Author's note: The battle of Vimy Ridge was fought from April 9th to April 12th, 1917 in Northern France. Some say Canada came of age as a country in this battle as it was the first time that the four Canadian divisions fought together. Previous assaults on Vimy Ridge had been repelled by the Germans. The tenacious Canadians captured their objective. But, it came at a price. In the four days of fighting ten-thousand Canadians were killed or wounded. Captain Winters is a fictitious character, but he represents the sacrifice made for King and Country. Four Victoria Crosses were awarded to Canadians for their actions at Vimy Ridge, only one of them survived the war. Captain Winter's DCM -- Distinguished Conduct Medal ranks just below the Victoria Cross. The term DCM with Bar indicates the individual was awarded the same decoration at least twice.
I would encourage you to read the history of the Battle for Vimy Ridge
I would like to thank KillerKitty74 and glynndah for editing and proofreading.
---
An article in the back pages of the afternoon newspaper caught Noreen's attention. A blind children's author from Vancouver was killed when he stepped off the curb. The hit-and-run driver had run a stop sign and fled. His name and picture were very familiar to Noreen.
-
She got up and went into the closet in her bedroom. She retrieved a small metal box and returned to her chair. Noreen unlocked the box and removed its contents. Typewritten letters tied with a ribbon, a military decoration, and a picture of a young man in uniform.
"David," she whispered as she held the picture in her hand, then she began to sob.
---
The doctor looked at the young Army Captain seated across from him. He removed his glasses and sat them on the desk. He hated this, he hated having to deliver bad news to young men who had already given so much.
"I'm afraid the doctors in New York agree with the doctors here, in Paris and London. Your optic nerves have been severed or suffered damage that we cannot repair."
Captain David Winters nodded, "Well, that's the news I've been expecting. I suppose it's time for me to put that part of my life behind me and begin a new chapter."
The doctor was surprised at the response, too often it was denial, anger and men breaking down into tears. But this man remained positive.
Intrigued, he asked, "What will you do now?"
"My family wishes that I travel to Vancouver where they own property. They believe the climate will be better than Calgary, especially with winter coming. I was studying engineering, but I think I will become a writer. I feel that's something I can do."
The doctor stood up and shook the Captain's hand, "Best of luck, then."
---
Nurse Noreen Campbell stood in the aisle of the rail car, her progress blocked by other travelers. She felt a suitcase and a cane strike her from behind. She turned, ready to lash out at whoever had hit her, but before her words could leave her mouth she stopped. It was an Army captain, carrying a battered case, and a white cane. This must be her patient for the cross country journey.
"Captain Winters?" She asked.
"Guilty as charged." His voice was quiet, and pleasant, "I'm still not used to the cane and I'm dreadfully clumsy right now as I can't..." his voice trailed off.
"I'm Noreen Campbell, I'm the nurse your family retained to accompany you to Vancouver."
Captain Winters shifted his cane to his left hand and extended his right. "I'm pleased to meet you. I promise to try to not be too much of a burden." Then with a cheery voice, "Now, Nurse Campbell, if you would lead the way perhaps we can find our accommodations and get ourselves settled.
David Winters' family had booked two first-class adjoining drawing rooms for Captain Winters and Nurse Campbell on the Canadian National Trans-Continental from Halifax to Vancouver.
---
Noreen was pleasantly surprised at Captain Winters' appearance. Upon reflection, she wasn't sure what she had been expecting. Unassuming and average would have been her initial description. However, the ribbon for the Distinguished Conduct Medal would dispel that notion. Closer inspection would find the rosette on the ribbon which signified he had won the medal twice.
According to the dossier Noreen had read, Captain Winters had been decorated for his actions at the second battle of Ypres, and then two years later at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. DCM with bar, and thrice mentioned in dispatches was quite the accomplishment for any officer.
Two weeks before the end of hostilities, the truck he was riding in struck a landmine. He had been struck in the head by shrapnel and lost his vision. Experts in Paris, London, and New York had all come to the same conclusion. The optic nerves had suffered irreparable harm, and there was no hope of him recovering his vision.
