March 12, 2015

Churchill’s literary efforts were prodigious. While he worked on A History of the English-Speaking Peoples he came closer to the completion of Marlborough with the assistance of William Deakin.

He continued his criticisms of government defense policies. particularly the Air Force but also the Royal Navy. But his credibility was at an all-time low following his stand on the Abdication. As his daughter, Lady Soames, later wrote: “His warnings of the national peril ahead had been practically unheeded, and now discredit was cast on him by the feeling that his support of the King sprang from ulterior motives, and was largely prompted by antipathy to Baldwin.” Clementine realistically recognized that only a national crisis would now bring her husband to power and, for his part, Winston believed that his life was probably in its closing decade.”

Together the Churchills attended the Coronation of King George VI. As Queen Elizabeth was being crowned, Winston turned to his wife and whispered, “You were right, I see now that ‘the other one’ wouldn’t have done.”

Joining the Churchill household was resident secretary Kathleen Hill. A musician and a leader of the Girl Guides in India, Miss Hill returned to England hoping to work in a school. Instead, she went to work for WSC, whom she has since described as “a disappointed man waiting for the call to serve his country.”

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She had never been in a house with such activity and she had little time to rest. Churchill dictated to the wee hours of the morning and expected finished copies when he awoke. Even while he was bricklaying, she was expected to climb the ladder with her notebook. Unless, of course, it was a long letter –  in that event, he would come down!