COMETH THE HOUR, COMETH THE MAN
COMETH THE HOUR, COMETH THE MAN There are many places to visit in the United Kingdom that recall Britain’s long and varied history, and leaders of those times are remembered in the many statues that can be found, particularly in London. Queen Boudica, Sir Walter Raleigh, Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington are but four of Britain’s leaders who fought against those who invaded or sought to invade our island. But in more recent times there is one leader who stands above all those who preceded and have since followed him – Winston Churchill. A statute of Sir Winston Churchill stands in Parliament Square, but there is a far more important and interesting place to visit that recalls not only Churchill’s leadership of the nation during the Second World War, but his life’s history. It is located a three minute walk from 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the UK’s Prime Minister, at Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AQ, and is named the Churchill War Rooms. There are two elements to the Churchill War Rooms, the war rooms themselves and the Churchill Museum. There was a WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM
moment in history when the destiny of Europe, and perhaps the world, was played out in this underground bunker from where Churchill led the nation’s war effort against Nazi Germany, particularly during the period between September 1940 and May 1941, when German bombers attacked London day and night. From here, then known as the Cabinet War Rooms, Churchill and his War Cabinet planned Britain’s defence against an impending invasion. Churchill became Prime Minister on 10th May 1940, and addressed his new War Cabinet with the words “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat”. There were those in the War Cabinet who wanted to sue for peace with Hitler, notably Lord Halifax. As you look through the glass window into the original Cabinet War Room you can imagine the arguments between Churchill and Halifax which continued until Churchill’s famous “We shall never surrender” speech in the House of Commons when he gained the support of Parliament to oppose and fight Hitler’s Nazi Germany.
The Cabinet War Room was not just for meetings with the War Cabinet, they were also used by the Chiefs of Staff for their own meetings and by the Defence Committee chaired by Churchill. From the Cabinet War Room you visit the Map Room, the strip lights of which were never switched off from the time a handpicked team of officers took up their duties until six years later. Here, intelligence information was displayed by colour coded pins, threads and miniature flags which helped the Joint Planners assess daily military situations around the world and plan courses of action. Improvisation at its best. Many of those who worked at the War Rooms, and there many secretaries, cleaners and cooks who supported the military staff, often lived there in an area known as the Dock, or the Dreaded Dock. This was located beneath the War Rooms. Every night dozens of staff ducked their way down the steps carrying their sheets for any free bed they could find. The air supply system was noisy and did little to reduce WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK
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