In May 1940, Sir Charles McMoran Wilson (later Lord Moran) was on the instigation of Lord Max Beaverbrook and Brendan Bracken, (both patients, then friends of Wilson) introduced to Winston Churchill. Thereafter, he remained Churchill’s personal physician until Churchill’s death. In his controversial book detailing Winston Churchill’s health, Lord Moran refers briefly to two doctors resident in Monaco, who were involved in the management of Churchill’s declining health from 1949. One was Scottish, Herbert Robert Burnett Gibson and the other Welsh, Dafydd Myrddin Roberts. The military and civilian careers of these doctors are profiled here.
LovellR. Churchill’s doctor. A biography of Lord Moran, London, UK: Royal Society of Medicine Services Limited, 1992, pp. 155, 157.
2.
Lord Moran. Winston Churchill: the struggle for survival 1940/1965, London: Sphere, 1968, pp. 357,739,769,770.
3.
Ibid., p.357.
4.
‘Mr Churchill Indisposed’. The Times. 26 August 1949, p.4.
5.
Moran, op. cit. (Note 2), p.646.
6.
BrainWR. Encounters with Winston Churchill. Med History2000; 44: 3–20.
7.
Centre for Research Collections. Edinburgh University Library, Medical Graduates 1908, Shelf Mark EUA1NI/ADS/STA/8, (personal communication, 2015).
8.
‘The Services. Indian Medical Service’ Examination 31 July for 21 commissions, 48 candidates. BMJ 1909; 2: 354.
9.
CrawfordDG. Roll of the Indian Medical Service 1615–1930, London, UK: W.Thacker and Co, 1930, pp. 552–552. HRB Gibson entry G 517.
10.
Plumridge JH. Hospital ships and ambulance trains. London, UK: Seeley, Service and Co, 1975, Appendix C, p.167, Hospital Ship Dongola, period of service 25 May 1915–11 July1919 accommodation 506. Appendix D, p.169 Hospital Ships in the Gallipoli Campaign 1915/1916.
11.
ibid., Appendix C, p.166, HMHS Syria, service 2 October 1914–10 February 1920.
12.
HMHS Syria served as a hospital ship in Mesopotamia with accommodation for 397 casualties.
13.
Herbert Robert Burnett Gibson, Service record British Library, Asia, Pacific and Africa Collection, India Office Records and Private Papers IOR/L/MIL/14/15478.
14.
Gibson HRB. Military hospital ships: practical notes for medical officers on selection, equipment, organization and administration of a military hospital ship. MD Thesis, University of Edinburgh Graduate Index, Edinburgh University Calendar, 1922 for December 1921, 1921.
Arnold Beaver death 7 April at Hôtel Windsor, Monte Carlo. The Times, 11 April 1924, p.1.
18.
Gibson, op. cit. (Note 13).
19.
Mentioned in dispatches. Mesopotamia. Indian Medical Service, Captain (Acting Lieut-Colonel) H R B Gibson, M.B. BMJ 1917; 2: 268.
20.
The Services. Honours. Mentioned for Services with the Bushire Force Persia Captain (acting Lieut-Colonel) H R B Gibson, IMS. BMJ 1920; 1: 240.
21.
The Services. Honours. Mentioned in dispatches, South Persia, Captain (Acting Lieut-Colonel) H R B Gibson, IMS. BMJ 1920; 1: 755.
22.
London Gazette Major H R B Gibson granted the rank Lt- Colonel (22 December 1926). The Times, 7 April 1928, p.7.
23.
Practitioners Resident Abroad; Herbert Robt Burnett Gibson. The medical directory. London, UK: J & A Churchill, 1930, p.1811 (Winter Palace and 18 Harley St).
24.
Practitioners Resident Abroad. Herbert Robt Burnett Gibson. The medical directory. London, UK: J & A Churchill Ltd, 1931, p.1829.
25.
Registered Practitioners Resident Abroad, Herbert Robt Burnett Gibson. The medical directory. London, UK: J & A Churchill Ltd, 1938, p.1978.
26.
