El Alamein, Jack Murray [best autobiographies to read .txt] 📗

soldiers set off to their objective with orders to send a runner when the guard changed over. For an hour they sat in this position. Danny’s muscles were beginning to lock into place when they heard the two messengers return. They went straight to Arnold. Danny was too cold to listen to what was being said.

Arnold called Blair over and quickly gave some orders to the lieutenant. One of the infantry men hopped into the back of the truck. When Arnold had finished issuing the orders, Blair returned and joined Sergeant Gray in the front.

‘We are to drive to within four hundred yards of the oasis,’ announced Blair. ‘We think that the hills will help muffle the noise of the engines. The infantry will look to take out the pickets. Meantime, the truck will circle around and wait for a signal once the pickets have been removed. It will freewheel into the oasis and we will load as much as we can, hopefully without attracting the attention of Jerry. If for some reason Jerry catches us in the act, then clearly, we’re in a bit of a pickle. This is when you men come in. We are to keep Jerry interested by hitting him with all we’ve got while our men make their getaway.’

Danny didn’t need to look at Buller to feel that this was a plan full of risk.

‘What are we aiming at?’ asked Buller.

This was no small matter. It was dark; they could not be sure of distance or direction. They couldn’t get close enough to see.

‘We could try to get closer,’ suggested Gray, trying to keep the edge out of his voice.

‘Out of the question,’ said Blair. ‘We’ll have someone on the hill giving us guidance via radio. Shaw, you’ve had experience with radio.’ Then he ordered the truck to turn to allow the gun to face in the direction of the oasis.

Danny accompanied a young infantry man to the hill overlooking the oasis. Danny was carrying a small radio set.

‘I’m Danny Shaw,’ said Danny as they walked towards the oasis.

‘Lenny Piper,’ said the soldier. He was about Danny’s age. By his accent, Danny guessed he was from London. ‘What do you think of the plan?’ asked the young soldier nervously.

Danny was tempted to say ‘the same as you probably’ but decided not to be so negative.

‘It’s a risk. But we need the petrol.’

A couple of minutes later they were sitting on a ridge overlooking the oasis. It was larger than Danny had imagined. A thicket of palm trees surrounded the water on one side. Across the oasis, on the other side, were a couple of dozen of tents. Set off from the tents was a compound containing the fuel and, presumably, the water. A dozen trucks were lined up near the fuel dump. Soldiers milled around but for the most part, none seemed particularly on the lookout for the enemy.

Two hours passed, mostly in a brooding silence. There was nothing they could think to talk about. Danny glanced at his watch. It was now close to two in the morning. There was little or no moonlight. The desert was a dark blue sea behind them, with a few palm trees and a company of Germans in front of them. Nothing to worry about, thought Danny grimly.

With each passing hour, the camp emptied with soldiers going to their tents. The only soldiers that Danny could see were two guards on each side of the camp. They were sitting on makeshift wooden benches, smoking. Neither appeared interested in looking out into the night. Across from them, fifty yards to the other side of the camp, the other two German soldiers were also smoking. Danny watched them both for a few minutes and wondered when they would strike.

They waited.

Just before three in the morning, Danny felt a tug on his elbow. Dark figures were approaching the German soldiers who were standing picket. Two soldiers had met on the middle for a chat, leaving one of their comrades alone. Seconds later there was a noise which attracted the attention of the three soldiers. They both walked forward. Overlooking the scene Danny could see the lone soldier being overwhelmed by a small group of British soldiers. From out of the shadows another group appeared. The infantry men were upon the Germans before they could get their guns off their shoulders.

Seeing that the pickets had been dealt with, less than a minute later the British truck rolled silently towards the oasis, partly freewheeling, partly pushed by the remaining infantry. It drew to a halt and quickly the infantry men began to take jerricans of petrol from the store and load it onto the truck. Danny watched the operation spellbound. It was freezing now but perspiration dripped from his forehead. Fear gripped him as he watched the petrol being quietly loaded onto the truck. It seemed impossible that they would not be discovered.

Minutes passed in agonizing slowness. Danny wanted to shout down to the men to hurry up or stop. How much was enough?

Then he saw the flickering torches. These were followed by shouts. Danny knew the men had been seen. He quickly grabbed the radio, switched it on and began to transmit.

‘Operation is compromised. Repeat compromised. Begin to fire.’

Just as he said this, he heard the first gunshots. A few cracks at first and then more. Half a dozen British soldiers were streaming towards the truck. The engine of the truck kicked in but around twenty or thirty German soldiers, many half-dressed, were running towards the truck firing.

The truck began to reverse at great speed but in its haste the wheels began to spin without traction. Danny looked on helplessly and yelled ‘fire’ into the mic.

At that moment an explosion landed forty yards to the left of the compound.

‘Traverse right forty yards. Distance is good,’ shouted Danny.

The Germans were firing at the truck which had managed to start moving. A second explosion landed on one of the armoured cars. A blossom of