Thank you Efes for the photo. You always were a ‘clever clogs’. Shouldn’t have given so many clues I suppose! And by the looks of it Baldrick1953 thinks your clever to. But whilst you’re all gloating I shall tell you a little story------
In 1943 Germany was in control of most of Europe and large swathes of the Soviet Union and Stalin was pressing the west to open up another front in Northern France to take the pressure off his army. It was decided by Great Britain, the USA and the Soviets that a conference was needed to form a master plan and after much wrangling, Tehran was chosen as being the most acceptable venue. Well, it was for Stalin but Roosevelt wasn’t happy and Churchill couldn’t care less as long as they met. A date was set for late November and the conference was to last four or five days and would take place in the Soviet Embassy which was almost opposite the British Embassy. The USA embassy was a couple of kilometres away so Roosevelt dossed down with Stalin, no, not literally.
All three sides had brought large delegations with them including two of Churchill’s offspring, Sarah and Randolf. Meetings were held during the first three days and banquets laid on but on the 30th November, his 69th birthday, Churchill hosted a ‘Birthday Dinner’ in the Great Hall in the British Embassy. In all thirty four guests, spread along two long tables, attended and it turned into a boozy old night according to most reports. It was obvious what direction the evening would take as the menu stated that the sumptuous affair would start with ‘Bloody Mary Cocktails, Pol Roger Champagne and Johnny Walker Black Label Whisky’. As the banquet progressed there was copious amounts of both French and Iranian wine to be had before the meal concluded with port. Of course it didn’t end there as Churchill and Stalin hit the hard stuff and continued toasting each other and anything else they could offer a toast to into the early hours of next day.
And so readers it came to pass in the late 80’s that Team GB had fallen out with the Iranian authorities, once again, and our Embassy staff had all been kicked out of the country. When this happens there still needs to be some representation and so the Swedes provided a ‘Charge d’affaires’ to operate out of the British embassy providing a ‘British Interests Section’.
Now this Swedish guy, who I didn’t know from Adam turned up at the information desk in the British Pavilion towards the end of the Tehran Fair and asked if a small group of us would like to join him and a few Swedish colleagues for dinner. The head guys manning the GEC and Hawker Siddley stands were chosen alongside myself and the three of us headed off to the embassy on Ferdowsi Avenue in our best ‘bib and tucker’ the next evening.
I had been to the embassy on many occasions but for the first time it was a non business visit. We were entertained by three Swedish diplomats including the ‘Charge d’affaires’ and their lovely wives. We spent an hour in a sumptuous lounge talking amongst ourselves before moving into the Great Hall for dinner. However, before we took our places around the table we given a history lesson by our host.
He pointed out the significance of the rooms we were in and the fact that the 'Big Three" had celebrated Churchills birthday there. On the wall was a plaque showing the names of those who attended the banquet that evening and their positions at the tables. Although he couldn’t confirm who sat in which chairs he did say it was possible one or even all of us were sitting where Churchill, Roosevelt or Stalin had sat.
Before the ‘hors d’oeuvres’ were served our host made a small speech. It had been announced a few weeks before that Britain and Iran had kissed and made up and that the Embassy would once again be the home of the British Ambassador and his staff. Our host pointed out that meant he would soon be out of work. “But that doesn’t worry me” he said. “I know you Brits will fall out with someone else soon, so I shall not be unemployed for long”.
It was a marvellous experience. One to savour for the rest of your life and on this occasion nobody was trying to drink anyone else under the table as Stalin and Churchill had done 45 + years before.
