{"id":220915,"date":"2025-10-04T20:54:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T01:54:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=220915"},"modified":"2025-10-21T10:39:55","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T15:39:55","slug":"henry-tandey-spared-hitler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/henry-tandey-spared-hitler\/","title":{"rendered":"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-estimated-reading-time yoast-reading-time__wrapper\"><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-icon=\"clock\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" style=\"display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.1em\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 8v4l3 3m6-3a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__spacer\" style=\"display:inline-block;width:1em\"><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__descriptive-text\">Estimated reading time: <\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__reading-time\">11<\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__time-unit\"> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Summary:<\/strong> A gripping WW1 account of Private Henry Tandey, a decorated British hero, and the long-debated claim that he spared a wounded Adolf Hitler at Marcoing in 1918, traced through a painting, a prime minister\u2019s visit and a legend that refuses to die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-why-hitler-remains-history-s-villain-and-how-henry-tandey-enters-the-story\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\" data-level=\"2\">Why Hitler Remains History\u2019s Villain and How Henry Tandey Enters the Story<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-who-was-henry-tandey-from-green-howards-recruit-to-ww1-legend\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\" data-level=\"2\">Who Was Henry Tandey \u2014 From Green Howards Recruit to WW1 Legend<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-courage-under-fire-distinguished-conduct-medal-and-early-gallantry\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\" data-level=\"2\">Courage Under Fire \u2014 Distinguished Conduct Medal and Early Gallantry<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-victoria-cross-at-marcoing-tandey-s-finest-hour-in-1918\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\" data-level=\"2\">Victoria Cross at Marcoing \u2014 Tandey\u2019s Finest Hour in 1918<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-adolf-hitler-in-ww1-where-his-path-crosses-henry-tandey\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\" data-level=\"2\">Adolf Hitler in WW1 \u2014 Where His Path Crosses Henry Tandey<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-tandey-painting-how-a-wartime-image-fueled-the-hitler-story\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\" data-level=\"2\">The Tandey Painting \u2014 How a Wartime Image Fueled the Hitler Story<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-neville-chamberlain-the-berghof-visit-and-the-tandey-painting-connection\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\" data-level=\"2\">Neville Chamberlain, the Berghof Visit and the Tandey Painting Connection<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-after-the-war-triumph-years-the-blitz-and-tandey-s-reflection\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\" data-level=\"2\">After the War \u2014 Triumph Years, The Blitz and Tandey\u2019s Reflection<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-related-reads-from-gunsamerica-digest\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\" data-level=\"2\">Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Adolf Hitler. Amidst humanity\u2019s literally countless certifiable homicidal maniacs, Hitler consistently ranks number 1 on the psycho hit parade. Accusing political figures of being Hitler appears to be a prerequisite for graduation from Leftist school. It has been done so many times that the sobriquet has lost a great deal of its luster. That\u2019s because nobody is as bad as Hitler. To insinuate otherwise illuminates one\u2019s simply breathtaking ignorance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"766\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hitler_portrait_crop-1-766x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"adolf Hitler portrait, WW1 context for the Henry Tandey legend\" class=\"wp-image-220919\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hitler_portrait_crop-1-766x1024.jpeg 766w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hitler_portrait_crop-1-224x300.jpeg 224w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hitler_portrait_crop-1-112x150.jpeg 112w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hitler_portrait_crop-1-768x1027.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hitler_portrait_crop-1-1149x1536.jpeg 1149w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hitler_portrait_crop-1.jpeg 1352w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 766px) 100vw, 766px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is Adolf Hitler. He was ultimately responsible for the deaths of some 50 million people. (Photo\/Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Donald Trump is a perennial target. Everyone from cerulean-haired militant feminists to unhinged Left-wing politicians has availed themselves of this handy comparison. A partial list of Democrats who have likened Trump to Hitler includes Kamala Harris, Bill Maher, Louis C.K., Sarah Silverman, and Jerry Nadler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"808\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.43.05-808x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Donald Trump official portrait, comparison reference within the Henry Tandey article\" class=\"wp-image-220920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.43.05-808x1024.jpg 808w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.43.05-237x300.jpg 237w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.43.05-118x150.jpg 118w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.43.05-768x973.