Archery during World War II

Jack Churchill, the only known British officer to have used archery during WWII.

In the video below it is explained how Jack Churchill used both archery and swordsmanship as he led his troops into battle during World War II. He was also apparently quite fond of playing the bag pipes as he led his troops into battle.



However Jack Churchill was not the only person using archery during WWII. The French Resistance, especially the Maquis in the south east of France, was short on firearms and also used bows and arrows as weapons during World War II because they desperately needed more weapons. The Maquis would ambush Nazi forces on roads and railways, shoot flaming arrows at the German army tents and weapons depots, often employing hit and run tactics. Later into the war as they captured more weapons from the Nazis the Maquis rarely used archery any more.

Women's Auxiliary Forces also commonly trained in archery, although there are no reports of any seeing any action with bow and arrow.

The Canadian Women's Army Corps (CWAC) also trained women in archery, like the photo below from Library and Archives Canada. They never used it during combat however.

Unfortunately they weren't the only ones using archery either... like this photo of Hermann Goering doing archery. Archery was basically being used as a propaganda tool by both the Allies and the Axis enemies during WWII. Its use a weapon was limited to rare examples like Jack Churchill and the Maquis.

After the war was over, archery was also practiced by injured veterans during the first Mandeville Games in 1948, which eventually grew into the Paralympics, which still thrives today.

Mandeville Games in 1948