March 18, 2015

Finest Hour 160, Autumn 2013

Page 44

By Paul H. Courtenay

Churchill’s First World War. A ninety-minute BBC Television production, aired 30 July 2013.


This new BBC programme (with no commercial breaks) kept interest high for its duration. A well-known historian, Professor Gary Sheffield, led the presentation, which, as the title reveals, dealt with Churchill’s activities during the Great War. Interestingly, nearly all the academics who were invited to speak were largely unknown to Churchillians, so one or two new angles on the story had their opportunities.

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With occasional references to Churchill’s earlier and later life experiences (it was good to see Chartwell’s House & Collections Manager Alice Martin), the story really began with Churchill’s time as First Lord of the Admiralty (1911-15), and how he ensured that the Royal Navy was fully prepared by the outbreak of war in 1914. Next came Antwerp, which was accurately covered; Churchill’s offer to remain there as the commanding general was described with some scorn, as it was by the prime minister at the time—in fact, as notable historians have mentioned, the few days gained by his personal leadership undoubtedly reduced the risk of the Channel ports being overrun. This achievement could have been more charitably appreciated, both then and now.

Churchill’s role in the development of aircraft and tanks is well represented.

Inevitably, the Dardanelles and Gallipoli featured prominently. The military story was fairly described, but the political aspects were less fully considered. The familiar claim that Churchill “lost his job” didn’t take enough account of the fact that his head was the price somewhat vindictively demanded by the Conservatives, in order for them to join the Liberals in a wartime coalition. Churchillians may think that programme should have gone into more detail, giving more context to Churchill’s involvement and the culpability of others, but that must be balanced against its intent to cover the war as a whole.

A highlight of the programme was a reenactment of Churchill’s command of 6th Battalion, The Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1916. Here we find him telling his officers that he was declaring war on lice; or crawling through no-man’s land in the dark to inspect his barbed-wire defences—true events which are well documented.

Adam James, the actor playing Churchill, wisely avoided any attempt to mimic his subject’s well-known appearance, mannerisms or voice, which somehow added to the authenticity.

Throughout his time at the front, frequent letters passed between Churchill and his wife, which many will have read in Lady Soames’s Speaking for Themselves; some of these were read out, and touchingly demonstrate Clementine’s rock-like devotion to his interests, to the extent of advising him not to return to London prematurely, even though she was continuously concerned for his personal safety. An excellent commentary on this period was supplied by Patrick Hennessy, author of The Junior Officers’ Reading Club, which described Hennessy’s recent service in Afghanistan as a junior officer in the Grenadier Guards; his own background as a regimental officer added credibility to the story.

The final part of the programme dealt with a somewhat overlooked aspect of Churchill’s war service, his period as Minister of Munitions (July 1917 to January 1919). The point is strongly made that his energy in 1918, when the final German offensive threatened to succeed, tipped the balance by ensuring that enough equipment and ammunition were supplied. Professor Sheffield concluded that this achievement ranked second only to WSC’s premiership a quarter of a century later.

Throughout the programme Allen Packwood, Director of the Churchill Archives Centre and Executive Director of The Churchill Centre UK, made valuable comments on such aspects as Lord Fisher’s resignation (which precipitated Churchill’s own); WSC’s resilience in recovering from his various setbacks (strongly buttressed by Clementine); his dynamism as Minister of Munitions and—particularly—the fact that Churchill’s activities in 1914-18 were scarcely confined to the Dardanelles.

As a whole, the programme was successfully conceived and executed. Some of the opinions might be open to question, but the general tenor and lack of errors made for a valuable contribution. For those who know only the World War II leader, this was a good introduction to the earlier Churchill.


Mr. Courtenay is a senior editor of Finest Hour.

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