We spent the rest of the day calling on old friends; it wasn't just emotional, it was heart wrenching. Many of my old mates hadn't made it and were buried in some foreign field, if they were lucky, others were damaged, some very badly or mentally scarred.

I'd been told by my boss in Berlin that I could commandeer a jeep to get around in from the local battalion, so I took advantage of his kind offer and did so, petrol was still scarce so I had to be frugal but it was a big help. Early evening we called on Chris and went for another drink to a place called Penge just south of Croydon, he'd had his discharge through already and said he was well pleased to be out of it at last.

"You must be very bitter Chris," Eva said as we pulled into the pub car park.

"Bitter? No, not really gal, my girl stood by me and we're getting married next year, her dad owns a garage where he gave me a job as a mechanic, I'm on good money and we're saving up for a house, so I'm better off than a lot eh Jack?"

"What? Oh yeah sorry, I was just watching those poor sods over there look."

A group of prisoners of war were being marched off somewhere and they were indeed a sorry looking bunch, being led by several home guard soldiers with rifles.

"Maybe Helmut with them," Eva said hopefully, but it wasn't to be and Chris told me about his cousin who was being held in Germany as a P.O.W.

He'll be on his way home soon, we hope," he said and then chuckled, "The jammy bastard missed it all didn't he? got took at Dunkirk."

"Two and a half pints of bitter please gaffer," I said as he appeared behind the bar,

"OK sir, we're just changing a barrel, won't be a tick."

"No problem, take the money now then."

"Thank you sir" then he shouted down the cellar to someone,

"Have you done it Helmut?"

"Ja is done now gaffer."

I saw Eva's ears prick up at the name as the guy appeared up from the cellar.

"I just pull some through Ja?"

"OK mate." then to me he said, "Got a Jerry P.O.W. helping me since my wife died, he's doing all right too aren't you matey?"

But Helmut wasn't listening, he was staring at Eva, whose face was a picture.

"Eva?"

Her bottom lip trembled, then the dam burst, "Helmut, oh Helmut, it's you."

Chris and I stood gobsmacked as he ran from behind the bar and they embraced, both crying and kissing, it was unbelievable, her brother was here pulling our pints!

"Well bugger me," the landlord said in astonishment, "I'd better have a pint as well." and he pulled himself one after serving me.

"Oh sod the rules," and he pulled another one for Helmut.

"They're brother and sister." I told him and beckoned him to sit with us while I explained.

"Jack this is Helmut, my brother," she said with a laugh, "I tell him we're to be married soon."

I stood up and offered my hand which he shook warmly.

"My sister says you very nice man Jack." and then he noticed the pips on my shoulder, standing up, he stood to attention, clicked his heels and saluted.

"Fucking hell," Chris spluttered in his beer as I returned the salute with an easy grin, "Sit down mate and enjoy your beer."

"Jack." Eva said to me, "I speak German with Helmut, too much to tell him in your language, you please excuse me?"

"Of course, go ahead."

Two home guard privates came in then and shouted to Helmut to stand up when a British soldier came in, "Show some respect."

I stood up and walked across to then quite casually.

"TENSHUN," I shouted and they stood upright in a parody of a parade ground soldier.

"While you're talking about showing respect which you seem very keen on, does the home guard not salute officers or what?"

"Sorry sir," one stammered, "It was just seeing that Nazi talking in German to that bint like she was his girl sir."

"That bint, as you call her is a serving officer in the British Army, (which she wasn't) she is also my fiance and the so called Nazi happens to be a very brave Luftwaffe pilot who was shot down whilst serving his country, he is also her brother who she has not seen for years."

"Sir, sorry sir."

"Now just for once in your sorry lives, do the right thing."

"The right thing sir?"

"Yes, fuck off."

"I don't think they've ever been spoken to like that by an officer before," the landlord smiled as they departed in a hurry. "Hang on a mo', you're Jack Burton aren't you?"

"That's me," I admitted, "But I don't think I know you."

"Ernie sir, Ernie Scrimshaw, you're in this mornings paper, it says how you're going to the Palace tomorrow to get the V.C."

"Yes that's right, I'm dreading it."

"Well I reckon if you can win the V.C., you can face the King."

"Don't you believe it Ernie," I laughed. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to say hello to my future brother in law."

"Well Helmut," I smiled at him. "When are you going home?"

"This I not know sir," he said stiffly, "Soon, I hope."

"I'll see what I can do about that, I'm on leave at the moment, but I'll try to see if you can go back with me."

"Sir, I not want to go back." He was still at attention and very stiff.

"Helmut, please stand easy and stop calling me bloody sir, my name's Jack to my friends."

