Dieppe

by Hosker, Griff

  He grinned, "I know sir and next time you need a volunteer to get his bits frozen, with respect, I will leave that to someone else. Mrs Leslie's lad has done his bit!"

  I nodded, "And he has that. You did well. I hope that the information is worthwhile."

  Alan Jorgenson sucked on his cheroot, "If it isn't Tom it is not your fault. You both did what they asked."

  I nodded, "It might be they weren't asking the right questions. There seemed to be more gun emplacements along that sea wall than the last time we were there."

  The three Hurricanes had returned and were nursemaiding us back to Weymouth. They waggled their wings and sped off home as we entered the harbour. We had told the base of our injuries and ambulances were there as well as a car ready to whisk me off to see Lord Lovat.

  "I'll get the 'Lady' sorted out Tom. God knows when they will want us back out again! I will take her back to Falmouth."

  I gathered the samples and the two maps. "Sergeant Poulson, take care of the lads. I will get back as soon as I can."

  The driver was a Commando sergeant. I vaguely recognised him from our training at Oswestry. He looked at me in the mirror. Grinning he said, "I thought I recognised the name, sir when his lordship asked me to pick you up. Didn't we train together at Oswestry? I am Jack Jones. You were the one had that run in with those instructors."

  "Yes, sergeant. I thought your face was familiar."

  "You have done well for yourself. A nice bit of fruit salad too."

  "I think I have been lucky."

  We chatted about our careers. Both of us avoided specifics. It was better that way. When we reached headquarters he helped me carry my gear inside. I was whisked away before I could say more and I found myself in an office with Lord Lovat and three Canadian Lieutenant Colonels. Lord Lovat was a dour man. He spoke economically, "Harsker. Get it done all right?"

  "Yes sir." I laid out the bags of sand in order and the chinograph maps. "This is the sand in order from east to west. It is pretty much the same all the way along; mainly shingle and soft sand. The beach is shallow. Your LCP won't have a problem."

  They all looked relieved but Lord Lovat knew me. "There is more isn't there, Harsker?"

  I nodded, "Yes sir."

  "Go on, elaborate. I am sure these gentlemen would like to hear from someone who has been there."

  "The beach is a death trap sir. There are no mines and there is no barbed wire but there is a wall about five or six feet high at the end, just before the esplanade. I am no tank man sir but I am a Commando. If I was a German defender I would have a field day when the Churchill tanks tried to climb them. You wouldn't even need an anti-tank gun; a grenade would do it. Then there is the barbed wire on top of the wall. It is backed by machine guns. Even if you did get off the beach and over the wall there is a wide esplanade and the guns on the cliffs and in the Chateau could fire right down on you. And just supposing, by some miracle, you did get the tanks off the esplanade, they have blocked all of the streets with six feet high blocks of concrete."

  There was silence when I had finished. Then Lieutenant Colonel Merritt began to chuckle and shook his head, "You don't pull your punches do you, Lieutenant?"

  "No sir, I was not brought up that way. 'Tell the truth and shame the devil', my grandmother used to say."

  "Mine too and yet Lord Lovat here tells me this is the second time you have been to Dieppe. You got in and out both times. How hard can it be?"

  "The difference is, sir, we were dropped in quietly by boat, at night and we were sneaking around. We were able to lie up during the day. Even so we were nearly caught and I left good men over there. When your lads go in there will be naval bombardment and aeroplanes will drop bombs. Jerry will know you are coming. You won't be sneaking."

  Lieutenant Colonel Menard said, "Are you saying we can't do it?" I sensed that he did not like the implications of what I had said.

  "No sir. I think you could do it. My question is, is it worth leaving half of your men on the beaches just to prove you have brave lads who can wade through machine gun bullets? What would be achieved?"

  Silence filled the room. My words were not what they wanted to hear. Lord Lovat rose and went to the coffee pot, "Coffee, Lieutenant?"

  "Yes please, sir."

