Winston Churchill climbs over the wreckage of the railway bridge at Wesel on the 24th March 1945. The area of the bridge was under shell fire at this time and German snipers were still active in the vicinity. Churchill's behaviour on this day, seemingly going to any length to expose himself to enemy fire, was noted by another visiting dignitary, Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, who felt that Churchill was trying to get himself killed in the hour of his glory, like some hero of antiquity. A worried General Simpson, Commander of the 9th US Army, was present as this photograph was taken and he decided, with shells now falling either side of the bridge and on the road behind it, that he did not wish to be held personally responsible for Churchill's death, and so he politely ordered him off it. Churchill, clearly disappointed, paused for a moment, but finally consented. Copyright: Imperial War Museum.