The news of Esmond's death was not broken to his wife by Churchill. She received the usual War Office telegram, ironically only a day after she had telegrammed Esmond that she would be able to join him in England, where he was on active service, quite soon. Certainly she had an interview with Churchill when he visted Washington not long after Esmond's death, but all he could tell her was that enquiries chad confirmed the news she had already received. NB: Esmon ddied on Churchill's birthday, 30.11.41.