by Griff Hosker
Dawn broke and the hotel was clearly visible. It was a large building. It could have held far more than the twenty odd men that the Hurricane pilot had seen. I did not use the binoculars for fear of giving away our position. I saw that the Germans were not wearing grey but a sand coloured uniform. There was more movement around the hotel and we heard the sound of engines being started. There was also increased traffic on the road. Some vehicles came from the east and stopped at the hotel. I saw a petrol tanker come from the west and pull in. I worked out that there must be a port to the west which was supplying the Germans. It made sense that they landed during the dark and used the night time to send lorries and trucks to deliver the supplies. The RAF would be hunting such targets.
We woke Norm and George. I gave my camouflage netting to George. "Here you can borrow this sheet; Norm has one of his own. It will help hide you."
"Thanks Sarge."
"See if you can work out which vehicles would be the best to steal. You can just see them through the wire and they started them a while ago."
I curled up in the warm spot vacated by Norm Ford and was asleep in minutes. Gordy and Harry woke me. I saw that George had put the netting over me like a blanket. "Anything?"
"We saw some British uniforms about an hour ago. Jerry brought them out and marched them around. There weren't three prisoners though there were six. "
"All staff?"
He shook his head, "No, a couple wearing RAF blue, and a naval officer."
"Thanks." He sat in the corner. "Not getting any sleep, Sarge?"
"No I had a good long one. Besides we are a bit close to the Krauts for me to be happy sleeping during daylight."
I wet my finger and held it up. The wind was blowing from the north. "We could risk the little stoves if you lads fancied a brew."
"No petrol yet, Sarge. Still at least we can talk without Jerry hearing us."
"Tell you what, have the lads cut some of the cords from the parachutes. They might come in handy."
I went to my corner and covered myself in the net. I studied the hotel. The problem I foresaw was getting from the hotel to the middle road across the desert. We had no idea if there was a roadblock to the east. I had heard lorries changing gear and stopping during the night. It suggested a road block. We definitely needed two vehicles; especially if there were six prisoners to be rescued. When George woke I would ask him about the vehicles. I saw one Kübelwagen as it was driven out of the compound. I saw that it was open and had a machine gun on the passenger side. That was a good thing. I saw that, strapped to the back were jerry cans. They could have contained water or petrol or both. We would need to carry plenty for our long journey.
I watched as some Arab boys sneaked up to the vehicle compound. They crawled like Commandos. One sprang to his feet and tried the gate. I had seen the German lock it when the Kübelwagen had left. I smiled to myself. I knew why the Germans had a fence and a guard. Anything not nailed down would be stolen. What it did tell me was that the ground was not mined. The German sentry came out and shouted at them. He waved his gun and they ran away laughing. They were opportunists.
A couple of the others chose to go back to bed once they were awake. I was ready for action and I could not go back to sleep. All of used the south side of the hut for our ablutions. The wind from the north took the smell away from us. We were neat campers. The other advantage was that there was a dip there and we were hidden from all sides. Being Commandos we were used to deciding when we ate. We needed no orders. As we all carried our own rations it was our responsibility to eat sparingly. The lads ate either individually or in pairs, sharing their rations.
When I woke the Lieutenant he nodded towards the camouflage net. "Where did you get that Sergeant?"
"The old Quarter Master Sergeant might have been corrupt but he was handy to get stuff like this. Me and some of the lads bought it. It is very useful." He nodded. I could see he was envious. "There are six officers to be rescued sir. There are two RAF types and a sailor."
"We will definitely need two vehicles. I have spotted a Kübelwagen with a machine gun. If we could get that and a lorry then we would be all right." The sun had now risen and it was hot. I pointed up to it. "We will need plenty of water and petrol if we are to make the four hundred miles through the desert."
"I know and what will we find on the other side of the hotel?"
"We have the town to go through…"
Just then Polly said, "Aeroplane, to the east!"
