All that stood between the British Prime Minister and an assassin's bullet was grocer and former Special Branch man, Walter Thompson: "My assignment day and night was guarding the life of Winston Churchill."

In 'Beside the Bulldog', a collection of Thompson's most entertaining and astonishing memories of Churchill from the time of their first meeting in 1921, Thompson describes the extraordinary experience of trying to protect his stubborn and mischievous boss.

With an acute eye and ready wit Thompson observes Churchill in his daily life, being ingenious, impetuous, irritating and unpredictable, but, above all, an inspired leader. Thompson's respect for the man he called 'Father' was unbounded: "There was no recoil in Churchill. If things didn't give, he took the blow and pushed on in for another."