The Churhill Series - Feb. 4, 2009

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

Churchill often delayed leaving for the train station. Early in speaking out against communism and fascism, where trains were concerned, he was a classic "last minute" traveler.

While he was a cabinet minister or PM, and later when out of office but "a great man," Churchill's delays didn't cause him any problems. Staff simply phoned ahead and the train was held. No need to race.

But when out of office, Churchill frequently had to race to catch a train; and often he lost.

Clementine once explained Churchill's "last minute" habit this way: "Winston's a sporting man. He likes to give the train a chance."
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Tom Hickman, Churchill's Bodyguard. (p. 130)