Go to https://www.buyraycon.com/simplehistoryopen to get 20% off sitewide!
The British are known for their manners, humor, and love of tea—but in wartime, these traits often mixed with eccentricity and madness. From soldiers brewing tea under fire, to “Mad Jack” Churchill charging with a bow and bagpipes, to an officer disabling a tank with an umbrella, this video explores the strangest, funniest, and most unbelievable stories of Britain’s wartime spirit: a mix of courage, humor, and absolute madness.
This video was made possible thanks to everyone on the Simple History Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/simplehistory
Check out our other Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPdc6bs3I8s6Y4QE_3g3MZw
Discord server: https://discord.gg/JZsPQXHeYC
Become a Simple History member: https://www.youtube.com/simplehistory/join
Copyright: DO NOT translate and re-upload our content on Youtube or other social media.
SIMPLE HISTORY MERCHANDISE
Get the Simple History books on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Turner-%60/e/B00H5TYLAE/
T-Shirts
https://teespring.com/stores/simple-history-official-merch
Simple history gives you the facts, simple!
See the book collection here:
Amazon USA
http://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Turner/e/B00H5TYLAE/
Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Daniel-Turner/e/B00H5TYLAE/
https://www.facebook.com/Simple-History-549437675141192/
https://twitter.com/SimpleHistoryYT
Timestamps:
Intro: (00:00)
Tea Time Waits For No One: (00:36)
Jack Churchill And The Sword Of War: (02:07)
The Umbrella Commando: (04:37)
The Chindits: (05:52)
Trolling The Third Reich: (07:29)
Still Singing As The Ship Sinks: (08:33)
Outro: (09:26)
Further Reading:
O’Brian, Joseph. “Tiger Tanks & Tea: The British Cup of Char in War.” WarHistoryOnline.com. March 10, 2019. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/tiger-tanks-tea-the-british-cup.html
Richardson, Bruce. “Tea Helped the British Keep Calm and Carry on.” Boston Tea Party Museum. https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/tea-blog/keep-calm-carry-on
Fitzgerald, Claire. “Digby Tatham-Warter: The British Major Who Disabled a German Tank With an Umbrella.” WarHistoryOnline.com. July 23, 2021. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/digby-tatham-warter-disabled-a-german-tank-with-an-umbrella.html
Fratus, Matt. “How a British Officer Disabled A German Armored Vehicle With An Umbrella in the Heat of Battle.” CoffeeorDie.com. August 28, 2020. https://coffeeordie.com/digby-tatham-warter-umbrella
“The major who led his men into battle with an umbrella.” History.co.uk. https://www.history.co.uk/article/ww2-heroes-the-story-of-major-digby-tatham-warter
Smith, Robert Barr. “The Real Story of “Mad Jack” Churchill—a Rare Breed of Warrior.” WarfareHistoryNetwork.com. July 2005. https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/mad-jack-churchill-a-rare-breed-of-warrior/
Oord, Christopher. “Mad’ Jack Churchill – The Only Man to Dispatch a German Soldier With a Longbow in WW2.” WarHistoryOnline.com. December 9, 2018. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/jack-churchill-carry-a-sword.html
Smith, Robert Barr. ““Mad” Mike Calvert: A British Legend in Burma.” WarfareHistoryNetwork.com. March 2005. https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/mad-mike-calvert-a-british-legend-in-burma/
“Chindits: Special Force, Burma, 1942-1945.” Chindits.info. https://www.chindits.info/
“Did Allied Pilots Punk the Germans by Dropping Fake Bombs on Fake Airfields in WWII?” Soldier of Fortune Magazine. April 22, 2024. https://sofmag.com/allied-pilots-fake-bombs-fake-airfields-wwii/
Nieuwint, Joris. “Myth Or Real: Germany Built Wooden Airfields to Fool the Allies, So They Bombed It With Wooden Bombs.” WarHistoryOnline.com. February 14, 2018. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/myth-real-wooden-bombs-fool-allies.html
Credit:
Simple History Creator: Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London)
Video Directors: Lav Velimirovic, Ognjen Jovic
Script Review: Peter Turner
Script Writer: Robert De Graaf
Narrator: Chris Kane (https://vocalforge.com)
Artists: Fiona Phan, Selma Belegic
Animators: Nancy Bhalla, Krishna, Guillermo G. Caasi. Jr, Ravina Bheda, Rommel Ponferrada
Editor: Artem Dobrohodov, James Dowse
Thumbnails: Fiona Phan
Senior Production Manager: Umar Ijaz
Simple History Channel Manager: James Dowse