Winston Churchill's visit to the Western Front, April 1915

[David_Blanchard]

In the book 'The Confusion of Command: The War Memoirs of Lieutenant General Sir Thomas D'Oyly Snow, 1914-1915' Snow, mentions a visit to his HQ in the Ypres Salient on 21st April 1915 by Winston Churchill:

'

‘On the 21st Mr. Winston Churchill came to see me. His experience was very different from that of Mr. Balfour. Of course, I took him to the summer-house and from there we witnessed the liveliest afternoon’s work both in shelling and in the air that I had yet experienced. Mr Churchill thoroughly enjoyed himself and evidently spent a happy afternoon. I was impressed by his saying that the war would go on till we had over-run Germany and smashed up all her factories. This idea was prevalent at the time except with people who were in or near the trenches who did not quite see how such a happy result could be achieved.’

I would like to know more about the purpose of Churchill's visit. How long did he stay for for and the places he visited?- bearing in mind the Dardanelles landings were to take place in a matter of days and he was of course the First Lord of the Admiralty.

 

Any help appreciated.

 

 

David

 

Edited 6 September , 2022 by David_Blanchard

[phil andrade]

What an interesting vignette, David !

Note the date : the very next  day  the Germans were to  unleash their chlorine gas attack in the Salient.

 

Was Churchill on hand to witness that ?

 

I wonder what impression that night have made on him, and especially on his view that the smashing up of Germany’s industrial base was the prerequisite of victory.

 

Phil

Edited 6 September , 2022 by phil andrade

[David_Blanchard]

I am in the process of writing about this at present: the day before, 20 April 1915:

Nevertheless, the shelling of the town was not continuous; in the afternoon a lull in the bombardment occurred, allowing the Foreign Secretary and Solicitor General to visit the commander of the 27th Division without incident. General Snow reported:

 

‘Mr A J Balfour and Mr F E Smith were coming to lunch that day and I wired to Vlamertinge to try to stop them entering Ypres, but somehow the message miscarried, and they arrived about 1 o’clock having come through Ypres after the bombardment had ceased. I took them to the summer house in the afternoon, and during the whole of their visit, not one shell burst in the salient and not one hostile aeroplane appeared. It was perfectly peaceful and a most glorious afternoon. I was impressed by the knowledge Mr Balfour showed regarding explosives and indeed military matters generally.’

---

 

[michaeldr]

A quick glance at Martin Gilbert's work on Churchill (Vol. III and the first of its Companions) and it's not clear whether WSC actually got to HQ at this time....
Freddie Guest (Army HQ) wrote to WSC 24th April “... I referred to your proposal to visit us and the Chief said that he thought 'better not' – I did not press it as the atmosphere was a little electrical. As you can imagine there have been some rather intense moments during the last 36 hours. ...” 

Per Fisher (as quoted by Martin Gilbert) WSC left London on the afternoon of 20th April 1915 “for three or four days”

There is also a letter from WSC to the Comte de Saint Seine (22nd April) “I shall be ready to come to Paris with some of the Admiralty officers to join discussions á trois about Franco-British-Italian Naval cooperation....”

[ianjonesncl]

Possible pic of the occasion ?

D’Oyly Snow to the right of Churchill ?

 

[michaeldr]

Ian,

who is that on the very far left? I may be mistaken, but it looks awfully like Ian Hamilton, and of course he was otherwise engaged at the time in question.

regards, Michael

[ianjonesncl]

13 minutes ago, michaeldr said:

Ian,

who is that on the very far left? I may be mistaken, but it looks awfully like Ian Hamilton, and of course he was otherwise engaged at the time in question.

regards, Michael

It could be.... so possibly a different visit.

The picture came form an artilcle I came across a while ago,

British War Council approves plan that seals Anzacs’ fate | The Courier Mail

[phil andrade]

You would think that WSC would have mentioned this visit , wouldn’t you ?

 

Phil 

[brianmorris547]

I had a look in the Times from 19 to 24/04/1915 and did not see any reports.

Brian

[brianmorris547]

There is no record that he visited his Regiment QOOH who were in Belgium either. The WD refers to an outbreak of German measles. Nothing in the WD of 2 Cav Div HQ.

Brian

[David_Blanchard]

Thanks for all your help. Just got back from York- was at a 60 birthday celebration last night and was staying at the Churchill hotel!

[michaeldr]

On 06/09/2022 at 13:46, ianjonesncl said:

It could be.... so possibly a different visit.

 

Ian,

That photograph must have been taken later, probably in 1918. Looking at the right fore-arm of the officer next to WSC (is it Wilson?) and we see what I think are 'overseas service chevrons' as described here https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/tips-for-interpreting-photographs-of-men-in-uniform/whats-that-on-his-sleeve-an-overseas-service-chevron/

regards, Michael

 

[ianjonesncl]

2 hours ago, michaeldr said:

That photograph must have been taken later, probably in 1918.

I was researching Churchill and the 15 inch howitzer in 1915 and ended up with an artilcle on Gallipoli and a photo from 1918 

[michaeldr]

This game is sometimes fun, isn't it! 

[phil andrade]

The Confusion of Command : perhaps the clue to solving this mystery lies in the title of the book !

 

Phil

[michaeldr]

16 minutes ago, phil andrade said:

The Confusion of Command : perhaps the clue to solving this mystery lies in the title of the book !

 

Phil

[David_Blanchard]

From the diary of a medical officer 28th Division- 23rd April 1915.

 

He was also commendably indiscreet. See second image concerned with a visit of Surgeon General Sloggett

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 9 September , 2022 by David_Blanchard