The Churchill Series - Jan. 22, 2008

(One of a series of weekday posts about 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. Thus when Churchill was defeated in the 1925 general election, an opposition newspaper said it was sure the members in the new parliament could manage "with one less WC."

Churchill took it all in stride. On occasion he would even make a "WC" joke as he did in February, 1940 while returning to England from France aboard a destroyer.

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

Churchill, standing a the ship's rail, looked at the door, grinned and said 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. (Headline, 2005)(p. 88-89)