British Billy's Great Britons: Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

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  • By British Billy
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
It has come to my attention that apparently Hitler, Mussolini, Genghis Khan and Napoleon were all cat haters. By contrast, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Winston Churchill were well-known cat lovers. I shall let you draw your own conclusions from that tidbit of information.

Churchill's marmalade cat, Jock, slept with his master, shared his dining table, and attended numerous war-time Cabinet meetings. Jock was said to have been with his master when he died. At another stage, Churchill also had a black cat, Nelson, named after the famous British admiral. The feline Nelson apparently shared in political decision making and was much beloved in the prime ministerial offices at 10 Downing Street. This only reinforces my belief that Sir Winston Churchill richly deserves his place in this nation's heart as one of our greatest Britons.

Best remembered for his leadership and speeches during the World War II, the man who once modestly claimed to 'have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat' was much more than an orator; he was also a great politician, writer, warrior, artist and historian.

Determination and resolve were amongst his greatest attributes. The history books will tell you of his chequered career at school as well as within the military and in politics. In his political career, he knew what it was to fall in and out of favour with both the public and his peers, but in spite of his flaws, he was the right man at the right time when his nation needed him.

Churchill's greatest achievement was that he refused to capitulate when defeat by Germany was a strong possibility, and he remained a stalwart opponent of any negotiations with Hitler. Few others in Parliament had this degree of resolve. By adopting this policy, Churchill maintained the United Kingdom as a base from which the Allies would eventually attack Germany, thereby ensuring the Soviet sphere of influence did not also extend over Western Europe at the end of the war.

The United States of America recognized his role as a great leader when, in 1963, he became the first person to become an honorary citizen of the United States and in 1999 the US Navy launched the USS Winston S. Churchill, which has been in active service as of this year.

It's motto? "In war: Resolution; In peace: Good Will"

I am sure Sir Winston would have approved.