In the summer of 1915 Winston Churchill's political ambitions were in tatters following his championing of the catastrophic Gallipoli campaign. Out of government but still anxious to serve his country, he volunteered for the Western Front and he wrote a letter to be opened in the event of his death. Given the chances of surviving the blood-drenched Flanders field , he showed no pessisism; he wrote to his wife: 'You have taught me how noble a woman's heart can be. Do not grieve for me too much... death is only an incident, and not the most important which happens to us in this state of being'.
'Someday I should like the truth to be known' - confident history would vindicate him over Gallipoli, the failed attempt to to gain a sea route to Russia.
Churchill was part of the Asquith Liberal government when he lost his post as First Lord of the Admiralty. Having seen combat in India, the Sudan and the Boer War, he was posted to Flanders as a major in the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards.
By December 1915 he was lieutenant -colonel commanding the 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. He gained the respect of his men with his bravery , including dozens of forays across No Man's Land. They never got accustomed to his insatiable desire to 'stir up the Hun'.
His officer's recalled that he never flinched under fire. " It's no use ducking: the bullet has gone a long way past you by now".
His stint in the trenches came to an end when, because of high casualties, his Battalion was merged with another and his orders were to return to Britain and resume work in the Commons.
(ref: A. Levy D.M. - letter on display in The Churchill Museum in the Cabinet War Rooms, London from November 6th 2008.)
'A man who saves a nation is guilty of nothing ' - Napoleon.
'Someday I should like the truth to be known' - confident history would vindicate him over Gallipoli, the failed attempt to to gain a sea route to Russia.
Churchill was part of the Asquith Liberal government when he lost his post as First Lord of the Admiralty. Having seen combat in India, the Sudan and the Boer War, he was posted to Flanders as a major in the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards.
By December 1915 he was lieutenant -colonel commanding the 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. He gained the respect of his men with his bravery , including dozens of forays across No Man's Land. They never got accustomed to his insatiable desire to 'stir up the Hun'.
His officer's recalled that he never flinched under fire. " It's no use ducking: the bullet has gone a long way past you by now".
His stint in the trenches came to an end when, because of high casualties, his Battalion was merged with another and his orders were to return to Britain and resume work in the Commons.
(ref: A. Levy D.M. - letter on display in The Churchill Museum in the Cabinet War Rooms, London from November 6th 2008.)
'A man who saves a nation is guilty of nothing ' - Napoleon.
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