He relaxed his posture somewhat and smiled, "I wish to stay here in England and work with my friend Ernie, good to me he has been."

"Have you been processed yet?"

"Ja, I am clear."

"And you live here?"

"Ja, Ernie give me a room and food, he good man."

"Well leave it with me and I'll see if I can get your discharge rushed through."

"Please Jack, you not mention I have drink, Ja?"

"Ja, I mean no, no I won't mention that at all, in fact, Ernie could we have another round over here please."

"Coming up Jack," the landlord grinned, "We had a delivery this morning so we've got plenty for once."

"I go finish cellar Ernie," Helmut said and made to get up.

"Nay lad," Ernie told him, "stay and talk to your sister, she's still in shock by the look of her."

We spent a great night in the pub, and we were all a little bit drunk when time was finally called.

Eva was tired, tired, drunk and very happy, not to mention being very horny,

"I drunk Jack, you must undress me Ja?"

I did, well all except her stockings, and as I took my own gear off she rolled over and got onto her knees, presenting her lovely little bottom to me.

Well, now that I was an officer and therefore a gentleman, I did what I thought was nice things to it, I think she liked what I did, judging by the amount of times she came!

We bathed together the following morning and by eight thirty we were eating a breakfast in the hotel, all shined up and ready to go, I wore my dress uniform which had cost me a lot of money, my mother was to go with me as well, my brothers too, so we all piled into the charabanc and arrived in clouds of black smoke outside Buckingham palace dead on time.

There was a line of uniforms waiting before me, but when I announced who I was to a flunky, I was quickly ushered to the front and before I had time to be nervous I was being led out in front of the King.

"Captain Jack Burton Sir," the flunky whispered and the King looked at me and smiled.

"You're a very brave man Captain," he said.

"No Sir," I agreed, and he smiled again as he pinned the purple ribbon onto my tunic, I stepped back and saluted, but the flunky hastily whispered, "Forward again Captain there are more yet," and I received four more medals"

Finally, I had finished and after saluting I stepped back to rejoin the clan, the sweat was pouring off me and it just got worse when a general, a bloody general saluted me.

"He's not saluting you you prat." Pete hissed, "He's saluting the bloody medal."

We had to stay until the end, and I lost count of the times I had to tell how I won the bloody thing, but the lovely Eva stood stoically beside me gripping my hand all the time.

Then we had to endure endless cups of tea with tiny cucumber sandwiches before finally we were able to climb back onto the wagon and drive home.

"Thank God that's over," I said and loosened my collar, but mum put paid to that idea by telling me I had a civic reception yet to attend in the town hall!

It was six o'clock before it was all over and then it was back to mums and the chance to put my feet up, my brothers had gone down to the pub for some beer and when they returned it was with Helmut who congratulated me warmly on my award,

"They tell me the Victoria Cross is not an easy thing to gain Jack."

"Too right mate me old son, you have to have had a ninety per cent chance of dying before they'll even consider it." Put in Paul, followed by;

"Yeah and you must prove that you had all bloody common sense removed as well." from Chris,

"I too have some good news," Helmut said and pulled out a couple of papers from his pocket,.

"My discharge has happened, I am free."

Eva let out a scream of joy and hugged him, everybody else shouted out and we all mobbed him, tears of happiness were running down his face when he could finally shake free and he made a speech.

"When we listened to Herr Hitler, we were told it was our duty to kill and kill again, if we ourselves were killed, we would be honoured in death, we were warned that if we were captured, you, the English would show us no mercy." he stopped as his voice threatened to break,.

"How you say Jack, horse manure?"

"Bullshit," I said quietly and he nodded, "Ja thank you, Bullshit, I was captured and do you know what the soldiers say to me?"

We all waited in silence,

"They say would you like a cup of tea mate?"

The place erupted in laughter the Eva stood up.

"I can only say what I feel, I too was told you were all monsters, then I meet the lovely Jack."

"Oh Gawd, she's blind," Paul moaned, but Eva laughed and went on.

"Only a few months ago we were enemies, now I look forward to joining this family, your family with my wedding, Jack and I must go back soon to Germany, but we will return here, here to you all to marry in front of you, you are special people."

Mum took Eva into her arms and kissed her, "You're lovely pet, but come over here, let me show you something, this is why we won, see that warehouse over there?"

"Ja I see."

"Well if you go past it upstairs on a bus, you'll see what someone painted on the roof."

"Mrs. Burton, this I have seen, Ja, this is why we could never win, Eva it was put on there for our bomber pilots to see."

"It says, Dear Adolf, you can break our windows, but you can never break our hearts."

Please read from chapter one, it will make a lot more sense.