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.43.05.jpg 944w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 808px) 100vw, 808px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is Donald Trump. He sends mean tweets that cause liberals&#8217; heads to explode, but he&#8217;s not Hitlerian by a long shot. (Photo\/Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Donald Trump might not be a terribly nice man, but he has a long way to go to actually give Hitler a run for his money. Anyone who watches the news can catalog the President\u2019s many hijinks. By contrast, Adolf Hitler institutionally slaughtered six million Jews, murdered 27 million Soviet citizens, and enslaved most of Europe. Hitler had his enemies impaled on meat hooks or slowly strangled with piano wire. Trump, by contrast, slams out mean tweets at odd hours and deports illegal immigrants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>News flash: those things are not the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-hitler-remains-history-s-villain-and-how-henry-tandey-enters-the-story\">Why Hitler Remains History\u2019s Villain and How Henry Tandey Enters the Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>All thinking folk appreciate that Adolf Hitler really was history\u2019s alpha villain. We\u2019ve had no shortage of psychopaths. Jeffrey Dahmer kidnapped, killed, cooked, and ate seventeen young men and boys, but he clearly lacked vision. What made Hitler unique was that he had some proper ambition. Hitler used the apparatus of the state to take institutional murder to new, rarefied heights. Chairman Mao killed en masse because he was stupid. Stalin murdered because he was diagnosably paranoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hitler, however, wiped out entire people groups because he made a cold, calculating decision that his world would be better off without them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That all begs the timeless question, if you had the means to go back in time to an era before Hitler had come to power, would you let him walk, or would you exterminate him for the good of humanity? As time machines are not real, that conundrum will remain tragically hypothetical. However, no less a source than the monster himself did claim that one man had that chance and indeed let him live. That man, a British infantry private named <strong>Henry Tandey<\/strong>, was quite the hero in his own right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-was-henry-tandey-from-green-howards-recruit-to-ww1-legend\">Who Was Henry Tandey \u2014 From Green Howards Recruit to WW1 Legend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.50.09-1024x579.jpg\" alt=\"Angel Hotel on Regent Street in Leamington, birthplace of Henry Tandey in Warwickshire\" class=\"wp-image-220949\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.50.09-1024x579.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.50.09-400x226.jpg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.50.09-150x85.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.50.09-768x434.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.50.09.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In days long past, it wasn&#8217;t so unusual for folks to be born in hotels rather than hospitals. (PhotoAngel Hotel website)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Henry James Tandey was born in August 1891 in the Angel Hotel on Regent Street in Leamington, Warwickshire, in the UK. Henry\u2019s Dad was a former soldier. His Mom died when he was young. That happened a lot back then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young Henry languished for a time in an orphanage and eventually took a job as a boiler attendant in a hotel. In the summer of 1910, he enlisted in the <strong>Green Howards<\/strong>, a line infantry regiment in the King\u2019s Division. This took him to Guernsey and South Africa. However, in 1914, things got real. Tandey\u2019s first taste of serious action was at Ypres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nowadays, American troops serve a set period in a war zone and then rotate home. Not so back during World War 1. These poor slobs fought until they were killed, were too badly wounded to fight any more, or the war ended. Henry Tandey was in the thick of it at places like the Somme, Passchendaele, and Cambrai. He fought from the opening salvoes of the war to the very bitter end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-courage-under-fire-distinguished-conduct-medal-and-early-gallantry\">Courage Under Fire \u2014 Distinguished Conduct Medal and Early Gallantry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"766\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pte_Tandey_VC_DCM_MM-766x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"Private Henry Tandey in WW1 uniform, British Green Howards hero awarded the Victoria Cross\" class=\"wp-image-220925\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pte_Tandey_VC_DCM_MM-766x1024.jpeg 766w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pte_Tandey_VC_DCM_MM-224x300.jpeg 224w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pte_Tandey_VC_DCM_MM-112x150.jpeg 112w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pte_Tandey_VC_DCM_MM-768x1026.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pte_Tandey_VC_DCM_MM-1149x1536.jpeg 1149w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pte_Tandey_VC_DCM_MM-1532x2048.jpeg 1532w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pte_Tandey_VC_DCM_MM.jpeg 1712w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 766px) 100vw, 766px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is Private Henry Tandey. He was a simply superlative soldier. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Henry Tandey\u2019s courage under fire bordered upon the superhuman. This was the citation for his Distinguished Conduct Medal, \u201cHe was in charge of a reserve bombing party in action, and finding the advance temporarily held up, he called on two other men of his party, and working across the open in rear of the enemy, he rushed a post, returning with twenty prisoners, having killed several of the enemy. He was an example of daring courage throughout the whole of the operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-victoria-cross-at-marcoing-tandey-s-finest-hour-in-1918\">Victoria Cross at Marcoing \u2014 Tandey\u2019s Finest Hour in 1918<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.50.48-1024x444.jpg\" alt=\"Lewis gun close up, WW1 light machine gun tied to Henry Tandey action at Marcoing in 1918\" class=\"wp-image-220932\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.50.48-1024x444.