Stories of Faith and Courage From World War II Read Online Free PDF

heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
    —Matthew 5:43
     
     

British Spitfire fighter. (Imperial War Museum, E(MOS) 1348)
     
     

Children in London after bombing. (National Archives)

J ANUARY 22
    Superstition
    As a Spitfire pilot with combat experience, Hugh Godefroy took some pride in his lack of superstition. He summed up his own attitude: “I was not superstitious, and finding someone who was, had always made me want to prove them wrong.” One day he was preparing for a patrol over enemy territory. One of his fellow pilots pointed out that it was the 13 th of the month, also reminding him that he had been hit several times before on that day. In spite of his disdain for such thinking, he was suddenly struck with a mortal fear that he had never before experienced. For the entire mission he flew with a sense of dread. He unaccountably kept repeating the only prayer that he could remember: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.”
    When a group of enemy fighters attacked, he suddenly found himself flying and fighting for his life. He fatalistically resolved to sell himself dearly. Finally, grey with strain, nauseated, and out of ammunition, he sensed the end. With a Focke-Wulf 190 still on his tail, he turned for England, straightened out, and closed his eyes. After waiting for what seemed an eternity, he opened his eyes to see the enemy aircraft beside him, the other pilot looking over. After a few seconds the German broke off and headed back to France. Alone, on the ground, sitting in his cockpit, Hugh surveyed the holes in his damaged Spitfire and contemplated the folly of his own emotions. He resolved never again to let a superstitious reaction take over in the cockpit. 33
    While in combat I have also fought off dark thoughts about my chances of surviving and of my “luck” running out. Unfortunately for me, I was a spiritual skeptic at that time and can attest to the fact that such thoughts can be overpowering without a strong faith in God and a sure knowledge of a place in his kingdom.
He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign L ORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.
    —Isaiah 25:8

J ANUARY 23
    Teamwork
    In September 1940 Kathleen Rainer was working in the fields near Ewhurst, Sussex, with her mother and brother. That day she observed an unforgettable incident in the sky above. As a dogfight between Allied and enemy fighters was raging overhead she saw a parachute appear. She realized it must be an Allied pilot when, to her horror, German fighters began to make passes, firing their machine guns at the helpless aviator. Then she saw an amazing sight:
We were so proud of our pilots for what they did next…the other Spitfires began to circle the parachute, protecting the pilot from the German attack. As the pilot descended down, the rest of his squadron would spiral down with him, guiding him to the ground and protecting him. We were so proud of them, risking their lives to save that one pilot who was otherwise totally defenceless against the German fighters. 34
    A big part of Great Britain’s success during the Battle of Britain is attributed to the survival rate of her invaluable pilots. The great advantage of fighting over home soil was the fact that so many of these young men were able to make it safely back to base, even if their aircraft were lost. For this to happen, however, it took teamwork and a strong belief in the value of each pilot’s life. Again, we see how important it was then to have strong, close-knit units in the face of danger.
    We need the same sense of urgency now in supporting and protecting each other within our own spiritual units of the body of Christ. The dangers may not be as obvious as those of actual combat, but the battle for our