The Baddest of Asses

[DSK-]

Winston Churchill, Horatio Nelson, Isambard Kingdom Brunel...I can think of loads.

However, this man, is easily in my mind the ballsiest and most bad ass person I know of.

Robert Henry Cain. If you don't know who he is, I wouldn't be surprised. You may like to know that he is/was (RIP Sir) Jeremy Clarkson's father-in-law.

I suggest you read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Henry_Cain

OR if you are lazy, read some of the exerpts from the Wiki page in the spoiler boxes

Spoiler

He saw action during the Invasion of Sicily in 1943 and again during the Battle of Arnhem the following year. During the battle Major Cain's company was closely engaged with enemy tanks, self-propelled guns and infantry. Cain continually exposed himself to danger while leading his men and personally dispatched as much enemy armour as possible. Despite sustaining several injuries he refused medical attention and for his gallantry he was awarded the Victoria Cross

As the surviving men fell back through the 11th Battalion's positions, Major Gilchrist (A Company, 11th Battalion) met Cain, who told him that "The tanks are coming, give me a PIAT".[19] Gilchrist was unable to oblige and so the Staffords regrouped behind the 11th Battalion's positions; roughly 100 surviving men forming into five small platoons under Cain's command.[20] Lieutenant Colonel George Lea, commander of the 11th Battalion, ordered them to capture a piece of wooded high ground known as Den Brink to cover a fresh advance, and a bayonet charge quickly cleared the enemy there.[20] However, the thick tree roots on the hill made it impossible to dig in, and after suffering severe casualties, Cain took the decision to withdraw back to Oosterbeek.

Spoiler

Lonsdale Force's sector covered the southern end of the eastern perimeter, and Cain was one of three Majors defending this sector of the line.[23] As the battle progressed he became determined to destroy as much enemy armour as possible[25] and sited himself in a laundry's garden, much to the chagrin of the Dutch owner.[26] Over the coming days Cain was everywhere, dealing with armour and snipers and encouraging his men.[27] On the afternoon of Thursday 21st two tanks approached Cain's position. Guided by a colleague in a building above him, Cain waited in a trench until the first tank?actually a StuG III self-propelled gun (SPG)[28]?was close enough to engage.[29] The SPG fired at the building, killing Cain's colleague and showering him with masonry but despite this, Cain kept his position.[29] Staff Sergeant Richard Long of the Glider Pilot Regiment remembered that through the clouds of dust, Cain fired round after round from his PIAT until the SPG was disabled,[26] but whilst engaging the second tank a round exploded in the PIAT with a bright flash and Cain was thrown backwards.[26] Cain recalled thinking he was blind and "shouting like a hooligan. I shouted to somebody to get onto the PIAT because there was another tank behind. I blubbered and yelled and used some very colourful language. They dragged me off to the aid post."[30] The British brought forward one of the Light Regiment's 75mm guns which blew the tank apart.[2]

Spoiler

Witnesses believed that Cain was incapacitated, but within half an hour his sight returned.[26] He refused morphia and against all advice returned to the front lines, deciding that he "wasn't wounded enough to stay where [he] was".[26] On the following day his eardrums burst from the constant firing and barrage, but he was content to stuff his ears with bandages and continue fighting.[2][26] On Sunday 24th, shortly after a truce to allow the evacuation of casualties, Cain was alerted to the approach of a Tiger tank. Together with a Royal Artillery gunner he raced for a 6 pounder anti-tank gun, manoeuvred it into position, fired and disabled the tank.[31] He wanted to continue using the gun, but the recoil mechanism was destroyed.[2]

By 25 September, the area occupied by the Lonsdale Force saw heavy fighting against self-propelled guns, flame thrower tanks, and infantry. There were no PIATs available to the force by now; instead Cain armed himself with a two inch mortar. Mortars are muzzle-loading indirect fire weapons but Cain was forced to fire it on an almost horizontal plane due to the enemy's proximity. His citation states that his leadership ensured that the South Staffordshire gave no ground and drove the enemy off in complete disorder.[32] By the end of the Battle, Cain had been reportedly responsible for the destruction or disabling of six tanks, four of which were Tigers, as well as a number of self-propelled guns.[2]

That night the Division began to withdraw in Operation Berlin. Many men shaved and blackened their faces and Cain removed a week's growth of beard from his face, drying himself on his dirty, blood-soaked Denison smock.[33] After successfully crossing the Rhine, this lead Brigadier 'Pip' Hicks to comment "there's one officer, at least, who's shaved".[34] Cain made sure all of his men were over the river by dawn, before he himself crossed in an old boat.[34]

tl;dr Robert Henry Cain is bad ass. Simple as.

