Hedley Le Bas

[4][5][6][7] In 1910 Le Bas bought out partners T. C. and E. C. Jack in Caxton Publishing, creating a private limited company.

[10] The work of Le Bas on army recruitment followed an October 1913 encounter over a golf match involving George Riddell, with J. E. B. Seely, the Secretary of State for War.

[12] On the outbreak of World War I, Le Bas was summoned by the British government, and he formed a committee of advertising men to promote recruitment.

Le Bas and his colleague Eric Field from the Caxton Advertising Agency were also creative initiators in the Daddy, what did you do in the Great War?

[15] In 1915 Le Bas was recommended by Lord Northcliffe to Reginald McKenna as someone to promote the first British war loan.

[16][17] During 1915 his recruiting efforts turned to Ireland, and there he drew on his army service in Waterford, exploiting in a town with a substantial munitions industry the appeal of military bands.

Both significant in the Liberal Press, they were divided by the party faultline separating McKenna from Lloyd George, their respective golfing partners in a June 1915 match.

[6] Le Bas brought a libel action against the Daily Mail, alleging that in articles and letters the newspaper had published, he had been accused of trying to influence the press in corrupt ways.