FINEST
HOUR
Winter 1997-98 • Number 97
i iirnal of The Churchill Center
• International Churchill Societies
TABLE OF CONTENTS
•r-
FINEST HOUR
Winter 1997-98
Journal of The Churchill Center and Societies
5 Our First Associates Raise Churchill Center's
Endowment to $785,000
Number 97
BOOKS, ARTS & CURIOSITIES:
28 The Churchill Center's first book, Churchill as
Peacemaker is recommended, not without contentions,
by Warren F. Kimball, while Professor Kimball's latest
Roosevelt-Churchill book is recommended, not without
contentions, by Richard Langworth. Robin Denniston
has produced a dense but useful book on Churchill's
policy toward Turkey, based on the latest releases of
secret files, says David Stafford. Finest Hour begins a
series of reader reviews of older works with a critique
by Joe Sramek of Manchester's The Last Lion, while the
Editor praises BBC2 Television's Brian Walden, who
reveals why Churchill remains a hero.
Personality of the Century
The countdown to the Millennium has Begun.
Finest Hour Begins the Nominating Arguments...
12 No Misgivings About My Choice
by Carol Ferguson
13 A Project of Honor and Recognition
by Cyril Mazansky, M.D.
14 Unswerving Resolution, Glinting Intellect
by Ron Cynewulf Robbins
18 The Two Churchills and Chess
"Marshal Your Baldwins!"
34 Rescuing the Havengore
Australian Owen Palmer is fast restoring the historic
launch that carried Sir Winston up the Thames
by Henry Crooks
by Dougla< ]. Hall
21 Online Debate: Iraq ("Messpot")
"Listserv Winston" Members Contemplate What
Churchill's Wisdom Suggests About Iraq
38 Woods Corner: What Should I Read?
Bibliophiles discuss recommended reading, a fictitious
title, and the origin of texts from Malakand to WW2.
by Various Hands, Keyboards and Modems
23 Fifteenth International Churchill Conference
Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, 5-8 November
Update and Hotel Booking Information
4
6
20
24
25
26
38
42
44
45
46
47
48
40 Churchill Commemoratives Calendar, Part 7
A look at the bountiful array of Churchilliana produced
in the years leading up to the Centenary
Amid These Storms
*"
International Datelines
www.winstonchurchill.org
Riddles, Mysteries, Enigmas
Wit & Wisdom
Action t h i s Day
Woods Corner
Churchill in Stamps
Despatch Box
Recipes From Number Ten
Churchilltrivia
Ampersand
Immortal Words
Cover:
Catching some lovely afternoon sunlight on
St. Stephen's Tower, the Churchill statue by
Ivor Roberts-Jones broods over Parliament
Square, London. The controversial statue,
which the sculptor himself confessed to having had nightmares about (see FH 94, p8),
might have been rendered in Garter Robes
(see cover, FH 86) had Lady Churchill not
expressed the wish that Sir Winston be here
portrayed in military uniform.
Photograph by John G. Plumpton
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 3
AMID THESE STORMS
FINEST HOUR
ISSN 0882-3715
Barbara F. Langworth, Publisher
Richard M Langworth, Editor
PO Box 385, Hopkinton, NH 03229
USA Tel. (603)746-4433
E-mail: [email protected]
Senior Editor. John G. Plumpton
130 Collingsbrook Blvd
Agincourt Ont. M1W 1M7 Canada
Email: [email protected]
Senior Editor: Ron Cynewulf Robbins
198 St. Charles St.
Victoria, BC, V8S 3M7 Canada
Features Editor: Douglas J. Hall
183A Somerby Hill, Grantham
Lines. NG31 7HA England
News Editor: John Frost
Editorial Assistant: Gail Greenly
Contributors
Sir Martin Gilbert, United Kingdom
George Richard, Australia
James W. Muller, United States
Nigel Knocker, United Kingdom
Manfred Weidhorn, United States
Curt Zoller, United States
Finest Hour is made possible through
the generous support of members of
The Churchill Center and Societies.
Winston Churchill Associates
ICS United States, Churchill Center,
Mr. & Mrs. Matthew B. Wills,
Mr. & Mrs. Parker H. Lee III,
Alex M. Worth Jr., Fred Farrow,
Colin D. Clark, David & Diane Boler,
Michael & Carol McMenamin
Clementine Churchill Associates
Barbara &c Richard Langworth,
James F. Lane, John B. Thomison,
John H. & Susan H. Mather,
Mr. & Mrs. D. Craig Horn
FINEST HOUR is published quarterly by
The Churchill Center and International
Churchill Societies, which offer various levels of support in their respective currencies.
Membership applications and changes of
address should be sent to the appropriate
offices on page 2. Permission to mail at nonprofit rates in USA granted by the US Postal
Service, Concord, NH, permit no. 1524.
Copyright 1998. All rights reserved. Designed and edited by Dragonwyck
Publishing Inc. Production by New England
Foil Stamping Inc. Printed by Reprographics
Inc. Made in U.S.A.
PERSONALITY OF THE CENTURY
prominent newspaper editor with whom I spoke recently gave me
some intriguing advice about influencing the choice of Personality
(better, don't you think, than the trendy newspeak "Person"?) of the
Century by Time magazine. Notwithstanding the indications (that Time may
subdivide its choices by category, as on its website), he believes that a concerted effort by Churchillians could produce the result we wish to see.
His suggestion is twofold. First, we should promote a series of scholarly articles for the op-ed pages of major newspapers, particularly the New
York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, all of which
will increasingly focus on this discussion as we approach the end of the century. He believes that The Churchill Center and Societies include many qualified writers who can do this, people we can influence to undertake such
pieces. Part two of his program is to send a distinguished delegation to Time,
armed with these articles: persuasive and articulate people who would be able
to achieve the vital hearing by Time's editors.
This is a well-considered gameplan by which such a PR campaign
could actually be carried out. I do not delude myself that our journal has the
clout to influence Time; but some of its subscribers do, and my editor friend
reminded me that Finest Hour can play a role in priming the pump, with a
series of articles on the same theme.
To that end I invite readers willing to contemplate pieces of 1000-2000
words to consider writing same for FH; and, as well, to suggest distinguished
writers, connected in some way with ICS/CC past events, programs, projects
and publications, to essay similar pieces. My editor friend has offered his professional assistance in placing these articles in the key op-ed pages.
To be effective, articles must consider not only Churchill's role in
World War II but the totality of his contribution: the crucial reforms from his
early years with the Liberal Party; his strategic, diplomatic and military roles
in the Great War, and particularly its peace settlements, such as Ireland and
the Middle East; his efforts at summitry during and after World War II; and
his political philosophy as outlined in his speeches and books. Ipso facto,
Churchill's thought is as important as his deeds. No less a scholar than Leo
Strauss termed Marlborough "the greatest historical work written in our century, an inexhaustible mine of political wisdom and understanding." Equally,
his faults may be acknowledged, since his virtues eclipse them. Of course, as
George Will has written, the centrality of Churchill's contribution was that at
the most important juncture this century, he recognized tyranny for what it
was and singlemindedly pursued its destruction. The end of Nazism he
achieved; the end of Communism he predicted forty years before it expired.
All these points, and many more that you will undoubtedly think of,
need to be molded into convincing articles that will help fuel this campaign. It
is important that articles are compact. The best editor I ever worked for once
told me, "A bore is someone who tells everything."
Our first nominating article, by newspaper columnist and CC member
Carol Ferguson, appears herein. Adjacent is an even more ambitious "rollout" plan by Cyril Mazansky. Finally, Ron Cynewulf Robbins establishes
Churchill's "glinting intellect" as one of his great characteristics. Keep your
articles coming. I will do my best to see them into print.
RICHARD M. LANGWORTH, EDITOR
A
FINEST HOUR 97 / 4
The Churchill Center Report: Winter
The Churchill Center was founded by the International Churchill Societies to encourage study of the life and thought of Sir
Winston Churchill; to foster research about his speeches, writings'anddeeds; to advance knowledge of his example asa
statesman; and, by programs of teaching and publishing, to impart that learning to men, women and young people around
the world. Programs include courses, symposia, libraries, an annual Churchill. Lecture, visiting professorships,, seminars,
publishing subventions, fellowships, internet website and ICS activities including Finest Hour and other ICS publications.
Our First Twenty-seven Churchill Center Associates
Raise Center's Endowment to $785,000
T
A BOLD NEW INITIATIVE...
he Churchill Center is pleased to announce its
" \ / o u have read herein of the strides being made by
first twenty-seven Associates: people (including
A The Churchill Center in graduate and undergraduevery member of The Churchill Center Board of
ate fields: seminars, symposia and books like Churchill
Governors) and organizations who have pledged
as Peacemaker. We are also working to promote
$10,000 or more to our Endowment Fund through
the end of 2000 and, in some
Churchill Studies among youths
Associates of Record
cases, additional gifts.
below college age.
as of 5 February 1998
The Internet is fast becoming
Our Patron, Lady Soames,
the
world's encyclopedia, espeauthorized three categories of
Winston Churchill Associates
cially
among young people
Endowment support. Mary
International Churchill Society, USA
aged
14-18.
So our website
Soames Associates have pledged
The Churchill Center
(www.winstonchurchill.org)
is
$10,000 up to $25,000. _
Mr. & Mrs. Matthew B. Wills
adding "The Finest of Finest
Clementine Churchill Associates
Mr. & Mrs. Parker H. Lee, III
Mr. Alex M. Worth, Jr.
Hour"—articles and book
have pledged $25,000 up to
Mr. Fred Farrow
reviews from our first 100
$50,000. Winston Churchill
Mr. Colin D. Clark
issues, with emphasis on priAssociates have pledged $50,000
Michael & Carol McMenamin
mary sources. Our site is visitor more. In keeping with our
David & Diane Boler
ed by thousands weekly and
promise, the names of the
accessible by 50 million comWinston and Clementine
Clementine Churchill Associates
puter
users. (For further details
Associates appear on Finest
Barbara & Richard Langworth
see
page
25.) The cost to do this
Hour's masthead, and on all
Mr. James F. Lane
is
remarkably
low—and may
future CC publications.
Drs. John H. & Susan H. Mather
lead
to
something
more.
Those pledging more than
Mr. & Mrs. D. Craig Horn
Dr.
John
B.
Thomison
The
recent
debate
in England
$10,000 may defer any amount
over
lack
of
traditional
history
over $10,000 through a bequest
Mary
Soames
Associates
in
the
National
Curriculum,
as
or later gift of cash or property.
Mr.
&
Mrs.
William
C.
Ives.
reported
in
these
pages,
led
For example, Winston Churchill
Jacqueline & Malcolm Witter
many significant people and
Associates include some wfu>
Mr.
&
Mrs.
John
G.
Plumpton
firms in the UK to suggest
have presented $50,000, an^
Mr. Gary J. Bonine
x
methods by which Britain's
some who are presenting
*Mr. & Mrs. James W. Muller
(and Churchill's) positive role
$10,000 by the end of 2000 and
Frederick C. & Martha S. Hardman
in
recent history could be reem$40,000 in later gifts.
Ambassador & Mrs. Paul H. Robinson, Jr
phasized.
So we are now
We are also grateful to an
Mr. & Mrs! Charles D. Platt
proposing
that a prominent
Mr. Douglas S. Russell
additional number of members
publisher
produce
"the Finest
Elizabeth Churchill Snell
who, while not able to make an
of
Finest
Hour"
in
book
form,
Mr. & Mrs. Richard A: Leahy
Associate commitment at the
Mr.
&
Mrs.
Gerald
Drake
Kambestad
primarily
for
schools
and
present time, have added signifiRichard & Jenny Streiff
libraries. Both our website and
cantly to the Endowment.
this book project require corpoIt is quite impossible to thank
rate
sponsorship.
If
you
can help, please contact John
our Churchill Center Associates enough. You have
Plumpton,
130
Collingsbrook
Blvd., Agincourt,
brought us to "the End of the Beginning." You will
Ontario,
Canada
M1W
1M7
<[email protected]>
M>
never be forgotten.
FINEST HOUR 97 / 5
INTERNATIONAL
DATELINES
QUOTES OF THE SEASON
"When one looks at the disadvantages attaching to alliances, one must not forget how superior are the advantages." -WSC, HOUSE OF COMMONS, 2iSep43
• "In working with allies it sometimes happens that they develop
opinions of their own." -wsc, THE HINGE OF FATE (1950)
• "There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting
Without them." -WSC,IRREPRESSIBLE CHURCHILL (1966)
CENTENARY OF THE
MALAKAND HELD FORCE
PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN, SEPTEMBER— W i n -
ston S. Churchill toured the scenes of
his grandfather's famous military adventure on its 100th anniversary, sending us the adjacent photographs and
writing of his experience in the Daily
Telegraph, in an article he promises to
Finest Hour for a future issue. "With an
eight man military escort front and rear
and running a very tight schedule, we
had a most successful journey, including a fascinating trip to the Malakand
Pass, Chakdara Fort and Churchill
Picket. At Mardan, now the regimental
headquarters of the Punjaub [sic] Regiment, there is a 142-year-old cottonwood tree which would have been
large in my grandfather's day but is
absolutely massive today. The Pakistani
military rolled out the red carpet and
were enormously welcoming."
Left: Winston Churchill being briefed by Lt.
Col. Ejaz Akhatan at Malakand fort. Above:
"Churchill Picquet," a heliograph station
built in 1895, from which Sir Winston
allegedly sent despatches to his newspapers
in 1897. Below left: The huge cottonwood tree
at Mardan, 42 years old in Sir Winston's day,
now 142. Below: The Swat Valley from
Churchill Picquet—not much has changed in
one hundred years! Photographs by kind
courtesy Winston S. Churchill.
TWO NEW
COMMEMORATIVE COVERS
PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN, MARCH 14TH— If all
>trcif>on>]£nt anil politically upiring
WINSTON C H U K C H O L U noc|» «*»
iK.- umltBL fort Clwlulan > lop COwdW H*
Fnmdix north o f h h w Tha n p i m r
*z M»di 14.189&
proceeds as
planned, the
Peshawar
Post Office
will cancel
several hundred copies
of our 50th
commemorative cover,
marking the
centenary of Winston Churchill's first
book, The Story of the Malakand Field
Force. The resourceful Dave Marcus,
who has been in charge of ICS and
Churchill Center covers since 1970,
arranged the cancellation with Brad
Hansen, United States Consul at Pesha-
war, the nearest large town to the scene
of the Malakand campaign. Marcus's
laboriously created cachet design is
based on the cover of the Colonial Edition Malakand Field Force, combined
with a photograph of young Winston
and Chakdara Fort. For safety, the covers will be conveyed back to Dave by
diplomatic pouch and posted to commemorative cover subscribers in outer
envelopes from the USA.
FINEST HOUR 97 / 6
LONDON, DECEMBER 12TH— Using a small
supply of cover 29, which in 1987
marked ten years since the death of
Lady Churchill, Dave Marcus commemorated the event on its 20th
anniversary by adding a British definitive stamp and second cancellation.
This new cover "29a" bears a rubber
stamp reading "1977 • TWENTIETH
ANNIVERSARY • 1997." Most copies
were distributed at random to >»
INTERNATIONAL DATELINES
THE CHURCHILL CALENDAR
Local event organizers are welcome to send entries for this calendar; owing to our quarterly schedule, however, we need copy at least three months in advance.
1998
2 April: Spring dinner, Washington Society for Churchill. Speaker: "Williamson Murray, "Churchill & Alanbrooke"
26 April: ICS United Kingdom Annual General Meeting, RAF Museum, Hendon
13 May: Book Launches: Churchill and Secret Intelligence and. Churchill as Peacemaker, St. Paul's School, Barnes, London.
14-17 May: Third Churchill Center Symposium, "Winston Churchill's Life of Marlborough," Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire.
16 May (tentative): Launch of A Connoisseur's Guide to the Books of Winston Churchill, Brassey's (UK) Ltd.
15 June: International Churchill Society Thirtieth Anniversary (founded at Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, 1968)
6-10 July (tentative): Churchill Panel, Institute of Contemporary Historians Meeting, London.
2 September: Battle of Omdurman Centenary Dinner, Boston, Massachusetts
3 September (tentative): Churchill Center Panel, American Political Science Convention, Boston, Massachusetts
25-26 September: Churchill Center Board of Governors Annual General Meeting, Washington, D.C.
5-8 November: Fifteenth International Churchill Conference, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.
30 November: Sir Winston Churchill's 124th Birthday
1999
Summer: Sixteenth International Churchill Conference
August: Ninth Churchill Tour, "Churchill's South Africa"
2000
14-17 September: Seventeenth International Churchill Conference, Anchorage, Alaska
2001
14 February: Centenary of Churchill's Entry into Parliament Autumn: Eighteenth International Churchill Conference
2003
Twentieth International Churchill Conference and 50th Anniversary of the Bermuda Conference, Hamilton, Bermuda
Covers, continued...
present-day cover subscribers who
were members of record in 1987; a few
remaining copies are reserved for others in this category on a first-come
basis.
Commemorative covers are free,
but you have to ask to be placed on the
list. To do so, send a label from a recent
Finest Hour or other ICS/CC mailing or
proof of membership to David Marcus,
3048 Van Buskirk Circle, Las Vegas NV
89121-5107 USA. You may also order a
copy of the "Malakand" cover by sending Dave US$3 (payable to The
Churchill Center) C$4 (payable to ICS
Canada) or £2 (payable to ICS/UK).
CHURCHILL ART AT SOTHEBY'S
17TH— Well over 5000
people attended a twelve-day exhibition at Sotheby's of over 100 Churchill
paintings, and those of artists he admired (FH96, p7), which closed today.
The exhibit marked the 50th anniversary of publication of his book Painting
as a Pastime, and of Winston Churchill's
election by the Royal Academy as Honorary Academician Extraordinary.
On opening day, January 5th, 140
members and guests of ICS/UK heard
Lady Soames introduce the exhibit with
LONDON, JANUARY
some remarks about her father's hobby.
Even she had not yet seen some of the
exhibits, many on loan from private collections. She introduced David
Coombs, curator of the show and compiler of the definitive catalogue of
Churchill's paintings, who gave a fascinating and informative survey of what
was on display.
Rafal Heydel-Mankoo of ICS/
Canada reports: "The exhibition was
truly wonderful. Never have so many
of Sir Winston's works been gathered in
one place. I have seen most of his paintings in books but nothing can match the
real items. I derived most pleasure from
the portrait of Clementine which graced
the cover of Finest Hour 83, the painting
of the tapestry at Blenheim which
shows the First Duke of Marlborough,
at the Battle of Blenheim; and the series
of Chartwell paintings. I also enjoyed
the various Churchill-related items on
display. Most wonderful was the hat he
usually wore to paint, along with his
easel and chair. Bibliophiles would
have loved the things in Sotheby's display cases. They included, amongst
other things, items Sir Winston had
given to the Duke of Windsor, and the
Churchill funeral program of 1965."
David Coombs said the exhibit
showed "how surprisingly good the
FINEST HOUR 97 / 7
paintings are," while the chairman of
Sotheby's said Churchill might have
become a top artist if he had not been
interrupted so often by politics.
In the spirit of the age, there were
scoffers on hand to proclaim that in
painting, as in other spheres,. Churchill
was sadly lacking. Brian Sewell of the
Evening Standard called his work "therapeutic outpourings of frustration and
boredom," while John McEwen of The
Sunday Telegraph commented, "The
more one looks, the worse his pictures
become, whereas the reverse is true of a
genuine work of art." Perhaps the
soundest view of Churchill as artist was
that of Sir Hugh Casson, president of
the Royal Academy of Art, in a 1982
catalogue produced by Wylma Wayne:
"An amateur of considerable natural
ability who, had he had the time, could
have held his own with most professionals—especially as a colourist."
TURKISH TAFFY
On the Ataturk ballot stuffing of
Time's Top 100 poll on the Internet (last
issue, page 7) Time magazine has finally
reacted. Their statement (24 November
issue, page 4) is a real piece of PC gobbletalk. They must be employing laidoff political speechwriters:
CONTINUED OVERLEAF >»
INTERNATIONAL DATELINES
ATATURK...
"A maelstrom of electronic votes,
augmented by hundreds of thousands
of postcards, letters and faxes, urged us
to name [Ataturk] as Time's Person of
the Century. As of last week, Ataturk's
tally was closing in on 1.7 million, out
of a total of 5 million votes cast. And
before we consolidated his votes into
the two most appropriate slots (Statesmen and Heroes), he was leading the
field in all five categories.
"Whether it is true, as a flurry of
news accounts have suggested, that
Ataturk's astonishing support is the
result of a national campaign backed by
the government in Ankara, we cannot
say. But whoever is behind this should
know that while our final selection will
not be bound by these poll results, we
are keenly aware of Ataturk's role in
Turkish history. We will consider him
carefully. Certainly no one at Time
objects to the passionate display of support for Ataturk. In fact, we wonder
why Britons aren't doing more to help
Winston Churchill, who trails Ataturk
by more than half a million votes. And
how about Mao, China?"
How about Stalin, Russians? Hitler,
Germans? To imagine that the present
government in Ankara, which is trying
to walk a thin line between Moslem fundamentalists and the secular Turkey
established by Ataturk, could be behind
the ballot stuffing makes us wonder
who's kidding whom. Icing on the cake:
Time's article mentions that "for awhile,
Madonna led F.D.R. for Warriors &
Statesmen. That's the Internet for you."
Who was it who said, "Wherever you
have free speech, you always have a certain amount of foolish speech"?
Notable Churchillians: Nigel Knocker
C
Nigel (right) with the editor after that
frosty New England sail last October.
ol. Nigel Knocker, OBE became chairman oflCS United Kingdom in }uly of
last year. He has spent thirty-four years in
the British Army, serving all over the world
in the Royal Sussex Regiment and later the
Queen's Regiment. After service in the
Army, Nigel spent eleven years in Local
Government in Emergency Planning. He
established and became the first chairman of
the UK Emergency Planning Society, which
became much involved with the European
Community. He is presently Chairman of the
Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces Association,
and works as a fund raising volunteer with
the Tank Museum at Bovington. "My wife thinks I am mad, as I am supposed to be
retired, but it's all good fun despite the occasional 'strains of'office!,.'" he says.
