For some time the Chancellor in his fine robes of gold and ermine with his Vice-Chancellor beside him had been addressing the packed hall of the graduates.
Continuing the Chancellor said, 'And finally; this year 1929 has been a difficult year; we have had the crash. But you graduates must move into this world and make it your own, as you are young and talented.'
'Doesn't he go on,' said Charles to his very great friends Wilhelm and Jan. All studied together and together completed their medical degrees.
The Chancellor then conferred the degrees on that year's graduates. Charles and his friends were not called out when they expected as the Vice-Chancellor went through the list in alphabetical order.
'Lastly, we have three exceptional graduates in which it has been impossible to separate their medical knowledge or other qualities. The University has awarded these three a joint Elkin Scholarship to enable them to continue their post-graduate studies,' said the Chancellor.
'Would Charles Houghton, Wilhelm Franke and Jan Van Stratton please come forward,' said the Vice-chancellor.
The three made their way to the Chancellor where he conferred to each a first class degree of Medicinea Baccalaureus.
Later they were altogether and able to talk.
'What a complete surprise, now I can become a surgeon. I'll apply to Barts,' said Charles.
Jan and Wilhelm said that they will return to Holland and Germany respectively to help Nationalise their British degrees.
'When are you going?' asked Charles.
'In a few days after we have had the best celebration ever,' replied Jan.
'Soon; but Germany is in difficulties the 1924's Hyper-inflation is still causing some problems, the French haven't helped with their post-war demands. They haven't learnt that when you defeat an enemy you kill off their war leaders and then make friends with the rest of the population. Now we have this malignant Hitler who is making all sorts of promises to the general population. I'm afraid he could cause another war, and put us all on the different sides,' said Wilhelm.
'Well whatever happens let us make a commitment that in a few years time we will all meet again in Holland. I also say that as a doctor I'll never deprive anyone of life,' said Charles.
'I will always keep my oath as a Doctor that I'll never take a life,' said Wilhelm with such a firm look upon his face.
'Let us give this promise that whatever happens we will always remember this moment and give our bond of brotherhood. That we will meet again in Holland when we have qualified as surgeons,' said Wilhelm.
'Why Holland?' asked Jan.
'Well it's a Neutral Country, so if Wilhelm is right there will still be a safe place in Europe,' replied Charles.
'Till then,' they all said together. The friends all shook hands and departed to their own counties to become surgeons.
*
Years passed and because of their exceptional medical abilities were close to becoming Consultants. All this time they maintained their contact. Then the year was 1937 and they felt it was important for them to have their promised rendezvous.
They all met again in the finest restaurant in The Hague.
'We must renew our Hippocratic Oath that as doctors we will never cause anyone's death,' proposed Wilhelm.
The friends clasped their hands together and swore their allegiance to Hippocrates.
'Now let's eat, I'm starved I have been travelling for hours,' said Charles.
With their after dinner drinks they talked about Europe.
Wilhelm started. 'I think my brothers that there will be another war in Europe. Hitler and his scum are heading that way and Goebbels with his propaganda is deluding the German public into that war. There is an evil that stalks Germany, that psychopath Hitler blames Germany's defeat in the last war on Jews in America. He has turned Germany from a Democracy into a Dictatorship by the simple introduction of the Enabling Act.'
'Thank God Holland is a neutral country and my countrymen will not be involved,' said Jan.
'Jan wasn't your grand-father Jewish?' asked Charles.
'I didn't know that,' said Wilhelm.
'Well it didn't seem important to say when we were students,' replied Jan.
'Jan listen to me Holland's neutrality will not be respected by these Nazis. They will invade Holland and if they do the Jewish population will be persecuted. If you stay in Holland you must destroy any record of you ancestry. Get hold of any official records and tear the pages out, then move from your present home and go to an area where you and have no connection and then join the local church. Do it soon and become established. The war may not be next year but it will come believe me,' advised Wilhelm with great sincerity in his voice.
