by Griff Hosker
"Sir, the flare!"
I looked in the sky and saw the red flare descending. "Right lads, back up the road."
As we passed the Kubelwagen my men took ammunition and grenades. Suddenly Sergeant Barker shouted, "Davis, with me! I'll catch you up sir!" He ran up a narrow passage between two houses towards the centre of the village. With anyone else I might have worried but Gordy knew what he was doing.
We reached Herbert and Smith. "Pack up the machine gun,. That will be useful on the ridge."
Sergeant Thompson said, "We might as well follow you, sir. I am not certain what the Lieutenant intended after the attack."
"Where were you?"
"Hameau sir. We were with Headquarters."
"You might as well. As far as I can see there is a gap between the 9th and us. If I can see it then you can bet your bottom dollar that Jerry will too."
Sergeant Barker ran up. He and Davis were carrying a large metal box between them. It was the kind used by German field canteens. It smelled good. "Chickens sir! I could smell 'em. They are a bit scrawny but they are hot food!"
"Good man!"
It was early afternoon when we reached the German tank. We had gathered as many grenades from the dead Germans as we could. "Sergeant Barker and Sergeant Thompson. We will make the tank part of our defences. Build another log and soil barrier around the side and lay booby traps in the ground between the road and here."
"What about the chickens sir?"
"Build the barrier and lay the traps. Then we eat!"
I saw the disappointment on his face. The smell had made me salivate too. "Right sir. Come on you shower! The sooner we get this built the sooner we eat!"
I went up to the house. Bill Hay rose. "Everything all right sir?"
"Yes. We have reinforcements now. Carry this stuff back to the castle! We are rebuilding it."
As they left I decided to explore the house. The upper floors had been demolished and the ground floors badly damaged. I sought food but it was all destroyed. Then I spied the door to the cellar. It was locked and I kicked it in. There was no power and it was dark. Holding the rail I descended. With the door open there was enough light to make out what was there. I found a small wine cellar. Some of the bottles had been destroyed but I found six that were not. I found an old bread basket and put them in. I was about to go back when I spied, hanging from a hook, a cured ham. I took that.
By the time I had made my way back to the rest of the men the barrier had been built and the men were carefully laying and disguising booby traps. I took a bottle out and waved it and the ham. "We eat and drink well tonight lads!"
That was all the encouragement they needed and, even though they were exhausted, they worked like Trojans. It was late afternoon when they had finished. The two sergeants divided the food evenly and I doled out the wine. There was only enough for a couple of mugfuls each but it would seem like bounty from heaven after water for four days. I noticed the smiles on all their faces as they tucked into chicken which was still warm and sliced ham washed down with rough red wine. These were warriors for the working day and they had earned their food.
I took my mug of wine and inspected our defences. The K gun and the heavy German machine gun would both enfilade the ground on either side of the tank. The new barrier was the first line of defence and the men would fall back from there to our old position. After they had eaten I would have them bring some of the rubble from the house and pile it in front of the soil and timber palisade. From what the Major and the Lieutenant had said we were a thin line. The red berets of the Paras were mixed with the green of the Commando. It would have to hold. I glanced at the sky. We had been lucky that the Germans had not attacked us from the air. We had no defence against that.
I saw that Beaumont had finished and was checking his PIAT. "How is the wound?"
"Hewitt checked it when he came back sir and changed the dressing. It aches like mad sir but there is no infection. That is good. I wouldn't fancy losing a leg!"
I nodded, "You should know that I am putting you in for a promotion when we get back. You deserve it."
He shrugged, "Rank doesn't seem to mean much here sir." He laughed at the irony of his words. "You apart that is. We all just get on but thank you sir. I appreciate it." He waved a hand at the rest of our men. "They all deserve something sir."
"They do indeed, Beaumont."