The Tank Museum at Bovington is a unique collection of Armoured Fighting
Vehicles amongst which is one of the few remaining German Tiger tanks left in the
world. Nigel has been preparing a bid to the National Lottery to restore the tank to
full working order, and is now awaiting the outcome of the bid. If successful the tank
will be restored to full operational capability again together with its awsome 88mm
gun, which was so feared by Allied troops during the Second World War. As a matter of interest, there is a photograph of Winston Churchill inspecting the tank in
North Africa shortly after it had been captured by the British Eighth Army.
Many members of The Churchill Center and Societies had the pleasure of meeting Nigel Knocker at the International Conference in Toronto last October, and the
Annual General Meeting of The Churchill Center's Board of Governors in Washington last November. He was sent to the latter event as representative oflCS United
Kingdom, and his advice and counsel in planning UK and international aspects of
Churchill Center programmes has been indispensable.
Nigel is a keen boat enthusiast. The boat is based in Pembrokeshire, Wales,
where he and his wife have a cottage and escape to whenever ICS permits them!
Thus acclimatised, Nigel was a game crew member on Grania, the Langworths' sailboat, on her last voyage of 1997: an extremely frigid experience on October 21st. We
feel very fortunate and honoured to be working with an accomplished professional
and look forward to participating in many of his and his Committee's plans for ICS
in the UK and Europe. -RML
TRIBUTE TO ATATURK
Professor Paul Addison, University
of Edinburgh, reacted to the news
above by offering a quote about Kemal
Ataturk, written in 1939:
"During the Great War Constantinople was saved mainly by the
military conduct and energy of that
ever-famous Turkish warrior,
Mustapha Kemal. He it was who in the
dark hours of defeat when all seemed
hopeless rescued his native land from
subjugation and partition. He it was
who, with long persistent statesmanship, rebuilt the strength of the Turkish
homeland, and by a series of astonishing and revolutionary reforms modernized the institutions and, to a large
extent, the civilisation, of the Turkish
race....The relations of Turkey and
Greece, like those between Turkey and
Russia, have now become thoroughly
harmonious. The historic feuds, with
their frightful injuries given and
FINEST HOUR 97 / 8
received, which for centuries have
afflicted these peoples, are now laid to
rest. This achievement, in which the
leaders of Greece and Russia have
borne their part, must mainly be
ascribed to the far-seeing steady wisdom of the great Ataturk, true Father of
his country in peace and war."
Dr. Addison writes: "Readers will
easily identify the author of this quote! I
think the quote is worth reflect- >»
INTERNATIONAL DATELINES
ATATURK...
ing on in case the farce over the Time
poll should lead anyone to underestimate Ataturk. Man of the century he
was not, but Churchill could describe
him as a 'Man of Destiny' in The World
Crisis. Since he had played a large part
in defeating Churchill first at Gallipoli,
and then at Chanak, Churchill was
writing with hard-won but chivalrous
appreciation of a former enemy."
letters depict a man beset by gloom at
his role in the war and at the slaughter
of thousands of troops. He was fearful
of a German victory and harried by
doubts about the campaign he devised
in the Dardanelles, in which 36,000
Commonwealth troops, mainly from
Australia and New Zealand [no, mainly
from Britain], died. The deeply personal
nature of the letters has prompted Dr
Peter Beal, manuscript specialist at
Sotheby's, to describe the sale as "the
most
important series of letters by
THE THINGS THEY SAY:
Churchill
ever to appear at auction."
PART #1,793
"Professor John Charmley, self-proWriting during the first few weeks
claimed "Thatcherite historian" who of August 1914, Churchill declared that
believes Churchill's bellicosity against if Germany were to win the war, "I do
Hitler destroyed the British Empire, not want to live any more." By October
warns that "we are in a biographic he was even more pessimistic, writing
glut" of Winston Churchill, railing that the war would "devour us all and
against the Churchill family for "contin- for my part I am willing when the time
uing to profit" from Sir Winston's comes to pay the price." As First Lord
screed. In a thinly veiled reference to of the Admiralty, Churchill devised [no,
certain recent and upcoming books, he championed] the daring strategy to
claimed that family members are now drive the Turkish forces out of the war
republishing stuff already in the com- and open a southern front against the
panion volumes of the official biogra- Germans by an attack on the Dardphy. (His own books don't do this, of
anelles. Churchill [no, Kitchener] procourse...) Following the 1995 purchase posed that British, Australian and New
of Churchill archives by the British Zealand troops land on the Gallipoli
nation, Charmley attacked what peninsula, rapidly defeat the Turks and
amounts to Sir Winston's right to pro- push on through eastern Europe,
vide for his heirs, a privilege you'd attacking the German army from
think Thatcherites would support. It behind. It was to prove a disaster. In
seems odd that an author who profited June 1915, after the Dardanelles camso handsomely from his two Churchill paign had begun, Churchill wrote in a
books, articles, and reviews of other nine-page letter to his brother: "The
Churchill books, should object to others war is terrible. The carnage grows
cashing in on the free market he claims apace, and the certainty that no result
to uphold. "J.C." is an engaging and will be reached this year fills my mind
brilliant gadfly, but he would be more with melancholy thoughts."
convincing if he demonstrated the charThe Dardanelles campaign was
ity he presumably possesses! himself, crippled by bad coordination, poor
since he condemns so vociferously the planning and a lack of surprise because
lack of it in others, -fames Mack ""v
of preliminary bombardments. The cabinet wrangled over Churchill's ideas. In
August, he wrote of a "disagreeable
HASTINGS LETTERS REVEAL
tussle" with Lord Kitchener, the secre"SUICIDAL DESPAIR"
This article by Stephen McGinty has tary of war, over the transportation of
been edited [brackets] to correct the errorsshells through France and Italy.
While the politicians argued, the
LONDON, JULY 17TH— Winston Churchill troops were bogged down in trenches
was so racked by despair during the under the machine guns of the Turks. It
First World War that he contemplated was a horror of which Churchill was
defeat and death, according to letters painfully aware, writing: "The losses
sold recently at auction. Written in will no doubt be cruel." He attempted
1914-15 to his younger brother Jack, the to remain optimistic, saying the deaths
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 9
ERRATUM, FH 96
Paul Courtenay of Andover,
Hants., England writes: "Your answer
on Churchill's uniforms (page 13),
while correct as far as it goes, is incomplete. The Army uniform which
he wore most frequently was that of
Colonel of his earliest regiment, the
4th Queen's Own Hussars." Thanks.
BACK NUMBERS WANTED
Original copies of Finest Hour
numbers 3,5,14; 17,23,24 and 28 are
wanted to complete a collection. Can
anyone help? Please contact Arthur
Braver, 10837 West Clairmont Circle,
Tamarac FL33321-7890 USA, telep h o n e ' ^ ) 720-4464.
were better in the Dardanelles, "where
victory will be fruitful," than in the
killing fields of France, where there was
stalemate. But he seems also to betray
his doubts by writing to his brother:
"Do not despair whatever happens."
Andrew Roberts, the historian and
author of Eminent Churchillians, said:
"Churchill never got lower than during
the collapse of the Dardanelles and he
was never closer to any other member
of his family than to Jack. Churchill was
pouring his heart out in these letters."
The death toll and failure of the
campaign led the Cabinet to dismiss
Churchill from his post, and he was
made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He later wrote, "My position at
home since I left the Admiralty has
been one of much responsibility without control and I have watched all these
heavy months' folly, sloth and indecision ruining large conceptions. I have
made up my mind not to return to any
Govmt [sic] during the war...."
For the previous eighteen months
Churchill had envied his brother on
active service and felt guilty over his
own passive contribution, far removed
from the fighting. "I feel so acutely the
ignoble position of one who merely
cheers from the back the gallantest
efforts of the rovers," he wrote. In
December 1915 Churchill rejoined the
army as a lieutenant colonel in the
Royal Scots Fusiliers. He later rejoined
government as minister of munitions in
CONTINUED OVERLEAF >»
INTERNATIONAL DATELINES
HASTINGS LETTERS...
Lloyd George's cabinet in 1917.
Despite the pain of failure, at bottom his confidence in his strategy of the
Dardanelles was to prove unshakable.
He also wrote: "History will vindicate
the conception, and the errors in execution will on the whole leave me clear.
My one fatal mistake was trying to
achieve a great enterprise without having the plenary authority which could
so easily have carried it to success." An
inquest held in 1916 exonerated him of
blame for the debacle.
The seventeen letters were sold
individually. They cover numerous topics, including Churchill's foreseeing
America's entry into the First World
War. In February 1915, ten weeks
before the sinking of the ocean liner
Lusitania with the loss of 1,200 lives,
which eventually led to the USA's entry
into the war, Churchill wrote of the
Americans: "I have a feeling that an
incident might turn them powerfully
our way."
Local and National Events
DALLAS, TEXAS
NOVEMBER 30TH—
About 100 members
and friends gathered at Le Meridian
hotel tonight to celebrate Winston
Churchill's 123rd birthday and welcome Wendy Reves, his hostess in the
South of France after his retirement as
Prime Minister. Simultaneously we celebrated publication of Winston Churchill
and Emery Reves: Correspondence 1937-
1964, the marvelous compilation of letters between Churchill and his literary
collaborator, Wendy's late husband (see
review last issue). Books were supplied
by Richard Hazlett of the History Merchant bookshop, who kindly offered a
huge discount, and over forty copies,
each inscribed by Wendy, quickly disappeared. Introduced by Nathan
Hughes and Richard Langworth, who
L-R: Richard Langworth, Wendy Reves, Nathan
Hughes and members of the Support Group: Pat
Marshall, Ann Hazlett, Dot and Asa Nezvsom. Our
special thanks to program coordinator Charlotte
Karam, Wendy's secretary Alma Villarreal, and
Wendy's Dallas friends Betty and ]oe Mullens.
had flown in from New Hampshire to
be present, Mrs. Reves entertained the
assembly with recollections of the Great
Man at La Pausa, the Reves's villa in
the South of France. It was a marvelous
evening of fun and remembrance,
made more special by the timely arrival
of the new Churchill-Reves book.
FEBRUARY 18TH—
As we go to press, Dr.
Hopkins of the History Department,
Southern Methodist University, was
scheduled to address a joint meeting of
the Dallas ICS/CC members and the
Colophone (Friends of the SMU
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 1 0
Library) at the University tonight at
7:30PM. The topic: "Winston Churchill
and the Battle of Britain."
Dallas Churchillians meet regularly. For details contact Nathan Hughes,
1117 Shadyglen Circle, Richardson TX
750810-3720, telephone (214) 235-3208),
e-mail <[email protected]>.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
JANUARY 17TH— Retroactively, owing to
a conflict, but stalwart as always, thirty-three Chicago area Churchillians
gathered to mark Sir Winston's 123rd
birthday in the Grand Ballroom of the
Holiday Inn. Churchill once wrote
from Hoe Farm that he had everything
he needed: "cold Champagne, hot
baths, new peas and old brandy."
Nobody took any baths, but the other
requisites were on hand and the sun
shone brightly, if not hotly, on the proceedings.
Douglas Russell drove up from
Iowa City to give a marvelous presentation on what The Churchill Center concept is and how we are all a part of it,
and the future: a presentation worthy of
the trial orator that Mr. Russell is.
Cdr. Joseph Triani, USN, gave us
an update on the USS Churchill, the
guided missile destroyer to be launched
at Bath Ironworks, Maine in the year
2000. He suggests that the Churchill
Center and Societies help stock the
ship's library (what a good idea!) and
attend the ship's launch. Our man in
Bath is keeping us advised; see
"Ampersand," p47. We will certainly
let everyone know well in advance
about the launch ceremonies.
As is customary, the Loyal Toast
followed a delicious lunch and the cutting of the official Churchill cake (double chocolate with raspberry filling).
Attendance was the highest to date.
Plans are being developed for an outdoor escapade this summer to the
McCormick Estate, home of the publisher with whom Churchill carried on
a love-hate relationship at the height of
his journalistic activity. -JJ
To assist or learn about future Chicago
activities please contact Joe or Judith Just,
16 West 251 South Frontage Road #25,
Burr Ridge IL 60521, telephone (630) 654r
3500, fax 654-3520.
>»
INTERNATIONAL DATELINES
HALIFAX, N.S.
Elizabeth Snell, author of The Churchills:
Pioneers and Politicians, spoke about her book
at the 211th Anniversary Dinner of the Royal
Saint George Society of Halifax (oldest in the
Commonwealth) last year. L-R: Elsie Churchill
Tolson of the Nova Scotia Churchill shipping
family; Hon. James ]. Kinley, Lt. Gov. of Nova
Scotia and Patron of the Society, and Elizabeth.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
JUNE 1ST— Since 1993 the Sir Winston
S. Churchill Society of B.C. has held
annual essay contests for students of
history, international relations or
political science. Stan Winfield of the
Society has sent us a copy of the 1996
winning essay, The Diary of Felix
Bartmann, a fictional diary based on
research and interviews with her
mother, who was a Kindertransport
child, evacuated to England from
Vienna in 1938. We will gladly send a
copy to any reader who asks.
NOW PLAYING
Staff of the Cabinet War
Rooms, the underground headquarters intended to be what Lady Soames
LONDON—
calls "the last redoubt" should the
Germans have succeeded in invading
Britain, have collaborated with the
Churchill Archives Centre to produce
a permanent display entitled
"Churchill: The War Years," which
opened 29 January and is ongoing.
The display uses colour facsimiles of Churchill's correspondence,
telegrams and speech notes, including Churchill's own drafts for several
of his famous speeches and broadcasts; Roosevelt's handwritten letter
of June 1941 in which he quotes Longfellow's "Sail On O Ship of State";
George VI's request that Winston
Churchill stay at his desk on D-Day;
and Stalin's VE-Day message to
Churchill. There are also three cases
of original documents. These will
change every six months to highlight
different themes. From January to
July they focus on the often difficult
but ultimately successful relationship
between Churchill and his generals.
Original correspondence with Wavell,
Auchinleck, Alexander, Montgomery,
Brooke and Mountbatten helps to
bring to life the personalities of the
period.
The Cabinet War Rooms (nearest
tube St James's Park) are open from
10AM daily except 24-26 December; the
last admission is at 5.15 pm.
-Allen Packwood
Churchill Archives Centre
Secret Service, by David Stafford (£25)
and Churchill as Peacemaker, edited by
James W. Muller (£35). The Society's
Patron, Lady Soames, will also be
present. (Please note that credit cards
cannot be accepted.)
Lonsdale Road is just South of
Hammersmith Bridge. Anyone arriving by road should note that the
bridge is now for pedestrians only, so
another route must be found. Those
using public transport should take
the Underground to Hammersmith
and walk across the bridge (ten minutes). To help assess the numbers
expected, members wishing to be present are asked to send £5 or $8 (payable to ICS) to arrive by 24th April to
ICS/UK, PO Box 1257, Melksham,
Wiltshire SN12 6GQ.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
2ND— Williamson Murray, a
renowned scholar of World War II
military history, speaks on "Churchill
and Alanbrooke" tonight at the Old
Ebbitt Grille near the Treasury Building, the spring meeting of the Washington Society for Churchill. Time is
6:30PM for dinner at 7:15. Area members will receive mail invitations.
Others interested may contact Ron
Helgemo, 12009 Taliesin Court, Apt
13, Rpston VA 20190.
APRIL
BOSTON, MASS.
Coming Events
LONDON
APRIL 26TH— A reminder (see^ast issue
page 11) of the ICS United kingdom
Annual General Meeting at RAF
Hendon (North London) today, commencing at 10:30-11 AM. A fee of £10
will entitle members to coffee and
biscuits and a tour of the enormous
aircraft collection, followed by the
AGM in the Lecture Theatre between
11 and noon. Lunch (not included in
fee) will be at the Wings Restaurant;
at 1:30 PM there will be a conducted
tour round the museum, emphasising
Churchill and the Battle of Britain.
MAY 13TH— A joint US/UK book signing event has been arranged in
London today starting at 5:30 PM.
The venue is St. Paul's School, Lonsdale Road, Barnes, London SW13 in
the Montgomery Room. The school
can be reached easily by underground from central London. (Field
Marshal Montgomery was an Old
Boy at St. Paul's, where much of the
D-Day planning took place, although
the school itself was then in a different location one mile away.)
Two recently published books
will be on sale and their author and
editor will sign copies: Churchill and
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 1 1
2ND— The Churchill Center
marks the Centenary of the Battle of
Omdurman with a dinner this
evening at the Athenaeum Club, 100
years since Churchill's charge with
the 21st Lancers. A scholarly panel,
"Winston Churchill at War on the
Nile," chaired by Michael Barone of
the Reader's Digest, is also scheduled
for this week, possibly the 3rd, at the
conference of the American Political
Science Association. Papers will be
presented by Drs. David Jablonsky,
Michael Platt and James W. Muller.
Another APSA panel will discuss
Marlborough. New England members
will be mailed ticket information;
anyone else wishing details may contact the editor, FH.
$
SEPTEMBER
Persoiialiiiy 01 me C^enfmy CD
No JMLisgiviiiigs A o o n i NLj
Churchill. He is beating Henry Ford in
can still recall the awful feeling in the
Builders and Titans, leads Albert Einstein
pit of my stomach when the journalism
in Scientists and Bob Dylan in
professor handed out assignments.
Entertainment.
Well, he certainly enterEach of us in his class was to write a
tained
the
British
at Chanak...
celebrity profile, the kind that would be
If you smell a rat, you're correct.
kept on file in a newspaper "morgue" for
Apparently Turkish journalists began urguse later when the person died. As he read
ing readers to nominate Ataturk, and Time
the list aloud, I realized the other students
has been deluged with letters, faxes and ewere being given names of nationally
mail. According to the Wall Street Journal,
known politicians, leaders of industry or
tempers became heated when the Federaentertainment stars. All were relatively big
tion of Turkish American Associations
names but, nonetheless, people you could
© KARSH, OTTAWA
alleged that Armenians and Greeks in
easily research and write about within the
response were whipping up support for Churchill.
allotted two hours. Then came my assignment:
Fortunately the final selections will not be the
Winston Spencer Churchill.
result of a popularity contest, say Time staffers. The
In two hours? "Oh Lord, take me now," I
"Person of the Century" as well as the other categothought.
ry winners, will be named by an "internal decision."
Bear in mind I was only 19 years old and way
I should hope so, and I cannot imagine any
over my head on this subject. Churchill had not yet
choice
other than Winston Churchill. In the years
become Prime Minister for the second time, but the
since
I
sat stupefied at my desk trying to evaluate
prospect of trying to encompass his life so far—and
his
life,
Churchill has become my personal hero. I
to get it right—terrified me. I think I spent the first
love him for his courage, his wit and his eloquence.
ten minutes sitting at my desk in shock before finalThere is no doubt he saved the free world by his
ly gathering up my courage and heading for the
early recognition of Hitler as "a bloodthirsty gutterlibrary. My finished piece was neither a thing of
snipe." While others were content to appease or
beauty nor a joy forever. It received a passing
ignore, Churchill carried on a determined wake-up
grade...just.
campaign to alert the world. Some called him a rabLater, when Churchill was named Time magable-rouser,
but he persisted.
zine's "Man of the Half Century," I remember readTime
summed
up his foresight in its "Man of the
ing the extensive cover story and thinking "Where
Half
Century"
article:
"As the 20th Century plunged
was this when I needed it?"
on, long-familiar bearings were lost in the mists of
Churchill and Time have been on my mind this
change. Some of the age's great leaders called for
weekend. January 24th was the thirty-third annivermore and more speed ahead; some tried to reverse
sary of Sir Winston's death, and speculation is ramthe course. Winston Churchill had a different funcpant about who will be the magazine's "Person of
tion: his chief contribution was to warn of the rocks
the Century." (Note the use of the word "person" in
ahead, and to lead the rescue parties. He was not the
our politically sensitive era, although on five occaman
who designed the ship; what he did was launch
sions in the past Time has chosen women for the
the
lifeboats.
That a free world survived...with a
honor commonly referred to as "Man of the Year.")
hope of more progress and less calamity, was due in
Just for fun Time asked its readers to nominate
large measure to his exertions."
100 "People of the Century" as well as an overall
Now that is a legacy for this or any century.
"Person of the Century." Entries have been pouring
If Churchill had been selected "Personality of
in for several months suggesting 20th century figthe Century" in his lifetime, I wonder what his reacures for these categories: Warriors and Statesmen,
tion would have been. Perhaps this quote from his
Builders and Titans, Heroes and Adventurers,
acceptance speech on winning the 1953 Nobel Prize
Scientists and Heroes, Entertainers and Artists.
for literature gives a clue:
The early answer was—brace, yourselves—
"I am proud, but I am also awestruck at your
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who is credited with the
decision to include me. I do hope you are right. I feel
establishment of Turkey as a republic. In the
we are both running a considerable risk and that I
Warriors and Statesmen group, he has edged out
do not deserve it. But I shall have no misgivings if
you have none."
Mrs. Ferguson is a feature writer for the Greenville (Texas)
Herald Banner, where her article first appeared on January 25th.
I have none whatsoever.