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.50.48-400x173.jpg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.50.48-150x65.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.50.48-768x333.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.50.48-1536x666.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.50.48-2048x888.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Though heavy at 28 pounds, the Lewis gun was more portable than comparable weapons at the time. (Photo\/Rock Island Auctions photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Henry Tandey never gained much rank. On 28 September 1818, he was still a private at age 27 after nearly four years in combat. However, it was on this day that Tandey earned the Victoria Cross, his nation\u2019s highest award for valor. This was the citation,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor most conspicuous bravery and initiative during the capture of the village and the crossings at Marcoing, and the subsequent counter-attack on 28 September, 1918. When, during the advance on Marcoing, his platoon was held up by machine-gun fire, he at once crawled forward, located the machine gun, and, with a Lewis gun team, knocked it out. On arrival at the crossings, he restored the plank bridge under a hail of bullets, thus enabling the first crossing to be made at this vital spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLater in the evening, during an attack, he, with eight comrades, was surrounded by an overwhelming number of Germans, and though the position was apparently hopeless, he led a bayonet charge through them, fighting so fiercely that 37 of the enemy were driven into the hands of the remainder of his company. Although twice wounded, he refused to leave till the fight was won.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-adolf-hitler-in-ww1-where-his-path-crosses-henry-tandey\">Adolf Hitler in WW1 \u2014 Where His Path Crosses Henry Tandey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"656\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.31-656x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Adolf Hitler in WW1 Bavarian Army uniform, dispatch runner on the Western Front\" class=\"wp-image-220926\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.31-656x1024.jpg 656w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.31-192x300.jpg 192w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.31-96x150.jpg 96w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.31.jpg 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adolf Hitler was a fairly competent soldier in his own right during World War 1. (Photo\/Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time that Henry Tandey was slogging through the trenches earning his nation\u2019s most esteemed awards for gallantry, a certain nondescript Austrian corporal was enduring comparable deprivations on the other side of no-man\u2019s land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adolf Hitler was 25 when WW1 kicked off. He volunteered for service with the Bavarian Army at the onset of hostilities. His Austrian citizenship should have disqualified him. However, he was allowed to remain in uniform due to a clerical error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"802\" height=\"840\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.51.44.jpg\" alt=\"Adolf Hitler seated with his dog Fuchsl during WW1, period photograph\" class=\"wp-image-220951\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.51.44.jpg 802w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.51.44-286x300.jpg 286w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.51.44-143x150.jpg 143w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-07.51.44-768x804.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 802px) 100vw, 802px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adolf Hitler (seated right) served honorably during WW1. His wartime exploits were well-documented. This mutt dog, Fuchsl, actually belonged to him until somebody stole it. Maybe that&#8217;s what made Hitler such a turd. (Photo\/Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Hitler fought in many of the same battles as did Tandey. He served as a dispatch runner on the Western Front in France and Belgium. In the days before reliable radio, critical messages were often conveyed across the battlefield by individual messengers. This was a hazardous job that produced an inordinate number of casualties. By all accounts, Hitler served admirably in this role, earning the Iron Cross for valor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the day he earned his Victoria Cross, Henry Tandey was fighting with the 5th Duke of Wellington\u2019s Regiment at the French village of Marcoing. As the battle was finding its level and the violence was dying down, Tandey encountered a wounded German soldier who wandered into his line of fire. For reasons lost to history, he chose not to kill this man. There were credible allegations that this wounded straggler was none other than Corporal Adolf Hitler. Here is where the story gets weird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are lots of reasons to believe this was not the case. Records were spotty. Hitler might have even been home on leave on this particular date. Nobody is completely sure. However, Hitler himself had some strong opinions on the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-tandey-painting-how-a-wartime-image-fueled-the-hitler-story\">The Tandey Painting \u2014 How a Wartime Image Fueled the Hitler Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"788\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Menin_Crossroads_cropped.jpeg\" alt=\"Painting of Henry Tandey carrying a wounded soldier at Kruiseke Crossroads, image linked to the Hitler claim\" class=\"wp-image-220927\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Menin_Crossroads_cropped.jpeg 788w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Menin_Crossroads_cropped-400x293.