The Churchill Series – May 10, 2006

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

Readers’ Note: As most of you know May 10 is the anniversary of Churchill’s assumption of the Prime Minister’s duties. Today and tomorrow’s posts will tell something of Churchill’s actions beginning before dawn on the 10th and continuing into the early morning hours of the 11th.

At 5:30 am on May 10, 1940, Churchill was awoken in his bedroom at the Admiralty and told of reports that Germany had just launched air and ground attacks in the Low Countries and France. It was not certain whether they were probing actions or the start of a major offensive.

Churchill immediately began gathering intelligence. As First Lord of the Admiralty, he met at 6 am with the Secretaries of State for War and for Air to assess the situation and coordinate strategy. About an hour later he had another meeting with a special military planning committee. Afterwards, he left the Admiralty and walked to Downing Street to attend the first of three Cabinet meetings that day.

By the time of the third meeting, which began in the late afternoon, it was apparent the Germans had begun a major offensive. Most of the cabinet meeting was taken up with military questions but at the end Prime Minister Chamberlain informed his colleagues that he did not have sufficient support to form what the crisis called for: a national unity government. Therefore, after the meeting he would go to the palace and submit his resignation to the King. He did not say whom he would recommend as his successor.

The Cabinet was expecting Chamberlain’s announcement; they also knew he would give the King Churchill’s name.

Later that evening when Churchill was called to the palace the only person to accompany him was his principal bodyguard, Detective-Inspector Walter Thompson. Churchill did not say why he was going to the palace. Thompson later wrote that they made the trip back to the Admiralty “in complete silence.” Churchill didn’t speak until after he had gotten out of the car :

”You know why I have been to Buckingham Palace, Thompson?”

“Yes, sir,” I answered, and congratulated him. He looked pleased, but he was tense and strained.

I went on: “I am very pleased that you have at last become Prime Minister, sir, but I wish that the position had come your way in better times, for you have undertaken an enormous task.”

Gravely he replied: “God alone knows how great it is. All I hope is that it is not too late. I am very much afraid it is, but we can only do our best.” Tears came into his eyes, and as he turned away he muttered something to himself.

Then he set his jaw, and with a look of determination, mastering all emotion, he entered the side door of the Admiralty and began to climb the stairs.”

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Martin Gilbert’s, Winston S. Churchill: Finest Hour, 1939-1941, provides a detailed account of the events mentioned here. See especially Chapters 15 & 16. Thompson's recollection is found in Tom Hickman’s Churchill’s Bodyguard. (pgs. 90-91)