With Winston Churchill at the Front: Winston in the Trenches 1916

Following his resignation from the Government after the disastrous Gallipoli campaign, Winston Churchills political career stalled. Never one to give in, Churchill was determined to continue fighting the enemy. He was already a Major in the Territorial Reserve and he was offered promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and with it command of a battalion on the Western Front. On 5 January 1916, Churchill took up his new post with the 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. The battalions adjutant was Captain Alexander Dewar Gibb who formed a close relationship with Churchill that lasted far beyond their few weeks together in the war. Dewar Gibb subsequently wrote an account of his and Churchills time together in the trenches. Packed with amusing anecdotes and fascinating detail, Gibbs story shows an entirely different side to Churchills character from the forceful public figure normally presented to the world. Churchill proved to be a caring and compassionate commander and utterly fearless. Despised on his arrival, by the time he departed he was adored by his men. Supplemented with many of Churchills letters, the observations of other officers and additional narrative this is the most unusual and absorbing account of this part of Churchill’s life that has ever been told. AUTHOR: Following graduation, Gibb became a member of the Scottish Bar in 1914. During his service with the Royal Scots he reached the rank of Major. After the war he continued with his legal career. Andrew Dewar Gibb was also a founder member and leader of the Scottish National Party. He died in Glasgow on 24 January 1974 agedeighty-five.