Fighting Proud: The Untold Story of the Gay Men Who Served in Two World Wars

by Stephen Bourne

-In 1943 the famous Battle of Britain pilot Flight Lieutenant Ian Gleed was shot down over Tunisia. He died a hero. Twice before he had bailed out of blazing Spitfires. Twice King George VI had congratulated him. What his family probably never knew was that Gleed was homosexual. It was not until the 1990s, when one of his lovers was interviewed for BBC television, that the truth came out...-

In this astonishing new history of wartime Britain, historian Stephen Bourne unearths the fascinating stories of the gay men who served in the armed forces and at home, and brings to light the great unheralded contribution they made to the war effort. Fighting Proud weaves together the remarkable lives of these men, from RAF hero Ian Gleed - a Flying Ace twice honored for bravery by King George VI - to the infantry officers serving in the trenches on the Western Front in WWI - many of whom led the charges into machine-gun fire only to find themselves court-marshalled after the war for indecent behavior. Behind the lines, Alan Turing's work on breaking the -enigma machine- and subsequent persecution contrasts with the many stories of love and courage in Blitzed-out London, with new wartime diaries and letters unearthed for the first time. Bourne tells the bitterly sad story of Ivor Novello, who wrote the WWI anthem -Keep the Home Fires Burning, - and the crucial work of Noel Coward - who was hated by Hitler for his work entertaining the troops. Fighting Proud also includes a wealth of long-suppressed wartime photography subsequently ignored by mainstream historians.
This book is a monument to the bravery, sacrifice and honor shown by a persecuted minority, who contributed during Britain's hour of need.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, LGBT, Queer, Gay, Historical, World War II

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Stephen Bourne is a British writer, film and social historian specialising in black culture.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen...

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

A compendium of stories of gay and bi men who served in the wars, plus the gay experience on the home front. It's a series of accounts of experiences rather than a thesis, much of it oral history. Very interesting on the contrast between official bigotry and the amount of informal acceptance reported by many speakers. Some really moving stories of lifelong loves and powerful accounts of heroism, plus some extremely funny lines. (Wilfred Thesiger on his experience fighting the Battle of Ypres: "My dear, the noise, and the people.")

[Nico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nico Jones, with a full review on a non-fiction book?! Surely you can't be serious. [insert obvious and timeless Airplane! reference here] Quarantine is getting to me friends; I haven't been on a transit vehicle in month, hockey is nothing but historical highlights and I'm going insane, so I guess I have no choice but to actually review all my 'RTC' books on my shelves. See what you've brought me to world?! You've brought me to following through on promises made usually at midnight when I tell myself "Sure, I can probably review this one too!" and now I'm rambling on the internet again. Okie dokie, moving forward with hopefully less insanity.

So, I'm not usually someone who tabs books unless I'm reading it for school or a book club, and even then I find it a nuisance more than anything. Reading this book though, I found myself compelled to flag certain pages and passages just because I genuinely wanted to re-read sections, and I'm really glad I continued all the way through. I'm not going through all of the passages I marked since there are almost two dozen of them (which I know is rookie numbers for some, but that's a lot for me) - regardless, I'm including more than a few. Prepare yourself for a lot of quoting.

I was initially hesitant to pick up any books outlining the stories of gay men during the Great Wars just because of how utterly depressing I figured it would be - and don't get me wrong, there are several stories in here that are pretty damn devastating. That said, a huge amount of stories end truly happily; I'd say more than half. For many stories that don't end happily, Stephen Bourne makes a point to find happier moments in the man's life and warm interactions with others so it doesn't read as one long, depressing account of inevitable disaster. I deeply appreciated that strategy, and it really helped me not to simply put the book down after an especially sad chapter's end because I knew there would be some happiness coming shortly.

Speaking of happiness, I legitimately laughed out loud more than once reading this, which was a tad unexpected. But, wartime humour was often crass and brutal humour, and I'm on board with that. For example, this had me going just from visualizing it happening, and it shows how some gay soldiers had the full support of their colleagues to the point of vehemently defending them against homophobic superior officers - even back then. This is from Micheal Bentine, an RAF pilot during WWII who recalls a friend snapping at his CO after he made a particularly offensive remark about their very talented/overtly gay friend Roy: "He's got more guts in his arsehole than you've got in your whole body! Christ, it must gall you to have men like him on your squadrons with D.S.Os, D.F.Cs and D.F.Ms while all you've got is a bloody little piece of lettuce leaf for shooting up the bleeding Arabs! Sir!" (Page 88) The last "Sir" just got to me. Those acronyms are all incredibly prestigious awards for RAF pilots by the way.

