'The Flame' was a small political publication produced in the UK
during WWII. Apparently there were only a few issues.

It had a tiny circulation and was reportedly the work of three people:
C.F. (Charlie) Watts, Arthur Beavan and another; all former Mosleyites
(British Union of Fascists).

The first two had been interned under Defence Regulation 18B. 

Who was the Third Man?

Many thanks

Bryan

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Request for Question Clarification by answerfinder-ga on 16 Sep 2006 12:21 PDT

Bryan,

I believe I have tracked down the third man. However the first name is
not confirmed but there is good circumstantial evidence as to his
identity. Let me know what you think.

This article is only available to subscribers and may involved a cost
to purchase it. Google has various extracts of it which I have pieced
together. It identifies the editors as Watts, Beavan and Hamer. The
article may give a source for this information.

"Hail Mosley and F? Em All?: Martyrdom, Transcendence and the ?Myth? of Internment
 
Totalitarian Movements & Political Religions
  Publisher:  	Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group
  Issue:  	Volume 7, Number 1 / March 2006"

http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/(s2xk4s453od1rj550t40gd55)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,1,7;journal,3,18;linkingpublicationresults,1:110543,1#search=%22%22The%20Flame%2C%20a%20clandestinely%20circulated%20fascist%20paper%20edited%20by%20the%22%22

Various Google searches pieced together produce the following from the
text of the article:
?...Charlie Watts, the BUF District Leader for the Westminster St
Georges ... The Flame, a clandestinely circulated fascist paper edited
by the impatient triumvirate of Watts, Beavan and Hamer, which blamed
the wives of the wives of ?revolutionary. Blackshirts? for their
inaction..."


This site on Oswald Mosely lists all those who were subject to Defence
Regulation 18B. This list includes a Hamer, and Watts and Beavan.

The Defence Regulation 18B
British Union
Detainees List
Compiled by the
Friends of Oswald Mosley
(F.O.M.)
March 2006

Lt. Richard J. Alexander Hamer
Serving Officer District Leader Plymouth 

Source: Bellamy+ Simpson+ Wynn+ TNA
TS27/533 & HO144/21992
http://www.oswaldmosley.com/downloads/18b%20Detainees%20List.pdf

The sources above I presume include are National Archive references. 
I have searched the NA and found the following reference.

HO 45/23756
WAR: Richard J A Hamer, prominent member of British Union employed in
their Research Department: detention under Defence Regulation 18B

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=6&CATID=5969172


I am not around Sunday, but will be back on duty at GA at 9 am Monday.

answerfinder-ga

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Request for Question Clarification by answerfinder-ga on 16 Sep 2006 12:27 PDT

Sorry, a small typo. The extract should read,
"...Charlie Watts, the BUF District Leader for the Westminster St
Georges ... The Flame, a clandestinely circulated fascist paper edited
by the impatient triumvirate of Watts, Beavan and Hamer, which blamed
the wives of ?revolutionary. Blackshirts? for their inaction..."

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 16 Sep 2006 14:03 PDT

Eureka, Answerfinder, you know what?

You've done it again!

Very many thanks,

Bryan

Dear Bryan,

Pleased I could help. I found a further possible reference in the
National Archives.

1941 
Richard Hamer, Harold de Laessoe and Frank Arbon claim damages from
Home Secretary for false imprisonment and breach of statutory duty

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=6&CATID=5969557&j=1

I included in my usual searches the Times archive, but no mention
found of the subject

answerfinder-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by probonopublico-ga on 18 Sep 2006 01:31 PDT

Hi Answerfinder

Very many thanks for the additional link ...

Unfortunately, it wouldn't work for me because 'I didn't have cookies enabled'.

And it still wouldn't work even after I had relaxed all the cookie controls.

It's very kookie. Can you suggest a way forward?

Thanks to your info, I am having lunch today with a guy who knew Dicky
Hamer. He tells me that he was killed in a motoring accident in Spain
during the 60's.

Isn't it a small world?

All the Best

Bryan

PS Oh yes and I also got a copy of the Taylor & Francis stuff that you
flagged up. Thanks for that, too.

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Clarification of Answer by answerfinder-ga on 18 Sep 2006 02:13 PDT

Bryan,

I checked it and it did the same to me. Try this one.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=6&CATID=5969557

If that fails, try the home page search box.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
Search> Richard Hamer Harold de Laessoe
That should bring up just the one hit.

Blimey! You don't hang about, do you? I think you knew all along and
were just testing us researchers.

answerfinder-ga

Fantastic, as always, Very Many Thanks!

(It's not the same when you are away.)

And, yes thanks, the new link worked perfectly.

My lunch guest told me that Dicky Hamer lived in Kensington until
around the 60's when he migrated to Spain where he died.

It's amazing how it's all come together thanks to your genius.

All the Best

Bryan

Possibly, "Richard J. Alexander Hamer" as identified by Answerfinder
is identical with "Hamer  Richard J A " whose birth was registered in
Oct-Dec 1911 (Portsmouth)
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl


According to "Google Book Search"
http://books.google.com/books?q=%22richard+j+*+hamer%22

"Lieutenant Richard J. A. Hamer of the South Wales Borderers" is
mentioned on page 213 in "In the Highest Degree Odious"
http://www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198259497
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/toc/0198259492/

However, the index (page 448) says "Hamer, Lt. Richard 230".

Bryan, I assume that you have a copy of this book in your library?

Brilliant, Freddy, Many Thanks!

I have a copy of 'Odious' but there is only a brief reference to Hamer
relating to his arrest.

I was hoping to get a fix on his dob but you have now done the necessary.

He is a very interesting man, so anything else that anyone can turn up
(e.g. his Date of Death) would be useful.

Of course, he could still be alive and maybe even reading this!

All the Best

Bryan

His mother's name was Hack. I, therefore, suppose that his parents were:

Frederick Alexander Hamer and Gladys Pansy J W Hack
(marriage registered Oct-Dec 1906, Portsmouth).

Perhaps "Gladys Pansy J W Hack" (married in 1906) is identical with
"Gladys Pansy Jane Hack" (born in 1888):
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/INDIA/2004-09/1094273894
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/INDIA/2004-09/1096202472

The granddaughter of Gladys (born 1888) could be a niece or a daughter
of Richard J A Hamer.

The "additional link" (in the answer) seems to be working now.

Bryan,
Thank you very much for your generous tip. I'm pleased to hear that it
all fitted in nicely. I searched again to see if anything came up
following your bit of extra information, but no luck. I note there are
some articles in the Times on Harold de Laessoe and his attempt to
bring an action against the Home Secretary. I think Hamer must have
been included as '& others' in the action.
answerfinder-ga