‘Mad’ Jack Churchill was definitely one of a kind. Armed with a longbow and a broadsword, he showed no fear in taking the war to the Axis in both Europe and Asia. Here is the story of a true maverick.
Did you know?
Churchill recorded the last ever bow and arrow killing in action, shooting a German NCO in 1940 in a French village.
Jack Churchill was commissioned into the Manchester regiment of the army in 1926 after graduating from the Sandhurst Military Academy. A fearless and unique man, he firmly believed in the role of an old-style lone assault leader who could demoralise the enemy. Bored of military life, he left the army and toured the world in 1936 until he came back to the fold upon the outbreak of war. His first assignment came in the defence of the Maginot Line carrying standard army gear as well as his trusty longbow and broadsword. For his role in the battle of l’Epinette, Churchill was rewarded the military cross for his efforts and even took a bullet to the shoulder.
Did you know?
Jack spent his first few years in the army riding his motorcycle across the entire Indian subcontinent.
By 1941, Churchill had joined the commando force and led raids across Europe on German depots and factories. On one operation his company landed in Vaagso, Norway. Jack lead the forces onto the shoreline with his broadsword aloft. Wounded one again, he somehow survived the daring run. He was later switched to missions on the Italian Peninsula and was awarded the the military decoration, Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
Churchill’s luck ran out in 1944 as he was captured and imprisoned in Sachsenhausen camp by the Wehrmacht. Believed to be a relation to Winston, he was chained to the floor and interrogated. However, Jack wasn’t to be tied down so easily as he promptly escaped, seeing his chance after a floodlight failure. In the middle of nowhere, he was forced to traverse the treacherous Brenner Pass in Austria, walking 100’s of miles south until he reached Amercian forces in Italy. He ended the war in the Pacific Theatre fighting the Japanese in Burma.
Did you know?
Despite not being Scottish, Jack regularly played the bagpipes when on duty.
A true military hero, Jack personified the dedication of the British Tommies in World War Two, the ‘People’s War’. He died in 1996 and is fondly remembered for his brave yet effective methods of warfare. We hope this article goes someway to immortalising his memory.
RIP Jack.