The poignant tale of one life lost but not forgotten.
Zimbabwe was not allowed to join the wreath-laying ceremony held at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday in memory of soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and World War II.
Thirty-four thousand soldiers of all races from Southern Rhodesia served during the two world wars; 800 died in World War I and 916 in World War II.
This poignant little tale today is in remembrance of one soldier. We may not be there to show him respect but he and the 1 716 others are not forgotten.
Ralph met and was smitten with Barbara when they were both at Umtali High School (now Mutare) in the 1930s. He was three years older than her and left school to join the Civil Service Treasury Department. Barbara went to university in South Africa and contact between the two was lost until war broke out in 1939.
When Barbara returned from university she underwent a month’s military training and found out that Ralph had also enlisted. Before long, Ralph had tracked her down; she was living in Sacs House, a women’s residence in Salisbury (now Harare), and one afternoon received a phone call out of the blue from Ralph.
He invited her to a picnic on the Hunyani River. Ralph was very tall, 6’5″, but was also painfully shy. He asked Barbara to watch for him from the window and come out when she saw a red two-seater car arrive. Barbara laughingly agreed and from that picnic on, the school sweethearts were destined to be together.
Little else is known of Ralph Lenton. His war records show that he served in Uganda and the Middle East, had been in Kenya and Madagascar, and in 1943 had learnt to speak Swahili fluently.
Ralph and Barbara were married when the young captain came home on leave in early 1944. They went on honeymoon by train to the Victoria Falls where they spent one idyllic week. Returning to Salisbury they spent another fortnight together before Ralph was called back to duty.
Captain Ralph Lenton of the East African Artillery (Royal Artillery Regiment) was reported missing at sea on Saturday the 12th of February 1944.
Sailing on the 6th February 1944 from Kilindini Harbour in Mombasa (Kenya) to Colombo in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in convoy, the SS Khedive Ismail.
The ship was hit by two torpedoes; 1 297 people perished. Lenton was 25 at the time of his death.
His wife of one month was 22. I met Barbara 60 years later. She has never remarried. She said she came close two or three times but that it never “felt right, as it did with Ralph”.
Barbara had four black and white photographs of her beloved Ralph, three in army uniform, the fourth showing a dashing and tall young man in shorts and casual shirt, smiling shyly in the African bush. When Barbara was 87 she told me that every morning she looks at that photograph and says: “Hello sweetheart.”
The story of Ralph Lenton is of a life lost, but not forgotten, and now, whoever who reads this column will also know it.
One day we hope that we too will be there at the Cenotaph to remember Ralph Lenton and the 1 716 men of all races from Southern Rhodesia who gave their lives.
Source: Money Web