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Menin_Crossroads_cropped-150x110.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Menin_Crossroads_cropped-768x562.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 788px) 100vw, 788px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This painting eventually connected Henry Tandey with Adolf Hitler. (Photo\/Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Henry Tandey ended the war a true hero. In 1923, the Green Howards Regiment commissioned a painting of Tandey carrying a wounded man at the Kruiseke Crossroads northwest of Menin in 1914. This painting was crafted from a sketch made at the time of the event. A building depicted behind Tandey was owned by the Van Den Broucke family. The regiment gifted this family with a copy of the painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A member of Hitler\u2019s staff named Dr. Otto Schwend ended up with a copy as well. I couldn\u2019t determine if this was a second copy or the one gifted to the Ven Den Broucke family. The Nazis stole a lot of stuff. Schwend had served as a medical officer during the Battle of Ypres in 1914. Knowing Hitler\u2019s affection for mementos of his wartime service, Schwend had a large photograph made of the painting and presented it to der F\u00fchrer as a gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon detailed study, Hitler identified Tandey as the man in the painting who had spared his life on the battlefield in 1918.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-neville-chamberlain-the-berghof-visit-and-the-tandey-painting-connection\">Neville Chamberlain, the Berghof Visit and the Tandey Painting Connection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain famously visited Hitler at the Berghof. These talks ultimately led to the Munich Agreement that spawned Chamberlain\u2019s infamous \u201cPeace in Our Time\u201d announcement. While together, Chamberlain and Hitler discussed the painting, the photograph of which Hitler had prominently displayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hitler told the English PM, \u201cThat man came so near to killing me that I thought I should never see Germany again; Providence saved me from such devilishly accurate fire as those English boys were aiming at us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.15-1024x512.jpg\" alt=\"Side by side images of Henry Tandey and Adolf Hitler, reference to the alleged 1918 encounter\" class=\"wp-image-220930\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.15-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.15-400x200.jpg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.15-150x75.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.15-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.15.jpg 1192w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two men&#8211;one a hero and the other a monster&#8211;were brought together across a forsaken battlefield. (Photo\/Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Hitler subsequently asked Chamberlain to track down Tandey and give him his warmest regards. Though the details are disputed, Chamberlain purportedly did call Tandey\u2019s home upon his return, speaking with a nine-year-old relative named William Whateley. At the time, Tandey worked for the Triumph Motor Company. As near as I could tell, Chamberlain and Tandey didn\u2019t actually speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Read more from Will Dabbs:<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/dr-dabbs-conversing-with-the-dead\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\">Dr Dabbs \u2013 Conversing with the Dead<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-after-the-war-triumph-years-the-blitz-and-tandey-s-reflection\">After the War \u2014 Triumph Years, The Blitz and Tandey\u2019s Reflection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tandey remained in the Army after the war, refusing promotions so he could continue to serve as a private. In this capacity, he deployed to Turkey and Egypt. He was finally mustered out in 1926.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tandey married upon his return home, but never had kids. In 1940, while living in Coventry, his home was bombed by the Luftwaffe. Tandey reportedly rescued several victims from their burning homes during the Blitz. When approached by a journalist at the time, he was once asked about the story concerning his sparing the life of Hitler. He said, \u201cIf only I had known what he would turn out to be\u2026when I saw all the people and women and children he had killed and wounded I was sorry to God I let him go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"749\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.40.56-1024x749.jpg\" alt=\"Elder Henry Tandey later in life, decorated WW1 veteran and longtime Triumph employee\" class=\"wp-image-220928\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.40.56-1024x749.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.40.56-400x292.jpg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.40.56-150x110.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.40.56-768x561.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.40.56-1536x1123.