$
I
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 1 2
ersQualify
"N.ever
ol oie Oeinfan
sA
oiiOF an
F
Societies know that such a person existed.
or those of us who have lived
We can certainly name him loudly and
through a major portion of the 20th
clearly. It is our responsibility to pass this
century, its fast approaching end
on to the future generations. It is perhaps
should be a cause for reflection. These
our single most important mission. I can
hundred years have seen the extremes of
think
of no more effective way to accomhuman existence, mostly paired as oppoplish this task than to get our national
sites. The greatest scientific advances and
communities to recognize Winston
material comfort have been combined with
Spencer Churchill as Personality of the
frighteningly destructive pollution of our
Century.
earth. The ability to communicate at lightning speed has been matched by the
f as an organization we wish to accombreakdown of family and personal bonds.
plish this goal, there are a number of
© KARSH, OTTAWA
steps to be undertaken and the start
Tremendous economic advances have
must be made now. The work to be done is long,
left vast populations uncertain as to when or where
arduous and multifaceted. Because of the shortness
their next meal will be. The greatest health and medof time, I confine myself chiefly to American recogniical progress has led to dramatic increases in lifestion such as that of Time magazine (see page 4); but
pan and the overall well being of society, simultanethere
is no reason why these tactics cannot be adoptously with the development of weapons with which
ed by fraternal organizations outside the USA. Our
we can easily annihilate the entire human race at the
combined efforts can reach their crescendo as the
push of a button. In a century when the world popuclock ticks out the end of this century. Some pedants
lation grew faster and larger than ever before, a diasay the official end is on 31 December 2000; but in
bolically evil and maniacal group of fanatics tried to
annihilate, among other ethnic and religious groups, view of how the media will handle it, recognition
must be in place by the final moments of 1999.
one of the oldest and most cultured races, whose
greatest gift to mankind was monotheism and the
The ideas and thoughts of our members must be
Ten Commandments.
solicited over the next nine months. A committee
must be formed, most appropriately under the leadYet, despite the problems of the 20th century,
ership of our editor and academic chairman, clearly
few if any of us would change places with our counto articulate our ideas. The publication of articles, as
terparts of centuries past. That our world, on baloutlined on page 4, is certainly important, but much
ance, is a far better place for more people is owed in
more
needs to be done. A White Paper should be
no small measure to an extraordinary human being
written
to state Churchill's case, to promote our
who admonished us when our prospects were blackidea, and to convince national leaders to accept the
est: "Never Despair."
concept and participate in it. Through our memberOur work is far from complete. Our most
ship we already have a potent base of influence to
earnest desire is to pass to our descendants an everinitiate the process.
improving world. We do not despair, so we stress
Outside organizations and influential persons
the positive aspects and aije not pessimistically overmust be solicited at an early phase to support the
come by the problems. Yetiwe also know that history
concept and provide their support to advance the
is our best teacher. As we stand on the brink of a
idea if we are to be successful. However, I believe it
new century, we reflect on the passage of this one,
must be done under Churchill Center leadership,
and try to benefit from its experience in order to
because
nowhere else is there a greater concentrahelp fulfill our goals for the future.
tion
of
lay
and academic forces devoted to an underOne of the most effective ways we can put into
standing
and
appreciation of Winston Churchill's
practice these impulses, this desire to benefit from
life
and
thought.
experience, is to impress upon mankind's collective
The White Paper should include, but need not
memory the example of someone who had similar
be limited to: 1) description of the concept; 2) criteria
aspirations, faced similar challenges, and produced
for a titular award; 3) a list of Churchill's humanitaraccomplishments which left the world a far better
ian, political, literary, artistic, journalistic, moral
place. We members of The Churchill Center and
qualifications for the award, backed by supportive
evidence; 4) a list of other contenders, with respectDr. Mazansky has served as a Director of ICS/USA, Governor of
ful arguments why each of them does not fulfill the
The Churchill Center and organizer of New England events. His
criteria; 5) benefits of implementing the concept; »
articles have appeared in FH70, 74, 75, 87, 91 and 93.
I
FINEST HOUR 97/13
Mazansky, continued
6) programs that the Churchill Center and others
might institute to give meaning to this award.
Regarding the last item, programs to celebrate
the recognition of the award may be educational,
cultural, political and ceremonial; they may also
involve travel. Programs can occur through university seminars, school projects, conferences, library
exhibits and tours. With this weight of recognition,
Time magazine would have Churchill on its cover as
Personality of the Century in December 1999.
T
en steps occur to me by which we should progress toward this goal: 1) obtain Churchill family permission; 2) solicit our memberships for
ideas to support our goal; 3) establish a committee
to review suggestions and promote the plan; 4)
involve other Churchill organizations; 5) obtain the
active and passive support of influential members
and honorary members; 6) approach national leadership for support; 7) develop specific programs; 8)
implement these programs starting January 1999; 9)
send our delegation to Time magazine (see page 4);
and 10) conclude the program with appropriate
memorial ceremonies.
The benefits to The Churchill Center and
Societies that would come with this accomplishment
seem manifest. We would gain far wider recognition. Our membership would grow dramatically.
Our financial base would be enhanced. Our success
in the 21st century would be guaranteed. New and
younger leaders would be brought in to continue
our work. Most importantly, though, our belief in
the preeminence of Winston Churchill, his central
role in the 20th century, and our belief in our own
goals, would be more than amply rewarded, by
teaching future generations about things they
should never forget: history, literature, justice, social
enlightenment, political morality and effective leadership—all of which were embodied in Winston
Churchill for more years and to more peoples than
any other figure of the 20th century.
M
ersonalify oi tike
Unswerving lixesoiu.tfo.on,
Glinting intellect
B
ritish confidence in Churchill's leadership was
reinforced by his determination to retaliate
against the foe at every conceivable opportunity. But bludgeoning alone could not undermine the
ingenuity of German scientists feeding Hitler's
hellish ambitions.
Unswerving resolution and glinting intellect
were evident in Churchill's prompt direction of
countermeasures whenever Hitler unleashed new
devices to wreak havoc on Britain. Appreciation of
how he successfully faced the challenge is peevishly
withheld by several present-day critics, who carp
ponderously about his wartime decisions. Their
hindsight will never equal Churchill's foresight.
His marshalling of British brainpower and technocrats stands for all time as the achievement of a
master mind. Added to this was his gift of inspiring
himself and others to almost super-human endeavours. Inventions and daring enterprises were
brought to swift completion; the will to win was
marvelously served by instruments forged for victory with unparalleled resourcefulness.
Lodged in Churchill's memory were gruesome
details of ordeals dating back to the First World War.
He knew that each fresh assault could cloak another
menace. His acute awareness, may be likened to
devastatingly accurate prophecy.
Mr. Robbins, of Victoria, B.C., is a FH Senior Editor.
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 1 4
At the onset of the Blitz he instantly perceived
hidden dangers in the podgy, below-normal-sized
bombs suddenly augmenting the terrorizing of
London. Nose down, scores of them lay partially
buried and he was convinced they had not gone off
because they possessed a secret feature: delayedaction fuses. His fears arose from his recollection of
Germany's use of that type fuse during the previous
conflict. Surely, he thought, the passing years had
been marked by a startling advance in design.
Subsequent events proved he was right.
As soon as the apparent "duds" were dropped,
he injected his famous sense of urgency into the military machine. He insisted that UXBs (short for
unexploded bombs) must be dealt with rapidly.
They were clustered at railway junctions. Traffic was
piling up. Invasion loomed and lines to the south
coast were imperative for men and materiel needed
to repel an already mightily triumphant army
poised in France, barely twenty miles from English
shores.
UXBs had triple objectives: to kill and demoralize the population, and to disrupt vital production.
The Germans, exploiting surreptitious pre-war mapping of strategically important factories and other
essential facilities, were cunningly selecting targets:
first London, then the rest of the country.
Spurred on by Churchill, the army organized
bomb disposal squads with great expediency. The
chief recruits were from the Royal Engineers, whose
courage adorns British history. Their task wracked
the nerves and wore down the strongest physique.
They worked steadfastly, even though they realized
only the luckiest among those carrying out the final
act of defusing would survive longer than just over
a couple of months without being maimed or killed.
Sometimes Londoners, trapped beneath a bomb,
clung desperately to life for long hours before soldiers could render the fuse harmless and haul them
gently to safety. The plight of children was especially harrowing.
Churchill always met and thanked UXB squads
when he toured bombed areas. He was deeply
moved by their pallid cheeks and the strain etched
on youthful brows. Throughout the war he did not
encounter more haggard lqoks. Despite what they
had endured, their greetings.,were heartwarming,
their loyalty firm and true. He commented:
"Somehow or other their faces seemed different
from those of ordinary men, however brave or faithful." Yet courage continued to shine in their eyes.
F
rom the start of the UXB crisis, Churchill had
pressed hard for the best possible equipment.
Typically, he investigated what the United
States might have available. Inevitably, initial training for the squads was meagre and the tools elementary. Royal Air Force personnel gave demonstrations
of exactly how fuses manufactured in Britain were
put together. Usually there were no more than half a
dozen or so men in a team carefully shifting bombs
to an open space where, to begin with, block and
tackle, hammers and chisels were the sole equipment for defusion. Removal of the deadly middle
mechanism was a chore reserved for officers. The
learning process demanded unflinching sacrifice. In
the last four months of 1940 there were 125 deaths.
Six months was the limit for membership of the
squads. However, the same soldiers kep*t Extending
their period of duty. Some heroes volunteered forty
times in succession before death claimed them.
There were encouraging signs that the British were
proving too clever for their opponents. The knack of
teasing out a fuse after undoing the locking ring was
quickly acquired.
The Germans now threw down a bigger challenge, with an infinitely more dangerous spring detonator. British science solved this problem too. Since
the explosive was soluble, it was decided to steam it
out, rendering the fuse ineffective. But worse was to
follow. The next contrivance could blow up an officer the very second his hand was extracting the core.
And, while university dons were again finding
answers, a weightier fury was hurled at Britain by
Hitler: naval mines descending via parachute.
A
nyone devoted to liberty must marvel at
Churchill's grip on the defence of his compatriots. They were more closely besieged than
their forebears had been in the days of Napoleon.
Picture the scene: no continental ally; the hasty
rebuilding of an army that had recently escaped at
Dunkirk; death raining daily on civilians at the
behest of a dictator who ruled Europe's coast from
the Pyrenees to the North Cape. In addition
Mussolini, out of a foolish lusi for loot and glory,
marched side-by-side with Germany. Along comes
the parachute mine and, in the midst of everything
else clamouring for attention, Churchill displays the
utmost clarity of thought. He sees at once that
Hitler's latest venture in terrorism exposes his crude
pretense that it was not Nazi policy to annihilate
British civilians.
Churchill was well ahead of his government colleagues and service chiefs in recognizing the full
import: it was impossible to avoid a major turningpoint if Britain was to survive. Key military leaders
received a sharp memorandum from him on the
enemy's barbarism: "At five thousand feet he cannot
have the slightest idea what he is going to hit. This,
therefore, proves the 'act of terror' intention against
the civilian population." He advocated "...proportionate retaliation, i.e. equal retaliation..." (The
emphasis on "equal" was Churchill's.)
Thus began a process to which, backstage,
Churchill sorrowfully alerted his Cabinet: the horrific fact that totalitarianism could be stemmed and
eventually conquered only by all-out war. "Alas,
poor humanity," was how Churchill summed up his
anguish.
CONTINUED OVERLEAF >»
FINEST HOUR 97/15
practical knowledge of science was minimal, he did
not overlook the vital necessity of supporting every
proposal that might bring victory in the "Invisible
Battle." And his disclaimer cannot conceal that at
the beginning of the war he was already equipped to
head a team to frustrate the results of German
research.
Robbins, continued
The parachute mines dangled from rooftops,
electricity poles and lamp-posts. Churchill called in
the Royal Navy to deal with them and intensified
his visits to shattered districts where his uplifting
presence roused people to cheers. His name had
become synonymous with freedom. Women pressed
forward just to touch his coat. Standing with them in
the ruins of their homes he often broke into tears. He
briskly demolished opposition from officialdom to
his scheme for immediate compensation whenever
damage was inflicted by the Nazis.
F
or twenty years Churchill and a top Oxford scientist, Professor Frederick Lindemann, had
been companions. Theirs was a magnificent
partnership. Churchill became familiar with radar
"The UXB detachments presented themselves wherever
I went on my tours. Somehow or other their faces
seemed different from those of ordinary men,
however brave and faithful. They were gaunt, . —«
they were haggard, their faces had
a bluish look, with bright gleaming
eyes and exceptional compression
A
of the lips; withal
4
. a perfect demeanour."
-WSC, Their Finest Hour, p320.
F
urther proof of Hitler's evil designs took the
form of storms of quite small explosives,
known as butterfly bombs, which swept the
country. But the nation was sustained by unity of
purpose and the tenacity that had earned Britons
their high place in history. The defeat of the
Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain was indisputable
evidence Hitler could be outmanoeuvred. The role
of British inventiveness in giving the gallant RAF
the superior "eyes" of radar was an impetus to
efforts, led by Churchill, that enlarged the scope for
British scientists locked in combat with their industrious German counterparts.
Although Churchill readily confessed that his
through their collaboration on the Air Defence
Committee prior to 1939. Continuity plus affinity
turned into golden assets.
The committee structure of Parliament had
enabled Churchill to study many aspects of defence
and to overcome to some extent his pre-war preclusion from office; he also ran what amounted to a private intelligence service, which had frequently surpassed official attempts to fathom Berlin's secrets.
From May 1940, he combined his Premiership with
the duties of Defence Minister and that brought rich
dividends. He had authority to give wings to any
propitious scientific undertaking. The development
of the "sticky" bomb is a prime example.
»>
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 1 6
An experimental station, run by the army, had
the notion that invading tanks could be counterattacked by throwing bombs capable of sticking to
armour-plating. Churchill was au courant with
everything the station was doing. The idea appealed
immensely to his imagination and he would countenance no hold-ups until the device was an accomplished fact. The memos he fired off on the subject
are a delight to read. The bombs were not resorted
to in England because, of course, Hitler had to abandon invasion plans after losing the Battle of Britain.
But in Syria they justified Churchill's bold initiative.
Sardonic comments about the Luftwaffe's obvious
lack of efficiency were heard in pubs when hundreds of bombs began to fall harmlessly on open
fields. "Rotten shot, eh? I wouldn't
want that Jerry pilot on my darts
team" is a sample of the reaction.
Other remarks, more amusing but
unprintable, caused loud laughter.
B
ut the Germans' bad aim was
no accident. The truth
emerged at the end of the war:
British skill had foiled a German
contrivance intended to guide the
Luftwaffe to its targets night and
day in any kind of weather with an
accuracy that might have gone a
long way towards crippling arms
output and morale. Churchill was
warned by Lindemann that it was in
the offing. The Germans had
devised a complex radio beam (its
code name was "Knickebein")
which led pilots unerringly to a target—and, frankly, this is an attempt
to reduce it to its simplest terms.
Churchill, always capable of finding
the right words, called the effort to
foil this weapon "The Battle of the Beam."
Lindemann explained that Dr. R. V. Jones, who
had been his student, was convinced the beam could
be bent. The proviso was: immediate action—undeniably Churchill's forte. Typically, the PM called an
emergency meeting of scientists and Royal Air Force
Commanders at Ten Downing Street. Jones was
invited and unfolded his solution. British
Intelligence broke the Knickebein code with astonishing speed and, thanks to the dedication of Jones,
another menace was checkmated.
At the heart of success was a repeating device
which wrecked Knickebein. The Luftwaffe, slavishly
following Knickebein, came to doubt its value.
Ironically, pilots risking their lives flying above
England avoided taking a chance by personally contradicting Goering's obdurate belief in his newest
technique for spreading death and destruction. The
introduction of Knickebein heightened rather than
diminished British morale. It was a joy indeed for
the much-pounded defenders to witness the enemy
wasting ammunition.
Churchill was soon informed that only one-fifth
of the bombs now landed inside cities Hitler sought
to batter out of existence. The giant Nazi edifice was
not toppling, but fissures and flaws seemed to
presage its end. Certitude was to come with the
entry of the United States into the war. Relief and
gratitude flooded the British Isles.
There is a lengthy list of the hazards Churchill
and his advisors had to grapple with on the scientific front. Conspicuous on that list is the magnetic
mine, which jolted Churchill's customary resilience.
Researchers in Britain, diligent and percipient
though they were in the 1930s, had not taken fully
into account how much harm could
be inflicted by ships and planes
capable of casting magnetic devices
deep into the ocean.
Hitler's "secret weapon" (his
description) started to sink merchant ships as on their approach to
harbour. Several were blown up
near the Thames. Luck, as well as
fortune, can favour the brave. At a
crucial point, with losses mounting
and no answer forthcoming, a
German plane was seen off
Shoeburyness dropping a "big
object" strung on a parachute. The
receding tide exposed an expanse of
mud, in the midst of which was the
"object," which had every appearance of being a magnetic mine.
Royal Navy personnel recovered it
without a qualm at the peril of their
lives.
wice First Lord of the
Admiralty in his turbulent
career, Churchill mustered
naval specialists in underwater weapons. Their
work resembles the legendary inventiveness of
Daedalus, whose exploits included the construction
of wings that flew him out of prison. The nullifying
of the magnetic mine followed a rush of experiments
embarked on the minute it was dismantled. Trial
and error produced a complicated cable, which
encircled ships and demagnetised them. It was
labelled "degaussing" and naval and merchant seamen thankfully attached it to their vocabulary.
Degaussing had to be done in shipyards, so it was
impossible to conceal the Navy's triumph from the
public. Their faith in Churchill and their fortitude
remained solid.
Churchill regarded 1940 as the "most splendid,
as it was the most deadly" year in British history.
His verdict epitomizes for future chroniclers the
entire struggle: "The soul of the British people and
race had proved invincible."
M>
FINEST HOUR 97/17
"Marshal Your Baldwins!" Winston, Randolph and that Great,
Cosmopolitan Game of Unarmed Combat:
The Two Churchills and Chess
By Henry Crooks
T
he board game of chess, that great cosmopolitan
unarmed combat, has fascinated and captured
the interest of man since ancient times, but no
one is sure of its origins. One tongue-in-cheek chess
addict wrote: "it has been variously ascribed to the
Greeks, Icelanders, Australian aborigines, Chinese,
Parsees, Pygmies, Red Indians, Irish, Bataks and
Meetaks. Chess pieces are said to have been found in
ancient tombs, Ur and there....the game probably originated either in India, or not in India, between 10,000
B.C. and 2000 A.D. Practically all the opponents of this
view have by now been discredited."1
Since the late 15th century the game has been
played in the form we know it today. Recognised for
its educational value, chess helps to develop concentration, logic, foresight and caution. Canny statesmen
have often been described as "good chess players," not
without reason. Many of them developed their political
prowess with the help of the game played on sixty-four
black and white squares.
Notable personages throughout history have fallen
under the spell of chess, not the least Sir Winston
Churchill and his father Lord Randolph. The latter, it
would appear, was the more advanced player, having
spent more time at the game, and having received
expert tuition. Nathan Divinsky, in The Batsford
Encyclopaedia of Chess (Batsford: 1990) gives the following profile of Lord Randolph:
Winston Churchill's father was an ardent chess player.
He took lessons from Steinitz and Zukertort, was VicePresident of the British Chess Association and a frequent spectator at the great London tournament of
1883. Steinitz2 played 6 blindfold simultaneous games
at Oxford on May 17,1870 and one of the wins was
against Randolph Churchill. In August 1870 Steinitz
drew against a group of allies that included Churchill.
Sir Winston, in his filial biography of 19063 wrote
that his father at Oxford "soon acquired, for an amateur, more than ordinary skill in the game. In conjunction with several friends, he founded the University
Chess Club, and on the first visit of Mr. Steinitz, the
champion chess player of the world, he conducted one
of the boards at the blindfold exhibition. Although his
play necessarily lacked the strength derivable from
book knowledge and experience, it is described in this
as in other affairs, as being 'original, daring, and sometimes brilliant.'
"Lord Randolph's game with Mr. Steinitz has
been recorded, so that competent persons may judge of
his quality for themselves." It appears at upper right.
Lord Randolph vs. Steinitz, 1870
Game No. 1 (published in the Oh ess Players' Quarterly Chronicle,
vol. ii., p. 110).
ALLGAIE R GAMUIT.
White.
Black.
Mr. Steinitz.
Lord Itandolph
(blindfold)
Churchill.
1.P-K4
P-K4
2.P-KB4
Pxl'
3. Kt—KIi3 P — KKt4
4. P—KR4
P — KKt6
S. Kt —K6 ( J - K 2 ( « )
6. P—Q4
P-QS
7. Kt x Kt P Q x P (ch)
8. Q—K2 P —Q4
0. Kt—K6
Kt— KR3(6)
10. Kt—QB3 B —QK15
11. Q X Q
PxQ
12. B x P Kt— KB 4
13. Castles
B x Kt
14. P x B
Kt—Q3
16. P—QB4(c) P - K B 3
1(1. P—QB5
P x Kt
17. B x P
Kt —KB2
White.
Mr. Steinitz.
Black.
Lo
™| Randolph
Churchill.
18. B x R
Kt x B
10. R — K 6 q
P —Q K t 3 ( d )
20. U x P fch)
K —Qsn
21. B - Q B 4
B — QKt 2
22. It —Kt4
Kt— K K t 3
23. P — K 5 Kt — K 2
24. R—Ksq
QKt — Q B 3
25. P - Q 5
Kt —QKt 5(«)
26. I' — QBO
B —QBsq
27. R _ K K t 7
Kt—QB3
28. P x Kt
Kt x P
20. B — Q Kt 6 1) — Q Kt 2
30. R —Qsq(ch) K —Ksq
31. R x Q B P K - Ii si!
32. R—KBsq(ch) K — Kt sq
33. B — Q B 4 (ch), and mates in a
few moves.
(a) This was once a common defen ce to the Allgaier opening, but it seems
to entail the loss of tlie gambit pawn.
(b) B — It 3 would not have done, lor White would then have exchanged
queens, and played B — Q B 4, &c.
(c) This move loses White a piece, but he obtains for it a full equivalent,
(rf) Blade should have lost no time lcre iu getting his pieces out; B K 3,
followed by K — Q 2 seems the best pi ly(e) Kt — Q R 4 would be, perhaps,
better ; but in any case he must have
the worst of it.
"Competent persons" will notice a printer's error
on Black's 27th move, which should be, in today's
notation, B4 x C64; they will also wonder why Lord
Randolph did not develop his bishop on move 19.
It is clear that Lord Randolph had studied the Allgaier
variation, and he was to be congratulated on holding
out against the world champion for thirty-three moves.
In 1877, when Lord Randolph was staying at
Dublin's Viceregal Lodge with Lady Randolph and
their three-year-old son, Steinitz visited Dublin and
they played again. The outcome of this encounter is
not known; nor do we know if the impressionable
Winston saw or came into contact with the still world
champion.
The Oxford University Chess Club, founded by
Lord Randolph and his friends, flourishes today, staging internal tournaments playing matches against
other county teams and against local clubs. (This writer
has obtained a win and a loss representing the thenAtomic Energy Establishment against the University.)
