Beschreibung:

CHURCHILL, Winston S. Autograph letter signed to [John] French [later 1st Earl of Ypres, commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force in France], Admiralty, 17 November 1914, 3 pages, 8vo , bifolium; with an enclosure, a carbon copy intelligence report of 15 November 1914, one page, 4to .
CHURCHILL, Winston S. Autograph letter signed to [John] French [later 1st Earl of Ypres, commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force in France], Admiralty, 17 November 1914, 3 pages, 8vo , bifolium; with an enclosure, a carbon copy intelligence report of 15 November 1914, one page, 4to . AN ARMOURED MOTOR CAR REGIMENT: Churchill declares himself 'far advanced' with the formation of the regiment, which 'will comprise 8 squadrons of 15 cars each -- 6 light with maxims, 2 heavy with 3 p[ounde]rs', though he is disappointed that 'you now attach very little value to armoured cars ... No doubt during this period of deadlock & siege lines there is no scope, but the moment you move forward or back the use & convenience of these engines shd be apparent'; if French does not in the end wish to use the force, it can work with the Belgians. He concludes by observing that 'The continued prowess & valour of the army is wonderful', noting his anxiety about his brother Jack, who is departing with the territorials. Churchill's interest in armoured cars presages his key role in sponsoring the development of the tank in the following year, which, curiously, took place under the aegis of the Admiralty, rather than under Kitchener's more sceptical War Office. Writings of Sir Winston Churchill © Estate of Winston S. Churchill (2)