Feature Article on Winston Churchill. Topic: WAR
& PEOPLE
Written by David Lodge in March,
1997
SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL - A LEGEND IN HIS OWN TIME -- 1874-1965...Pg 3 |
| I raced through my childhood
with a gusto and excitement that elicited praise from my friends and moans of discontent
from my parents, who, incidentally, saw very little of me in those formative years and
even less when they enrolled me in an educational institution. Most of my early days at
Harrow, an exclusive private boarding school, were marred by failed examinations in all
the academic subjects necessary to succeed in life. My father, mother and schoolmasters
despaired over my rowdy manner, lack of discipline and the colloquial slang I seemed to
prefer over the Queen’s English. In my father’s opinion, the only saving grace,
was my compelling aptitude for history, geography and English composition. "With
those traits," father bellowed, "it’s the army for you my boy." And so I entered Sandhurst, the Royal Military Academy, determined to put my love of history to good use and to finally garner my father’s pride. It is 1895, and I will soon be graduating from the academy. I have succumbed to failure twice on final examinations, but now with the help of a tutor I feel convinced that I will pass. Indeed I did, culminating my military schooling days with an ultimate ranking of eighth in a class of 150. The Churchills were proud once again, but my heart was heavy and saddened at the loss of my father on January 24 of that year, followed by the death of my beloved nanny. My perceptive, intuitive mind did not know, at the time, that father’s death on January 24, 1895, would be followed by my own death seventy years hence on January 24, 1965.
From 1896 to 1899, I experienced my first battlefield action, served as a war correspondent for the Daily Telegraph covering the fighting in Cuba, and reported on the fighting during the South African Boer War where I was captured by the enemy. After my daring escape from a Pretoria compound, a 25 pound bounty was offered for my apprehension. Also, during this same time period I served with my regiment in India. Father would have been proud of me. It was now time, however, to resign my commission and endeavor to emulate my father’s illustrious career in politics, and to redeem the good name he had tarnished during his later years. [ Back ] [ Next ] [ Up ] [ New Search ] |
