Crusader (A Novel of WWII Tank Warfare), Jack Murray [top romance novels .txt] 📗

of Jock Campbell. The eyesbetrayed no fear. He was as tall as Aston. A light, clipped moustache stood outagainst his sun-reddened face His tone, when he began speaking, was calm, buturgent.

‘The situation is fraught. We’ve lost a lot of officers, men andtanks. As far as I can tell, Lieutenant-Colonel Lister, and the commanders of Band C squadrons have all been killed or captured. The 6th RTR hasseventeen tanks left. They will now fall under the command of CaptainLongworth. Captain Ainsley, can you take some tanks to confirm if there are Axistanks advancing on the airfield? We cannot lose our hold. I’m going down therenow. Longworth, assemble the remaining tanks, get them ready and get them downthere.’

This effectively ended the meeting. Campbell climbed into thewaiting staff car and sped off, leaving the remaining officers to organise theremnants of the regiment. The list of killed or captured made for soberingreading.

Ainsley handed the list to Aston who shook his head but saidnothing. Longworth’s face was ashen.

‘Have we rescued any men?’ asked Longworth dejectedly.

‘I picked up some of Reed’s men,’ said Aston.

Longworth looked up hopefully at this. Reed was highly regarded byall of the officers. Aston shook his head.

‘No, Reed’s gone.’

‘Are any of the reserve tanks ready?

‘No, sir,’ replied Ainsley.

‘Then can we find tanks for the other men?’ pressed Longworth.

Aston nodded. So, too, did Ainsley.

‘My tank was hit, Mackenzie and Woodburn were wounded,’ said Ainsley.

‘My loader Dalton,’ said Captain Aston, shaking his head .‘Dropped a shell on his ankle. I think it might be broken. Bloody idiot.’

It would be fair to say the other officers looked aghast at thisincompetence. Aston felt that some of the disgust was directed towards him. Hequickly moved the topic on, while they had time in the midday lull.

‘What of the other sectors? Do we know what’s been happening?’asked Aston.

Longworth’s face looked grim. It was clear that things elsewherewere not going well.

‘A division of Panzers to the south east were engaged by the 7thHussars. I gather their losses were heavy. The 60th artillery are upagainst a Panzer division. The Germans are in charge of the eastern end of thesouthern escarpment. It’s not looking good. I’ve told Davy we’re too spreadout. He thinks we’re winning,’ said Longworth with a note of incredulity.

Pent up feeling against the ineffectiveness and unreliability ofthe tanks, their equipment and the cluelessness of the commanders threatened toderail the meeting until Longworth held his hand up and asked for quiet.

‘I know how you feel. The Germans have better tanks and betterguns. There’s nothing we can do about that at the moment. Better tanks willcome, I’m sure of that. For now we have our job to do. Hold onto the airfield.The New Zealanders are coming from the east and Scobie’s making good progressfrom Tobruk. We’ve also got the 4th and 22nd coming fromthe south. They’ll give Rommel something to think about.’

‘How many tanks do we have left?’ asked Aston. ‘Including the 2ndRTR.’

‘Less than thirty. We’re trying to see what we can salvage,’replied Longworth. He shot Aston a glance. If there was a way of introducing a downbeatnote into proceedings, Aston was your man.

There was no way for Longworth to sugar coat the level of damagethe Afrika Korps had inflicted on them in the morning. The meeting had reachedits conclusion and Longworth gathered up his maps. He recapped on their newobjective

‘It’s going to get even messier now. I don’t doubt for a secondthe enemy will anticipate our moves. Divide Reed’s men amongst yourselves,’said Longworth. ‘We have to move to a new position to the south west of thisone. I’ll radio the details. All right. To the tanks, everyone.’

They broke up with Ainsley and Aston walking alongside oneanother. They discussed who they would take. Although all the men in the tankwould have been trained for each of the different roles, it was best to haveexperience where possible.

-

Danny and Craig were handed some biscuits and tea. When Danny hadfinished these he went in search of his friends. He saw Arthur and Lawrencewalking towards him.

‘Thought you were a goner there at one moment, my lad,’ saidArthur.

‘You look in a bad way. What happened?’

Danny was unable to speak at first. Arthur and Lawrence could seethe deep sorrow on Danny’s face. He felt Arthur pat his arm. His relief at hissurviving and the adrenaline surge he’d experienced during the day hadevaporated. His fatigue was deep, his sadness for the lost colleagues deeperstill and a feeling of guilt rose within him.

 ‘Sorry, mate,’ said Lawrence. ‘You don’t have to say anything.’

‘No, it’s all right,’ replied Danny at last.

Danny talked a little of what had happened. When he reached the pointat which they’d been hit, he stopped for a moment to collect himself.

‘It’s so quick. You’ve no time to think. I don’t know what we weredoing. It was suicide.’

His two friends nodded. Word of the charge had filtered through toA Squadron. It sounded hellish. There was little they could say to consoletheir young friend. However, Danny felt a little better for having spoken ofwhat he’d experienced if only because he thought it might help his friends in asimilar situation. They were grateful. When a tank was hit and began to brewup, they had seconds to escape.

‘I see you’re with that bugger Aston now,’ said Lawrence.

‘I don’t know. Anyway, he’s not that bad,’ replied Danny, indefence. ‘If he hadn’t collected us, I wouldn’t be here now.’ His two friendsexchanged glances and said nothing more on the topic of Captain Aston. Theyparted with their usual farewell.

‘Keep your head down.’

Danny trotted back towards Craig, who was sitting down, alone,holding his tea and smoking a cigarette.

‘Any word of what’s happening?’ asked Danny. Craig shook his headand pointed to a spot behind Danny.

Danny turned just in time to see two officers approach. CaptainsAston and Ainsley were deep in conversation. They both glanced in the directionof Danny and Craig.

‘Well, Danny-boy, I guess this is it,’ said Craig. ‘We’re about toget new tanks. On your feet.’

Craig leapt to his feet and threw away his cigarette. Aston spokefirst.

‘Which one of you can load?’

‘I was loader in