by Griff Hosker
“Like you and Major Poulson.”
I nodded, “I have known Paul Poulson a long time. Alone of all of the men I served with in the last war he stayed in. If I hadn’t been wounded then I would be with him and a prisoner.”
The Captain lowered his voice, “And it would be Lieutenant Morrison who was coming to rescue you.”
Something in his voice made me turn, “If you have something to say then spit it out, Captain.”
He sighed, “I read the files on all of you. Lieutenant Morrison has an uncle and a brother who went off to Israel in 1947. They both fought in the war. His uncle is now a general.”
“So?”
“There was a rift and Lieutenant Morrison was caught in the middle. His brother was wounded last year by Arabs. He joined up soon after and they have not seen each other for three years. He could be fragile.”
I laughed, “Whatever issues the Lieutenant may have he is a Commando and he was trained as such. We all have, what you call issues, Captain, but when we fight, we put them from our minds.” He nodded, “But thank you for the information. It may help.”
He looked relieved, “Perhaps I shall retrain, eh sir?”
“Perhaps but give it a little more thought. Not all of these commandos will be coming home. Think on that.”
The Captain had been caught up in the moment and I saw realisation set in. “Sorry, sir. You seem so confident I thought…”
I nodded, “As I did when I first started. Events rarely turn out the way we plan.” My subordinates had returned. “Any problems?”
“No, sir, they are raring to go.”
“I will have a quick word. Once we are airborne then it is impossible to talk.”
Sergeant Major Thorpe put his hands on his hips and said, “You heard the Major, front and centre!”
They stood around me, “This will not be an easy drop and it will not be an easy mission. If it was any other mission, I might question it but these are Commandos we are rescuing, our Commandos. Remember that. We are going in low so I will be first to jump. Watch my chute. The ones who dropped with me before will follow me. The rest of you watch and jump as closely as you can. We have a plan but it may change. Listen to the NCOs, they will know what you have to do. We have two new ones this time,” I gestured to the two of them, “Williams and Smith did well the last time. If you do well on this mission, who knows? Now check your pockets. We take no papers at all and your dog tags are all the identification you will need.” As they busied themselves, I said, “When they are done get the bus loaded. I am certain the flight sergeant would appreciate it and it will keep the men busy.”
We were all successfully boarded as the sun set in the west. I waved goodbye to the Captain. The transports carrying the Rakkasans were already loaded and we would take off with them. We would follow the same course for the majority of the journey and a couple of flights of Sabres would accompany us. However, the bulk of the North Korean Air Force had been neutralised. The Henschels at Sunchon probably represented the most potent weapon they had left. We had just over one hundred and forty miles to go and the journey would take longer than the last one. I closed my eyes to rest them to listen to the reassuring noise of the Pratt and Whitney engines. I knew that many of the men were nervous but I could do little about that. The noise from the engines drowned out almost everything else. The engines built up to a crescendo and then, as the pilot and co-pilot pulled back on their sticks we rose into the air. We were on our way!
The Flight Sergeant would act as drop master. When we parted from the 187th he tapped me on the shoulder. I stood with my parachute on and clipped the line to the rail which ran down the centre of the aircraft. I attached the Bergen and machine gun by clips from my belt. The others stood. The ones who had dropped with me before moved efficiently. They had done this and survived. The NCOs were spread out amongst the others and they were helping them. We had time yet although I felt the movement as the pilot began to drop to the correct height. We had been told that there were no anti-aircraft guns but the last aerial photographs had been days old and who knew what changes had been made?
I turned so that Williams could check my chute and he turned so that I could check his. I shuffled forward, moving my Bergen with my feet until I reached the door. The Flight Sergeant was listening intently to the commands from the cockpit. We hit a little turbulence and the aircraft lurched a little. The pilot was good and he soon corrected for the disturbed air. I turned to look down the line of jumpers and saw that all the chutes were hooked up and Sergeant Major Thorpe gave me the thumbs up. Immediately behind him were the canisters with the mortars, machine gun and other vital equipment. I could rely on Ken to watch their descent. Turning back, I saw the Flight Sergeant slide back the door and a wall of icy air hit us. Flecks of rain showered me but what I noticed was the flickering lights from ground fire. Men were firing at us. They were using machine guns and the odds on hitting us were remote but they might see us. If this was a hot landing then it would be a baptism of fire for the new boys!
