(One of a series of weekday posts on the life of Winston S. Churchill.)
After a long absence from the series, Scotland Yard’s Detective- Inspector Walter Thompson joins us today with an amusing Churchill anecdote from the Blitz.
In case you’re new to the series, Walter Thompson was Churchill’s principal bodyguard for most of the 1920s and 30s. He retired in 1937 and became a greengrocer.
On September 3, 1939, Britain entered the war against Germany and Churchill was aksed to join the government as First Lord of the Admiralty.
The following morning, Thompson received a phone call and heard the familiar voice. He remained with Churchill until the end of the war.
Among many incidents during the Blitz, Thompson recalled the very cold night when Churchill insisted, as he often did, on leaving the safety of the bomb shelter in a building called The Annexe and going onto its roof to watch the German bombing raid.
Churchill had been on the roof for some time when he decided to sit down for a few minutes and smoke a cigar. Thompson was always concerned when Churchill exposed them both to increased risk by being on the roof during a raid. And on this night he was also concerned for Churchill’s exposure to the cold.
Churchill reassured him about the cold. In fact, he said he really felt almost warm.
About that time a sentry came scurrying up to them and asked the PM if he’d mind standing up.
Churchill asked why.
”You are sitting on the chimney, sir. You’re smoking them out below.”I hope you all have a nice weekend and are back Monday.
John
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Tom Hickman, Churchill’s Bodyguard: The Authorised Biography of Walter H. Thmposon. (p. 127)
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