125 Years Ago Autumn 1898• Age 24 “I Love One above All Others”
Churchill was in love in early October 1898 when he returned to England for two months’ leave. His preoccupation was Pamela Plowden, to whom even his wife Clementine always referred as “your Pamela.” He also began to write The River War, a two-volume work on the campaign he had just completed. It took him fifteen months to complete, compared with just six weeks for The Malakand Field Force.
Before returning to India in early December, Churchill wrote to Pamela on 28 November telling her of his progress and acknowledging the accuracy of some of her earlier criticisms. His reply offers an illuminating insight into how he was perceived by others at that time, as well as how he saw himself:
I will admit that you are quite
