Goethe once reverently called history “the mysterious workshop of God.” In truth, most of the time this workshop merely records one trivial and ordinary event after another with cold indifference and tedium. Yet at certain moments, it can suddenly burst forth with the most imaginative improvisations. And in those dramatic, fate-deciding moments, an event lasting only a day, or an hour, or even a few seconds, can determine the life or death of one person, the survival of a nation, even the destiny of all mankind. September 28, 1918, was one such historical moment of world significance. On that day, 27-year-old British private Henry Tandey and 29-year-old German corporal Adolf Hitler met in the French town of Marcoing (MARCOING).
The bravest British soldier
Henry Tandey was born on August 30, 1891, in Leamington, Warwickshire, England. In 1910, 19-year-old Tandey joined the Green Howards infantry regiment and began his military adventure. In October 1914, the unit Tandey belonged to took part in the bloody First Battle of Ypres. Two years later, he was wounded in the foot in the famous Battle of the Somme. After recovering, he fought bitterly against the German army with the 9th Battalion in Flanders and elsewhere. In November 1917, he was wounded again and hospitalized. After recovering, Tandey was assigned to the 5th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment. In the battles that followed, Private Tandey seemed to have luck on his side. On August 28, 1918, he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery in combat; on September 12, for heroic conduct in the battle of Havrincourt, he was awarded the Military Medal; and on the 28th of the same month, in the fierce fighting to seize the crossing at Marcoing, his bravery won him yet another decoration, the Victoria Cross.
Some historians believe that Tandey was the most highly decorated British soldier of the war. If he had been an officer, the royal family would no doubt have knighted him. Yet Tandey could never have imagined that amid such glorious experiences, he had committed a great historical blunder.
The moment of destiny
In the battle to seize the crossing at the French town of Marcoing, British war reports mentioned Tandey's bravery five times. On September 28, 1918, the regiment Tandey belonged to was at one point pinned down by fierce German heavy machine-gun fire. Private Tandey leapt out of the trench and crawled toward the German position alone, successfully wiping out the German gunner. When he reached the crossing, he once again braved dense artillery fire and took the lead in laying down planks, allowing the British assault troops to charge smoothly into the enemy position and ultimately forcing the numerically superior German troops to withdraw from the battle.
The bloody fighting between the two armies gradually died down. Suddenly, a wounded German soldier appeared in Tandey's sight. This limping German soldier coming out of the position also saw Tandey's gun barrel pointed straight at him not far away. But the wounded man was clearly exhausted. He neither raised his gun nor panicked; he merely stared expressionlessly at Tandey, as if waiting for the final moment that could no longer be avoided. “I did aim at him, but I never shoot a wounded man,” Tandey later recalled that dramatic moment. “I let him go.” The young wounded German nodded slightly, then slowly walked away.
At that moment history suddenly turned. This German corporal named Hitler successfully withdrew to the rear with the German remnants, while Tandey soon forgot the little episode that had come at the end of the battle. On December 17, 1919, he received the Victoria Cross. The Italian artist Fortunino Matania specially created an oil painting set against the backdrop of the Battle of Ypres, showing Tandey carrying a wounded soldier on his back, to signify that these brave soldiers were fighting in order to “end all wars.” In 1926, 35-year-old Tandey returned home in glory, married, had children, and began living a quiet life.
Old events becoming new hatred
Europe was in urgent turmoil in 1938. At that time, British Prime Minister Chamberlain agreed to go to Germany for talks with the Führer, Hitler. The two sides arranged to meet at Hitler's newly completed private villa in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria.