"Cover! Here, Lieutenant, under this netting with me." It was a cosy fit but we managed to snuggle beneath the netting. I saw the spotter aeroplane as it passed overhead. I hoped that the netting would have hidden us. If it came back then we would be in trouble. After what seemed an age but could only have been moments I heard it recede as it continued west.
"All clear."
"Thanks, Sergeant. That came in handy."
As the afternoon wore on we prepared for action. While Gordy kept watch the Lieutenant briefed the men. We had spent some time discussing what to do now that we had seen the actual building.
"We will split into three groups. Lowe and Curtis will break into the vehicle compound and deal with the guards. We leave our Bergens with them. Sergeant Harsker will take Poulson, Moore, and Connor. They will enter the hotel by the front. I will take the rest through the kitchen at the rear. We use knives. If we have to then we use our Colts. I do not want machine gun bullets flying around. We have six officers to rescue. Whoever achieves their objective first secures that entrance and then seeks the prisoners. We have to be quick as well as silent. We leave at seven. It will not be totally dark but we will need to take that risk. I want Lowe and Curtis to be able to have as much time as possible to steal the vehicles." He looked to me.
I added, "I want the other vehicles disabling or destroying. You need to take every drop of fuel and water that you can. It will be a long journey home. Any weapons and grenades, as well as supplies will come in handy."
Chapter 14
The waiting had been necessary. A good Commando did not rush into a situation. We had to make sure that we had our exits and our entrances worked out. Had we rushed in as soon as we had landed then we might have been spotted by the guard hidden in the compound. While we waited for the off I gathered my men around me. "Polly you will be tail end Charlie. John you and Alan tuck in behind me and watch my back. We have the hard job. The main entrance will be guarded. We use the shadows. Remember knives only. Alan, you haven't been in action before; when you strike with the knife do not hold back and you must kill silently. Any sound could spell disaster." He nodded, nervously. He was not as cocky now as he had been. I was pleased that I had spoken with him. I took the Luger from my Bergen and tucked it in my belt.
"What's that, Sarge?"
"A German weapon. If I have to fire I will use this. It might confuse them for a second or two. The crack of a Colt is unmistakeable."
As it became slightly darker the Lieutenant looked at me. I saw that the sky had clouded over a little and it would soon be dark. Here it went from daylight to dark almost instantly. It was a risk but we had to take some chances. I nodded. He waved us forward. I had my Thompson over my back and I carried my Bergen. We kept low as we covered the four hundred yards which took us to the scrubby bushes Bill and I had used that morning for cover. We dropped to our knees as Ken led George to the compound. This would be the tricky part. We had no idea where the Germans would be within the wire. Ken had his wire cutters. We had seen that the gate was operated by a bolt from within. By cutting the wire Ken could put his hand through and slide the bolt open. The danger was the noise of the snap of the cutters. When I saw his hand open the gate I knew that the obstacle had been overcome. Lowe and Curtis slipped inside the compound. We trusted them to their job and we would do ours.
The Lieutenant waved us forward. We ran to the wire and dropped our Bergens. I led my men to the left, around the side of the building. We would be operating blindly now. We wou
ld not know what had happened to the others. In the time it had taken us to close with the hotel and for the gate to be breached, darkness had fallen. We moved along the side of the old hotel. I could hear the murmur of voices from within and the smell of food being cooked. The rattle of cutlery and the buzz of conversation told me that we were passing the dining room. Perhaps any officers would be at dinner. I hoped so.
As we neared the corner of the building I held up my hand and, drawing my dagger slithered forward. I could see, across the road, a heavy machine gun with two men behind the sandbags. I peered to my right and saw, by the front entrance, a guard leaning against the portico. I glanced at the machine gun. The men had their backs to me. I drew my Luger and held it in my left hand. I returned to the other three. I mimed that I would kill the guard to the right. They nodded. I led them to the corner and pointed to the machine gun. I made the sign to kill. I pointed to Polly and then my stripes. He would be in charge. He nodded. I slipped around the front of the building. I felt almost naked. If the sentry turned he would see me. I had to force myself to make small movements. I smelled the smoke from his cigarette. His night vision would be impaired as there was a light just above his head. The fact that he was smoking also told me that he knew no superior would come his way. I edged closer. He was wearing a field cap as were the machine gunners. He wore no helmet to cause me problems when I struck him. I was just four feet from him when something made him turn. I jumped at him and punched him in the mouth with my Luger. I heard his teeth as they broke. I ripped my dagger across his throat and he slid to the ground.
