The Day Winston Churchill Almost Died In New York
A local accident with global consequences and an excuse to drink
“There was one moment — I cannot measure it in time — of a world aglare, of a man aghast. I certainly thought quickly enough to achieve the idea, “I am going to be run down and probably killed.” Then came the blow…But besides the blow there was an impact, a shock, a concussion indescribably violent. Many years ago at “Plugstreet” in Flanders, a 4.2 shell burst in a corner of the little room in which we were gathered for luncheon, reducing all to dust and devastation. This shock was of the same order as the shell explosion. In my case it blotted out everything except thought.”
— Winston Churchill, The Daily Mail, 4/5 January 1932 via WinstonChurchill.org
Many images come to mind when you imagine Winston Churchill. Most likely it’s a thought of a politician leading England in its most critical hour against Nazi Germany.
Consequently, it’s hard to distinguish the man from his legendary surroundings at points. Often, we tend to forget how mortal Churchill was. On a random visit to New York, the world almost found this out firsthand.
A minor mental lapse put Churchill standing in front of a speeding car with devastating consequences in 1931. According to the…
