by Griff Hosker
The German machine gun had stopped firing. There was a crack and I saw a flame leap up in the air. I guessed it had reached the jerrycan. Private Lowery ran around the side of the emplacement and he threw it high. He had a good arm. I saw it arc in the night sky. It landed and there was a second whoosh. As Private Shaw threw himself to the ground there was an almighty explosion as the tank was engulfed in flames and both the fuel tank and ammunition were ignited. Flying pieces of metal hit the emplacement and even Buckingham Palace. The air was filled with the smell of cordite, burning petrol and the unmistakeable aroma of burning hair and human flesh.
Private Shaw looked at me and grinned, “So you won’t need to be a hero then, sir.”
“Well done, lads You both did well. I shall mention you in my report.”
Private Lowery shook his head, “I just want to get home, sir. When I joined up I thought it would be like playing cowboys and Indians. It isn’t. I will leave all that hero stuff to Errol Flynn in the pictures.”
I shouted, “Sergeant Armstrong, take charge here. Dawn is just an hour away. Let’s be ready to repel them if they come again. I’ll go to Shenandoah and see how they are there.”
“Right sir. Keep your head down though eh?”
“Yes Sergeant.”
I still kept my head down as I ducked out of the back of the emplacement. The Germans were still out there. We had destroyed their most offensive weapon but they were still cold and they were still hungry. They would come again. These were the S.S. and they would not surrender.
The Engineers looked up as I approached, “Dawn is on the way sir.” I nodded. “We heard an explosion.”
“That was a tank but Jerry is still there. How is it here?”
The M.P. Corporal said, “Quiet as the grave sir. We have been feeling guilty hearing all the firing going on and we still have full magazines.”
“You have done the job I asked you to. Well done. Look, as there are six of you could three of you go and sort some food and a brew for the chaps.”
“Of course sir.”
“You go with the Corporal, Ben, that way we might get some decent coffee.” The American Sergeant handed a hessian sack with what looked like coffee beans to a Pfc. “Connor here makes the best coffee in the regiment.”
The M.P. Corporal shook his head, “I wouldn’t thank you for it. A nice Sarn’t Major brew for us!”
I left them debating the merits of coffee and tea. I went in to Buckingham Palace. “Any news Corporal?”
“Just the same sir. The Americans are hanging on and they are trying to reinforce them. Sergeant Barker has passed on your message.”
“Where is he?”
“In the kitchen sorting our food. He said he could do that with one arm.”
Corporal Winterton, the medical orderly, came down the stairs, “I thought I heard your voice sir. Time for me to have a look at that wound.”
“I am fine Corporal.”
“As senior medical officer I feel obliged to have a look at the wound sir. We can’t have the Commanding Officer collapsing now can we? Come on, sir. It will take no more than five minutes.”
“Very well but make it quick.”
He took off my battledress and cut away the shirt. Using a pair of scissors he cut away the dressing. The wound was bleeding. He shook his head, “I thought so.” He reached into his bag and took out a couple of tablets. He handed me his canteen. “Here sir, take these Sulphadiazine Tablets.” I swallowed while he washed and dried the wound. He took some Sulphanilamide powder and sprinkled it on the wound. It stung but I kept a still face. He did a better job than Sergeant Barker had with the dressing and he made it tighter. He replaced my battle dress and then put my arm in a new sling. He saw me about to object. “Sir, you need to support this or the wound will keep bleeding. You are an intelligent chap. If you lose blood then you will become weaker. You can still use your right hand.”
“Very well.”
Gordy came back in. He had a piece of ham sandwiched between two toasted pieces of bread. “Here y’are sir. Five day old bread but they had some olive oil. I fried the bread and put some cheese and ham in. You eat it.”
“What about the men?”
“Those lads you sent have made a stew. The men will have hot food but Winterton here reckons you need food so eat this sir and be a good chap. If you don’t I shall tell Mrs. Bailey and your mother that you were a bad lad.”
