May 30, 2013

Finest Hour 116, Autumn 2002

Page 04


WE BLUSH, BUT JUST BRIEFLY

I was pleased by John Plumpton’s reference, in his excellent review last issue, to Lord Jenkins’s vocabulary. I consider myself a well-educated man with a more than respectable vocabulary. I have a bachelor’s degree in Latin and Greek and a master’s in English, and have taught English and Latin for thirty years. I was, however, stumped by any number of words in Jenkins’s biography.

Every morning, after reading Jenkins the night before, I would e-mail a group of teacher friends asking them if they had heard of this or that word. Most of them hadn’t, and they are all well-educated. The reference to Jenkins’s vocabulary made me feel less of an idiot! I teach English literature, and every week I begin with a quotation from Churchill. Actually, I begin the year with his speech after Dunkirk. Finest Hour gives me more than sufficient material. Keep up the good work!
BR. JAMES M. KELLY, C.EX. ([email protected])

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What a great article, “The Atlantic Takes a Dive,” FH 114. My sentiments exactly, but beautifully written and as usual reflective of your broad grasp of the essential issues.
MICHAEL BARRINGTON, FREMONT, CALIF

I have just returned from the Chaudhary Charan Singh committee meeting, chaired by my friend Mr. Saran (FH 115:11). I informed them of Finest Hour’s coverage of my”Churchill and Freedom” talk (issue 115) and your publishing a footnote biography of former Indian Prime Minister Singh. I noted that Churchill made “defence of democracy” the main plank of the Second World War, which promoted the cause of the common man worldwide.

Charan Singh certainly was a common person, not from a feudal background; yet he rose to lead his country through the system of democracy. Since Churchill was the architect of the war, the committee thought it quite fitting that you should cover the life of late Chaudhary Charan Singh and our celebration of his birth centenary because in the process we had remembered Churchill. I am thus happy to report that for the first time in the committee meeting not only Winston Churchill and his work were mentioned with honor, but also The Churchill Center, Finest Hour, and its editor.
INDER DAN RATNU, VAISHAU NAGAR, INDIA

GIFT MEMBERSHIPS

In addition to my own, have taken out a subscription to Finest Hour on behalf of my university library, St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. “X” boasts one of the strongest and most loyal alumni groups in Canada, and counts former PM Brian Mulroney among its alumni. I’m not sure if this is done by many other members, but it would seem to me to be a good tie-in with the other educational efforts of the CC and ICS.
MIKE CAMPBELL, HALIFAX, N.S.

Gift memberships are available through the membership offices of The Churchill Center (USA), and Societies (Canada and UK), listed on the inside front cover. We will enclose a card with your greetings. If you want to be billed every year for renewal, you should make arrangements with the membership office; otherwise the recipient will be billed. In the USA and UK, we also offer half-price student and library memberships at $20 and ยฃ20 respectively which are subsidized rates, since what we deliver costs much more than that. Some proof that the recipient is a student is required.

BLETCHLEY PARK KUDOS

Douglas Hall’s article on Bletchley Park (FH 114) encouraged me to make a return visit there with my wife, after probably an eight year gap. We were astonished at the wonderful exhibition that Jack Darrah and his late wife have put together: quite the best thing of its kind I have ever seen. We were doubly fortunate as Jack and his daughter were there on the day of our visit, and we had a most interesting tour and conversation.

I had thought that I was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable admirer of Sir Winston Churchill, but I felt like a novice compared to Jack! He was particularly proud of a recent acquisition, a marble statuette of Sir Winston standing at his easel. It certainly enhanced the very fine collection. We came away with the recipe for “Churchill’s cake,” provided by Jack’s daughter. My wife baked it for a recent garden party at home, and it was a huge success (but a little expensive due to the brandy content!). Through your pages may we thank Jack and his daughter again for such an enjoyable visit. I would strongly urge any of your readers who have not visited Bletchley, to find the opportunity and do so post haste. It is a very rewarding experience.
TONY FLEETWOOD, WHEATHAMPSTEAD, HERTS 

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