---
With her help, he had changed from his uniform and into a dark gray suit. "Less conspicuous. Sometimes people see the ribbons, and they want to ask questions," he let out a long sigh, then with a hint of sadness in his voice, "Questions to which I have no answers."
He put his arm through hers, "I would like to leave my cane here, if you have no objections?"
They walked to the dining car, and the waiter let them to a table, mid car.
"What should I call you? Miss Campbell, Mrs. Campbell, Nurse Campbell," he asked after they were seated.
"I am married, but you can call me Nurse, or Noreen, whichever suits you, Captain Winters."
"Please, just call me David. Captain Winters is my past, now."
She read him the menu, and waited for him to make his choices.
"Are you pretty, Nurse Campbell, your voice sounds as if you should be pretty?"
Noreen blushed, "Well, my husband thinks so."
David leaned across the table, his hand near her face, "Can I touch your face so I can see you?"
She paused for a moment, nodded, and then in a soft voice, "Yes, go ahead."
His touch was delicate, the tips of his fingers tracing over her face. The sensation of his touch made her tingle. For a moment she wondered what his touch would feel like elsewhere on her body.
"As I suspected," David announced with a sense of triumph. "You have a nice face, I think you are quite lovely."
He continued, "Since losing my sight it seems like my other senses, hearing, taste, smell, touch have become, hmm, improved, I'm not quite sure that's the correct word."
Noreen nodded as she took a sip of the wine David had ordered, "Working at the hospital during the War, I have heard that both from patients and the doctors. They think the brain is trying to compensate for the lack of visual information by enhancing the other senses."
The white-coated waiter set the bowls of soup down in front of each of them and refilled their wine glasses.
"Soup is easy," he remarked, "All I have to do is find the bowl. Finding the fish on the plate, that's the trick."
"As soon as the main course arrives tell me what you will need me to do," Noreen replied.
"What I wish, most of all, is to not make a complete spectacle of myself," he cocked his head and looked in her direction.
She found him to be a delightful dinner companion. He had charm, and he had wit. The more she studied his face, the more attractive she found him. Noreen wondered how a man who could appear to be so unassuming be capable of the things he had accomplished.
After dinner they adjourned to the bar car for an after dinner drink.
"I really shouldn't," Noreen protested, "I'm on duty."
"Nonsense," David replied with a laugh in his voice, "Think of me as your traveling companion."
"But, I'm a married woman," Noreen looked around to make sure no one within earshot was listening.
"Every knows you're my nurse, so your reputation will remain unsullied," David ordered them both drinks.
"What was your life like, before the war?"
"I grew up in Calgary, father was a solicitor, mother's family were ranchers southwest of Calgary. Hooligans if you listen to my father's family. They lived the Western life, they were cowboys, and there were Indians. I spent almost every summer on the ranch, riding, hiking, fishing. The kind of life most boys just read of in books."
David paused and took a sip of his drink, "Since mother and father both objected to me becoming a cowboy, I enrolled in the University of Alberta and started studying engineering. It was the one occupation that I felt I could be good at, and still allow me to be outdoors. And then came the war." His eyes took on a sad look. "We expected to be home by Christmas, what folly that was."
---
She had found the envelope in his uniform, the writing was definitely feminine.
"I can smell the perfume from the letter, go ahead and read if you wish."
Noreen nodded and removed the letter from the envelope and began to read;
David,
I have heard the news about your eyes. I don't like to mince words. But, I feel I need to break off our engagement. I cannot see myself spending the next fifty years being a nurse to a blind man. I will not throw my life away as you have done. I will not be returning the engagement ring, I feel it's adequate compensation for the six years of my life that I have wasted with you. I wish you the best.
Cecilia
Noreen looked at David, he was staring blindly out the window, or would have been had the blinds not have been drawn.
"I am so sorry," Noreen felt her heart break a little for him.
"Don't be," David replied, "She was always a bit selfish. I think she was attracted more to Father's money than she was to me. And I am sure Father will be of a differing opinion regarding the ring, it belonged to his grandmother."
She helped him undress and hung his clothes in the small closet.
"Now Captain..."
