LJI EB 2 - 11th Hour

[aggienaut]

   10:55am, November 11th, 1918, France -- "But I mean, now I'll never get a chance to prove myself" Private Gunther suddenly grumbled as the squad made its way down a street in the village of Chaumont-devant-Damvillers.
   "What? Seriously?" sergeant Powell couldn't believe he was still going on about this. Though the rumble of artillery fire still reverberated all around them, everyone knew the armistice was to go into effect at 11:00. Powell looked at his watch. The artillery was intentionally not aiming for anyone at this point.
   "So you got demoted, you know, you could be dead! Or worse!" Powell tried to reassure the agitated Gunther.
   "I entered the war a sergeant, and I'm leaving a private, I'm going to have to explain that one to people the rest of my life! And live with it!" exclaimed Gunther.
   Most of the buildings in the village showed the scars of years of fighting. Some were just riddled with bullet holes, some were half destroyed by artillery.
   Powell looked around a corner and then pulled his head back "let's go the othey way?"
   "What, why?" asked Gunther.
   "Look we don't need any trouble," Powell looked at his watch again "there's literally three minutes left of this war, let's just go the other direction."
   Gunther took a look around the corner himself. At the end of the road there was a German roadblock with machine guns. Gunther fidgeted nervously with his gun.
   "I don't know what's wrong with you Henry, you're the only god damn person not happy the war is about to be over."
   "I'm going to charge them."
   "What?? No you're NOT, that's an order!"
   Before Powell could grab him Gunther was off around the corner.
   Powell watched helplessly as Gunther charged madly down the road.

   Hans couldn't believe his eyes, as a soldier in an American uniform suddenly emerged down the street and started running at them with his rifle ready. He glanced at his fellow squadmembers. The sergeant looked at his watch.
   "10:59! He's insane? Does he not know??"
   All five of them stood up and waved their arms in the air to get the soldier's attention, but he kept coming.
   "Go back!!!" they yelled in their best renditions of English. "War over!!"
   The soldier fired a shot wildly over their heads and they instinctively ducked down again.
   Hans got back into position behind the machine gun and placed his hand back on the trigger. He fired a quick burst over the incoming soldier's head, but he didn't stop.
   He was approaching point blank range now and he had a crazy look in his eyes. Still Hans held back, he just couldn't believe it, other squadmembers were still trying to yell at him to stop. But there was nothing for it, he pointed the barrel at the madman's chest, and finally pulled the trigger.
   The man quickly toppled backwards in a spray of blood

   The crew stood up and stared in disbelief. The rumble of artillery suddenly stopped and there was nothing but an eerie silence. Down the road another American soldier came out from around the corner, no rifle in his hand, and stood there for a moment looking. The German squad stepped in front of the roadblock and the sergeant waved the other American over.

---

Obviously I made up the details, but Private Henry Gunther was indeed killed charging a German roadblock that tried to wave him away 60 seconds before the armistice officially ended WWI.

See also agirlnamedluna's entry, which also takes place in WWI.

Comments

[athenais.livejournal.com]

What a tragic waste.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

There were 10,944 casualties on the last day of the war. And pretty much everyone on both sides knew from 5am that morning that it would end at 11am.

[tatdatcm.livejournal.com]

How bizarre. He must have really taken that demotion hard, thinking death would be better than facing it.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Yeah, definitely. And it wasn't even for something shameful like cowardice or something but just being too critical of the war in letters home. He was posthumously restored to the rank of sergeant and awarded two medals for bravery though, so I suppose he got his redemption. d:

[millysdaughter.livejournal.com]

Suicide by cop, more or less?

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Possibly d:

[myrna-bird.livejournal.com]

You spun a wonderfully detailed story about this tragic event.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[barrelofrain.livejournal.com]

Wow, what inspired this set of stories? (Rather, how did you come across this event?)

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

I had read a book awhile ago called "11th Hour" or some such, that was all about events that happened on the last day. Several American units had been ordered to press on with attacked up until the last minute, because their commanders wanted to impress their superiors or something. And artillery kept firing, but all along the lines I think people were mostly firing over eachothers heads. There's even some stories about people shouting across the lines "don't walk there there's mines!" and things.

[barrelofrain.livejournal.com]

Sounds like an interesting book. :)

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

It was! (:

[halfshellvenus.livejournal.com]

What an utterly bizarre choice, and yet he clearly made it since this is factually based.

I'm thinking "suicide by cop" too, to avoid having to actually be present and explain his demotion to everyone back home. But what a stupid, stupid thing to do-- fully brought to life, here.

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

Good heavens, what an odd choice. Poor guy.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

But at least he chose his fate I guess, not like the guy who was shot by a sniper with fifteen minutes to go, while carrying a note to some troops advising them that soup was ready. d:

[lawchicky.livejournal.com]

How tragic!

[cheshire23.livejournal.com]

It really drives home the futility, doesn't it? :/

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Oh, Henry!