doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Winston Spencer Churchill

As with most research projects, you 'know' the information has to be there given Churchill's record in South Africa and his home at Blenheim. However unearthing reliable, confirmable data is proving perplexing. Other than the reference to the missed stag(s) shots, I have found a picture of him on a boar hunt in France before WW1. I have found 'comments' that he was a 'poor shot' but nothing to confirm or dispute that. His preparation to 'die fighting' if the Germans invaded England in WWII incldued practice with a Thompson SMG, and a Webley MK6 in .455. My next step is to contact the auction houses in the UK and determine if any WSC shotguns or other firearms have ever come to the floor. I had hope that perhaps he had purchased a Churchill shotgun from his very, very, very distant relatives, the gunmaking Churchill's but no records of such.

Thanks very much to all who have responded.

larryguy, In the book the Purdey,s, Winston Churchill is recorded as a customer in 1895.Wanted his rifle regulated!

As I recall from Wm. Manchester, Churchill hunted as a young man, but grew away from it. This is all from memory, but I believe in an early description, Manchester stated that WSC liked to ride and hunt. Later, I believe he states that he had qualms about shooting animals. I may be confused after many years, but that is my memory from the two volumes Manchester wrote (he died before finishing the third).

According to William Manchester's biography of Churchill, the shoulder injury which prevented him from using his sword during the cavalry charge was the reason he was using the pistol and, had he not been using the pistol, he likely would have been killed by a native whom he shot at close (spear-jabbing) range.

I remember seeing a picture of Winston holding a Thompson sub machine in his hands. He had a cigar in his mouth and wearing his hat. It was taken during World War II. The Germans used it for propaganda. They accused him of being a gangster.

Probably looked enough like Edward G. Robinson. The Hollywood films of the 30's gave the Europeans a pretty good image of American gangsters. There's a funny moment (one of many) in a book called "The OSS and I" when Morgan, the author, is teaching French resistance fighters how to fire the .45 from a boxer crouch. One of them remarked "Aha . . . Morgan eez Cheecago Gangstair!"

"Winston hunted as a young man"
Probably hunting foxes on horse-back
The only kind of hunting known in England in Winston's context.
Mike