Bob Coulson Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Marina, In brief, Private Henry Tandey was serving with the 2nd battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment during the 1st Battle of Ypres in 1914. The battalion were holding a crossroads on the Menin Road and became the subject of a painting by Fortunino Matania in which Private Tandey can be seen carrying a wounded comrade in for medical aid. At Marcoing in 1918 at the end of the action where Henry Tandey was to earn his VC he noticed a wounded German soldier limping into his line of fire. The weary German stared at Tandey resigned to being shot. Tandey is quoted as saying, "I took aim but couldn't shoot a wounded man so let him go" The German nodded his appreciation and the two went their separate ways. In 1938 PM Neville Chamberlain visited Berchtesgaden and noticed a copy of Matania's painting and queired why it was there. Hitler replied, "That man came so near to killing me that I thought I should never see Germany again" The story has been discussed and refuted by some and accepted as true by others many times over the years. What is true however is that the Green Howards are on record as confirming that they did supply a copy of the painting to Hitler in the 1930s. If you Google "Henry Tandey" you will find a few accounts of the full story. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Thanks, Bob. What a story - too good NOT to be true, if you see what I mean. And if it were true, how awful that an act of kindness should have such hporrid results. Ah, Fate... Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Marina The one thing about fate is you will never know the alternative. Imagine if Tandey had shot Hitler, maybe someone even more vile and destructive (however inconceivable that is) would have taken Germanys helm. It is very sad that Tandey was haunted by this act of kindness for the majority of his later life. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Here's another of his pictures which I've just found. http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War.../Matania_19.htm http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War.../Matania_08.htm Also got the Tandey/Hitler story here for anyone like me who didn't know it. http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/tandey.htm Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Henry was Leamington Spa's hero. He used to work at the Regent Hotel in town. There's a Henry Tandey Court just down the road from where I live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Henry was Leamington Spa's hero. He used to work at the Regent Hotel in town. There's a Henry Tandey Court just down the road from where I live. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Not suprsising with all the decorations he won, including the VC. He was some kind of soldier. It's nice to think he's publicly remembered. Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 12 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 12 August , 2005 Marina, Glad you enjoyed it, quite a story all round. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 12 August , 2005 Share Posted 12 August , 2005 I really did, Bob - thanks for potsing. If you know any more good ones...well, I' always around! Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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