Folks, I was recently sent this item. Does anyone know where it was first published?
The last paragraph implies that WSC had his fractured left hip in 1964 which is incorrect. John John H. Mather MD FACPE President, UNI-CORN LLC For lovers of Churchill stories this is a must. Montague Browne had arrived at Downing Street in October 1952. Churchill, then aged 77 and in his second spell as Prime Minister, wanted a new private secretary to succeed David Hunt and picked Montague Browne, then just 29, from a shortlist supplied by the Treasury. Gaining Churchill’s trust was a long-term process; his first doubtful words to Montague Browne were: “I dare say we will get on very well together.” As Montague Browne settled in, however, he found that Churchill had a tendency to concentrate on one major issue to the exclusion of other matters, which though not of the first importance were still often urgent. It was the private office’s job to make sure that these matters were dealt with, and, as they often provoked the Prime Minister to irritation, it was an unpopular task. As the most junior member of staff, Montague Browne found that the job often fell to him. Nonetheless in late summer 1955 – a few months after Churchill’s resignation – Montague Browne (who had briefly returned to the Foreign Office), was seconded indefinitely to the former prime minister as his private secretary. Thereafter he saw Churchill daily, lunching and dining with him, often à deux. The former PM’s daily routine began with a breakfast in bed at which grouse or partridge was washed down with whisky and soda. At lunch enough champagne and brandy was consumed – according to a previous private secretary, Jock Colville – “to incapacitate any lesser man”. Though Montague Browne was keen to downplay stories of Churchill’s heroic drinking, the champagne frequently featured again at dinner, with a sizeable brandy before bed. Montague Browne also accompanied Churchill on overseas trips. Given any opportunity, they played a game of Rubicon (six-pack bezique). In his memoirs, Montague Brown recalled a lively visit to Monte Carlo, where his boss liked to dabble in gambling. On one occasion at the casino, Frank Sinatra and his entourage walked by Churchill’s table. Sinatra stopped, vigorously shook Churchill’s hand and said: “I’ve been waiting to do that for ages.” After he left, Montague Brown recalled, Churchill turned to his friends and demanded to know: “Who the hell was that?” Montague Brown was also at hand during the holiday in the South of France when Churchill fell and broke his hip and was found “looking like a dying stag”. He was taken to Monte Carlo hospital but, as Montague Brown related: “ He said to me 'I want to die in England. You’ll see to that.’” Churchill was brought back in an air ambulance and died some months later on January 24 1965. It was Montague Browne who signed the death certificate. RIP The greatest Englishman. - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ChurchillChat" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/churchillchat?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
