as a boy trenchard found learning difficult. he failed many tests and only just got into the british army as an officer. trenchard first went to india with the army and he then asked to go to south africa because he wanted to fight in the boer war. during the fighting, trenchard was shot in the chest and became unable to walk properly because of damage to his back. he returned to england where a doctor told him to go to switzerland because the air was better than in england. trenchard became bored and started to bobsleigh. after crashing on a fast bend, trenchard was able to walk properly - because his back was fixed. after his health got better still, trenchard returned to the war in south africa.