Hit and myth: the private who could have shot Hitler and saved 70 million lives

'Horrible Histories' author Terry Deary is back with a new book that examines the greatest hits (and misses) of British history including this remarkable First World War tale

- Terry Deary

You are Henry Tandey, a British soldier in the trenches of the First World War. You are about to go over the top and attack the German trenches but you’re a career soldier and know the risks. You’ve fought and survived many of the war’s greatest battles; at the Somme in 1916, you were wounded in the leg. When you recovered, you returned to fight at the muddier, bloodier Passchendaele in 1917 where you were wounded again.

By 28 September 1918, you are back in action at the Canal de St Quentin. The German infantry are retreating, beaten. Like a wounded tiger, they are at their most dangerous. Under heavy fire, you lead a charge on the village of Marcoing and take out a machine-gun post. When you find the bridge ahead is damaged, you take planks to repair it and despite more heavy fire, you repair the gap and the advance goes on.

Ahead of you, there are now shattered enemy soldiers staggering away. You can take prisoners but they are a nuisance – one or more of your comrades will have to escort them back to your lines where they will need more fighting men to guard them. Precious medical resources will be taken from your wounded friends to patch them up. You are bone-weary and wounded again.

It would be easy to let them keep running. But one day soon, they will recover enough to regroup and shoot at you. Logic says you shoot the retreating Germans. You are a professional, it’s your job and you have survived four charmed years with the medals to prove it. It makes sense to finish what was started four exhausting years ago.

A German corporal about your age comes into your line of fire. What are you going to do? You probably have around three seconds to decide.

One… you raise your rifle.

Two… you fix him in your sights as he looks you in the eye.

Three… he half raises his hands as your finger tightens on the trigger.

Your time is up. Are you going to shoot him? Yes or no. You have to decide now.