July 9, 2013

CHURCHILL TRIVIA: FINEST HOUR 128, AUTUMN 2005

BY CURT ZOLLER

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Questions on contemporaries (C), literary (L), miscellaneous (M), personal (P), statesmanship (S) and war (W) are arranged in four sets of six.

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1543. Whom did Churchill describe as “the only man on either side who could lose the war [WWI] in an afternoon”? (C)

1544. Churchill wrote a foreword to a book concerning another great British Prime Minister. What was his name? (L)

1545. To what did Churchill refer when he commented, “news of the kind that never fails”? (M)

1546. Who wrote in 1943, “Mary Churchill is so nice….She is wonderfully unspoilt, ready to be excited and interested in everything”? (P)

1547. In 1917 Churchill outlined what attack using concrete caissons, towed to the scene and “sunk to create a weatherproof harbour in the open sea”? (It led to the WW2 Mulberry harbours.) (S)

1548. Speaking in January 1942, what did WSC add to his prescription of “blood, toil, tears and sweat”? (W)

1549. According to his son and biographer, who was Churchill’s closest political friend until he crossed the floor from Tories to Liberals? (C)

1550. Churchill wrote a foreword to the autobiography of Field-Marshal Lord Birdwood. What was its title? (L)

1551. When Churchill in 1904 referred to Sir W. E. M. Tomlinson as “a miserable old man,” a friend of Tomlinson challenged him to what? (M) 

1552. In 1901 Churchill became associated with what group of dissident young Tory Members? (P)

1553. According to Churchill, what is the most important qualification of a politician? (S)

1554. Who was the founder of the Royal Naval Air Service? (W)

1555. Whom was Churchill describing in this eulogy? “A voice had become audible, a note had been struck, more true, more thrilling, more able to do justice to the nobility of our youth in arms engaged in this present war….” (C)

1556. In 1937 Churchill wrote a chapter on the achievements of the British Empire in a small booklet entitled Responsibilities of Empire. What was the title of the chapter? (L)

1557. The notes between Churchill and Lloyd George in Cabinet meetings in 1914 were torn up by Lloyd George. Why did they survive? (M)

1558. As Home Secretary, WSC wrote to Edward VII to keep him informed. Why did the King not respond? (P).

1559. When Churchill traveled to Turkey in January 1943, the British hid the trip with a deceptive announcement. Where did they announce that Churchill was going? (S)

1560. When was the first torpedo dropped from a British aircraft? (W)

1561. On what occasion is Churchill alleged to have remarked, “the two most talkative people in the world are meeting the most silent”? (C)

1562. Who was the well-known Portuguese novelist, who held for many years a high position in the Portuguese Foreign Office, who delivered a lecture about Churchill which was translated into English on WSC’s 80th birthday? (L)

1563. After the Casablanca Conference, where did Churchill drive FDR to show him the sunset? (M)

1564. To what was Gen. Brooke referring in his diary on 13th Oct’ 43: “I can now control him no more. He has worked himself into a frenzy of excitement about the…attack”? (P)

1565. In January 1943, Gen. Alexander visited the American front lines in Tunisia and requested Churchill to send the best British officers. What did Alexander want them for? (S)

1566. When Churchill sent the fleet to battle stations in 1914, where did he send the battleships and where did he send the battle-cruisers? (W)