by Griff Hosker
Chapter 8
The names of the teams were given to me as we finished dessert. I had already decided to go in with Bill Hay and his team. I knew the other two would pick the most experienced men and Bill, as the lance sergeant, would be left with the rest. I stood and addressed the room. Mrs Dean and Reg were doing the dishes.
"Remember chaps, that Plymouth tomorrow is enemy territory. This is neither a lark nor a bit of fun, Next week three of you will be coming with me to go behind enemy lines. Don't fail tomorrow."
They nodded. Fletcher and Crowe grinned. To them anything like this was fun.
"I will go in with Lance Sergeant Hay's team." Peter Davis, John Herbert and Roger Beaumont were all new lads. They were good, but new. We went to the sitting room. "Well then Lance Sergeant, what is your plan?"
He looked at me with a querulous look, "My plan?"
"I told you I am the umpire. I am going on all of the missions anyway. I want to see how you and these lads do under duress."
He took a deep breath. "Actually sir I was going to pinch your plan. Get a fishing boat and instead of sailing out, sail in."
"Get a boat?"
"Er borrow one so to speak."
"Do you have a boat in mind?"
"There is an old chap I sometimes drink with in the 'Dog and Gun'. This time of year he doesn't use his boat much; he's in his seventies. If we get some fuel for it I am sure he will loan it to us. We could go in and sail up the Tamar. It is about forty miles or so to the coast. I reckon that is about six or seven hours. If we leave early we could do it with time to spare. We could do a bit of fishing on the way and get there towards dusk. We can pretend to have a bit of engine trouble and one of the lads could go and get some spare parts."
"Who?"
Beaumont piped up, "Me sir. We worked out that they might not expect fishermen to have papers with them or we could say we lost them overboard." I cocked my head to one side. Roger was a bright lad. "We would make sure we had no jackets on, sir."
I glanced at my watch. "It sounds like a plan but the clock is ticking and you have no boat."
Bill jumped up like a startled rabbit. "Beaumont, you sort the lads out and get fishermen's gear. I'll go and see old Eric."
To Beaumont's credit he did not ask how or where he would obtain the clothes he just rose. He had the nerve to say, "I take it you can get your own gear sir? Umpire's?"
I smiled, "I will work something out."
The others had gone to their sergeant's rooms to continue planning. I was looking forward to this. I could observe the men I led from close quarters. Hay's plan was sound but not without risks. I went into the kitchen. Reg had just finished drying. "Everything sorted sir?"
"Just about. Hay's team will leave before dawn and I will be with them. I'll just go and get some old gear to throw on. We are fishermen. I need to look the part. I think I will just use my oldest and smelliest clothes!"
Mrs Dean wiped her hands. "I have something old and smelly. I was going to throw it out but I didn't have the heart."
Reg was curious, "What is it, love?"
"My brother John, he died in the Great War; at Jutland. He was on the 'Invincible'. Well he was a fisherman before the war. He had all the equipment, sou'wester, oilskin, sea boots, sweater. You are more than welcome to use them but they might be..."
"Disgusting?"
She laughed. "That is about the size of it Captain. They are in the cellar. They have been there since 1916."
When she had gone Reg said, "Captain Marsden is still having bother with that Osborne. He is being sly. Just this side of insubordinate. Curtis is become frustrated.."
"Has he asked for your help?"
"I think they are both a bit proud. Don't want to be seen as failures."
"Waller."
"Exactly! I think I shall intervene. If they don't like it they can lump it."
"If this is still a problem after I come back I will have a heart to heart with both of them. To be honest we can do without this sort of distraction; forty four is going to be a busy year."
Mrs Dean appeared with a large hamper. She dived into it. She was right it did have the damp, decayed and musty aroma of clothes left for too long out of the air. The jumper had holes in it and she was about to return it when I said, "Whoa there, Mrs Dean. That is perfect. If everything else is like that it will do for me." The sea boots were slightly big but I just used a couple of pairs of socks. "I'll return them when we get back."
