My Enemy Came Nigh
Page 16
The shortness of the time between take-off and arrival on target unsettled the crews, who were still much more accustomed to the longer approach from Afrona. This quick confrontation gave an air of haste to the operation, and they needed to be cool, to take their time and concentrate.
They were flying in echelon starboard so that they could quickly split into two pairs if necessary: Anstey leading Bradley and Middleton leading Charlie Teoh.
Anstey led the whole formation in a sweep around the ship, to accustom them to the light and to find out whether she was alone.
Water rippled along a wet hull which shone in the moonlight two hundred yards astern of the ship. There was a conning tower. And flak.
U-boats carried 20-millimetre and 37-millimetre antiaircraft cannon as well as heavy machineguns, and on U987 her whole armament opened up. The sky was lit with tracer and a new searchlight on Nürnberg searched for the aircraft, to help the gunners.
''Unsympathetic welcome,” Tindall remarked to Middleton.
There was no need for instructions from Anstey: they all knew what to do. Anstey wheeled to port, followed by Don Bradley, while Middleton led Charlie Teoh in a break to starboard. The flak divided its attentions between them.
The U-boat, positioned directly astern of Nürnberg, had a good field of fire. The front guns shot at the two aircraft attacking the ship from her port, while the stern guns aimed at the second pair, to starboard, attacking the U-boat itself.
The Beaufighters stayed low to keep their targets in profile, but the anti-aircraft cannon had no difficulty in depressing their barrels and the heavy calibre machineguns followed them with ease. The gunners had no easy task: the Beaufighters were coming in fast and low, the night sky was poorly lit by the moon and the stabbing flames at their exhausts were difficult aiming marks.
Middleton, his throat full of bile, saw the flashes of rockets striking the far side of the ship. He saw his own cannon shells seeming to hit the submarine and two of his rockets, at least, appear to hit her.
He saw Charlie Teoh's tracer zipping past him, then there was a bright flash astern, the rods of tracer wavered, eight rockets burst on the water and Charlie's voice came calmly: "Two-seven. I've been hit. I can't get any answer from Harry."
Anstey answered at once: "Climb and bale out, two-seven."
"I can't leave Harry. I'm going to ditch."
Ditching a Beaufighter was not a feat to be attempted by anyone ambitious for longevity.
Anstey came back urgently: "Are you sure he's alive?"
"No. But I'm not sure he isn't, either."
There was no apparent reduction in the speed of the ship or the U-boat. Fire from U987 was still intense, although inaccurate because the three unharmed Beaufighters were taking evasive action.
Charlie Teoh called again: "I've lost an engine..."
As Anstey led the other two in to attack the U-boat again, to distract her gunners to themselves, there was a great splash half a mile from the two vessels and a plume of water cascaded into the air. Charlie Teoh had gone in.
The three Beaufighters raced to the spot and began circling. Teoh's aircraft was still afloat, badly down at the nose, resting on a sandbank.
They saw the pilot struggle out of the forward cockpit and crawl to the rear one: they saw him peer in, then slide into the water and swim away, his mae west brilliantly yellow in the moonlight and phosphorescence.
Anstey said laconically on the R/T "Harry must have had it."
They orbitted and watched a dinghy from the U-boat come fast across the water and haul Charlie Teoh aboard.
"Charlie looks O.K." Middleton said.
"The Gerries will be shaken when they find they've hauled a Chink out of the drink," Tindall replied. "They'll think they've got the Chinese Air Force against them now."
Anstey gave orders: "We won't attack again: those bastards will take it out on Charlie if we do. And we can't do much to a U-boat with cannon and machineguns." He took them back to Bardoc.
*
On U987 one man had been killed and three wounded by the two Beaufighters' cannon and machineguns. The two rockets had done some damage astern and one had holed her conning tower.
The few rockets which had hit Nürnberg had killed half a-dozen soldiers but left her still travelling at six knots.
