by Griff Hosker
I looked at the holes in the mess walls. The fighter's machine guns had not hurt the boat as much as cannon shells would have but she was damaged. "I don't think we will be going anywhere in a hurry. You both have the chance to recover."
I felt the boat slowing as we approached the harbour entrance. I went on deck and saw that the four ambulances had their back doors open and were waiting for us. Davis and Jones were taken off first as they had the most serious injuries. By the time the others had been carried to the ambulances we were tied fast to the harbour and my men and the crew began to relax. I could see that Alan was still angry. That anger was about to be inflamed as Petty Officer McGee came on deck. He was smoking and laughing with his stokers. It was the last straw and it set the Lieutenant off.
"Petty Officer McGee come here! Now!"
None of us had ever heard the captain speak like that to his crew and even Bill Leslie looked shocked. The Petty Officer threw his cigarette into the harbour and, scowling, strode to the bridge.
"Yes sir?"
"I want you off my ship now. I am transferring you."
"You can't do that Mr Jorgenson!"
Alan's voice became cold and he said, "I think you will find that I can. Get your gear and go ashore. I will tell the Port Admiral that there is an engineer available to him."
I saw Magee's hands bunch into fists at his side. "Is this because the bloody engines failed? They are rubbish! You can't blame me."
"So we add insubordination to incompetence. Get off my boat or I shall throw you off!"
Bill Leslie stepped forward and he put himself between the two men. "Tom, get your gear. Don't get yourself into more trouble." Bill was all muscle and he used his strength to move the Petty Officer towards the stern.
Magee thought about continuing and then he shook himself free and strode astern, "Good riddance. I hate this ship. This is a bloody death trap!"
He had said the wrong thing. He had insulted their ship. Any sympathy his crew mates might have had evaporated in that instant. There was an uncomfortable silence on the whole ship until the Petty Officer emerged with his sea bag and cap. He did not look at anyone, nor did he salute. That in itself was a mistake for there were destroyers and frigates in the harbour and all saw his actions. Few captains would take him on. Insubordination could not be tolerated.
Alan put his own hat on and jacket, "Take over Middy. I had better get this sorted out. Be ready to leave at noon. Get some fuel in her." He saw me and gave an apologetic smile, "Sorry about this Tom. You should be back at camp resting not listening to two sailors squabbling like a pair of cockerels!"
Midshipman Higgins was as shocked as the rest of us. However he didn't deserve the attention of my men too, "Sergeant Poulson and Sergeant Barker, we have a couple of hours." I took out the bundle of money I always took when we were abroad. "Go and buy the lads a pint. They have earned it."
Their eyes lit up. Gordy said, "What about you sir? Aren't you joining us?"
"I don't want to cramp your style. Besides I have a report to write for Major Fleming. If I write it now it will save me a job later on."
They went below to get the others. Midshipman Higgins said, "Use the Captain's cabin, sir, he won't be needing it for a while."
"Thanks Middy."
It was quiet and peaceful in the cabin and the act of writing and thinking helped to calm me. It had all been going so well and now we had problems which we could not have foreseen. I finished it by eleven and went on deck. As I emerged I heard the bosun's pipe and the shout, "Up Spirits!"
There were smiles on all the faces as every man lined up for his ration. When they had it in their mugs and the barrel put away they raised their mugs and said, "The King!" None of them downed the fiery liquor. They sipped and savoured it. I walked to the stern to look out to sea. Bill Leslie joined me. He had a second mug. "Here y'are sir. Taff won't need his ration today and he owes you a leg. He wouldn't mind."
"Thanks Bill. Cheers. Here's to the boat."
"Aye sir, here's to her ladyship!" We both sipped it. Rum was an acquired taste. From the way Bill smacked his lips he had the taste. I suppose I was getting it. "I was wrong, sir."
"Wrong Bill?"
