Sergeant Butcher asked what their next plan would be. He scratched his head. The truth was they were twenty men and the firepower they held was not going to stop a large scouting party let alone a reconnaissance force. It was a case of packing up and leaving to join the armies of Europe. The camp was almost deserted within the hour. They then set off towards Nancy. The work on the bridges was going to bide them time, but nothing more.
The journey was going well. The men were not restricted and could flow more easily without the hindrance of tracks and roads.
The night sky lit up with flashes – not thunder, but cannon flashes Artillery firing in the evening was rare. Having no target meant indiscriminate shelling.
The soldiers guessed it was the enemy firing at some fixed French positions. The officials in the camp had said there were some lines of defence even if the main force was now heading towards Reims.
That evening they sat around a small camp-fire dug into the ground and stones stacked around it. The meal was a broth made of various vegetables and dried meat. Sitting alongside Captain Hayward was Sergeant Butcher. The men spoke quietly about the conflict and their longing for home. They were aware that Corporal Heinz no longer had a home as such and tried not to dwell on this subject. Breaking the silence and self-reflection time, Sergeant Butcher started to sing a Cornish folk song.
“With a good sword and a trusty shield
A faithful heart and true
King James’s men shall understand
What Cornish men can do
And have they fixed the where and when?
And shall Trelawny die?
Here’s twenty thousand Cornish men
Will know the reason why.”
He was a proud Cornishmen and loved the county he was from. He spoke highly of the stunning views, small country lanes and hard-working farmers. His special praise was reserved for the pubs. A good steak pie was on his wish list with fine ale to wash it all down. His reminiscing refreshed the atmosphere and made the evening an enjoyable one, which was long overdue.
The next morning Corporal Heinz led the way. He was a keen scout and followed the earth’s natural paths where he could.
He was excellent at picking out tracks and identifying what sort of animal or man had made them. His skills were also prevalent with map reading and finding the best route available to them. Captain Hayward had thanked him on many occasions, saying that he was the reason they had got this far, alive.
He had confided with the men that he was adopted. His step-parents had been fairly old and had passed away many years ago. This meant he was ready to go anywhere now with the British Engineers. He would, of course, join his own regiment if it still survived.
The men passed by huge forests and thanked the Lord they had not had to enter them so far. The creatures that now stalked this land were adept at striking in deep, thick, wooded areas and it could be a foolish decision not to heed their gut feelings of these places.
The next stop on their route was Bar-le-Duc. This was small crossroad town and an ideal place to hopefully refuel and rest.
Corporal Heinz was the first to get there. He checked for enemy soldiers and creatures. The town was a little rugged; it had seen many refugees and soldiers pass through it. This cut down the chances of finding food and supplies.
They did not stay in the town itself but it was easier to find an empty farmhouse and rest there. The extra incentive was that they could barricade the doors and lower windows. The horses were locked in a barn and several soldiers slept high up in the barn rafters.
Morning came with a call to arms. A rider had been spotted coming towards the farm. He was not dressed in black and the men thought he was a cavalry cuirassier. He had a steel helmet and steel breastplate.
A fire had been lit in the farm kitchen and was hurriedly stamped out. Soldiers raced to the second floor of the house and prepared to cut this cavalryman down should they need to.
The rider did not seem to be stopping at the farm and carried on past them. Corporal Heinz was dispatched to bring him back. Taking good care not to startle the man as it could have dire consequences, he caught up with him and persuaded him to turn around and come back.
They arrived at the farmhouse to see Captain Hayward waiting to greet them. The French cavalryman did not dismount, coming across as anxious.
“Where have you come from, my friend?” Captain Hayward calmly asked.
The man did not answer at first.
“I have come from Nancy. It is finished. The whole regiment is gone. They came at night; the woods and forests are teeming with the walking dead.”
The captain just nodded.
“Are you going to join the main army at Reims?”
The man just looked at him.
“Why?”
Captain Hayward was taken aback.
“We have to amass our forces there and drive them back.”
The horse reared and the French soldier looked at all of them.
“This is not a battle that we can win. Save yourselves and run.”
He then kicked his horse with his spurs and made haste off down the track, disappearing into the distance. His words stayed with the men as they packed up and left the village.
Sergeant Butcher was still thinking about it as he rode next to the captain.
“This is going to be one hell of a battle. They have a force like no other ever gathered on earth, with creatures never recorded before.”
The captain shook his head.
“Whilst man walks the planet we will fight them to the bitter end. The Empire was built on courage and strength. We will need that now.”
The wind picked up as they rode. The clouds darkened a little and rain threatened to fall from the heavens. Fortune eventually shone through, and the clouds slowly dispersed. The veteran was not the best rider and found it hard going at times. He was a burly man who had worked on the docks before the army. Rumour was he was once a bare-knuckle fighter on the streets of London. His size and stance made this believable, although he did not come across as an aggressive man.