Also, since 1873, seven board matches have been
played against Cambridge University, and occasionally
the two universities combine to play against suitable
strong opposition. Many players of outstanding ability
have emerged from OUCC, the latest being a grandmaster,5 twenty-two-year-old Dharshan Kumeran.
Although Sir Winston Churchill showed early
interest in chess, there is no record that he and his
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 1 8
father played together, but at the age of 21 he had
reached a good standard. This and other interesting
information is given by Mike Fox and Richard James in
their entertaining and deeply researched The Even More
Complete Chess Addict (London: Faber and Faber 1993):
Churchill is one of the great might-have-beens of
chess. He teamed at prep-school in Hove... 'Dear
Mamma do not forget to get the set of chess for me, I
should like the board to be red and white not black
and white,' said a letter from the twelve-year-old
Winston. By the time he was twenty-one he was
beginning to show signs of addiction. A letter from
Bombay told her he'd reached the semi-finals of a
shipboard tournament and continued, 'I should try
and get really good when I am in India!' But other
distractions occupied the great man and he never fulfilled his early promise. We do know that Winston
played a game against the mysterious British Ladies
Champion Miss Fatima. She was unimpressed.... The
only later record of Churchill we have is of a game
against Asquith, before which Winston gave vent to
his bizarre battle cry: 'Marshal your Baldwins/
(Churchillian slang for pawns).
Miss Fatima of India became British Empire Lady
Chess champion in August 1933 at the British Chess
Federation Congress held at Hastings. Her compatriot,
Sultan Khan, took the men's title. Three months later
on Armistice Day, she with Sultan Khan played a
simultaneous charity match in aid of the Incorporated
Soldiers and Sailors Help Society and the Lord Roberts
Memorial Workshops for Disabled ex-Service Men.
The entrance fee was 6/-, the playing time 2:30-7:00
PM.
We can safely assume that Churchill was a participant in this charity event, for he had direct concern
with both the societies, having been First Lord of the
Admiralty in the First World War, previously serving
with the troops in India and the Sudan, being under
the command of Lord Roberts during the Boer War,
serving in France in 1916 and as Minister of Munitions
in 1917. Later he had some responsibility for demobilisation. However, at the time of the tournament he was
heavily engaged with matters of Parliament and much
concerned with the problem^ of India and German
armament under Hitler. Alsb,<he was involved at
Chartwell with Volume II of Marlborough. So he could
not have been a match for Miss Fatima, who at the time
was considered to be the strongest and cleverest lady
chess player in England. She left for her homeland in
December, never to return.
C
hurchill must nevertheless have been quite a
good player. In 1927, when travelling with his
15-year-old son Randolph and playing him at
chess, Winston could "give a queen or two castles, or
even castle, bishop and knight and still wallop him,"
according to his grandson Winston in his recent book,
His Father's Son: The Life of Randolph Churchill
(Weidenfeld and Nicholson 1996).
Churchill also played, probably in a simultaneous
match, against grandmaster Miguel Najdorf, who held
the record for blindfold chess by playing forty-five
opponents at one sitting. We do not have knowledge of
Churchill's performance, nor where and when this
encounter took place.
New information continues to come forward concerning Sir Winston and Lord Randolph and I hope
further details of their experience with the game will
emerge.
$5
FOOTNOTES
1. "Capsule
History of the
Game" in The
Fireside Book of
Chess, NY: Simon
& Schuster, 1949.
2. Wilhelm
Steinitz was born
in Prague in
1836. Much travelled, he lived in
England (18621882), Dublin
and New York,
where he died in
"That's light—you simply pick them up like this and
1900. He was
inovc them about on tht little squares."
recognised
world champion from 1866, after defeating Adolf
Anderssen, to 1894, when he lost to Emanuel Lasker.
The author was privileged to witness the great international tournament at Nottingham in 1936, where
Emanuel Lasker came in seventh.
3. Lord Randolph Churchill, by Winston Spencer
Churchill, London: Macmillan 1906.
4. Chess Players Quarterly Chronicle 1870-1, Vol. II p.110
gives Black's 27th move as QKt to QB3 taking P, which
has something to say in favour of the modern notation.
(B4 x C6).
5. Grandmaster. A mathematical rating devised by
Arpad Emrick Elo. Points, currently from 2500 to 2800,
are given that satisfy carefully laid achievement levels.
6. Miguel Najdorf (1910-1997), born in Moscow, sought
asylum in Argentina when playing in a chess Olympiad there in September 1939. Nationalised in 1944, he
was recognised as one of the world's greatest players.
Mr. Crooks, of ICS/UK, wishes to thank the Bodleian
Library, Oxford for much valuable data, also The Daily
Telegraph for its obituary of Miguel Najdorf (9 July 1997).
FINEST HOUR 97/19
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Churchill Online, continued
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Online Debate of the Season
IRAQ ("MESSPOT")
What Does Churchill's Experience Suggest?
"It is surmised that the
result of Mr. Churchill's art
study among the pyramids
is sure to be felt." -Punch, 13
Apr 1921
The Colonial Secretary convened
the Cairo Conference to draw up a
plan for a peaceful settlement in
Mesopotamia (Iraq), Transjordan
and Palestine. While in Egypt,
WSC visited the Pyramids and
devoted a few hours of his leisure
to painting....
Every so often on "Listserv Vfinston" we try to stir up some
controversy, and as we go totyress, the following email messages have been exchanged onHhe^ subject of Iraq, all of which
may be academic by the time you read this. Nonetheless, we
invite everybody to join in, whether you are online or not,
and we will publish any further comments on the subject.
W
inston Churchill was instrumental in creating Iraq after World War I. The 1921 Cairo
Conference, which he convened as Colonial
Secretary, set up the British mandate and laid out its
boundaries, which encompass three separate peoples—
Kurds, Shiite and Sunni Moslems—who cordially hate
each other. Churchill argued for a separate Kurdistan at
the time, where the Kurds would be safe "from some
future bully in Iraq." But he was overruled by his own
Foreign Office, who were certain that Iraq with its
British-installed monarch, King Feisal, would never
?
pose a threat to the Kurds, or to anyone else.
So it was for thirty-seven years, but Feisal H'Was
thrown out by the 1958 revolution, and Saddam
Hussein is latest in a series of thugs who have ruled
ever since. In Jordan, the grandson of King Abdullah,
whom Churchill also placed on the throne at Cairo, still
rules—fortunate, considering the likely alternatives.
("Abdullah sits on the throne of Trans-Jordan where I
sat him," WSC said in the late 1930s.)
Churchill had a fairly consistent view of alliances,
which he usually promoted (see "Quotes of the
Season," page 6). He exclaimed at various times that
the only thing worse than fighting with allies is fighting
without them.
In recent days the United States Secretary of State
has made impressive efforts to garner the support of
America's allies in the Gulf War coalition; whether her
noble efforts will be rewarded is, at this writing, still
unknown. It remains likely that, with no one alongside,
except her old partner of the special relationship, the
USA seems determined to bomb Iraq ("Mesopotamia"
in Churchill's early years, which WSC sometimes
referred to as "Messpot").
I am not interested in what the Russians think, but
it seems to me worth considering what the Canadians,
Germans, Japanese, Chinese and French think; and the
British, who are by no means of one mind; and the
states most immediately menaced by Iraq, only one of
which indicates a significant level of support, be it military force or permission to use their airfields. To some
extent this is a result of the United States having
ignored the Desert Storm coalition repeatedly over the
last five years; but to a greater extent it is due to selfinterest among allies who, as Churchill said, sometimes
develop opinions of their own.
There is more unanimity on what those allies want,
namely the removal of Saddam Hussein and his
weapons of mass destruction. But there is less belief
that an air attack will accomplish either. Even the U.S.
Secretary of Defense, remarkably and surprisingly, said
in late January that in his opinion no air assault would
achieve either objective. Caution has been urged from
such unexpected quarters as an admiral who helped
fight Desert Storm. Poll-watching politicians who lack
the moral fibre to sell a ground war to the public are
not about to unleash one; for them air-launched missiles are a much cheaper way out. Foreign policy in this
age seems often to be conducted by opinion polls.
It seems probable that the only way to rid the
CONTINUED OVERLEAF >»
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 2 1
Churchill Online, continued
world of this particular madman and his deadly toys is
to invade and occupy Iraq. "Why not?" I heard someone say lately, "We did it with Nazi Germany." But
that was another time, there was more unanimity, and
also a damsite more soldiers.
As Lady Soames constantly admonishes us, no one
is entitled to say how Winston Churchill would react to
modern situations. But perhaps there are some interesting things we could observe from his confrontation
with similar problems in the past. Were there any like
this one?
The tempting comparison to Hitler goes only so
far. True, Hitler was genocidal, posed a threat to his
neighbors, most of whom preferred to avoid confronting him. But the nature of the Nazi threat was militarily more serious, and its ultimate aims were global,
or at least hemispherical. Churchill's experience in
dealing with more primitive problems in the Malakand
and Sudan are perhaps apposite. Notably, on some
such occasions, he urged restraint and supported coalitions. One recalls his arguments against the Forward
Policy in northwest India and his comprehension of
the Mahdi's level of support among the Dervish tribesmen of the Sudan. Thus we frame the debate: what
might Churchill's experience and wisdom suggest in
this confrontation?
[email protected] (Editor)
1. Don't Indulge in Pinpricks
Churchill always preferred to operate from a position of strength. Our military power has been seriously
eroded since Desert Storm, our former allies are no
longer reliable, and our leadership is weak. Pinpricks
which do not achieve our political goals will further
erode our position. An aggressive dictator, military
unpreparedness, feckless leaders—sound familiar?
Fortunately, Saddam Hussein is no Hitler, because we
have no Winston Churchill.
[email protected] (Terrence Leveck)
2. One of Churchill's Sillier Mistakes
Perhaps the creation of Iraq (which Churchill occasionally, but not routinely called Mesopotamia—unlike
Iran which he insisted should be called Persia) is one of
Britain's (and Churchill's?) sillier mistakes. In the very
short run, access to some oil may have been improved—although customers are always needed, even
by non-Western societies. But the absurdity of treating
nations, states, and societies (all different) as if they
were pieces on some Parker Bros. "Monopoly" board,
was a chicken that came home to roost. (In this case,
"some chicken, some neck" is obviously not the most
fitting response.) The fraudulent boundaries that
Britain and France arrogantly (and stupidly) imposed
on the Middle East ("middle" in relation to what?)
after World War I were more foolish (though not yet as
destructive—at least not to Britain and the U.S.) than
the nonsense that went on at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. Certainly Churchill's role in the creation
of Iraq and the Middle Eastern settlement is hardly a
credential for his selection as man-of-the-century.
Moreover, I think Mr. Churchill would have firmly
agreed. He was stubborn, opinionated, and parochial.
(Aren't we all!) But he was not so insecure as to refuse
to admit making a mistake. In this case I suspect his
comment, in American slang coming from hanging
around too much with Franklin Roosevelt, would have
been: "A mistake! And a lulu."
-wkimball@[email protected]
(Professor Warren Kimball)
3. Generational Chauvinism?
More and more lately I find myself agreeing with
Prof. Kimball, which I know will shock him as much as
it does me!
But of course we can judge the boundaries of the
NEAR EAST (so called because they were the Nearest
East to the heart of the Empire and, ipso facto, the center of the universe) quite clearly in hindsight. The same
errors were made in Africa, where tribal boundaries
were ignored in drawing up borders that created quotidian hostility when the colonial powers left. But to
wish for a more enlightened approach is to indulge in
what William Manchester called "generational chauvinism": judging actions of the past by the relatively
enlightened present. It is like rejecting the name of
George Washington on a high school because George
Washington, who died in 1799, owned slaves.
And yet, for a stubborn and parochial politician,
Churchill showed amazing prescience in arguing that
the 1921 boundaries should include a home for the
Kurds, "to protect them from some future bully in
Iraq." I know of no other "man of the century" nominee who could see that far ahead. And the boundaries
he drew up also included Palestine: which evolved,
thanks in part to his support, into Israel....
[email protected]
4. The Jean Dixon Effect
A multitude of predictions make for the appearance
of prescience. Call it the Jean Dixon effect. However, if
we're into that sort of thing (i.e., Churchill's quite correct concern about the Kurds), how about FDR's advice
in 1942 or '43 that trying to put Serbs and Croats together was just asking for trouble since their mutual
hatred was so deep. But no one (neither Tito nor the
FINEST HOUR 97 / 22
Churchill Online, concluded
British nor I think, the American State Department)
paid any attention.
-wkimball@[email protected]
5. Excuse Me But...
Actually the Serbs and Croats had been put together long before World War II. The Kingdom of Jugoslavia
was created by the royal house of Karageorgevich in
the 1920s from the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and
Slovenes. The reason was that they were already not
getting along—though the pan-Slavism of pre-WWI
days is what made them want to be together in the first
place—and the King wanted to foster a greater sense of
unity. I don't think it's fair to blame the Yugoslav situation on the Great Powers. It was the goal of the Slavs
themselves. Once they were united, they fell to bickering and arguing over unfair representation and powersharing.
[email protected] (Alexander Justice)
And there the discussion ends...
...At least at the time we extracted it from the ether.
As regular users already know, and readers will
observe, Listserv discussions take unexpected twists
and turns—and we still haven't had anyone tell us
what we can learn, if anything, from Churchill's experience with Iraq! Any takers?
$
"America, Britain and the Special Relationship"
15th International Churchill Conference
Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, 5-8 November
An Update for Members
A Conference Committee
We cannot as yet reveal the
has been formed (see page 2)
name of our chief speaker,
to finalize details of the
but we can advise of a new
forthcoming meeting in the
approach: this speech, the
beautifully restored Colonial
First Annual Churchill
capital of what Churchill
Lecture, will be delivered
called "World Famous
in the late afternoon, and
Virginia." Assistance from
the dinner that night will
members, particularly in
be in honor of the speaker,
Virginia and the
but will not keep you long
Washington metro area, will
after the Loyal Toasts. We
be greatly appreciated.
hope this will prove to be
There is much to do and
an improvement that better
Duke of Gloucester Street has changed little since Roosevelt visited balances your time. More
many opportunites to help
the old capital of Virginia in 1934. Photo: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
and to meet new Churchill
to come soon! Stand by. $
Center friends at the same time. If you are interested in
Word to the Wise: Book Williamsburg Now!
playing a role, please contact the chairman, John
Mather, Secretary of The Churchill Center (see page 2),
Excellent rates are available for the 1998 Churchill
or Craig or Lorraine Horn, 8016 McKenstry Drive,
Conference at Colonial Williamsburg, 5-8 November
Laurel MD 20723-1152, telephone 301-725-7266 (email
(you need to stay the nights of the 5th-7th minimum).
The best rooms go fast, so we advise you to call now—
address: [email protected]).
you can always cancel later. These low rates also
Registration packets (which many have asked
apply three days before and after our conference, if
about already), will be mailed as usual at the end of
you wish more time to explore and enjoy the unique
May. In the meantime, we urge you to book your rooms
restored Colonial Capital and surrounding area.
at your preferred location (box, right) NOW, because
Standard Rooms: Williamsburg Lodge
they are limited and will go fast.
Main/East/South Wing $147 Tazewell/West Wing $183
Members will be pleased to know that ample time
Luxury Rooms: Williamsburg Inn
will be allowed to enjoy the finest restored city in the
Main Building $325, Providence Wing $220
Economy Rooms: The Woodlands, Williamsburg
United States and the many local amenities, including
Guest Room $95, Suite $105
an outstanding golf course, and to extend your stay at
Far
all
reservations call 1-800-H1STORY
the special low rates shown opposite.
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 2 3
Send your questions (and answers) to the Editor
Riddles, Mysteries, Enigmas
, I have
'an audio
ook entitled
"Crossing by
Night" by
David Aron,
about Elizabeth
Pack, an
American-born
British diplomat's wife who
helped Britain
break the cipher
code used by the
Germans during World War
II. Churchill is
portrayed as
one of the
"irregulars"
who worked to
uncover Hitler's true plans, while Neville
Chamberlain and Parliament ("regulars?") contented themselves with hoping
Hitler would contain communism.
According to the inside cover of the audio
book, Ian Fleming based his James Bond
character on Elizabeth Pack's adventures.
Quotes throughout the book reference her
diary, said to be in the Churchill
Archives. I have searched the Internet for
information but have found none. Can
anyone guide me to it?
A
Amy Elizabeth Pack (nee
Thorpe) was one of the most
outstanding agents who served the
Allied cause, not only during WW2
but in the crucial period immediately
before it. "Cynthia" was the code
name under which she worked, for
Sir William Stephenson's "British
Security Co-ordination." Many
authorities agree that her most successful coup, obtaining the naval
ciphers from the Vichy French
Embassy in Washington in 1942, dramatically improved Allied prospects
for victory. She is the subject of a
book, Cynthia—The Spy Who Changed
the Course of the War, by H.
Montgomery Hyde, published in
Britain by Hamish Hamilton, 1966.
The Churchill Archives Centre has
material collected by Hyde for the
book, including correspondence with
and about "Cynthia" and her childhood diary. —Alan Kucia, Churchill
Archives Centre, Cambridge
Q
Did the fact of Churchill's being
half American have any specific or
even general influence on American participation in World War II? What I am
looking for is insight into what
Americans thought of him at all levels of
society at that time. (It is different from
ours because of his peacetime reputation.)
I especially ask this because the great man
still seems to hold a special place in
American hearts judging by U.S. membership. -Chris Toplis, ICS/UK
A
lt is doubtful that his American
heritage influenced American
participation in the war, which after
all occurred with a certain unstated
condition: Roosevelt clearly had a
problem with the British Empire and
wanted to see it dismantled. (Many
wondered why FDR, a political realist, was so stuck on this and considered it a potential cause of strife,
given the various other causes with
which he was wrestling.) Churchill
certainly took advantage of his
American connections when speaking
and traveling in the United States.
But surely it was his heroic defiance
in 1940 that made his reputation in
the USA; for example, Blood Sweat and
Tears, the American edition of his first
volume of WW2 speeches, had an
enormous sale which dwarfed its sale
even in Britain.
The American fascination with
him, which as you say has always
been much more overt than the
British, may have more to do with the
fact that to Americans he always
appeared a statesman, not a party
politician. He was careful to say nothing that might offend his hosts in any
country he visited; likewise, he left
British politics at the water's edge
and never criticised the opposition
when abroad, at least not publicly.
Thus he never managed to offend
Americans who sympathised with the
postwar Labour Government—and
there were many of them. The only
time he came close to alienating a
FINEST HOUR 97 / 24
fairly wide American public was after
the Fulton speech, but it soon transpired that he'd been right all along,
and the grumblers drifted off.
All of this may suggest why our
job is easier in America (and Canada)
than in Britain!
I've never seen a good, brief
'explanation of the Dardanelleslipoli episode and Churchill's role in
it. I certainly feel that Churchill had a
plan for success which was perverted by
forces beyond his control; but I know
that, because of the complexity of it, a lot
of the public gets the wrong impression.
[N.B.: The episode was the plan
to send an Allied fleet through the
Dardanelles in 1915, across the Sea of
Marmora, to appear off Constantinople, cowing the Turks into surrender. This would have deprived the
Central Powers of a strategic ally and
succoured the Russians via the Black
Sea. The original plan to force the
Dardanelles "by ships alone" failed
when the Admiral in charge turned
back just as the Turkish forts were
running out of ammunition; later a
combined operation involving a land
invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula •
also failed because it was delayed
long enough to allow the Turks to
fortify the peninsula, and after the
initial landing failed to make good its
position. Although Churdiill did not
conceive of the operation, he was its
greatest champion and was generally
blamed for the failure, which involved huge losses among British,
Australian and New Zealand troops.]
A Churchill himself said that what
JL\ he learned from the Dardanelles/Gallipoli operation was never to
pursue a supreme military enterprise
without complete plenary authority.
Many authorities believe this was
why he made himself Minister of
Defence upon assuming the
Premiership in 1940. F. B.
Czarnomski's excellent Wisdom of
Winston Churchill (London: Allen &
Unwin 1956, still the best quotebook
around, neatly organized alphabetically by topic) goes as usual to the
heart of the subject with the following
material under "Gallipoli"...
"I will not have it said that this
was a civilian plan, foisted by a political amateur upon reluctant officers >
Riddles, continued
and experts...! am concerned to make
it clear...that this enterprise was profoundly, maturely, and elaborately
considered, that there was a great
volume of expert opinion behind it,
that it was framed entirely by expert
and technical minds, and that in no
circumstances could it have been
regarded as having been undertaken
with carelessness or levity....
"It seems to me that if there were
any operations in the history of the
world which, having been begun, it
was worth while to carry through
with the utmost vigour and fury,
with a consistent flow of reinforcements, and an utter disregard of life,
it was the operation so daringly and
brilliantly begun by Sir Ian Hamilton
in the immortal landing of April 25."
-WSC, House of Commons,
15 November 1915
Under the "Dardanelles" heading, Czarnomski offers:
"The light of victory was shining
clearly before us, and the path was
clearly illuminated, yet we could not
get the strength, the power, and the
driving force to follow it. We could
not get the strength and the resources
which were needed to carry it
through. It will always be incredible
to future ages that every man in this
country did not rally to an enterprise
which carried with it such immense
possibilities, and which required such
limited resources to carry it into
effect....for the sake of a dozen old
ships and a half a dozen extra divisions, more or less, and a few hundred thousand rounds of high explosive shells, we failed to gain a prize
specially adapted to our Oriental
interests and our amphibious power,
and which, by cutting Turkey out of
the war, and uniting in one federation
the states of the Balkan Peninsula,
would have brought us within measurable distance of lasting success."
-WSC, Commons, 20Marl7
• "In our island, by trial and
error, and by perseverance
across the centuries, we have
found out a very good plan.
Here it is: The Queen can do
no wrong. Bad advisors can
be changed as often as the
people like to use their rights
for that purpose. A great battle is won; crowds cheer the
Queen. What goes wrong is
carted away with the politicians responsible. What goes
right is laid on the altar of
our united Commonwealth
and Empire."
