WE SHALL fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender....”

Such stirring speeches from the prime minister during the Second World War inspired the British people in the dark days of the forties and marked Sir Winston Churchill as one of the most influential men in this country’s history.

While overseeing the victory over Nazi Germany, Churchill, was naturally heavily protected wherever he went and Bygones learned this week that his bodyguard through WWII was a soldier born in Blackburn.

Here is a picture of Jack Ormerod, bottom left, who was born in Kay Street, off Bolton Road, just before the First World War.

It’s been sent to us by Michael Ansbro of Blackburn, whose mother May was Jack’s sister.

She always had his photograph on show and Michael remembers his uncle visiting the family home when he was young.

He said: “I don’t remember too much about him and I would love to find out more; I know he moved to London before the war and was connected with the army, but why or how he became bodyguard to Churchill, I have no idea.”

In this photograph, Jack, is attending Churchill after he opened a services club in Berlin called the Winston Club for the 7th Armoured Division, better known as the Desert Rats.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century, Churchill was born in 1874 and lived to the age of 90 – this week marks the 50th anniversary of his death, on January 24, 1965.

His victory in WWII was followed by him losing the 1945 General Election and the photo on the right shows him addressing a crowd of 10,000 at Burnley’s Turf Moor football ground.

With him in the open topped Humber which sped him on his whistle-stop tour of the country are candidates Richard Fort, Clitheroe, Lt H Nicholls, Nelson and Colne, and Major HM Milnes, Burnley.

He had also visited Burnley in 1927 – above, centre – when, as chancellor of the exchequer, he supported the prospective parliamentary candidate Mr Fairburn, on the right.

After lunch at the Savoy Cafe, he moved on to the Palace Theatre for a public meeting at which he was the main speaker. He was the victim of dissent from the public gallery, packed with Burnley miners who had tasted defeat in a seven month dispute in the general strike of 1926.

At the end the old political campaigner thanked them for their ‘courteous behaviour’ in an event which highlighted democracy in action.