Things aren't that different on this side of the Atlantic.
Churchill: Bulldog or Former British Prime Minister?
Quote:
His bark might have been worse than his bite but would you believe that 17% of school children think that Sir Winston Churchill is the bulldog in an insurance advert?
With the 60th anniversary of VE Day looming and the publication of the audio Winston Churchill's Greatest Speeches: Never Give In!, BBC Audiobooks commissioned a nationwide survey asking children, aged between 8 and 11, if they knew who Sir Winston Churchill was.
An encouraging 52% knew that Churchill, recently voted 'Greatest Briton of All Time', was a former British Prime Minister.
Amusingly, 17% of those surveyed by BMRB believed he was the dog in the Churchill insurance adverts and 7% thought he was a TV news presenter.
One in five children had no idea who Sir Winston was while a few had a stab at guessing, suggesting he was 'a saint' or 'someone at the Hendon RAF Museum'.
Grandson Winston S. Churchill, who was involved in selecting and introducing the speeches for the audio Never Give In! commented: "I have to say it is a devastating commentary on our education system that 17% of young people should think Churchill is the Bulldog in the Insurance advertisements and a further 20% hadn't a clue!
"Why can't they be told the fantastic story of the 'Hero Generation' who saved the world from Hitler? It is thanks to the heroism and sacrifice of the British people that the nations of Europe are today free. But for them, under the leadership of Winston Churchill, the Nazi Swastika would today be flying over all the capital cities of Europe from London to Moscow - worth thinking about!"
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Admittedly, this survey dates from 2005 but if it was repeated today I wouldn't expect the results to be any different.
BBC Press Office
A more recent article here:
He's Not A TV Dog! Call For Churchill Legacy
Questions from Dwellars asking for clarification as to which picture represents the former Prime Minister, will be filed.
