Sinclair, Sir Archibald, 1st Viscount Thurso

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Sinclair, Sir Archibald, 1st Viscount Thurso (1890–1970). Sinclair held the post of secretary of state for air from the formation of Churchill's government in 1940 until the end of the Second World War. Son of a Scottish baronet, he entered the Life Guards in 1910 and became a close friend of Winston Churchill, his senior by sixteen years, and they served together on the western front. Sinclair was returned to Parliament in 1922 as a Lloyd George Liberal. He took office with Samuel in the National Government of 1931 but resigned a year later on the issue of protection. When Samuel lost his seat in 1935, Sinclair took over as leader of the Liberals. He declined to serve under Chamberlain in 1939 but accepted Churchill's invitation. Sinclair's reputation suffered from his amiability and he was regarded by some as Churchill's creature, but his place in the cabinet was political, and he was capable of standing up to Churchill over Tedder and Sholto-Douglas. He lost his seat in 1945 but Churchill sponsored his viscountcy in 1952.

J. A. Cannon

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