Tommy Macpherson;

Sports have abounded in recent news. But instead of another story of achievement in sports, consider the story of Tommy Macpherson. Macpherson was a highly decorated Scottish British Army officer during the Second World War.

Macpherson enlisted in the military in 1940 and was captured during a reconnaissance mission along the North African beaches ahead of a shoreline raid. The four men spend two nights in canvas boats off the coast, attempting to meet up with a submarine. The sub never came, and eventually, a leak forced them to land the boats on the North African coast.

They chose to walk along the coast to try to escape enemy territory, but without maps or supplies, they were quickly captured by German forces. Macpherson spent the next two years in and out of military concentration camps but made no fewer than 4 escape attempts which landed him in solitary confinement. Ultimately, the four soldiers would find their way to Sweden. Their imprisonment lasted two years.

Macpherson demonstrated incredible grit throughout his escape attempts. One of the attempts was foiled by a cramp due to malnutrition. Another attempt to escape was foiled because Macpherson learned Italian to fool a guard, but could not conceal his British accent to a patrol.

Remarkably, after finally escaping captivity with the others, Macpherson wasted little time. Within a few days, Macpherson became involved with French Guerrilla Operations. Over the final years of the war, Macpherson led several successful major attacks on railways in France and Northern Italy. During the final air raid of his military career, Macpherson was shot by an Italian officer, whom he succeeded in stabbing after a struggle.

Sports aren’t the only demonstration of true grit. History is another place we can find remarkable stories of human achievement and grit. Whatever your goal, the next time you think of quitting in the pursuit of something truly important to you, remember Tommy Macpherson.