March 2011 - Richard M. Langworth

Churchill on the Middle East

31 March 2011

Churchill By Himself, p. 437: “The Middle East is one of the hardest-hearted areas in the world. It has always been fought over, and peace has only reigned when a major power has established firm influence and shown that it would maintain its will. Your friends must be supported with every vigour and if necessary they must be avenged. Force, or perhaps force and bribery, are the only things that will be respected. It is very sad, but we had all better recognise it. At present our friendship is not valued, and our enmity is not feared.”…

Bahamas Fishing Haul, Spanish Wells

30 March 2011

My friend Bruno Underwood called March 18th to ask if we were up to fish—his only opportunity to take us out since he’s working round the clock. We have been enjoying fishing charters with Bruno for five years. On March 19th he and his dad, Baron, met us at Gene’s Bay, north Eleuthera, at 9 and off we went to their favorite spots, plotted by GPS. We were in from 12 to 25 feet with 25 lb.-test spinning tackle and cut bait (goggle-eyes).

For the first half hour, only nibbles; Baron said these were yellowtail stealing our bait, but ”they’ll soon be full and will move on for the big boys.”…

The Alcohol Question (Again)

2 March 2011

Reference to Churchill and abuse of alcohol. When my father and I had lunch with Churchill at the House of Commons in 1952, I certainly did not see Churchill drink any more than the usual lunch time glass of wine. My father never mentioned his excessive use of alcohol in any form.—R.W.

He had an impressive capacity but you’re right. Except for a bodyguard who helped him and Eden totter home after a night of toasts with the Russians at Teheran, no one close ever saw him the worse for drink. (Well, Alanbrooke sometimes wrote in his diary that the boss was inebriated.…