The Weirdest WW2 Weapon that Was Actually Pretty Good
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 Published On Apr 2, 2024

Amid the chaos of the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944, Major Digby, a fearless British paratrooper, stood out with an unconventional weapon in hand. Like a true British gentleman, the Major carried a simple umbrella for identification, earning him an aura of mystery and madness in front of his puzzled comrades.

Digby and his men were surrounded and outnumbered by German infantry and armor. The man was faced with two options: perish while holding the bridge in order to allow the upcoming Allied armor to cross it and continue advancing into the heart of Germany, or retreat, saving his men but jeopardizing Operation Market Garden.

The Briton decided to hold his ground. Communications were cut off, but fortunately for the paratroopers, Digby, wary of unreliable radios, had previously equipped his men with bugles from the Napoleonic era to communicate with each other as the cacophony of war shrouded the soldiers.

Realizing the enemy was about to overwhelm his troops as machine gun and mortar fire suppressed them, Major Digby opted for an unconventional solution to gain control of the breach: a desperate bayonet charge.

The Major tossed aside his submachine gun and, with his umbrella in one hand and pistol in the other, charged against the German infantry and armor, thrusting his umbrella into a German armored car, striking the driver in the eye.

The unexpected assault brought the vehicle to an abrupt halt, and the entire crew surrendered.

Not content with that, Digby spotted the unit’s priest pinned down by enemy fire and decided to act. Instead of ordering suppressing fire, Digby simply dropped his pistol and raced toward the priest, telling him: [QUOTE] "Don't worry about the bullets; I've got an umbrella."



As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -

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