"About Tom Magee. I thought the captain had misjudged him but he was dead right and I was wrong. The Engineer knew his business but he didn't take the job seriously. He did just enough and no more. The old Chief, now, he spent every waking hour with the engines. He knew them inside out. Before we went anywhere he stripped them down and put them back together. You lads nearly died because of him." He shook his head and took out his tobacco pouch. "And what he said about the ship!" He had a drop of rum left in his mug and he carefully dripped it on to the bar of tobacco.
I handed him mine. "Here you are Bill. Every little helps."
He grinned, "You ought to try a pipe sir. It would suit you."
"Dad has one. I enjoy the smell of pipe tobacco but once you start you can't stop. I have enough vices already."
He laughed, "If you ask me, sir, your worst vice is putting yourself at risk too often. This war will last a bit longer than the last one. Don't burn yourself out."
It was a sobering thought. We had been at war for four years now and barely set foot in Europe. When would we reclaim what the Germans had taken?
Part 2
Sicily
Chapter 12
SBA Johnson had accompanied the ambulance to the hospital and it was him we had to wait for before we heard anything. It was good news. They had caught Davis' leg in time and he had been given a new wonder drug called penicillin. The bullet had gone straight through Smith's leg and he would be back sooner than we thought.
Alan was the opposite of his SBA and he came back with a face like thunder. He said nothing save the orders necessary to get us to sea. We all gave him a wide berth. My men, in contrast with the ship's crew, were happy. The three hours in Valetta's bars drinking with Commando money had been an unexpected bonus. They had had neither the time nor the money to become legless but they were full of bonhomie. I was happier when we saw the secluded cove hove into view. Things always looked rosier when we were back in our cove. There we were cocooned from senior officers and protocol. Alan was silent on the journey back. I did not know if he had been reprimanded or not. I decided to let things calm down before I broached the subject. Hugo had been kept informed through the radio. He knew why we were delayed but nothing of the dramatic scenes in Valetta harbour.
The two sergeants had also been shopping in Valetta's market and we had some fresh goat. I have no idea how they got hold of it but they were resourceful. Two years earlier and it would have been impossible to get hold of any meat but now things were easier on the small island fortress. "We'll get this sorted." Gordy nodded to Bill Leslie. "Tell your lads they are invited! There is more than enough for us all." He glanced at the stern faced Lieutenant Jorgenson. "If it is alright with the skipper."
Alan smiled, "Of course, Sergeant and I may join you too!"
I nodded, "I will see you later then."
Once ashore I filled Hugo in on the events aboard the ship. The last thing we needed was an inadvertent comment to set off the fiery lieutenant. "Thanks for telling me. I would probably have put my big foot in it otherwise! First reports are that the raid was a total success. Those three Hurricanes pursued the 109s all the way back to Sicily and they passed over the road. They reckon it is totally blocked. The Herman Goering Division can't get to the British beaches without a hundred mile detour."
"And I have travelled those roads. There is no chance of that. Good, I didn't relish having to go back." Hugo threw me a funny look. "What?"
"Sorry about this Tom but Major Fleming is so pleased with you that he wants the section to go in the night before the invasion and cause trouble behind the enemy lines."
"You are joking?" He shook his head. "But it will warn them that something is up!"
He spoke conspiratorially, "Major Fleming does not like the Yanks. He i
s trying to score points. Your recent raid means that the Herman Goering Division will attack Patton's Americans and not the British. By having your section fighting behind the lines he hopes he will guarantee success. The British objectives will be achieved quickly."
"At the cost of my men's lives."
"I think he relies on your skill, Tom. You have fewer losses than any other troop."
"Are you saying that if I lost more men he might not send us on so many operations?"
"Listen to yourself, Tom. You couldn't do that even if you wanted to, could you?"
"He has me over a barrel."
"It looks like it."
"And when is the invasion?"
"The 10th of July. You will go in on the 9th."
"And that means we will be short of three men and Alan will be short of a Chief Engineer."
Hugo had no more words of solace and he just shrugged. "You just keep, keeping on."
