Menu for the twenty-sixth annual Balaclava Dinner, Dance and Reunion of Members of the 4th 'Queen’s Own' Hussars Regimental Association, four pages on two adjoining sheets, 3.75 x 6, held on October 22, 1938, signed on the back page in pencil, “W. Churchill.” In very good condition, with mild to moderate soiling and staining to the front and back covers, passing through the first few letters of Churchill’s name.
The 4th Queen’s Own Hussars were established in 1685, carving for itself a rich history that included the Charge of the Light Brigade. In 1895, the 20-year-old Churchill was commissioned in the regiment, with his attachment taking him to Cuba, where he witnessed his first battle, and the following year to India, Egypt, and other posts. Six days before he gathered to reminisce with his fellow veterans at this 1938 affair, Churchill gave an impassioned speech entitled 'The Defense of Freedom and Peace' in which he addressed all US citizens, imploring Americans—and the world—to take note of the mounting threat posed by Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. He was critical of world leaders who stood by and allowed Hitler to annex the Sudetenland, and questioned, 'Can peace, goodwill, and confidence be built upon submission to wrong-doing backed by force?' A menu from a reunion for a centuries old armed force, signed on the verge of a world war by one of the century’s greatest leaders.
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