CHAMPION OF FREEDOM

e [Music] so Winston Churchill the greatest Englishman of our time the man who made history who wrote history is now himself part of History the Winston was born into politics at the siege of Sydney Street in 1911 he could not resist as Home Secretary personally directing the Roundup of a group of anarchists in London's East End 19114 the first world war and for Churchill a tremendous challenge he was the man who as first Lord of the admiralty recreated and mobilized the fleet but whose Restless energy made him political enemies as well as friends yet in spite of the fierce controversy over galipoli he emerged from the war in 1918 in the front rank of British political life here he is with King George V Mr Lloyd George and Lord Ken in [Music] 1921 he goes to Paris to attend a disarmament conference but already he had detected the dangers that were stirring in that uneasy Europe of the early 1930s his was the unpopular voice warning the world that Germany was rearming that Britain and the Commonwealth were not fully prepared 193 9 for the second time in his life Churchill sees the secure world of his youth go up in [Music] Flames his hour had come all that had gone before seemed but a preparation for this the moment when he became the defiant unconquerable voice of Britain and the Free World as the uh Nazis look out tonight from their blatant clattering pipid Germany they cannot find one single friendly eye in the whole circumference of the globe not one the great englishspeaking Republic across the Atlantic Ocean makes no secret of its sympathy or I may add of its self-questioning and uh the United States translates these sentiments into action of a character which anyone May judge for himself in the winter of 1939 when the German pocket Battleship graph Bay came to her dramatic end in the South Atlantic Churchill was first lord of the admiralty and the symbol of Britain's will to win Churchill it was who welcomed the Victor's [Music] home and at the banquet at Guild Hall he spoke these words that stirred the hearts of his countrymen the brilliant sea fight which sh Admiral howwood conceived and which you executed takes its place in our Naval animals and I may add that in a dark cold winter it warmed the cockles of the British [Applause] heart but his work as first Lord of the admiralty was only the preparation in May 1940 the German Fury swept over France and the low countries Churchill became prime minister I felt he wrote as if I were walking with Destiny the Free World had need of his fire and courage the Allies were driven towards the sea at dunker France fell Britain stood alone the Germans were only 22 mil away Across The Straits of DOA guns tanks rifles all had been lost but Churchill even then was laying the foundations of ultimate Victory he found the art of forging words themselves into the weapons we needed let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years men will still say this was their fin to Millions Drew courage and Hope from that voice Millions waited for it as the few fought to save the Free [Music] World they signed the sky with the white crisscross Trails of their Victory me 15,000 ft above the quiet Countryside of Southern Britain never in the field of human conflict when so much owed by so many to so few defeated by day the Germans attacked by Night Britain faced the agony of the blitz again that voice rallied men to resist we will have no truce or barley with you or the grizzly gang who work your wicked will you do your worst and we will do our best the Germans bombed city after City but they dared not risk that short Channel Crossing to invade Churchill's England he gave thanks at St Paul's that the island Fortress had held [Music] firm now came the first of his historic wartime Journeys in 1941 he sailed across the Atlantic in the Prince of Wales to meet the president of the United States in a quiet Bay on the coast of New [Music] Foundland greets his great friend and partner president Rosevelt America not yet at war is making herself the arsenal of democracy us the tool and we will finish the job the American Alliance was firmly based on his personal friendship with the president and on his own affection for the United States of America and soon for the first time a British prime minister addressed a joint session of [Music] Congress uh I cannot help for reflecting that if my father had been American and my mother British instead of the other way around I might have got here on my own [Applause] he went North to speak to the Canadian Parliament at Ottawa his speeches had now become far more than formal oratory they were among the most powerful of the Allies War weapons the peoples of the British Empire may love peace they do not seek the lands or wealth of any country but they are a tough and Hardy lot we have not Jed Jed all this way across the centuries across the oceans across the mountains across the Prairies because we are made of sugar candy he reminded the millions listening throughout the world of his words to the tottering French government back in 1940 when I warned them that Britain would fight on alone whatever they did their generals told their prime minister and his divided cabinet in three weeks England will have her neck run like a chicken some chicken some neck [Applause] the war had now reached its most