The Amazing Story of “Mad” Jack Churchill

Lieutenant-Colonel Jack Churchill was one of the most outlandish and eccentric characters of World War II. From his events in battle from 1940-1945, to his peacekeeping operations in Burma, even to this moment of writing that I find myself lost for words at this man’s actions. If you’d like to suspend your disbelief for the duration of the article, I believe he’d be even more incredible that way.

First the obvious question, who exactly is Jack Churchill? He was born in 1906, in the small county of Surrey England, where he discovered he had an excellent skill set to be an archer at a young age. Even going as far to participate in world championships in Norway. He eventually found himself signing up for the British Armed Forces in 1926, serving in a British colony over in India.

Eventually, at the start of the second world war. Jack was assigned to the British Expeditionary force in 1940, and was sent to L’Epinette, France. Where he and his patrol was stationed, a small German patrol was approaching their position. He reportedly dropped his gun, and took out his longbow that he had with him and nocked his arrow into position. He turned to his fellow soldiers in his unit and said “I’ll be sure to shoot that first German with an arrow,” he aimed and then swiftly pierced the German with his barbed tipped projectile, and gave the signal for his unit to open fire. Making Jack Churchill the only person with a confirmed bow and arrow kill during World War II.

After the fall of France, he was assigned to a commando group that performed numerous operations during the war. Most notable was in 1943, when he was in Italy. He was sent in with a joint operation group of Americans during the Italy campaign. But instead of bringing his bow and arrow, he decided to bring his Scottish broadsword into battle. He ended up charging the front of the Italian/German forces and jumping into a mortar pit. Single-handedly slashing and hacking away at the men around him, until the enemy force surrendered. Leaving him to capture 42 prisoners.

When Jack was asked why he carried a sword, his response was as follows…

“In my opinion, sir, any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed.”

Onward to early 1944, some might know of the former president of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito. Jack found himself commanding 42 other commandos and 1500 militia and partisans to overthrow the nazi occupied Slovakian territory. More specifically, the island of Brač off the coast. The British feared that a possible airstrip was being constructed to help the Italians fight off the American forces.

Jack, once again being a lunatic, decided to raid the island late at night. The siege drove on to the early hours of the morning, leading to his subsequent failure and capture. He was hit by the shockwave of a grenade, knocking him unconscious. Because of his rank and ability, the German High Command wanted to interrogate him. He was flown to Berlin and sent to the concentration camp of, “Sachsenhausen.”

While he was there, a fight broke out between Wehrmacht and S.S soldiers. With the S.S wanting to execute all of them, and the officers of the Wehrmacht wanting to keep them alive. When the fighting began, a German officer by the name of “Wichard von Alvensleben,” freed Jack and let him escape. He walked over 100 miles to freedom, sadly leaving most of his comrades behind in the process.

For the next two days, Jack walked from Germany and managed to sneak over the border into Italy where he met up with American soldiers. He was eventually flown back to Britain for his next assignment.

D-Day, June 6th, 1944. Jack was assigned to 47th Royal Marines. Where he landed on Gold Beach, as soon as the landing craft he was on was taking fire, he stepped off the craft slowly with his bow an arrow, along with his broadsword. Eventually making it to the beachhead, where he decided to sheathe his weapons and take out the bagpipes he was playing. He marched slowly up the beach playing “The March of The Cameron Men.” (Link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH081uTTUj4&ab_channel=Rigdoo)

As the soldiers around him dropped to the ground as fast as they could from the incoming MG42 fire, they witnessed Jack get to a certain position and stop marching forward. He stood still as he kept playing. Not even once thinking about how any moment a bullet could kill him, or an artillery shell. He only focused on his music and inspiring his men, and not a single bullet came near him.

After the battle of Gold Beach, when German POWs were captured, they were asked why none of the Germans shot at him. They all agreed that, “If a crazy bastard was going to play music here, he deserved to live.”

After World War II, Jack served in numerous British Intelligence and training divisions before dying in 1996. He served in India, Israel, Burma and the south pacific in the late 50s and early 60s. I know all of this might seem random, but I found this man’s story completely incredible. If a man has the guts to walk onto the beaches of Normandy with only his bagpipes, a sword, and a bow and arrow. He’s be either the craziest man to ever live, or the bravest. People to this day still don’t know which one he was.
If any of you still have any shred of doubt or disbelief, please take a look at the photo that accompanies this article. (Jack can be seen on the far right with his highlander sword).