Hellfire (2011)

by James Holland

  ‘Alex,’ said Maunsell, as Vaughan entered, ‘how good to see you! How the devil are you?’

  ‘Very well, RJ, thank you. And you?’

  ‘Couldn’t be better.’

  ‘What news on Cobra?’

  Maunsell smiled. ‘We haven’t caught our mole, I’m afraid, but as a spy circuit, it’s finished – in part because of our efforts, and also because the situation in the desert has changed so remarkably.’

  ‘Do you think we ever will catch the mole?’

  Maunsell looked at him, a curious expression on his face that Vaughan could not read. ‘Oh, I think so,’ he said, then consulted his watch. ‘Bowlby’s expecting us at ten thirty at Grey Pillars, so we should get going.’

  They walked the short distance to their meeting. The heat was so intense that even the giant palms seemed to be sagging. The scent of jasmine was heavy on the air, but breathing in deeply seared Vaughan’s nostrils.

  Beside him, Maunsell seemed oblivious to it. ‘So, crisis over, it would seem. Rommel stopped in the desert and suddenly the ball’s in the other court.’ He chuckled. ‘He staked everything on this last roll of the dice and it’s failed. Apparently he’s back to where he started.’

  ‘I heard. But minus quite a few tanks, vehicles and men.’

  ‘And fuel. The chaps from Malta sank that tanker he was waiting for. Not one of those Italian ships reached him in time.’ He paused to light his pipe. ‘So now we’ve got to prepare for the next ding-dong in the desert.’

  ‘Which will hopefully be the last.’

  ‘Has to be.’

  They reached Grey Pillars and were taken to Brigadier Cuthbert Bowlby’s office. It was cool and dimly lit, the shutters closed over the windows and two fans whirring overhead. It was also less spare than Maunsell’s, with more furniture, including a leather-topped desk, drinks cabinet and low bookshelves on which stood an old globe. In the corner a hat-stand and an elephant-foot umbrella stand were empty. Pictures hung on the wall: the obligatory map of the Middle East and the Mediterranean, but also an oil landscape of somewhere in England. Yorkshire, perhaps? The room reminded Vaughan more of an office in Whitehall or even a London club than somewhere in the heart of the Middle East, to which the only concession was the mahogany-framed rattan chairs.

  A secretary brought them iced lemonade and then Bowlby said, ‘Right, let’s get down to business, shall we? RJ, have you briefed Major Vaughan?’

  ‘I thought I’d leave that to you.’

  Bowlby leaned forward on his desk, hands clasped. ‘When we last met, Vaughan, I mentioned to you the possibility of intelligence gathering – spying, for want of a better term.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ said Vaughan. No first names at the ISLD.

  ‘Well, we now want someone to act as a courier.’

  ‘A courier? How do you mean, sir?’

  Bowlby glanced at Maunsell. ‘Look here, Vaughan, I know you’ve signed the Official Secrets Act, but we all know that there are plenty of loose tongues here in GHQ. What I am about to tell you really is of the utmost secrecy. Is that clear?’

  ‘Of course, sir.’

  ‘Good. We’re about to send an agent into Mersa Matruh. A turned agent.’

  ‘A German?’ asked Vaughan.

  Bowlby inclined his head. ‘An agent, Vaughan.’

  ‘May I ask who?’

  ‘You may, but I’m not going to tell you. Now here’s the nub. Mersa is a small place, as I’m sure you know. The moment our agent starts sending radio messages, they will be picked up by the enemy and so will our agent. But we still want our agent – let’s say Agent X, for convenience’s sake – in Mersa at this time. Getting Agent X into Mersa is straightforward – the Germans will do that for us.’

  ‘But getting him out again isn’t going to be so easy.’

  ‘Exactly. Which is where you and C Detachment come in. I appreciate that you’ve got to do this raid on Tobruk, and I also know from RJ here that you think it a damn fool idea that’s bound to fail.’

  ‘I do rather, sir, yes.’

  ‘I agree with you, as it happens. But be that as it may, I want you to get back from this raid and wait in Alexandria for a signal from us, then head back up the coast to Mersa and get Agent X. We will give you the details of where to meet and when, as well as two back-up meeting points, should either of you miss the first or, indeed, second liaison.’

  ‘And bring him back.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And what about sabotage?’