Seeing how people like Naval Officer Terri Gardner responded to aggressive remarks during WWII from fellow officers about his sexuality is funnily enough still solid advice in certain situations: "Fight crudity with crudity. And if you've got the pluck to do that you'll find you'll make friends. Every time anyone has ever challenged me I've said 'What of it? Have I ever taken advantage of you? Do I want your cock?' I've found this attitude has had the reverse effect and people respond positively to me. But if you're going to allow yourself to be shit on, dear, then blush and run away."

One of my hands down favourite cheerful and endearing moments I came back to was describing Len and William (who are still together in North London) who were a couple before conscription during WWII. The separation was understandably difficult, and Len, who became a cook and was out to his fellow officers, spoke to them often about missing Will. One day, an officer put his hands of Len's eyes only to surprise him with Will standing in the doorway. They gave Len the entire day off so they could spend it together: "I was overjoyed... So that shows how sympathetic they were to us, it proves they didn't have any prejudice." (Page 44) Just sweet, wholesome stuff amidst all the chaos of a war.

It really does seem that there was a massive amount of chance involved for gay men about the officers and superiors they were assigned with/to. While some officers faced derogatory comments and abuse, others were accepted with little to no question.

There were many stories about gay men undertook the massively-valued jobs of entertaining deployed officers with music, dancing, and a whole lot of drag. Several men spoke about how amazing it felt to make soldiers smile amidst the Hell they were going through, and how even if they only make them think of something good and fun for a moment that it was worth it. The importance of entertainers were recognized all the way up to Winston Churchill himself, and it also gave some gay men who dressed/spoke in "campy" ways an outlet to be themselves while contributing the war effort. The importance of finding community could also not be understated.

Along those lines, there were also men like Alex Purdie who, after receiving his call up papers and being told by a fellow gay friend that he could get out of it by telling them he was queer, responded: "Get out of it? I want to get !" Purdie's brother and Father both served and he was determined to as well. Of course, he took a different route from them as he spent "half of his army career in a dress and high heels"! He was "not only accepted but treated with real warmth by his local community" before the war, and during it was recruited by BESA, a troupe of army entertainers who were sent to dangerous and remote parts of India like field hospitals where it "wasn't safe for women to be sent" (we'll just suppress our rage at the unsurprising sexism there). (Page 46-48)

Being a soldier also opened the eyes of some gay men. John Alcock ended up at a Mens-Only bar: "I became aware of the amount of officers that were standing around...and all the officers were homosexual and it gave me a tremendous lift to realize that other ranks were queer the same I was." (Page 49)

Being gay actually pushed some men like Denis Rake to be on the front lines, who said that part of the reason he felt like he needed to prove himself came from the anxieties he felt about his homosexuality. (Page 185) This of course was a time when gay men were thought to be almost exclusively sissies by the media/public, and some gay soldiers really opened the eyes of straight men after serving together because, shocker, sexuality doesn't impact your ability to serve and some gay men were flipping excellent at their jobs [see quote 1].

I also really enjoyed the letters between solders that were included in some chapters; particularly between Ralph Hall & Montague Glover and Wilfred Owen & Siegfried Sassoon. I adore primary documents (definitely picked that up from my Mom, shout out) and the letters here are heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Bourne mentions the books the letters were taken from and I might just check them out directly.

The book also highlights issues such as these soldiers and civilians having their sexualities mis-represented in history books and by the media. One of my favourites is when the publisher of respected RAF pilot Ian Gleen's memoir decided his "bachelor status" required a "touch of romance" and he invented a girlfriend named Pam for the book since being gay clearly wasn't an option for such a talented officer. 'Pam' apparently came as quite a surprise to his family and friends, y'know, seeing as she didn't exist and all. In reality there are several men who had relationships with Gleen and confirm he was at the very least bisexual.

I'd actually like to take this opportunity to comment that there were inexplicably few mentions of bisexuality or pansexuality in this book and frankly it bothered me more than a tad. It always seemed to be a question of gay or straight, and that's just not how it works (for further questions please see this reviewer's sexuality). Just to pick on something else, I'd say that Bourne clearly has some vehement opinions of film which is absolutely fine, but improptu casting choice critiques that go on for half a page really do end up taking away from the story of the soldier/sailor etc. that's being told. The writing would also sometimes feel like it went all over the place at times, but I kinda got used to it.

I learned (technically re-learned, as I think I vaguely remember this from 10th grade) that, providing men didn't cause a scene, the British government basically looked the other way as far as accepting gay men when the Wars got nasty because they'd take whoever they could get. That said, the second the war was over, the tables turned quite severely. Court marshals, imprisonment, strict and unforgiving enforcement on any "gay behaviour" in public (no matter how minor) that was overlooked during Wartime to the point of two soldiers being split up by officers with guns during VE Day celebrations.

