Cast No Shadow, Peter Sharp [books to get back into reading txt] 📗

cursory warning of ‘Stand by!’ followed by an earth-shaking explosion as each of the guns was disabled.

Once the task was completed, the commando was reorganised for the move back to the beach. One troop was held behind to provide rear guard cover, whilst the others set off in their two parts to make the return journey.

Whilst this was happening, Kelly, Delacroix and their colleagues were busy interrogating and searching prisoners. The commandos were already starting to withdraw by the time they completed their task. A few prisoners were attached to one of the troops, whilst the information Kelly’s section had accumulated was despatched with a young subaltern acting as second-in-command of one of the commando troops.

Most of the 10 Commando section attached themselves to the rear-guard and would return with them. However, Delacroix decided that he and Kelly would make their way on to Petit Appeville, where it was thought that the Saskatchewans and the Camerons were still in action. It was felt that there might be richer pickings in terms of intelligence in that area.

Kelly looked at his watch as he and Delacroix set off towards Appeville. It was just before 8 am and the last of 4 Commando were leaving for the beach. He had been mightily proud of serving with these men. The unit was run like a well-oiled machine, they were simply magnificent.

Delacroix and Kelly stayed parallel to the coast and kept low, dropping out of sight if they saw any movement. On one occasion they came upon two German stragglers, probably from the batteries 4 Commando had destroyed. Kelly sent a burst of Sten gun fire towards them and they took to their heels. All the time the sound of gunfire and explosions came unceasingly from Dieppe and the village of Petit Appeville.

They breached a small knoll just south of Appeville and had a clear view of the horror that must be Dieppe. Flashes of grenades, field guns and heavy weapons gave an eerie back illumination to the pall of smoke that hung over the town. The fighting seemed to be centred on the beach area.

With a gasp, Kelly checked his watch. 8.20 am and they were still on the beach?

He felt a knot tighten in his stomach.

This was not good. This was not good at all.

Disaster

As the two men moved towards Appeville, the noise of the battle increased. They could now hear the sound of men shouting and screaming and the unmistakable whining of live rounds passing over their heads. They skirted a few barns on the outside of the town until a sentry in the rear guard challenged them. Having convinced him of their identity, they were allowed to cross the line and approach the centre of the village. They came upon a makeshift barricade manned by a section of Camerons under the command of a subaltern. He seemed relieved to see a more senior officer, but his relief turned to disappointment when he discovered their mission.

The three men crouched below the top of the barricade whilst what remained of the section continued to exchange fire with the enemy.

“The position is critical,” the subaltern explained. “We need to pull out. The attack has ground to a halt, and the pressure on us is increasing.” He flinched as a burst of fire splintered the wood on the top of the barricade and sent a shower of wood chips down on them.

“I’m waiting for orders from my Troop Commander, but I simply don’t have any idea where he is,” he continued. “You are about as far into the village as we can go now, beyond this line and you are in German held territory.” He popped up momentarily above the barricade and dropped down again. “They’re getting closer,” he said. “I’m going to pull back; we can’t hold them.”

The barricade seemed to explode in smoke and splinters as a fusillade of rounds crashed into the front. Kelly knew immediately what was happening.

“You’ve got a flanking coming in!” he roared at the subaltern, but he was talking to a dead man. A trickle of blood oozed out of a small hole in the young officer’s forehead just above his left eye. The fear had gone from the dead eyes. He looked calm and at peace.

Kelly swung into action, ignoring the fact that he was junior to Delacroix, he took control.

“You two stay here!” he bellowed to two of the Canadians. “The rest of you come with me!” Farm buildings protected their flanks so the Germans must be coming around to catch them at the rear. He sprinted with his small team to the rear of their position where they took up a defensive position. Within seconds the enemy were upon them.

They came from the rear of the buildings on either side of the position in an attempt at a pincer movement, but they were upright, grouped together and jogging, clearly not expecting the change of position of the troops within the objective.

A fusillade, comprising a Bren, eight 303s and two Stens, opened up and virtually cleared the area. The Bren barked again and a small group that had survived and turned on their heels, were also cut down.

“You three, take that corner!” shouted Kelly, pointing to the corner of one of the flanking buildings. “You three take the other,” pointing to the other flank. “The rest of you, FOLLOW ME!” There was a scramble as the soldiers sprang into action, taking up their required positions. Kelly ran his group of five about thirty yards to the rear of the barricade and went into defence facing the enemy.

They would have a little time, as the platoon that had attacked regrouped and licked their wounds. The Camerons had given them a bloody nose, but Kelly knew they would return. He called the two flank groups to manoeuvre back whilst his group laid down covering fire. The Camerons were well drilled and recognised the movement. They pulled back about thirty yards beyond Kelly and immediately laid down fire.

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