Walter Thompson (Winston Churchill's personal bodyguard)

One man knew him better than anyone else. That man was his personal bodyguard Walter Thompson. A former Scotland Yard detective, Thompson accompanied Winston Churchill everywhere during 18 years service. Together they rode with Lawrence of Arabia, dodged German assassins, were nearly shot down by enemy aircraft, lone gunmen, U-boats and IRA hitmen. They travelled thousands of miles on precarious journeys to meet Stalin, Roosevelt and other world leaders.

Exiting Fact

Thompson grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Brixton, South London. One of a family of thirteen children, he worked a number of jobs before becoming a police officer. He initially operated out of the Paddington Green police station. When the suffragette movement exploded, the police expanded the Special Branch. Thompson took the admission test and passed, later becoming part of the huge surveillance effort, by Special Branch, of the suffragette movement, during which he got to know most of the women’s rights leaders. He eventually moved on to tracking anarchists and other foreign threats before he moved to the protection detail. Thompson was initially assigned to Churchill in 1921 and worked with him until his retirement in 1935.

Walter was eagle eyed and worked as a detective before working for Churchill

1890-1978

He died of cancer