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

flame erupted from it as the fuel caught fire.

‘Faster’ shouted Danny but he wasn’t sure who he was talking to.

The truck was now widening the gap with the Germans chasing it. And then Danny saw a German soldier with a mortar.

‘Look,’ he said to Piper.

Piper nodded and directed his rifle towards the soldier with the mortar. He fired. The soldier fell wounded but two others grabbed the mortar. Some of the soldiers turned their attention to where Danny and Piper were positioned. Bullets began to lash the sand around them.

‘You have to get them,’ said Danny, ‘They’ll hit the truck.’

Piper leased off another shot but the intensity of fire was such that both boys had to keep their heads down.

‘We can’t stay here,’ said Danny. ‘There’s too many.’

He risked a glance at the truck. At that moment it exploded.

‘What happened?’ shouted Piper anxiously.

Danny couldn’t speak. They were all dead. The mortar had been a direct hit. The fuel exploded. No one could have survived such an explosion. He shook his head and grabbed Piper. They stumbled down the back of the slope just as a mortar landed where they’d been sitting. Other mortars were now being launched and landing to their left and right.

Overhead, Very lights were launched and they heard shouts behind them. Danny, weighed down by the radio, fell behind Piper. They were now on the flat and running much faster now. The light died and Danny changed direction just as shooting started from the top of the hill.

Danny was now thirty yards to the side of Piper and at least twenty yards behind. Danny dived into a hollow as the night was lit up by another light. Piper was still running, however.

‘Get down,’ shouted Danny. Piper was now bathed in light. Danny saw sand fly up behind his feet. Then he saw Piper fall. A few seconds passed. The young soldier did not move. And then darkness returned. Danny stood up and began running again. He heard a shot and then another light went up. He dived to the ground. Shots raked the ground nearby. There were shouts now as the Germans soldiers began to race down the slope, confident that they were not going to be shot.

When the Very light went out, Danny got up and began to sprint again, switching back towards where Piper lay. He arrived at the Piper’s body. Piper was dead. Shots pinged a few yards away. He grabbed Piper’s rifle and stumbled forward a few yards before diving to the ground when another Very light lit up the night.

The light revealed to Danny that half a dozen soldiers were in pursuit around forty yards away from him. They had fanned out and were walking slowly. Danny took aim and fired. One soldier was down forcing the others to hit the ground. By firing he had effectively given away his position. Moments later he heard a mortar being launched. It landed twenty feet behind him.

Darkness returned. Danny stayed where he was. Another light soon went up. A German soldier risked standing.

Danny shot him. He fell and did not move.

-

‘Stop firing,’ ordered Blair gazing at the Very lights going up five hundred yards away.

There had been no more wireless contact since the firing had started. Buller looked at Blair and then to Gray. He wanted to keep the barrage going. Gray stared at Blair.

‘Shouldn’t we keep firing, sir? We don’t know what’s happening…’

‘My point, Gray. We don’t know what’s happening. Captain Arnold was specific. If a firefight develops use your own initiative.’

That doesn’t mean running away leaving the men behind, thought Buller. He shot a glance at Fitz. The Irishman’s face was a mask of anger. Gray pressed again.

‘Can’t we just keep the volley going a bit longer, sir?’

Blair shook his head.

‘What about Shaw and Piper, sir?’

‘We have to assume they’re dead, Corporal. There’s been no contact. Now pack up. That’s an order.’

‘But what about the Very lights and the gunfire?’

Blair wasn’t listening. He turned around and stalked back to the front of the truck. There was no choice. The chain of command brooked no argument. Buller’s training kicked in and he, Fitz and Gray quickly reattached the gun trailer to the back of the truck.

Buller glanced at Evans who was manning the radio. The Welshman shook his head. Gray climbed into the front of the truck and started the engine. He put the truck into gear and began to turn away from the oasis. Just then the radio crackled in the back of the truck.

‘Shaw here. Operation has failed. Repeat, Operation failed. I’m, pinned down about four hundred yards from you on the other side of the hill. Piper is dead. All the others, too.’

Gray stopped the truck and looked at Blair. The lieutenant’s eyes were wide with fear. Then they hardened for a moment.

‘We can’t stop. Drive on, Gray.’

-

Danny finished his message and switched off the radio. He didn’t want a reply to give away his new position. The situation was now impossible. Behind him was a hill. On the other side of the hill, some three or four hundred yards away, was the truck. The Germans would easily pick him off as he went up the hill. He couldn’t stay there as they would soon overwhelm him. His ammunition was almost spent even though he’d been careful.

It was hopeless.

He thought about surrendering. But what would be his chances? He’d probably be killed. The enemy soldiers would want to take full revenge for the men he’d killed or wounded. Another light went up. Indifference replaced fear now. In front of him the landscape seemed empty but he knew they were there. Someone would be acting as spotter. Then the others would either attack or they would mortar him to smithereens. At the very least he would make life difficult. Just as the Very light started to dim the mortar bombing started. They were closer now. The light went out. He rose to his feet and sprinted directly towards the hill then