She smiled and it was a sad smile, "I think John would just be happy he was still doing something for this country. He was a real patriot. If he had been alive he would have loved to listen to you and your lads." She began to fill up and Reg put his huge arm around her. I slid from the room. I was surplus to requirements.
Knowing that we were out before dawn meant Mrs Dean had breakfast on the go even earlier. We had porridge in winter. Seasoned with salt it kept us going far longer than bacon and eggs. I did not see the other teams at breakfast but there were four empty bowls, neatly stacked which told me that one team was on the road.
I had not seen Hay before I went to bed and had no idea if he had succeeded in his mission. Not only did he have to get the boat, he also had to get fuel for it. I was finishing my breakfast when he came in. "There you are sir." He pointed to the empty bowls. "We ate a while ago. We are on a tight schedule. Our boat awaits."
We did not have far to go. Bill had moored the twenty feet long fishing boat close to the lodgings. We clambered down the rusty ladder which was attached to the sea wall. At the bottom of the harbour wall an ancient mariner stood smoking his pipe. I guessed it must be Eric. He knuckled his forehead, "Thank'ee for the baccy sir. Young Billy told me what you are about. Good luck I say!"
As we headed out to sea I asked, "Baccy?"
"Old Eric wasn't bothered about fuel sir but he likes Navy issue tobacco. We gave him four ounces and promised him another four when we get the next rations."
"Well done. And the fuel?"
He chuckled. "We went back to the yard where 'Lady Luck' was moored. We knew where there were eight cans stashed. We have more than enough and we can still leave Eric with a full tank."
A harbour patrol boat loomed up out of the dark. "Where are you going? That is Eric Roger's boat."
Bill pointed to the harbour wall where Eric waved. "I am his nephew. He asked us to go fishing for him. Poor old sod needs the money the catch will bring."
The young Lieutenant nodded, "You should have asked first."
"Me and my mates are on leave and we only arrived late last night. Sorry sir."
The apologetic attitude worked and we were waved out of the harbour.
As we struck the bay I said, "Well done, Hay. That was smart thinking. Can you do it in German?"
"Some of it sir but I am not confident like." He pointed to Roger who was bent over the engine. "Now buggerlugs there, he has more bottle than a dairy! He rattles off Kraut like he was born German."
"Do you Beaumont?"
"I did it at school, sir. I like languages and when you do science and engineering it helps."
The boat was faster than we had thought although Hay explained that Beaumont had not been to bed. He had been cleaning and servicing the engine. Eric would be getting back a better boat. We stopped at about eleven and I worked the tiller while the others fished. It was not the greatest catch in the world but it was a catch. They packed it in boxes provided by Eric and then we continued to Plymouth.
The invasion plans could be seen clearly as we approached the port. There were barrage balloons everywhere and the fields, inland, were covered in tents and camouflaged guns. We knew what to look for otherwise they would have been hard to spot. It was coming on to late afternoon when we approached the entrance to the harbour. We were less than four hundred yards from it. I had no doubt that glasses would be trained upon us.
"Right, Beaumont; do your magic." I was impressed that the team had worked everything out to the last detail.
He knelt over the engine and fiddled on. Suddenly the engine began to cough and to splutter. We still had way but we were now down to less than three knots. As we passed the entrance a harbour patrol vessel appeared from our starboard side, "Who are you?"
Bill had the glib answer ready, "'Padstow Rose' out of Falmouth sir. We had a bit of engine trouble. The young lad thought he had fixed it but..."
"Have you the ship's papers?"
"This is my uncle's boat sir. You can check with Falmouth if you like sir. We spoke to a young Lieutenant there before we left."
We had timed it well. It was almost the end of a shift and the crew of the harbour patrol were ready to go home. "There is a chandler's along there not far from the dockyard. Make sure you stay away from anything with a barrier or wire!"
"Right, sir. Will do!"