“You are assuming we are going to get out of this, Sergeant.”
“With you in command sir there is never a doubt. Now eat. I found some mustard. That should be tasty as!”
He was right and I did not know just how hungry I was. One of the M.P.s gave me a mug of tea and I left feeling better than I had done for some time. A mixture of drugs, a hot sandwich and a nice brew did the trick. By the time I reached Blackpool Tower the sun was peering from behind the hills to the east. The darkness had hidden the blood but now we saw the puddles and patches which marked the fights to the death which had taken place. The German bodies lay where they had fallen. Hugo and his men had not risked their lives to move them.
“What is the roll call , Captain?”
“We have twenty here fit and well. Ten of those we sent to Buckingham Palace should be able to fight at a pinch.”
“We did well. Now if the Air Force can get a few sorties in the air then we might stand a chance.”
“Surely they are beaten now!”
Just then a rifle sounded and one of the East Lancashires fell clutching his shoulder. “Take cover! This is not over!. Keep your eyes open for Germans! They are still out there.” I turned to Hugo, “See what I mean? I will send a mortar and crew. Let’s see if we can put the wind up them. Keep the men on their toes, Hugo. Don’t let them take chances. The Germans are a hundred and twenty yards in that direction.” I pointed to the woods. “Let’s keep them there eh?”
Keeping low I ran back to Alnwick Castle. The fire had died down and there was sporadic fire from the Germans. “Sergeant I need one of your mortar crews.”
“Right sir. Nobby, take your mortar to Blackpool Tower.”
“Righto Sarge.” The two men to the left of us began to pack away their mortar.
“Put it behind the emplacement but don’t fire until I am there.”
“Right sir.”
As they left I took out my binoculars. I could see movement half a mile away. There were more German troops arriving. “Sergeant I think you will have company soon.” I handed him my glasses. “There, about half a mile away from the burned out tank.”
“Bugger sir!”
“Food should be on the way soon. Go round and ginger up the troops eh? I’ll try and shift the ones from Blackpool Tower and then we can reinforce here.”
“Sir, have you not thought that they might be heading for the track.”
“It had crossed my mind. In which case you might have to reinforce us.”
Sliding out of the back I crouched and ran to where the two men were setting up the 2-inch Mortar. With a range of five hundred yards and a charge which weighed two and half pounds it was a good weapon. Sadly with just ten rounds it would not win the battle for us.
I knelt next to the two men. I pointed to the track. I want you to lob two shells forty feet beyond the tree line. They should be about fifty feet apart.”
“You are asking for pinpoint accuracy sir.”
“A few feet either way won’t make much of a difference. I want to stir Jerry up. Wait for my command.”
“Righto sir.”
I slipped inside the dugout. Sergeant Ashcroft of the East Lancashires was there with two of his men and the only Vickers we had. It was the one weapon for which we had plenty of ammunition. All of the men had lee Enfields and they used the same bullet. The abundance of snow meant we could keep replenishing the water which cooled it. Hitherto we had not fired it very much. Now I intended to use it to its maximum effect.
“Sergeant, in a moment I am going to start lobbin
g mortar shells beyond the track.”
“There are Jerries there. We have seen them moving but it would be a waste of ammo to fire at them.”
“I know. That is why I am going to use the mortars. They should start to shift. Open fire as soon as the first mortar lands. Use a whole belt of ammo if you have to. I want to shake them up.” I pointed north. “There are more Jerries on their way Sergeant. We will have eight mortar rounds left after this. I intend to save them for the last attack. How many belts do you have?”
“We have four sir but we have plenty of bullets to reload.” He nodded to the gunners. “You heard the Major. Let’s see how many Jerries we can send to hell!” They cocked the gun and nodded. “Ready sir!”
I took out my glasses and shouted, “Nobby, open fire!”
There was the familiar crump as the mortar round sailed high. The Vickers began to chatter. It made so much noise that I did not hear the second round being fired. The first one exploded. I saw limbs fly through the air and then the machine gun began to decimate their numbers as the Germans rose to run away from this unexpected attack. When the second shell exploded I saw men running east.
