by Alexa Kang
Rose of Anzio Book Four - Remembrance
A WWII Epic Love Story
Alexa Kang
Contents
Disclaimer
Part One - Rome
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Part Two - The Eternal City
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Part Three - Despair
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Part Four - Mission: Orion
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Part Five - The High Vosges
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Part Six - Reunion in Paris
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Part Seven - Kampfgruppe Pfeiffer
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Part Eight - O Holy Night
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Part Nine - The Angel Amulet
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Part Six - Victory Europe
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Part Seven - Remembrance
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Epilogue
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The Rose of Anzio Series
About the Author
Acknowledgments
For Anneth White, for her steadfast faith in me and this story.
“Two things fill the mind with ever-increasing wonder and awe…the starry heavens above and the moral law within me.”
Inscription on tombstone of Immanuel Kant
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental. The author has made every effort to ensure that major historical facts are accurate, but has taken some artistic license for fictional purposes. This book is not intended to be used as reference material and in no way should it be treated as an authority on any subject on any account.
I
Part One - Rome
1
Klaus! The elusive German army commander had gotten away again.
With no hope of pursuing him, Anthony led his troops back into the heart of Cisterna after the medics took the injured Captain Harding away. From the fields beyond, more American tanks were rolling in. A tempest of explosions shrouded the city as the tanks detonated German landmines beneath the ground. The mines disabled several Shermans and mortar vehicles as they tried to pass through, but those that escaped continued to forge their way in, firing volleys toward their enemy to clear the way for the Third Division forces still to come.
Anthony and his men ran toward the Palazzo Caetani to take their positions. The American forces closest to them were locked in a fierce gun fight at this bombed-out, two-story palace built on the ancient fortress of the Frangipane. All around him, phosphorous smoke blew and mortar fire burned, clouding his vision and choking his breath. When the explosions of mines and cannons subsided, the arriving American infantry troops emerged from behind the smog.
A battle between the two sides ensued.
Joining the Third Division from behind a mound of rubble, Anthony fired round after round. His memories of what happened from one moment to the next were as hazy as the concrete dust falling from the shattered building walls. His mind held one single thought—to survive. Keep firing so they could all survive.
How he did survive, he would never know. When the fighting ended, he lumbered along the sidewalks to gather his troops. Abandoned weapons and helmets lay strewn all around. Next to collapsed buildings, blown-up tanks and armored vehicles burned. Tired, he tripped over a corpse while watching the dying flames. A foul stench of decay swept up into his nose. He took a reflexive step back from the body, which had bloated under the boiling sun. A swarm of flies hovered over the deceased's eyes, mouth, and wounds. At the sight, Anthony gagged and stepped further away. In front of him, more corpses lay littered throughout what remained of the streets.
While Anthony took stock of the devastation around him, groups of captured German POWs marched along with their hands clasped above their heads. The enemy had surrendered. The Third Division had broken through Cisterna. At last, this unbreakable German stronghold had fallen.
Good news continued to come in the following days. Down south, the Allied troops at Monte Cassino had broken through the Gustav line. They were on their way to join up with the forces on the Anzio front. After months of bitter struggles and stalemates, the Germans' main line of resistance was destroyed. The Battle of Anzio had come to an end.
Along with his regiment, Anthony and his troops continued onward north. They swept through villages and towns, while the German resistance fell. At Valmontone, where the Germans made a last attempt to resist and failed, Anthony could finally tell his company what everyone wanted to hear. They were going to Rome.
Rome. As he rode with his division toward the capital of Italy, Anthony thought of everything that had happened since he had first set foot on Anzio Beach. He wished Wesley could have been alive to share in this moment of triumph. And for once, he wished Wesley could have heard Axis Sally’s voice hailing from the radio. "The Blue and White Devils have won this time," the treacherous woman announced. "Today, it looks like, as long as there is blue and white paint, there will always be a Third Division."
Anthony glanced at the blue and white stripes of their division insignia on his uniform. The Blue and White Devils. Wesley would have liked that.
In the evening after their shifts at the 33rd Field Hospital had ended, a group of doctors, nurses, and medical corpsmen gathered around a small campfire to relax before they turned in for the night. Sitting on the ground with them, Tessa hugged her legs and watched the sparks flicker into the air. Someone was passing around the bottles of wine that the Germans had left behind in an abandoned military outpost. As everyone's inhibitions loosened, a young doctor, Brent Doyle, started to tell jokes. He had joined the 33rd only a month ago. With little to do for entertainment, his jokes had become the staff's daily diversion since he arrived.
While everyone laughed, Tessa listened to the tree branches crackle in the fire. Only a month ago, this casual gathering would have been unimaginable. Back on Anzio Beach, they could not build a fire out in the open at night. Even if the army command had not imposed a blackout, they would not have made any light that would have drawn the attention of the German planes.