In between him and "mad" Jack Churchill it's a wonder that anyone dared fight against the British.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill

This guy went into battle with a bow and arrow and a sword. I am truly proud of my country's army.

Wow that was a interesting read! thanks for bringing it to my attention

[Added] Same goes for 4nthr4x for the Mitchell Paige link

 

[Enemy Of The State]

Why haven't anyone mentioned "Mad Jack" Churchill yet? THE GUY GOT A CONFIRMED LONGBOW KILL DURING WW2 AMONG OTHER THINGS!

People, read Mad Jack Churchill's Wiki article. This man is a Legendary soldier.

 

[DominicxD]

The G-man.

That is, Gordan FreeMAN.

 

[WINDOWCLEAN2]

Why haven't anyone mentioned "Mad Jack" Churchill yet? THE GUY GOT A CONFIRMED LONGBOW KILL DURING WW2 AMONG OTHER THINGS!

People, read Mad Jack Churchill's Wiki article. This man is a Legendary soldier.

He went into battle with a Longbow, Sword and Bagpipes. TRUE BRITISH LEGEND.

My favourite part of his article has to be this:

"As the ramps fell on the first landing craft, Churchill leapt forward from his position playing 'The March of the Cameron Men' on bagpipes, threw a grenade, and began running towards the bay."

 

[Deadlock Radium]

Jack Churchill stormed enemy beaches in WW2 with a longbow, sword and bagpipes. Balls-to-the-walls awesome

Oh yes, he's actually stormed land 6 kilometres away from here.
He jumped out of some trooper carrier, playing a Scottish song on his bagpipe, threw a grenade and stormed land with his Claymore drawn.

He's also the only one to shoot and kill someone with a bow and arrow during WW2.
Jack Churchill wins.

Oh, and Simo Häyhä.
He had a K ratio of 790-something, he was carpet bombed and shot in the face but continued to kill russians during the invasion of Finland.

 

[Viciousmf]

HENRY ROLLINS.

 

[JohnDoey]

Audie Murphy

 

[Lemon Of Life]

Just read something on Cracked about him, and was blown away.

Jack Johnson, what a hero.

 

[Soxafloppin]

Dante, hes a douche, but very badass indeed.

 

[Dapper Ninja]

Spoiler: Sean Connery

Don't even try to deny it.

 

[That One Six]

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/list.html

I believe you got ninja'd several years ago. It's a great site, I think you will enjoy it like I have. These guys make me feel like such a little *****.

I now quite like this site. From the few minutes I read of its articles, I'm going to go with one Mr. Nikola Tesla. I mean, I already knew a bit about the guy, but the stuff I learned...

Or maybe Mad Jack Churchill, the sword-wielding loon of WWII.

 

[Dervillian]

http://vimeo.com/10341676

Nathan Winnike aka "The General" of HORSE the Band. That guy broke his shoulder on tour and just went on for a couple days without any treatment.

 

[Dr. wonderful]

Joshua Abraham MOTHERFUCKING Norton

...why is he such a badass? His title was "Emperor of these United States and Protector of Mexico."

His wikipedia page is full of badass moments: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_A._Norton

 

[child of lileth]

Damn it. If I ever get ninjaed, it's always in the OP.

I wanted to say Alexander the Great. Who else was so bad ass that people carried their severed head to meetings to prove their power in the world? No one. That just proves how awesome he must have been.

 

[Dr Snakeman]

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/list.html

I believe you got ninja'd several years ago. It's a great site, I think you will enjoy it like I have. These guys make me feel like such a little *****.

I now quite like this site. From the few minutes I read of its articles, I'm going to go with one Mr. Nikola Tesla. I mean, I already knew a bit about the guy, but the stuff I learned...

Or maybe Mad Jack Churchill, the sword-wielding loon of WWII.

Didn't think so many people would be familiar with ol' Jack. And yes, I have visited the site, and I own Ben Thompson's book, Badass. It's partly what inspired me to create this thread in the first place.

 

[Dead_Man]

My 3 choices:

1) Chuck Norris
2) Chuck Norris
3) CHUCK NORRIS!

 

[Kryzantine]

This gun-loving chap put the fear in Russian mobsters in the 90s. He is nicknamed "Superkiller" for a reason. Easily the best assassin on Earth in the last 30 years.

 

[capin Rob]

I any one gonna post the cracked link?

I suppose it would be, some one, I'm not sure.

 

[Femaref]

This gun-loving chap put the fear in Russian mobsters in the 90s. He is nicknamed "Superkiller" for a reason. Easily the best assassin on Earth in the last 30 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Solonik