The light turned green and the hand on my shoulder propelled me into the dark. I kicked my Bergen and it dragged me into the night and the sleet flying in my face told me that the rain was coming from the north. We would land closer to the town that I would have liked. That could not be helped and, as my parachute jerked me, I began to scan the land below me. There was no road to guide me but, to my right, was the black snake which was the Taedong River. So long as I kept that to the east, I would be hitting somewhere close to the optimum landing site. I had to hope that Lance Corporal Williams was right behind me and following me. A good landing depended upon everyone keeping eyes on the man ahead and following him. This was not the massed parachute jump of D-Day. This was a tiny incursion by an elite group. We could not afford to lose a single soldier!
The rain mixed with flecks of snow was not helping and the lack of features on the ground was worrying. The aerial photographs had not shown any trees but the landing surface was still an unknown. I had nothing to alert me to the ground and it would be down to my quick reactions. It was the years of experience and my sixth sense which saved me. I saw the field of winter barley just moments before I hit it. This would not be a soft landing. I braced myself and took the impact with my knees. I did not fall but the pain in my knees told me that it had not been a good one. Even as I stood, I was gathering my parachute and scanning the area for lights or the unmistakable flash of a gun. There was nothing and I heard a double thump as Williams and Ashcroft landed. We had a radio on the ground and that was a start!
Had there been anyone close by then they would have heard my men as they hit the ground hard but there was no one and, as I rolled and bunched my parachute, I saw my line of men landing in a roughly straight line. I looked at Ashcroft, “Is the radio intact?”
“It didn’t hit the ground, sir, but I will have to wait until I can check it.”
I nodded, “Do so now and tell Captain Warwick that we are down. Nothing more. As soon as he replies then shut down.”
I took off my chute and jammed it into my Bergen and then, as I slipped it on to my back, ran back down the line. I saw that my original parachutists were already storing their parachutes but some of the newer ones were still struggling. I shouted, as I passed, “On me!” Ashcroft would make his signal and then he and Williams would join us.
By my estimate, we were just a mile from the town. The sleet had turned to snow. If I had not had adrenalin rushing through me, I might have felt the cold but the combination of low temperatures and snow might well keep the Koreans indoors. They would be expecting the aeroplane they had seen above them to drop bombs and not parachutists. At least, that was what I hoped. I saw that the men were all down and where they should be but the canisters had, inevitably, drifted offline and Sergeant Major Thorpe was already organising men to fetch and open them. Lieutenant Morrison was also organising men. Since our talk, he had made a real effort. I was relatively happy for things were going well.
Then I saw Marine Allenby. Powell and Bridges were with him and the commando was injured. I ran to him, “Problem?”
Allenby looked up and shook his head, “Sorry sir, bad landing. I hurt my leg.”
Powell had trained briefly as a doctor but Wally Bridges had been a St John’s ambulance man. It was he who spoke, “A really bad sprain, sir. He can’t walk.”
Allenby shook his head, “I can manage, sir!”
I shook my head, “These lads are the experts. They say you can’t walk then you can’t walk.” I looked up and saw that the Sergeant Major and the rest of the section had retrieved the canisters and were dragging them closer. “Powell, fetch one of those empty canisters and some parachute cord. We can make a sledge and you two can pull him.”
“Sir!” Powell ran off. “Allenby you can be with Lowe and feed the Browning.”
“Sir!”
I stood, “Don’t worry, Allenby, accidents happen and this could be worse.” I cupped my hand, “Officer’s call!”
After a few moments, the Lieutenant and my NCOs joined me. I looked at the luminous dial on my watch. It was just after midnight. Already I was modifying my plan. “We have a wounded man. I am taking Bates off the machine gun and putting Allenby there instead. We use the canisters as sledges and I want them dragged to the outskirts of the town. When we get there have them filled with soil. They will protect the mortars and the machine gun.”