On September 15, Chamberlain finally arrived at Hitler's villa built on a hilltop. To the Prime Minister's great surprise, hanging prominently in the German Führer's drawing room was a reproduction of the portrait Matania had made of Tandey years before. Hitler explained: “The man in that picture nearly took my life. At the time I even thought I would never see Germany again. Providence saved me from the gun of that British soldier as he aimed at me.” What Chamberlain thought at that moment is no longer known. Perhaps he was thinking to himself that if Tandey had pulled the trigger, Europe's disaster might never have begun. In any case, Hitler hoped that after returning home, the Prime Minister would convey his most heartfelt thanks to his British “savior.” The Prime Minister said he would find a way to pass it on. However, this sudden blessing was undoubtedly a heavy slap in the face from fate for Tandey.
When the news reached Britain, the whole country was shocked. Some historians were deeply skeptical of such a dramatic anecdote from World War I. But who would go to the trouble of inventing such a story? Hitler's List Regiment was indeed stationed in the Marcoing crossing area in September 1918. Since many official German historical archives were destroyed in the war, and Hitler's own memoirs were notorious for their confusion and contradictions, Hitler's exact position in that chaotic battle on September 28 can no longer be verified. Even so, Hitler's personal interest in Tandey is documented.
In 1937, the Green Howards regimental bulletin carried a passage saying that Colonel Earle had heard from a man calling himself Dr. Schwade that the German Führer very much wanted a British military oil painting by Matania. Colonel Earle soon sent the painting over, and Hitler's adjutant, Captain Wiedemann, wrote a special letter of thanks. But for Tandey, this old story was a cruel reality he had no choice but to accept. Unfortunately, this historically significant oil painting disappeared after Allied forces captured the “Eagle's Nest” at Berchtesgaden.
Endless regret
As for Tandey, the honors and war memories of former days suddenly became the most tormenting of recollections. Because of his “good deed,” the whole world fell into catastrophe, and tens of millions of lives were devastated. In 1940, Tandey moved to Coventry, where he saw the German air force bomb the city into ruins. After that, he personally lived through the Nazi air force's savage bombing of London as well. He said painfully to a newspaper reporter: “Had I known what sort of man this fellow would become, I should have shot him dead. So many people, so many old people, weak people, women and children were killed by him. I really have sinned before God!”
At age 49, Tandey enlisted again, but the serious wound he had suffered in the Battle of the Somme meant he could no longer return to the battlefield. Although the old veteran afterward threw himself selflessly into volunteer work at home, the memory of the past tormented him constantly. In 1977, Tandey died in Coventry at the age of 86.
The bravest British soldier
Henry Tandey was born on August 30, 1891, in Leamington, Warwickshire, England. In 1910, 19-year-old Tandey joined the Green Howards infantry regiment and began his military adventure. In October 1914, the unit Tandey belonged to took part in the bloody First Battle of Ypres. Two years later, he was wounded in the foot in the famous Battle of the Somme. After recovering, he fought bitterly against the German army with the 9th Battalion in Flanders and elsewhere. In November 1917, he was wounded again and hospitalized. After recovering, Tandey was assigned to the 5th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment. In the battles that followed, Private Tandey seemed to have luck on his side. On August 28, 1918, he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery in combat; on September 12, for heroic conduct in the battle of Havrincourt, he was awarded the Military Medal; and on the 28th of the same month, in the fierce fighting to seize the crossing at Marcoing, his bravery won him yet another decoration, the Victoria Cross.
Some historians believe that Tandey was the most highly decorated British soldier of the war. If he had been an officer, the royal family would no doubt have knighted him. Yet Tandey could never have imagined that amid such glorious experiences, he had committed a great historical blunder.
The moment of destiny
In the battle to seize the crossing at the French town of Marcoing, British war reports mentioned Tandey's bravery five times. On September 28, 1918, the regiment Tandey belonged to was at one point pinned down by fierce German heavy machine-gun fire. Private Tandey leapt out of the trench and crawled toward the German position alone, successfully wiping out the German gunner. When he reached the crossing, he once again braved dense artillery fire and took the lead in laying down planks, allowing the British assault troops to charge smoothly into the enemy position and ultimately forcing the numerically superior German troops to withdraw from the battle.
