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The German Pistol That Saved the World
[Field Ethos] The year was 1896, and the newly minted British cavalry officer was reporting to his first operational posting in Bombay, India. He was 22 years old and justifiably terrified. Born into the English aristocracy, the ruddy youth, like so many rambunctious young men of means who had come before, sought out military service for its quickening and maturation. Now, amid the steaming, sweaty milieu that was imperial India, he was about to test his mettle.You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Sandhurst had taught him the rudiments of how to be an officer. However, a lieutenant’s first posting is invariably a voyage of discovery. As the small boat puttered up to the quay, the enthusiastic young firebreather reached out to steady the vessel. In so doing, he badly wrenched his right shoulder. The injury was agonizing. It also never fully healed. A severe rotator cuff tear back in the days before arthroscopic orthopedic surgery was the gift that kept on giving. This represented an ignominious start to the young officer’s military career. A Serendipitous Disability. Posted by: Besoeker 2025-06-21 |
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