The name of Winston Churchill is synonymous with military history, parliamentary politics and the defeat of Adolf Hitler. But Churchill’s political career spanned six decades, and during that time he was also a hunter and sportsman. In fact, he was quite an expert shooter. He created a shooting school and popularized his own method of game hunting. He also wrote a book about it, the quintessential work on English sporting shotguns still in print today.
Churchill shooting is a method of aiming and firing that relies on instinct rather than conscious lead. It allows the shooter to match his or her gun to the speed of the target, eliminating the need for different amounts of lead needed for faster or slower targets. Churchill himself was a top pigeon shooter and his gunmaking company is famous worldwide for its Churchill wingshooting models.
A Churchill-style shotgun has a short barrel and high tapered rib that, when aiming a grouse, makes the gun seem longer. These features enable a grouse shooter to quickly move the gun up and down to get in the best position for the bird, while still having the ability to hold on to the gun with one hand. This method of shooting works well for fast-moving birds such as grouse and pheasants.
It was this style of shooting that Churchill used in battle and, in his writings, he called it the “Churchill method.” The British government commissioned Churchill to write a manual of this type of shooting for its soldiers so that they could better engage the enemy on the battlefield. Churchill completed the manual just before his death.
The manual contained many practical tips and techniques to improve a soldier’s efficiency in the field. Churchill was so fond of this manual that he had copies made for all of the British Army.
As the Great War progressed, Churchill was an advocate of new technology for warfare, funding better tanks and airplanes. After World War I, he was one of the most vocal opponents of Hitler’s Nazi tyranny. He remained a tireless defender of liberty and freedom until his 90th birthday, when he died from a thrombosis caused by a fall on the stairs at his home in January 1965.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WTVF) — Police are searching each classroom at Winston Churchill Collegiate after an armed man was reported to be on campus Monday morning. The gunman was located in a school parking lot and has been detained, but no injuries have been reported.
A parent of two students at the school says they are not afraid, but angry about what happened. Nick Koziatek tells WTVF that they were preparing for an upcoming field trip, but are now concerned about the safety of their children.
Police were notified of the incident at around 8 a.m. and surrounded the school. Students were placed in lockdown and classes have been cancelled for the rest of the day. 680News has a crew on the scene and will be providing live updates as we receive them. Churchill shooting