With more men to perform sentry duty we all got more sleep than hitherto. I had the men stand to at dawn. One of Sergeant Thompson's men had gathered up the bones of the chicken and the ham and we had collected some young vegetables from the garden to the house behind us. We made a soup to keep us going and we kept watch. To the south of us we heard the crack of mortars and then the heavier sound of tank guns. We prepared to be attacked. The woods which the 9th occupied were just a mile away. The skirmish lasted an hour and then we saw German uniforms in the woods. It was too far away for us to intervene but we watched in case the attack turned towards us. By mid afternoon the firing had stopped and the grey disappeared from the woods.
"Is it over sir? We haven't been attacked all day!"
I looked at the sky. There was still time, "I doubt it Sergeant Thompson. Let's just stay alert. We will all live longer that way."
At five o'clock I heard the sound of German engines. They were fighters. I could not see them and so I went up the hill towards the house. I took out my binoculars. They were FW- 109s and they were dive bombing and strafing the bridge over the Orne. That was ominous. It was our only retreat across the river. Were the Germans planning a major attack? I watched their bombs drop but the bridges remained intact and they headed east up the valley. As I made my way back to the house I heard more engines. This time it was Stirling bombers. Were they coming to bomb the Germans? Then I saw the mushrooms of parachutes. It was either reinforcements or supplies. I followed them down with my binoculars. They landed close to the woods where the 9th were sheltering. It was not men, it was anti tank guns and ammunition. It gave me hope.
The next morning I was up at six. I checked our lines. "Anything, Sergeant Barker?"
"No sir."
Just then Fletcher shouted, "Sir! I just picked up on the radio, a patrol from the 13th say that there are Germans massing in Bréville-les-Monts."
"Everyone, stand to!"
The previous day had seen an attack to the south of us. The Germans must have known of the gap. It would be our turn next. We had not been idle the previous day and we now had substantial defences in front of us. The men had dug trenches and used debris from the half demolished house to give more protection. We had even taken the burned side skirts from the tank and made a roof for the machine guns.
We heard the artillery and the mortar before we saw the shells. They pounded the house. The Germans had last seen us retreat there when they had last attacked. The camouflage netting hid us from their view. "Fletcher! Get on the radio and tell Head Quarters that we are under attack!"
"Sir!"
When the shells began to fall behind the house I knew that it was a creeping barrage. They had no spotters, The woods, although they had taken some punishment hid the house from view.
"Sir, Headquarters said that the attack is along the line. We are on our own!"
Sergeant Barker snorted, "So what's new?"
The barrage lasted thirty minutes. "Hold your fire until I give the order!"
Davis and I, along with Hooley, Sergeant Thompson's sniper, were spread out across the line. Our job would be to decimate the officers as the enemy advanced. It would not stop the Germans attacking; they were brave soldiers but in taking away the leadership it might encourage the men to make the wrong decisions.
We spied the first Germans at nine o'clock. It was a couple of companies and they came up in extended skirmish order. I estimated that there were two hundred men. I tracked a Major who appeared to be leading. Half way up he stopped and I saw him speak to a radio operator. He and his men lay down.
I hissed, "Ta
ke cover. Keep your heads down." Mortar shells began to crash down behind us hitting and shredding the woods and our castle. I heard fragments strike the metal we had incorporated into our defences. After ten minutes it stopped and I heard a whistle. "Stand to!"
I had no idea if any of my men had been hurt but the whistle meant they were attacking. They began to march up the hill. I aimed my rifle at the Major. The first booby trap which was tripped was to my left. Then there was another to my right. The Major made a mistake. He ordered a charge. As he shouted and took a step I dropped him and shouted, "Open fire!"
The K gun and the German heavy machine gun chattered through the Germans. Some dived to the ground and set off another booby trap. Light machine guns were deployed and began to fire back at us. I aimed at the gunner of one. He appeared to be looking directly at me. The sight made it appear as though I could touch him. My bullet went through his eye. His head dropped. I switched to the loader and my bullet hit him in the side of the head.
Davis and Hooley were equally effective and it became too much for the leaderless Germans. Three ran towards our lines screaming insults and they were cut down. The rest retreated beyond the road.