Charlie Teoh clambered out of the dingy onto the submarine's slippery deck and was met by a burst of jeers and laughter from the crew. "Ein Chinesisch!" They crowed. "He's as yellow as his life vest. Where have you come from, Chinaman? Has Pekin sent the British a squadron to help them?"
Teoh couldn't understand German and maintained his dignity, although he felt weak and sick: he had vomited when he looked into the rear cockpit of his aircraft and seen that half of Harry Tunk's head and torso had been blown off. "I am an R.A.F. officer," he told them coldly.
Stutzer, who was standing at the foot of the conning tower, looked at him with contempt. "You kill one of my men."
"And you killed my navigator."
"Also a Chinesisch?"
"He was English."
"Take him below; and I suppose we must give him dry clothes," Stutzer told one of his officers; who jerked a thumb at Teoh and led him away.
Teoh felt humiliated by the amusement he had caused and would have preferred a rough handling to this scorn. He was shivering and cold from shock and determined not to let his captors think he was afraid. He found it difficult to control the chattering of his teeth and the shaking of his hands. He could not banish from his mind's eye the gory mess in the navigator's cockpit. He had to put a hand to his mouth as he retched again.
In less than two hours Nürnberg and U987 were alongside the quay at Taf and Flying Officer Teoh Tai Mo found himself in the presence of a tall, thin German commander with an expensive English shooting stick in his hand, who spoke excellent English with a Scottish accent.
"What you need is a dram," von Trampel said. "Come awa' up to the boose and I'll talk to you there. I've got an English-speaking orderly who'll look after you: I'm afraid I'll have to lock you up."
"Yes, sir." Bemused, it was all that Charlie Teoh could think of to say.
von Trampel was glad he had relieved Klebrig of his normal duties and, to ensure that he maintained silence about events on Sprot, decided to misemploy him as a servant in his own quarters. Klebrig was a poor creature, but would be a useful interpreter in his own absence.
He should, of course, report this capture to H.Q.; but that would bring the Gestapo, if not the S.S. as well, to interrogate Teoh and take him to the mainland. von Trampel's contempt and hatred for both were total and he did not want them on his island. Besides, once. they arrived and started asking questions, Klebrig certainly, and perhaps even Scheusal, Sgt. Zotig or the fourth man would break down and tell them things that would mean the end of his own career; if not a Court Martial and the choice between suicide and a firing squad.
No, he would find some convincing reason to give Stutzer for keeping the prisoner here instead of handing him over. Stutzer, for all his vanity, was a regular naval officer like himself, from a naval family, and would regard the capture of a Chinese as too trivial to interest him. As long as he got credit for shooting down an enemy aircraft he would be satisfied.
They set off for the house, by car. Teoh, light-headed from shock and hunger, began to giggle.
"Puir chap, ye'll be suffering the reaction the noo," von Trampel said kindly.
But Charlie was giggling helplessly because he had just begun to wonder whether this Gelly would, at any moment, break into a few verses of “Annie Laulie."
*
On Bardoc, the sadness of a bereavement in a small community, even when half-expected, cast a silence over all the officers and men as they went about their work. It was a greater grief because the attack had been so ineffectual.
At least they felt that Bardoc was safe from enemy air attack or naval bombardment, for Zdenka had assured them that she had told Scheusal that Foste
r and his party had come from Afrona. That they had been brought to the archipelago by a landing craft, completed their journey to Sprot in the dinghy, and intended to explore the other neighbouring islands before being taken back to Italy. She had told Scheusal that the landing craft was waiting at one of the bigger islands, twenty miles away. With no anxiety about their own immediate security, the small garrison thought unhappily about Charlie Teoh and Harry Tunks and the waste of human life on an attack that could never have been more than a desperate resort.
Grummit lived in hopes that the dinghy carrying Zdenka and Petar back to Taf had developed engine trouble and he would presently see the dazzling brunette walking across the beach towards him.
At Afrona, the whole of the rest of the squadron was being briefed for a dawn attack on Taf. Gpt Cpt. Mason, his patchwork cheeks well aflame with excitement, sat on the dais and listened to Wg. Cdr. Beale outlining the plan.
