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Quote of the Day: Winston Churchill and The French Helmet
When Churchill visited the French XXXIII Corps with [General Sir Louis] Spears, its commander gave him a distinctive poilu helmet, which he thought superior to the round British “soup bowl” steel helmet and which he wore thereafter. “It looks so nice and will perhaps protect my valuable cranium,” he told [his wife] Clementine, saying it was “the cause of much envy. I look most martial in it – like a Cromwellian – I always intend to wear it under fire, but chiefly for the appearance”. (ed. Soames, Speaking pp 132, 129). His new headgear underlined his Francophilia, and his lifelong love of unusual hats, which he felt was useful for cartoonists.
The above quote is a footnote at the bottom of Page 235 of Andrew Roberts’s book Churchill, Walking With Destiny. The time period was November, 1915 in the midst of WWI. Below is a painting of Mr. Churchill in his favorite helmet. Roberts says that Churchill especially loved this particular painting.
I chose this particular quote because it made me smile. It has absolutely nothing to do with current events, and should be enjoyed as a nice interlude in your day. Roberts’s book is about 1,000 pages, and I am on Page 264 so far. Highly recommended.
Published in Group Writing
Ha!
Amen to that!
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Yeah, and you would know, wouldn’t you!
I love it! I love Churchill. He had depression and migraine, but he was a great example of resilience and leadership.
How many politicians do you know who, when booted out of the government in wartime, would go and enlist in the army and head directly to the front? Churchill did.
Especially in a war as terrible as World War I.
Churchill is high up in my pantheon, along with Franklin and William Howard Taft.
My motto: Never underestimate an old fat guy.
I haven’t had much dealing with cartoonists, but for much the same reason…
It was an act of penitence. He had advocated the Gallipoli campaign, and it had been a disaster (though not really one of his making). He was mortified, and went to the front to expiate the guilt.
I especially like the hat that says “NO Stack Fragile.”
General Spears was an excellent writer. A noted Francophile, he was Churchill’s personal envoy to the French Army in 1940, and his two-volume memoir, Assignment to Catastrophe, is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what happened in this campaign.
His book of personal reminiscences, The Picnic Basket, is also very good.
Another terrific Winston Churchill book is “The Splendid & The Vile” by Erik Larson. It covers the first couple of years of WWII and includes his family relationships, closest advisors and his main detractors. A story of courage, leadership and the right man at the right time. Excellent book.
I’ve read this book twice and loved every page. Andrew Roberts is a wonderful writer and obviously loved and adored his subject. Churchill is my hero and most admired character in history as evidenced by my library with several books and DVDs about and by him. My favorite quote: “History will be kind to me as I intend to write it.” Oh how we need him today to give us courage during this blitz!!
Left it up there to see how long it took before someone noticed. Wisconsinites being polite as they are I never got a definitive answer to that question.
This is lovely and charming. Thanks, @rushbabe49.