  ‘I don’t care what you do there so long as Agent X is delivered safely back to us. What did you have in mind? Time switches on harbour stores, and that kind of thing?’

  ‘Something like that, yes.’ Vaughan rubbed his chin. ‘And what about the DMO? I’m supposedly working for him in MO4.’

  Bowlby waved a hand. ‘Don’t worry about that, Vaughan. RJ and I can handle it.’

  ‘What about a date?’

  ‘Around the eighteenth of September. But that may change in the next day or so. We’ll let you know as soon as the details have been confirmed.’

  There was a pause while Vaughan digested this news.

  ‘Take a small squad only, Vaughan. I cannot stress to you enough the vital importance of bringing Agent X back alive.’

  ‘I understand.’

  ‘You think you can do it?’

  ‘Absolutely. It’s why I suggested setting up small squads of coastal raiding parties in the first place. But such an operation carries a fair degree of risk. It might go wrong. You must be prepared for that.’

  Bowlby nodded thoughtfully. ‘I understand.’

  Vaughan turned to Maunsell. ‘And do you mind me asking what your role is in this, RJ?’

  Maunsell beamed genially. ‘Let’s just say Cuthbert and I both have vested interests in Agent X.’ The rattan chair creaked as he leaned back and shifted in his seat. ‘I said to you earlier, Alex, that we had to prepare to beat Rommel once and for all.’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  ‘If we can pull this off, we’ll be making a significant step towards ensuring that happens. The tables may have turned, but we still need to beat Rommel and his Panzer Army decisively. To achieve that, intelligence still has a vital role.’

  ‘And you have a vital role, Major Vaughan,’ added Bowlby. He stood up, the meeting over. ‘A vital role.’

  Vaughan had left GHQ and driven out to Mena Camp. It was nearly midday and the heat was at its worst. Flies and other insects buzzed about – a number were crawling over the outside of Colonel Vigar’s tent as Vaughan was shown in.

  The colonel was not in the best of moods. ‘Letters,’ he muttered. ‘The worst kind.’ He shuffled some papers on his desk and dabbed his brow. ‘So, what can I do for you?’

  Vaughan explained. ‘You may recall, sir,’ he added, ‘that it was with Tanner and Sykes that we were able to wreak so much havoc at Heraklion.’

  ‘Strewth,’ said Vigar. ‘I lose Tanner for the best part of two months and finally get him back only to be expected to give him up again. And now you want one of my CSMs as well. Don’t you think I need them here?’

  ‘I understand you’re retraining, sir. On six-pounders. With the greatest respect, Tanner and Sykes know perfectly well how to fire almost any artillery piece that we have – German too, for that matter.’

  Vigar grunted. ‘And what if something happens to them? I’m going to need them in the battle to come.’

  ‘These two missions are of vital importance for the battle to come, sir.’

  ‘Do I have any choice in the matter, Vaughan?’

  ‘I wouldn’t want to take them away without your blessing, sir.’

  Vigar snorted. ‘In other words, no.’ He scratched his head. ‘And how long will this be for?’

  ‘About ten days. Two weeks at the most.’

  Vigar sighed. ‘Damn it all,’ he said. ‘I don’t see that I’ve got much say in the matter, but as a courtesy, you need to clear it with Peploe first. He’s thei
r immediate OC. Just make sure you bring them back in one piece.’

  Peploe, however, was not as easily persuaded as Colonel Vigar, taking Vaughan aside and arguing vehemently against such a move. Tanner and Sykes were his two best men, he explained, and Tanner had only just returned. ‘I can’t tell you the effect he has on the company. He gives everyone confidence. He’s so bloody imperturbable. Do you know what he did out there? It was extraordinary. We were being pegged back by an enemy armoured car, so Tanner gets his driver to head towards its blind side, then Sykes throws a packet of gelignite towards it. Tanner knows that if he opens fire but misses, the armoured car will have them at point-blank range, so he jumps out of the moving truck and, when it’s out of the way, takes careful aim and shoots the gelignite and blows up the armoured car. An incredible feat.’

  ‘It’s for precisely that kind of nerve and cool-headedness that I need him, John,’ argued Vaughan. ‘This isn’t any old job. I wish I could tell you more, but you have to trust me on this.’

  Peploe tugged an earlobe. ‘You’re asking me to lose my 2i/c and CSM at a time of crucial retraining, Alex – and for an operation which is no doubt fraught with danger. I understand you can’t tell me about it, but it doesn’t take much to work out that it’s something behind enemy lines and of high risk. I need them when we next go into battle, Alex – not dead or in hospital somewhere.’