Now that the Allies had broken out of Anzio, their situation had turned. Their victory buoyed the spirits of the entire hospital staff. The enemy air raids still came, but German aerial attacks were now sporadic and rare. With the Allied units and hospitals on the move, the Luftwaffe could not locate their targets in the dark. Besides, they had heard that the Germans were running out of planes and ammunition. After months of misery, Tessa could now
feel hope.
We'll see each other again in Rome. Anthony had said when they last saw each other.
Without realizing it, Tessa reached for the rose pendant around her neck. The pendant was no longer a trivial present she had received on her sixteenth birthday. It had become a reminder of the love that had grown between her and Anthony during their time in Anzio.
A member of the army band brought out his accordion to perform, and Ellie led the group in singing "When the Lights Go On Again." The radio played this song often. They all knew the lyrics, which embodied their hopes for the day when everyone could return home to their lives and be free.
When they finished, Brent Doyle followed up by telling more of his jokes. "Two tomatoes were walking down the street," he said, gesticulating wildly with his hands. "They decided to cross the road. On the way over, one of the tomatoes got squished by a car. The other yelled, 'Come on, ketchup!'"
The punchline sent everybody rolling in laughter. Tessa wasn't sure if they in fact thought the joke was funny, or if they were simply laughing because they were drunk from the wine. She stared ahead beyond the group. Dr. Haley was exiting the makeshift mess hall with his dinner rations. She glanced at Ellie, who was laughing at Dr. Doyle's jokes along with everyone else. Quietly, Tessa got up and slipped away to speak to Dr. Haley.
Coming toward the mess hall, Fran Milton was planning to pick up her rations when she found Aaron Haley standing outside, watching their staff singing and laughing around the campfire. He didn't even notice her coming. After all this time, he still didn't recognize the sound of her footsteps.
"You're not seriously thinking about joining them, are you, Doctor?" she asked.
Surprised by her presence, Aaron turned around. "Good evening, Captain."
"I came to pick up my dinner. Would you like to join me?"
He hesitated and glanced at the group. She followed his gaze, not at all curious about the staff's off-hour activities until she saw Ellie. The sight of Ellie Swanson sparked her irritation. "I should remind you, Colonel. It is inappropriate for an officer of your rank and position to mingle with the staff members."
"Yes, Captain. You've reminded me of that many times, and you know how I feel about that. The army ranking rules are for soldiers. Here, for us, they're formalities. If you ask me, the day we can return to work at civilian hospitals without these rules can't come soon enough."
Fran held her tongue. Aaron Haley rarely spoke in such an annoyed manner. She looked over at the group again. Brent Doyle, the new doctor, was saying something to Ellie and making her laugh. Without thinking, Fran said, "It's nice that Dr. Doyle and Lieutenant Swanson are seeing each other." She didn't know how the lie slipped out. For a moment, she regretted letting her emotions get the better of her. Her impulse had superseded her good sense.
"Dr. Doyle…" Aaron frowned. "He's seeing Ellie? You mean they're dating?"
Fran paused. She did not mean to make things up. Yet, the wounded look on Aaron's face emboldened her. Before she knew it, more lies escaped her mouth. "Lieutenant Swanson has been very upset since her friend Sarah Brinkman died. It's a good thing Dr. Doyle came along. He's helped her cope with that."
Aaron's eyes turned to Doyle. Doyle had everyone's attention now, and he was making them all laugh. Ellie, too, seemed as wowed by him as anyone. "Dr. Doyle has a good sense of humor," Fran continued. "I can see why Lieutenant Swanson is so taken with him."
Disappointment washed over Aaron's face. Fran couldn't help feeling a sense of satisfaction. Now he, too, knew what it felt like to be in her place. She wasn't even sorry about her lies anymore. Come to think of it, if Brent Doyle and Ellie became an item, what would be so bad about that? Doyle was a respectable man. A doctor. Ellie Swanson didn't need Aaron. Ellie Swanson was young. She would do fine without Aaron. There would be plenty of young men like Brent Doyle out there for her.
Anyhow, the way Fran saw it, she was only doing what was fair. She had already lived half her life. She had dedicated years to nursing and medicine. She worked harder than anyone, and no one ever thanked her. Didn't she deserve to get what she wanted for once, after everything she had done and given?
Ellie Swanson could not be seriously interested in Aaron anyway. Not with the way she was laughing her heart out over Brent Doyle's jokes. If she truly cared for Aaron, she would not be so easily impressed by another man.
Fickle girl. Aaron would do much better without Ellie Swanson, and Fran knew exactly what she had to do to make things right.
"They look good together, Doyle and Swanson. Don't you think?" she asked Aaron.
