Winston Churchill - Death

Winston Churchill died on 24 January 1965.

In 1953, after the Prime Minister suffered his first stroke, the Queen asked the Earl Marshal in charge of state funerals to prepare for the event Churchill should die abruptly. Preparations for a great funeral were under way and with the notorious British dry humour, the plan was called "Operation Hope Not"...

Even though Churchill had an additional 7 strokes, he thwarted that plan by living for another 12 years, all the while, maintaining his drinking and smoking habit! Here's an excerpt from Andrew Roberts' great biography: "When I was younger I made it a rule never to take strong drink before lunch", Churchill told the King in January 1952. "It is now my rule never to do so before breakfast"...

Over one hundred world leaders attended his funeral and paid their homage to one of the last giants in World history. The notable absentee was U.S. President Lyndon Johnson who could not fly due to health reasons though an American delegation represented him.