Winston Churchill at Antwerp.

By October 1914, World War I was raging and the Germans were threatening vital Antwerp -one of Belgium's last lines of defense. Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War (and the whole Asquith cabinet with him), feared Antwerp's fall would jeopardize the French coast. Yet Belgium informed Whitehall that they would have to surrender by 5 October. Churchill, enroute to France for consultations with the British commander, was called back to London. At once he volunteered to reroute himself to Antwerp, and report to Kitchener whether relief was possible. Kitchener meanwhile promised troops under Sir Henry Rawlinson to relieve the Belgians, and also said he would ask the French to supply territorial soldiers. Churchill was in Antwerp in 48 hours, rallying the dispirited Belgians. (Photo by Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)