Aaron didn't answer. He stood dejected, his hopes dashed. For the first time since he had turned down all her gifts, Fran felt justice was served. "I'll be off now, Doctor. You have a good night."
"Good night, Captain," Aaron said. His voice was so low, she could hardly hear him.
Good. It was time to put an end to his infatuation with Ellie Swanson once and for all.
After Fran left, Aaron started his way back to his tent, but Tessa approached him. "Dr. Haley."
"Tessa." He forced himself to smile, despite feeling discouraged and glum. "Good evening."
"You haven't had dinner yet?" Tessa glanced at his box of rations. "Why don't you join us?"
Aaron looked over at Ellie. She was talking to Brent Doyle and seemed to be enjoying herself. "Thank you for asking," he said to Tessa, "but I'm calling it a night."
"Are you sure? Ellie would like it if you joined us."
"Yes. I'm sure. I need to sleep and rest after I eat. I've got a lot of work tomorrow." Then, only half-joking, he said, "I'm too old. I don't have the energy to keep up with you all."
She seemed puzzled at his remark, but didn't press the issue. "Good night then, Doctor."
"Good night."
Tessa walked away. Aaron turned from the group and left to return to his quarters. Behind him, Fran stood by the kitchen. Unbeknownst to him, she had noticed Tessa approaching him and decided to stay to see what Tessa wanted. She did not like what she had heard. Not at all. She did not like Tessa Graham trying to bring Aaron and Ellie Swanson together. From now on, she would have to keep a closer eye on Tessa. She could not allow Tessa Graham to interfere with her plans.
As she watched Tessa rejoin Ellie and Brent Doyle, it became clear to Fran what she had to do. She had to find some way to bring Brent Doyle and Ellie Swanson together. Maybe give them more chances to work with each other. If Ellie became interested in Doyle, all this nonsense would go away, and Aaron would finally see how fickle and unreliable the affection of a pretty girl like Ellie was.
Satisfied with herself, Fran picked up her rations from the kitchen and returned to her tent. At last, order was restored. Everything was back in her control.
2
In the early morning at 0800 hours, Anthony entered Rome with the American troops and convoys moving into the newly occupied zones. Thousands of locals had lined up on the streets, cheering and waving American flags. They held their fingers up in a "V" sign for victory as the army vehicles and marching soldiers weaved slowly through the crowd.
"Lieutenant!" Jonesy, their company's first sergeant, walked up to Anthony's jeep. With a wide grin, he tossed a copy of the Stars and Stripes onto Anthony's lap. The headline "WE'RE IN ROME" splashed across the front page. Following their victory in Cisterna on May 23, 1944, the Fifth Army had continued to gain ground at rapid speed. They pursued the Germans all the way up north along Highway 7 to the mountain region of Colli Laziali. On the morning of June 4, the entire Fifth Army had swept into Rome and captured Italy's capital city.
Anthony smiled at the headline and looked up. An Italian girl ran up to Jonesy, threw her arms around his neck, and gave him a big wet kiss. Jonesy stumbled back and nearly fell, but he quickly recovered and grabbed the girl to kiss her back. Anthony's driver blew a loud whistle before they drove off.
The convoys passed the Palazzo Venezia, where Mussolini had made his infamous speeches.
Il Duce and his speeches were no more. When Anthony saw the “X” mark over the graffiti of the swastika above Mussolini's name on the building's front wall, he felt more certain than ever that everything they had done in the last six months was justified. After all the fierce battles and all the miseries they had endured, and all the casualties and deaths, they had prevailed. Rome was liberated.
The army vehicles took the officers to Piazza Navona, where the ancient Romans once held their athletic contests and chariot races. Anthony left his driver, grabbed his rucksack, and got out of his jeep. Nearby, a group of small children greeted him and the arriving troops with signs reading "Benvenuti" and "Welcome." A little girl about nine years old ran up to him and gave him a bouquet. "Hello, American soldier. What is your name?"
"Hello." He accepted her flowers. "I'm Anthony. What is your name?"
"My name is Sonia. Sonia Montello. My family would like to invite you to quarter with us while you're here."
"Is that right?" That sounded like a fabulous idea to him.
"Yes. My uncle is a priest, and all the members of his church who can speak English are volunteering to host Allied officers."
"I'm delighted that you asked," he said. "Thank you."
"Come with me." She surprised him by taking his hand. He didn't have much experience interacting with little girls. Her hand felt small, and she held his with so much trust. Touched, he tightened his hand around hers.
"Can I tell you something?" Sonia asked.
"Of course!"
"I saw you riding up, and I wanted to invite you right away. You look like my brother Renardo. He was part of the Italian Resistance."
"A member of the Resistance? He must be a very brave man. Where is he? Is he home?"