-Westminster Hall,
27 May 1953
I
t has often been said that for
Churchill, monarchy was a religion. I was w o n d e r i n g if you
could supply me with some Churchill
quotations dealing with the Crown as
an institution. Did he ever make any
great pronouncements about constitutional monarchy being preferable to
republicanism?
-Rafal Heydel-Mankoo, Ottawa, Ont.
Canada ([email protected])
Here are some notes from the FH
quotes database on Filemaker Pro: %
• A recent book
remarked that one of Churchill's
problems was that he didn't understand h o w the American system
worked. Yet former Senator Harry F.
Byrd, speaking to the 1991 Churchill
Conference in Richmond, Virginia,
recalled this from his meeting with
WSC in 1951.
"There was much dissatisfaction
in the United States with President
Truman. He was at a low point in his
presidency. This prompted me to say
to Mr. Churchill that it seemed to me
FINEST HOUR 97 / 25
These quotes are Churchill's and
highly partisan, but recent scholars
do not rank the Dardanelles episode
primarily as a Churchill blunder.
(See, for example, Wallin's By Ships
Alone, Carolina Academic Press 1981.)
Considering Sir Winston's
accomplishments, why was he
'''only" knighted?
A
He turned down a knighthood,
the Order of the Garter, in 1945,
saying he could not accept it after the
electors had just given him the
"Order of the Boot." He turned down
a Dukedom upon his retirement, but
so admired the Queen that he accepted the Garter in 1953. At least during
his active years, his refusal of a peerage was probably because it would
send him to the Lords and out of the
Commons. Good references are
Colville, Fringes of Power (1985) and
Gilbert, Never Despair (the Official
Biography, 1988).
.
$
that the British Parliamentary system,
where the leader of g o v e r n m e n t
could be changed within a short time
span of a few weeks, had much to
commend it over the American system of a fixed Presidency.
"I shall never forget Mr.
Churchill's reply: 'Ah yes, Mr. Byrd,
but don't forget this—that the great
strength of the American system is
that the forty-eight states, acting
through their own legislatures, can, to
a very considerable degree, determine their own affairs.' Then he
added: 'You in America are not centralized like we are in England.'
"Never had I heard such an eloquent appraisal of States Rights. I was
fascinated that a great world statesman three thousand miles from our
shores should recognize and proclaim
what so many Americans at that time
did not, and even now do not realize:
the danger of a government too highly centralized, something Thomas
Jefferson warned against 150 years
earlier."
-PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CHURCHILL SOCIETIES 1990-91.
Published 1993; available from
Churchill Stores, PO Box 96,
Contoocook NH 03229 USA, email
[email protected]).
$3
ACTION THIS DAY BYJGHNGPLUMFTON
One hundred years ago:
Winter 1897-98 • Age 23
His First Book
COLONIAL LJB*$ftf i
The Colonial Edition, 14 March 1898
A
s the year ended, Winston's
mother informed him that Longman's had agreed to publish The Story of
the Malakand Field Force. He was hopeful
that the publicity would improve his
prospects for earning money. He quoted
Dr. Johnson: "No one but a blockhead
ever wrote except for money."
But he also hoped it would advance
his political career as well: "the publication of this book will certainly be the
most noteworthy act of my life. Up to
date (of course). By its reception I shall
measure the chances of my possible success in the world."
He also knew that he had the
potential to get better: "...on a larger
subject and with more time I am capable of a purer and more easy style and
of more deeply considered views—yet it
is a sample of my mental cast." Learning was still very important to him. "I
am still reading—though I prefer to
write. The novel [Saurola] lies still unfinished and I am longing to take up the
threads. But the balance between Inputs
and Exports must be maintained."
Reflecting on his own character and
prospects, he insightfully wrote to his
mother: "In Politics a man gets on not so
much by what he does, as by what he is.
It is not so much a question of brains as
of character and originality. It is for
these reasons that I would not allow
others to suggest friends - a name good advice well followed - all these
things count - but they lead only to a
certain point. As it were they may
ensure admission to the scales. Ultimately every man has to be weighed
and if found wanting nothing can procure him the public confidence."
Nevertheless he did not hesitate to
promote his connections. He asked his
mother relentlessly to pursue an assignment for him in Egypt and he went to
Calcutta to lobby for himself. There he
dined with the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief. Not exactly the normal social activity of a subaltern!
For recreation he played polo and
distinguished himself with the 4^ Hussars in the Regimental Polo Tournament, although he could not prevent a
loss in the finals to the Durham Light
Infantry, the only Infantry Regiment
ever to win the tournament.
Seventy-five years ago:
Winter 1922-23 • Age 48
"The World Crisis"
When Churchill was defeated in
the general election and had surgery he
quipped that he was "without an office,
without a seat, without a party and
without an appendix." Declining offers
to run in other constituencies, he
planned to work on his war memoirs,
and to paint. Leaving his home at 2 Sussex Square, he went to the Villa ReVe
d'Or near Cannes for six months, with
periodic returns to England.
The diary of his friend Victor Cazalet gives interesting insights into
Churchill's activities and views on people and issues:
"Winston has taken to gambling
with terrible earnestness. He plays twice
daily and is now 20,000 francs up after a
month's play. He does not play very
high. He works very hard all day, from
11 pm to 1 am. I roused him on Free
Trade. We had discussed Lloyd George
and his last Cabinet. Lloyd George, he
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 2 6
said, had made one howler after another during the past eighteen months,
especially in foreign policy. Winston
had disagreed with him on all.
"Apropos of the Versailles Treaty,
Winston told me he said at the time to
LG that he would not put his name to it
for 1,000 pounds. It was cruel and
relentless and spelt chaos. But he still
maintains that we could not have got
through the four critical years after the
war except under a Coalition. The year
1919 when there was nearly a revolution was, he thought, the danger
year.. .If he can keep quiet for another
six months and bring out this great
work [war memoirs] the future still
holds unlimited scope for his genius."
At the end of January Churchill
returned to London, where he stayed at
the Ritz Hotel. He visited Chartwell and
wrote Clementine a detailed outline of
the changes he was making. He joined
the Artillery, which had replaced the
old Oxfordshire Hussars. A few days
later he wrote his wife that he had been
so busy that he hardly left the Ritz,
except for meals. He seldom dined
alone. Among his guests were Lady
Londonderry, Millicent Fanny, Harry
Chaplin, Jack Wodehouse, Lord Haldane, Freddie Guest, the Prince of
Wales, Maude Burke, Austen Chamberlain, Sir George Younger and Venetia
Montagu.
He planned another trip to
Chartwell and promised his wife that he
would not proceed with any more alterations without her approval—not a
promise he would be able to fulfill, at
least in the long run!
He had come to end of his first volume of war memoirs: "We have reached
the moment when one must say 'As the
tree falls, so shall it lie.'" But the title of
the projected work had not been decided upon. Geoffrey Dawson, the new
editor of The Times, which would serialise the book, wanted to call it The Great
Amphibian. Churchill himself liked
"Triphibian." But Thornton Butterworth
and Scribner's, who would publish the
volumes, didn't approve. They considered Sea Power and the World Crisis and
Sea Power in the World Crisis before settling on The World Crisis.
Fifty years ago:
Winter 1947-48 • Age 77
The War Memoirs
Lord Moran describes Churchill in
a restless state of mind brought on by
being out of office and the knowledge
that some of his colleagues wanted him
to step aside as Leader of the Opposition. Churchill told Moran that he didn't
need a rest but "psychologically one
needs change from time to time." He
decided to take a vacation in a warmer
climate, but currency restrictions prevented him from taking sufficient funds
out of the country.
Churchill accepted an offer from
Time-Life to stay at the Hotel Mamounia in Marrakech. Sarah Churchill, who
accompanied him, described the visit in
a letter to her mother: "So far he has not
left the hotel, he paints from a high balcony of the new wing of the hotel—and
as it has till now been cold, I am glad.
But today a sortie is planned—just a
small one—to the pink walls. He is
inclined to work a little too late."
Churchill himself described his routine to Clementine: "Wake about 8 a.m.,
work at Book till 12:30, lunch at one,
paint from 2:30 till 5, when it is cold and
dusk, sleep from 6 p.m. till 7:30, dine at
8, Oklahoma with the Mule [cards with
Sarah]... .At 10 or 11 p.m. again work on
the Book. Here I have been rather
naughty; the hours of going to bed have
been one o'clock, two, three, three, two,
but an immense amount has been done
and Book II [of The Gathering Storm] is
practically finished. I am not going to sit
up so late in future. The pa|nting has
not gone badly but I only h'lave these
two and a half short hours d i g o o d
light."
Literary aide Bill Deakin gave his
version of the events to Martin Gilbert
in 1975: "He liked excursions. They
were working sessions. Sometimes he
would write a piece of his own, without
any documents. When I got to Marrakech I found an awful piece about the
Spanish Civil War. I said: 'But these
weren't your views at the time.' He
shouted at me; 'you God-damn, damn
you, you always think you're right.'
"His mind was fixed on the conduct of the war. Occasionally, late at
night, we might talk about the Dardanelles.... He didn't do very much work.
He wanted company. He painted most
of the time."
Churchill had a different perception. He had written Clementine that "I
came here to play, but in fact it has only
been Work under physically agreeable
conditions."
This holiday also gave him a break
from the English political scene, and it
appears he was in great need of this
respite. He wrote Clementine that "England and politics seem very different
here. I continue to be depressed about
the future. I really do not see how our
poor island is going to earn its living
when there are so many difficulties
around us and so much ill-will and division at home."
In early January Deakin returned to
England with twelve chapters of the
book. At the same time Lord Moran and
Clementine arrived to tend to Churchill,
who was feeling ill. Moran found that
Churchill did not have pneumonia and
his patient was in fine form very quickly. Moran wrote a long entry in his journal about his visit to Marrakech. He
dated it 7 December 1947, but Martin
Gilbert points out Miat the correct dating
is 3 January 194S.
Moran suggests that Churchill was
intolerant of criticism. If that was true,
this was a very difficult time for the
author of The Second World War. Among
the people who gave very detailed criticism of his drafts were Isaiah Berlin,
Edward Marsh, Clementine and, especially, Emery Reves. The significance of
Reves's comments was that the text
would have to be largely rewritten.
Reves had shown the manuscript to the
judges of the Book-of-the-Month Club
(Henry Seidel Canby, Dorothy Canfield
Fisher, Christopher Morley, John P.
Marquand and Clifton Fadiman). They
were impressed with the work but
agreed with Reves's recommendations.
Churchill made enough changes to
please both Reves and himself.
Once again discussions ensued
regarding the title of Volume I.
Churchill first considered Downward
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 2 7
Path; Reves suggested Gathering Clouds,
or The Brooding Storm and the eventual
winner, The Gathering Storm. It was the
best possible choice.
In February Churchill returned to
England to face a new gathering storm:
aggressive Communist political and
military activity. Most ominous was the
Communist takeover in Czechoslovakia
and the mysterious death of Churchill's
friend the non-Communist foreign minister, Jan Masaryk.
Twenty-five years ago:
Autumn 1972
"Little upstart Winston "
Dalton Newfield wrote his farewell
as editor of Finest Hour and welcomed
"a fine new editor," Stephen King, who
lasted three issues, most of them ghostwritten by Dal. No details were given as
to why he had to relinquish the job.
Finest Hour reprinted the following
story from The Glitter and the Gold by
Consuelo Vanderbilt who had married
Churchill's cousin "Sunny," the Ninth
Duke of Marlborough: "The Duchess
was seated in an armchair in the drawing-room of her house at the corner of
Grosvenor Square where she had lived
since her widowhood. Dressed in
mourning with a little lace cap on her
head and an ear-trumpet in her hand,
she bestowed a welcoming kiss in the
manner of a deposed sovereign greeting
her successor. After an embarrassing
inspection of my person, she informed
me that Lord Rosebery had reported
favourably on me after our meeting in
Madrid. She expressed great interest in
our plans and made searching inquiries
concerning the manner of life we
intended to live, hoping, she said, to see
Blenheim restored to its former glories
and the prestige of the family upheld.
"Then fixing her cold grey eyes
upon me she continued, Tour first duty
is to have a child and it must be a son,
because it would be intolerable to have
that little upstart Winston become
Duke. Are you in the family way?'"
Fortunately Consuelo was—and
the little upstart remained available to
become Prime Minister.
$5
But what about Churchill-as-Realist? Was he without ideas or ideals? Did
he not have strong views of how society
should be structured (what Marx called
a political economy)? Was he wrong in
dismissing idealism (if he did)? Did he
assume that the "realism" of the European leaders—whatever their mistakes—was the only rational way to
make peace?
Answering such questions requires
more than a man's words as evidence,
especially with a man of action like
Churchill as Peacemaker, edited by Churchill. In fact, while he thought
James W. Muller about peace (and war) and frequently
Cambridge & New observed the making of peace (and
York: Cambridge war), he had his own chances to "make"
University
Press peace only twice in his long career. One
with the Wilson and he either rejected or failed to perceive
Churchill Centers, when, amidst the hot-house atmosphere
344 pages, $59.95. of the Second World War, he had the
New Book Service opportunity to lead Britain toward
price $45 (shipping $5 peaceful and positive devolution of the
first book, $1 each empire. The very concept proved
addl.) do the Editor.
unthinkable for him and instead he
became an obstacle to the inevitable.
But, during World War II, he did
Perhaps the way to read this book, seize his other opportunity to play the
which any Churchill scholar will find role of peacemaker. Churchill himself
fascinating, is to begin with Manfred claimed that all his life before he became
Weidhorn's intriguing attempt to recon- Prime Minister in 1940 had been but a
cile Churchill the warlord (not "war- preparation for that conflict. He evaded
monger") with Churchill the peacemak- and avoided structured planning for
er. The author, ever aware of his sub- peace, but no one expended more enerject's "Herculean efforts to cope with the gy than he in trying to construct a settlechallenges presented by the two bloodi- ment that would meet the needs and
est tyrants in history," finds that hopes of both Britain and, necessarily,
Churchill's "realism" ensured that the the other Great Powers. Yet the story of
"sentimental, naive peace lover" would that effort is absent from this collection,
be set aside for the practical, hard-nosed beyond a few general references in
man of the world—albeit a British essays written on other subjects.
world, I might add. (41, 53) That theme
To understand the essential
of practicality (invariably mislabeled Churchill on making peace we must
"realism") characterizes most of the examine his actions; examine what he
other essays, on subjects as varied as did during the Second World War
Churchill's life (Churchill and...Zionism, when he was finally a peacemaker
Ireland, South Africa, the aftermath of rather than a minor player or an historiWorld War I). Even Martin Gilbert's sad cal observer. A few examples of issues
narrative of Churchill's ineffectuakiess to examine:
in trying to arrange a summit between
1. During World War II, as in 1919,
himself, Stalin's successors, and Eisen- Churchill was unable and often unwillhower presents the Englishman as the ing to choose between overwhelming
practical (realistic) idealist. Almost force and a balance of power (cordon
invariably, Churchill appears as a sanitaire) to deal with what he called the
British rather than a transnational states- Bolsheviks;
man, which is, after all, what Crown
2. He firmly supported a great
and Parliament (and Churchill) power settlement imposed, however
required.
gently, upon the so-called lesser »
BOOKS, ARTS
& CURIOSITIES
Two Halves of the Same Walnut
WARREN F. KIMBALL
C
hurchill As Peacemaker—the title
suggests that these essays have
taken a discrete chunk of Winston Churchill and put it under a microscope. Fortunately, that is not the case.
Churchill the relentless, ebullient,
engaged geopolitidan is not that easily
bottled—or buried. This collection of
essays, taken from papers prepared for
the First Churchill Center Symposium
in 1994, might better be titled Churchill
and the Politics of Empire.
Certainly there are essays for those
who view Churchill as someone who
transcended his role as a British political
leader to become an important political
thinker, perhaps philosopher. "He was
never simply a partisan for his own
country and its way of life," writes one
contributor. (116) There is even a defense of Churchill's (and Britain's) commitment to "the Peaceful Purposes of
Empire," a curious sort of Nietzschean
argument that the promotion of "political and cultural excellence" is the object
of empire. (81) As unpersuasive as I find
such arguments, they offer useful pieces
in the construction of an intellectual
biography.
But the bulk of the essays adopt, in
one form or another, the position so
well laid out by Paul Addison of the
University of Edinburgh in his essay on
Churchill and the Irish question:
More than any other British statesman of
his time, Churchill saw the world in terms
of conflicts that had to be confronted and
resolved; if in his view there was no alternative, he was prepared to resolve them
by force or the threat of force. (186)
Warren Kimball is Robert Treat Professor of
History at Rutgers University. His latest book,
Forged in War, is reviewed opposite.
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 2 8
states (although he occasionally seemed
to realize that Britain was in danger of
being relegated to that "lesser state" status—something that is happening only
now, with the end of the Cold War and
the increasing insignificance of being an
atomic power);
3. What Churchill liked and recommended—what made him comfortable—was a kind of narrow, geopolitical
Parker Brothers Monopoly board game
approach to a peace settlement, whether
at Paris in 1919, or in Moscow in October 1944, with his percentages proposal
to Stalin;
4. Then there is the question of Wilson's ghost. History cannot repeat, but it
surely imitates, parodies, and parallels
itself. Woodrow Wilson initially offered
the world (that is, Europe) a choice
between the old order, which bred war
and violent revolution, and a different
way: a choice between reaction, as he
called it, and liberalism.
With two of the great symbols of
the old order, the emperors of Germany
and Austria-Hungary, gone from the
scene, only America's erstwhile allies,
Britain and France, remained to occupy
the "reactionary" right. But the 1917
Bolshevik Revolution presented a third,
frightening, seductive option. Instead of
moderate, progressive change that permitted the oppressors (entrepreneurs) to
retain some if not all of the fruits of their
works; in lieu of progressive change that
did not throw the baby out with the
bath water; rather than moderate reform
that harnessed the benefits of modern
industrialism to serve the majority
(phrasing reminiscent of the 1912 American presidential campaign). Why not,
asked the Bolsheviks, turn society upside down? Why not have change from
the bottom up? Hoping to forestall both
extremes, Wilson's Fourteen "Points
were aimed as much at Lenin as they
were at Clemenceau.
By the time of the Teheran conference twenty-five years later, that trio of
choices had reappeared, though in
somewhat camouflaged form. Hitler
was sui generis—neither reaction nor
revolution—or perhaps a mix of both.
Anyway, he was about to disappear.
For the postwar world, reaction took the
form of Britain, its empire, and European colonialism. (That image was sym-
bolic as much as real, but before snorts
of dismissal are heard, remember that
Algeria, Vietnam, and the fifty years of
conflict in Africa after World War II are
attributable, at least in significant part,
to European colonialism, the legacy of
which is far from benign.) liberalism—
the middle way, the golden mean—
remained seated (at least in Roosevelt's
mind) in the United States.
Revolution still resided in Moscow,
even if the Soviet regime was deeply
soiled by the brutality of everything
from the purges to the persecution of
any and all opponents of collectivism.
That presence became overwhelming as
the Soviet Union first survived, then
turned back the German onslaught, and
then began to occupy eastern Europe.
Unity on the
Main Agenda
RICHARD M. LANGWORTH
Forged in War: Churchill, Roosevelt and
the Second World
War, by Warren F.
Kimball. New
York: William
Morrow & Co.,
$25. FH New Book
Service price $20 +
shipping, c/o the
Editor, FH.
More frightening, revolution could
spread by the very political means that
Roosevelt and Churchill professed to
support—free elections. The initial
round of elections in liberated and occupied nations after the war could well
bring to power the left—socialists and
communists.
Churchill faced such issues at a
time when he had some influence on
their outcome, and without a full discussion of how he thought and acted,
the picture of him as peacemaker is
incomplete. Consider this my recommendation for the next Churchill Center
symposium—and book. In the meantime, this is a serious, worthwhile discussion of the prologue (and a little of
the aftermath) to Churchill as Peacemaker.
of what that would have meant for the
peoples of Europe, particularly Western
Europe, regardless of how little Britain had
to gain and how much it had to lose in
such a gamble, it was Chamberlain, not
Churchill, who declared war on Nazi Germany....British strategic assumptions were
simple—and simply wrong. (29)
The relationship between Roosevelt
and Churchill was intricate, full of
nuances and endlessly debatable.
Robert Sherwood began an examination
with Roosevelt and Hopkins (1948), Joseph
Lash added Roosevelt and Churchill
(1976). John Charmley's Churchill's
Grand Alliance (Finest Hour 88) and Keith
Sainsbury's Churchill and Roosevelt at
War (FH 87) added critical dimensions.
s editor of the seminal Churchill- David Stafford's Churchill and Secret SerRoosevelt Correspondence, Profes- vice (FH 96) produced important knowlsor Kimball is well qualified to edge on how WSC and FDR shared (or
review the key relationship of World refused to share) intelligence. Ongoing
War II, and he begins by dismissing releases of official documents guarantee
divers off-the-wall theses with which a continuing historical rexamination
Churchill's wartime role has been tarred (see next review). There is nothing
(or maybe peppered) in recent years:
wrong with revisionist history, provided a legitimate case for it can be made,
preferably without accompanying
Perhaps, some have argued loudly,
histrionics.
Churchill led Britain down the primrose
path by placing his faith in an alliance with
Except among the sensationalists,
the Americans. Chamberlain's appeaseKimball's main thesis seems hardly
ment policy could have worked, the arguarguable: Churchill and Roosevelt had
ment goes, for it would have set the Gerdifferent agendas in many areas, but on
mans against the Soviet Union.... Regardone thing they were united: Hitler had
less of self-respect, which governments
to go. Churchill hoped that in the pro-
A
may not have but a people do, regardless
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 2 9
CONTINUED OVERLEAF »>
cess he could use Roosevelt to shore up
the sagging British Empire (which many
believe was headed for history's graveyard long before the war). Roosevelt
considered the Empire obsolete and
reactionary, viewing Britain as a minor
player in the postwar settlement, which
he expected to dictate with Stalin.
sevelt seems here always to heed his
lieutenants, who are widely quoted; and
Stalin seems always prescient and wise
(the first criticism of him is on page 185).
But Churchill seems to operate in a vacuum—and each slip puts him under the
historical gun.
