by Griff Hosker
I saw that an Oberlieutenant had survived. He had been shot in the left arm. He glared at me as I approached him, “You will see, Englishman. We were right. The Fuhrer was making the world a better place for us all by killing the Jews! We should have fought together. We would have ruled the world!”
I shook my head, “We would never do as you have done. You disgust me. You will be taken and put in prison. There will be a trial and then you will be shot. Hopefully I will be there when that happens.” I turned and headed back towards my wounded men.
Sam White shouted, “Sir! He has a gun!”
There was a crack and it felt as though a wall had fallen on me. I tried to speak but I could not. I began to fall forwards. My arms would not move to stop me. Machine pistols opened fired but I could not stop my fall. My arms refused to obey me. I hit the ground and saw stars. I lay on the ground and I could not move. My eyes would not open.
I heard, as though from a distance, Fletcher as he shouted for Hewitt, “John! Get to him.”
I felt hands on me but it was as though it was someone else’s body. I heard Hewitt shout, “Sir, stay with me! Sir, fight! Scouse stick something in the wound.”
I heard more machine guns. Once more it sounded far away. I seemed to be falling. I remembered going to the dentist when I was a child to have a tooth out and he had used gas. It felt like that. I was going around and around and falling into a deep pit.”
The last thing I heard was, “God! I am losing him! Not now!”
It went quiet, and it went black and I felt no pain.
Epilogue
May 8th 1945
It was ironic that I finally came out of my coma on VE day. When I awoke I did not know that it was a special day. I just heard sounds. They were the first ones since I had heard, “God! I am losing him! Not now!” I soon discovered that the war was over and I had missed the last month of it. I woke in a hospital in Antwerp. I did not know at the time that was where I was. I opened my eyes and looked at a white ceiling. I thought, perhaps I had died and this was heaven but a pain, shooting up my arm, told me that I was alive. I didn’t think that people felt pain in heaven. I turned my head and saw a bed. There was another man there. He was staring at me. He grinned, “I say, chummy is awake! Nurse! Sleeping Beauty has arisen!”
I tried to speak but it came out as a croak.
The man smiled, “Captain Reed, sir. I am due out today and I wondered if you would come to before I left.”
A nurse appeared, “Major Harsker. Blink if you can hear me.”
I blinked and tried to speak again. I sounded like a frog. She beamed, “Wonderful! Wonderful!”
She fled. Captain Reed said, “There has been someone at your bed every minute for the last three weeks. They will be annoyed that you woke up when they weren’t there.”
I was going to ask who he meant and then thought better of it. It would only come out as a croak. A door to my right opened. I heard it bang against the wall. I turned and saw Susan and Mum. Susan was crying.
“You are alive and you are awake. They said you would be but …. Oh Tom!”
She threw her arms around me and began to sob into my chest. Mum held my hand and I saw tears streaming down her face, “My brave, brave boy! I prayed that God would spare you and he did.” She squeezed my fingers hard.
Susan lifted her head and kissed me, “You are done with fighting, Tom Harsker! As soon as we can we are going home and we will be married as soon as we can! I have waited long enough.”
The nurse came in with a glass of water. “Drink this. You have been on a drip since the last operation.”
Susan held the glass so that I could drink. It tasted wonderful. I drained the glass and then tried to speak. “How long have I been here?”
Still holding my hand Mum came around the bed to sit on one side of me while Susan sat on the other. “The best part of four weeks. Today is VE day. The war in Europe is over.”
“My men?”
I saw Mum roll her eyes, “I told you, Susan, that would be the first thing he asked. They are well. Lieutenant Poulson said that you lost just one man, someone called Betts. He seemed quite upset. They were here with you until we arrived. They are nice boys and they think the world of you. Such loyalty. You are your father’s son.”
“But how…?”
