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

With that—and feeling somewhat buoyed up—he joined the main force, now ready to start the move to the plant.

Kelly rejoined Foley, and they briefly discussed tactics. The first eight miles would be covered in commandeered vehicles. They would then debus and cover the remaining two miles through the forest, emerging, with any luck, at the edge of the plant. It was agreed that Kelly plus two other marines would act as scouts in the approach phase. They would have a ‘hit squad’ following the scouts to deal with anyone making their way from the plant to the village.

Gareth Owen was already preparing a roadblock and ambush to deal with any vehicles coming from the plant. As Foley pointed out, providing they pulled their fingers out, they could still hit the plant at first light.

The vehicles trundled to a halt in a clearing on the edge of the forest and the marines vacated the bus, silently and quickly, forming up into the previously allocated squads. Each man had been fully briefed and had memorised his part in the operation. There was no need for talk.

Kelly checked his prismatic compass and moved off through the forest, the birch trees hanging over them like gnarled wraiths. He took chances in the early part of the approach because speed was of the essence. They had made good time in the vehicles, but they still needed to maintain momentum if they were to strike at first light.

As they approached the general vicinity of the plant Kelly became more cautious, stopping and listening for periods before proceeding, now moving much more slowly. They reached a break in the forest and Kelly observed the area. The plant was to his left about a quarter mile distant. Not bad for dead reckoning, he thought.

He pointed out the lights to one of his scouts and signalled for him to inform Foley. The marine returned within a few minutes and gave Kelly the thumbs up. At the same time he could hear the faint sounds of movement coming from the main body of the force as they moved into position. With the best will in the world they could not manoeuvre in a birch wood without some sound. He just hoped there were no German patrols in the area.

Kelly led his two comrades to the same side of the plant he had approached on his first visit. The plan was simplicity itself. He would again creep close to the fence and plant a charge. Just before first light he would detonate this in the hope of creating a diversion in an area away from the main gate. Foley would then attack the main gate with one troop, whilst five troop, under Dunn, would hit the opposite side to Kelly, blowing a hole in the fence with an explosive charge.

Kelly turned his service Omega watch around so that the dial was away from the plant. Only then did he unclip the cover to read the time from the luminous face and hands. He quickly covered it again. Even the faintest light could be disastrous in this situation.

Fifteen minutes to go.

It would only take a few minutes to crawl to the wire, place the charge and return to detonate it. At the operational level it wouldn’t matter if he were discovered whilst laying the charge, as that would create sufficient diversion to enable the rest of the plan to be implemented. However, at the personal level Kelly felt he would much prefer not to be discovered.

Ten minutes to go.

Kelly was tense. At any time, they could be surprised by a roving patrol, jeopardising the whole plan, not to mention their own safety. He wanted desperately to get on with it, but he had to wait for the right moment.

Five minutes to go.

He needed to move now! Slowly he slithered out from cover, keeping as low to the ground as possible, hoping that his camouflage would fool the casual observer. No sudden movements. Slowly. Easily dragging the white sack of explosives with him. He was leaving a trail, of course, but in a few minutes that would be irrelevant. He reached the fence, now a double layer he noted. They had taken his last incursion seriously. He attached the bag to the fence with the shaped charge pointing inwards, set the detonator and started to edge backwards towards the wood.

Kelly froze. A sentry appeared from behind one of the nearby buildings and sauntered slowly in the direction of the fence. He was clearly visible in the glare of the security lights, whilst Kelly was in darkness and wearing camouflage, nevertheless it was an anxious moment. Kelly cursed the sentry under his breath. Move damn you! Move, he prayed. He could give the signal for the marine holding the firing mechanism to ignite the charge, but he would be fried in the explosion. If he delayed however, it could threaten the whole operation.

The sentry didn’t move, but he did turn his back. It was all Kelly needed. He leapt to his feet and sprinted towards the wood screaming, “Fire it! Fire it!”

“Achtung!” The cry from the startled sentry was dramatically cut off by the crash and roar of the charge as it ignited. Kelly had intended to dive into cover as soon as he was near the wood. He didn’t need to, the force of the blast lifted him and hurled him into the forest sending him over the heads of his companions, crashing through branches before the trunk of an old birch painfully arrested his flight.

Winded, he crawled to his feet and moved towards his team intending to give the order to fire, but not knowing his condition the corporal had taken charge and opened fire on his own initiative. The other marine had followed his lead.

Kelly moved into position alongside them and witnessed the turmoil below. The charge had blown a sizable gap in the fence through both layers and the nearest log-built cabin was in flames. Germans were