They nodded. I took heart from the fact that they looked confident despite the conditions. The snow was not yet lying but it soon would; winter was coming.
“We can use the parachutes for camouflage; by morning this will be a white world let us use whatever advantage we have. Lieutenant, you are in charge of building a defensive position. I will take you, Smith and you, Williams with me. I will leave Lance Corporal Williams at the place I intend to be the site of Fort Zinderneuf. When the rest of you get there, make a hide for Lofting; our sniper might well prove to be our ace in the hole.”
“Sir.” Lieutenant Morrison looked worried, “Are you sure about this, sir? Surely one of us could go in. It is too great a risk to send you.”
I shook my head, “I have done this more times than I care to think about. I have the silenced weapon and I am the one who knows the men we are seeking. Keep to the plan. I want a defensive position and I will be away for no more than an hour. This weather is a godsend to us as it will hide our movements. With luck, we can get in before dawn. I would rather rescue the men while the town is asleep.”
They nodded. I took out my Colt and fitted the silencer. “Ready?” The two newly-promoted men nodded and I headed towards the dark shadows that marked the town.
The barley field had given way to an area which looked like a market garden of some type. There were still the remains of the last beans and winter cabbages were in neat lines. We picked our way through it. There was a hut at the end and I stopped there, “Williams, this looks a good place to use as our defensive position.” I pointed at the house I could see through the sleet and snow. It was less than half a mile from us. “We are close enough here. When the others arrive ask the Lieutenant to send a couple of scouts out to find the river. By my reckoning, it is less than four hundred yards east of us.”
“Sir.”
I turned to Lance Corporal Smith. “Sling your gun and take out your sap. I want no noise. We hide if we see anyone and if we are disturbed then I will deal with them. Got it?”
“Sir!”
As soon as we left the hut, I saw that there was a path of some sort which led to the nearest house. That made sense as they would need to visit the area each day. The cabbages would be used to make the Korean staple, kimchi. It was a desperately cold night but our speed kept us warm. However, it also caused our breath to crystallize before us. That was not good, it meant we could be seen. I knew, from the aerial photographs, that the compound was at the junction of a main road and a smaller one which led north. I led Smith past the solitary house and saw, immediately beyond it the buildings of the town. This was not a western town. Most of the buildings were single-story and I saw, in the distance, a watchtower. That had to be the compound and it looked to be less than four hundred yards from us. I could hear some dogs barking but they were in the distance. They had not sensed us. This was the middle of the night for it was barely one o’clock. Even the early risers would not be roused until four. We had time.
When we reached the buildings, I walked in their shadows. The snow had begun to lie on the open areas but here the buildings afforded some protection and it was drier. The buildings felt warm as we passed them. The people would keep fires burning all night. I heard a dog bark ahead and a Korean voice shout; there was a yelp from the animal. There were guards ahead and I held up my hand and, leaving Smith to watch, I moved slowly to the edge of the building. Ahead of me, I saw the compound; it was eighty yards from us and the ground around it had been cleared. There were two watchtowers at the opposite diagonal corners and I spied the dog and handler as they patrolled the perimeter. They were outside and heading away from me. I had been lucky. Beyond the wire, I spied the tents which we assumed were being used by the prisoners and I saw two guards, on the far side, sheltering under the eaves of a building and smoking. They would have to be dealt with. They were in an open area and further towards the centre, there were buildings. That would be where the garrison slept. The watchtower closest to us was just twenty feet or so high and I saw a machine gun protruding from it. The glow from two cigarettes identified the guards there. The wire could be cut but the guards would have to be eliminated.
I headed back to Smith and gestured for him to follow me. I now had an idea of the difficulties we would encounter and I, once more, changed our plans. We needed a diversion to affect our escape from the compound. When we reached the hut, I saw that the team had been busy. My NCOs and Ashcroft approached me, “Sir, I contacted the Captain. The radio works and he knows we are here. I also got in touch with the Americans; they are down too.”
