Private Millions (Soldado Milhões)

At the Battle of La Lys the 2nd Division of the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps was completely ruined, sacrificing many lives, among the dead, wounded, missing, and captured as prisoners of war. Many Portuguese troops departed to France. In the midst of chaos, several men were distinguished, mostly anonymous. However, one name remained for history, distorted, but everlasting: Soldier Millions (from his real name, Aníbal Augusto Milhais). He saw himself alone in his trench, armed only with his weapon, a machine gun Lewis, known among the Lusos as Luisa. With all his might, he faced the German columns that crossed his path alone, which in the end allowed several Portuguese and British soldiers to retreat to the defensive positions of the rear. Wandering through the trenches and fields, now no one is now occupied by the Germans, Soldier Millions continued to make sporadic fire, for which he used bullet caskets that he found on the way. Four days after the battle began, a Scottish doctor, saved him from drowning in a swamp. It was this doctor, forever grateful, who gave account to the army allied with the exploits of the Transmontano soldier. Returned to a Portuguese camp, the commander Ferreira do Amaral greeted him, saying what would remain for the History of Portugal, “You are Milhais, but Millions!”