Jack Churchill: biography and photos

Lieutenant Colonel Jack Churchill, nicknamed Mad, became a legend during his lifetime. For 89 years, which were assigned to him by fate, he managed to perform so many incredible feats that his biography reminds of a slightly comic account of the myth of Hercules, only in the realities of the first half of the 20th century.

Childhood and youth

Famous warrior Jack Churchill was born in 1906 in Ceylon in the family of a British colonial official. After his father was appointed director of public works, he moved with his parents and brother to Hong Kong, where he spent his childhood. In 1917, Churchilli returned to England and decided to give the eldest son the best education. To do this, they sent Jack to study at King William's College for boys on the Isle of Man. Information, as he showed himself in his studies, did not survive. However, it is known that the acquired knowledge was enough to ensure that at the end of the school the young man entered the Sandhurst Royal Military College.

Before the Second World War

In 1926, Jack Churchill went to serve in Burma as part of the Manchester Regiment. Since the time was peaceful, he quickly became bored with drill. The only thing Jack filled in his spare time was motorcycle racing and archery, in which he achieved great skill.

In 1936, Churchill retired and went to Nairobi, where he took a job as editor of a local newspaper and occasionally posed for photographers as an advertising model. In Kenya, the young man continued playing bagpipes and sports and in 1939 in Oslo he even represented his country at the World Archery Championship. By the way, a few months before, Churchill took the 2nd place in the British bagpipe contest, being the only Englishman among the dozens of participants.

Feat No. 1

The news of Germany's attack on Poland shocked the British. Like many of his countrymen, Jack Churchill decided to go to the front and was sent to France as part of the Manchester regiment. In May 1940, near L'Epinet, he, together with the soldiers of his unit, attacked a German patrol. This attack entered the history of World War II as the only case when an enemy officer was shot and killed by a British soldier from a bow. The hero who brought the Germans to confusion and put them to flight was, of course, Jack Churchill, who took with him to the front not only the bow and arrows, but also the sword. When asked why he had such a rarity cold steel, the daredevil replied that without him no British officer could be considered equipped properly.

Feat No. 2

Soon Jack Churchill volunteered for the "Commandos" unit. What they do, he did not know, but he was attracted by the name, which he considered frightening.

Two days after Christmas 1941, Jack participated in the operation "Archery" as deputy commander of "Commando". The British landing was to land on Vossei Island, where the Germans were. In this battle Jack took with him bagpipes, on which he played a warlike Scottish melody, before rushing to the enemy with a sword in his hands. Both made a great impression on the Germans, and Churchill, who managed not only to destroy several soldiers of the enemy, but also to save his comrade, was awarded the Military Cross.

Feat No. 3

In the summer of 1943, Churchill directed the operation of the 41st division of the Commandos, which aims to seize a German observation post near the town of La Molina. In case of success, the Allies got the opportunity to go to the springboard of Salerno, which is of strategic importance. Jack Churchill ordered his 50 men to line up in 6 lines and flee to the enemy with a shout of "Commando !!!". From the surprise of 136 German soldiers surrendered. And 42 of them disarmed Jack himself. However, this was not all!

Churchill loaded the captured weapons and the wounded on a cart, and then ordered the prisoners to be dragged to the nearest Allied camp. When the Mad Colonel was asked how he managed to force the enemy soldiers to obey, he replied that he had often had occasion to make sure that the Germans were inclined to obey the order of the senior in command if he was given clear and confident.

For the brilliant operation in Salerno, Churchill was awarded the Order of Merit for outstanding service.

Feat No. 4

In 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Jack Churchill was sent to occupied Yugoslavia to help the partisans Joseph Broza Tito. For the operation to liberate the island of Brač, he was given several dozens of commandos from the 43rd and 40th divisions. In addition, under the command of an Englishman, 1,500 Yugoslav partisans entered.

The landing came to the sound of Churchill's bagpipes, which continued to play until the moment when he was wounded. After an unsuccessful attack, partisans and commandos were forced to leave the island, and the Germans found a lieutenant colonel, who was unconscious, and took him prisoner. Seeing in the documents the name Churchill, they thought they were dealing with a relative of the British Prime Minister, and sent him on an airplane to Berlin. Even in this situation, Mad Jack was not at a loss and set up a fire on board, hoping to escape after landing. Although the attempt failed, and Churchill was in the concentration camp of Sachsenhausen, the Germans never managed to break this British superman.

Feat No. 5

A few months after his imprisonment in Sachsenhausen, Churchill, together with another English officer, escaped, but was caught in the vicinity of Rostock and again placed in a concentration camp. A few days before the end of the war, he and 140 other prisoners were transferred to the SS with the intention of execution. They managed to contact Captain Vihard von Alfenceleben, who, apparently realizing the inevitability of surrender and hoping for condescension on the part of the Allies, along with his soldiers liberated the prisoners.

Once free, Churchill traveled 150 km and ended up in Verona, Italy, where the Americans found him.

In Burma

Restless Jack Churchill went to Burma to continue the war, now with the Japanese. But his plans failed to come true, as the war quickly ended after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki .

Completion of career

What the Mad Jack Churchill did not do after the war! He starred in the movies and mastered skydiving. However, soon he again wanted military feats, and he went to Palestine as part of the Light Infantry of the Highlanders. There he participated in several skirmishes with the Arabs and in several rescue operations, showing miracles of courage.

Later Churchill went to Australia and served as an instructor in the airborne school. Returning to his homeland, he became a propagandist for surfing.

From the army retired Jack Churchill (photo above) left in 1959. The hero died in Surrey shortly before his 90th birthday, in 1996.