Chichester Bishop Martin Warner reflects on his predecessor Bishop George Bell on anniversary of historic speech

On February 9, 1944, the Bishop of Chichester, George Bell, spoke in the House of Lords against the policy of blanket bombing towns and cities in Germany as a means of bringing the Second World War to an end.

Bishop Martin Warner said: “The extraordinary courage of his speech was recognised by many at the time. But it also brought him ridicule from the cartoonists, and disfavour from those in charge of military operations and ecclesiastical appointments. Before this speech, it had been thought that Bell would move from Chichester to higher office. That did not happen.“Bell had tabled a question asking His Majesty’s Government for “a statement as to their policy regarding the bombing of towns in enemy countries, with special reference to the effect of such bombing on civilians as well as objects of non-military and non-Industrial significance in the area attacked”.

“Bell began his speech by stating his credentials as a well-known opponent, from 1933 onwards, of Hitler and the Nazis. His view was informed by close ecumenical friendship with Christians in Germany. Bell went on to acknowledge the destruction by the Luftwaffe of “Belgrade, Warsaw, Rotterdam, London, Portsmouth, Coventry, Canterbury, and many other places of military, industrial, and cultural importance. Hitler is a barbarian. There is no decent person on the Allied side who is likely to suggest that we should make him our pattern or attempt to be competitors in that market.”