"We have to assume that both the ship and the U-boat will be in harbour at Taf by the time we get there. We're going in in three waves. The Bardoc detachment first. Then I'm going in with three of you, and the remaining six will follow." (There were spare crews and aircraft on the squadron, and always twelve of each available. The loss of Teoh and Tunks, with their aircraft, had been made up at once.) "We'll attack at five-minute intervals and from different directions. I 'II take the easterly approach, which is the worst." (There was no cheering at this from the crews who would have to follow the bold Cracker.) "Our prime target is now the U987. But as we now know that Nürnberg is being used as a troop transport, we can legitimately attack her also. The Bardoc boys will go for Nürnberg, to mislead Gerry about our priorities. Also because they've already flown one sortie today. My section will take U987. The two sections of "B" Flight, who are going in last, will attack either or both targets according to earlier results, at Sqdn. Ldr. Grimes's discretion."
After the details had been filled in, and an early breakfast, the nine Beaufighters were airborne.
The ground crews and the rest who were staying behind, at Bardoc, watched their three aircraft taking off for the second time that morning with fear for their fate. The three aircrews were in no mood for the usual pretence of light heartedness: grimly they climbed into their cockpits and ran through their pre-take-off drill. Dunn, on the R/T, gave them a count down and on the exact second of time their wheels began to roll.
Even Tommy Tindall had nothing to say to his pilot as they closed Taf in the dawn light.
Early though they were, they were anticipated and flak bursts pocked the air all around them, sending them yawing and bucketing about the sky when the bigger shells burst close by. There was a hideous familiarity about the whole scene, but it did not breed contempt. Each well known landmark was associated by all of them with past close shaves luckily survived.
The light was not good enough for the most accurate shooting, and the three Beaufighters, weaving and changing height, managed to run the gauntlet of antiaircraft fire without damage until they had reached the harbour.
Nürnberg had not yet discharged all her passengers and the decks and gangways were crowded with German troops, carrying their kit and weapons, filing down to the quay.
The twenty-four rockets burst along the vessel's waterline, the aircraft, still under intense fire, circled and came in again to rake the ship with machinegun fire, then turned to try to silence some of the flak positions with their cannon, to make life easier for the rest of the squadron presently.
It was as they dived on a gun site, their cannon and machineguns blazing, that Middleton and Tindall were hit.
There was a blinding flash as a shell struck the starboard engine and the aircraft half-rolled to port under the impact. Bullets from a heavy machine gun hammered through the cowling of the port engine, as Middleton managed to roll level; the starboard engine was mangled and now the port engine began to falter. They were heading straight for the island that blocked the harbour entrance. Middleton hauled round to starboard in a steep bank and the heavy aircraft side-slipped, slicing into the sea. There was the hissing of steam as the hot engines submerged. A sharp pain lanced through Middleton's right leg and arm and he barely had time to fling up an arm to protect his head when he was thrown forward. Dazed, his ears ringing, starting to panic about Tommy Tindall, he began to heave himself out of his straps and the sinking aeroplane.
Blood floated past and he turned hastily, feeling another agonising stab in his leg and shoulder. Through the murk of water tinged with blood, he saw Tommy float up, his legs and arms flailing, blood streaming from his right arm.
They surfaced together and Tommy, grimacing with pain, said through his teeth: "Jolly boating weather. I hope the bastards pull us out before Cracker dashes in and pulverises us along with the target." Then he fainted.
Middleton, swimming clumsily, supported his navigator's head with his left arm, his right arm and leg hanging limp, and tried to kick with his left leg, while he floated on his back, towards the island into which they had nearly crashed. He knew the Germans would not bother with them until the whole attack was over; and they could drown if he didn't do something about it.
They were still out of their depth when they heard the bellow of three Beaufighters swooping overhead and down on the U-boat. Although they, Anstey and Bradley had knocked out two guns between them, there was no sensible diminution in the volume of flak. The U-boat was shooting all her guns too. Middleton saw one Beaufighter hit and forced to break off, with smoke trailing from an engine. But Beale and the remaining two were hitting the U-boat with their rockets and Middleton saw sailors falling from the deck under their cannon fire.