Tim Everitt (2015, personal communication). His relocation to Monaco possibly reflecting his preference for hot climates; he also spoke fluent French; also his wife may have been acquainted with Monaco, prior to 1924 when her first husband died there.
27.
Plumridge, op. cit.(Note 10) Appendix E, p.171, SS Tairea in 1940 converted into Hospital Ship No 35 (506 beds, 120 medical staff, 175 crew).
28.
Mentioned in Recognition of Distinguished Services in the Middle East, during the period February 1941–July 1941, Supplement to the London Gazette, 30 December 1941, p.7356.
29.
Repatriated war prisoners. Arrival in Alexandria. The Times, 24 April 1943, p.4.
30.
British and Italian prisoners. Another exchange. The Times, 11 May 1943, p.3.
31.
Yencken J. An exchange of prisoners of war in Spain. Australian Diplomat’s wife describes a very human scene in Barcelona. The Argus (Melbourne, Vic: 1848–1957), 4 March 1944, Supplement, p.3.
32.
Everitt, op. cit. (Note 26), 1939–1945 Star with rank Lt- Col, Africa Star with 8th Army Bar clasp with rank Lt- Col, Italy Star rank Lt- Col, Defence medal rank Lt- Col, War Medal 1939–1945 with oak-leaf (mentioned in dispatches) rank Lt -Col. All medals marked IMS.
33.
GibsonHRB. Practitioners resident abroad, Winter Palace. The medical directory, London, UK: J & A Churchill Ltd, 1946, pp. 2109–2109.
34.
Gibson HRB. Intravenous administration of salvarsan. Indian Medical Gazette 1911.
35.
GibsonHRB. Anesthésie générale a l’evipan sodique, jointly. Revue de Laryngologie Otologie Rhinologie (Bord)1934; 55.
36.
GibsonHRB. Points from letters Use and abuse of vitamins. BMJ1950; 1: 252–252.
GibsonHRB. Correspondence, The Pill Box Mystery. BMJ1957; 1: 645–645.
39.
GibsonHRB. Correspondence, Herpes Zoster and varicella. BMJ1959; 2: 887–887.
40.
GibsonHRB. Correspondence, falls in old age. BMJ1961; 1: 55–55.
41.
GibsonHRB. Correspondence, the drinking driver. BMJ1965; 1: 248–248.
42.
Nancy Riach’s death may not be due to paralysis. Aberdeen Journal, 16 September 1947, p.4.
43.
Moran, op. cit (Note 2), p.357.
44.
Archives Palais Princier de Monaco (2015, personal communication).
45.
Everitt, op. cit. (Note 26).
46.
Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, Will and Probate, Herbert Robert Burnett Gibson.
47.
Anonymous. Dr RA Beaver. BMJ1975; 3: 103–103.
48.
1911 census, England and Wales, The National Archives.
49.
The Provinces, Dafydd Myrddin Roberts. The medical directory. London, UK: J & A Churchill Ltd, 1938, p.1127.
50.
Dafydd Myrddin Roberts. Service Record, RAF Disclosures, Trenchard Hall, RAF Cranwell.
51.
The Provinces, Dafydd Myrddin Roberts. The medical directory. London, UK: J & A Churchill Ltd, 1946, p.1127.
52.
Dafydd Myrddin Roberts, 14 The Rise, Mount Merrion, Dublin. The medical register. London, UK: General Medical Council, 1952, p.1689.
53.
Dafydd Myrddin Roberts. Villa Sylvie, Cap Fleuri, Cap d'Ail, Alpes Maritime, The medical register. London, UK: General Medical Council, 1953, p.1725.
54.
Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. Divorce decree absolute 27 February 1954 Blackpool County Court Records (No: 53 D 90).
55.
She died on 16 January 1969 at Princesse Grace Hospital, Monaco.
56.
The Medical Register and Medical Directory.
57.
Moran, op. cit. (Note 2), p.859.
58.
GilbertM. Winston S Churchill. Never Despair Vol VIII 1945–1965, London, UK: Minerva, 1990, pp. 485, 1424.
59.
Lovell, op. cit. (Note 1), p.355.
60.
Brain, op. cit. (Note 6), p.9.
61.
