The Churchill Series - December 27, 2005

(One of a series of daily posts on the life of Winston S. Churchill.)

When using his initials Churchill commonly signed "WSC." But some political foes and others who considered themselves wits took delight in playing on WC. So when Churchill was defeated in the 1925 general election, one newspaper said it was sure the members of the new parliament could manage "with one less WC."

Churchill took it in stride. On occasion he would even make a WC remark himself as he did in February, 1940 while on a destroyer returning to England from France.

There were some mines in the ship's path. Guns were fired to destroy them. The gunfire churned the water and set some debris floating past the destroyer. Among the debris was a lavatory door.

Churchill looked at it and said with a grin to those beside him, "That door has my initials on it. They must have known I'd be aboard."
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Tom Hickman, Churchill's Bodyguard. (p. 88-89)