Quote Originally Posted by rotorgun View Post
Thanks Tribe. Maybe they should have put Ole' Winney in a Swordfish during the attack on the Bismark. Then he might have thought twice about the invulnerability of capital ships to aircraft.
Never imagine that Churchill would be dissuaded by a practical demonstration of danger. His follies as PM were many, disregard for personal safety being one of them. If someone suggested putting him in a Swordfish for an attack on the Bismarck, he'd likely be thrilled by the prospect of getting a front seat for a shafting of the Germans. Remember he wanted to be over the beaches on D-Day, overruling his staff's protests, and was only dissuaded when the King insisted on being on the same plane if he was going.

One of my favourite stories involves Churchill dining on the side of the Rhine with his chief of staff, while the frontline was not far off. After the dinner, he calmly walked to the riverbank, undid his trousers, and pissed in the Rhine.