Possibly the worst part was blatant refusals by the government that anyone homosexual served in either of the Great Wars for decades. The end of Dudley Cave's chapter focused on his anger and betrayal at the situation, especially that gays/lesbians were subsequently banned from military service. "They used us when it suited them, and then victimized us when the country was no longer in danger. I am glad that I served but angry that military homophobia was allowed to wreck so many lives for over 50 years after we gave our all for a freedom that gay people were denied." (Page 58) Cave, a POW and gay rights activist with his 40-year-long partner Bernard, was a "leading light" in peace and forgiveness - especially in Japan, where he was held hostage. The British Legion, for its part, stated homosexuals had "no right to complain about being ostracized" as they were "attempting to weaken our society", and in the late 1990s actively "deplored" laying a pink triangle wreath for gays and lesbians who served, condemning it as "distasteful and offensive". (Page 58)

Personally I can't comment on that further without feeling sick. Instead I focus on how Cave helped raise money with a Japanese soldier to build a Temple of Peace in Japan. Cave attended the dedication ceremony in person and said "I will never forget what the Japanese did to us, but the time has come for peace." (Page 58) Just... infinite respect.

Honestly, if you had told me I'd get this invested in a non-fiction book that didn't involve dogs, I would be shocked. But I'm very much glad I read this and that I feel more educated about the brave men who risked their lives and in some cases died who also happened to not be straight. Their stories and legacy are enormously important and will stick with me for a very, very long time.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

All incredible stories, some familiar while some unknown to me. Essential reading for all gay men & whomever is interested in wartime heroes. This subsequently broke my heart and uplifted me.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, fun, and informative read about life about British gay men between the two world wars. I learned a great deal while reading this book. Fighting Proud is well researched and well written.

[Matthew Banks · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very readable book with some interesting points made, but over-reliant on other published works due to the inevitable paucity of primary sources. The author refers to Jivani’s ‘It’s Not Unusual’ so many times, the reader is left feeling that it would be easier to just obtain a copy of Jivani’s book! Worth reading, though, for those interested by the relationship between homosexuality and military service.

[Steve Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise account of the role of gay men played in the British forces in both World Wars. While by no means exhaustive, Stephen Bourne points out that if gay men were totally excluded from service, there would have been gaps in the front lines. Bourne looks at the more obvious men like Quentin Crisp and Alan Turing as  well as a lot I've never heard of. A great and very informative read.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

As important as this book is in preserving gay history it is highly flawed.

The collection of biographies and first hand accounts of the two World Wars are interesting, but have no real direction or concept. There is no strong historical explanation and contextualisation of the experiences and accounts of those gay men in the military.
Some of the interpretations also seem weak and unfocussed.

The chapter about the author's friend Ken is beautiful, but also an example that a lot of times the focus lies on the circumstances of gay people after the war, especially, in the 1950s.

In preserving gay history this book is essential; in enlightening people about the lived reality of gay and bi men during the war times this book could have been stronger. It is very readable as the writing is accessible and not overly academic.

[Tanwen Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully readable and thoroughly researched book revealing a side of the two world wars which tends to go unrecognised, if not explicitly removed from history.

Rather than be a detailed account of any one gay man's story, the book is more of a selection box, giving the Sparknotes version of each individual story with pointers of where Bourne got the information from for anyone wanting to take a deeper dive (this book has been somewhat hazardous to my TBR...). The style relies heavily on quoting other sources which gives the book something of an academic flavour for those more used to the populist, narrative style. However, that doesn't mean the book is dry or boring; I found it incredibly readable and polished it off in one sitting.

One thing I really enjoyed was the fact that there were several happy stories of men who lived long and happy lives. Obviously, for a book about being gay in a time when it was both illegal and there was a war on, not all the stories have a happy ending, but there was enough that didn't end in death or disgrace to remind people that some people have always supported the queer fellows, even when the law forbade it.

It is worth noting that as the book goes on, the stories become less about being gay during the war, and more about what some gay men happened to be getting up to in the war. Still as interesting, but a slight change of pace if you were expecting something else.

[Infamous Sphere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn this book was great. For those hesitating about reading it, it's a) on the whole very positive, and shares a lot of good experiences of guys who loved each other and got quite a lot of community and peer support (turns out the past isn't always as one dimensional homophobic as you might think) and b) unlike a lot of nonfiction books, it's an easy read that's easy to get into. Absolute recommend

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Examination of lesser-known British gay men who experienced the two World Wars - either in service or as civilians - shines a light on an intriguing topic, but does so in very perfunctory, often repetitive style. The reliance on others’ research doesn’t help, lending a third hand quality to the work. Still, sufficient if you’re looking for a quick read on the subject.

