They say Winston Churchill carried a handgun

[a425couple]

ohn Broderick
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Medical billing and coding specialist from National Career Institute
(Graduated 2012)23h
It is better to have it and not need it. Then need it and not have it.

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Henry Foley
Former Former Guardsman at Household Division (British Army) (1979–1985)3y
Does the British Prime Minister carry a pistol for self-defence in case
his bodyguards got taken out and the assassins were coming for him? Can
he keep a gun at 10 Downing Street for protection?

I think Winston Churchill was the only Prime Minister to carry a pistol,
and was known as a great shot.

An interview on TV many years ago with Churchill's body guard. He said
that Winny practised with the 1911 regularly. According to the guard,
quote, "If they got within 100 yards of the PM, they were dead men".
Interviewer: "100 yards"? Guard: "100 bloody yards".

Churchill got his first firearm’s certificate on the 9th Dec 1920, it
was renewed in 1929 and was maintained until his death in 1965.


The Colt 45 1911 model was the weapon he may or may not of carried in
his coat pocket. There were apparently twenty assassination attempts on
Churchill.

“I trust some time will pass before I have need of it. It is, as the
Americans say, not a thing you often want, but when you do, you want it
badly.” Winston Churchill

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John Broderick
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[The Horny Goat]

On Fri, 15 Nov 2024 15:35:05 -0800, a425couple

Post by a425couple
Former Former Guardsman at Household Division (British Army) (1979–1985)3y
Does the British Prime Minister carry a pistol for self-defence in case
his bodyguards got taken out and the assassins were coming for him? Can
he keep a gun at 10 Downing Street for protection?
I think Winston Churchill was the only Prime Minister to carry a pistol,
and was known as a great shot.
An interview on TV many years ago with Churchill's body guard. He said
that Winny practised with the 1911 regularly. According to the guard,
quote, "If they got within 100 yards of the PM, they were dead men".
Interviewer: "100 yards"? Guard: "100 bloody yards".

On the other hand besides Churchill, what other 20th century Prime
Ministers had served in uniform? (In the 19th century I would think
the Duke of Wellington who was PM 1828-1830 would qualify as having
served...)

In other words how many prime ministers could be expected to know how
to use a firearm? (Somehow I doubt that would apply to the most recent
PMs: Starmer, Sunak, Truss or Johnson)

My point is 'carrying' when you don't have the training to use it
would be more a hazard to one's self during a true emergency.
Which is why I didn't have one and prior to our marriage my late wife
DID. (She was a target shooter in her single days)