critical stage Hitler was pushing deep into Soviet Russia [Music] Churchill flying back from America could not resist taking a turn at the controls in August 1942 he met Stalin in Moscow as the German offensive faltered around Stalingrad now at last the tide had turned in the desert Churchill saw The Men Who under General Montgomery was soon to win the victory at El alamine [Music] the advance swept on to Tripoli and then at Tunis came the first of the victory parades the darkest days of the war were over General Alexander reported the Germans eliminated from North Africa and ended his telegram I now await your further instructions the Allies could advance to the liberation of Europe itself and when once again Churchill addressed the United States Congress he had a triumphant message to give the African War is Over musolini African Empire and Corporal Hitler strategy are alike exploding June the 6th 1944 the Allied Forces successfully landed on the soil of France and one of the most welcome of visitors just 6 days later was the Prime Minister and nothing could have given him more satisfaction than to stand at last amid the broken defenses of the zre line he had already seen the liberation of the great City of Paris he had never despaired of it even in the dark days of 1940 when that day Dawns and Dawn it will the soul of France will turn with comprehension and with kindness to those Frenchmen and French women wherever they may be who in The Darkest Hour did not despair of the Republican but General de go he rod in Triumph through the [Music] city March 1945 Churchill crossed the Rind and then a few weeks later on May the 8th he made this announcement hostilities will end of officially at 1 minute after midnight tonight Tuesday the 8th of [Music] [Applause] [Music] May Victory Parade in London in June 1946 Churchill sits beside his successor Britain's new prime minister then Mr at though for a moment the workings of the Democracy he cherished had taken power from him Churchill still held the warm personal affection of the man in the street even out of office this man of so many talents never lost his warm human Gusto for the smaller pleasures of life he found new Delight in his painting his canvases went on exhibition in the world's great cities the historian of mbra and the first world war took up his pen again to write the history of the Second World War and of the English-speaking peoples a great Statesman who had upheld all Britain by his example could sit quietly in his garden at Chartwell in Kent and where the hands that had controlled the destiny of the world feed his friends the [Music] birds he goes to a family occasion at his Parish church at Westrom for the christening of his fifth grandchild the son of Mr and Mrs Christopher S [Music] but the 1951 election brought the old Warrior back into power at the age of 76 at Chartwell he receives the premier of France Mr mes France then in 1952 came the death of King George V 6 and the young Queen flew back from Africa so to the splendors of the coronation so Winston and Lady Churchill drove in their coronation robes to Westminster [Music] ABY as he walked in the procession to the Great West door he seemed the embodiment of all the glories trials and triumphs of our long history the gter ceremony at Windsor Castle now he had been knighted the honors were thick upon Him Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill Knight of the most noble order of the G one of Her Majesty's privy counselors member of the order of Merit companion of Honor elder brother of Trinity house Warden of the sing ports and Member of Parliament Member of Parliament of all the Honors that had been bestowed on him he was proudest of the fact that from 1900 the beginning of this Century he had sat in the British House of Commons now on his 80th birthday he was still prime minister and members of both houses United to offer him a token of their profound admiration and affection he came down the long stairway that leads to the ancient Hall of Westminster where he was to be presented with his portrait painted by Graham sou Atley presented the picture [Applause] the portrait is a remarkable example of Modern [Applause] Art it's they combin force and Candy these are qualities which no active member of either house can do without or should fear to meet I am now nearing the end of my journey I hope I still have some services to render however that may be and whatever May befall I am sure I shall never forget the emotions of this day or be able fully to express my gratitude to those colleagues and companions with whom I have lived my life for this wonderful honor they have done me [Music] all through his life Sir Winston had the devoted support of a remarkable woman in 198 he had married Miss Clementine hos who can assess what he and we too owe to her help and support and to her insight into his character [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] in his last years s Winston always made a special effort to go to his old school Harrow on Speech day the torch which had blazed so brightly was being handed on in the century Yet to Come many a boy of today would be able to tell his grandchildren I saw [Music] Church all possible honors were his but his greatest Memorial is surely this that as long as men cherish Freedom he will be remembered [Music]