'Promise me Jan that you will disappear and go to another area where you are unknown. From what is happening in Germany, deluded by the Nazi propaganda, neighbours are denouncing their Jewish neighbours, and the same thing will happen in Holland believe me and so don't risk it,' repeated Wilhelm.
'I don't think the British Belfour Declaration to Lord Rothchild in the Great War helps today's Jewish cause,' said Charles.
'Seriously, promise me that you will destroy your roots and move to another area. Please, please,' said Wilhelm.
The three friends finished their meal and reaffirmed their brotherhood and promised that they will meet up again at some future date.
They parted and as they did Charles said 'This reminds me of Shakespeare's Scottish play: 'When shall we Three Meet Again.' I hope not in Thunder or in Rain.'
'Or when the battle's lost and won,' continued Wilhelm.
They all shook hands and parted.
*
September 1939 WW2 started and both Charles and Wilhelm being surgeons were called to their Army's Medical Corp. Jan had followed Wilhelm's advice and had moved away from Amsterdam and had settled in a town that had an important bridge across the River Rhine, where he specialised in heart surgery in the local hospital.
As Wilhelm had predicted the Nazis invaded Holland and the war settled into one of attrition. The Nazis in the countries they had invaded carried out the extermination of groups of people they hated Slavs, Freemasons, Gypsies, Jews and others.
The war rolled on it and gradually became clear that Hitler had taken his country to disaster, but the war still had some months to run.
*
'That's decided we are going to parachute into Holland and try to take a bridge over the Rhine so that our forces can race into Germany's industrial heartland. We need to get all our medical units organised,' said Charles now a Colonel.
'Are you coming Sir?' asked his Major.
'The thought of jumping out of a good aircraft doesn't please me, but I'll be there,' replied Charles.
In Holland, Wilhelm was in the German medical corp. where he was with the troops near to that very same bridge. During this time he had to check out the facilities of the local hospital where Jan was the chief surgeon.
*
The British dropped outside the town, but the intelligence was wrong they had dropped onto two SS Panzer Division that were there for refitting. The Para-troopers were outnumbered and were gradually squeezed into a small area. After several days of fighting it was decided to evacuate the troops. Charles decided that his duty was to stay with the wounded until the Germans captured them. To this end Charles had a large Red Cross flag hung outside his casualty unit.
The Battle subsided and Charles was bent over working on a young soldier when the Germans entered the building.
In the lead was a German Doctor accompanied by two soldiers.
'Doctor, can we be of assistance with your wounded?' said the German in perfect English
Charles got up and turned to see that he was being addressed by his old friend Wilhelm.
'My God is that you Charles, you silly sod what are you doing here?' said Wilhelm.
'Wilhelm!' replied Charles and he rushed over to Wilhelm to shake his hand, much to the surprise of the two young soldiers.
The two friends were delighted to see one another.
'I've got some cases that need extra care can we get them to the local hospital. Could you get me some of the penicillin that the RAF dropped,' continued Charles.
'Of course, but do you know that Jan is the chief surgeon in the hospital,' said Wilhelm.
Wilhelm arranged for the wounded to be transferred to the Hospital.
At the hospital Charles and Wilhelm were reunited with Jan.
'Jan I have a very serious heart case and I know that you are an expert in heart surgery could you do the operation,' asked Wilhelm.
'If he dies will there be any repercussions,' asked Jan being aware of how the Germans sometimes behave.
'Definitely not,' said Wilhelm.
The casualty was brought into the hospital and Jan saw that he was an SS Officer. He operated and did a wonderful piece of surgery and it was clear that the man would survive. Before anything could be done Jan moved away from the table.
'I have done my duty as a Doctor, now I must do my duty as a Dutchman,' cried Jan as he took a pistol from under his gown and fired several shots into the SS man on the table. He then dashed to the door and made his escape.
'Go for it,' called Wilhelm.
'Until we three meet again,' he cried and Jan was gone to be hidden by the resistance until after the war when the friends were again reunited in more peaceful times.