“From what I understand the Americans arrived just after you were shot. Your Sergeant, Hewitt, kept you alive until the American doctor could see to you. The bullet had lodged next to your spine. At one time they thought you were going to die. A Major Politho found a doctor who operated on you and took out the bullet. There was nerve damage and you went into a coma. It happened a lot in the Great War. The body shuts down to let you heal. You are healed. It will take some time for you to recuperate but Susan is correct. Your war is over. Major Foster arranged for us to come here and be with you. You have friends in high places. The Americans, Canadians, even the French have all been concerned. I understand the Prime Minister asked after you but forget all that. You are coming home.”
I squeezed Mum’s hand, “And I think I am ready. I thought I had died. This is the first day of my new life.”
Susan kissed me, “When I said we would get married as soon as we get home, I meant it but we shall have your men come to the wedding.” She smiled, “Your Sergeant Major Barker said I have someone to tease in your section!”
I laughed. My men were the best and they had served me well. We had survived the war and we could all get on with our lives. I would hang up my uniform and just bring it out on Armistice Day. Then I would remember all the brave men with whom I had served. None of us would ever forget the sacrifice they had made. We would all have to make sure that our lives were worthy of their sacrifice. The world would have to be a better place or it would have been in vain.
The End
Glossary
Abwehr-German Intelligence
AP-Armour Piercing Shell
ATS-Auxiliary Territorial Service-Women’s Branch of the British Army during WW2
Bisht-Arab cloak
Bob on-Very accurate (slang) from a plumber’s bob
Butchers-Look (Cockney slang Butcher’s Hook-Look)
Butties-sandwiches (slang)
Capstan Full Strength-a type of cigarette
Chah-tea (slang)
Comforter-the lining for the helmet; a sort of woollen hat
Conflab-discussion (slang)
Cook-off- when the barrel of a Browning .30 Calibre overheats
Corned dog-Corned Beef (slang)
CP-Command Post
Dhobi-washing (slang from the Hindi word)
Doolally tap-Going mad (slang-from India Deolali-where there was a sanitorium)
Ercs-aircraftsman (slang-from Cockney)
Ewbank-Mechanical carpet cleaner
Fruit salad-medal ribbons (slang)
Full English-English breakfast (bacon, sausage, eggs, fried tomato and black pudding)
Gash-spare (slang)
Gauloise-French cigarette
Gib-Gibraltar (slang)
Glasshouse-Military prison
Goon-Guard in a POW camp (slang)- comes from a 1930’s Popeye cartoon
HE – High Explosive shells
Hurries-Hawker Hurricane (slang)
Jankers-field punishment
Jimmy the One-First Lieutenant on a British warship
Kettenhunde - Chained dogs. Nickname for German field police. From the gorget worn around their necks
Killick-leading hand (Navy) (slang)
Kip-sleep (slang)
Legging it-Running for it (slang)
LRDG-Long Range Desert group (Commandos operating from the desert behind enemy lines.)
Marge-Margarine (butter substitute-slang)
MGB-Motor Gun Boat
Mossy-De Havilland Mosquito (slang) (Mossies-pl.)
