8 Historical Figures That Deserve To Be Remembered

"Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed." - Jack Churchill

Jack Churchill graduated from the Royal Military College in 1926. He was a talented archer, representing Great Britain at the World Archery Championships in 1939.

During the Second World War, Jack became renowned for much more than just his archery skills. It turned out that he was an exceptional and unstoppable war machine.

He would lead his men into battle playing his bagpipes, and used grenades as well as his trusty broadsword to lay waste to any German unfortunate enough to get in his way.

He once infiltrated a German observation post in Italy, and, using nothing more than his sword, took 42 prisoners. His actions earned him a Distinguished Service Order.

As if charging around battlefields firing arrows and waving his sword in open defiance of the devastation around him wasn't enough to cement Churchill's place in history, in 1944 he was captured by German forces. He led an attack which saw only seven men reach their objective, and he soon found himself the last man of the Allied forces still standing. Instead of surrendering, he played his bagpipes until a grenade rendered him unconscious. He awoke in Berlin, where he was interrogated. He was then taken to Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

Shortly after his arrival,though, he led a daring escape. He made it 400 miles before he was recaptured.

He remained a prisoner of war until 1945, when he was released. He quickly met up with Allied forces and headed for Burma, where the Pacific War was still raging.

By the time he arrived, the war was over. Churchill was reportedly bitterly disappointed.

'Mad' Jack Churchill, swordsman, archer, and unstoppable killing machine, survived the war and retired from the army in 1959.

He died in March of 1996 at 89 years old.