January 1, 1970

Written by Andrew Dewar Gibb

Winston’s concern for the welfare of his men was exemplified by an incident recalled by Private Hurt: ‘On one occasion, whilst acting as a company runner, I was walking along what had been Plugstreet’s main road, when I saw the OC coming along in the opposite direction. I gave him the usual smart salute, and had passed along about a dozen paces when he called me back and asked me why I was limping.’ [He] was limping because of the poor condition of his boots. When he’d gone to the quartermaster to ask for a new pair he was told to go away… That was simply not acceptable to Winston who immediately pulled an envelope out of his pocket, took out the letter… and on the envelope wrote, ‘Quarter-master Sgt. B Company, supply bearer with one pair of boots immediately’. Winston signed it and handed it to Private Hurt.

Read an excerpt from With Winston Churchill at the Front, which begins at the point of Churchill’s resignation from the Government after the Gallipoli campaign, by clicking on the boxes to the right.