Clue he fought for the British Army in Afghanistan.
He once led a charge against 100s of Afghans, unfortunately in his haste he left most of his men behind, and then realised that he only had 6 men with him. About the same time the Afghans realised it too... OOooooops!
Plan 'B' (head between knees and kiss a** goodbye)
He was once taken a prisoner of war, in Africa, but escaped. He hid on a freight train, then escaped from it when it was being searched, and hid down a mine. Then escaped on another freight train ... got back to Britain ... and was amazed to be treated as a hero. He became a lifelong friend of the man who had captured him.
Most of his fortune came from writing. He was shot at in Cuba when there as a newspaper reporter.
His mother was an American and his father, English
He was a good painter ....
His mother was an American and his father, English
He was a good painter ....
...............................Here's one of his, a Magnolia.
He wasn't adverse to a drop of giggle-juice... ooops!
Now the reason for all this frivolity ... is I've finished ... assignment gone ... I will never write another academic essay again. If I change my mind, lock me up.
Now the only thing I had in common with the mystery man above is that neither of us had a university education... no college. Me, because I came from the wrong side of the tracks; him because he wanted adventure and joined the army. We both became self taught and so gained ourselves positions through hard work, albeit he did a bit better than I did.
But we both had chips on our shoulders. As he said, he missed the tutoring that guided a well balanced education. There we part company, for I decided to redress the situation, to rewrite history in my favour. I had been forced to retire through ill health and decided to start the new millennium studying subjects about which I knew absolutely nothing.
I have been taking degrees ever since, Criminology, Sociology, English up to masters ..... BUT... I've finished forever....YIPPEEHHoooTS!! (collapses hysterically laughing)
YET!!!! he still beat me and was voted The Greatest Briton Ever ... I give you Winston Spencer Churchill .... my HERO!
Laughing here because I guessed correctly, but have no idea why!
ReplyDeleteNice to see you here today!
Oh Lynn, so nice of you to call ... now that I'm getting some free time I shall have to catch up with my buddies!
DeleteI could not figure that one out! Perhaps if you had mentioned part of a quote about the outside of a horse being so good for the inside of a man ... ???
ReplyDeleteHa, ha. He said he wasn't keen on dogs because they looked up to you ... nor cats who looked down on one ... but pigs he liked because they treated us as equals
DeleteMy hero too! I can definitely see the similarities between the two of you!
ReplyDeleteI can quote him quite endlessly --here's one: "Pity the poor browns!" (lol!) His quotes are the absolute best...there have been many times when something Winston
Churchill said picked me up out of a black mood. The fact that he was a complete genius AND a plein air painter too...well, as we say.."what's not to like"?
It's fun to see his studio in your post. I have a big book of all of his art. Dwight Eisenhower was a painter too...though I think Winston was better! :)
Oh I'm so glad you have him as a hero. This book is such a good read - I think he wrote at least as well as he spoke
DeleteMy Early Life by Sir Winston S. Churchill (30 Jun 2000)
I knew 'Ike' was a painter, but know little of his art. There were some great men about with Churchill - Roosevelt, Truman, Ike etc... Saved the world between em!
Dear John, your post radiates joy to all the words!
ReplyDeleteNot only the youth
is a time of excitement, achievements and dreams!
You make see that all of life can be so!
Congratulations on everything you do and you've done... the most extraordinary work, in my eyes, is to live your life always remained so young in your heart!
Rita - so kind of you. My granddaughters give me no time to get old. My Giselle wants me to do a year with her at Sheffield University - Novels & Playwriting Masters! In 2014! My body screams NO! my spirit shouts 'WOO HOO Go for it!@
ReplyDeleteSo stay younger for longer!
DeleteCongratulations John! What an enjoyable post! After the beautiful words Rita wrote, it's hard to write a comment. But it's great that your granddaughters keep you young!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Judy ... I must have been commenting on your pumpkin as you were commenting here!
ReplyDeleteI never knew so much about Winston Churchill! He was an artist, John? I too loved this post! And I'm with Giselle and your heart...Go for it!
ReplyDeleteHe had a fantastically full life. Loved building brickwalls as well!
DeleteStill waters run deep - you are a surprise John. A delightful one.
ReplyDeleteYour hero did have clay feet but no mistaking his genius.
A well written and enjoyable post.
A surprise? me? ...never! I always know what I'm going to do, but only find out it afterwards!:0)
ReplyDeleteI saw the magnolia painting and recognized it right away and knew who you were talking about. Great post and congrats on taking your history in hand and changing it. The young keep us young, a lesson to choose our companions well. :)
ReplyDeleteNow I'm 'free'again, Cris, I'll be popping over for coffee & cookies again.
DeleteThanks for your kind comments
If History books were written like this I would have known much more about Churchill (and others). I enjoyed your post very much dear John!
ReplyDeleteI made two conclusions, allow me to share them with you. First, students have no age or they share a common one, since they are all equally happy and distressed about the same things. Having said this, YIPEEH for the completion of your studies.
And second, you proved my husband right (damn, I hate that when -rarely- happens). I thought it was too late for me to travel the educational road and when I said it to him, he laughed... Both Churchill and you (and, as I realize, many more) never stop travelling that road.
Warm regards.
Konstantina I find that the way Churchill wrote history made it really easy to follow.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed the post.
I soon got used to being the oldest on campus... I got away with murder, playing the'old man' card :0).
I'm convinced that anyone can do anything in education, no matter what age, if they want it badly enough!
Variety is The Spice of Life!
John, what a fascinating and interesting bit of history. Now I can tell my husband something that he probably doesn't know. Thank you for sharing, and I must say John, how much I admire you for taking the Road Less Traveled, and being so successful in your brilliant art career and your scholastic achievement as well. Truly inspirational. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteChurchill really packed it in, I never saw the movie, 'Young Churchill' but there are lots of it on YouTube - looks great! Not sure I had a 'brilliant art career,' more we (Pat) were a good sales team.
ReplyDeleteI find your paintings inspirational, Joan, the 'Path to Short Beach' is wonderful
ReplyDeleteA hero of mine as well - and a true inspiration for mankind. Thanks for the fascinating details about this great man! Oh, and congratualtions on completing your essay. I have no doubt you will be spending a lot of time at Sheffield University next year :)!
Thank you, Susan. ... do you think so? (sobs quietly)
ReplyDelete