It was a good time to reflect as they rode along. The sweeping French countryside was breathtaking at times, with its quaint farmhouses and picturesque villages. Food amongst the men was getting low. They needed to take some time and scout out a village for what they could find. The issue was the number of refugees that had been passing through. This meant that most villages had already been ransacked.
Rationing food had become the norm. They had started skipping lunch and just taking in water to quench their hunger. With any war the fundamental things of life still played their parts. Food and water were key players and without them you would join the dead.
They rode solidly until evening and then, exhausted, collapsed in an old barn. It was an early start the next day and by lunchtime they arrived at Epernay. The town was empty, but had fires still burning in some of the houses.
Captain Hayward received a report from Corporal Heinz. He was concerned by the freshness of the situation. There were no enemy soldiers to be seen in the current vicinity, but nerves were still on edge.
The major find came when Sergeant Butcher declared he had come across some fresh bread and cheese. The soldiers’ eyes lit up; it was a fantastic treat to find such luxury items. It wasn’t long before a couple of bottles of wine were added to this feast. The men tied the horses and came in to sit at a large table. The building must have been a town hall and it was in good order. The occupants had left, but had not taken things with them. The food was devoured with consummate appreciation, every morsel enjoyed and cherished.
The captain let his eyes sweep around the room at the men eating. They had served him well, but he worried about what lay ahead. As they sat there, one of his men took a hunk of bread and a slice of cheese and left to keep guard upstairs.
“Horses!”
The sudden shout broke the slumber, and sent the men dashing around for their weapons, each of them loading bullets
into the chambers. The house was quickly surrounded.
The captain had told them to hold fire. They were close to Reims and this could be a friendly force. Whilst he worried about getting to their horses, a French voice called out for them to show themselves. The order was given to stand down and the captain was first out of the door. He left his weapons behind and came out with his hands raised.
The French soldiers were part of a scouting group and promptly lowered their rifles. The officer in charge spoke to the captain. He smiled, which was a good start.
“We need every single soldier we can muster. There is a dark cloud coming from the East that covers most of Europe as we speak. We have more refugees than we know what to do with,” said the French officer worriedly.
The captain ushered his men out.
“We’ll do the best we can. We’ve heard the armies of Europe are meeting in Reims to counter the enemy’s advance.”
“This is true. It has been a while since a large British force has landed in Europe. They number over a hundred and fifty thousand,” the French officer looked happy to pass on this news.
The captain was surprised at this number. There were many British forces around the world but to muster an army this size was astonishing to him.
“How many does Europe have to combat this invading force?”
The French soldier looked a little smug.
“Over a million.”
The captain was shocked but a little relieved. It had been a long time since he had encountered what could be a turning point. The officer went on to say that they had armies from Sweden, Spain, France, Italy, Prussia, Austria and Great Britain.
“I can inform you more as we ride to Reims. The enemy scouts have been seen in this area. I will take you to the British army.”
The men loaded up what food they could take and joined the French scouts. A familiar sound started to ring through the air. The incessant drumming began again. They were close, very close.
They rode for a half a day through a huge forest south of Reims. As they drew closer to the town they started to encounter small pockets of European forces preparing defences. The mood amongst the riders was almost euphoric. Seeing so many soldiers gave a sweet tingling of anticipation. Maybe, just maybe they could turn the tide here at Reims.
Slowly but surely as they started to emerge out of the forest they came upon a magnificent sight, a walled defence that seemed to go up into the skies. Small silhouettes could be seen, highlighted by the sun’s rays, walking along the ramparts. Cannon barrels extended out from the wall’s edges.
The men looked on in awe at what they were seeing. How impressive this defence system was and how large it was. It stretched for miles in either direction. The French soldiers kept on riding past the wall. They were not heading into the city; they were heading towards the east side where the main forces were gathering. A French officer rode next to Captain Hayward.
“I’m taking you to your units. We have kept the armies of Europe in their respective countries. We have so many men it makes sense to fall under the command of their own officers.”
The captain nodded.
“I’ve never seen a so many forces all together. How long have they been gathering here?”
“Since news broke of Russia falling we have been monitoring the situation. You can understand it takes time to get different cultures to agree. Prussia and Austria were the hardest, but as their nations fell to the enemy they came around.”
The captain thought about everything that he was taking in as they rode along a road towards the British camp. The French officer stopped them and said he could send a rider with Corporal Heinz to the Austrian camp, but before he could finish, Corporal Heinz rode in front of them.
“I’ve have decided to stay with the captain and his men. This is a war against the whole of Europe and I have fought alongside him for six months now. That is, if you would like me to stay, Captain.”
A smile broke across the captain’s face.
“It would be an honour to have one of the best scouts I have ever seen, ride with us. This is a war which we need to fight as one, to stand a chance.”
