- Contributed by听
- Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies HALS
- People in story:听
- William Dunham, Winston Churchill,
- Location of story:听
- Kings Langley, Hertfordshire
- Background to story:听
- Civilian Force
- Article ID:听
- A3726209
- Contributed on:听
- 28 February 2005
William Dunham (this story contributor's father) was the Sergeant in the Kings Langley Special Police during the war. One evening when he was out on duty, one of the constables tried to contact him, and left a message at his home to ring the Rose & Crown pub urgently.
When Sgt Dunham arrived at the Rose and Crown he found that the army had set up a road diversion near to the pub (along Church Lane, Nash Mills Lane, and rejoining the A41 at Rucklers Lane) as they suspected dropped bombs in the area. Only local residents were allowed access to their homes.
The constable was having an altercation with the driver of a car, who said that he had a VIP in the back, and insisted on being allowed past the barricade. The constable retorted 'I don't care if you've got the King of England in the back, you can't come down here'.
A voice from the back asked what the problem was and Sgt Dunham put his head through the car window to explain about the diversion. It was then that he realised that the VIP in the back of the car was none other than Winston Churchill! The Prime Minister told the driver to follow the diversion and off they went.
Winston Churchill often took different routes home to Chequers as a precautionary measure.
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