Description:

Churchill Winston

One page TLS, 8" x 10" on stationery stock with letterhead address of Chartwell, Westerham, Kent, with accompanying printed map on another page, 7.5" x 5.5". TLS dated "1st August, 1936" and signed by Winston Churchill as "Yours sincerely / Winston S. Churchill". Typed on recto with verso blank, and a line of green ink applied to the page running partially along the center line. The map page is adhered to the upper corner of the TLS and sustained two intact tears. Both pieces lightly toned, with light handling marks and expected folds.

Winston Churchill writes to C.C. Wood, chief copy editor at George G. Harrap and Co. Ltd, relating to the publication of his monumental biography "Marlborough: His Life and Times", written in four parts and published 1933-1938. This exceptionally rare letter signed by Churchill, relates to the editing of this extensive and highly researched book. The printed map on the first page depicts Flanders July 1706, and is showed as anticipated to be "Sketch 14(slip 199)" in his book. However, one looks with astonishment at the map which clearly shows the coastal town of Dunkirk. Churchill and his country would be battling there in only a mere 4 years after the writing of this letter, and it would be this very town which would test Churchill as the newly appointed Prime Minister of England. Dunkirk was destined to literally rock the country and become a symbolic moment of both unity and perseverance for England in their battle against the Germans just a month after Churchill's rises to his position as Prime Minister. One stares at the map in absolute awe knowing that at the time, Churchill was merely composing his book and had no idea of what was to transpire before both him and England at the small town depicted on his map. It would be this town, this battle, and the incredible evacuation campaign which would go down in history as perhaps not only the turning point in the war, but also one of Churchills and England's finest hours, as the British civilians rushed in to save the trapped military and Churchill brought a war weary and brutalized country out of despair with one of his finest speeches: "We shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be; we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender…What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin…Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science.Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.” However, as we are thrown back to the reality of this important letter, we see Churchill working away on his historical book.

The letter of is shown in full below:

"Dear Mr. Wood,

You sent me a new copy of the enclosed map. It is already in the text, and I commented on it on the proofs "Where is Villeroy?" Also Ghent and Bruges should (I think) be black as they were in Marlborough's hands. I am sending a duplicate of this letter to the Brigadier.

It is of the utmost importance now to know where the remaining maps are.

I will get on with the preface as soon as I have completed the chapters.

I agree with what you say about the spelling of Wynendael. By all means continue the spelling as 'dale'.

Yours sincerely,

Winston S. Churchill".

A fantastic letter foreshadowing Churchill's significant role in rallying Britain.

Please Note: The image of Churchill in the first photo is for display purposes only and not included with this lot.

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