The Story Behind The Roaring Lion!

On this day (30th Dec) in 1941, one of the most famous portrait photographs was taken.

This is The Roaring Lion, a portrait of Winston Churchill shot by Yousuf Karsh.

Churchill.jpg

Yousuf tells us in his book how that day unfolded. He was waiting for Churchill to finish his speech to the Canadian Parliament.

He was in no mood for portraiture and two minutes were all that he would allow me.

Churchill proceeded to pull out a cigar and starting chomping on it as he did.

Churchill’s cigar was ever present. I held out an ashtray, but he would not dispose of it. I went back to my camera and made sure that everything was all right technically. I waited; he continued to chomp vigorously at his cigar. I waited. Then I stepped toward him and, without premeditation, but ever so respectfully, I said, “Forgive me, sir,” and plucked the cigar out of his mouth. By the time I got back to my camera, he looked so belligerent he could have devoured me. It was at that instant that I took the photograph.

By plucking the cigar from Churchill’s mouth without permission, Karsh was able to create this now world famous photograph. His facial expression is a direct result of his being annoyed by the photographer!

It was said that Churchill exclaimed, “You can even make a roaring lion stand still to be photographed”.

Thus, Karsh titled the photo, The Roaring Lion.

Monty's Soldiers

I’d like to share with you a picture of my Grandfather, Ronald Shrubsole. 

He was just 18 when this was taken.  Though he is no longer with us, I hope he won’t mind me saying
in public that he didn’t look this fresh-faced and enthusiastic when he returned home from the war.

He was with the 8th Army, fighting in Africa and then Italy in the Second World War.

It was clear to me from having spoken with members of my family that the war had a profound effect on Ron—he wasn’t the man he was when he left south London.  He never spoke about his wartime service, only giving very small insights to my Dad as he reached his eighties.

These are special images and help us keep the stories alive of those special people that gave everything to fight for freedom.

Second World War Soldier Shrubsole