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.
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.
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.
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.
This is, um... well it's less fun than a meme. If you were ever curious about the Bosnian War, this is a firsthand account by a journalist who was there.
I recommend for people here to read "Happy Odyssey" which are the memoirs of Lieutenant-General Sir Adrian Carton De Wiart. That guy is the closest thing of a true Space Marine to ever appear in human military History. He loved both world war, cutting its own injured fingers to not be send back home.