An amateur British "diplomat" tried to strike a peace deal with Germany just months after World War Two began, proposing the Nazis be given a free hand in Europe if they agreed to leave Britain's colonial empire untouched.
Previously unreleased documents showed on Sunday that old Etonian and fascist sympathiser James Lonsdale-Bryans travelled to Italy to try to negotiate a deal through the German ambassador in Rome, Ulrich von Hassell.
Files released under the Freedom of Information Act show the Foreign Office knew of the trip but was uneasy about Lonsdale-Bryans' conduct. "He went to Italy with the knowledge of the Foreign Office in order to develop his contacts. He greatly exceeded his instructions," a note from the security service states.
Lonsdale-Bryans wrote to the then Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax with his plans. The files reveal the secret service was unsure as to how much backing Lonsdale-Bryans, who also explored going to Germany, had from Halifax.
"There is no doubt that Bryans, with or without authority from Lord Halifax, endeavoured to go to Germany to contact (German foreign minister) Ribbentrop and if possible Hitler himself," one file shows.
In the event, Germany's invasion of France in 1940 radically changed the political climate. Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as British prime minister, attitude to appeasers hardened and Halifax was moved to become Britain's ambassador in Washington.
The Foreign Office became acutely aware of the embarrassment of its association with Lonsdale-Bryans and archive documents suggest he was only spared jail to avoid unwanted revelations.
One Foreign Office letter reads: "Although there seems to be a good deal to be said for locking him up to prevent him airing his views to all and sundry, I understand that if this is done it will inevitably involve his bringing up the question of his contacts with the Foreign Office and the facilities afforded him to go to Italy."
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