  ‘Look, John. Think about it this afternoon. Talk to Tanner and Sykes. It’s only ten days I’m asking for, and you know what they’re like. They’re far too smart to get themselves killed. Jack even helped me draw up the plans for this.’

  ‘He did?’ Peploe was taken aback.

  ‘Yes. It really won’t be for long and I’d put very good money on absolutely nothing happening to them whatsoever.’

  ‘Careful, Alex. You can’t know that at all.’ He kicked at the ground.

  Vaughan was surprised by Peploe’s reaction. He had hardly expected him to be pleased, but had thought he would concede readily enough. Nor did he want a kind of rapprochement with Peploe. They had been through much together on Crete – and he both liked and admired him. ‘Look, let’s forget about this for the moment,’ he said. ‘It’d be good to see you, John, in more –’ he waved an arm ‘– salubrious surroundings. Why don’t you, Jack, and I meet for a drink or dinner tonight? Could you get away?’

  ‘Not sure about tonight,’ he replied. ‘But maybe now. As you can see, there’s not a lot going on at the minute.’

  Vaughan looked at his watch. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘Where were you thinking of? Mena House?’

  ‘No. I want some greenery. How about the Sporting Club?’

  ‘Have you got time?’

  ‘I’m giving myself time. Jack, too.’

  ‘And you’ll think about letting me second them?’

  ‘I’m not happy, Alex, but, yes, I’ll think about it.’

  They had a convivial lunch in the cool and sedate surroundings of the Gezira Sporting Club, the topic of Tanner and Sykes’s secondment to C Detachment carefully avoided. Afterwards, as they ambled outside under the shade of ilex and gum trees, Peploe said, ‘It’s incredible to think we were in the middle of a battle just a few days ago, isn’t it, Jack? Look at this place. I know there are plenty of uniforms, but it’s so calm and quiet. You’d be forgiven for thinking the war wasn’t going on at all.’

  ‘It reminds me of some of those hill stations in India. Simla was a bit like this – lots of green and people sitting out on terraces. White buildings and the like.’

  The clatter of hoofs behind them made them start and they turned to see four men on horseback. They were dressed for polo. One of the mounts was skittish, its rider clearly frustrated.

  ‘Come on, behave!’ said the man, pulling hard on the reins. The pony’s eyes widened, its teeth bared. ‘Damn you!’ said the man, much to the amusement of his friends. He yanked the reins again, but the animal scampered towards the three men standing in front of them. Peploe and Vaughan hurried out of the way, but Tanner remained where he was, held out his arms, said, ‘Easy now, feller,’ reached up and took hold of the bridle. The pony snorted and lowered its head. Tanner stroked its cheek. ‘There you go,’ he said. ‘Just got a bit frightened, didn’t you, boy?’

  He looked up at the officer, and smiled. ‘Mr Rhodes-Morton, well, well.’

  ‘Tanner – what the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?’

  ‘Saving you from a nasty accident.’ He stroked the pony’s nose again. ‘You want to be a bit easier on him. He doesn’t like being yanked hard like that.’

  ‘And what the bloody hell do you know about it? I don’t suppose you’ve ever been on a horse in your life.’

  The three other horsemen now joined their friend, separating Tanner from Peploe and Vaughan.

  ‘Who are you?’ said another man.

  Tanner stared at him. ‘I wouldn’t talk to me like that if I were you.’

  ‘Good God,’ said another, ‘this man’s an officer. Is he an imposter?’

  ‘No, he’s not,’ said Peploe, behind them. ‘How dare you?’

  ‘It’s all right, John,’ said Tanner. ‘Leave this to me.’ He turned and glowered at the four men.

  ‘He’s a farm hand who’s been given a jump up,’ said Rhodes-Morton. ‘We’ve met before. He might be wearing the pips of an officer but he’s certainly not a gentleman.’

  ‘Come on,’ said one of the others, ‘let’s go. There’s no need for this.’

  ‘You should listen to your friend, Harry,’ said Tanner. ‘I’m not going to warn you again. Who the hell do you think you are, lording it over me like this? You need to earn your bloody spurs before you talk down to me, son.’

  ‘We have, as it happens,’ said one of the others. ‘We took on the 15th Panzer Division.’

