MikeyT Posted 18 July 2013 Posted 18 July 2013 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2366714/Is-best-Wikipedia-entry-VC-winning-officer-shot-face-head-stomach-ankle-leg-hip-ear.html Is this the best Wikipedia entry ever? Officer served in THREE wars, was shot in the face, head, stomach, ankle, leg, hip, and ear, escaped a PoW camp and bit off his fingers when doctors refused to amputate Sir Adrian Paul Ghislain Carton de Wiart's page causes Twitter storm Soldier fought in Boer, First and Second Wars and won Victoria Cross Describing his experiences he later wrote: 'Frankly, I had enjoyed the war' It reads more like the unbelievable exploits of the Terminator. But the remarkable heroics of Lieutenant-General Sir Adrian Paul Ghislain Carton de Wiart are entirely true. In what many are describing as the best Wikipedia entry ever, the soldier's page opens with the following paragraph: 'Sir Adrian Paul Ghislain Carton de Wiart VC, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO (5 May 1880 – 5 June 1963) was a British Army officer of Belgian and Irish descent. 'He served in the Boer War, First World War, and Second World War; was shot in the face, head, stomach, ankle, leg, hip, and ear; survived a plane crash; tunnelled out of a POW camp; and bit off his own fingers when a doctor refused to amputate them. 'He later wrote that "Frankly I had enjoyed the war" when describing his service in the First World War.' The life and times Victoria Cross-winning de Wiart were certainly far from dull. He also escaped from a PoW camp and when he returned to London, his well-appointed house was flattened by a German bomber and his possessions, including his hard-earned military medals, were destroyed. But none of this apparent misfortune appeared to sap his morale The military records of this extraordinary soldier were published online for the first time last November by genealogy website Genes Reunited. The new details prompted numerous revisions of his Wikipedia entry, transforming it into what must be one of the most unique on the website. Indeed, De Wiert's name has now travelled around the globe as many have taken to Twitter to label his page 'the best entry on Wikipedia'. One user wrote: 'If your looking for something to do, search Adrian Carton de Wiart, seems like the guy was absolute glutton for punishment #WhatABloke' Another wrote: 'The rumours are true - Adrian Carton de Wiart's bio is the most manly bio ever.' Born in 1880 to a wealthy Belgian family, he studied law at Oxford but in 1899 quit university and went to South Africa.
leicsmac Posted 18 July 2013 Posted 18 July 2013 Wasn't there a thread on really hard blokes a while ago? Might be worth dredging that up again.
MikeyT Posted 18 July 2013 Author Posted 18 July 2013 Hi autobiography. Need to get this now! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Odyssey-Adrian-Carton-Wiart/dp/1844155390/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374143577&sr=1-1&keywords=happy+odyssey+carton+de+wiart
Guest MattP Posted 18 July 2013 Posted 18 July 2013 What a read his wiki page is, certainly buying the book.
Zingari Posted 18 July 2013 Posted 18 July 2013 Sounds like the bloke who Wilbur Smith based some of his novels on
MikeyT Posted 18 July 2013 Author Posted 18 July 2013 Sounds like the bloke who Wilbur Smith based some of his novels on Keep meaning to read some of his. I just seem to be engrossed in James Patterson books lately though.
Zingari Posted 18 July 2013 Posted 18 July 2013 Keep meaning to read some of his. I just seem to be engrossed in James Patterson books lately though. I liked a few of the "Sean Courtney" series novels ( the bloke who sounds a bit like De Wiert),but they all got a bit samey to me after a while
MikeyT Posted 18 July 2013 Author Posted 18 July 2013 I liked a few of the "Sean Courtney" series novels ( the bloke who sounds a bit like De Wiert),but they all got a bit samey to me after a while May have to check one out! Cheers.
Trav Le Bleu Posted 18 July 2013 Posted 18 July 2013 He doesn't mention his VC in the autobiography. I doff my cap to him. Although the quote, "Frankly I had enjoyed the war...and why do people want peace if the war is so much fun" makes him sound a bit of a dick.
leicsmac Posted 18 July 2013 Posted 18 July 2013 He doesn't mention his VC in the autobiography. I doff my cap to him. Although the quote, "Frankly I had enjoyed the war...and why do people want peace if the war is so much fun" makes him sound a bit of a dick. I believe the term for that is Blood Knight. Quite a few people remembered and revered now fall under that category, even though it seems to me all of them had a screw loose.
Webbo Posted 18 July 2013 Posted 18 July 2013 I liked a few of the "Sean Courtney" series novels ( the bloke who sounds a bit like De Wiert),but they all got a bit samey to me after a while I,'ve read nearly all his books apart from couple of those based in ancient Egypt as they seem a bit pervy.
Finnaldo Posted 19 July 2013 Posted 19 July 2013 That's all good and dandy, but can he do it on a cold tuesday night in Stoke?
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