“Good. I want you here when we rescue the prisoners. Lieutenant, take the explosives we brought. I want the bridge ready to demolish. Take Williams with you. I want it exploding at precisely 0520 hours. I expect North Korean reveille to be at 0530. I want them asleep when we attack. I intend to break in at 0500 hours. Wait close enough to the bridge to see that it is demolished and then get back here.” I did not add that he ought to check his timers. That lesson had been learned.
“Yes, sir.”
I looked at my watch. It was 0210. “We leave here as soon as we can. We leave the Bergens in the hut and carry as many grenades and ammunition as we can. Whatever else needs doing can be completed by Lance Corporal Lake and his men. The two medics sole responsibility will be to look after the prisoners who are in a bad way. The rest of us will do the fighting. Get to it and send Lofting and Smith to me.”
Sergeant Major Thorpe nodded, “Sir.”
Our sniper arrived. I was pleased to see that he had his rifle wrapped and protected. “Lofting, I want you as close to me as my Bergen.”
“Sir!”
“I intend to use my Colt to eliminate the two guards in the tower. Your job will be to keep watch for any Korean who tries to raise the alarm.”
“Won’t my bullet do that, sir?”
“Yes, but a single shot will just make them curious. A shout which tells them they are under attack will rouse the camp. There is a second watchtower on the north-west corner. You will need to take those out.” He nodded. “Smith, you take out the dog handler. I don’t think that he and his dog get on. You like dogs.”
He nodded, “Aye, sir, and I have some pemmican I bought at the PX. That should do the trick.”
“You will have to use your knife.”
“I know, sir, I am ready!” It was one thing to stick a commando dagger into a stuffed dummy and quite another to tear into a man, ripping muscle, veins and tissue whilst scraping off bone.
“Right, dump your Bergens with mine at the hut. We won
’t be needing them.”
The Lieutenant and Lance Corporal Williams ghosted next to me. The snow was now falling so heavily that visibility was becoming difficult. “Ready to go, sir.”
“Remember, you don’t need to destroy the bridge just make a noise. Save some explosives and timers in case we need them later.” They nodded, “And Lieutenant, if I don’t make it back, you have to extract the team.”
“I know, sir. I will be ready!”
I smiled. He was getting better.
Chapter 7
There were just fourteen of us who headed through a world of white. I had seen the increasingly bad conditions and ordered the men to make ponchos of their parachutes. They not only disguised us they afforded us a little protection from the biting wind and arctic cold. The Sergeant Major and Tomlinson with the spare radio brought up the rear. They would not enter the compound until we had the prisoners in our hands. Along with Lofting they would be our back up and provide covering fire for us. I had my Thompson slung beneath the poncho. Hall and Entwhistle had the wire cutters and their task would be to get us into the compound. The snow was lying and our footprints on the virgin snow would alert the enemy to our presence. It did not really matter as the gunfire and the explosives would tell them sooner. We moved more slowly than when I had made the recce and it took much longer to reach the compound.
We reached the edge of the last building before the compound. I saw the two sets of footprints in the snow. They looked to be the sentry’s and his dog; they led east. I turned and tapped Smith on the shoulder. He peered up at the tower to make sure that the sentries were looking in a different direction and then he sprinted off to the wire. Walking next to the wire was the safest method of avoiding detection. I turned to my two wire cutters and nodded. With my Colt held before me, I led them to the wire. Lofting would cover us. I had seen, on the recce, that the ground was flat and I ran whilst watching the tower. I saw no faces peering down and, again, that made perfect sense. To peer out meant getting a face full of snow! It was better to stay beneath the parapet. When I reached the wire and turned, I was gratified to see that I could not spot Lofting. The parachutes were a good disguise. While I aimed the gun at the tower, I heard the clip, clip of the cutters. To me, it sounded loud but the noise would not be heard in the tower. I glanced at my watch. The time was ten to five and we were on time. It took ten minutes to cut through the wire and remove a piece big enough for us to pass through. My two cutters picked up their rifles, slithered through and took up defensive positions. The snow was easing off and soon it would stop.