  As Lord Lovat poured the coffee he said, "What you gentlemen should know is that the Lieutenant here swam ashore last night to find out what the beach was like. On the way back they encountered a German convoy and were attacked by German aeroplanes. I tell you this because this is a professional. He is giving you the truth; no matter how unpalatable." He shrugged. "When Number three and Number four Commando attack we will take casualties. Of that I have no doubt but we are on the periphery of the attack. We will be the side show. We can, as the Lieutenant so eloquently says, sneak around. You cannot."

  "Any advice, son?" Lieutenant Colonel Merritt seemed to be the one who wanted answers.

  "When your men land they use as much of the limited cover as they can. Use the groynes for example."

  "What the hell is a groyne?"

  Lord Lovat smiled, "A long wooden barrier in the sea which stops the shingle shifting."

  I nodded, "Keep moving and fire in short bursts but keep firing. You might be lucky. Find those men who can throw a grenade a long way."

  "We have grenade launchers."

  "They are fine Colonel but I can throw three or four grenades in the time it takes to fire one."

  Lieutenant Colonel Merritt said, "Pretty much what your chaps have been telling us."

  Lord Lovat said, "We have learned through experience and the blood of dead men."

  "How about having the Lieutenant and his chaps come and tell my men how to do it?"

  Lord Lovat said, "You will all be embarking in two days. I am not certain we have time." They nodded and looked glum. "Well Lieutenant, we will have this sand analysed. Thank you for your efforts. My driver will take you back to Falmouth. Have some rest. You look like you need it."

  "Sir."

  The three Canadians all stood. Lieutenant Colonel Merritt shook my hand, "Thank you, son, both for what you did and the fact that you had the guts to tell us the truth. I hope we meet again."

  "Thank you, sir, and I do wish you all the success in the world."

  Lord Lovat took me to the car, "Thanks for that honesty, Harsker. I agree with you and think this is a beach too far. Still some good may come of it but for the life of me I can't see what." We reached the car. "Jones, drive the Lieutenant back to Falmouth eh. You might as well stay overnight. I shan't need you again until tomorrow."

  "Right sir." As we headed west he said, "Any chance of a billet, sir?"

  "There is a half empty camp, Jack."

  "Thanks sir." I saw him look at me through the rear view mirror. "You best get some shut eye sir. You look all in."

  He was right and soon the motion of the car sent me to sleep. It felt like being in Dad's car before the war when we would drive overnight to get to our cottage in France. Happier days and much simpler then.

  Sergeant Jones woke me. "Sir, sorry to wake you but we are approaching Falmouth. Any chance of directions?"

  "Of course." I directed him to the sea front and Mrs Bailey's guesthouse.

  Reg Dean was just coming out of the front door. He opened my door. "That was quick. The lads only beat you back by an hour or so. Mrs B has a nice rabbit stew on the go."

  "Good oh! Oh this is Sergeant Jack Jones. He needs a billet for the night. I said there were plenty up at the camp."

  Reg shook his head, "No need to trek up there. Mrs B has a spare room and the food is better here. Come with me, Sergeant, and I will introduce you."

  I picked up my Bergen from the back and followed them in. They went into the kitchen to see Mrs Bailey and I trudged up the stairs. I heard noises from the bathroom. I would have to join the queue for the bath.

  As I was the last to bathe I was the last to join them all for supper. It had taken some time to rid my body of t
he last vestiges of goose grease. They had all waited for me and stood to attention when I entered. I laughed, "Don't start with all that. Sit down and eat!"

  They all looked up at Mrs Bailey she said, "They wait Lieutenant Harsker because I told them to. You have had a rougher time of it than they have."She nodded towards Reg, her source of information. "You get the choice bits." She dolloped a huge amount of mashed potatoes and a ladleful of saddle of rabbit on my plate. "There you go, sir. Now for the rest of you!"

  Of course no one went short. Mrs Bailey had cooked four rabbits. I suspected that they were courtesy of Sergeant Major Dean. He was a good shot and there were plenty of bunnies close to the camp. It was good; it rivalled Mum's. There could be no higher praise.

  I gave the lads a day off and then, on July 1st we went to help the Lieutenant to repair our boat and make her shipshape again. We had been lucky. The strafing runs of the German fighters had not badly damaged our vessel but she still needed repairs. Hobson, the dead gunner, had been buried already by his mess mates. He had been popular but we were in a dangerous game. The stakes were high and if you lost you paid with your life.

