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Winston Churchill Biography - Quotes

Winston Churchill was born Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill on November 30th, 1874 at Blenheim Palace, near Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England to Lord Randolph and Jennie Jerome, daughter of American millionaire Leonard Jerome.

As a typical upper-class boy, Churchill spent his youth attending boarding schools. He sat through the entrance exam for Harrow School, but famously wrote nothing other than a one then a dot. He was accepted despite the no-answers, but was placed in the bottom division where English was the primary subject taught. Churchill excelled none-the-less (despite some rebellion in studying Latin and Greek literature), and today there is an annual essay-prize for public schools on a subject chosen by the head of the English department.

Winston Churchill's military career began at the age of 20 after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He joined the army as a Subaltern of the IV Hussars Cavalry regiment, stationed in Bangalore, India. While there, Churchill saw virtually no action, spending much of his time playing polo.

In 1895, Churchill and Reggie Barnes received leave to travel to Cuba and observe the Spanish battles against the Cuban guerrillas. While there, Churchill was to write about the conflict for the Daily Graphic newspaper. And for the first time, on his twenty-first birthday, Churchill came under enemy fire.

Still officially stationed in India, Churchill sought to get assigned to an army commanded by Lord Kitchener who was to reconquest the Sudan. Kitchener opposed the idea, and instead Churchill received direct orders from the War Office to obtain a posting to the 21st Lancers. While in the Sudan, Churchill also served as a war correspondent for the Morning Post. He saw what is described as the last meaningful British cavalry charge. In October of 1898, he returned to Britain and began his work on The River War, published the following year. Churchill then set off to South Africa to be a correspondent for the Morning Post. Once in South Africa, his train derailed, making him take charge of operations and get the track cleared, carry the wounded and escape from the opposing forces. Churchill however, and other officers and soldiers, were captured and held in a POW camp in Pretoria. He managed to escape and head to Boer territory with the assistance of an English mine manager who hid him down a mine and smuggled him onto a train. His escape made him a national hero. He, however, did not return home. Instead, Churchill returned to combat and fought at Spion Kop and was one of the first British troops into Ladysmith and Pretoria. Churchill later told of his adventures in South Africa in London to Ladysmith via Pretoria and Ian Hamilton's March.

After his return from South Africa, Churchill stood for the Conservative party in the 1900 general election (aka Khaki election). He was elected, however, instead of attending the opening of Parliament, he toured throughout the United Kingdom and United States to help raise money for himself (Members of Parliament were unpaid during this time).

In February of 1901, Churchill returned to Britain and entered Parliament. By 1903, Churchill's views began to change and in 1904, he famously crossed the floor and sat as a member of the Liberal Party after the Whitsun recess. However, as a Liberal, he continued to campaign for free trade and won the seat of Manchester North West in the 1906 election.

During the first three decades of the century, Churchill held many high posts for both the Liberal and Conservative governments. During the outbreak of the World War II, he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty (which he originally held from 1911 to 1915). In May of 1940, he became Prime Minister and Minister of Defense until 1945. In 1951, he took over premiership once more for the Conservative Party, resigning just four years later. However, he remained a Member of Parliament until 1964, when he did not seek re-election.

In 1953, Churchill received the Nobel Prize in Literature and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and was invested with the insignia of the Order of the Garter, and in 1963, he received honorary citizenship of the United Stated from President Kennedy.

Sir Winston Churchill died, January25, 1965 at Hyde Park Gate, London.

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