  ‘No, you didn’t,’ said Tanner. ‘You opened fire at two thousand yards, then charged their anti-tank screen. I was watching. It was the single most idiotic thing I saw on our side the whole battle.’

  ‘Take that back!’ shouted Rhodes-Morton. ‘Good men were killed in that action.’

  ‘Good men killed pointlessly.’

  ‘Jack – enough!’ said Peploe.

  ‘You take that back!’ said Rhodes-Morton.

  ‘No. It’s true, and you, mate, need to learn some manners.’

  ‘I’m not going to be talked to like that by a peasant,’ sputtered Rhodes-Morton.

  Tanner’s anger boiled over. How dare this bastard humiliate me? Tanner reached up, grabbed Rhodes-Morton, pulled him off the pony and drove his right fist into the lieutenant’s head. Rhodes-Morton fell backwards, unconscious.

  For a split second the others looked at him, incredulous, then Tanner whacked the rumps of their ponies in turn.

  ‘What the devil?’ said one, as they cantered off.

  Tanner stood over the prostrate Rhodes-Morton.

  ‘Jack,’ said Peploe, behind him. ‘What have you done?’

  ‘They were being rude. I warned him, but he wouldn’t listen.’

  Vaughan was trying not to laugh. ‘Jack, that, er, might not have been very sensible, you know.’

  ‘I don’t give a damn,’ said Tanner, as he watched two of the men wheel their ponies and trot back towards them. ‘Sometimes a man’s pride is more important than decorum.’

  Rhodes-Morton groaned, then began to sit up, a hand clutched to his head. His eyes widened as he saw Tanner still standing over him. ‘You hit me!’ he muttered.

  ‘I warned you,’ said Tanner, ‘and I warned you before as well. Now get up and get your pony and get out of my sight.’

  Rhodes-Morton got to his feet, faltered and clutched his head.

  ‘You’re a bloody disgrace,’ said one of his friends, keeping a good ten yards from Tanner. ‘You’ve not heard the end of this. I’m going to report you.’

  ‘Look here,’ said Peploe, moving between them. ‘I heard the entire thing. You surrounded him and insulted him. You behaved with
arrogance unbecoming of the gentlemen you suppose you are. If you report this man, I will report you in turn. Your friend will have a sore head for a few hours but no real harm has been done.’

  ‘He struck an officer,’ said the man on horseback.

  ‘Which was wrong,’ said Vaughan, ‘but not entirely undeserved. Now have your game of polo and let’s forget it.’

  ‘No,’ said Tanner. ‘I’m not forgetting it.’

  ‘Jack!’ said Vaughan.

  ‘I’ve been insulted. Until these men apologize, I won’t forget it.’

  ‘You and your damned pride, Jack,’ muttered Peploe.

  ‘I’m not apologizing to you,’ sneered the man.

  ‘Then I’d watch yourself in future,’ said Tanner. ‘I won’t forget this.’

  ‘Now he resorts to ugly threats,’ laughed the man. ‘Come on, Harry,’ he said, passing the reins of Rhodes-Morton’s pony.

  For a moment, the three stood in silence, watching the cavalrymen trot away. Then Peploe said, ‘Come on, let’s get out of here,’ and strode off in the direction of Vaughan’s jeep.

  ‘Jesus, Jack,’ he said, as Tanner got in, ‘what the hell were you thinking?’

  Tanner said nothing.

  ‘You can’t behave like that. Brawling with fellow officers – and at the Gezira Club of all places – it’s just not on.’

  ‘You saw what they did,’ said Tanner. ‘They were having a go at me three weeks back at Shepheard’s. Then they surround me with their nags, trying to intimidate me, and looking down their noses at me. And for what? Because I stopped his bloody horse throwing him and because I haven’t got a plum up my arse.’ He sighed. ‘I’m sorry, sir, if I embarrassed you – I willingly apologize for that – but those bastards deserved it. I warned them. You say it’s my pride, well, it damn well is. It’s a matter of honour.’

  Peploe rubbed his forehead. ‘There are other ways of going about these things. Knocking fellow officers out cold is not on.’

  They continued in silence, and only when they arrived back at camp did Peploe turn to Tanner and say, ‘Just leave me for a moment, Jack. I need to talk to Major Vaughan.’

  Tanner nodded, saluted, thanked Vaughan for lunch, then headed off.