SoamesM. Speaking for themselves. The personal letters of Winston and Clementine Churchill, London, UK: Doubleday, 1998, pp. 605, 695.
62.
BeasleyAW. Churchill. The supreme survivor, Somerset: Mercer Books, 2013, pp. 134, 198.
63.
Bulletin on Sir W. Churchill. The Times, 20 February 1958, p.8.
64.
HowellsR. Simply Churchill, London, UK: Robert Hale, 1965, pp. 30–30.
65.
Soames, op. cit. (Note 61), p.605.
66.
BrowneAM. Long sunset. Memoirs of Winston Churchill’s last private secretary, London, UK: Cassell, 1995, pp. 225, 226. Sir Anthony Arthur Duncan Montague Browne, KCMG 2000, CBE 1965, OBE 1955, DFC 1945; 8 May 1923–1 April 2013.
67.
Lovell, op. cit. (Note 1), pp.361–362.
68.
Gilbert, op. cit. (Note 58), p.1211.
69.
Moran, op. cit. (Note 2), pp.739–740.
70.
Churchill Archives, CHUR 1/54, image 52, David Roberts to Lord Moran 25 October 1956.
71.
Sir Winston Churchill “going on well”. The Times, 22 October 1956, p.8.
72.
Churchill Archives, CHUR 1/149, image 23, Clementine Churchill to Dr Roberts, 3 November 1956.
73.
Gilbert, op. cit. (Note 58), p.1230.
74.
Ibid., p.1243.
75.
CHUR 2/530 A-B ,image 59, Winston Churchill to Dr Roberts, 5 December 1957.
76.
CHUR 2/530 A-B, images 57/58, Dr Roberts to Winston Churchill, 10 December 1957.
77.
Invalids. Lady Churchill has had a minor operation to her right foot, and is recovering in a London hospital. The Times, 4 November 1957, p.10.
78.
Op. cit. (Note 63). Bulletin on Sir W. Churchill “Pneumonia at base of lung”. The Times, 20 February 1958, p.8.
79.
Sir W. Churchill gains strength. Satisfactory progress. The Times, 26 February 1958, p.8.
80.
Sir W. Churchill s progress. No more bulletins. The Times, 27 February 1958, p.8.
81.
Op. cit. (Note 79), Lord Evans comments.
82.
Churchill Archives, CHUR 2/530 A-B, image 48/49, David Roberts to Winston Churchill 19 March 1958.
83.
SirW. Churchill progressing doctor’s visits after relapse. The Times. 24 March 1958, p.8.
84.
Harrington POM (2015, personal communication) handwritten letter from Clementine Churchill to Mrs Riley, David Roberts’s mother in law, 2 April 1958.
85.
CHUR 1/149, image 24, Telegram Clementine Churchill to Dr Roberts, 3 April 1958.
86.
Howells, op. cit. (Note 64), p.30.
87.
CHUR 1/149, image 30, undated, refers to extraction left second upper molar tooth.
88.
Harrington POM (2015, personal communication). In 2014, these volumes came on the market and were sold by David Roberts’ son John David Arthur Roberts. The books were accompanied by three Christmas cards, from Winston and Clementine, with paintings by Churchill, one of them signed by Clemmie.
89.
Sir Winston Churchill to Fly Home. Condition good last night. Thigh operation in Monaco. “Resistance is Churchillian”. The Times, 29 June 1962.
90.
Browne, op. cit. (Note 66), p.312.
91.
Howells, op. cit. (Note 64), p.91.
92.
Harrington POM (2015, personal communication), Telegram from Clementine Churchill to David Roberts June/July 1962.
93.
CHUR 1/149, image 25, Anthony Montague Browne to Winston Churchill 20 April 1963 – cigars but not Dr Roberts.
94.
Harrington POM (2015, personal communication), Telegram Winston Churchill to David Roberts, 3 December 1964.
95.
Practitioners Resident Abroad, Dafydd Myrddin Roberts. The medical directory, Part 2 M-Z. London, UK: J & A Churchill Ltd, 1969, p.1616, Le Westmacott, 8 Rue Bellevue MC, M, Phys Princess Grace Hospital, Monaco.
