Comrade Sgt Bradley perhaps you should allow me to drive next time. Women make better driver for tank, better gunner for anti-aircraft gun and better driver for Jeep. In Russia these things are known.

Joe and Lisa are now in a relationship. However, Lisa insists on maintaining strict military protocols between the two of them, though sometimes there is a breakdown in these. Joe Bradley is a sergeant and Lisa, a Leytenant and famous Russian sniper as well as Hero of Soviet Union.

 

End of sequence.

 

Lisa kept her promise to Joe and was on duty waiting for him in Berlin at the end of the war.

 

On the 25th April 1945 Lisa meets up with her unit on the river Elbe and must say goodbye to Joe and the 247 Military Field Hospital she has grown to love since shortly after D-day when she rescued Joe from the clutches of some German soldiers in a stolen Sherman tank.

 

The Germans surrendered on the 8th of May 1945 and shortly after Joe headed for Berlin as part of an interpreter unit for senior officers. However, back at the Elbe Lisa and Joe have to go their separate ways as the American forces are not permitted to enter Berlin. The story goes:

 

...Suddenly he hears Lisa call out.

 

"Sgt comrade Bradley - stop!"

 

Joe stops for a moment still facing forward. He then slowly turns his head, fighting back tears, he turns to face Lisa. Lisa approaches Joe and stands to attention in front of him.

 

"Sgt comrade Bradley - in United States Army is it not customary to salute superior officer?"

 

Surprised, Joe throws a short sharp salute. Lisa replies in kind.

 

"Sgt comrade Bradley, it is also customary for soldiers in armed forces of Union of Soviet Socialist Republic to kiss as a formal military compliment when in presence of Hero of Soviet Union - Leytenant Lisaveta Britchkina from Vologda!"

 

Joe cocks his head to one side to convey his confusion.

 

"Sgt Brad..." Lisa stutters, her lower lip quivers, "Sgt Joe Bradley you may kiss Leytenant!"

 

Lisa lowers her voice to a whisper

 

"Please Joe, please kiss me!"

 

A smile comes over Joe's face as months of heart ache melt away.

He warmly embraces Lisa

 

"Joe... I love you"

 

Joe repeats her name over and over, the first time he had ever called her by her first name. At the same time Lisa closes her eyes.

 

"Lisa....Lisa....Lisa"

 

"Lisa, I have always loved you".

 

"Joe, we will see each other again soon"

 

Joe gently caresses her cheek with the back of his hand.

 

"Lisa, do Soviet soldiers really kiss each other?"

 

Lisa briefly breaks their embrace while stilling holding onto Joe.

 

A stern look falls on her face. "You don't believe I am Hero of Soviet Union?"

 

"No, no , no I was just , ah I didn't mean..."

 

Lisa breaks into laughter

 

"It's ok Joe I'm teasing you!"

 

"Would you like to accompany me to airfield Sgt comrade Bradley or should I get those Amercian pilots there to help me?"...

 

And later in Berlin...

 

A few weeks later Joe and the team drove through the city stopping to chat with soviet soldiers whose Russian Joe was able to interpret. He pretended to be interested in their conversation but he was scanning the area around the open spaces. He saw the Brandenburg gate columns peppered with bullets and soviet trucks criss crossing the intersection. And then he noticed a female soldier standing on a platform waving two flags in almost semaphore fashion. Joe excused himself from the group and approached the girl. He also noticed a soviet film crew performing an interview with the female soldier.

 

Joe stopped and stood still. A few trucks drove between them. The film crew departed. The girl flicked her flags for a Soviet Staff car, saluting it as it passed by, putting Joe directly in Lisa's line of sight. Her Mosin Nagant rifle was slung across her back just as Joe had remembered her wearing it after their last meeting. Suddenly the square was quiet. They stood looking at each other for a moment in silence.

 

"Comrade Sgt Bradley" Lisa called out loudly.

 

"Is it customary in United States Army to salute superior officer?"

 

Joe replied.

 

"Is it customary in the the armed forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic to kiss a superior officer as a formal compliment?"

 

"Then Sgt Bradley...you had better obey custom!"

 

 

An ascending aerial shot sets the final scene as Joe crosses over to embrace the love of his life. As they intertwine the sounds of heavy soviet transport truck horns and the cheers of Soviet soldiers can be heard as they pass followed by Duffy and the gang circling them in their jeep. Joe, with his arms around Lisa lifts her up and swings her around. With the fading audio Lisa can be heard to say "Joe, you are so terrible at goodbyes". Fade out - Without any traffic control, the intersection becomes clogged and confusion envelopes.

 

Joe and the unit are stationed on Iwo Jima after the war in Europe is over but Japan surrenders and the unit is sent as part of the occupation forces. After a difficult struggle with red tape, on leave, Joe tracks Lisa down in Berlin and with permission returns to St Lo where they are married.

