The May 2020 issue (#143) of the Churchill Bulletin: The Newsletter of Winston Churchill has been released. It includes articles on the International Churchill Society’s competition to encourage participants to write or deliver an inspirational speech of hope in response to the current global challenges, the move of the 2020 International Churchill Conference to an online format, a piece on Churchill’s Writings by Tom Young (author of Silver Wings, Iron Cross), and “Churchill’s Shadow Raiders: How Theft, Trickery and Deception Secured Victory in WWII” by Damien Lewis. The Churchilliana column features Great War postcards. The May bulletin is available here.
Winston Churchill’s Illnesses, 1886-1965 by Allister Vale and John Scadding will be published by Frontline Books in October 2020. The book greatly expands on the more than a dozen journal articles that they have published on Churchill’s health. Based on these prior journal articles, Winston Churchill’s Illnesses should provide an excellent account of Churchill’s medical history.
On May 8, 1945 VE-Day in Europe was celebrated. The surrender of Germany took place just days short of the fifth anniversary of Winston Churchill becoming prime minister on May 10, 1940.
That day Churchill stayed in his bed all morning at 10 Downing Street as he worked on his Victory broadcast and at one o’clock that afternoon went to Buckingham Palace for an audience and lunch with King George VI. Returning to 10 Downing Street, he made a broadcast to the nation at three o’clock that afternoon from the Cabinet Room announcing the end of the Second World War in Europe. After the broadcast Churchill, accompanied by Harvie Watt, MP, left for the House of Commons in an open car. Crowds engulfed the car and the police had difficulty in forcing a path through the throng as Churchill stood in the car and waved. The House of Commons was entirely filled and Churchill received a great ovation as he entered the chamber. Members stood and yelled and waved their order papers. At the dispatch box he announced the end of the German war and then moved that the House proceed to St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster to give thanks to “Almighty God for our deliverance from the threat of German domination.” The House unanimously agreed. As the procession formed up, Churchill shook hands and exchanged a few words with Arthur Greenwood, Manny Shinwell, Leslie Hore-Belisha, and Will Thorne. At quarter to four that afternoon, the members of parliament made the short procession to St. Margaret’s, Westminster for a service. After the service the procession returned to the House of Commons and Churchill moved an adjournment motion. He then (along with members of the War Cabinet and the Chiefs of Staff) went to Buckingham Palace, where they were received by King George VI. Shortly after 5:30 Churchill appeared on the palace balcony with the King and Queen and the two princesses. They received five minutes of sustained cheering from the vast crowds on the Mall. Crowds continued to cheer Churchill as he left the palace and returned by an open motor car to Downing Street. Churchill then went to the Home Office where he was joined by cabinet colleagues and the Chiefs of Staff on the balcony. Later he appeared, again with other members of the War Cabinet, on the central balcony of the Ministry of Health overlooking Whitehall. Just before six o’clock from the balcony he made a short speech of a few sentences that was carried by a loudspeaker, telling the crowd that “This is your Victory,” to which they roared back “No – it is yours.” Ernest Bevin then beat time as the crowd sang “For he’s a jolly good fellow” and Bevin then called for three cheers for victory. In the evening Churchill dined with family members and Lord Camrose in the Annexe and at 10:30 pm with crowds still packed in Whitehall, Churchill returned to the Ministry of Health balcony. He made a short speech in which he asked the crowd, “There we stood, alone. Did anyone want to give in? Were we down-hearted?” The crowd replied with resounding shouts of “No!”