The Churchill Series – Aug. 15, 2008

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

Let’s end the week with something to smile about.

We find it in Frank Smyth’s 1988/9 International Churchill Society introduction of Churchill’s youngest daughter, Lady Mary Soames, who spoke at a Society dinner in Vancouver, B. C.

Our Toastmaster this evening is Mr. Derek Lukin Johnston, who if I may add has, with his wife Diana, just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Derek was kind enough to provide me with an excerpt from a new book, Memories and Adventures, by Winston S. Churchill, M.P., Sir Winston's grandson and Lady Soames' nephew.

Describing his thrill at visiting Hyde Park and viewing the ruins of buildings and the fire engines, he writes: ". . . but best of all were the visits I paid to my Aunt Mary (later Lady Soames) at the heavy anti-aircraft battery in the park near Marble Arch, where, aged twenty-one, she was one of the ATS officers commanding the guns.

To a three year old, having a grandfather who was Prime Minister and running the entire war was a concept difficult to grasp, though I knew he was very important by the way he bossed about all those Generals who were constantly in attendance in their smart uniforms. But to have an aunt who had four huge guns of her very own - that was something. "

If you’re following the Olympics, I hope you’re enjoying them.

Whatever the case, I hope you have a very nice weekend.

John
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You’ll find Smyth’s entire introduction here hosted by the Churchill Centre, which also provides on the same page as Smyth's introduction a link to Lady Soames speech.