Introduction

Summary

The title of this book, The Architect of Victory, is an important metaphor for Frank Berryman's career achievements during the Second World War. An architect is not only a planner and a designer but also a project manager with oversight of the construction of buildings or structures. Architects provide the ideas and vision; they lay the foundations and direct the construction so that the desired outcomes are achieved. They are recognised as highly skilled professionals but, like many other professions, to those outside their own industry the nuances of their role are neither well known nor clearly understood. All too often their major contribution to the structure they helped to forge is also overlooked. More likely the name associated with the tower, bridge or cathedral that they have designed bears the name of the financier or project owner.

Arguably the public knows even less of what a professional staff officer does. Yet on one level they can be somewhat similar to an architect. Both are highly trained and skilled professionals. An operations staff officer, like Berryman, provides many of the ideas and much of the vision to the construction of an operation or campaign. Such officers lay out the plans and set the foundations on which these battles are to be fought. Yet rarely does history remember their deeds, roles or accomplishments.