  One thing you could guarantee in England was that you could not guarantee the weather. It might be summer but that didn't stop foul, almost autumnal weather from sweeping in. It wasn't just the rain, it was the wind. Half of the Canadians had tents ruined by the unseasonal gales. The storms began the day the Canadian troops embarked on their transports and did not relent for more than a week. Of course we were many miles from the isle of Wight and knew little of Operation Rutter. Our part had finished and we were too concerned with ensuring that 'Lady Luck' did not get pounded on to the rocks of her anchorage. We learned all of this later on.

  Once the boat was secured from the worst of the weather I took the section on a cross country march. We might have to operate behind enemy lines during such weather. The war did not stop because of a storm, no matter how bad! As we double timed across the rain and wind swept headlands with visibility down to a few yards Harry Gowland asked, "Do you reckon those Canadian lads stand any sort of chance sir? I mean Dieppe is a hard nut to crack."

  "Ironically, Harry, I think the weather will help. The ships and men will be harder to see. If they are attacking now then they have a chance. Of course they will have no air support but neither will the Germans."

  "Are they attacking now, sir?"

  "I don't have the exact date but it is sometime around now."

  Major Foster returned at the start of the second week in July. His face was as black as thunder. "Tom, Sarn't Major join me in the office would you?"

  When the Major closed the door he waved us to our seats. "Operation Rutter has had to be cancelled." There was little to say and we just looked at him as he told us the reasons. The Germans bombed the convoy when it was assembling in the Solent. That, and the bad weather, meant it was a no go.

  "Were many men killed in the raid sir?"

  "Thankfully there were not as many as there might have been. They are going to have to tighten up the air defences." He smiled, "They have dispersed the troops along the south coast. I am not certain if the operation will take place but they are keeping the troops handy in case they do. You impressed Colonel Merritt, Tom. He is sending a company of the South Saskatchewan Regiment here for you to train. They are his best company. He wants them, as he put it, 'to be as good as the Commandos'!"

  Reg rolled his eyes, "How long have we got sir, six months?"

  "No, Reg, two weeks."

  "Then it is purely cosmetic sir?"

  "Not really, Tom. Whatever skills you give them will be a help. He sees it as a rolling programme. In a fortnight another company will come and so on. They will never be Commandos but they should become better soldiers. You would agree wouldn't you?"

  "Yes sir." I looked at Reg, "We won't bother with all the strangleholds, laying charges and that sort of thing. Just get them fit and show them how to fight in small groups."

  Reg nodded, "Aye sir, that would work. That is manageable."

  "So the operation is definitely off then, sir?"

  "In its present form? Yes. Lord Lovat and Colonel Durnford Slater are at Whitehall with the Major General looking to see what they can salvage from Rutter but Operation Rutter is dead and buried. At least the information you brought back is not wasted, Tom. They are setting up a department of boffins to evaluate things like the quality of sand and so forth. Other units are slipping ashore at different parts of Occupied France to bring back samples. When we do finally go back then we will have more information and make a better job of it."

  Reg looked surprised, "So we will be going back then sir?"

  "Back?"

  "Invading France. I heard that things are looking bleak in the desert." We had heard reports that the desert campaign was not going as well as it had been and the 8th Army was perilously close to Cairo.

  Major Foster smiled, "Defeatist talk, Sergeant Major? That doesn't sound like you."

  "And it isn't sir. We'll beat these buggers. I just didn't think we were quite ready yet."

  "Between you and me neither do I but with the Americans in the war Mr Churchill is keen for us to fight back."

  I said nothing but I could now see the attack on Dieppe for what it was; a chance to bloody Herr Hitler's nose. I was pleased it had been cancelled. I had seen the beach and knew that it would have been a disaster. "Right Reg, let's go and get this organised eh? I'll get my lads and we will go to the tin mine." I looked at Major Foster, "When do they arrive?"

  "They will be here by tonight."

