Soldier Credits a Rosary for Saving His Life

Private Glenn Hockton
photo credit EASTNEWS

One of the members of the Children's Rosary recently shared with me a true story about a soldier and his Rosary. The soldier is from Great Britain.

Private Glenn Hockton joined the Coldstream Guards at the age of 16.  Due to his young age his mother, Mrs. Jones, had to give permission for him to join. Then in October 2013 he was deployed to Afghanistan.  His mother felt it was one of the hardest things she has ever had to do to see him leave Brize Norton for Afghanistan. 

Before he left he asked to take a Rosary with him.  For his mother it was heart breaking to watch the news and wonder if he was all right.  Yet it would seem there was another Mother also watching out for Private Hockton.

"He was on patrol and his rosary fell off his neck. He felt like he had a slap on the back. He bent down to pick his rosary up to see it was broken. As he bent down to pick it up, he realized he was on a landmine," his mother Mrs. Jones explained.  His colleagues were able to rescue him after standing on the landmine for 45 minutes. 

This is not the first time the family has felt an unusual protection through the Rosary.  Private Hockton's great-grandfather had a similar experience during World War II.  "He was walking across a field with half a dozen of his platoon, he bent down to pick something up and was the only one to survive a sudden bomb blast. He had picked up a rosary."

Reading this beautiful story which can be read in its entirety at the Telegraph, one begins to appreciate the wonderful protection granted to those who pray the Rosary. For we know through the 12 Promises of the Rosary given to St. Dominic by Mary that Our Blessed Mother promises her "special protection and the greatest graces to all who shall recite the Rosary".