July 24, 2019

Finest Hour 184, Second Quarter 2019

Page 05

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Coming in Finest Hour 185: Churchill and the RAF

31 July 1945

LONDON—My Dear Winston, I am writing to tell you how very sad I am that you are no longer my Prime Minister.

During the last 5 years of War we have met on dozens, I may say on hundreds of occasions, when we have discussed the most vital questions concerning the security & welfare of this Country & the British Empire in their hours of trial. I shall always remember our talks with the greatest pleasure & I only wish they could have continued longer.

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You often told me what you thought of people & matters of
real interest which I could never have learnt from anyone else. Your breadth of vision & your grasp on the essential things were a great comfort to me in the darkest days of the War, & I like to think that we have never disagreed on any really important matter. For all these things I thank you most sincerely. I feel that your conduct as Prime Minister & Minister of Defence has never been surpassed. You have had many difficulties to deal with, both as a politician & as a strategist of war, but you have always surmounted them with supreme courage.

Your relations with the Chiefs of Staff have always been most
cordial, & they have served you with a real devotion. They I know will regret your leaving the helm at this moment. For myself personally, I regret what has happened more than perhaps anyone else. I shall miss your counsel to me more than I can say. But please remember that as a friend I hope we shall be able to meet at intervals.

Believe me, I am, Yours very sincerely and gratefully— George RI