Came across this in E G Heath's book, Archery A Military History, pg. 214-215. Would be interested of any other confirmed use in action:- Jack Churchill had been a member of the British team in the World Archery Championship at Oslo earlier in 1939, and before embarking for France he had made a powerful yew bow and some hunting arrows. He first used one of these while on patrol beyond the Maginot Line, the German positions being some sixty yards ahead. Frustrated and irritated by the official policy of not provoking the enemy, Captain Churchill decided upon a symbolic gesture which he thought would not only give him great personal satisfaction but might also create a certain alarm, despondency and bewilderment in the enemy lines. On 31 December 1939, whilst out with a patrol amid the undulating, snow-covered countryside of no-man’s-land, he stealthily made his way to between fifty and eighty yards from the German lines and, drawing his bow-string back to his cheek, let loose an arrow which he heard bite into the frost-hard ground with an audible “clack”. There was no reaction whatsoever, so Churchill again drew his bow and loosed a second arrow. This time a German voice called out, and there was obviously some consternation caused in the enemy defences, although he did not have the satisfaction of knowing whether or not his arrow had hit anyone. In the War Diary of the 4th Infantry Brigade the following paragraph appears: “One of the reassuring sights of the embarkation was the sight of Captain Churchill passing down the beach with his bows and arrows! His actions in the Saar with his arrows are known to many and his disappointment at not having had the chance to keep in practice had tried him solely.” However, the incident that won Jack Churchill fame, the result of eccentric enthusiasm, took place on 27 May 1940, while he was in command of a mixed force holding the village of L’Epinette, near Bethune, during the retreat to Dunkirk. Climbing into the loft of a small granary, through a vertical opening in one wall normally used for hauling up sacks of grain, Captain Churchill saw, some thirty yards away, five German soldiers sheltering behind the wall but in clear view of the granary. Quickly and quietly Churchill fetched up two infantrymen and instructed them to open rapid fire on the enemy but not to pull the trigger until he had loosed an arrow at the centre man. He lifted his bow, took careful aim and loosed the shaft. At the same time as the bow-string twanged, the air was shattered by the rapid fire of the two infantrymen. Captain Churchill was delighted to see his arrow strike the centre German in the left of the chest and penetrate his body; the remaining Germans of the party slumped to the ground. With the idea of retrieving his arrow by pushing it through the wound, Captain Churchill swiftly ran to the body but was unable to extract the shaft. In his haste he broke the arrow, leaving its barbed head in the German’s body. At this time enemy machine-gun fire was opened down the line of the road and everyone dived for cover. Source: Archery – A Military History by E G Heath
Jack also took up piping since he had links to Scotland, and ended up winning an award in a pipiong contest. During Operation Archery in 1941 he played his pipes as the Commandoes stotmed in the Vågsøy fjord.
The Last Recorded use of a Longbow in a War.. Purbrook Bowmen Historic Archery Display Team - The Last Longbow used in a War
mad jack churchill on the right, coming ashore sword in hand source.. http://www.absurdintellectual.com/2009/09/22/mad-jack-churchill-archer-of-ww2/ jack looking down a barrel..
I'm surprised that some high ranking officer in the British Army didn't get wind of this and decide that it might be a good idea to equip a unit with long bows and halbards as a result.....
Any Officer Who Goes Into Action Without His Sword is Improperly Dressed Written by Jason Bellows on 06 May 2006 In 1940, some of the German commanders who were overseeing the push into France began to receive seemingly random reports of soldiers having been killed with broad-head arrows or hacked with a English Claymore. Effective enough weapons it would seem, but archaic even in that day and age. They likely could have guessed the bowman was an English soldier, but they couldn’t have appreciated these as the calling card of the rabid eccentric, Captain Jack Churchill.
Any Officer Who Goes Into Action Without His Sword is Improperly Dressed Written by Jason Bellows on 06 May 2006 In 1940, some of the German commanders who were overseeing the push into France began to receive seemingly random reports of soldiers having been killed with broad-head arrows or hacked with a English Claymore. Effective enough weapons it would seem, but archaic even in that day and age. They likely could have guessed the bowman was an English soldier, but they couldn’t have appreciated these as the calling card of the rabid eccentric, Captain Jack Churchill.
Didn't Stirling want the SAS to be equipped with bows for sentry removal, but London said no, or was that crossbows?