[diario_de_um_leitor_pjv · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Fighting Proud. The Untold Story Of The Gay Men Who Served In Two World Wars”. de Stephen Bourne é uma obra jornalística que faz uma interessante pesquisa histórica e problematiza a recolha das vivências históricas e sociológicas a partir dos exemplos de homens gays e bisexuais que serviram nas forças armadas britânicas nas duas guerras mundiais.

Um registo de recolha de história oral, realizado no Reino Unido, que nos traz e mostra um outro lado da história que valerá a pena reconhecer como necessário. E que muitas vezes o espaço académico formal continua a silenciar.

Ao longo destes capítulos o autor dá-nos a conhecer como o preconceito oficial e a perseguição legal destes homens gays e bissexuais foram uma prática institucionalizada durante grande parte do século XX, e - por isso mesmo - limitativa das relações amorosas e sexuais durante gerações

Ao longo destas páginas (li em versão ebook) o autor mostra, igualmente, muitas histórias de heroísmo e bravura no teatro de guerra, bem como de ação meritória e de trabalho contínuo nos bastidores dos conflitos. Uma obra que aconselho a ler e que introduz de uma forma simples um tema que me tem vindo a interessar cada vez mais: a necessidade de revermos o papel das populações LGBTI+ na história do século XX.

(nas fotos temos alguns exempos de militares que se destacam neste livro como seja Alan Touring ou o polícia Harry Daley - que conta a história foi namorado de E. M. Forster.)

[Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many beautiful little stories about a soldier who wore a silk scarf on the battlefield, two men in the navy who were openly a couple, love letters and accepting families. It's so important to see that we have always existed, but also to have examples of being accepted by the world around us at a time when we were illegal.

[Rebecca Fell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short summary: accounts of gay men during both world wars across all services, how they were viewed, and how they were treated.

Really beautiful entries on who these soldiers were, how they either hid or flaunted their sexuality and what it meant for their careers.

Some of the stories were funny, others really romantic, but it really showed how much attitudes towards gay military men has changed. Loved every second of this book!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great, informative read. I hadn't really thought about this before, how difficult it was for gay men, who usually weren't accepted by society, to go to war with the very people who wanted them imprisoned, or dead.

I really enjoyed all the first person accounts, shocking I know. There was such a great variance in experiences, as was to be expected. Some men were totally "out", others felt like they had to hide who they were, literally for their lives. I was surprised by the number of straight men who had homosexual experiences, often for the first time. I suppose war does that to a person; the need for warmth and human contact must be unbearable.

[Michael Kerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's obvious to anyone awake, that the history of gay life, of LGBTQ contributions, is generally overlooked. This book aims to be a corrective to this situation, and indeed there are a number of interesting vignettes illustrating the heroism and legacies of gay soldiers (mostly) who served in World War I or II. However, given the number of examples provided, there simply isn't time in a book of this length to cover the cases in much depth.

[Lee Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the idea of this book and the information in it, some surprising names came up who I wouldn't have suspected. The downside to me is there are a lot of extracts from other authors, which I do know is common in historical books but it occasionally causes the (historical) storylines to jutter as you go from the authors writing style to someone else's.

[Quinn da Matta · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important testament to the bravery of the gay men and women who risked it all to fight for our freedom... while being denied those same freedoms and decency. These incredible people are finally getting the recognition and respect they deserve, almost 100 years later.

[Lil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book but I felt like it was just a brief overview and never really got into any depth or dealt with the nitty gritty of the subject.

The section about the First World War ought to have been abandoned as it was just speculation and “well we don’t have any evidence to support this.” Also, if you’re going to discuss the plot of a (quite) famous play, at least revisit it so you get the character names right!

I also thought the erring away from “famous” stories was a bit misguided as at least there would be some factual and concrete evidence to work with rather than the “so and so claimed this but it was never clear..” lines that we got a few times. Trying to tell these “famous” stories in a paragraph or less just made them confusing and incomplete. I mean, mentioning Sassoon “might” have been gay without mentioning Stephen Tennant, even in passing is just lazy. I know there was only a paragraph but do it properly or not at all.

