Winston Churchill & A Catalina Marlin

We went to see the movie Darkest Hour the other day, a movie about Winston Churchill and the obstacles he faced (including Dunkirk) during his first days as Prime Minister of England. It reminded me of an article I had read about Churchill catching a marlin at Catalina.

Churchill Lands Big ‘Un On Brief Catalina Trip

Winston Churchill lived up to his reputation for success in whatever activity he turns his hands to when he went to Catalina Island yesterday and landed a 188-pound marlin swordfish on a fishing trip which lasted only forty-five minutes. His success created something of a stir among the members of the Tuna Club, when he landed at their pier with his trophy, for some of these members have tried unsuccessfully for more than ten years to land a marlin.

The former Chancellor of the Exchequer of Great Britain and his party went to Catalina on Col. Ira O. Copley’s yacht, Happy Days.

While the rest of the party went on the glass-bottomed boat trip to the submarine gardens, Churchill and Ben. R. Meyer boarded Lee Phillip’s fishing launch, the U. R. No. 2, and went out to see what the ocean held for them.

They had not been out long before the distinguished British statesman hooked the marlin. It too twenty minutes to bring the big fish to gaff. It was gaffed by Capt. Monte Foster and the party retired immediately. Directions were given to ship the fish to the Biltmore in this city, where the Churchill party is stopping, and it was said that this probably means a big fish dinner at the hotel tonight.

Accompanying Churchill on his trip to the island were his brother, John S. Churchill, and their sons, respectively, William Randolph Churchill, and John W. Churchill…

Los Angles Times, September 9, 1929

 

 

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