Heroes of rescue: from war’s frontlines to today’s fight for freedom

Each yr on Remembrance Sunday, we pause in silence to honour those that laid down their lives in war. It’s a moment that never fails to maneuver me — a reminder that courage is expensive, and that freedom was paid for by atypical men and ladies who selected to act, even when fear and danger surrounded them. Their bravery still calls us to live in another way today.

One of probably the most inspiring stories I do know is that of Desmond Doss, a medic credited with saving 75 men during one among World War II’s fiercest battles on Okinawa. At the tip of Hacksaw Ridge, the movie based on his life, we see actual footage of Doss in an interview. Gentle and unassuming, he shares what kept him going through 12 gruelling hours under fire: “I used to be praying the entire time. I just kept praying, ‘Lord, please help me get yet another.’”

That prayer became his lifeline. He focused on one life — and God answered his cry 75 times that night. Doss didn’t try to avoid wasting everyone directly. He simply asked for the strength to take yet another step, make yet another rescue, and never stop until the very last man was secure.

Let me bring this closer to home by sharing the story of William Coltman — Britain’s most decorated non-commissioned officer in history. I first heard about him through my friend Phil Coltman, his grandson.

William’s relatively untold story is astonishing. He was a softly spoken Sunday school teacher from Burton-upon-Trent who stood just 5ft 4in tall and barely met the peak requirement to enlist. Yet this unassuming man went on to perform a few of the most daring rescues of your entire war. 

One terrifying night under heavy fire, as William listened to the cries of wounded comrades, he vowed never to hold a rifle again and requested to retrain as a stretcher bearer. 

This role was amongst probably the most dangerous on the front line. With only 16 men assigned to a whole battalion of around a thousand, they crawled through mud, bullets, and shellfire to achieve the wounded and carry them back to safety. It was slow, exhausting, back-breaking work — nevertheless it saved lives.

On September 28, 1918, near the St. Quentin Canal, Coltman worked without rest, rescuing man after man under relentless artillery fire. Days later, when he heard that wounded soldiers had been left behind near Mannequin Hill, he went back alone, treating their wounds and carrying them out, one after the other on his back. For this extraordinary courage, he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the very best military honour. 

Both Doss and Coltman teach us that courage is usually quiet, regular, and focused. Their actions show that one person’s faith and determination can tip the balance between life and death.

And that’s where remembrance challenges me most. We will not be on a battlefield today, but we still live in what CS Lewis called ‘enemy-occupied territory’. Millions of men, women, and youngsters are trapped in modern slavery — girls sold into brothels, boys forced into bonded labour, children abducted as soldiers. Their cries are not any less urgent than those heard by Coltman on the battlefield.

Since founding One By One, a charity focused on ending exploitation of the vulnerable the world over, we’ve seen the ability of 1 life time and time again. 

Our newly opened Mercy Centre in Uganda has already provided safety, healing, and education for many ladies who were once exploited, giving them hope for the long run and the possibility to rebuild their lives with dignity. 

Recently, we welcomed two sisters, aged just six and nine, who had been trafficked by a person who forced them to bounce on the street for money. He kept every part they earned, leaving them hungry, homeless, and vulnerable to abuse. When they arrived, they were frightened and traumatised, but today, due to our amazing team, they’re secure — and their trafficker is behind bars.

But there are numerous more still waiting for somebody to go behind enemy lines for them.

This is where remembrance must turn to motion. If Coltman could return into enemy fire for yet another man, and if Doss could keep praying for strength to rescue yet another, perhaps we are able to ask God to assist us do the identical in our time. 

This season, as we honour those that risked every part for others, may we’ve the courage to hope: “Lord, use me — to avoid wasting just yet another.”

Becky Murray is the founder and CEO of One By One, a charity working with victims of human trafficking the world over. Visit www.onebyone.org for more information.