We headed towards the other small boats which had tied up close to the dockyard. Some of them obviously had official business there. We did not. I wondered how they would get into the actual restricted area. Bill pulled her over close to the end boat. There was a stair which led up to the gate leading to the dockyard. He and Herbert headed up the stairs. When they reached the top Herbert took out a pipe. There was a sign which clearly said, 'No Smoking'. I saw Davis wandering up the steps as well. The Royal Marine Sergeant approached Herbert and began to shout at him. Without actually hearing I knew that Herbert would be saying the pipe was not even lit. He did not smoke! I guessed he had borrowed it from Eric. Bill Hay joined in the conversation and I saw David approach the gate and appear to be taking an interest in the conversation.
Suddenly there was a small explosion from the engine of our fishing boat and a plume of smoke rose, alarmingly from the engine. It made me jump! Herbert and Hay looked over the top. They would not have been human if they had not looked too and the sergeant and the Marine peered over. It would have looked odd if I had not gone to the engine and I rushed over as I spied Davis nip into the gate and the Guard Room..
"I take it this was planned, Beaumont?" I spoke quietly.
"Oh yes sir. A tiny amount of explosive, a little oil soaked cloth and Bob's your uncle. As Shakespeare said, 'Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing!'"
The Royal Marine Sergeant came down a couple of steps. "What the bloody hell is going on? We have fuel up here! Are you trying to blow up the whole bloody dock? You are worse than saboteurs!"
Beaumont put on a slow voice. He sound like a country yokel. "Zorry, zir. I 'as sorted it out now!"
"Well make sure you have." He turned and glowered at Herbert and Hay. "And you two can sling yer hook an all!"
I saw Davis standing behind them. Hay said, indignantly, "I thought this was a free country we were fighting for! You have a little accident and you get accused of all sorts. We don't need this. Come on lads! Let's go home!"
They boarded the boat and Beaumont miraculously made the engine sound as sweet as a nut. We all adopted a dignified pose as we sailed out of the harbour towards the setting sun. When we were clear Bill Hay asked, "Well?"
Davis produced some items from his pocket, "A copy of the guard roster for the Dockyard. A rubber stamp and the Sergeant's cheese and pickle sandwich!"
I laughed along with them. To be fair they did not need to have produced anything for I had seen Davis enter and then leave without being seen but I was proud of the fact that they followed the rules. They would do. We arrived back not long before midnight. The patrol boat was suspicious until Bill gave the young lieutenant a couple of the fish we had caught. Half of the catch would go to Eric as payment and Mrs Dean would make fish and chips for the rest of us. I have to confess that I was curious about the other two teams. I had not seen them in Plymouth; perhaps that was a good thing.
When we reached the lodgings the others had not arrived. Although Mrs Dean wrinkled her nose at the smell she was delighted with the fish. "Reg, take that box of fish. I shall fillet them now. We don't want them stinking out the house."
"But look at the time!"
"I thought you were a soldier. Come on, chop, chop!" He rolled his eyes as he picked up the box.
I smiled. I knew that Mum would have used the bones and other bits to make a fish soup which would have been wonderful. The Mrs Deans of this world did not even contemplate that! They would end up over the sea wall.
I said, "You chaps can have the day off tomorrow. You have earned it."
"Thanks sir!"
I went upstairs to change. I had a good wash too but I knew that I would need a bath. My body reeked of clothes that had not seen the light of day in almost thirty years. Thirty percent of my team had been successful. I wondered about the rest.
I fell asleep downstairs in the armchair waiting for the rest to arrive. I felt like a parent waiting for a child who had stayed out too late! I was awoken at five thirty by a timid knock on the door. It was Sergeant Poulson and his team. He looked disappointed that I had answered. "Bill Hay succeeded then?"
I nodded. "And you?" In answer he held up a menu from the dockyard canteen. "Any casualties?"
He smiled, "We didn't get caught if that is what you mean, sir. We are tired. We used bicycles to get back."
"How did you get there?"
