by Griff Hosker
"I know but this time we will have armour with us. For my men that will be a first. Normally we are using whatever we can against the enemy tanks. This will be fine."
We had reached my camp. "You are a damned good fellow. Hemingway will be sorry he has missed you."
"Where is he? Still with the resistance?"
"Apparently. I have sent one of my men for him. Perhaps the thought of liberating Paris might appeal to him eh?"
When I reached the half track I said, "We leave tomorrow for Paris. We are going in with the French again."
Even though there was danger involved they all seemed remarkably happy about the whole thing.
"Great sir!"
"We are all fuelled and ready to go."
"We have supplies!"
Sergeant Poulson came over and handed me my plate. "Here you are sir, we kept it by the fire. It is still warm."
"Thanks Sergeant, oh Fletcher, get Major Foster on the radio, if you can. Tell him that General Leclerc wishes me to remain attached to his division for the next week or so."
"Right sir."
Private Beaumont was the one who could join dots and see the bigger picture. He nodded and said, "Rather reminds me of Nelson at Copenhagen, sir, 'I see no ships!'"
Sergeant Poulson frowned, "I don't get it."
I explained, "It means I am disobeying the order of a superior by pretending I didn't hear it. General Leclerc has asked us to go to Paris but Major General Gerow has ordered the whole unit to stay put."
"Ah. Will you get in trouble sir?"
"Only if we fail, Sergeant, only if we fail. Fortune favours the brave or, in our case, the foolhardy."
Captain Dronne arrived at our camp just after I had finished eating. He had with him a pair of swarthy looking men, one a sergeant and one a private. He held out his hand, "Captain Harsker, I have heard much about you and I am pleased to be fighting alongside you."
I could tell that he struggled with English and I answered him in French, "It is an honour and I shall enjoy telling the tale to my children."
"You have children?"
"Not yet. That rather depends upon tomorrow does it not?"
He laughed, "These are two of my men. As you can see my unit was formed in Africa and most of my men are Spanish. Pablo here acts as my adjutant. If there is anything you need then tell him. He will be in 'Madrid'."
"Madrid?"
The Captain smiled, "Yes, my men have named our vehicles. We have three armoured cars, 'Guadalajara', 'Madrid' and 'Ebro' and three Shermans, 'Montmirail', 'Romilly' and 'Chaumpaubert'. We did not name the self propelled gun and the two half tracks."
I nodded, "I have a man who likes to do such things. Private Emerson has named our German half track 'Bertha'!"
He laughed, "We will get on. I intend to leave before dawn. I would like your vehicle to go first until we see Paris. You will understand that it has to be a French vehicle and officer which liberates our city."
"Of course. And which route will you take?"
"We take the Paris road. Pablo, the flag." The Sergeant handed me a tricolour. "The resistance is expecting us but they are wary of armour. We will drape our vehicles in these flags. It will prevent confusion."
"And make us a target for any Germans. We normally like to sneak around."
"And usually I would agree but tomorrow is different eh, my friend? Tomorrow we make history and for that I think we can all take a risk or two. We will meet you at the road to the north west, by the bombed out Sherman."
After they had gone I gathered my men around me and told them what the Captain had said. Surprisingly the prospect of driving in with a flag did not bother them in the least. Fletcher seemed quite upbeat about it. "The French women will throw themselves at us sir! I might even have a shave!"
"Get on the radio to Major Foster would you? The rest of you better get your heads down. Tomorrow will be a long day."
I had already reloaded my weapons and so I went to check the vehicle. We could not afford that to let us down. We were sticking our neck a long way out and Major General Gerow had made it quite obvious there would be no support... unless we succeeded. Private Emerson saw what I was doing and joined me, "She is sound as a pound sir. I filled the radiator and topped up the oil. We have spare fuel and I managed to find a second spare tyre. We can afford two punctures. She won't let you down."
"I know Fred but if tomorrow goes well then we will be due a rest. The lads need it. We have barely stopped since D-Day and now it is almost the end of August."
"Aye sir. You mean the war might be over soon?"