I turned and looked at the machine gun. My three men were creeping towards it. They pounced. One of the gunners gave a small cry as he was struck. Had my sentry not been dead then the alarm would have been given but he lay dead. No one came running out. We had succeeded… so far. I turned and climbed the steps to the entrance. I peered over the half glass door. The interior was well lit. That would be the generator we had seen; they had their own power. Behind the desk I saw, not an Arab but a German. There was also a guard with a machine gun across his lap. He was seated close to a fountain in the lobby. There were many potted palms and plants dotted around. Were it not for the swastika flying from the roof it could have been any hotel, anywhere.
The other three joined me. Our objective had been the front entrance. We had achieved that. Now we had the tricky task of taking out a guard. As far as I could see there were just the two men in the lobby. When I saw the guard stretch and then stand I took my chance. I slipped through the door and dropped behind a large potted palm. I held up my hand to halt the others. It was unbearably hot inside the lobby. I heard the German sentry say, "Where is that Arab who is supposed to operate the fan? It is hotter than hell in here tonight."
The one behind the counter did not look up from the newspaper he was reading. "A couple of them ran off yesterday. I don't think they have been replaced."
The guard turned to face the man behind the desk and I waved the other three to join me.
"They are untrustworthy bastards anyway but they are handy for pulling the fan." The others had joined me as he looked up at the ceiling and said, "You think they could fit a motor to it."
This was our chance. I waved them forward and I took four strides and put my Luger into the German sentry's back. I hissed, in German, "One sound and you are dead." Polly had his Colt aimed at the second German.
"Moore, Connor, use the parachute cords to tie them up."
My German chose that moment to be the hero. He turned and tried to ram his gun into my stomach. I punched him with my hand which held my dagger and then brought the barrel of the Luger across the side of his head. He fell to the ground, dazed. I switched the Luger to my right hand and hit him on the back of the head with the butt. This time he stayed still. I glared at the second German who raised his hands even higher.
I put the Luger back in my belt and took my Thompson from my back. The next part would not require silence. While the two men were being tied up I waved Polly forward. I could hear the sound of cutlery again. There was a door to my right. I peered around the side. This looked to be the place the Germans were using as a dining hall. I glanced quickly in and then jerked my head back. I counted fifteen men. There looked to be a table made up of officers.
Just at that moment, as Connor and Moore joined me, I heard the crack of a Colt and then the sound of a machine gun. There was no time to lose. I leapt into the dining hall with my Thompson levelled and shouted, in German, "Hands up!"
There were four Thompsons aimed at them and they should have known better. The furthest point of the room was just forty feet away and I knew we could not miss. I think the enlisted men and the sergeants would have surrendered but I saw an officer reach for a gun.
I shouted, "Don't!" He continued and that made the others reach for theirs. I pulled the trigger and swept the machine gun across the officers' table. The other three guns joined in and cleared the room. "Moore, check they are all dead. You two come with me." We ran back to the lobby. "Connor, watch the entrance. Polly, upstairs. Use your Colt." We were now looking for the captured officers and accuracy with our weapons would be more important than firepower.
There was a central stairway and we both ran up. We reached the landing. Two guards raced from a corridor to our right. We both fired from the hip as we rolled to the ground. They were still trying to bring their rifles to bear when the .45 bullets tore into them. I heard steps behind us. I turned with a levelled gun.
Gordy held up his hands. "The Lieutenant sent me. He hasn't found the prisoners yet."
I pointed to the right. "These guards came from down this corridor. We will try there."
