The rainbow never sets

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name Ñ Have I honoured your name today, Lord? É

"Your Kingdom come Ñ Do I really want your Kingdom to come? É "Your will be done, on earth as in heaven Ñ Was it your will that our barrack burnt down yesterday? É

"Give us today our daily bread Ñ thanks, that we can still have food, and warm food too É

"Forgive us our sin Ñ and I thought of any wrongs I had done during the day that needed forgiveness, from God or from others? É

"As we forgive those who sin against us Ñ Do I need to forgive someone else? É

"Save us from the time of trial Ñ What was there that could have been a test for me? The fire? My home? É

"And deliver us from evil Ñ Especially the war and all the evil that it brings out in people. God, please take it away from me, but not my will, but your will be done.

"For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, everything is yours, and I am in your hands, now and for ever. Amen."

I had prayed this prayer in this fashion for years, but now it seemed to become even more meaningful to me. Every night after I had prayed it, I felt calm and peaceful, and soon I would drift into a deep, healing sleep. This prayer had become a great comfort to me. It was to keep me in touch with my Maker and my Protector, and see me through my most difficult time in my life.

On New Year's Eve I volunteered to do the midnight shift, standing watch at the radar unit. It was a frosty night, but because there was snow on the ground, it was not quite dark, but brilliantly clear. I walked over to the four-meter base and looked at the moon through the telescope. It seemed so much nearer. What would it be like, standing on the moon?

Then I focused on Saturn. I could see the rings around it, like a trailing veil, getting the feeling that all was in motion.

At midnight, I could hear some bangers go off in a distant village, then the barking of a dog. Then all was quiet again.

"God, what have you got in store for us in 1945?" I looked for a guiding star, but there was none.

*

January 1945 was cold right from the start. There was plenty of snow, and the earth was frozen hard. We stopped digging the trenches in the hope of an early thaw. But the news from the east front got worse.

On 12 January, a major Russian offensive started. They pushed the German troops over their fortified defence positions, inspite of heroic resistance.

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