Mickey- ‘taking the mickey’, making fun of (slang)
Micks-Irishmen (slang)
MTB-Motor Torpedo Boat
ML-Motor Launch
Narked-annoyed (slang)
Neaters-undiluted naval rum (slang)
Oik-worthless person (slang)
Oppo/oppos-pals/comrades (slang)
Piccadilly Commandos-Prostitutes in London
PLUTO-Pipe Line Under The Ocean
Pom-pom- Quick Firing 2lb (40mm) Maxim cannon
Pongo (es)- soldier (slang)
Potato mashers-German Hand Grenades (slang)
PTI-Physical Training Instructor
QM-Quarter Master (stores)
Recce-Reconnoitre (slang)
SBA-Sick Bay Attendant
Schnellboote -German for E-boat (literally translated as fast boat)
Schtum -keep quiet (German)
Scragging - roughing someone up (slang)
Scrumpy-farm cider
SHAEF-Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces
Shooting brake-an estate car
Shufti-a look (slang)
SOE-Special Operations Executive (agents sent behind enemy lines)
SP-Starting price (slang)- what’s going on
SNAFU-Situation Normal All Fucked Up (acronym and slang)
Snug-a small lounge in a pub (slang)
Spiv-A black marketeer/criminal (slang)
Sprogs-children or young soldiers (slang)
Squaddy-ordinary soldier (slang)
Stag-sentry duty (slang)
Stand your corner-get a round of drinks in (slang)
Subbie-Sub-lieutenant (slang)
Suss it out-work out what to do (slang)
Tatties-potatoes (slang)
Thobe-Arab garment
Tiffy-Hawker Typhoon (slang)
Tommy (Atkins)- Ordinary British soldier
Two penn’orth-two pennies worth (slang for opinion)
Wavy Navy-Royal Naval Reserve (slang)
WVS-Women’s Voluntary Service
Maps
Historical note
Readers of my books know that I incorporate material from the earlier books. Some of my readers have joined the series half way through and I think it is important that they know the background to my books. If you have the first books in this series, then you can skip down to the section marked C-47. It is 24 pages down.
The first person I would like to thank for this particular book and series is my Dad. He was in the Royal Navy but served in Combined Operations. He was at Dieppe, D-Day and Walcheren. His boat: LCA(I) 523 was the one which took in the French Commandos on D-Day. He was proud that his flotilla had taken in Bill Millens and Lord Lovat. I wish that, before he died, I had learned more in detail about life in Combined Operations but like many heroes he was reluctant to speak of the war. He is the character in the book called Bill Leslie. Dad ended the war as Leading Seaman-I promoted him! I reckon he deserved it.
‘Bill Leslie’ 1941
Author’s collection
I went to Normandy in 1994, with my Dad, to Sword Beach and he took me through that day on June 6th 1944. He pointed out the position which took the head from the Oerlikon gunner who stood next to him. He also told me about the raid on Dieppe as well as Westkapelle. He had taken the Canadians in. We even found the grave of his cousin George Hogan who died on D-Day. As far as I know we were the only members of the family ever to do so. Sadly that was Dad’s only visit but we planted forget-me-nots on the grave of George. Wally Friedmann is a real Canadian who served in WW2 with my Uncle Ted. The description of Wally is perfect-I lived with Wally and his family for three months in 1972. He was a real gentleman. As far as I now he did not serve with the Saskatchewan regiment, he came from Ontario but he did serve in the war. As I keep saying, it is my story and my imagination. God bless, Wally.
I would also like to thank Roger who is my railway expert. The train Tom and the Major catch from Paddington to Oswestry ran until 1961. The details of the livery, the compartments and the engine are all, hopefully accurate. I would certainly not argue with Roger! Thanks also to John Dinsdale, another railway buff and a scientist. It was he who advised on the use of explosives. Not the sort of thing to Google these days!
I used a number of books in the research. The list is at the end of this historical section. However the best book, by far, was the actual Commando handbook which was reprinted in 2012. All of the details about hand to hand, explosives, esprit de corps etc. were taken directly from it. The advice about salt, oatmeal and water is taken from the book. It even says that taking too much salt is not a bad thing! I shall use the book as a Bible for the rest of the series. The Commandos were expected to find their own accommodation. Some even saved the money for lodgings and slept rough. That did not mean that standards of discipline and presentation were neglected; they were not.