"We took the bus." He grinned, "It helped as it dropped off close by the gates and there were workers from the bus going through. It was easy. Their security is not what it should be." He looked around. "No Gordy?"
"No Gordy! Tell your lads they have the day off. I have already told mine and it is fish and chips for tea tonight."
His face lit up. "Where did Mrs Dean get the fish?"
I gave him an enigmatic smile, "That would be telling."
I was getting worried about Gordy and his section. It was eleven o'clock and they had still to return. Reg had gone to the camp and promised he would send word if he heard anything from them. I think we both thought that they had been captured. It would be sad but as eight men had passed the test it was not a total disaster.
At twelve they wearily entered the boarding house. They arrived together and they were sweating profusely. "You had me worried, Gordy, where have you been?"
"We got there on the train but we left too late to come back on it sir. We ran."
"Forty six miles?"
"It felt more like sixty sir but I'll take your word for it."
"And?"
In answer he grinned and shouted, "Scouse!"
Fletcher, still grinning despite the exhaustion, reached into his pocket and pulled out a large bunch of keys. A label attached to them said, 'Property of R.N. Dockyard, Plymouth- do not remove'!
"Well done! I'd say get you heads down but..."
Gordy rubbed his hands together, "Is that fish and chips frying?"
"It is indeed!"
"Then a quick sluice down will do sir!"
Chapter 9
Although I gave my men the day off I went up to the camp after Gordy's team came back. I ran. When I reached the camp I went to Sergeant Major Dean's office. As soon as he saw me he grinned. "Sir, if you could just pop in and see Major Rose."
I nodded, "Right, Sarn't Major." I turned to go, "Oh, by the by, Gordy's team came back." I handed him the keys. "You might want to ring the dockyard and tell them that their security is a little bit lacking!"
Reg held up the keys. "I am guessing that this was Fletcher?"
"It was. He managed to get them out of a locked drawer too."
I knocked on the Major's door, "Come." As soon as I walked in the Major strode over to me and grasped my hand. "Congratulations, Tom!"
"Thank you sir but I had every confidence that my men would perform the mission. I suppose I..."
He shook his head, "Not that although that was well done too, no, the gong! It has come through. You are to be given the Victoria Cross. The ceremony is next week at Windsor Castle."
"But we go on the mission the week after sir!"
His face became a little serious, "I think, Tom, that is one of the reasons. We have h
ad too many posthumous awards. I think they want a live recipient."
I nodded. That made sense. If I died on this mission then I would be a dead hero. I had no doubt that the newspapers would be involved. That had happened to Dad in the Great War; I had no doubt that the Government was as keen for the publicity and propaganda as anyone. "Which day next week, sir?"
"Tuesday. You will be telling your family I take it?"
"Yes sir."
"You don't sound excited about this. You realise that the only other Commando who was awarded the Victoria Cross was killed in action in 1941. You will be the first to receive the medal. That is an honour!"
"I know sir but there are other chaps who have performed far more gallant acts than I have."
"Tom, I haven't known you for long but even I have seen, in that short space of time, that you are special. I had a long chat with the Quarter Master. He told me all about you. Enjoy your day." He handed me the details of the ceremony.
"Sir."
I went through to the Sergeant Major's office. He had the telephone ready. "I take it you want to ring your parents sir?"
"My mother. I think Dad is in the Middle East still." Mum was, of course delighted and told me she would be there. As I had thought Dad and Mary were on active service. I put the phone down and hesitated.
Reg said, "And your young lady sir? Are you going to tell her?"
"My young lady?"
"Major Foster told us that you had met a young lady in London." He looked unabashed as he said, "I help to sort out all the letters sir. She has a very nice hand."
"But I only took her out once!"
"And she writes to you twice a week sir. Trust me she is keen. Mrs D is excited too."
"Mrs Dean knows?"
"Of course sir. No secrets between a man and wife."
I nodded, "Get me Major Foster in Whitehall then. He will have to be my go between."