In March 1942, for example,
Churchill's longstanding faith in Baltic
independence suffers apostasy: he
writes Roosevelt that perhaps Stalin
should be allowed to keep Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania (and parts of Finland,
Poland and Rumania)—and Roosevelt
promptly pins his ears back. This is
offered to the reader as an example of
Churchill's willingness to sacrifice principle for expediency (138-46). But it does
In their secondary agendas both
Churchill and Roosevelt were disappointed. America acted in her own
interests, not Britain's (big surprise);
Stalin proved no peacetime partner,
although far fewer people died in the
Cold War than in WW2, and none with
the precision of Hitler's Final Solution,
or Stalin's cruder, but greater, mass
genocide in the 1930s. Nor were the
lessons of war lost on the architects of
the Marshall Plan and NATO, as they
were lost on the architects of Versailles.
But on the main agenda, FDR and
Churchill were united.
Der Sturmer, Nuremberg, 4 September 1941,
after the Atlantic Charter conference.
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Forged in War, continued-
N
ow, if you believe that a world
containing any vestige of Nazi
Germany would have been
infinitely preferable to the world we
inherited in 1945, then you may take
issue with Kimball's approach. But if
you believe that what we got was the
best available outcome in an array of
unpleasant alternatives, you may agree
with Kimball, and Churchill, and the
bulk of scholarly opinion: Hitler had to
go. All out war "we may very well
deplore when we have time to think
about it," William Buckley told the 1995
Churchill Conference in another context,
"but Churchill was telling his countrymen, and indirectly Americans, that any
scruple, at that time of peril to the
nation itself, was an indefensible and
unbearable distraction."
^There is much in this book to ponder, and challenge: the notion, for example, that Churchill, of the two, always
played the bull in a china shop. Roo-
not fully coi ivey Churchill's prevailing
attitudp toward Baltic freedom (see
"Churchill and the Baltic," FH 54); the
desperate military posture in March
1942; the urgings of Beaverbrook and
Halifax that Stalin be placated; and
Churchill's evident relief when FDR
says no, we cannot grant Stalin his 1941
borders. Ironically, this was the only
time Roosevelt stood firm on Baltic freedom. Never, Kimball rightly notes, did
Roosevelt view Stalin's reconquest "as a
critical moral or ethical issue." (But the
Baits did.)
During the battle for Singapore,
Churchill goes over the heads of his
generals, telling them to "fight to the
last man." The author says this shows
Churchill's lack of deference to and
interference with field commanders. But
was this typical, or the desperate product of what Churchill viewed as
Britain's most shameful defeat? When
Churchill takes Roosevelt to Marrakech
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 3 0
in 1943, we are told that the Prime Minister was hoping for "a seduction" in an
"intimate setting." (195) Could it be that
Churchill simply wished to show FDR
the place he loved? Surely they had no
shortage of intimate settings.
There are in this book a lot of
maybes: "Perhaps Churchill hoped..."
(And perhaps he didn't...) There is an
occasional shocker-sentence, given what
we know in hindsight: "...if the Americans were skeptical of the [atomic]
bomb's utility, why not share the secret
with the Soviets and promote a sense of
trust?" (280). There are also minor distractions. The photo captions (the Big
Three: "We've got the whole world in
our hands...") are curious attempts at
humor. Jennie Jerome was born in
Rochester, not Baltimore. Dunkirk was
less Churchill's "manipulation" (133)
than what Churchill said it was: a
"deliverance." In no sense did Japan
win the Battle of the Coral Sea. (148)
More evidence is wanted for the
contention that Roosevelt's "unconditional surrender" policy was agreed to
beforehand by Britain, although Kimball
lambastes the notion that it made a difference: "That was just what the world
needed: a strong, armed Germany led
by the same wonderful cast of military
leaders..." (188) But Germany could
have been controlled in any case—one
question that remains to be asked is: did
"unconditional surrender" postpone
Hitler's demise?
The British Empire gets short shrift,
along Rooseveltian lines (314,334). Thus
we find FDR's stopping at Bathurst,
Gambia, which he describes as an
"awful, pestiferous hole" (193)—but
suppose FDR had stopped instead in
Gibraltar? Clearly the two leaders had
great differences over Empire, but this
subject deserves more plumbing. It has
always been a mystery to me why Roosevelt could see all the faults of Britain's
Empire, but so few of the Soviet's. Was
it because Stalin was much more powerful, less likely to knuckle under?
There is room to criticize Churchill's ideas of "spheres of influence,"
notably at the TOLSTOY conference in
1944; but can we really equate British
"influence" with Soviet? In the former, a
trade concession might be imposed; in
the latter, well... Prof. Kimball >»
believes "Churchill got tough over
Greece because he concluded that
Britain's Great Power status had to be
tested." (297) Might Churchill have
toughened over Greece because he had
a commendable, if romantic, view of
Greek democracy and a green light
from Stalin to save it?
Argue as we may over these interesting issues, Forged in War offers much
to encourage Churchill's admirers.
WSC's "soft underbelly" proposals for
invasion via Italy were apparently not
so silly after all: "The threat of a second
front in Italy achieved what Stalin had
been asking for since 1941: the diverting
of significant German forces away from
the Russian front." (218) The problems
raised by Chiang Kai-shek (236), the
realities of Teheran (239), and the
tragedy of the Warsaw uprising (274)
are deftly summarized. Kimball has
moved away from his earlier contention
that Churchill was an alcoholic: "no
alcoholic could drink that much." (22)
But that judgment may rely on the
unschooled impressions of colleagues,
before whom Churchill performed his
"getting more out of alcohol" routines.
The descriptions of Churchill's and Roosevelt's health are convincing, though
Kimball does not believe it significantly
affected their policies.
Another reviewer suggests that the
author's immersion in the ChurchillRoosevelt relationship blinds him into
exaggerating its importance, an interesting point. How much did the two Titans
actually cause to happen, and how
much did they affect by their reaction to
things they couldn't control? LendLease, wrote John Charmley in his
review, was a bad bargain for Britain:
"The disposal of British Caribbean bases
in exchange for redundant American
battleships" [Charmley means "cfestroyers"] was hardly an equal bargain." But
if you read Churchill's telegrams
proposing that deal to FDR, you get a
rather different view of why those
destroyers were so vital. I am reminded
of Lady Soames's crisp remark: "At the
time, it was not at all clear that we were
going to win." If you consider how
many American military ventures since
depended on ex-British Caribbean
bases, you may decide that the deal was
a pretty good one—for Britain, when
the terror of extinction flickered.
Warren Kimball understands and
capably relates the imperatives of the
time. In the 1990s, he concludes,
"Britons and Americans have focused
on all that went wrong with the results
of the Second World War, forgetting
that few, if any, of those 'mistakes'
could have been made if Hitler's Germany and militaristic Japan had
won....Had Churchill and Roosevelt
chosen to fight the war solely for postwar advantage against Russia, commu-
Turkish
Overtures
DAVID STAFFORD
Churchill's Secret War: Diplomatic
Decrypts, the Foreign Office and
Turkey 1942-44, by
Robin Denrriston.
New York: St.
Martin's Press
1997, illus., 208pp,
$39.95. FH New
Book Service price
$32 + shipping, c/o
the Editor, FH.
A
s a participant in frontier wars
between empires and rebels
long before he entered politics,
Churchill learned the value of good
intelligence. Later, as a minister, he was
rarely without it. When Britain established its Secret Service Bureau (forerunner of MI5 and MI6) he eagerly supported it, first as President of the Board of
Trade, then as Home Secretary and First
Lord of the Admiralty. In 1914 he personally wrote out the founding "Charter" of Room 40, the Admiralty's top
secret decoding centre, and daily read
the intercepts that landed on his desk.
He repeated this pattern as Prime Minister a World War later. By personal
order raw intercepts produced by
Bletchley Park—wartime HQ of the
David Stafford is an Associate of the Centre for
Second World War Studies at the University of
Edinburgh. His most recent book is Churchill
and Secret Service (reviewed last issue).
FINEST HOUR 97/31
nism, and the left, they could not have
won the struggle....They could not solve
all the political, social and economic
problems of the world, but they could
lead their nations to victory and prevent
a far worse set of problems. And they
did." (337)
Kimball has blended a sound view
of the war with a barrage of sources and
his own challenging opinions, giving us
a thoughtful book that furthers our
understanding of "the partnership that
saved the west."
Government Code and Cipher School
(GCCS), the successor of Room 40—
were delivered to him daily in Downing
Street. "Ultra," as the material is now
generally called, Was the single most
important source of all wartime intelligence. It meant that of the Big Three
wartime allies, Churchill was the best
informed about the thinking of the
enemy.
This much is now general knowledge. What has only recently been
learned, through the 1994 release to the
Public Record Office in Kew of the socalled DIR/C papers, the nearly 4,000
top secret intelligence files sent daily to
Churchill that were discovered almost
by chance at Chartwell after his death—
is that a high percentage of the intercepts he so hungrily consumed consisted of diplomatic, not military, material;
and that it came not from enemy but
from neutral and even allied powers.
Historians are only beginning to get
their teeth into this archive. Robin Denniston is one of the first.
He is remarkably well equipped to
do so. His father, Alastair Denniston,
rose from being one of the stars of
Room 40 to directing GCCS between the
wars, running it until 1942 at Bletchley
Park, then taking charge of its diplomatic and economic section based in Berkeley Street, London. His son, a publisher
by profession, has made himself an
expert on signals intelligence and
learned much from his father's papers.
Now he has immersed himself in the
DIR/C and other wartime documents
to tackle one of the great mysteries of
the Second World War: What explained
Churchill's obsession with Turkey, and
CONTINUED OVERLEAF >»
Secret War, continuedwhy did he persist in disregarding all
his professional advisers in vain
attempts to persuade Turkey to abandon neutrality and join the allied cause?
(Vain, that is, until its declaration of war
on Germany in late February 1945,
made to establish its status as a founder
member of the United Nations.)
The core of the book is Denniston's
recent University of London PhD thesis
and his assiduous researches reveal
nothing materially new about the history of the Second World War. After all,
why should they? Churchill knew everything in his DIR/C file, kept it beside
him after the war, and built the knowledge into his history—his "case," as he
disarmingly acknowledged—which has
ever since formed the dominating narrative of events. What it does do, however, is forcibly illustrate Churchill's penchant for reading raw intelligence material, the way WSC used it, and the
potent mix of hope and desperation that
often informed his political/strategic
thinking.
Churchill, Turkey, and intercepts
had been inextricably linked since 1915,
when products of Room 40 led
Churchill to believe that Turkey, an ally
of Germany, was running short of
ammunition, and helped fuel his belief
in the Dardanelles campaign. He also
read Turkish intercepts during the
Chanak crisis of 1922. In the 1930s, out
of office, he was deprived of them,
which perhaps explains his optimistic
belief when he became Prime Minister
that Ankara might become a friendly
ally. Had he been privy to them, he
would have learned that President
Ismet Inonu, who succeeded the great
Kemal Ataturk after his death in 1938,
was determined to do nothing that
would risk his country.
Instead, in 1940, Churchill sent
Lieutenant-General James MarshallCornwall—the only high-ranking
British officer with a Turkish interpreter's certificate—to Ankara get
Turkey on to the allied side, and twice
despatched Eden there on the same
fruitless mission. No wonder Eden
developed ulcers, for from careful
scrutiny of the intercepts the Foreign
Office experts had told him that the
Turks had no intention of jeopardising
their security by making themselves
vulnerable to German attack.
What kept Churchill trying was his
belief that he personally could persuade
them otherwise, as well as an ingrained
suspicion of the pro-Greek sympathies
of the classically-trained Foreign Office
elite. As any reader of his history
knows, he placed enormous hopes on
the meeting in January 1943 after the
Casablanca Conference that he finally
managed to contrive with Inonu in a
train at Adana, a town on Turkey's
Mediterranean seaboard. "This is big
stuff," Churchill said when Inonu finally agreed to meet him.
But Churchill came away emptyhanded, and in the months that followed Turkish decrypts were low on
the priority of the codebreakers in
Berkeley Street. Even a military mission
to Ankara under General Sir Henry
('Jumbo') Wilson achieved none of its
main objectives of getting agreement on
the weapons training of Turkish soldiers
by the British and the building of runways and harbours.
Italy's surrender, and with it the
elimination of her threat to Turkey, only
encouraged Churchill further in his
hopes for Turkish intervention, which
formed part and parcel of his Dodecanese campaign whose failure he distressingly tells in the chapter "Island
Prizes Lost" in his Closing The Ring. Yet
here again, Denniston argues, Churchill
ignored the evidence, apparent from the
intercepts, that Hitler would strongly
resist. To which Churchill would
reply—rightly—that policy should be
informed but never be driven, by intelligence. He was also, of course, hampered by the refusal of the Americans to
support him. (See review of Michael
Parish's Aegean Adventures in FH 82,
page 38.)
Denniston's researches also throw
fascinating light on one of the most
bizarre spy episodes of the Second
World War—the Cicero affair, in which
the Germans successfully planted a spy
in Britain's embassy in Turkey in the
form of the ambassador's personal valet.
Such was British embarrassment over
the affair that it led to a thorough weeding of the relevant files after the war.
Now, DIR/C provides an important primary source. The details are far
too complex to tell here, but what it
reveals, ironically, is that while Cicero
enabled the Germans to read a huge
amount of valuable British material, the
coup also backfired by eventually giving British codebreakers data enabling
them to break the German diplomatic
code ("Floradora") in 1944.
Churchill, for all his obsession with
intelligence, always believed that it
should be an aid to policy, not a substitute; his intelligence advisers were just
that—advisers, not policy makers. Denniston's detailed examination of the
Turkish intercepts confirms the point.
The monograph, dense in parts, is
unlikely to appeal to the general reader
but it provides a valuable addition to
Churchill studies.
Older Titles: Another Look
Readers are invited to comment on older books by or about Churchill which they have read
recently. Please try to restrict your review to 500 words.
The Last Lion: Winston Spencer
Churchill, Vol. II "Alone 1932-1940," by
William Manchester. New York &
London: 1988,1200pp, illus.
REVIEWED BY JOE SRAMEK
W
hen I first read this book, I
was struck by its rhetorical
brilliance. This was exhilarating at first, but later on it became troubling. I asked myself: could Manchester
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 3 2
be trying to oversell his product? I
decided to take a closer look at Manchester's work, particularly its many historical inaccuracies.
For example, Manchester describes
the 1932 London hunger riots as playing
"...a role in the formation of the most
disastrous foreign policy in the history
of Britain and its empire." (40-41).
Manchester offers no footnote to his
assertion. By contrast, A. J. P. Taylor's »
English History, 1914-45, (New York:
Oxford University Press, 1965) states:
"....Unemployment was the spur
towards a more aggressive socialist policy. It also provided an opening through
which Communist influence broke into
the middle classes....The Communists
stepped eagerly into the vacant place.
Wai Hannington, their nominee for
leadership, hit on the device of "hunger
marches"—an echo of the old Blanketeers. Select bands of unemployed from
the depressed areas marched on London, where they demonstrated to little purpose...." (italics mine).
A second example: in 1933 a
Labour candidate at a by-election in
East Fulham turned a Conservative
majority of 14,000 into a Labour majority of 5,000, which Manchester ascribes
to pacifism among the voters. (46) Here
Manchester takes the position of Charles
Loch Mowat in Britain Between the Wars,
1919-40, (Chicago: The University of
Chicago Press, 1955): "In 1932 and 1933
pacifist sentiment, a vague belief in the
League as the guardian of peace, a disbelief in the possibility of a European
war were still dominant among the
British people....More portent in influencing policy was the by-election in East
Fulham in October 1933. The Conservative candidate, advocating an increase in
the strength of the army, navy, and air
force, was defeated by the Labour candidate who accused him of preparing
for war." (422)
Mowat, like Taylor, is a respected
historian of the era, but on this question
he and Manchester are in a distinct
minority. Taylor, writing ten years later
with the benefit of more scholarship on
the period, suggests that their view
"was probably mistaken....E|ectors, as
distinct from politicians, were interested
in housing and unemployment,*'not in
foreign affairs. In any case, there was a
natural swing back to Labour after the
freak results of 1931 (when they went
from 289 to 46 seats)." (367) John W.
Young's Britain and the World in the 20th
Century (New York: St. Martin's, 1997)
supports Taylor: "The October Fulham
Mr. Sramek, an undergraduate at Binghamton
University, New York, is writing a senior honors thesis entitled "Labour and Appeasement:
Lansbury, Attlee, Bevin, and their changing attitudes toward Nazi Germany, 1933-39."
by-election, which the Conservatives
lost to a pacifist Labour candidate on a
swing of 19,000 votes, was not simply
fought on the peace issue [emphasis mine],
but it shook Conservative leaders and
pointed out the need for a popular education campaign before rearmament
was undertaken." (105) So does Carl F.
Brand's The British Labour Party (Stan-
ford: Hoover Institution Press, 1974):
Labour's candidate was "no pacifist,"
Brand writes; his victory "proved the
popularity of collective security." (179)
No one will deny that pacifism was
a factor in this key by-election. Yet in
trying to oversell Churchill, Manchester
essentially argues that it was the only
factor—which I must assume is an
attempt to magnify Churchill even more
against his time period.
Winston Churchill is, indeed, the
"Last Lion," but does he need to be lionized? This, unfortunately, is what Man-
chester has done. His book fawns over
Churchill's lonely stand against Hitler—
although WSC was not alone—and
ignores or fabricates history to prove
that Churchill was a great man, which,
on the evidence, is superfluous.
On the whole, William Manchester
makes a good, although flawed, contribution to Churchill scholarship. There is
nothing wrong with popular history, or
"historical literature," per se, so long as
the reader knows the basic story already.
Thus I would recommend reading The
Last Lion only after reading Gilbert,
Rhodes James, Rose, and others. As a
person who is serious about history, I
fear that the ordinary reader, the socalled "history buff," will read Manchester's book before the others, and come
away with erroneous impressions of the
1930s. This would be a disservice to our
understanding of Churchill and his
time-period.
Television: Why "Hero"?
"Walden on Heroes: Winston
Churchill," narrated by Brian Walden.
Aired 6 January 1998 on BBC2.
F
ormer MP Brian Walden delivered an interesting talk on
Churchill in his "Heroes" series,
which hammered home many points
well known to graduate Churchillians:
that Britain in the 1930s would do anything to stop Hitler, except fight him
(Alistair Cooke said that to the 1988
Churchill Conference); that the notion of
"Britain having peace while that chaotic
figure Hitler rampaged through Europe
...is absurd (Finest Hour 78, and many
others before and since, have said much
the same). However, at least one of
Walden's observations about Churchill
is new and novel: "...he thought so well
of us [that] it seemed shameful to disappoint him."
Walden offers some debatable
themes. He says WSC was "deeply
flawed" (really?) and a "bad strategist,"
particularly over Singapore. (Surely to
be a great strategist you have to have
something to strategize with, and there
wasn't much left for Singapore after a
year alone.) He says Dresden, so terribly
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 3 3
bombed in 1945, had no military significance (the military thought otherwise)
and that the postwar Tory Beveridge
Report was the beginning of the Welfare
State. (He omits Lloyd George and
Churchill circa 1910, let alone Attlee.)
But Walden balances his criticism with a
keen analysis of just why Churchill was
who he was—and still is, to people who
are conscious of history:
"If Britain had made peace in 1940,
Hitler would have conquered all of
Europe, including Russia. Churchill had
taken a very great gamble, and as a hero
should, I'm sure he would have made
the supreme sacrifice himself if in fact
the gamble hadn't succeeded....Of
course, that runs counter to modern
man's view that peace is the highest of
all good...
"Peace is a wonderful prize to
secure. But it has to be secured in a way
that makes it meaningful. It was a German, Gollo Mann, the son of Thomas
Mann, who said that Winston Churchill
gave the war meaning and moral greatness because Britain's stand ensured the
survival of human rights. There can be
no greater tribute, and that's why
Churchill was a hero." -RML
%
Rescuing the Havengore
By Douglas J. Hall
O
n Saturday, 30 January 1965, the
Port of London Authority's survey launch Havengore was called
upon to perform its most solemn duty.
Following a State Funeral Service in St.
Paul's Cathedral, the coffin of Sir Winston Churchill was taken in procession
through the heart of the City of London
to Tower Pier. In the shadow of William
the Conqueror's 900 year-old fortress
the coffin was lifted from its gun-carriage by a bearer party of Grenadier
Guards, piped aboard Havengore and
placed on a bier on the afterdeck.
Draped with the Union Flag, and
topped with a velvet cushion on which
rested Sir Winston's insignia of Knight
of the Garter, the coffin was to make a
fifteen minute journey along the River
Thames to Festival Hall Pier, from
Mr. Hall is FH's Features Editor .
whence it would continue by motor
hearse to Waterloo Station and special
train, hauled by the Battle of Britain
class steam locomotive "Winston
Churchill," to Handborough, Oxfordshire and the churchyard at Bladon.
This short river journey was written into the arrangements for the
State Funeral as a fitting tribute to the
man who had such great affection for
all things maritime. Twice First Lord
of the Admiralty; famously, in his
wartime correspondence with
President Roosevelt, a "Former Naval
Person"; an Elder Brother of Trinity
House; Lord Warden of the Cinque
Ports; proud wearer, when on board
HM ships, of the Royal Yacht
Squadron cap and reefer jacket;
Winston Churchill had long considered himself a sailor. So he would be
given a sailor's farewell with a waterFINEST HOUR 97 / 34
borne procession matching that previously accorded to Lord Nelson in
1805.
As the Havengore proceeded upriver, close family mourners installed
below in the spacious plotting cabin,
a Royal Marines band played Rule
Britannia; a nineteen-gun salute was
fired, riverside cranes dipped in
salute and a fly-past of sixteen Royal
Air Force Lightning jet fighters
roared overhead. The flag of the Lord
Warden of the Cinque Ports flew at
the bow of the Havengore and the Blue
Ensign of the Royal Naval Auxiliary
streamed at the stern. Proudly, if
somewhat nervously, captaining
Havengore on this special occasion
was Commander G. V. Parmiter, the
Port of London Authority's River
Superintendent and Harbour Master.
