One day, many many years ago, I had a few shots of whiskey with my grandfather and we shot the shit. I’d never had a real conversation with him before. I knew his past, but not from his mouth.
I asked him about WWII and his experience.
He started going off about his time in France.
All the French women he had.
So many women.
My grandmother probably wouldn’t have approved, but he definitely had fun.
Be gnarly if you visited France and see someone who looks exactly like your dad or granddad.
That reminds my of the quote by “Mad” Jack Churchill on the end of the Second World War: “If it wasn’t for those damn Yanks, we could have kept the war going another 10 years!”
He was apparently a good leader, being promoted to Colonel, and clearly enjoyed his war. He’s credited with the only confirmed kill with a long bow in the war, wore and used a Claybeg style sword and, on more than one occasion lead the charge in to battle whilst playing his bagpipes and hurling grenades.
In short, he well and truly earned his moniker.
Sounds like he might have been a wee bit of a psychopath. I wonder what they’d have found if they dug up his cellar when he died.
Possibly, but if you read about the rest of his life it seems like he just really enjoyed adventure, and, in common with many others, saw war as a thrilling, life-or-death, adventure.
saw war as a thrilling, life-or-death, adventure.
That just sounds like psychopath-lite…
It looks like he pretty much invented surfing tidal bores on rivers, rather than surfing in general, and did it on a board he’d made himself.
I quite like knowing there were and are people like that about, even if you probably shouldn’t look too closely at their politics. Knowing the spirit of adventure is alive and well gives me a little hope that things will turn out ok, and laughing at their bizarre antics is always a bit of a boost.
I can almost guarantee this is a parody bit or letter from Viz.
Every issue is peppered with little gems like this and the styling looks right
It’s just weird how he did all of that in the 1960’s
Stormed Ypres and had a glass of wine. Bloody cracking!
