Mad Jack: The Story of the ‘Other' Churchill.

Observer

12-07-2025

British statesman Winston Churchill was scorned by the Germans and adored by the British during World War II. A hero! But another of the same name, yet unrelated, was also brave, colourful and heroic! This is a 'Boys Own', story if ever there was one.
'Fighting Jack', or 'Mad Jack Churchill', was born John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming Churchill, of English/Irish descent, in Colombo, Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, in 1906, the son of a prominent civil servant and was educated at King William's College, on the Isle of Man. An impetuous youth, he swam and surfed, rode motorbikes, hunted, with guns, bows and arrows, was musically inclined playing several instruments and dabbled in amateur theatre, which remarkably, at 17, led to him being cast as an archer in the 1924 adventure movie, starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr, 'The Thief of Baghdad'. Later, Churchill attended Sandhurst Military College, graduating in 1926. His first wartime experience came soon after, in Burma, now Myanmar, where, as a young officer in the 2nd Battalion of the Manchester Regiment, Churchill's bravery was mentioned in military dispatches. Even so, he left the army to try a career in journalism as a newspaper editor in exotic Nairobi, Kenya. He enjoyed the lifestyle but was always looking for 'different' things to do.
He worked for a time as a male model, which was unheard of at the time and playing the bagpipes, claimed second place in the 'Aldershot Tattoo', of 1938, which was quite an achievement. He also represented Great Britain with a meritorious 26th placing, in the World Archery Championships of 1939.
The outbreak of war later that year saw Churchill eagerly return to the military and the legend of 'Fighting Jack Churchill' gained prominence as the beleaguered British Expeditionary Force retreated in disarray towards Dunkirk. War correspondents wrote of Churchill, 'sword in hand, charging elite German troops, terrified of having their limbs cleaved, who turned and ran when he shot one of them through the heart with his bow and arrow'. At L'Epinette, when the retreating British forces were surrounded.
Historian Christian Ord wrote of Churchill being inspirational to an army of tired, disheartened soldiers, with their backs to the sea at Dunkirk, uncertain of rescue. Yet, as they sank exhausted onto the sands as night fell, amidst the ignominy of retreat, a sword wielding bowman and piper became legend and breathed new life into an army with its tail between its legs.
His heroism recognised with the award of the Military Medal, Churchill then joined the elite Commandos in 1941 and at Vagsoy, in Norway in 1941, when their landing craft hit the beach, Churchill marched ashore at the head of his company, playing the bagpipes. Inspiring his men and terrifying the Germans. The fight lasted less than 10 minutes, with most of the enemy killed and no British casualties. The few Germans left alive reported a 'mad swordsman' they couldn't kill and the legend of 'Mad Jack', spread further.
Churchill led a similar seaborne landing at Catania in Sicily, marching up the beachhead at the head of his men playing his bagpipes, bullets flying all around, then, handing his 'pipes' to one of his men, he drew his sword and charged like a man possessed, at the enemy observation post, which they captured and took more than forty prisoners. Churchill was awarded a Distinguished Service Order for bravery and the legend grew even more.
As the war neared its end, Churchill was captured in Yugoslavia, then, flown to Berlin (the Germans thought he was related to Churchill), he tunnelled his way free but was soon recaptured and moved to a POW camp in Austria, from which incredibly, he escaped and made his way back to Italy, a trek of more than a thousand miles.
'Mad Jack', or 'Fighting Jack', Churchill was undoubtedly bold and brave, yet historians agree, while maybe reckless, he was never careless, with every action, every command, every word, considered and thoughtful. How then, has history forgotten such a genuine hero.
His life was, a story, of which it's been said, was 'the best movie never made'.