Overall, if this book has been longer and bit less speculative and willing to dive into stories that are more well known, it would have been much better.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very readable account of the lives of queer men during the two world wars, i found myself wishing that Bourne would expand upon his subjects and go into more detail. The book has an extensive bibliography and so is a great jumping off point for anyone interested in this period and topic, but unsure how to start.
I was frustrated that throughout the book either as gay or heterosexual, as if bisexuality was unheard of or unfathomable unless a person explicitly states they identify with it.
The penultimate chapter of the book contains brief summaries (brief as in one page long brief) of the lives of queer men who are better known. I wish these were also more extensive and contained not just snipits about their general life during the war(s) but also information about their relationships/sex life, since it is relevant for this book. Some direction on where to read more on them would have been nice, too.
Not mentioning that Alan Turing, ontop of loosing his job, was also castrated when he was convicted is just not okay.

[Bob May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-done and enjoyable in a somewhat elevated British style. Obviously heartfelt. Often poignant, sometimes funny. Nonfiction. Stories of gay British soldiers, POWs, and prominent heroes and figures on the Homefront in the two world wars and the Blitz. Some familiar names (James Whale (fascinating), Kitchener, Alan Turing, Quentin Crisp (a real hero), Ivor Novello, Noel Coward); most obscure. How hard it was to navigate hate, laws, and homophobia. Yet, in many cases, our gay brothers found ways to fit in, assimilate, and be liked by their fellows. With pictures. The sailor stories are especially fun. Favorites:
Former chorus boy caught in an enemy spotlight: "For Christ's sake, give me a pink, Duckie! This color shows my bloody age!"
Sailor relaying captain's order: "Open fire, dear."

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historian Stephen Bourne has focused on some of the neglected parts of British 20th-century history. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of books about the role of ordinary people during the world wars. Bourne highlights the stories not told: of the Black community in War to Windrush, Black Poppies, and The Motherland Calls; and here in Fighting Proud, of the gay and bisexual men who served their country.

In an era when gay sex was illegal, wartime offered levels of freedom and social mixing hitherto unknown. Famous figures like Lawrence of Arabia and Alan Turing get a brief mention, but the focus is on the untold stories.

A hugely valuable work.

[Serena.. Sery-ously? · Rating 3 out of 5]

Non so nemmeno io che cosa mi aspettassi, però non credo di averlo trovato . Alcune pagine sono molto interessanti, ma per di più mi è sembrato che il senso del libro mi sfuggisse.
Però c'è una nutritissima bibliografia, quindi penso troverò una lettura pienamente soddisfacente.

Popsugar Reading challenge: A book about gender identity

Around the year in 52 books: A fiction or nonfiction book that is set during 1900 -1951

The 52 books club challenge: A book with photographs inside

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important but fragmented work, which highlights some fascinating lives and stories from what was inevitably a limited range of sources. However it is written very much as a series of snapshots and I wished it did more to give an overall narrative of the impact of the wars on the lives of gay men (or LGBT people more generally) and/or their position within the armed forces - it touches on this here and there but usage of official sources etc is scant.

[Linz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a good book. Chock full of both anecdotes and deeper explorations of the systems in place. The book tries its best to reach as far as it can in the scope of its subject matter. There are times when bouncing between places or people can feel jarring but for the most part the threads are kept organized. For its length it is quite a comprehensive covering of subject matter. I could see this being taught in an "intro to queer history" class of some kind.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Picked this up off the Pride Month display at the library. Was a quick, easy read, with touching and sad moments recounting hidden relationships and the shameful treatment and mistrust of gay servicemen, all putting their lives on the line for King and country, just like all others on the frontline. Some sections a bit vague or lacking source material (some for obvious reasons) so seemed to lean a bit on speculation at times.

[Sophie Rees · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely collection of stories of gay men from the World War One and Two. Very readable and enjoyable. However sometimes lacking further details, repetitive and lacked further analysis from the author.
I would definitely recommend it to read, but it could have been executed better by the author in my opinion.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So interesting & informative! The only downside is that there's a lot less information about WWI than there is about WWII, but that's to be expected with an 'oral history' type of book. Still, a moving & fascinating insight into queer men's experiences in the British military during two world wars.

[Elío Sáenz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The chapters here are interesting and digestible enough that I was able to finish the whole book in a day. Includes some personalities I haven't read about before so it was informative too. Outraged at what some of these brave and honorable men were subjected to after years of meritorious service. I'm glad that ain't the case now, at least in the West.

[Trevor Harvey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The major problem for the author of 'Fighting Proud' is, for obvious reasons, the lack of original source material.
Information is gleaned from a number of previously published sources to put together a slim book.
Not really worth bothering with.

[Victoria Schreiber · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️

A very interesting non-fiction book that illustrates multiple gay lives during the two world wars. The different men chosen were very varied and described very interestingly, although the author sometimes uses a bit too much citation. I also wish that he had included some of the more well-known historic figures or at least given some tips for good autobiographies in the main text.