The BBC was broadcasting the
State Funeral to an estimated television audience of 350 million worldwide. As the boom of the guns and
low-flying aircraft reverberated
around the riverside buildings and
died away, the voice of Winston
Churchill's wartime friend and colleague, former U.S. President Dwight
Eisenhower, was heard over the pictures of the Havengore making its way
upstream, in a eulogy none who
heard it shall ever forget:
/ / T Tpon the mighty Thames,
\-s a great avenue of
history, move at this moment to
their final resting place the mortal remains of Sir Winston
Churchill. He was a great maker
of history, but his work done,
the record closed, we can almost
hear him, with the poet, say:
'Sunset and Evening Star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be
no moaning of the bar
When I put out to sea...
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be
no sadness of farewell
When I embark...'"
LEFT, June 1997: Owen Palmer surveys the dilapidation of the planking above Havengore's plotting cabin. BELOW LEFT, August 1997:
Starboard foredeck has now been rescrewed, recaulked, reseamed,
sanded smooth and treated to a first coat of varnish. Restoration of
the forward superstructure has commenced. ABOVE, October 1997:
Deck planking has now been restored to pristine condition; good
progress has been made on cleaning and repainting superstructure.
New starboard rails are being fabricated to the design of the originals. BELOW, 13 November 1997: Palmer, learning that the Royal
Yacht HMS Britannia was making her farewell trip to London, was
determined that Havengore, although only partly restored, should be
part of the escort flotilla. Here tugs ease Britannia beneath the raised
Tower Bridge, with not too much by way of clearance.
Havengore was built in 1956 by
Tough Brothers Ltd. of Teddington to
undertake hydrographic surveys for
the Port of London Authority. Eightyseven feet long, 18 feet in the beam,
with a draft of almost six feet, the 89
gross ton vessel had been built to an
extravagant specification for an
essentially workaday role. Her darkblue hull was made of flush-jointed
teak planks over an oak frame and
her superstructure was of clear-varnished natural hardwood. The spa-
cious wheelhouse and plotting cabin
gleamed with polished wood and
burnished brass. Powered by twin
Gardiner 150 hp engines, Havengore
had a service speed of 12 knots. The
PLA came under the jurisdiction of
both the Government and the London
County Council and thus Havengore
had often been pressed into service
for prestigious events such as the
State Visit of President Kekkonen of
Finland, the Lord Mayor's Show and
wreath-laying ceremonies on RememFINESTHOUR97/35
brance Day. But this, without doubt,
was Havengore's finest hour.
Thirty-two years later, in the
early summer of 1997, Australian
Owen Palmer discovered that Havengore, long unused, was available for
sale. The vessel presented a sorry
sight with its peeling paintwork, flaking varnish, sprung and leaking deck
boards, broken ports, missing fittings
and rails; but a survey pronounced
her essentially sound and without
CONTINUED OVERLEAF >»
TOP: Havengore peels off from duty with the
Britannia escort flotilla and heads for St.
Katharine Dock.
MIDDLE: Aboard Havengore in the dock lock.
Temporary acting unpaid crew members
Jack Darrah (left) and Mary Hall (right) contemplate the steep descent to the crew's
quarters below deck.
BELOW: The drawbridge is raised to allow
Havengore to enter St. Katharine Dock. When
the dock was closed for commercial shipping
in 1968, the 19th century Thomas Telford
warehouses were restored and adapted for a
variety of purposes, including a busy marina,
a large hotel, shops, pubs, restaurants and
apartments.
^5XiZS%S^M^M
Havengore, continued
major defects. Aware of the historical
significance of Havengore, Mr. Palmer
acquired the vessel, formed the
Havengore Trust, and set about raising the finance to carry out a full
restoration.
The main objective of the Trust is
to make Havengore available to take
disadvantaged children on river and
coastal voyages; and to enable them
to participate in maritime festivals
and events, acquiring a sense of identity and a feeling of pride. At berth
Havengore will provide a meeting
place and accommodate special functions of a relevant and appropriate
kind.
The restoration is making good
progress. The first priority was to
remedy the leaking deck, which
involved rescrewing, recaulking and
reseaming, using over 6000 stainless
steel screws and 4500 feet of seaming.
Externally the hull and superstructure are being thoroughly cleaned
down; the hull will be repainted in its
traditional dark blue and the superstructure finished in natural varnish.
Below decks some structural changes
will be needed to modernise and
upgrade the accommodation and provide toilet and bathroom facilities,
but so far as is possible the programme will be one of general refurbishment aimed at preserving the
original interior.
When restoration is complete it is
hoped to find a permanent berth on
the Thames for Havengore and, whilst
FINEST HOUR 97 / 36
LEFT: Havengore at berth in St. Katharine
Dock. The starboard rail has still to be
replaced but the hull gleams under a fresh
coat of dark blue paint. The wheelhouse and
engine room are now functional but in both
those areas, and elsewhere below decks,
much refurbishment still needs to be done.
BELOW LEFT: Ship's dog, "Churchill" has
acquired such a taste for life on the ocean
wave, that he is reluctant to set foot on dock!
BOTTOM LEFT: Churchill (his patriotic waistcoat incorporates a lifejacket) retires to the
wheelhouse, where he is ready to repel uninvited boarders.
BOTTOM: The fly-past and crane salute during Havengore's finest hour, 1965.
the vessel is not engaged in its primary role with disadvantaged children,
to open it for visits by the general
public and make it available to suitable organisations for meetings, seminars and intimate banquets. It is
planned to install a permanent showcase illustrating the history of the vessel and, in particular, its finest hour.
The Havengore Trust will welcome
assistance with the restoration project
and ongoing running costs. Practical
help in the form of engineering and
woodworking skills, administrative
and secretarial assistance or just plain
enthusiasm will be very acceptable.
Financial contributions will be gratefully received. For further information contact: Sally Browne, The
Havengore Trust, PO Box 167,
Gillingham, Kent, ME7 4RD, UK. M>
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY THE AUTHOR • PHOTOGRAPH BELOW RIGHT: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, 1965
FINEST HOUR 97/37
WOODS
CORNER
A BIBLIOPHILE'S COLUMN NAMED FOR THE LATE BIBLIOGRAPHER, FRED WOODS
ADDENDA: THE "THIRTY BEST"
My thirty favorite books about
Churchill (this column last issue, page
37) omitted my picks of the top five
memoirs by associates, which are:
House. The pamphlet itself is referred to
1. Fringes of Power, Colville
in footnote 1 on page 1513, where
2. Action This Day, Wheeler-Bennett (ed.)
Gilbert notes that the speeches of 23 and
3. Mr. Churchill's Secretary, Nel
31 May were together published as The
THE GREAT GAME
4. The War and Colonel Warden, Pawle 'J
I'm doing a short paper for my class at Fighting Line. Since there is no pamphlet
5.1 Was Churchill's Shadow, Thompson
the U.S. Army War College on Churchill as I have ever seen or heard of by the title
Readers may wish to challenge my
a strategic leader. I'm looking for leads on of The Firing Line, I can only assume that
list and substitute their own favorites.
environment, strategic leader concepts and you are thinking of The Fighting Line.
Remember that we welcome 500-word
That pamphlet is certainly scarce but
methods he applied. What should I read?
"re-reviews" of your favorite (or most
hardly the scarcest of the various speech
-Michael Davis, Carlisle, Penna.
hated) older titles. -Ed.
pamphlets; 5000 copies were printed. I
Col. David Jablonsky of your War have personally examined five copies mous press runs make first edition sets
College wrote an excellent book which and a sixth in microform. Sadly, the relatively inexpensive. For many years
you should look at: Churchill: The Great New York Public Library a number of
$30 or £20 would buy a nice set in jackGame and Total War (Frank Cass:1991). A years ago (perhaps in the interests of
ets, but prices for genuinely fine sets
good recent critical work is Richard resolving space problems) began a poli- have now risen to as high as $200/£120.
Lamb, Churchill As War Leader (London: cy of microfilming First World War and To be truly fine, books should display
Bloomsbury: 1993, U.S. paperback 1993). earlier pamphlets and pulping the origi- no spotting on page edges, good colour
Earlier works worth researching are nals. This was the fate of their copy of on the top page edges, pristine boards
Ismay, Memoirs of General The Lord Ismay The Fighting Line. -RONALD COHEN
and unspotted contents; jackets should
(London: Heinemann 1960, which is
be as bright on their spines as on their
pro-Churchill), and Thompson, Gener- THE SECOND WORLD WAR
faces, and the red spine type, which is
alissimo Churchill (NY: Scribner 1973, a
I have come across Cassell's six vol- liable to fade, should be clean and
critical work). Finally, The Proceedings of umes of the First English Edition of The bright. Scruffy jacketed sets are not
the Churchill Societies 1992-1993 contains Second World War. Can you tell me how worth half the above price, and unjacktwo important papers, "The Prime Min- many copies of this edition were actually eted sets or later impressions not more
ister and the Army" by Prof. Raymond printed and whether I should insure them than one-quarter. Jackets with the red
A. Callahan, and "Churchill and His against loss or damage? -Allen Fowler
and white promotional bands comGenerals" by Prof. Eliot A. Cohen, both
mand a premium." -RML
<allen@four_counties.webscape.co.uk>
of which are most ilium jiating. -RML
Quantities for first
THE FIGHTING LINE
impressions were:
While reading the Vol. 3 Companions
Vol. 1,221,000;
to the Official Biography I came across a
Vol. E, 276,000;
couple of references to a Churchill publicaVol III, 300,000; I have a Norton edition of The Story of the
tion I'd never heard of: a pamphlet of two of
Vol. IV, 275,000; Malakand Field Force. How closely does it
his 1916(1) speeches entitled The Firing
Vol. V, 275,000; Vol match earlier editions? Is it an abridgement?
line. Have you ever stumbled across a copy
VI, 200,000. Insuror is it one of those super-rarities like For „. . ,
, ,. ance cover for this
Like its identical English counterFirst and second edi- t i t l e is
Free Trade? —David Turrell
part published by Leo Cooper, this editions of The Gathering
unimporStorm clearly show the tant. The following tion is offprinted from the 1974 CollectI have looked at the Companions to thickness added by is an excerpt from ed Works edition, which was based on
my b o o k / A C o n .
Vol. 3 but have seen no reference except later, larger type.
(but not identical to) the 1899 Silver
to The Fighting Line, which is, of course, noisseur's Guide to the Books of Sir Winston Library (second) Edition. The Silver
the well-known but scarce pamphlet Churchill, to be published this year:
Library was the first edition with a text
"Since our author insisted that the fully corrected by Churchill, from the
published by Macmillan in July 1916
(Cohen A44, Woods A25). The first ref- English Edition was the definitive ver- many typos and mispellings in the First
erence in the Official Biography is in sion, this is clearly the set to own if you Edition. Thus Norton's book does not
footnote 4 on page 1503, which men- plan to own only one. Fortunately, it is carry the first edition text, but omits all
tions "a policy which would enable all in plentiful supply, though it's best to the typos and errors that so upset
able-bodied men to take their place in buy all six volumes as a set rather than Churchill. The catch is, it was reset and
try to piece them together: Volume VI is edited for the Collected Works, so it is
the fighting line," the subject of
Churchill's speech of 23 May in the harder to find than the others. The enor- not a "true text."
>»
WHAT SHOULD I READ....?
NORTON'S MALAKAND
FINEST HOUR 97 / 38
Flawless examples of the earliest River Wars. Left: The 1902 Abridged
Edition, whose text has been used in every edition published since, right
on up to the present day. Middle and right: The 1899 First Edition, the
most beautiful trade edition of any of Churchill's works and the only one
to contain the unabridged original text. First Editions sell for up to $7500
nowadays, though a reading copy recently went for $700. There were
two later impressions, not often seen. Photo: Patrick Powers collection.
i .-a**
i - rf.* ' ^ . -
River War paperbacks, all with the 1902 text. Left to right: Award Books
(1964), Four Square Books (1960), Sphere (1964) and New English Library
(1985) editions. Lying flat is the Sceptre (New English Library) edition of
1987, with its unique introduction by Sir John Colville. A new jumbo
paperback is available from the FH new book service (c/o editor) at $16.
MORE ON ORIGIN OF TEXTS
• I do not currently have a River War
but I have Frontiers and Wars which contains it. Is this an abridgement? What is tlie
least expensive (but decent) quality version
of this available?
Frontiers and Wars contains a very
brief abridgement. Unfortunately, the
original two-volume 1899 edition was
reprinted only twice and replaced in
1902 by a-one-volume edition in which
Churchill excised 25 percent of the original text, some of it most interesting—
criticisms of Kitchener, his tour of the
battlefield at Omdurman after the battle
(reprinted in Finest Hour 86), and so on.
The 1902 text has been used over and
over again, right up to the new Prior
paperback (FH new book service price
$16). So the only way to get the full text
is to buy a first edition (whichjhad three
impressions). And these as y^u know
x
are expensive.
•,
The Churchill Center has recently
commissioned James Muller to prepare
a New Edition, containing the 1899 and
1902 texts (the latter also had some
additional material), with the additions
and deletions identified by explanatory
notes; in this endeavor we have had the
kind assistance of the Claremont Institute, who scanned the texts, and of
Mark Weber, who supplied copies for
disassembly and scanning. But we have
not yet found a publisher ready and
There is always high collector interest in the now very scarce American Editions of Churchill's postwar speeches, which usually sell for $100 /£60 and up in fine jacketed condition today. L-R The
Sinews of Peace (3000 published), Europe Unite (2500), In the Balance (2000), Stemming the Tide (1750).
willing to produce it. Is there a publisher reading this who can help us?
• I have the Dorset House edition
(1991) of The Boer War, containing London to Ladysmith via Pretoria and Ian
Hamilton's March. How closely does it follow the originals?
The Dorset House is reprinted from
the Cooper/Norton editions (see note
on their Malakand, page 38). like the latter, its text is again from the 1974 Collected Works. That text in turn was
based on the originals, but was reset
and probably somewhat edited.
• I have 1952 Houghton Mifflin edition
of In the Balance in very good condition
with one exception: the top of the spine is
FINEST HOUR 97 / 39
becoming ratty (about 1/8 inch). There is no
dust jacket. Is this of any value in trade-in
towards a better version?
You have a First American Edition;
the true first is the English edition, published 1951. The American Edition used
English sheets, so the texts are identical.
It is also somewhat scarcer than the
English, but both are scarce. Near-fine
jacketed copies sell for over $100/£60,
often for much over; unjacketed copies
in "vg" condition without ratty spines
run around $50-75/£30-45. Wear on
spine tips is a common malady of the
Houghton Mifflin edition; as a bookseller specializing in Churchill, I usually
pay $20/£15 wholesale for such a copy,
but much more for fine examples.
-RML
»
DOUGLAS HALL'S
C H URC HILLIANA
Churchill Commemoratives Calendar Part 7:1966-73
Toward the Churchill Centenary
B
etween the prodigious peaks of
the memorial year and the centenary year the flow of Churchilliana continued at a very respectable
level. Many medallists were late with
their memorial tributes and these issues
ran on until 1968. A particularly fine
pair of medals celebrated the 25th
anniversary of the Atlantic Charter in
1966. Designed by Michael Rizzello and
struck by John Pinches, they were in
two sizes, in platinum, gold and silver,
in a total edition of 2420, depicting, on
one, a seated Churchill and, on the
other, a seated Roosevelt. The reverse
side of both medals showed the battleship HMS Prince of Wales. Chartwell
opened to the public in the summer of
1966—the admission charge was two
shillings (10p)!—making a unique collection of memorabilia accessible to an
appreciative audience.
In 1967 Spode brought out "The
Churchill Plate," matching their beautiful covered vase issued two years earlier, in a limited edition of 5000. (See back
cover.) In the same year BEL Products
of Birmingham produced three items in
solid brass—a bust to Pikering's original
1949 design, a door knocker and an
exceptionally fine full-length figure of
Churchill seated in a chair. Very few of •
the latter were cast and it is consequently now extremely rare.
Medals were very popular. Arnold
Machin designed a 44mm diameter
memorial medal in silver for the members of the Britannia Commemorative
Society, Philadelphia—a very small
number were struck in a larger size in
platinum and gold for sale to the general public. A small edition of 29mm
diameter bronze medals was struck in
the USA by Bates & Klinke in 1967 with
a picture of the Churchill Memorial at
Fulton on the reverse. In 1968 the flow
of memorial medals continued from
Canada and the UK. Turner, Simpson
produced a nice silver teaspoon. The
official medal commemorating the dedication of the Fulton memorial was
struck by the U.S. Mint, Philadelphia in
1969:40mm diameter, 5000 in silver,
8000 in bronze and a single gold example which was presented to Lady
Churchill.
>»
LEFT TO RIGHT: A solid brass door knocker and Pikering-based bust with varnished wood plinth by
BEL of Birmingham as memorial pieces, 1967 continuing to about 1970. The door knocker was on
sale at the Blenheim Palace gift shop as late as 1974, when the editor bought his. The bust is based on
Pikering's 1949 bronze after his original Registered Design protection had lapsed. Next, a small ashtray and a glazed white china bust using the same mould for the head of a smiling Churchill, c.1970,
pottery unknown. The quotation on the plinth of the bust is a combination of the "Never Surrender"
speech in June 1940 and the "Never Give In" speech at Harrow in October 1941.
TOP ROW: A set of four medals commemorating the 25th anniversary of VE-Day, 1970, by John
Pinches. One of 300 sets in silver-gilt. SECOND ROW: One of 300 sets of Pinches medals in bronze
showing reverses with speech extracts. THIRD ROW: The 25th anniversary of the Atlantic Charter,
1966, from John Pinches, who struck 1000 sets this size (60mm) in silver. The reverse of both medals
has the battleship HMS Prince of Wales. They flank the United States Philadelphia Mint's official
"Iron Curtain" speech medal, commemorating the dedication of the Winston Churchill Memorial in
Fulton, Missouri in May 1969 (reverse shown), of which 8000 were struck.
FINEST HOUR 97 / 40
O
LEFT: A pair of 3 3/4-inch-diameter pin trays from Coalport of Fenton, 1971 (after they became part
of the Wedgwood Group), depicting the Westerham statue by Oscar Nemon, and a view of the
house and gardens at Chartwell, which had opened to the public five years before.
^~~ ""*• •*• -*° *"•"'
m
ABOVE LEFT: Ezra Brooks bourbon bottle marked the opening of the Fulton Memorial in 1969; and
another use of the smiling Churchill mould depicted opposite: a bottle stopper. This example appears
to have had a cigar instaUed at one time. ABOVE RIGHT: A real oddity, circa 1970, is this set of "Army
Leaders World War U" produced in HO model railway size by Ro Co., West Germany (set #271). It
includes Mussolini, Rommel, Goering (.twice!), De Gaulle, Eisenhower, Churchill, Stalin and Hitler!
LEFT: One piece of
Churchilliana you'll never
encounter at the fairs is this
individual bronze commissioned in the 1970s by Donald Carmichael. The image is
based on the famous photograph of Churchill and his
five-year-old daughter Mary
at Chartwell in the 1920s.
(Unfortunately, Mary is not
present!) This very beautiful
piece is now in the collection
of Dr. Gordon S. Cohen.
FINEST HOUR 97/41
scar Nemon had not been
entirely happy with his design
for the 1965 British crown; he
felt he had been rushed to meet the
deadline set by the Royal Mint and himself much preferred the design he did
for the International Numismatic Agency, New York, in 1969. This medal—
64mm in silver and bronze—commemorated the 25th anniversary of D-Day
with a typical Nemon portrait of
Churchill and the Churchill family coatof-arms on the reverse.
Nineteen sixty-nine was a good
year for Oscar Nemon. His statue of
Churchill on the Green at Westerham
was unveiled in July, and in December
Lady Churchill unveiled the superb
statue in the House of Commons.
Nineteen seventy saw Harry Fenton's ubiquitous Royal Doulton toby
enter its thirtieth year still selling strongly. David Cornell designed a set of four
medals, struck by John Pinches in platinum, silver-gilt, silver and bronze, commemorating the 25th anniversary of VEDay. The total edition was only 854
numbered sets and it is therefore very
rare. The obverses have four different
portraits of Churchill and the reverses
four different extracts from his speeches.
An unknown pottery used the
same mould of Churchill's head to produce a five-inch-tall glazed white bust
with "We shall never surrender never,
never, never" inscribed on the plinth;
and a small triangular shaped black ashtray and bottle stopper.
An unusual oval plaque, five inches
tall, in black painted cast-iron with a
nice bas-relief of Churchill came from
the Salop Iron Works in Shropshire. In
1971 Bekky's eight-foot-tall bronze statue of Churchill was unveiled at Fulton
to mark the 25th anniversary of the
"Iron Curtain" speech. Coalport
brought out a pair of 3 3/4-inch diameter bone china pin trays, one with a
transfer of Chartwell and the other the
statue on Westerham Green. The next
year saw the unveiling of another
Nemon statue at St Margaret's Bay,
Kent, and the making of the film
"Young Winston." In November 1973,
as a very fitting prologue to the events
to come, HM the Queen unveiled Ivor
Roberts-Jones's statue of Churchill in
Parliament Square (see cover).
M>
Douglas Hall is compiling for eventual publication by The Churchill Center a complete catalogue of Churchilliana, and is always happy to
hear from collectors. His address is on page 2.
Churchill in Stamps:
Laden With Honor
VALEDICTION
THE GEHMAN PROBLEM
"If our advice had been taken by the United States after the:
Armistice with Germany the Western Allies would not hav.: WLI.
dravrn from the line which their armies had reached !.:o the -J^
occupation lines until and unless agreement had been reach&n
with Soviet Ku^sia on the many points of difference about in
occupation of enemy territories...
BY THE EDITOR
Pages 253-258: RETIREMENT AT LAST
Catalogue numbers are Scott (#) and Stanley Gibbons (sg). A
slash mark (/) indicates a set with a common design from which
any value is usable. Cams and Minkus catalogue numbers are
sometimes used, and identified by name.
Churchill's second Premiership saw him active chiefly in foreign
affairs, attempting to unify Europe and to seek a settlement with
the Soviets; only one of these goals was to prove successful.
Churchill preferred to leave domestic affairs to subordinates; yet
when he retired in April 1955, he still had much to do.
253.