The 1st Loyal Lancashire existed as a regiment. They were in the BEF and they were the rear guard. All the rest is the work of the author’s imagination. The use of booby traps using grenades was common. The details of the German potato masher grenade are also accurate. The Germans used the grenade as an early warning system by hanging them from fences so that an intruder would move the grenade and it would explode. The Mills bomb had first been used in the Great War. It threw shrapnel for up to one hundred yards. When thrown, the thrower had to take cover too. However, my Uncle Norman, who survived Dunkirk was demonstrating a grenade with an instructor kneeling next to him. It was a faulty grenade and exploded in my uncle’s hand. Both he and the Sergeant survived. My uncle just lost his hand. I am guessing that my uncle’s hand prevented the grenade fragmenting as much as it was intended. Rifle grenades were used from 1915 onwards and enabled a grenade to be thrown much further than by hand
During the retreat the British tank to Dunkirk in 1940, the Matilda proved superior to the German Panzers. It was slow but it was so heavily armoured that it could only be stopped by using the 88 anti-aircraft guns. Had there been more of them and had they been used in greater numbers then who knows what the outcome might have been. What they did succeed in doing, however, was making the German High Command believe that we had more tanks than they actually encountered. The Germans thought that the 17 Matildas they fought were many times that number. They halted at Arras for reinforcements. That enabled the Navy to take off over 300,000 men from the beaches.
Although we view Dunkirk as a disaster now, at the time it was seen as a setback. An invasion force set off to reinforce the French a week after Dunkirk. It was recalled. Equally there were many units cut off behind enemy lines. The Highland Division was one such force. 10000 men were captured. The fate of many of those captured in the early days of the war was to be sent to work in factories making weapons which would be used against England.
Freya, the German Radar.
Germany had radar stations and they were accurate. They also had large naval guns at Cape Gris Nez as well as railway guns. They made the Channel dangerous although they only actually sank a handful of ships during the whole of the war. They did however make Southend and Kent dangerous places to live.
Commando dagger
The first Commando raids were a shambles. Churchill himself took action and appointed Sir Roger Keyes to bring some order to what the Germans called thugs and killers. Major Foster and his troop reflect that change.
The parachute training for Commandos was taken from this link http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/72/a3530972.shtml. Thank you to Thomas Davies whose first-hand account of the training was most illuminating and useful. The Number 2 Commandos were trained as a battalion and became the Airborne Division eventually. The SOE also trained at Ringway but they were secreted away at an Edwardian House, Bowden. As a vaguely related fact 43 out of 57 SOE agents sent to France between June 1942 and Autumn 1943 were captured, 36 were executed!
The details about the Commando equipment are also accurate. They were issued with American weapons although some did use the Lee Enfield. When large numbers attacked the Lofoten Islands they used regular army issue. The Commandos appeared in dribs and drabs
but 1940 was the year when they began their training. It was Lord Lovat who gave them a home in Scotland but that was not until 1941. I wanted my hero, Tom, to begin to fight early. His adventures will continue throughout the war.
The raid on German Headquarters is based on an attempt by Number 3 Commando to kill General Erwin Rommel. In a real life version of ‘The Eagle Has Landed’ they almost succeeded. They went in by lorry. They failed in their mission. Commandos were used extensively in the early desert war but, sadly, many of them perished in Greece and Cyprus and Crete. Of 800 sent to Crete only two hundred returned to Egypt. Churchill also compounded his mistake of supporting Greece by sending all three hundred British tanks to the Western Desert and the Balkans. The map shows the area where Tom and the others fled. The Green Howards were not in that part of the desert at that time. The Germans did begin to reinforce their allies at the start of 1941.
Motor launch Courtesy of Wikipedia
Motor Gun Boat Courtesy of Wikipedia
E-boat
Short Sunderland
Messerschmitt 1tens over France
Aeroplane photographs courtesy of Wikipedia
Fieseler Fi 156 Storch
Photographs courtesy of Wikipedia
The Dieppe raid was deemed, at the time, to be a fiasco. Many of the new Churchill tanks were lost and out of the six hundred men who were used on the raid only 278 returned to England. 3,367 Canadians were killed. wounded or captured. On the face of it the words disaster and fiasco were rightly used. However, the losses at Dieppe meant that the planners for D-Day changed their approach. Instead of capturing a port, which would be too costly they would build their own port. Mulberry was born out of the blood of the Canadians. In the long run, it saved thousands of lives. Three of the beaches on D-Day were assaulted with a fraction of the casualties from Dieppe. The Canadians made a sacrifice but it was not in vain.