I slipped out of the back of the emplacement. I heard Corporal Parr and his men firing. I ran to them. “Sir, Jerries broke and they are heading up the trail.”
“Watch them. Make sure they don’t double back.”
Private Shaw suddenly appeared, “Sir, Sergeant Armstrong said Jerry is attacking and in numbers.”
“Tell him I will be there presently.” I hurried to the mortar crew. “Well done. Be ready to lay down a barrage on the road.”
“When do we fire sir?”
“When there are enough Germans to make it worthwhile.” Hugo appeared, “We have broken them here but you will have more coming your way very soon. Don’t let them flank us. If we break this attack then it will be over.”
I took out my Luger. Both hand guns were reloaded. The dead Germans had yielded enough bullets for me to have four magazines for the Luger. It would have to do. The gunfire from Alnwick Castle was fierce. As I hurried to it I saw the explosions from the mortar shells and heard the chatter of the three machine guns. As I neared the defences I saw an Engineer pitched backwards by submachine gun bullets. The Germans were gambling on this one throw of the dice. I saw a German twenty yards from our defences. He pulled his arm back. I fired two shots. My sling unbalanced me and I wanted to be sure I hit him. He was pitched backwards and his grenade exploded in front of his advancing comrades.
I took the place of the dead Engineer. One of his companions said, from the side of his mouth, “You ought to have a tin lid sir!”
I laughed, “It would spoil my hair. I’ll take my chances.”
“Good on you, sir. I’ll say one thing for Jerry. He is persistent.”
“He is hungry and wants what we have.”
The mortars scythed through the enemy. Then a voice shouted, “That’s it sir. No more mortar ammo.”
“Use your rifles!”
I noticed that the rate of machine gun fire had diminished. It allowed the Germans to edge closer. The machine guns were not Vickers. They were not air cooled and they needed to be fired in short burst. The Germans were using every inch of cover to get close. Disaster struck when a grenade exploded in the front of the dugout. The machine guns stopped altogether. I saw an officer raise his hand and shout something. I fired two bullets and he fell. The damage was done. He had ordered his men forward and a wave of Germans raced towards us. This was not as it had been in the night. It was worse because we could see the numbers.
I emptied my magazine and then put the gun in my sling. I took out a grenade and used my teeth to pull out the pin. I threw it high. “Grenade!”
It exploded behind the advancing men but the ones close kept closing. Changing a magazine one handed is never easy and I forced myself to be calm. Our men were dying as the Germans closed with us. I had just reloaded when the Engineer I had been speaking with was spun around as a bullet took him in the throat. There were just four of us left. I fired the Luger non-stop. I saw a German sergeant stand on top of the emplacement and smash the porcelain on his grenade. I dropped the Luger and pulled the Colt. The German was thirty feet from me and .45 slug knocked him from the top. The grenade exploded and took out four advancing Germans. It was a drop in the ocean. More were coming.
Suddenly mortar shells began to land amongst the Germans. I looked over my shoulder and saw a grinning Nobby firing it. Then there was a cheer from behind me. I heard Gordy shout, “Charge! We have food needs eating!” He was firing his Colt and leading the walking wounded.
The Virginians and the M.P.s were with him. They had disobeyed my orders and I was grateful. To my right I heard the Vickers as Sergeant Ashcroft slaughtered the Germans who were trying to get up the track. I climbed up to the firing step and began to aim at the Germans who were still advancing. They had heard the machine guns fall silent and thought that we were finished. The reinforcements broke their back. With a fully manned line we poured fire into them. Sergeant Barker had found more grenades and they were hurled into their serried ranks. They ran. Some of the men had blood racing through their heads for they were keen to follow. Gordy and I had to restrain them.
“Well done! See to the wounded and reload. They may be back.”
I did not think that they would be but I was taking no chances. As the Vickers was still firing from the north I knew that the battle was not over. “Well done Gordy! See to the wounded. I’ll go and check the emplacement.”
