[FE] There are men, and then there are legends—the latter live their lives on the extreme fringes of human society, where fact and fiction blur into the essence of what we all wish we were; those who seem to pack four or five lifetimes’ worth of experiences into the 80 or so years God blesses us with. We often do not know them by name, but rather by tales of harrowing bravery, adrenaline-fueled adventure, and calculated risk. One such legend is "Mad Jack" Churchill.
John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming "Mad Jack" Churchill was born in Britain in 1906 to a family employed under the Crown. He attended the Royal Military Academy, and upon graduation, he was sent to Rangoon, then Poona for training. After completing his training, he drove his motorcycle all the way back across India to Calcutta, then took a boat to Rangoon. The journey was fraught with danger, as there were few roads along the route, forcing him to ride alongside railroad tracks. When river crossings came, he had to walk his bike across the bridges. At one point, he even collided with a water buffalo that refused to clear his path.
"MAD JACK" CHURCHILL BECOMES Legend
After serving in the Burma Rebellion of 1930, upon his return he returned to England and soon left his military post. During his time away from the service, he acted in movies, worked for a Nairobi-based newspaper, competed as a professional archer, and practiced the bagpipes. But when the German Army began advancing, Britain quickly recalled its reserve officers.
World War II is where Churchill became a legend. Wherever he went, he carried a longbow, which he could accurately shoot up to 200 yards, a set of bagpipes, and a short sword. When asked by a superior why he carried a sword, he replied, "Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed." He often played the bagpipes for his fellow soldiers as entertainment.
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