From the Chaplaincy

A True Story from WWII

North Africa, August 1942. 

The Milky Way sparkled brightly against the velvety black of the sky, undiluted by city lights. Lieutenant Mitchell Owen emerged from his tent and purposefully sought out a spot of solitude. This was the habitual start to his day, a moment of prayerful stillness, of mindfulness. His thought rested on a higher Power, a Power that is omnipresent and omnipotent. A favourite verse from the Bible came to him: 

“Joshua 1:9  . . . The LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” This reassurance of God’s omnipresence and protection would hold him in good stead later on that day. 

It was World War II and Mitchell and his platoon faced daily skirmishes against the German army.  It was easy to condemn and fear and hate the enemy, but this wasn’t Mitchell’s stance. Negativity only served to unsettle his inner peace, and he prayed that by the grace of God, he might get through this war without needing to shoot anyone. 

As the rosy hue of dawn broke over the Sahara desert, the morning bugle call aroused Mitchell’s soldiers. Mindful of the wisdom of being forewarned and prepared, Mitchell went ahead to reconnoiter the region beyond the hills. Approaching the crest of a dune he dropped into a leopard crawl, and as he scaled the top, he came within firing range of a German soldier. 

Both rapidly and simultaneously raised their rifles. 

Both cocked their rifles ready to fire. 

Both took aim. 

Both had their fingers on the trigger. 

Both pulled their trigger. 

Both rifles jammed. 

Yes . . . both rifles jammed! 

Mitchell was faced with the decision to pursue an act of aggression and batter the enemy with the butt of his rifle, or . . . retreat. Clearly, the German soldier was confounded with a similar conflict. What came next could have been compressed into seconds - a flash from The Lord’s Prayer – ‘Our Father . . .’ 

This man was, metaphorically speaking, a brother, a fellow child of God, a worthy life. God’s omnipresence and omnipotence was being demonstrated then and there, embracing both men. Mitchell had been given a rare opportunity . . . a moment to express compassion, a gift of peace. He lowered his rifle and gave a ‘thumbs up’. Relief washed over the German soldier’s face. He gave an almost imperceptible nod in response, and slid backwards, retreating out of sight. 

Lieutenant Mitchell Owen saw out the next three years of the war, without missing his pre-dawn prayerful meditation, without needing to use his weapon against an enemy soldier, and without suffering any mental or physical harm himself. He was profoundly grateful for his deeper understanding of that higher Power, and for the sense of safety, peace, and wellbeing that it brought. 

Warm regards from,

The Chaplaincy Team