Supercilius Maximus | 23 Jan 2015 4:42 p.m. PST |
Thought this might interest British and American members: YouTube link When he was planning his funeral (Operation Hope Not), he went to great lengths over the route that the train carrying his body would take from London to his final resting place in Oxfordshire. Normally, trains heading that way would leave London from Paddington, but realising that de Gaulle would probably be there, Churchill found an obscure spur line near Reading that meant the train could leave from Waterloo. |
dBerczerk | 23 Jan 2015 5:10 p.m. PST |
I can still recall the day, as a child, hearing the news Mr. Churchill had passed. At the time, I thought he was still the Prime Minister. OPERATION Hope Not -- classic Churchillian humor! Waterloo Station -- nice touch. |
morrigan | 23 Jan 2015 7:27 p.m. PST |
I seem to remember that they televised his funeral in Canada. |
goragrad | 24 Jan 2015 12:27 a.m. PST |
It was televised in the US – I watched it. |
GUNBOAT | 24 Jan 2015 12:57 a.m. PST |
My place of work closed for the day so we could see it on the TV. |
Tarleton | 24 Jan 2015 5:01 a.m. PST |
I remember listening to it on the radio. |
BigRedBat | 24 Jan 2015 6:01 a.m. PST |
My earliest memory of a television program. My Uncle lead the naval ratings that pulled the gun carriage. |
Doc Ord | 24 Jan 2015 4:54 p.m. PST |
I had an issue of National Geographic magazine that covered his funeral and even included a record of the funeral and excerpts of some of his speeches. I still thrill to hear his "finest hour" speech. |
Trajanus | 25 Jan 2015 10:16 a.m. PST |
Saw it the first time round, can't imagine why I would want to see it all over again. Is it the Director's Cut? A different ending perhaps? The man was a undeniable rock for Britain during the Second World War but there has to be a better way to commemorate him than showing those poor blighters from the Guards struggling with coffin that appeared to weigh more than a small car! |
martin goddard | 26 Jan 2015 10:50 a.m. PST |
Remember watching that on black and white TV. A major historical event. martin |
christot | 26 Jan 2015 12:38 p.m. PST |
Great story, unfortunately I don't believe it. Waterloo also happens to be the closest station to Westminster where the cortege would have wound up….then having to schelp over half of London back to Paddington would be a bit silly. Anyway, de Gaulle was so arrogant he would have never have noticed the significance. |
deephorse | 26 Jan 2015 5:03 p.m. PST |
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General Jumbo | 26 Jan 2015 5:06 p.m. PST |
I remember it well, it was a significant event in my life, along with The Beatles splitting up, England winning the World Cup, and the first Moon landing. |
christot | 28 Jan 2015 6:03 a.m. PST |
Sorry, fat finger syndrome. noun noun: schlep; plural noun: schleps; noun: schlepp; plural noun: schlepp a tedious or difficult journey. "a rush hour schlep to the airport and back"
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