the bullet proof boy

Today in a department store I saw a manikin with belts placed around it like bandoleers and I was reminded of a story I was told by a World War I veteran about a daring young solder who seemed to be bullet proof. The veteran has long since passed away and it is possible that I am the only person living who knows this story. So I took a picture of the bandoleers with my phone camera and decided to tell you the story to you so that it is not lost.

The veteran served in Iraq during WWI and spoke of the landings at Al Faw, a rapid advance toward Basra and a daring attempt to take Baghdad in 1915. He told of the enemy pushing back and a siege at Al this) Kut. He detailed the British counter attack that sacked Baghdad in March 1917 and pressed on to Mosul. Among these and other desert battles the bullet proof boy, wrapped bandoleers and dressed in desert garb, earned a reputation of being impervious to enemy fire. With an ability to run like no other he would charge the enemy lines leaping over barbed wire, dodging machine gun fire, and jumping into enemy trenches where even at close quarters bullets fired at him would miss while every round he fired found its mark.

One day, under a particularly hot desert sun, the British advance was pinned down by heavy enemy fire but the bullet proof boy was not afraid. Spurring on the troops he ran from a trench to trench dodging bullets and laughing at the inability to shoot him. Suddenly the bullet proof boy winced and he fell dead into a trench at his comrades’ feet.

The veteran sobbed as he explained that examining the body he discovered that an enemy bullet had glanced and set of a round in one of the bullet proof boy's bandoleers--he had been killed by one of his own bullets. The bullet proof boy had therefore died as he lived, enemy bullets could not touch him, but his own bullets always found a mark.

The next time you see a manakin in a department store dressed in belts remember this story and pass it on to a friend, that way the bullet proof boy who died before he had a change to grow up and enjoy life will at least get a change to live little longer in our memories.