253. Second-guessing the Allied decision to withdraw from the
tine they had reached in 1945 was the subject of an important
speech in 1953. It was fortunate that West Germany had developed into a stable democracy under Konrad Adenauer, who is celebrated by this overprint on a 1968 German souvenir sheet also
honoring Churchill, de Gasperi and Schuman.
"...Our view -.;«s not accepted and a wiU ur«a ol"
handed ovor to uhtr Soviet occupation v;ithout any
settlement among the three victorious powers,"
254. Churchill's Nobel Prize for Literature is commemorated by a
Grenada Nobel Winners set issued in 1995, which depicts
Churchill in a single stamp and within a souvenir sheet. Belize
#364 (sg 397) shows Churchill with his Williamsburg Bell. Isle of
Man noted Churchill's Freedom of Douglas twice on commemoratives: in 1990 set (left) and in its 1974 Churchill Centenary set,
#51 (sg 57, right).
Valediction
255. So many philatelic items group Churchill with other greats
(or near-greats) & xi I took advantage of Winthrop Rockefeller's
elegant speech ;u the Williamsburg Award presentation to accompany Bardsey's "locals," overprinted for the 1987 Canadian Philatelic Exhibition (with Nelson, Lloyd George and Mountbatten),
and Guyana's gold foils produced for the Geneva 1992 Philatelic
Exhibition (with Martin Luther King Jr., Kennedy, Lincoln and
Roosevelt).
NOBEL PRIZE AND OTHER HONORS
On 16 October 1953. Churchill learned that he had been awarded the
Nobel Prize for Literature—not, as is commonly believed, for The Second
World. War, but for the totality of his output including his great life of
Marlborough. The World Crisis and his other books. Churchill was with
Eisenhower at the Bermuda Conference for the award ceremony in
Stockholm in December, where he was represented by his wife.
The monetary
value of the
Nobel Prize was
a handsome
£12.500. but to
Churchill It was
a disappointment: he had
hoped to qualify
for the Nobel
Prize for Peace.
256. Churchill saying farewell to the Queen following a dinner for
Her Majesty at Number Ten the night before his retirement is
shown on Haiti #607 and #C321 (sg 1117, 1121). An earlier photo
of Churchill in the garden of Number Ten is on Umm al Qiwain
Minkus 62/62a(sg 61,137).
257. De Gaulle's presentation of the Croix de la Liberacion is
noted by Ras al Khaima Minkus M429, and Fujeira Minkus 398
(Cams 490). The locomotive "Sir Winston Churchill" is from a
Nevis "world leaders" series. The sail training yacht "Sir Winston Churchill" was pictured by Bermuda (1976) and British Virgin Islands (1973), among others.
258. Churchill being cheered at Woodford in 1955 is shown on
Aitutaki #114 (sg 140) and Umm al Qiwain Minkus 69/69a (sg
68/144). Busts and statues are shown on Monaco #912 (sg 1121),
Luxembourg #548 (sg 928) and St. Christopher #293 (sg 310).
(To be continued)
FINEST HOUR 97 / 42
254.
His role as a
statesman was
better recognized In Decembe 1955, when
the Trustees of
Colonial
Wllllamsburg
presented him
with the first
Wllllamsburg
Award In the
shape of a sliver
town crier's bell.
He also received
the Freedoms of
many cities,
Including
Douglas, Isle of
Man.
Valediction
AN ACTIVE RETIREMENT
Valediction
By the time he stepped down as Prime Minister, Churchill had published
eleven postwar titles including his six-volume memoir. The Second World
War, and was reviewing galley proofs for his magisterial four-volume
History of the English Speaking Peoples. His early retirement days were
hardly without interest, as he still remained a Member of Parliament.
•YOU ARE OF THE GREAT COMPANY"
"It ts not a twentieth-century Williamsburg which speaks through
The Williamsburg Award. This is a salute across time. It is great
men—of your blood and ours—who speak across nearly two
centuries to say to the recipient of this Award: "You are of the great
Company.'
Receiving the
Croix de la
Liberation from
President de
Gaulle In Paris.
1958.
-Wlnthrop Rockefeller, Chairman, Trustees of Colonial WUltamsburg
: viTttf?
257.
255.
The Battle of
Britain Class
4-6-2 steam
locomotive "Sir
Winston
Churchill,'
which would
have the honor
of drawing his
coffin to Bladon.
ten years hence.
I
1'
I
BBISI
The sail training
yacht "Sir
Winston
Churchill.'
which
participated In
"Op Sail" during
the American
bicentennial
and at many
events since
representing
Great Britain.
l.1
BARDStY 12P
VALEDICTION
VALEDICTION
256.
mm
RETIREMENT
STILL THE POLITICIAN
ii ~u .411 nns-ed his 80th birthday en 30 November 195s still
^.hur.nill pas-ea
master or Britain's destiny. Only
Prime Minister and S L I
^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^^
Falmerston
ton ^ d B ^ | n , s nuclear plans was delivered 1 Karen
ShiShWSC announced the gval of a British capability)
When the Conservatives were returned with another majority in
the generaJeLctlon of May 1955, Woodford naturally returned
Sir Winston. Members would often watch,him, waiting for an
outburst of the old fire. But mainly he was content in his old
seat below the gangway to watch others carry on the fray.
"Just a month
later he and Lady
Churchill entertained ^ueen
Elizabeth II and
Prince Philip at
10 Downing street
As it turned out,
it was the Prime
Minister's ^ r e well to the sixth
monarch he hadserved.
"On 5 April he
resign^- ..the
end of a noble
of British
statesmanship.
--N.Y. Timeo
258.
Paintings
and sculpture
had always
been made of
Churchill;
now they began to
increase;
his story
was complete.
Sl-OtHstophcr
Ncv.sAiiguilla
DESPATCH BOX
CHURCHILL
CENTER
My compliments on a
very attractive
website for The Churchill Center and ICS.
This is my first time to view "www.winstonchurchill.org" and I think it is a very
fine product. I was impressed by how up
to date the content is (always a failing of so
many other sites). It should contribute well
to preserving the contributions and
spreading the word about Winston
Churchill.
In that regard, I was impressed by the
editorial ("Amid These Storms") of Mr.
Langworth in Issue 96. As a writer and in
publications work myself, I was pleased
by the straightforward discussion about
the role of the Center and the difficulties
that face ICS as older individuals die off
and the younger audience may not appreciate Churchill's contributions. I had not
thought of that before [I am 58 myself],
but it is a real concern, I can see. The
emphasis that Dr. Mazansky put on strategic planning for the organization was well
said.
I am afraid I am one of those "checkbook members" willing to belong but
finding so little time to be further
involved. You have certainly brought the
Society along splendidly and, being in
association management, I understand
how much effort has been required to
build an organization of this kind. I wanted to say thanks for what I know is much
work, but it has borne much fruit.
RON KEENER, NORTH AURORA, ILL.
I am one of the passive members of
ICS United Kingdom and furthermore not
one to put pen to paper very often. However, I felt so strongly about your views in
issue 96 that I had to write to you and say
what an inspiring and perceptive editorial
it is. It must be of concern that as those of a
certain age pass on, the memory of Sir
Winston may diminish, and like you I feel
this should never be allowed to happen.
The Churchill Center is the way forward
and as an ICS member I endorse everything you have said.
I also want you to know how much I
appreciate what you have done, and continue to do, to carry the torch and pour so
much enthusiasm and time into ensuring
that Sir Winston's name is always remembered. Without people like you, people
like me would not have access to what
must be a unique international forum dedicated to a past statesman. I always look
forward with much pleasure to Finest
Hour. I feel it keeps me in touch with
friends around the world who have a
common interest in "keeping the memory
green and the record accurate." With best
wishes and thanks to all who help and
assist in so many different ways in keeping me in touch.
J. GLIBBERY, ILMINSTER, SOMERSET, UK
Editor's Response: Many thanks, gentlemen,
for the kind words, always hard to come by.
The many people responsible are listed on our
inside front cover and page 4, but it also takes
"passive" members and your support is the
best salary one can have. The website and listserv efforts are chiefly owed to John Plumpton,
Beverly Carr and Jonah Triebwasser. These
Internet functions are keeping us supplied with
many new, younger members.
might imagine. It was an interest that
spanned seventy-five years. He once told
Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr., of Virginia
(during the second premiership, seventy
years after his birthday request) that he
hoped to have the opportunity of studying
Stonewall Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign before he died. (USGPO, Churchill
Memorial Addresses and Tributes, page 212,
Washington 1965).
I also think Churchill read Col. G. F.
R. Henderson's seminal biography, Stonewall Jackson (1898, with an introduction by
Viscount Wolseley). From Bangalore, Sir
Winston wrote his mother on 25 April
1898, expressing his desire to write "A
short & dramatic History of the American
Civil War." (Companion Volume 1, Part 2,
page 922.) What could have stimulated
him to express that desire? General
Grant's autobiography? Col. Henderson's
biography of Jackson, then "hot off the
press"? Interestingly, on Churchill's visit
to Richmond, Virginia, in 1946, he remarked that he had known Col. Henderson very well.
RICHARD H. KNIGHT, JR., NASHVILLE, TENN.
GENERAL GRANT'S MEMOIRS
I am convinced that Churchill did.
read General Grant's memoirs. Sir Winston wrote his mother on 15 November
1887: "Perhaps you would not mind me
hinting that my Birthday is drawing near.
I am looking forward to a visit from you
that day. I should rather like General
Grant's History of the American War
(Illustrated)." (Winston S. Churchill by R. S.
Churchill, Companion Volume I, Part 1,
page 147, Houghton Mifflin Co.)
I cannot say with any certitude that
Lady Randolph complied with her son's
request; the ensuing correspondence does
not acknowledge his birthday gifts. There
is a letter, however, written to his mother,
6 December 1887, in which there is the following postscript: "I have only read 1
book and 1/2 of another. I have still 2
fresh ones. WC" Grant's memoirs were
published in two volumes, so it is tantalizing to infer that the postscript alluded to
his work (which was widely available in
England for a modest sum).
Churchill's essay, "Cartoons and Cartoonists," (reprinted in Thoughts and
Adventures / Amid These Storms (1932)
explains that his "great interest" in the
American Civil War could be traced to the
cartoons of Sir John Tenniel (Punch, et al;
see page 13, Cooper/Norton Edition). He
had access to these cartoons at Brighton,
right at the time he made his birthday
request.
The extent of Sir Winston's interest in
the American Iliad is deeper than one
FINEST HOUR 9 7 / 4 4
There is further evidence that
Churchill knew Grant's Memoirs: He
quotes from them in his History of the
English-Speaking Peoples, Vol. IV, p. 145sq.
(New York: Dodd Mead 1958):
The American advance was rapidly gathering momentum. The Mexican army of
the North was twice beaten by General
Zachary Taylor, a future President. A
force under General Winfield Scott was
landed at Vera Cruz and marched on
Mexico City. The capital fell to the Americans after a month of street fighting in
September 1847. On this expedition a
number of young officers distinguished
themselves. They included Captain Robert
E. Lee, Captain George B. McClellan, Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant, and Colonel Jefferson Davis. Mexico sued for peace, and
by the treaty which followed she was
obliged not only to recognise the annexation of Texas, but also to cede California,
Arizona, and New Mexico....Lieutenant
Grant confided his impressions to his
memoirs: 'I do not think there was ever a
more wicked war than that waged by the
United States on Mexico. I thought so at
the time, when I was a youngster, only I
had not moral courage enough to resign.'
As far as Churchill's interest in the U. S.
Civil War is concerned, there is a further
detail worth mentioning: When First Lord
of the Admiralty during World War I he
named several monitors after Civil War >
Recipes From Number Ten
Edited and Annotated for the Modern Kitchen
"My idea of a good dinner is, first to have
good food, then discuss good food, and after
this good food has been elaborately discussed,
to discuss a good topic—with myself as chief
conversationalist." -WSC
POTAGE BONNE FEMME
SERVES SIX:
A hearty soup for a winter's night,
this "good wife soup" is a classic combination of potatoes and leeks. The lettuce
provides added color and the egg yolk a
bit of thickening. Make your own chicken broth from any standard recipe if
you have the time, or use the readily
available canned (tinned) variety.
4 leeks, minced
4 potatoes, peeled and minced
4 leaves of lettuce, finely shredded
30 oz chicken broth
2 egg yolks beaten with a little cream
1 tablespoon butter
Seasoning (salt and pepper)
by Barbara R Langworth
A food processor (unavailable to
Mrs. Landemare, the Churchill cook)
makes short work of mincing the vegetables. Wash the leeks well, cut off the
tough part of the green tops, and cut
into thick slices. Process until minced
fine, but not mushy. Melt butter in soup
pot and cook leeks until soft, but not
browned.
Quarter potatoes and process until
minced fine. Add to leeks with broth
and seasonings. Cook slowly for 35
minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Add seasonings to suit your taste.
Add the shredded lettuce.
Just before serving add small
amounts of the hot liquid to the egg
mixture until it is warm. Stirring briskly,
add the mixture to the soup. (If you
pour the egg into the hot soup you'll
have hard boiled egg bits.)
More soup for the Navy: the First Lord's Naval
Estimates, Westminster Gazette, 4 March 1914.
Pieces of French roll, cut thinly and
browned in the oven, or fried croutons,
can be served with the soup.
WINE NOTES: With this soup we did some-'
thing Churchill would never have done—
selected a red, and, indeed, one he probably
never heard of: a Zinfandel, Rosenblum's
Cuvee XV. This California varietal has been
eclipsed by more trendy Merlot, but a good
"Zin" has a wonderful raspberry nose and
complex character. Rosenblum defies fashion
by refusing to vintage date their wine, blending it from several cuvees to produce one of
the best in the world. $10-12 in USA. -RML
DESPATCH BOX, continued...
LEFT: The Churchill Bar,
spotted by Cliff Downen
in Kiev, Ukraine. RIGHT:
Handsome pub sign for
Churchill's bar and Winston's restaurant, Babbacombe, Devon, England.
generals: Grant, Jackson and Lee. And
Churchill's wonderful alternate history,' If
Lee Had Not Won the Battle Of Gettysburg" (1930), Collected Essays Vol. IV, p. 7384) is situated in a "parallel world" where
the Confederates won the Civil War.
I. D. K. G. SCHON <[email protected]>
stopped on the road to take the photos.
She gave no report of the quality of the
food nor, more important, of the drink!
FH 95 COVER
It is always with pleasure and interest
that I receive Finest Hour. I looked at the
cover of #95 for some time andfcould not
work out what it was that puzzled me
until I read your "erratum." (The painting
was reversed by the printer. -Ed.) I was
amused to notice that such an error also
occurred recently to mighty Marks &
Spencer, as you will see from the enclosed
cutting from the Daily Telegraph.
Again there was something nice
about my dear Eddie (Det. Sgt. Edmund
Murray, Sir Winston's bodyguard 1950-65,
described in Martin Smith's letter, page
25) in your journal. Many thanks for giving Eddie so much space. I have had the
pleasure in passing the various numbers
on to my three young families.
BERYL MURRAY, COMBE DOWN, SOMERSET UK
JONAH TRIEBWASSER, RED HOOK, N.Y. USA
BAR NONE: WSC AS PUB THEME
I know readers will enjoy knowing
that Sir Winston's presence is felt even in
the far reaches of the former Soviet Union.
The Churchill Bar is a fine restaurant in
Kiev, Ukraine, where I have lived for the
past four years working on a parliamentary development project. I am sure Sir
Winston would not be offended by having
his name and image applied to an establishment that serves spirits!
CLIFF DOWNEN, COLUMBIA, MO. USA
A colleague of mine brought back
photos of the handsome Winston
Churchill Pub in Babbacombe, Devon. She
FINEST HOUR 97 / 45
Editor's Response: Douglas Hall and Ronald
Smith have both made efforts to record some of
the many bars and pubs named for Winston
Churchill. Perhaps someone is interested in
making a concerted effort? The task, however,
seems endless!
"
^
CHURCHILLTRIVIA
BY CURT ZOLLER
841. What did Churchill say about his
father's speeches? (C)
842. Lady Randolph Churchill negotiated with the Daily Telegraph for Winston's early articles from the Indian
frontier. How much was he paid? (L)
843. How many tries did it take
Churchill to get into Sandhurst? (M)
856. What did Sir Ernest Cassell provide
Churchill for his new house in South
Bolton Street in 1905? (P)
857. Who wrote the following about
Churchill, and when? "...He showed
himself to be a statesman who well
understands the nature of war." (S)
858. Who notified Churchill of Germany's unconditional surrender? (W)
844. When did Churchill attend his first
American football game? (P)
859. Which future Secretary of State for
War wrote the following about Churchill: "...He is absolutely untrustworthy,
as was his father before him..."? (C)
845. To whom did Churchill write on 7
July 1922: "...The prize is so great that
other things should be subordinated to
gaining it. The bulk of the people are
slow to take in what is happening and
prejudices die hard."? (S)
860. What was the financial arrangement Churchill personally negotiated
with Harrap for the publication of Marlborough? (L)
846. Who accused Churchill of plotting
with Jewish financiers to manipulate
stock exchanges by issuing false communiques on the battle of Jutland in
World War I? (W)
847. Name the artist of "Profile for Victory" in FH 75. Don't look! (C)
848. Where can you find Churchill's article "How to Stop War"? (L)
849. When was Michael Collins assassinated? (M)
850. When did Churchill comment that
he found himself "without an office,
without a seat, without a party and
without an appendix"? (P)
851. The Yalta Agreement provided that
the Eastern frontier of Poland follow a
certain line. What was it called? (S)
852. In his despatch from Inayat Kila,
Churchill describes a British infantry
attacking with Lee-Metford rifles. What
was their (approx.) effective range when
outfitted with a dial sight? (W)
853. Who attacked Churchill on 26
November 1910 with a whip, when he
returned on the evening train from
Bradford to London? (C)
854. In Savrola, what was the name of
the President of Laurania? (L)
855. When and at what age did
Churchill make his maiden political
speech? (M)
861. What was the name of the steamer
which transported Churchill from
Delagoa Bay to Durban on 21-23
December 1899? (M)
862. What is the significance of 15
September 1922 in Churchill's life? (P)
863. What did Churchill refer to when
he wrote in a note to F. W. Deakin on
May 19, 1947, "It showed where we
stood unmistakably and convinced the
world that Germany had to face an
indefinitely long war." (S)
(823) Andrew Bonar Law became Prime
Minister in November 1922, replacing
Lloyd George. (824) Churchill considered that the British edition of his writings was to be the definitive one. (825)
Famous actor Robert Hardy played
Winston Churchill in the film "The
Wilderness Years." (826) The sculptor of
the Churchill statue in Washington was
William M. McVey. (827) "There is only
one thing worse than fighting with allies
and that is fighting without them."
(828) Churchill recognized that the Brodrick proposal would significantly reduce the importance of the Navy and
could strategically influence future
British foreign policy. (829) Frank Salisbury (1874-1962) painted the famous
Churchill portrait in Mrs. Thatcher's
office, which was borrowed from
Chartwell. (830) The Churchills were
married for 57 years. (831) Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome met
on 12 August 1873 at a reception and
dance in honor of the Prince and
Princess of Wales and the Grand Duke
and Grand Duchess Cesarevna aboard
HMS Ariadne. (832) Churchill's last
bodyguard was Edmund Murray, who
served from 1950 to 1965. (833)
Churchill commented about Chamberlain: "An old town clerk looking at
European affairs through the wrong
end of a municipal drainpipe."
Answers to Churchilltrivia FH 96:
(834) Professor R. V. Jones, Head of Scientific Intelligence on Britain's Air Staff,
was the man responsible for breaking
Germany's new bomber navigational
beam system, which was able to direct
Luftwaffe aircraft with devastating accuracy.
(817) John Foster Dulles "carries his
own china closet with him." (818) Lord
Fisher wrote a letter to Gerard Fiennes
on 8 February 1912, praising Churchill's
audacity and thoroughness. [Gerard
Fiennes (1864-1926) was a well known
naval journalist and strong supporter of
Admiral Lord Fisher]. (819) Gladstone's
opinion was, "There never was a
Churchill from John of Marlborough
down that had either morals or principles." (820) The cat at Churchill's Admiralty was named "Nelson." (821)
Churchill joined the Liberal Party
because of his opposition to the implementation of the policy of tariff impositions in defense of British trade. (822)
The new dreadnoughts had 15-inch
guns, replacing the previous design
using 13.5-inch guns.
(835) The Roberts-Jones bronze statue is
located on Parliament Square, London,
gazing at St Stephen's Tower. (836) The
comment, "There but for the grace of
God goes God" was made about Sir
Stafford Cripps. (837) Churchill credits
Lord Rosebery and Arthur Balfour with
the inspiration to write the Life of Marlborough. (838) Lord Birkenhead commented, "When Winston is right he is
unique. When he is wrong—Oh My
God!" (839) The two international problems Churchill addressed during his
second Premiership were the ^threats
and challenges of the hydrogen bomb
and the potential for a summit meeting
with the new Russian leaders after Stalin's death. (840) Eisenhower wrote, "I
am the first to admit that a war is waged
in pursuance of political aims."
$5
864. What was Operation CATAPULT?
(W)
FINEST HOUR 97/46
IMMORTAL WORDS
PEARL HARBOR
"Silly people, and tkere were many, not only in enemy countries,
migkt discount tke force of tke United States....But I kad studied tke American Civil War,
fougkt out to tke last desperate inck. American mood flowed in my veins
Being saturated and satiated witk emotion and sensation,
I went to ked and slept tke sleep of tke saved and tkankful
"On Decemker 8tk I sent tke following letter to tke Japanese Ambassador:
'Sir: ...In view of tkese wanton acts or unprovoked aggression...
His Majesty's Amkassador at Tokyo kas keen instructed to inform
tke Imperial Japanese Government in tke name of His Majesty's Government
in tke United Kingdom tkat a state or war exists ketween our two countries.
I kave tke konour to be, witk kigk consideration, Sir,
Your okedient servant, Winston S. Ckurckill....'
Some people did not like tkis ceremonial style.
But after all wken you kave to kill a man it costs notking to ke polite."
—Winston S. Ckurckill, The Grand Alliance (1950) • Plate Ly Spode, 1966