Victory 1945 and the Churchill Connection

Victoire 1945 - commemorating the anniversary of VE-Day (8 May 1945) and the end of the Second World War after the defeat and capitulation of Nazi Germany - is a holiday in France. Monaco, a non-combatant nation in that conflict (though occupied by the Germans), celebrated the event in the Maison de France, 42 Rue Grimaldi at 11h30 on Friday 8 May, where the British Association and the Royal British Legion were represented. Members also attended parades at nearby war memorials in France, notably at the Monument aux Morts in Nice, close to the harbour. 

 A further ‘patriotic’ anniversary falls on Tuesday 19 May, the 40th anniversary of the inauguration of the Winston Churchill bust in Avenue Grande Bretagne, Monte-Carlo by the British Ambassador, the late Sir Christopher Soames, and Lady Soames (daughter of Sir Winston), in the presence of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace.  Churchill had a long association with the Principality from 1921 until his death: in the 1930s he painted many canvasses of villas and gardens on Cap Martin; in the 1950s and 60s he spent long periods painting at Lord Beaverbrook’s villa La Capponcina in Cap d’Ail and at the villa La Pausa in Roquebrune Village, owned by his publisher Emery Reeves; and, on resigning from the office of Prime Minister in 1955, and wishing to retire to the Cote d’Azur, he tried to purchase from the Société des Bains de Mer his ‘dream villa’ La Vigie (next to the Monte Carlo Beach ), which, in recent years, has been occupied by fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld. Churchill’s last Riviera visit was in 1963, aged 87, to stay again at the Hotel de Paris before embarking Aristotle Onassis’ yacht Christina for a cruise to Sardinia, Corfu and Athens. He died in London on 24 January 1965, aged 90. 

(Photo Credits: For the bust photo: “Archives du Palais Princier – photo Detaille.” For the group photo: (from left to right: Sculptor Oscar Nemon, Lady Soames, Sir Christopher Soames, Princess Grace, Prince Rainier): “Archives du Palais Princier – photo Robert de Hoé”.)

The BAM suggested to the Monaco government that a street be renamed after ‘the Greatest Englishman’, but the final result was the bronze bust by the Croatian-born sculptor, Oscar Nemon (1906-1985), which is ideally positioned near St Paul’s Anglican Church, from where a procession is made every Remembrance Sunday, to lay a commemorative wreath at the foot of the sculpture, in honour of our wartime Prime Minister. The site was provided by the Mairie de Monaco and the bust financed by Mr A.J. Hines, an admirer of Sir Winston (does anyone know who Mr Hines is/was?).

The inspiring inscription on the sculpture’s plinth, in English and French, is taken from Churchill’s History of the Second World War :

IN WAR: RESOLUTION

IN DEFEAT: DEFIANCE

IN VICTORY: MAGNANIMITY

IN PEACE: GOODWILL.

How fitting that the School Song of his Alma Mater, Harrow, should be called Forty Years On ; for, as we celebrate the sculpture’s fortieth anniversary, we see more clearly than ever before how our freedom and prosperity, which we Brits and all of Europe have enjoyed since the Second World War, are thanks to

Sir Winston S. Churchill KG OM CH TD FRS PC