TLS signed “Clementine S. Churchill,” one page, 7.5 x 9.5, 28, Hyde Park Gate, London, S. W. 7 letterhead, August 28, 1947. The Baroness pens the greeting, “Dear Madame Torres,” and writes, in full: “I understand your sorrow about all that is happening in connection with Palestine and I regret that I must tell you that my Husband does not think he could intervene with the present Government with any success. Will you please accept my sincere and deep condolences in the death of your young Husband?” A central horizontal and vertical fold, the latter passing through the beginning of the signature, some light creasing, and faint mirroring towards the bottom edge from the print of the letterhead, otherwise fine condition.
Tensions between British soldiers and the Jewish population rose as the Jewish underground armies renewed efforts to overthrow British rule in 1947. Violence broke out between police, soldiers, and the Jewish underground in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other Jewish communities in July which resulted in at least five deaths and many more casualties among civilians as well as the military, police and extremists. When USS Exodus was rammed by a British destroyer, killing three Jewish passengers and resulting in the deportation of 4,500 Jewish Holocaust survivors to France, the violence exploded.
Against the looming threat of war in Palestine, Madame Torres' wrote to Winston Churchill's wife, Clementine, to intercede in the Palestine issue with the British government. On August 28, 1947, Churchill sent her sympathies to Torres on the death of her husband, but informed her that "my Husband does not think he could intervene with the present Government with any success." Churchill had lost his influence at Parliament when the Labour Party roundly defeated the Conservative Party and Clement Attlee became prime minister. The United Nations called for the immediate termination of the mandate and a separate Jewish and Arab state created under international control. On November 27, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly approved the partition and one day before the British Mandate expired, David Ben-Gurion, announced the birth of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948 on the ancient lands of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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