The men rode on passing huge long pits filled with water and spikes. There were fields of stakes rammed into the ground. The wall was a good mile or so from this first line of defence. The idea was to meet the enemy head-on at the east side of the city. They had prepared other armies further down in the south of the forest and around the north of the city, but it was hoped they would come at them from the front. This was a gamble, but one they had to take.
The camps for the European armies were on the other side of the wall. They were like small towns; new roads had been built and small supply stores placed at strategic points along the route. Ammunition was a talking point as different armies used different rifles. There was not enough time to convert all the European forces to one stand-alone rifle. Politics had played their part and each country had their preferred option.
Cannons were being mounted on swivel iron turntables. Sandbags and barricades were placed around them. There were Gatling guns all along this frontline – close to a thousand or more – which was a breathtaking sight. Confidence grew the further they rode along the defences.
Eventually they came to the British defences. Work was being carried out at a frantic rate. The distant drums kept everyone on their toes.
“This is as far as I can go, I must return to my units. Good luck in the battle and may God have mercy on our souls.” With that, the French soldier turned and left.
It was a lot to take in. The men sat on their horses for a moment or two. It was Sergeant Butcher who saw the Royal Engineers’ flag and got them to head over to the main unit. They passed many units along the way. The Black Watch, Duke of Wellingtons, Highlanders, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 44th Regiment of Foot, it went on and on.
They were promptly greeted by several King’s Dragoon Guards cavalry officers and asked where they should be heading. Captain Hayward asked to be taken to the Royal Engineer Corps regiment.
They picked up speed as they galloped along.
“We’re not sure of how long we have, old boy, so speed is of the essence,” urged the Dragoon.
The officer also informed them that the British top brass was present, none other than Field Marshal Prince George, Duke of Cambridge. “This is our real chance for glory.”
Captain Hayward wanted to know how long the British Empire had known about this uprising in the East and what lengths were being taken to evacuate the refugees from France and Europe.
“There were rumours months ago that a war was raging in the Austro–Hungarian Empire. It only started to escalate when Prussia asked for help. Ships are taking people across the British channel, but Great Britain is buckling under the sheer numbers.”
Captain Hayward could now see the flag and the Engineers at work. “One last thing. How many soldiers of this European force have seen the enemy yet, or better still, fought them?”
The dragoon looked at him. “Maybe half. I’ve heard rumours of giant dragons and men the size of mountains. This cannot be true.”
The captain smiled.
“Most probably they are tall tales at best, but take heed. There is a darkness coming and it’s a lot more dangerous than people believe. Good luck, sir.”
They saluted each other and the captain took his men to join the other Engineers. Major Richmond appeared from a tent and looked delighted to see them all alive.
“My God, we have been lucky. The news we received was of general despair and loss. Not many have been coming from the East now and yet my eyes treat me to a wonderful sight.”
Major Richmond was a little overcome with emotion and took a moment to compose himself. “Come, feed. You must be hungry. I’ll bring you up to speed as fast as I can.”
The soldiers dismounted and orderlies came and took the horses. The Engineers were still at work, building defences and laying mines in the fields. Sergeant Butcher was ins
tructed by the major to take the men and rest for an hour or two. There were some tents outside the defensive wall to cope with rain showers and other elements. The army supplies were of utmost importance and needed to be kept in pristine condition where possible.
Captain Hayward asked about the Austrians and Prussians who had been with them. Major Richmond explained they had joined their own national armies. He felt a little sorry he hadn’t been able to see them before this battle.
Once the other soldiers had left, the captain and major took time to look over the maps. Colonel Wilbury appeared from outside the tent. He was well known to the captain and major and both considered him a good leader and tactician.
“Gentlemen, the hour is almost upon us. I have heard all about your bravery and both of you will get a mention further up the ladder. Believe me, when this mess is finally over it will do your promotions the world of good.”
Captain Hayward had only been back ten minutes and already he was being bombarded with questions from the colonel: “What sort of firepower did the enemy have? Did they have Engineers? How good were they?” He felt obliged to answer them all, but also added questions of his own.
“I have never seen a British army this big, added to the fact most of European nations have their armies here as well. I do honestly believe we will need every one of them.”
The colonel gave him a stern look.
“Come, come, Captain. We are talking about a military operation here dealing with well over a million men. What army in the world could stop a force like that? We shall push on from here and drive them back to Russia.”
The colonel was almost boasting about how the British had the centre stage in this fight. “We have Gatling guns along this whole front and heavy artillery ready to smash the living daylights out of them.”
He then described what role the Engineers were playing, how the defences had been strengthened with the expertise of “our regiment” and how sandbags and stakes would help slow the enemy and cover the troops.
“Have some supper before joining up with your men,” suggested the Colonel.
Europe Has Fallen Page 28