"The Americans and French invaded the south of France a week or so ago and are driving north. I think the war in France will be over by autumn. As for the whole war... I don't know. Don't forget we have Germany and the Low Countries to go yet."
"Don't worry, sir. So long as you are the boss the lads'll be happy!"
I had just finished my inspection of the weapons in the half track when Fletcher found me. He was grinning, "Just had Major Foster on the radio sir. He is a rum bugger sir, if you'll pardon my French. He said 'Tell the Captain to keep on riding his luck! We have his back!' I think we are all right sir. By we does he mean your dad?"
"I think so. Early start tomorrow, Fletcher, you will need to keep in touch with Colonel Lanham. You still have the frequencies they use?"
"Yes sir and Delbert, their radio man, can understand me!"
"Good."
When we started the heavy half track engine at 0400 there were moans and groans from the Americans sleeping close by. Emerson grumbled, "They get a lie in and they are complaining!"
Chapter 21
Captain Dronne and his men were waiting for us and we took the lead. We were travelling along the D370 and it was a god job we had tracks for there was much rubble on the road. We were close to Rennemoulin when we encountered our first Germans. They had troops dug in on both sides of the road. Emerson had quick reactions and as the Germans opened fire he ducked behind a convenient building. The bullets rattled off the wall. It was 'Ebro' behind us and it did not take evasive action quickly enough. Its front left tyre was shredded.
"Outside and bring the PIAT."
I took my Mauser as bullets continued to smash against the French armoured car. The first of the Shermans was lumbering to support us. The Germans were focussed on the armoured car and I brought up the rifle while Bill Hay and Ken Shepherd set up the PIAT. I shot the only head I could see. It was the gunner on one of the machine guns. The gun stopped firing but it drew every bullet to my position. Luckily I had ducked my head before they hit. Shepherd tapped Bill on the shoulder and there was a whoosh as the rocket sped towards the machine gun. The explosion bought the Sherman time and it fired both its main gun and machine guns.
"Right lads, back on board."
As we boarded the other two tanks added their fire power and the Germans fled. Waving to the crew of the armoured car who were replacing the wheel we overtook the Shermans and headed down the road again.
"That was quick thinking, Emerson. Well done."
We had a largely empty road until we hit Bailly and, once again we encountered Germans. This time they had one of their small armoured cars blocking the road.
"Floor it Emerson!" Fred had not been driving at full speed and when he used the accelerator we leapt across the road. "Poulson, machine gun!" The shell struck the space we had recently occupied.
Sergeant Poulson opened fire with the MG 42 to buy us time while the armoured car reloaded and traversed its turret. The infantry opened fire too but their bullets clanged off the armour of the German half track. Behind us I heard the crack of the French Sherman. It hit the armoured car's side. The shell tore inside and it exploded. Sergeant Poulson mopped up the infantry who had been around it.
Lieutenant Lemay shouted, "Sir, the Captain has been on the radio. The General has been given permission to follow us and the Americans. There are strong points ahead. We are ordered to turn right at Rocquencourt and head f
or the Pont de Sèvres."
"Tell them that we will do so."
That was easier said than done. There was a tank and a pair of armoured cars waiting for us at Rocquencourt. This time they alerted us to their presence by firing at us when we turned a bend and were just eight hundred yards from them. Our speed saved us again. The shell whizzed over the top of the half track and Emerson, without waiting for orders, took us behind a half demolished wall. I jumped from the cab. Hay and Shepherd were already unpacking the PIAT. The 75mm shell smashed into the wall. I was covered in brick dust while a section of the wall fell on to the half track. Emerson leapt from the cab to clear it.
I took my rifle but I had no target save the tyres of the armoured car. It was a target and I took it. As another shell threatened to demolish the wall completely I popped first one and then a second tyre. Sergeant Poulson, who was firing the MG 42 , said, "Any time soon lads!"
"Ready!"
The rocket whooshed away and struck the tank on the right front track. The track came off. At that range it was as good as we might have hoped. Two of the Shermans fired at the damaged tank. Head to head they might have struggled but they could manage a flank shot and the tank began to burn. The undamaged armoured car tried to escape but the third Sherman hit it and it exploded in a huge fire ball. The crew of the second one held their hands up.