I did not know what I would find and I was dreading entering the dugout. It was not quite as bad as I had thought. Private Lowery lay dead. He had borne the brunt of the grenade which had ended the defence of Alnwick Castle. Sergeant Armstrong had a badly bleeding face and appeared to be unconscious. The other four were all wounded but not as seriously.
“Get the Sergeant out of here. Carry him, carefully, to the Medic. He is a priority!”
“Right sir.” I heeded my own advice and reloaded my Luger. My hands were shaking, They had not done that since 1940. I was getting too old for this.
I wandered over to Hugo. The firing had stopped by the time I reached him. The track had a dozen or so dead Germans lying on it. He pointed up the trail. Sorry, sir, but fifty or sixty got up the track. Sergeant Ashcroft and Corporal Parr said that they saw more heading through the forest.”
“Don’t worry about them, Hugo. Most won’t make it back. Look at those skies. There is not a cloud in sight. They will freeze to death tonight. We won’t relax our grip but the worst is over. Now we just have to see what the butcher’s bill is.”
The hot food revived everyone but we had the grim task of laying out the bodies of the dead. We left the Germans where they lay. As darkness fell I ordered one man in two to sleep. I could not rule out a night time attack but the men needed sleep. I was tempted to ask Winterton for something to keep me awake but I did not. He came, at midnight to speak with me. “Sir, we have the bill. “We lost twelve men today. There are twenty five with minor wounds and ten who need a doctor and soon.”
I nodded, “How is Sergeant Armstrong?”
“His lucky sir. He has lost an eye but he will live. He was asking for you.” I rose. He shook his head. “I gave him something to make him sleep. It will keep until morning.”
“Thank you Corporal. You did well today.”
“We all did, Major.”
Dawn brought the sun. Overhead we saw aeroplanes both German and Allied. We heard, on the radio, that the Germans had launched an air offensive. They had not yet given up the fight. The good weather also meant relief. We heard that a column was on the way from Verviers to relieve us. We had held.
I went to see Sergeant Armstrong. He had a cigarette hanging from his lips. It looked strange because the rest of his face was bandaged, all except for his left eye. He took it out with a heavily bandaged hand, “I’d get up sir but…”
“You stay there Sergeant. You did w
ell.”
“Aye, well I look like Lon Chaney in a horror film don’t I sir? This face will scare me mam when I get home.”
“Surgeons can do great things these days. You will be alright. I suppose this means you will be leaving the army then?”
“I guess so sir. I am glad. I have done my bit. I can look my old comrades in the face now. I felt a fraud hiding at Headquarters with Monty. I am proud to have served with you, sir.”
“As am I Sergeant.”
“Sir, could I ask a favour of you?”
“Of course.”
“Could I shake you by the hand?”
I held out my hand, “I am proud to.”
“If I ever get married and have bairns then I can say I shook hands with a real hero.”
“Then shake the hands of every man here, Sergeant, for they are all heroes.”
Epilogue
Antwerp
Gordy and I were sent to the same hospital as John Hewitt. For once I could not use my rank to get out of it. A senior doctor insisted that I be hospitalized. Hugo came with us. He had a spring in his step these days. We were even visited by Field Marshal Montgomery. I suspect it was to see his old sergeant but he was effusive in his praise of all of us. He had the press with him and he was all smiles as they took photographs of the heroes of Monts. The cynic in me wondered if this was so that he could have his own Bastards of Bastogne. On the day we were supposed to leave, January 8th 1945, Major Foster arrived. He looked pleased with himself. He sat on the end of my bed.
“Well Tom, you have surprised me again. I get you a nice little number talking to people and you manage to get involved in a major offensive.”
“Toppy, do me a favour.”
“Yes, Tom?”
“Don’t do me any favours.”
He laughed, “Well the Americans are very pleased with you. There is a Colonel Devine who is making a lot of noise about you needing another medal.”
