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Auction: 18038 - Autographs, Historical Documents, Ephemera and Postal History
Lot: 3100

Autographs
Sir Winston Churchill
1945 (29 November) typed letter to Admiral Sir Rudolf Burmester from Chartwell. He is kindly declining an invitation to dine with the Royal Navy Club the following February as he was going to be out of the country. Signed "Yours etc. Winston S. Churchill". Sunk mounted and shows some light ageing. Photo

In February 1946 Churchill sailed on the Queen Elizabeth to New York and then took a train to Miami, where a Montreal friend had lent him his home for some sun and sand before meeting President Truman in Washington. He took many hours preparing his “Iron Curtain” speech at Fulton, Missouri, on March 5, 1946. This speech ranks as one of the most famous and consequential speeches ever made by someone out of high office.


Admiral Sir Rudolf Burmester, K.B.E., C.B., C.M.G. (1875 – 1956) had an illustrious career as a Royal Navy officer. He served in World War 1, was Captain of H.M.S. Euryalus and was mentioned in dispatches as a result of services at Gallipoli. He was Chief of Staff of H.M.S. Victory 1920-22. From 1923-24 he was Commanding Officer of H.M.S. Warspite. Concurrently with his command of H.M.S. Warspite he was ADC to King George V. From 1928-31 he was Commander-in-Chief, Africa Station, H.M.S. Calcutta based in South Africa. In 1940 he was recalled to active service to participate in World War II, and was Flag Officer in Charge of H.M.S. Lucifer.


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Sold for
£580