He put a foot down and felt the bottom. Gasping for breath, he heaved Tindall into shallow water and crawled up the shelving bottom on hands and knees, feeling blood trickling down his right leg; with a final effort he dumped Tindall with his head and shoulders clear of the water, then rolled onto his back on the sand and passed out.
Grimes decided to send two of his flight in to try to finish off the Nürnberg while he and the remaining three attacked U987. The flak was withering, and Beale was circling the area with his section, trying to knock out some of the guns. The air was turbulent with shell bursts. Grimes and his three all hit the U-boat and the other two both got all their rockets into the ship. One aircraft was hit in the fuel tank and exploded. Two others were damaged and flew away giving off smoke.
Suddenly all the Beaufighters had gone and there was silence.
*
Two of the damaged Beaufighters flopped down on the strip at Bardoc but the crew of the third had to bale out and were picked up a mile offshore. The squadron had the poor visibility of dawn to thank for their comparatively light casualties.
There was gloom on Bardoc, for no one thought Middleton and Tindall could have survived.
At Afrona it was considered that the attacks had been successful and worthwhile. Nürnberg would probably never put to sea again and U987 would be under repair for several weeks, if not months; for as long as she was there she would be attacked and they would try to ensure that she never went to sea again.
But, immediately, there was the fate of Middleton and Tindall to concern them above all.
It was Zdenka, operating her clandestine radio transmitter, who sent the good news that they were alive. Tindall had been hit in the shoulder and Middleton had a wounded leg and a broken arm.
*
Twelve hours after being shot down, Middleton came to his senses. He stared around the strange room, dazed, then propped himself on one elbow. His right arm hurt and was in plaster. His right leg was also giving him pain.
The familiar, cheerful voice of Charlie Teoh said "Welcome to the club."
"Hello, Charlie. Are you O.K.?"
"I'm fine, George."
There was a croak, which Middleton recognised as Tommy Tindall's: "Thanks for hauling me out of the drink, George. This shoulder's a bastard: hurting like sin. Sorry I passed out on you."
"I’ll think of an answer when my head feels less like a dustbin full of cottonwool."
"Where are we?" Middleton asked, lying back again.
Teoh told him: "In the house where the Garrison Commander lives; a naval type called von Trampel. You remember, that girl, Zdenka, told us about him."
"He sounds like an odd-ball," Tindall put in, "from what Charlie's been telling me."
"How?"
Charlie grinned. "He's not a bad type. Wait till you meet him."
"You've made me feel a lot better: I was afraid it was going to be a bloody awful confrontation. Gerry must be mad as hell with us for the pounding we've been giving this place. I was expecting to wake up and find the Gestapo standing over me with whips at the ready."
"They don't even pull out your toenails here, according to Charlie," said Tindall.
Teoh said "He hasn't even reported my capture to his H.Q., according to the message I got."
Middleton sat up again. "Message?"
"From Zdenka. There's a young soldier guarding us who was with her when she met Fearless Foster on Sprot. He speaks perfect English. Apparently he was so turned off by seeing Foster and the others killed, he pretended to be sick so that he could be sent back here. von Trampel's given him the job of being a kind of guard-batman to us. He brought the message from Zdenka."
There was excitement in Middleton's voice as he asked "D'you think we can escape from here?"
"I doubt it: you and Tommy are both wounded, and I'm a bit conspicuous, don't you think? I mean, I could hardly pass for a German or a Jug, if I got some civvy clothes and crept out of here."
"What about the partisans getting us out?"
"What about the Gerries swarming all over the place?"
"I suppose von Trampel will have to hand us over to be taken to a prison camp, sooner or later?"
Teoh nodded his head. "I can't see what else he can do."
The door opened and Klebrig came in. "I thought I heard a new voice," he said, nodding at Middleton in a friendly way. "How d'you feel?''