Robert Battersby
Encyclopedia
Robert Battersby, KSG
, CBE (14 December 1924 - 30 September 2002) was British soldier, linguist, diplomat and politician, who served as a Member of the European Parliament
for the constituency of Humberside
between 1979 and 1989. He was a prominent member of the Conservative Party
.
in the Indian Army
, Battersby was born in Sheffield
, where he attended Firth Park Grammar School
. At the age of 16, he won a scholarship to read General Sciences
at the University of Edinburgh
, however, as the Second World War was in progress, he spent just a year at university before leaving to join the army.
While still an Officer Cadet
, he was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and forced to leave the Royal Artillery
; keen to continue his military career, he joined the Intelligence Corps. In 1944 he was posted to Italy
, Crete
and mainland Greece
. During a spell in Athens
, he was part of the personal guard of Sir Winston Churchill
and was mentioned in dispatches
. After the war, he remained in the military, fighting against the Communists in Macedonia
between 1945 and 1947. During this time he witnessed numerous atrocities, including the massacre of an entire village. He also risked his life by entering hostile territory to start peace negotitions, unarmed but for a single grenade.
Having risen to the rank of Lieutenant
, Battersby left the Army in 1947 and resumed his studies, reading Russian
and modern Greek
at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
, and French
at Toulouse University. He went on to study at the Sorbonne
, and would eventually master a dozen languages, including Mandarin Chinese and Polish
. He became a fellow of the Institute of Linguists in 1958.
While on a trip to Leningrad
in November 1963, shortly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy
, he was questioned by the KGB
. Years later, while on holiday in the same city, he was welcomed with a limousine and given the best suite in a top hotel, before realising that the KGB had mistaken him for Peter Ustinov
, who had been on the same flight.
In the 1960s, his linguistic skills, knowledge and experience came to the attention of the CBI
and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and he was invited to join delegations to Poland
, Yugoslavia
, China
and Singapore
. In 1969 he became an advisor to the Eastern European Trade Council. Two years later, he was appointed an MBE for his contribution to East-West trade. Between 1973 and 1979 he served in Luxembourg
as a principal administrator in the European Commission
, working in three directorates - General Credits and Investments, Agriculture
and Fisheries. He was awarded the Order of Europe Medal in 1981.
's first direct elections for the European Parliament
.
Given the area's traditional Labour leanings, winning this seat was a tall order, but Battersby polled more votes than the Labour and Liberal candidates combined, achieving a majority of 23,000.
Once elected, he worked hard to promote the interests of his country and his constituency. In the early Eighties, he became the first MEP to address the United States Senate
on defence issues. He also lobbied on behalf of Humberside's farmers and fishermen.
Battersby retained Humberside for the Conservatives in 1984 but, following boundary changes and a revival in the Labour Party's fortunes, he was defeated in the elections of 1989.
One year later, he was appointed a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II and a KSG
by Pope John Paul II. Battersby had been granted a number of audiences and was even invited to worship in the Pope's private chapel.
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
, CBE (14 December 1924 - 30 September 2002) was British soldier, linguist, diplomat and politician, who served as a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the constituency of Humberside
Humberside (European Parliament constituency)
Humberside was a European Parliament constituency, covering most of the Humberside district of England.Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales...
between 1979 and 1989. He was a prominent member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
Background
The son of a MajorMajor
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
, Battersby was born in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, where he attended Firth Park Grammar School
Firth Park Community Arts College
Firth Park Community Arts College is a comprehensive school located in the Shiregreen area of Sheffield, England.It is partnered with Longley Park Sixth Form College, Hatfield Primary School, Beck Primary School and others.-History:...
. At the age of 16, he won a scholarship to read General Sciences
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, however, as the Second World War was in progress, he spent just a year at university before leaving to join the army.
While still an Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
, he was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and forced to leave the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
; keen to continue his military career, he joined the Intelligence Corps. In 1944 he was posted to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and mainland Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. During a spell in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, he was part of the personal guard of Sir Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
. After the war, he remained in the military, fighting against the Communists in Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
between 1945 and 1947. During this time he witnessed numerous atrocities, including the massacre of an entire village. He also risked his life by entering hostile territory to start peace negotitions, unarmed but for a single grenade.
Having risen to the rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, Battersby left the Army in 1947 and resumed his studies, reading Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and modern Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in England.The college traces its origins back to 1869 and the foundation of the Non-Collegiate Students Board, a venture intended to offer students from less financially privileged backgrounds a chance to study...
, and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
at Toulouse University. He went on to study at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
, and would eventually master a dozen languages, including Mandarin Chinese and Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
. He became a fellow of the Institute of Linguists in 1958.
While on a trip to Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
in November 1963, shortly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, he was questioned by the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
. Years later, while on holiday in the same city, he was welcomed with a limousine and given the best suite in a top hotel, before realising that the KGB had mistaken him for Peter Ustinov
Peter Ustinov
Peter Alexander Ustinov CBE was an English actor, writer and dramatist. He was also renowned as a filmmaker, theatre and opera director, stage designer, author, screenwriter, comedian, humourist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster and television presenter...
, who had been on the same flight.
In the 1960s, his linguistic skills, knowledge and experience came to the attention of the CBI
CBI
- Places and installations :* Cape Breton Island, part of Nova Scotia, Canada* Center for Biomedical Imaging, a research facility of Boston University Medical Center* Central Bukidnon Institute, a secondary school in the Philippines...
and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and he was invited to join delegations to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. In 1969 he became an advisor to the Eastern European Trade Council. Two years later, he was appointed an MBE for his contribution to East-West trade. Between 1973 and 1979 he served in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
as a principal administrator in the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, working in three directorates - General Credits and Investments, Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and Fisheries. He was awarded the Order of Europe Medal in 1981.
Political career
In June 1979 he stood as the Conservative candidate for Humberside in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's first direct elections for the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
Given the area's traditional Labour leanings, winning this seat was a tall order, but Battersby polled more votes than the Labour and Liberal candidates combined, achieving a majority of 23,000.
Once elected, he worked hard to promote the interests of his country and his constituency. In the early Eighties, he became the first MEP to address the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on defence issues. He also lobbied on behalf of Humberside's farmers and fishermen.
Battersby retained Humberside for the Conservatives in 1984 but, following boundary changes and a revival in the Labour Party's fortunes, he was defeated in the elections of 1989.
One year later, he was appointed a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II and a KSG
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
by Pope John Paul II. Battersby had been granted a number of audiences and was even invited to worship in the Pope's private chapel.