Collins one of Britain’s greatest military foes

Michael Collins has been voted one of Britain’s five greatest foes, after results of an online poll by the National Army Museum in London placed him ahead of celebrated adversaries like Napoleon, Erwin Rommel and George Washington.

Collins came second with 2,787 votes, narrowly losing out to Turkish revolutionary leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (3,090) to make a shortlist of five top military leaders.

The result means Collins could yet be named Britain’s greatest adversary, when his case, along with those of Ataturk, Napoleon, Rommel and Washington, is argued in front of a live audience in two weeks.

Leading historians will represent each of the five commanders at an all-day event at the National Army Museum, after which the winner will be selected by secret ballot.

Firm favourite Napoleon attracted just 304 votes, while Rommel pulled in 470 and Washington just 139.

The man behind the poll, Julian Farrance, said Collins deserved his high ranking.

“His abilities as an organiser and field commander are beyond doubt. He had superb organisational ability and was able to pin down and disrupt much larger and better equipped British formations with men inspired by his personal leadership. He was an outstanding guerrilla fighter who fought the British to a standstill.”