Jack Churchill: biography and photo

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

Lieutenant Colonel Jack Churchill, nicknamed Mad, became a legend during his lifetime. In the 89 years that were allotted to him by fate, he managed to accomplish so many incredible feats that his biography resembles a slightly comic presentation of the myth of Hercules, only in the realities of the first half of the 20th century.

Childhood and youth

The 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 to Hong Kong with his parents and brother, where he spent his childhood. In 1917, the Churchills returned to England and decided to give their eldest son the best possible education. To do this, they sent Jack to study at King William's College for Boys on the Isle of Man. Information on how he showed himself in his studies has not been preserved. However, it is known that the knowledge gained was enough for the young man to enter the Sandhurst Royal Military College upon graduation.

Before World War II

In 1926 Jack Churchillwent to serve in Burma as part of the Manchester Regiment. Since the time was peaceful, he quickly got bored with the drill. The only things Jack did in his free time were racing motorcycles and archery, in which he became very proficient.

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

Feat 1

The news of the German attack on Poland shocked the British. Like many of his compatriots, Jack Churchill decided to go to the front and was sent to France as part of the Manchester Regiment. In May 1940, near L'Epinette, he, along with the soldiers of his unit, attacked a German patrol. This attack went down in the history of the Second World War as the only case when an enemy officer was shot dead by the British military with a bow. The hero who confused the Germans and put them to flight was, of course, Jack Churchill, who took with him to the front not only a bow and arrow, but also a sword. When asked why he needed such a rare edged weapon, the daredevil replied that without it, not a single British officer could be considered properly equipped.way.

Feat 2

Soon, Jack Churchill signed up as a volunteer in the Commando unit. What they do there, he did not know, but he was attracted by the name, which he found intimidating.

2 days after Christmas 1941, Jack participated in Operation Archery as second-in-command of the Commandos. The British landing was to land on the island of Vogsay, where the Germans were. In this fight, Jack took a bagpipe with him, on which he played a martial Scottish tune before rushing at 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 enemy soldiers, but also to save a comrade, was awarded the Military Cross.

Feat 3

In the summer of 1943, Churchill led the operation of the 41st Commando Unit, aimed at capturing a German observation post near the city of La Molina. In case of success, the allies got the opportunity to go to the Salerno bridgehead, which is of strategic importance. Jack Churchill ordered his 50 fighters to line up in 6 lines and run at the enemy shouting "Commando !!!". Out of surprise, 136 German soldiers surrendered. And 42 of them were disarmed by Jack himself. However, that was not all!

Churchill loaded captured weapons and wounded onto a cart, and then ordered the prisoners to drag it to the nearest Allied camp. When the Mad Lieutenant Colonel was asked how he managed to force the enemy soldiers to submit, he replied that more than onceI had a chance to be convinced of the tendency of the Germans to unquestioningly carry out the order of a senior in rank, if he is given clearly and confidently.

For the brilliant conduct of the operation in Salerno, Churchill was awarded the Order of Distinguished Service.

Feat 4

In 1944 Lieutenant Colonel Jack Churchill was sent to occupied Yugoslavia to help the partisans of Joseph Broz Tito. For the operation to liberate the island of Brac, he was assigned several dozen commandos from the 43rd and 40th divisions. In addition, 1,500 Yugoslav partisans came under the command of the British.

The landing took place to the sound of Churchill's bagpipes, who continued to play until the minute he was wounded. After an unsuccessful attack, the partisans and commandos were forced to leave the island, and the Germans found the lieutenant colonel, who was unconscious, and took him prisoner. Seeing the name Churchill in the documents, they thought that they were dealing with a relative of the British Prime Minister, and sent him by plane to Berlin. Even in this situation, Mad Jack did not lose his head and started a fire on board, hoping to escape after landing. Although the attempt failed, and Churchill ended up in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, the Germans did not manage to break this British superman.

Feat 5

A few months after 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 beforeAt the end of the war, he and 140 other prisoners were handed over to the SS with the intention of execution. They managed to get in touch with Captain Wihard von Alfensleben, who, apparently realizing the inevitability of surrender and hoping for indulgence on the part of the Allies, released the prisoners together with his soldiers.

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

In Burma

The restless Jack Churchill went to Burma to continue fighting, now with the Japanese. But his plans did not come true, because after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the war quickly ended.

Retirement

What Mad Jack Churchill did after the war! He starred in films and mastered skydiving. However, he soon wanted military exploits again, and he went to Palestine as part of the Highlanders' Light Infantry Regiment. 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 promoter of surfing.

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