  "Good then that gives us a day to make the tin mine into a defensive position. I'll go and see Daddy Grant and get some smoke bombs."

  Reg was always happier when he had something to do and he lost his scowl and smiled. "I'll get the PTIs organised."

  "Good. I'll get some paperwork done and catch up with you this afternoon."

  The section were in the armoury cleaning their guns. Operating at sea, as we often did, meant that we had to be vigilant in our maintenance of our weapons. We knew that they gave us an edge in battle.

  "Right lads we are training Canadians for the next two weeks. We start tomorrow. Sergeant Poulson, take the lads up to the tin mine. We will make it a fortress for them to attack. They have done beach work. Let's show them that attacking a defensive position is harder."

  "Yes sir."

  "Gowland and Groves, you stay with me. We have to pick up some gear from the QM."

  "Sir!"

  I could smell the smoke from Daddy's pipe as soon as we opened the door to escape the sudden downpour which had descended upon us. He grinned as we hurried in to escape the deluge. "Ah three drowned rats. How can I be of service, gentlemen?"

  "We need smoke bombs, blank ammo, and rope, Daddy." He nodded. "Any barbed wire?"

  "I can let you have a few rolls why, sir?"

  "Some Canadians are coming tomorrow for us to train. We are going up to the tin mine."

  One of his assistants said, "In this?"

  Daddy shook his head, "Oh I wish I had real soldiers sir. This lot have their basic training and that is it." He rounded on the unfortunate private, "Listen, Blair, war doesn't stop because it is pissing down with rain. You can't go and get dried off with a Panzer rumbling towards you. Go and get the wire for Lieutenant Harsker!" He grinned when his men had disappeared. "Mind you he is right; you have to be mad to train in this!"

  Harry said, "You know what they say, Quarter Master, you shouldn't volunteer if you can't take a joke!"

  Daddy sent his privates with us to carry the barbed wire. They struggled to keep up with us in their trench coats. We wore the oilskin capes which gave us more freedom of movement. We reached the mine five minutes before they did. As they dumped the bales on the ground and prepared to descend I heard Private Blair say to Groves, "You lot must be mad as a bucketful of frogs!"

  Peter Groves laughed, "Of course we are! We are proper Commandos!"

  Aft
er they left, eager to be back in the shelter of their stores I gathered the men around. "They were expecting to attack Dieppe. Let's make this like it. Find as many logs as you can. I want a rampart five feet high with barbed wire in front and on the top." The mine had a natural crown and we would use that. "Hewitt and Fletcher, use the wheelbarrow and collect as many bits of stone as you can. I want the area in front of the barbed wire covering in them. Make it as much like a shingle beach as you can. Use big stones, small stones, anything. Harry I want a machine gun emplacement over there on the flank. Make it well hidden. We will give them a surprise when they think they have the site sussed out!"

  My men had attacked such places enough times to think like a German. If they made it hard for the Canadians then more would have a chance of survival when they met the real enemy.

  I waved Sergeant Poulson over, "Make up a few small charges. Let's make this realistic for them."

  He grinned, "I'll give it to George. He likes messing on with this new explosive."

  I took off my battledress and joined in. We would all be soaking wet when we finished but it would be worth it. We had completed everything by five thirty and we trudged, sodden, down the hill.

  As we descended, too tired to double time, Corporal Lowe asked, "Why are we training the Canadians if they aren't going to attack Dieppe, sir?"

  "Their Colonel thinks they need the skills, Lowe. I suppose you can blame me. I told them what they would need to do to succeed and he wanted us to train them."

  He shook his head, "I wasn't complaining sir. I am quite looking forward to the challenge. I might get some sympathy for the instructors who trained us."

  George said, "I wouldn't waste it. They were bastards! They were a bunch of sadists."

  Polly Poulson said, quietly, "We didn't turn out so bad though did we? Perhaps we have lasted this long because they did such a good job!"

  "Mebbe!"

  I laughed, my Lance Sergeant was not convinced.

  "We are due a replacement aren't we sir. I mean we are one short."

  "I daresay we will get one when the next batch arrives. That just means more work for you Sergeant. Whoever it is they will need the edges knocking off."