Setting the paper against the empty vase, she relaxed into her chair and read the story.
From our Royal Correspondent.
At the investiture ceremony conducted at Buckingham Palace yesterday, Saturday 17th August, His Majesty the King presented Lieutenant Colonel John Eric Arthur Ramsey VC, DSO and three bars, MC and bar, with a second award of the most prestigious gallantry award, the Victoria Cross.
Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey, of 7th Battalion, The Black Watch, was given his second award for extreme gallantry and leadership at the Battle of Barnstorf, which occurred during the heavy fighting in Northern Germany that ensued throughout October 1945.
He was severely wounded during that battle, losing both his legs in an explosion, but has since made excellent progress with prosthetics, and was able to walk unassisted to the presentation stool to receive his medal from the hands of the King.
Whilst the second award of a Victoria Cross is unusual, in as much as only three other service personnel have so honoured, this award is totally unique.
The facts of his exemplary conduct initially only came to light because of a hand-written note placed inside his battledress by a senior officer of the Soviet Red Army, a man against whom Ramsey had fought on that fateful day.
The Soviet Colonel, an officer called Jarishlov, commanded the troops who captured Ramsey after the Black Watch officer had successfully, and at great personal cost, destroyed a vital route over the Hunter River, holding up a major enemy attack almost single-handedly.
Badly wounded, Ramsey was given safe conduct back to the Allied lines, from where he was taken to hospital, where US doctors saved his life.
Medical staff found the Soviet officer’s note amongst his old battledress some months later, and the process of investigation was started.
Normally, the recommendation for the Victoria Cross should come from an officer at or the equivalent level of regimental command, an, it seemed clear, that the officer recommending in this instance satisfied that requirement.
The cause of disagreement within the hallowed halls of the War Ministry was that the officer in question was an enemy.
The Prime Minister came to hear of the discussions, and directed that additional investigations should be made amongst the survivors of the Battle of Barnstorf, and, if any award was considered due, then it should be made, regardless of the fact that the initiating officer was Russian.
Investigations soon revealed a tale of great heroism and superb leadership in the face of overwhelming odds, over and above that cited by the Russian officer.
The award process reviewed all evidence and decided that the criteria for a second award had been met, and exceeded.
So intriguing was the story that the King invited Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey to his study to discuss the battle and the minutiae of his award in private.
Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey is pictured displaying his new medal, accompanied by his wife, Lucinda, and his senior nurse, Major Jocelyn Presley of the US Army Medical Service, who nursed him through his recovery.
It might surprise the reader that this officer still seeks to be actively involved in the defence of his country, and has recently accepted a position within the Department of Procurement in the Ministry of War.
The Victoria Cross was also awarded to Sergeant Carl Jones, of 4th Royal Welch Fus…
Presley shook her head, part in awe at the man’s drive and commitment to the cause, but also partially because he had done his bit, given so much of himself, in literal as well as mental terms, and still could not take a back seat.
She even felt a modicum of anger, something that Jocelyn Presley immediately baulked at, and became angry with herself for having such a thought.
She folded the Sunday paper and left the canteen, determined to throw herself into her work and overcome the negative thought.
“Good afternoon, Lieutenant. Any problems?”
“Good afternoon, Major. Only the usual suspect. Simply won’t lie still. Major Levens wrote him up for some more analgesia, but he won’t let me administer it.”
The syringe and its paraphernalia were set in a kidney dish, ready for use.
Presley checked the documentation and nodded to the nurse going off duty.
“I’ll deal with him, don’t you worry. Enjoy the rest of your day, Lieutenant.”
She strode purposefully towards the man in question.
“Good afternoon, Colonel Crisp. I hear you’ve been causing trouble again.”
“Three… two… one… and cue.”
The microphone went live.
“My fellow Americans, and peoples of the free world, good evening.”
Truman’s voice resounded from radios and speakers the length and breadth of the United States, and in many corners of the world beyond.
“I am speaking to you from the Oval Office on this most momentous of days, a day when I can bring to you tidings that herald an end to the fighting that has blighted our world for months and years.”
“Your government, and those of the Allied Alliance, have been involved in talks with the government of the Soviet Union, talks that were aimed at bringing the hostilities to a swift end, and restoring the political map of Europe to something approaching normal.”
“I am here to tell you that a ceasefire has been successfully negotiated and that, as a result, hostilities between the NATO alliance and the Soviet Union will cease at midnight tonight, Greenwich Mean Time, that is to say, in one hour from the commencement of this address.”
“This announcement is being repeated across the spectrum of our Allied nations, from Prime Minister Churchill in the United Kingdom, to President Camacho in Mexico.”
It was eleven o’clock at night in London, but Churchill had acquiesced to the timetable, knowing that his countrymen would need to know at the exact same time.
“We have agreed a ceasefire in order to save more lives, prevent more destruction, and in order to immediately look to commencing the rebuilding of our world.”
“There will be a phased withdrawal by all Soviet forces, returning them to the national lines that were in place on 6th October 1939, with some small alterations, from which position negotiations will continue, in order to restore Europe to her 1938 political boundaries.”
President Truman moved on to flesh out some of the agreements in place, and some that were expected to be negotiated in future, but not everyone was listening any more.
“Small alterations… bastards.”
The nods were universal.
“Bastards. We’ve lost the initiative.”
Speer sat back from his notes, throwing his pen across the table. He already knew what was going to be said in any case.
Guderian wiped his hands across his face, seeking to refresh himself. He had not slept for nearly thirty-six hours.
Von Vietinghoff played with his pen, seeking some solace in its gentle tapping on the table.
Karl Renner, the only Austrian present, remained subdued.
It again fell to Speer to speak.
“So, we have been betrayed once more. Our soldiers have committed to the joint cause to defeat communism, and our weak allies have fallen short of their stated objectives… objectives they swore to me… to us… to uphold, come what may.”
He stood and walked around the table, holding his hands behind his back.
“The Communists are weak, they have shown that by coming to the table. They didn’t when we were at the gates of Moscow, or laid siege to Leningrad, so they are weaker now than they were then… and yet our glorious allies choose to cease the fight. We have the initiative… we should attack, attack, attack!”