John Churchill, known as “Mad Jack”, was an extraordinary British Army officer during World War II. He was an expert at archery and bagpipe playing, which he showcased in 2 movies. When Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Churchill joined the Manchester Regiment as a Lieutenent.
He later volunteered for the Commandos and led them from Norway to Italy and Yugoslavia, armed with his longbow, bagpipes, and a Scottish broadsword.
During a raid on the German garrison at Vågsøy, Norway, on 27 December 1941, he leapt forward from his landing craft ramp, playing "March of the Cameron Men" on his bagpipes before throwing a grenade and charging into battle. For his actions at Vågsøy, Churchill received the Military Cross. He later went on to earn a bar for his Military Cross for bravery.
On one occasion, a general who had commented on his weaponry, Churchill, is said to have replied, "Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed."
At one point, when marching through Sicily, with only his sword, he and a Corporal crept into a German camp, capturing 42 German soldiers as he caught them off guard with his blade. Churchill also escaped from POW camps not once but twice. He is credited with the last kill in combat by an archer using a Longbow.