WARTIME TYPED LETTER, SIGNED

London, 1938. Written on Admiralty, Whitehall stationery, 9 1/2" by 7 1/2". Creased to fold into a fourth, to fit envelope. The letter is dated 17 October 1939, just five weeks after he became First Lord of the Admiralty on 3 September 1939, the day that Great Britain declared war on Nazi Germany. The letter is addressed to Commander C.D.O. Shakespear, Royal Navy, expressing pleasure at hearing from him again and knowing that he is serving "in the present emergency". Further states "It is indeed a long time since the days when we cruised in the "Venus". In 1908, they toured the colonial possessions in the Mediterranean together on the "Venus", an Eclipse class cruiser commissioned in 1897. They sailed from Malta to Cypress to Port Said, through Red Sea to Aden. We purchased the letter for our client at Sotheby's in London, 24 July 1995, see catalogue item #445. Churchill was also First Lord of the Admiralty form 1911-1915. Please see photo..