 

One of Lisa's missions was to secure the Romanov diamond, stolen by German soldiers en route to Stalingrad. However, the diamond was also sought by the USA and they thought they had it in their grasp...

 

Back in Moscow...in a secret warehouse location.

 

"And now comrades we reveal the glorious efforts and ingenuity of the union of the soviet socialist republic, top secret plans taken from under the noses of the allies that will determine our solid future in rocket supremacy and world leaders in space technology"

 

A soldier holding a claw hammer is given the nod to wrench the cover off a large wooden crate. The cover is thrown onto the floor and some wax paper pulled back.

There is a sudden gasp and the sound of flash bulbs going off ten to a dozen.

 

Lying in the crate, bright and shining is the largest diamond in the world - the Romanov Diamond!

 

In Washington...The president begins to speak...

 

"It is with great rejoicing and appreciation that we owe a significant debt of gratitude to our intelligence network. Without their contribution we would not have in front of us today this genuine prize of humanity that speaks for all Americans as we unveil the world's largest diamond. It is a tribute to the power of our democracy and symbol of our strength and courage as we assist to transform the world from the league of Nations to the new United Nations. On that note may I now declare..The second world war in Europe is over. These proceedings are closed!"

 

The whole room is filled with roars and cheers as a corporal splinters the side of the crate open. The furrore dies down in a hurry as the room is filled with the flutter of paper files, sketches and rocket drawings. Complete silence descends on the room. A small component rolls out squeaking and stops at the feet of the president. The president stoops and picks up the object, and a sketch of a V2 rocket, He scratches his head.

 

"Well what the hell is this?".

 

The corporal comes over.

"Mr President, I think it's an automatic pilot, you see sir it says so on the" the corporal is cut off by the president who turns to his inferiors

 

"I know what it says corporal, heads are going to roll for this blunder, what the hell are we going to do with a box of stupid skyrockets?"

 

"And did we get that German chef who works at the rocket centre kitchen famous for world cuisine or did we stuff that up as well?"

 

The corporal replies

 

"Oh no Mr President, he's right here"

 

"Good, what's your name son, I presume you speak English?"

 

The young man replies

 

"Ja Mr President, my name is Von Braun, Wernher Von Braun at your service".

 

 

 

 

Lisa and Duffy Washington are the only surviving members of the 247 MFH. Duffy is currently in the UK held up by the Covid 19 virus and can't make the 75th anniversary services in Normandy.

 

Lisa is now in a rest home in Allentown, Pennsylvania and is surrounded by her loving family.

 

In Lisa's dreams she once again is the young sniper girl in the strong loving arms of the medic sergeant that sang songs to her and won her heart.

 

One evening, sometime soon, she will hear a couple of jeeps pull up in her driveway, Joe, Tommy, Buck, Katy, Ashi, George, Takitah, Jane, Michelle, Katyusha and Sarah will jump out and invite her to join them in their next big adventure.

 

20 November 2022

 

Over the last few years Duffy in ill health, has been staying with his granddaughter and her family in a 'granny flat' at the back of the family home in a quiet little street in Allentown. In the early hours of one morning, Ranger, the family dog, in slumber spread across and taking up most of the bed space, is awaken by an approaching car in the driveway. Ranger licks Duffy's face who slowly gains consciousness. After peering outside Duffy puts on his slippers and shuffles his way to the entrance of his flat. He goes outside, at first thinking that the Jeep and servicemen he sees in front of him are part of some military enactment group. But then he realises. Ranger looks at Buck and Joe in the front seat, the girls in the back and gently whimpers. Joe tells Ranger he cant come with them but Duffy convinces the team that since the dog is 20 yrs old and near the end of his days he should come with them. Ranger in excitement jumps onto Asahi's lap in the back of the Jeep. Duffy reaches out at Joes outstretched hand and notices his own hands are young and smooth. He squeezes in the back next to a young women, Victoria, the love of his life, together again forever.

 

The following morning, Chelsea comes in with a cup of coffee for her grandfather and sees Ranger and her grandfather lying motionless in their bed. They had passed away.

 

In time, even death itself might be abolished; who knows but it may be given to us after this life to meet again in the old quarters, to play chess and draughts, to get up soon to answer the morning roll call, to fall in at the tap of the drum for drill and dress parade, and again to hastily don our war gear while the monotonous patter of the long roll summons to battle.

Who knows but again the old flags, ragged and torn, snapping in the wind, may face each other and flutter, pursuing and pursued, while the cries of victory fill a summer day? And after the battle, then the slain and wounded will arise, and all will meet together under the two flags, all sound and well, and there will be talking and laughter and cheers, and all will say, Did it not seem real? Was it not as in the old days?

 

THE END

Done