"Sir, we need to clear this rubble or Bertha is going nowhere."
"Right lads give him a hand."
I was about to step out when a shot rang out and the commander of 'Romilly' slumped dead. He had been shot. The machine gunner just reacted and the Germans who had surrendered were machine gunned. The tanks then began firing , blindly, at the buildings in case they held more Germans. It was a waste of ammunition. I used the telescopic sight to search for the shooter. It had to be a sniper and that mean height. There was just one building. It was a church tower. Not particularly high it rose about ten feet above the surrounding buildings. It was almost eight hundred yards from me. I aimed my rifle and waited. I doubted that the sniper would flee for he was in little danger. The tanks were firing in the wrong place.
'Madrid' pulled up ahead of the tank and the gunner used his machine gun to sweep the buildings. I saw the flash and then heard the report of the bullet. The gunner fell as it hit him. I had been right. He was in the tower. I focussed in on the aperture at the top. He was well camouflaged but when he moved to reload then I saw him. I squeezed the trigger. I quickly emptied the clip. The sniper's body sagged out of the tower. He was dead. I continued to scan the roof tops but there were no more snipers.
I hurried over to the armoured cars. Captain Dronne joined me, "Thank you for that Captain Harsker. Juan had been with me since North Africa."
I pointed to the half track, "We will need to dig Bertha out."
"We will push on. Join us when you can."
He was impatient but I wondered if he knew what he was taking on. When I reached the half track I saw that they were jacking up one side. "A bullet sir, in the tyre."
"Can't be helped. Fletcher get on to Colonel Lanham and tell them what has happened. Beaumont, take Shepherd and see if you can find a spare on the German armoured cars."
I did not need to tell the others to take on water and food. They did so automatically. As I wiped my mouth I wondered when I would taste water which did not taste of chemical and metal.
It took twenty minutes to change the tyre and clear all of the debris from the vehicle. As we set off Emerson said, "They'll be in Paris by now sir! Sorry about the tyre."
"Not your fault and I am not so sure."
Not far from Ville-d'Avray we saw 'Ebro'. It was burned out. It looked like there had been another fire fight. There were German bodies but the French had taken their dead with them. They would see Paris! We were passing Sèvres when we heard the sound of heavy ordnance.
"Foot down Emerson!"
We did not get as far as the bridge. 'Guadalajara' was on fire and one of the Shermans had lost a track. I saw that the troops had left the lorries and were firing at, as yet, unseen Germans. The self propelled gun and the two other Shermans were firing at the Germans who were on the other side of the Seine.
"Find some shelter."
There was plenty of that. The two damaged vehicles partly blocked the road and shells from the other side of the bridge had brought down part of a wall. The two surviving Shermans had taken cover behind a half demolished wall. Taking out my binoculars I saw that there were two Mark IV tanks on the other side of the bridge. They would take some shifting. Grabbing my Mauser I ran towards Captain Dronne's tank. Lieutenant Lemay was glued to my side.
"Sorry we took so long."
"We have to shift those two big beasts and they have the bridge wired to explode." He pointed to the left of the bridge. "The resistance is doing their best but they cannot get close."
"Have you a PIAT or a grenade launcher?"
The Captain shook his head. "We did not think we would need them."
"Lieutenant, go and fetch my men." He turned and ran off. I pointed to the bridge. "It is what, a hundred metres across and perhaps thirty wide?"
"Something like that, why?"
"If we can get to the end of the bridge here the natural curve on the bridge and the abutments will give us some shelter. It is dead ground. If you and your tanks can keep their tanks occupied we will try to get to the edge of the bridge. I think we can clear away the infantry there. If we can get close enough the PIAT can immobilise a tank. Then it would be up to you. Perhaps you should use H.E. with the self propelled gun. The armour piercing is not working. I can get you the bridge. The rest is up to you."
"Give me that and all of France will be in your debt."
My men arrived. "Captain, lay down smoke and have your big gun make a killing ground of the far side of the bridge. Your armoured car's gun can make a nuisance of himself too." I turned to brief my men. "We are going to run the hundred yards or so to the end of the bridge. I want to clear away the infantry and then get the PIAT close enough to destroy one of the tanks. The Captain will take on the other."