"And that is cold comfort." I was aware that I had snapped at him. "Sorry, Hugo. It isn't your fault. You are just the messenger."
He laughed, "Listen, if a tongue lashing from you is the only wound I suffer in this war, I will live with that."
I decided not to mention our next operation to Alan. He had enough on his mind as it was. He brought over some red wine he had bought in Valetta. As we washed down the goat stew he raised his mug. "Here's to the promotion I won't be getting!"
"How do you know?"
"That snake, Magee, put in a complaint about me. Lucky for me enough others saw his insubordination but the Admiral was not happy that dirty naval linen was washed in public. He left me in no doubt that I have dropped down to the bottom of the pecking order."
"We will soon be back in Blighty. I can't see them keeping us here too much longer."
"Why not?"
"Well the whole point of using a captured E-Boat is that it deceives the enemy but they have seen too much of us for that to be effective."
He gave me a knowing look, "And you want to be back in Blighty, I take it?" I nodded, "A girl?"
"Don't be daft! When would I have time to meet a girl? No it is just that the skills we have are more suited to France and the Low Countries than Sicily." What he would make of the new operation I did not know.
We made it a good party. The next day, when heads had cleared I summoned my sergeants. "Come on. Let's go to the 'Lady' We need to talk to the liuetenant."
"What about sir?"
"You will find out." I turned to Hugo. "Lieutenant Ferguson. I think we will need you too." My three sergeants were bursting to know the reason for our visit. I did not enlighten them.
Alan was in a better frame of mind. I suspected that it would not last long. "Ah welcome." He frowned. "This looks ominous. I didn't drop my trousers last night did I?"
Polly smiled, "Not that we saw sir!"
"I asked them to come, Alan. When we got back yesterday Hugo here gave me the news that Major Fleming has another operation for us. We are going to land on the beachhead the day before the invasion. We have to cause mayhem behind the enemy lines."
"What? Is there no rest for us? My boat is shot to hell and back."
Hugo smiled, "You have a few holes Lieutenant Jorgenson. I know that there is nothing mechanically wrong with your boat."
"And that is where you are wrong. Didn't Tom tell you that we broke down and that is why he has two wounded men? Until I get a chief engineer and a repair to my engines then we are going nowhere!"
He sounded like a petulant child and Hugo burst his balloon quickly. "There is always 'Dragonfly'. Major Fleming would happily use her. He doesn't care that she is unarmed. She is back from Greece and in Valetta."
"Alan, resign yourself to this. We are going in."
"You won't be alone, you know. The 1st Airborne Brigade are dropping too." I know Hugo was being positive but Alan was not in the mood.
"Well I hope someone has told them about the terrain or they could be in for some serious casualties." I shook my head. There was little point in feeling sorry for ourselves. "The 9th of July is not far off. We need a detailed plan and maps not to mention photographs."
Hugo nodded, "I will get on to our lord and master immediately. I think I can guarantee that he will expedite everything."
"Oh good! That fills me with joy!"
My sergeants laughed. Gordy stubbed out his cigarette, "You know what they say, 'if you can't take a joke..."
"Then you shouldn't have joined! I know, Gordy. Right Hugo, go and find out what we need. You three get the men reorganised into three sections. Find someone who can take over from Doc. I am afraid we will all be chiefs and no Indians!"
"Right sir. Leave it to us."
When they had gone I said, "Alan, snap out of this. We are fighting a war here. We are not prima donnas. We have a job to do and we have to get on with it. We don't get to pick and choose. We are a good team and we are leading the finest soldiers and sailors. I don't want the next generation to say that we let them down because we were too wrapped up in ourselves." I wondered if I had gone too far for his eyes narrowed and he began to breathe heavily. Then he relaxed.
"God, you are right. The trouble is I served with the Chief so long..." he waved a hand. "Right, back to work. I will have this boat ship shape in four days. I will get on the blower to the Admiral and demand a decent Chief Engineer!" He smiled and spread his hands, "What is the worst he can do to me?"
