3]

He was in charge of the BBC's wartime "V for Victory" campaign.

He created the "Continental V Army".^[4]

By the time of the disclosure of his identity in 1945 he was director of the European news department of the BBC.

Post war

After the end of the war Ritchie rose to the position of head of publicity at the BBC. At the age of 50 he suffered a stroke.^[5]

His book Stroke: A Diary Of Recovery^[6] was hailed by John O'Londons as "A triumph of the highest order".

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Papers of Douglas E Ritchie and Noel Newsome. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20211004224342/https://archivesearch.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/9/resources/1740 . 4 October 2021 . Archivesearch.
2. Book: Seth. Ronald Seth. The truth-benders: psychological warfare in the Second World War. Leslie Frewin Publishers Ltd. 1969. 978-0090961207. 129.
3. Book: Clarke. Pseudonyms: The Names behind the Names. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1977. 978-0840765673. 27.
4. Book: Hall. A Woman in the Shadow of the Second World War: Helena Hall's Journal from the Home Front. 30 November 2014. Pen and Sword Military. 9781473823259. 2015-02-19. 266.
5. Book: Stewart. My Brother's Keeper?. Health Horizon. 1971. 978-0901548184. 2nd. 19.
6. Book: Ritchie, Douglas. Stroke: A Diary Of Recovery. Faber & Faber. 1960. B0000CKN4E.