Description
Churchill’s Bodyguard The Complete Series
Narrated by Robert Powell
Featuring the voice of Dennis Waterman as Walter
OPTIONAL SUBTITLES.
4 discs. Drama. Colour/Black & White. Year: 2008. Running time approx: 10 hours.
Director: Philip Nugus.
In almost any piece of film of Britain’s great wartime leader, there is an anonymous and secret man in the background, his critical role to save Churchill from a series of attacks hidden
from the wider public. After the war, Walter Thompson’s book told just part of the story – his full memoirs were suppressed even by Churchill himself. Only now can the number
of assassination attempts on Churchill be revealed, many foiled by Walter.
This 13-episode DVD, with unique access to these memoirs, reveals the story of Walter’s life with Winston, the precarious journeys to meet Stalin, Roosevelt and other world leaders and their travels with Lawrence of Arabia – all against the backdrop of political upheaval and Churchill’s frequent brushes with death.
Detective Inspector Walter Henry Thompson BEM, (3 December 1890 – 18 January 1978), was a British police officer who is best known as the bodyguard of Winston Churchill for eighteen years, between 1921 and 1935; and between 1939 and 1945 during World War II. Thompson reportedly saved Churchill’s life on numerous occasions. In this fascinating series we learn how Walter saved Churchill from the IRA. Later, he accompanied Churchill on an exotic journey to the Middle East for the Cairo Conference, where, together with Lawrence of Arabia, he protected Churchill’s life. On a visit to the USA and the Bahamas, Churchill was again nearly killed; and in India, he was again in the line of fire. Later, an invitation to the Duke of Windsor’s villa in Antibes created an opportunity for a German sniper team. Missing death by seconds, and avoiding U-boats and bombs, Walter also saved Churchill’s life on the roof of Downing Street. During the Blitz, The Prime Minister was nearly stabbed by an enraged pro-Nazi French Countess, and, back in the USA, a madman with a loaded revolver was arrested yards from Churchill as he was about to board a flying boat. Hitler gave the go-ahead to assassinate Churchill using a suicide parachute squad; Churchill survived this attack, but subsequently became seriously ill and stopped breathing. With no doctor available, Walter managed to resuscitate him. Walter faced every danger alongside Churchill, until their official parting and an amazing revelation from the Prime Minister himself.