We stepped into the corridor and a fusillade of shots greeted us. As the plaster from above our heads shattered us Polly and I dived to the ground and we emptied our Colts at the two Germans. I drew my Luger and sent two more bullets towards their bodies. We sprang to our feet. Polly holstered his Colt and cocked his machine gun. "Be careful with that." As I glanced up above I saw a sign. It was in English as well as Italian. I recognised the English word, 'Ballroom'. I waved Polly to the other side of the door. Gordy stood to my left. I kicked the door open and we raced in. There was an officer and he held the General before him with a Mauser to his head. The other prisoners had their backs to us and a guard was covering them with his machine gun.
"Drop your weapons or I shoot the General!" I raised my Luger and pointed it at him. "I am not, as you English say, bluffing. I will shoot him."
Gordy was to my left and he had a better shot. I nodded and murmured, "Take the shot!" As I squeezed my trigger his Colt barked. My three shots obliterated the German guard's head and the officer fell backwards, shot in the left eye by Gordy.
General Carter said, "Damn fine shot, Private."
I said, "Well done Gordy."
"If I can’t hit a target four feet away then I need my eyes testing."
"Are you gentlemen hurt?"
The five of them stood. One of those in an RAF uniform turned and said, "I am fine, son. Thank you for coming for me."
"Dad!"
The General's mouth opened and closed and he said, "Is this the fella you have been talking about Group Captain Harsker?"
"Yes sir, it is my son."
"Sorry Dad we have no time to catch up. Grab your stuff and follow Poulson. Polly, take them to Curtis."
"Right, Sarge."
"Gordy, search the officer in case he has any papers."
Dad and the other officers did not have much to take and they were soon out of the room. Gordy pocketed the officer's Mauser and handed me his wallet and papers. I stuffed them in my battledress. I would read them later. On the way down stairs I spied the radio room. I smashed it up with the stock of my gun.
By the time we reached the rear of the hotel the others were all there. Lowe was behind the wheel of the Kübelwagen while Harry Gowland was behind the wheel of a large German lorry. I saw Bill tending to the Lieutena
nt and Norm Ford. Norm looked to have a wound to his hand but Bill was bandaging the Lieutenant's leg. That looked to be a more serious wound.
"How is it Bill?"
"Not good, Sarge. I have stopped the bleeding and I think it went through but I have no idea what sort of damage has been done."
The Lieutenant smiled weakly. "I am fine, Sergeant."
"Put him in the lorry. Polly you and Connor get in the Kübelwagen. Ken how is the demolition coming along?"
"All set Sarge."
"Right, Harry, get the truck on the main road. George, wait over there with the Kübelwagen."
Gordy asked, "What do you want to do about the prisoners Lieutenant? Shoot them?"
The Lieutenant was in pain but he shook his head, "We would gain nothing by that. Leave them!"
We all helped to carry the two wounded men and carried them to the truck. We passed the dead German sentry. We laid the two wounded men in the vehicle and then the officers climbed in. "Gowland drive and wait down the road. We won’t be long."
When the vehicles had left the compound Ken took a stick grenade out. He grinned. "I went for simplicity. We punctured the fuel tanks. When this goes up it will be like Blackpool Illuminations. I'd stand back, Sarge."
We had planned this fireworks show to draw the Germans here. By using German vehicles we hoped to slip by them unnoticed in the chaos. I ran to the Kübelwagen. Ken hurled the grenade and then ran to me. There was a crump and then the petrol ignited. It was like a wall of fire. "Jump in the back with the other two."
As soon as we were aboard I said, "Right Lowe, drive. Overtake the lorry. We are the lead vehicle." I handed the map from the front of the Kübelwagen to Ken. As we came around the corner I said, "Stop!"
I jumped out and ran to the machine gun emplacement. I grabbed some of the ammunition, the stick grenades, and the two field caps. I climbed aboard, "Drive." I passed the ammunition and grenades back to Ken. I took off my comforter and put on the field cap. I did the same for George. "It might fool a roadblock for a few seconds; that is all that we might need." I saw the lorry up ahead. "Come on George, put your foot down."