Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill is known chiefly for his
leadership of the United Kingdom
during World War Two. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again
from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer
in the British Army, a historian, writer and artist. To date, he is the only
British Prime Minister to have received the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the
second person to be recognised as an Honorary Citizen of the United
States.
During his army career, Churchill saw military action in
India, the
Sudan and the Second Boer War. He
gained fame and notoriety as a war correspondent and through contemporary books
he wrote describing the campaigns. He also served briefly in the British Army on
the Western Front in World War One, commanding the 6th Battalion of the Royal
Scots Fusiliers.
At the forefront of the political scene for almost fifty years, he
held many political and cabinet positions.
After losing the 1945 election, he became Leader of the Opposition.
In 1951 he again became Prime Minister, before finally retiring in 1955. Upon
his death, the Queen granted him the honour of a state funeral, which saw one of
the largest assemblies of statesmen in the world.
This unique images title contains many rare and unpublished
photographs of Churchill throughout his military and political
career.
