He served as an adviser to the Ministry of Shipping from 1914 to 1918 and 1940 to 1941 , and as Minister of War Transport in 1941 for the duration of World War II , on the appointment and strong recommendation of Churchill , who in so doing raised him to the peerage . In fact , Churchill said of him “ At these meetings , ( of a subsidiary company of the Peninsular and Oriental shipping lines where Churchill was a director in 1930 ) , I gradually became aware of a very remarkable man . He presided over 30 or 40 companies ... I soon perceived that Frederick Leathers was the central brain and controlling power of this combination . He knew everything and commanded absolute confidence . Year after year I watched him ... I said to myself “ If ever there is another war , here is a man who will play the same kind of part as the great business leaders who served under me at the Ministry of Munitions in 1917 and 1918 . ” On May 8 , 1941 , I turned to him . To give him the necessary authority I created the office of Minister of War Transport . ” ( The Grand Alliance , pub . Cassell , London , p132 . 1966 ) He attended the Casablanca , Washington , Quebec , and Cairo conferences in 1943 . He negotiated the lend-lease of American ships to Britain . He also accompanied the Prime Minister Winston Churchill to the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences
Yalta
Yalta Conference
Frederick Leathers, 1st Viscount Leathers