Is this the ‘finest paragraph on the whole of Wikipedia’? It’s certainly up there
We love Wikipedia and pretty much use it every day. It’s free to use, has no advertising and is staggeringly big. In fact, if you were to print it all out it would take up almost 60 million pages (so probably best to print it out at work, then).
Given its immense size, the claim by historian and journalist Guy Walters that he’s found the ‘finest paragraph on the whole of Wikipedia’ seems rather bold. So, let’s take a look.
Often and rightly recognised as the finest paragraph on the whole of Wikipedia. pic.twitter.com/7cuUP6NzM5
— Guy Walters (@guywalters) January 31, 2024
Let’s have a zoom in …
Yep, there’s no denying that’s a hell of a paragraph! Hats off to Lieutenant-General Sir Adrian Paul Ghislain Carton de Wiart, a name as epic as his life story.
We feel obliged to show you his picture.
An epic moustache, too. Other Twitter/X users were united in admiration and also added some interesting extra details…
1.
and it gets better and better: "In 1908, he married Countess Friederike Maria Karoline Henriette Rosa Sabina Franziska Fugger von Babenhausen"
— Henry Jeffreys' book is full of swearing (@HenryGJeffreys) January 31, 2024
2.
Very witty. Although this picture edit is a very close second … pic.twitter.com/kJuzGV2gOL
— Fi Photos (@AlpineClick) January 31, 2024
3.
The whole wonderful, extraordinary Wikipedia entry… Amazing! https://t.co/CYnOvzOrae
— Jane Mahony (@JaneMahony) January 31, 2024
4.
No matter what you achieve in life, none of us will be able to compete with that, my question is where is the movie on this man’s life, because there needs to be one
— Fion Duffield (@fionduffield) January 31, 2024
5.
If you ever find your job hard going… https://t.co/ANu8ncLlyB
— Martyn Rowe (@PenalltaRat) January 31, 2024
6.
A film about his life would be deemed unbelievable https://t.co/Tem0ZwN5Qh
— Stephen (@RHT_Stephen) January 31, 2024
7.
Amazing – what a punchline. https://t.co/rKuEaneaKL
— I Am Incorrigible also on Bluesky, threads & masto (@ImIncorrigible) January 31, 2024
8.
They forgot to mention his gargantuan balls.
COJONES! https://t.co/iHVr20MRKO
— Michael Postulka (@MichaelPostulka) February 1, 2024
9.
Just…wow! And we thought Chesty Puller and Audie Murphy were tough! https://t.co/lIPL5asKaC
— Glenn Rocess, #NAFO Pit Snipe (Ret.) (@RocessGlenn) January 31, 2024
Definitely someone you’d want on your side.
There was yet another contender for the ‘Best Wikipedia Page’ award.
I would say this https://t.co/f0zi4eE9d7 pic.twitter.com/K0YdBtjaMk
— Sean (@shornKOOMINS) January 31, 2024
We suspect he might have overshot the recommended units.
READ MORE
17 brilliantly odd deleted Wikipedia pages
Source Guy Walters Image Guy Walters, commons.wikimedia