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.40.56.jpg 1948w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Henry Tandey lived a long, rich life. (Photo\/Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Tandey worked for Triumph for a total of 38 years. He died in 1977 at the ripe age of 86 and was cremated. His ashes were interred among his brothers at the Masnieres British Cemetery at Marcoing, France, where he had earned his Victoria Cross. It was an honorable end for the man who quite likely spared Hitler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-related-reads-from-gunsamerica-digest\">Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/a-million-rounds-in-half-a-day-the-remarkable-british-vickers-machinegun\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\">A Million Rounds in Half a Day \u2014 The Remarkable British Vickers<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hitlers-walther-the-monster-killer\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\">Hitler\u2019s Walther \u2014 The Monster Killer<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/a-maxim-gun-an-abandoned-french-tank-and-one-determined-american\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\">A Maxim Gun, an Abandoned French Tank and One Determined American<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/the-defection-of-viktor-belenko-one-man-shifts-the-balance-of-power-in-the-cold-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"henry-tandey-spared-hitler\" title=\"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth\">The Defection of Viktor Belenko \u2014 One Man and a Foxbat<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Adolf Hitler. Amidst humanity&#8217;s literally countless certifiable homicidal maniacs, Hitler consistently ranks number 1 on the psycho hit parade.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":220930,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,257,772],"tags":[102,108,636],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-220915","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gunsamerica-authors","8":"category-historical-guns","9":"category-will-dabbs","10":"tag-feature-articles","11":"tag-guns","12":"tag-history"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? 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However, shooting guns and claiming it was work seemed like a pretty sweet hustle. As a result, Will serendipitously transformed an avocation into a vocation. Raised in the Mississippi Delta, Will flew UH1H, OH58A\\\/C, CH47D and AH1S helicopters operationally as an Army Aviator. He is SCUBA-qualified and has parachuted out of perfectly good airplanes at 3 o'clock in the morning. Will has summited Mount McKinley, Alaska, six times\u2026always at the controls of an Army helicopter, which is the only way sensible folk climb mountains. Will has delivered sixty babies and occasionally wrung human blood out of his socks. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has three awesome adult children. Turn-ons include vintage German machineguns, flying his sexy-cool RV6A airplane, Count Chocula cereal and the movie \u201cAliens.\u201d www.word-monkey.com Experience: -Professional Writer-thousands of publishing credits for dozens of titles -Mechanical Engineer\\\/Practicing Physician -Instrument-rated Commercial Pilot -Sunday School Teacher\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.word-monkey.com\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/will.dabbs.9\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/drwildmanmd\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/author\\\/willdabbs\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Did Henry Tandey Spare Hitler? The Story Behind the Myth","description":"Was Henry Tandey the British private who let Adolf Hitler live at Marcoing in 1918? 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Look no further than GunsAmerica.com, America&#039;s premier destination for buying and selling firearms.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization","name":"GunsAmerica","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png","width":286,"height":156,"caption":"GunsAmerica"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/x.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/instagram.com\/gunsamerica_official\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/GunsAmerica"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/4b818f415191c071a88bdc0d8cb33eca","name":"Will Dabbs","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3f92754a3ed333ac83169c15688576870270fedca39840d42964bdc8aba0f8bc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3f92754a3ed333ac83169c15688576870270fedca39840d42964bdc8aba0f8bc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3f92754a3ed333ac83169c15688576870270fedca39840d42964bdc8aba0f8bc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Will Dabbs"},"description":"Will is still trying to figure out what he really wants to be when he grows up. However, shooting guns and claiming it was work seemed like a pretty sweet hustle. As a result, Will serendipitously transformed an avocation into a vocation. Raised in the Mississippi Delta, Will flew UH1H, OH58A\/C, CH47D and AH1S helicopters operationally as an Army Aviator. He is SCUBA-qualified and has parachuted out of perfectly good airplanes at 3 o'clock in the morning. Will has summited Mount McKinley, Alaska, six times\u2026always at the controls of an Army helicopter, which is the only way sensible folk climb mountains. Will has delivered sixty babies and occasionally wrung human blood out of his socks. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has three awesome adult children. Turn-ons include vintage German machineguns, flying his sexy-cool RV6A airplane, Count Chocula cereal and the movie \u201cAliens.\u201d www.word-monkey.com Experience: -Professional Writer-thousands of publishing credits for dozens of titles -Mechanical Engineer\/Practicing Physician -Instrument-rated Commercial Pilot -Sunday School Teacher","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.word-monkey.com","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/will.dabbs.9","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/drwildmanmd\/"],"url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/author\/willdabbs\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-06.41.15-150x75.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220915"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":223434,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220915\/revisions\/223434"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=220915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=220915"},{"taxonomy":"featured","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured?post=220915"},{"taxonomy":"hunt365","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hunt365?post=220915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}