The date: 14 October 1918 a misty early morning, east of Ledegem, Belgium. Young British Army officer Lieutenant Walter Lancelot Merritt MC carries a large red flag to indicate the centre of a brigade-strength advance. He moves ahead of the main force. Close to the German lines a bullet smashes into Merritts right leg. Despite the crippling wound he continues to hold the flag aloft ensuring following troops maintain the line as they move on to take long-entrenched German territory. - Merritt's courage and leadership resulted in the award of a Bar to his Military Cross. While undergoing treatment in post-war England, he confessed in a petition to King George his real name was Walter Schwarz. He had deserted from the Australian Imperial Force in 1915 because he feared his German ancestry would prevent him being sent into battle. George, who had personally decorated him as Merritt at Buckingham Palace, accepted his story and pardoned him for his desertion. The mystery has remained to this