"Anyone hit?"
"Two of my men bought it sir. Direct hit from a mortar shell. They knew nothing about it."
"Well they know where we are now so expect more mortar shells. Take whatever steps you need to get some cover." The men now had trenches and a mortar hit would be unlucky. This was when I wished we had helmets. Whizzing shrapnel was deadly. Ten minutes later the mortars began. It was horrific. Mortars exploded all around us but the Germans would have been better to use fewer of them and have a spotter watch their fall. Some hit the tank others hit the same place. I heard a scream and knew that someone had bought it. They must have shifted the artillery for it was only mortars we heard. When it stopped I could barely hear anything. I stood and shouted, "Stand to!"
I saw a bloody mess where one of Sergeant Thompson's men had been. It was his sniper, Hooley! The sergeant's decision to join my band had cost him three men already! He just had seven left from those who had joined us. This time the Germans knew where we were and knew about the booby traps. They threw their own grenades to detonate ours. It worked but it meant they attacked with just their guns. They were also less reckless. They worked up the slope in twos. They had sufficient numbers to keep our heads down. Davis and I worked our bolts as fast we could and each bullet found a mark. The sights were very effective.
As Herbert and Smith cleared a section of attackers I looked to the gate where three officers conversed. It was a good half a mile away. "Davis! The gate!"
I took aim at the chest of one and fired my rifle. A second bark told me that Davis had fired too. Two officers fell. Once clutched his back. The third took cover. A whistle sounded and the Germans began to fall back. My men took pot shots, wounding four more before they reached the safety of their field. I glanced at my watch. It was ten thirty and we had beaten off two attacks already at the cost of three dead. The field before us was littered with bodies. When would the Germans decide they had had enough?
To the right I heard six pounders duelling with German tanks. "Fletcher tell Headquarters that we have repelled another attack and that the 9th are being attacked by armour."
"Sir!"
I went around the men to make sure they were all unwounded. Hewitt was dealing with the cuts from flying shrapnel and splinters of wood. I found Sergeant Thompson smoking and wrapping bandage around his hand. "Regret joining us Sergeant?"
He laughed, "No sir. No matter how bad it is here I know it will be just as bad everywhere else besides everyone says that you bring luck to those who serve you."
"Who says that?"
"Oh everyone sir. The Lieutenant was always desperate to serve with you. He reckoned he would get a going if he did. Sergeant Major Dean and Daddy Grant spoke highly of you too. No sir, I don't regret this. Mind I thought that once we took the bridge that would be it and we would be back off to Blighty!"
Fletcher came running over, "Sir, HQ says they are being attacked from the north and to watch out for armour!"
Sergeant Thomson shook his head, "That is all we need! German armour!"
Chapter twenty
"Beaumont!"
Beaumont had made himself a crutch and he hobbled over. "Get a layer from Sergeant Thompson's section. We have German armour coming!"
He was unfazed by the news, "Righto sir. Will do." He looked at a young lad who was smoking next to Sergeant Thompson."What's your name?"
"Hart."
"Well Hart the Captain here has just said you can be my layer. Let's see how fast you can load a rocket eh?"
I saw immediately why Beaumont had picked the young lad. He was enthusiastic. "Great!" As soon as he said it I knew that he was a compatriot of Scouse Fletcher. He was a Liverpudlian!
I went around the men. "We will have another attack soon. This time it is armour. Don't waste bullets on the tanks. Concentrate on the infantry."
Gordy said, quietly, "We can't hold out much longer sir. We had plenty of ammo but at the rate we are using it we will be out by the morning."
I nodded. "Then tonight we see what we can get from our German friends!"
I made sure I took plenty of water. Although the house had been destroyed there was still a well. So long as we had water we would survive. I had had the men add salt and the last of our porridge to it. We needed all the sustenance we could get.
When naval guns began to fire from behind us and hit the German lines in front of the Airborne we knew the attack was imminent. "Get ready lads!"