The bloody fighting between the two armies gradually died down. Suddenly, a wounded German soldier appeared in Tandey's sight. This limping German soldier coming out of the position also saw Tandey's gun barrel pointed straight at him not far away. But the wounded man was clearly exhausted. He neither raised his gun nor panicked; he merely stared expressionlessly at Tandey, as if waiting for the final moment that could no longer be avoided. “I did aim at him, but I never shoot a wounded man,” Tandey later recalled that dramatic moment. “I let him go.” The young wounded German nodded slightly, then slowly walked away.
At that moment history suddenly turned. This German corporal named Hitler successfully withdrew to the rear with the German remnants, while Tandey soon forgot the little episode that had come at the end of the battle. On December 17, 1919, he received the Victoria Cross. The Italian artist Fortunino Matania specially created an oil painting set against the backdrop of the Battle of Ypres, showing Tandey carrying a wounded soldier on his back, to signify that these brave soldiers were fighting in order to “end all wars.” In 1926, 35-year-old Tandey returned home in glory, married, had children, and began living a quiet life.
Old events becoming new hatred
Europe was in urgent turmoil in 1938. At that time, British Prime Minister Chamberlain agreed to go to Germany for talks with the Führer, Hitler. The two sides arranged to meet at Hitler's newly completed private villa in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria.
On September 15, Chamberlain finally arrived at Hitler's villa built on a hilltop. To the Prime Minister's great surprise, hanging prominently in the German Führer's drawing room was a reproduction of the portrait Matania had made of Tandey years before. Hitler explained: “The man in that picture nearly took my life. At the time I even thought I would never see Germany again. Providence saved me from the gun of that British soldier as he aimed at me.” What Chamberlain thought at that moment is no longer known. Perhaps he was thinking to himself that if Tandey had pulled the trigger, Europe's disaster might never have begun. In any case, Hitler hoped that after returning home, the Prime Minister would convey his most heartfelt thanks to his British “savior.” The Prime Minister said he would find a way to pass it on. However, this sudden blessing was undoubtedly a heavy slap in the face from fate for Tandey.
When the news reached Britain, the whole country was shocked. Some historians were deeply skeptical of such a dramatic anecdote from World War I. But who would go to the trouble of inventing such a story? Hitler's List Regiment was indeed stationed in the Marcoing crossing area in September 1918. Since many official German historical archives were destroyed in the war, and Hitler's own memoirs were notorious for their confusion and contradictions, Hitler's exact position in that chaotic battle on September 28 can no longer be verified. Even so, Hitler's personal interest in Tandey is documented.
In 1937, the Green Howards regimental bulletin carried a passage saying that Colonel Earle had heard from a man calling himself Dr. Schwade that the German Führer very much wanted a British military oil painting by Matania. Colonel Earle soon sent the painting over, and Hitler's adjutant, Captain Wiedemann, wrote a special letter of thanks. But for Tandey, this old story was a cruel reality he had no choice but to accept. Unfortunately, this historically significant oil painting disappeared after Allied forces captured the “Eagle's Nest” at Berchtesgaden.
Endless regret
As for Tandey, the honors and war memories of former days suddenly became the most tormenting of recollections. Because of his “good deed,” the whole world fell into catastrophe, and tens of millions of lives were devastated. In 1940, Tandey moved to Coventry, where he saw the German air force bomb the city into ruins. After that, he personally lived through the Nazi air force's savage bombing of London as well. He said painfully to a newspaper reporter: “Had I known what sort of man this fellow would become, I should have shot him dead. So many people, so many old people, weak people, women and children were killed by him. I really have sinned before God!”
At age 49, Tandey enlisted again, but the serious wound he had suffered in the Battle of the Somme meant he could no longer return to the battlefield. Although the old veteran afterward threw himself selflessly into volunteer work at home, the memory of the past tormented him constantly. In 1977, Tandey died in Coventry at the age of 86.