Beaumont said, "Sir, the PIAT can do some damage at that range."
"Right. Fletcher you stay here with the radio. Emerson get back to the half track. When the tanks cross I want you to pick up Fletcher and then us. Gordy you and Shepherd on the grenade launcher. Bill you and Hewitt on the PIAT. Lieutenant, you can load for the Sergeant."
"And what about you sir?"
"Me, Lieutenant? I am going to go first and see if I can do some damage with this rifle. If I can attract their attention then you lads can follow. Sergeant, it is your call."
"Right sir."
"Covering fire. Gordy, have you a smoke grenade?"
"Just the one sir and I am afraid it is red!"
I laughed, "Perhaps they will think we are calling fighter support! Send it as far over to the other side as you can."
Gordy had become as proficient with the launcher as Crowe and he laid the smoke grenade in between the two machine guns and tanks at the far end. A furious fusillade followed. I stood and ran, crouching. I moved in a straight line for I wanted to make it as quickly as possible. The French opened fire with their own guns and smoke also filled the bridge. I hurled myself against the reassuringly solid end of the bridge. I was safe. I lay down and rolled so that I could see across the bridge. Annoyingly there was no ledge for me to use and so I crawled along the pavement side. As I could not see the machine guns I guessed that they could not see me. When the top of the tank came into sight I slowed and edged my way forward.
The self propelled gun was now lobbing H.E.at the Germans while the two Shermans, I could see, had ventured a little further forward. They were both firing blind but the French knew where the Germans were, in the middle of the bridge. I crept further forward as a shell exploded eighty yards from me in the middle of the two tanks and two machine guns. The shells were not intended to pierce armour but they manage to damage one of the tank's trac
ks. When I heard grenades exploding then I knew that Gordy had the range.
I looked through the sights of the rifle. The swirling smoke brought my targets into and out of view. I took a breath and squeezed into the smoke. As it cleared I saw that I had wounded a machine gunner. They could not see me and I fired again. I heard movement behind me as Beaumont and Bill Hay joined me. "It seemed safe enough, sir, so we thought we would join you."
"I can only see the top half of the tank and if you lift your body to get a better shot then the machine will have you." Just then I heard the chatter of a German machine gun. I looked across the bridge and saw that it was Poulson and the young French Lieutenant. They had taken their chances too. "I will try to hit the machine gun opposite. It will give you a shot."
"Right sir. Beaumont, load!"
I raised my head and aimed at the far machine gun position. Sergeant Poulson was still keeping the second one occupied. I fired all five bullets at the occupants of the machine gun. They were changing belts and I caught two of them.
"Now!"
The PIAT belched flames and, at eighty yards range the rocket penetrated the tank by zipping through the driver's visor. The turret lifted off and smoke and flames ripped across the bridge. I stood, "Come on, let's close while they are in the smoke!"
As we started to run I heard a cry and saw Lieutenant Lemay hit. I could do nothing to help him. We ran into the smoke and I saw, less than fifty yards from us, the remaining Mark IV. I knelt and aimed at the machine gunners. The tank was busy firing at the Shermans which were now advancing but the machine gunners had been protected by the tank. I fired one clip and hit one of them. I saw more Germans running to take the dead man's place. Then Gordy hit the machine gun with a direct hit. The nest became a death trap and I heard ammunition exploding.
"Now Hay! You will never get a better chance!"
They were behind me and the rocket sped towards the tank. At the same time the two Shermans concentrated their fire on it as well. It was ripped apart by the combination of three direct hits. "Come on!"
I ran to the other end of the bridge, drawing my Luger as I did so. A German rose from the far machine gun post with a rifle in his hands. As he raised it I fired four shots. He was pitched over the parapet. A German was climbing from the first tank we had hit with a gun in his hand. He was less than ten yards from me and I emptied my gun into him. A handful of Germans who had survived stood and began firing. I was a dead man. Then two sub machine guns opened up behind me as Beaumont and Hay came to my rescue. We reached the end of the bridge and I held up my hand.
