Paris 1918 : The War Diary of the British Ambassador, the 17th Earl of Derby

The diary of the 17th Earl of Derby, once thought to have been lost, provides a detailed account of the last months of WW1 as seen through the eyes of the British Ambassador in Paris.

He was possibly an unlikely choice as, on his arrival, he could not speak French and was not a diplomat.

His appointment owed much to Lloyd George's determination to remove him from his previous post as Secretary of State for War.

But, after an uncertain start, he proved to be successful, and the foreign secetaries, Athur Balfour and Lord Curzon relied heavily on him for their appreciation of the situation on the other side of the Channel.Derby took his post at a crucial period of the war when military victory still seemed some way off.

He became a collector of information, dictated into his diary, and his embassy became known for it's lavish hospitality.

This was far from being self-indulgence as he believed that entertaining was the best way to win the confidence of his French associates and therefore to obtain information that would be of use to London.

His diary provides insights into the state of the war, the often strained relationship between Britain and France, and the intrigues of French domestic politics.