The mortars began to crack and then I heard the sound of engines. This time it was not tanks but armoured cars. They were faster. "Beaumont, armoured cars!"
"They only have half inch armour at best sir! I just hope I have enough rockets!"
"Davis, they have tyres and not tracks. Try to get their tyres when they come through the gaps."
The gap in the hedgerow had been widened and was now over forty yards across but it was still a pinch point. I saw that three of the first to come through were the lighter Leichter Panzerspähwagen. These had just quarter inch armour, four wheels, a 20mm cannon and a machine gun but the fourth was a Schwerer Panzerspähwagen. They had six wheels and half inch armour. The pennant on the turret told me that it was the commander.
"Beaumont, take the six wheeled one!"
"Sir!"
The four of them would begin to fire their cannon as soon as they were within range. That would be half a mile. Beaumont would have to wait until they were a hundred yards away. The only weapons which could reach them were our two sniper rifles. I aimed at the first of the four wheeled Leichter Panzerspähwagen. I missed the tyre with my first shot as the driver swerved to avoid a dead German. The second hit the tyre. I saw the hatch open as a crew member clambered out to change the tyre. My bullet hit him in the back and he drooped over the hatch. I could not see the others because of the angle of the Schwerer Panzerspähwagen. It was grinding up the hill its cannon now firing. The uneven ground made it inaccurate. Some shells hit the wooden barricade while others hit the trees above our head.
I aimed at the front tyre and fired. This time I hit it. With five others it did not need to stop. It kept coming. I fired a second shot and missed but my third hit the middle tyre and the car slewed around. It still climbed but it was now crablike and I could not bring my rifle to bear on any of its other tyres. It was still only a third of the way up the long slope. I could see the grenadiers as they ran after the three vehicles which were still advancing and firing at us. The K gun bore the brunt of their fire. Herbert and Smith were chopped up by the combined fire of two of the cannon.
Beaumont had been a close friend of Smith and I saw him raise the PIAT. I wondered if he was wasting a shell. Then I saw that the crab like approach had given him a shot at the side. The armour there was just over a quarter of an inch. The armoured cars used petrol and the whole of the c
ar lifted bodily in the air as it exploded. The other two armoured cars could now be seen and I fired at the front tyre of one of them. I hit it but it kept coming towards us. Beaumont now fired at the one I had just hit and it too exploded in a fireball. The armoured car was designed to take punishment from small arms fire and not a rocket launcher!
The last one was the furthest back. The smoke from the two burning vehicles prevented me from getting a good sight of its tyres. I would have to leave that for Beaumont. The infantry were now within range and I shouted, "Fire!" We were a K gun down. This would be desperate. Ignoring the cannon and machine gun shells whizzing above our heads we fought. Had we run we would have died and so we fought. I methodically worked my way through the officers and NCOs who advanced. I missed some. They dived to the ground or were obscured by the smoke. They then began to fire their own weapons in reply. When Beaumont finally penetrated the armour of the last Leichter Panzerspähwagen the infantry were less than a hundred yards from us.
"Use grenades." Although the range was long we had the advantage of height and the Mills bombs would roll. I hurled all four of mine and then dropped. A line of grenades all exploding together causes many wounds. I saw the grey uniformed Germans fall to the ground. As we had thrown our grenades the fire had diminished and the grenadiers thought we were out of ammunition and they rose to charge us. The ripple of grenades rolled along the line and they were beaten. The survivors ran back down the hill leaving the burning vehicles.
Hewitt was already with the dead. He shook his head. "There is barely enough to bury sir. And the K gun is buggered."
Beaumont went to the bloodied battle dress of Jimmy Smith and took out a letter. It was holed and bloody. "It was to his mum sir. She was all that he had. I'll copy it out and then write a letter of my own."
I knew how he felt. Losing a good friend in war was hard.
We laid the dead together and then began to clear our lines of debris. "Think they will come again, sir?"