"He could always court martial you but I don't think he will."
I hurried ashore. Although we were in the dark until our targets came through there were still many things we could do. The best way to cause mayhem was to blow things up. Although we had no new maps and photographs we had the old ones and I hurried to my hut to get them. I took them out on to the beach. It was a lovely day and I could spread them out and weigh them down with rocks. We knew where the British were going to land: between Syracuse and Noto. There was a single railway line and a pair of roads. They would be good targets. I went to Hugo's hut, he was speaking with Valetta, and I borrowed his magnifying glass.
The fact that airborne troops were going in was a good thing but they were subject to the winds and the weather. We, landing from the sea, were not. I could guarantee that we would make it ashore but I was not certain that the Airborne Brigade would. Whatever target Major Fleming came up with I would pick either the railway line or the two roads. As I recalled the roads and the railway passed over a gorge. That would be a tempting target. I spent three hours analysing every inch of the material we had. I realised that this could be done. We knew the coast, or at least, part of it and we knew that our ship could get us in. Our lack of numbers was the only problem which I could see.
Hugo hurried from his hut to see me. "The generals and the planners have allocated the bridge at Ponte Grande to the Airborne Brigade. We are to attack the railway line and the road bridge which is a mile inland from Arenella. It looks like they need the roads and bridges running inland holding. That is why they are using paratroopers but the coast road and railway needs cutting"
I grabbed one of the maps I had been looking at, "I have just spotted this. It is a good target!"
"Except that there are houses and people between the sea and the bridge."
I grinned, "And when we escaped last time I saw Arabs in the towns. We go disguised in bisht. If we have to move in daylight we go in disguise. There are only nine of us. Besides it is a rocky island and there are places to hide. We can pull this off."
It did not take as much planning as some of our other operations. We had landed close by already. We knew that they would have machine gun posts and barbed wire at the strong points but we also knew that small groups of men could just slip through the back alleys and streets. If we dressed as Arabs then it might make us blend into the scenery. Hugo went to Marsalaforn to get the extra bisht. My own had been damaged and repaired in the past. It had a patina of age which cannot be manufactured. It looked like it had been well used because it had been.
My sergeants acted like quartermasters. They gathered all the timers and explosives which we would need. We would need Thompsons this time. We had to defend ourselves until the infantry and the tanks arrived. Once the road and railway bridge had been blown we could move through the hinterland making a nuisance of ourselves. Consequently we would take as many grenades as we could carry.
Alan had a much better attitude. He set to repairing his ship with a great energy. When the Admiral finally sent over an engineer the whole crew were relieved. The engines needed a complete overhaul before the 'Lady' went to war. Albert Hanley was, like Sandy, an old sea dog who had been brought out of retirement. He had worked on the old Great War destroyers. He knew small ships but, more importantly, he knew engines.
When Alan took him below decks to show him the huge German engines he was not put out in the least. "An engine is an engine, Lieutenant Jorgenson." He had added, "Leave me and these lads alone with them for a couple of days and they will sing!"
Alan came over to see me when the Yorkshire man fiddled with the engines. "He is a proper engineer, Tom. There is grease and oil beneath his fingernails. He reminds me of the old Chief."
I knew that a great deal of this was in Alan's mind but it was important that he liked the Engineer. Perhaps if he had liked Magee then things might have turned out different.
The Oerlikon was given a new guard and we had three new gunners. Taff was still in hospital. He would return to his beloved gun but we had three new ratings. They were keen to be in the war and excited to be with a unit that had the reputation we did. The days flew by. By July the 8th we were ready and Major Fleming made a personal visit to ostensibly wish us well but, in reality, to make sure we understood what we were going to do.
"Your last operation was a huge success. The General was more than delighted with what you achieved. The Germans and Italians have had to devote valuable resources to repairing a road. They have neglected the beaches. Our subterfuge has worked. They have shifted many soldiers to Greece. They think we will invade there!"