Plane Introductin

3.Milirary service.

In November 1915 Churchill resigned from government, although remained an MP;^[253] Asquith rejected his requested appointment as Governor-General of British East Africa.^[253] Moving into his brother's home in South Kensington, he and his family spent weekends at a Tudor farmhouse near Godalming, Surrey where he took up painting, which became a lifelong hobby.^[254]

In November Churchill joined the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards, on the Western Front.^[255] After a brief trip back to London for Christmas,^[256] in January 1916 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and placed in command of the 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers.^[257] After a period of training, the Battalion was moved to a sector of the Front near Ploegsteert in Belgium.^[258] Churchill spent three and a half months at the Front; his Battalion faced continual shelling although no German offensive.^[259] In March he returned home briefly, making a speech on naval issues to the House of Commons.^[260] In May, the 6th Royal Scots Fusiliers were merged into the 15th Division. Churchill did not request a new command, instead securing permission to leave active service.^[261]

Back in the House of Commons, Churchill spoke out on war issues, calling for conscription to be extended to the Irish, greater recognition of soldiers' bravery, and for the introduction of steel helmets for troops.^[262] He nevertheless was frustrated that there was little for him to do.^[263] The failure of the Dardanelles hung over him, with the issue repeatedly being raised by the Conservatives and pro-Conservative press.^[264] He argued his case before the Dardanelles Commission, whose published report placed no blame on him for the campaign's failure