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

got out just in time. The tank was in flames then the turret wentten metres into the sky. Damn near caught me on the way down.’

 ‘We’d all escaped unharmed, but the battle was going on aroundus. We could see the Tommy tank that had destroyed ours fifty metres away. Theydrove past us and a hand came out the side and waved. Then they gave us thiskind of two-finger salute.’

 ‘We jumped onto a couple tanks that were moving backwards. My GodI prayed like I’ve never prayed before. All around me I could hear shellsscreaming overhead and then exploding nearby or hitting our tanks. I thought Iwas finished. The sound of the explosions. I’ll never forget it.’

‘Myself, and Kruger, he was a gunner, were on one tank and therest of my crew were on another. I saw the Tommy tank first. It was coming overa ridge from our side. I shouted a warning to Kruger. They had us side on. Ijumped off the back of the tank. It was no more than a second later it was hit.I jumped into a hole made by one of the explosions. The tank brewed up quickly.I saw men coming out of it on fire. They hadn’t a chance, Brehme. I went to seeafter, but they were all dead. Inside the tank I saw things I never want to seeagain. I wanted to cry.’

‘The Tommy tank left me alone and drove off. Then I saw otherspass me. Within a few minutes they were gone. I was on my own. There wasn’tanything I could do other than see what I could salvage from the tank. Therewas a lot of water and food, but I couldn’t carry it all. I took a sheet andwrapped up as much as I could. It weighed a tonne. But I was able to drag it onthe sand. I started to walk back in the direction of where we’d had a camp. Ithink it was around four in the afternoon. The heat was much worse than now,trust me.’

‘I’d been walking for an hour or so when I saw two men in thedistance. I shouted and waved to them. They waved back. It was only when we gotnear each other I realised they were Tommies. I couldn’t believe my luck. Istopped and they ran towards me. It wasn’t like I had anywhere else to go andthey would have caught me anyway. May as well let them come to me. I was tiredenough.

Of course, they couldn’t believe they’d met a German. Neitherspoke German of course. Typical British. They expect the mountain to come toMohammed when it comes to language. And they call us arrogant.‘

‘They were friendly though. There was no interest in fighting the war.We sat down and had a meal. They had some rations. They’re food is better. Theydidn’t think much of it though. Then they tried what I had. It was funny. Oneof them spat it out. They’re in a desert, abandoned and at risk of starvationand they reject our food. That tells you something, boys, trust me.’

‘When we’d finished our meals, I gave them some of my water thenwe wished each other luck and went in different directions. They waved. Iwaved. It was madness really. They were just like you and me. We argued a bitabout Hitler. They said a lot of things against him. But they had no idea whatit was like in Germany for us and our families. I think they were a bitsurprised when I told them. Maybe they have a better idea why we had a right tobecome strong again.’

I followed the tracks and found a lot of destroyed British tanks.I even had a look at them myself. Very poor quality. Small guns and much morelike a tin box than the Panzer when you rap the front of it. The sound and thefeel is different. I think we’re lucky to have the tanks we have. It wasgetting dark and I was feeling a bit nervous. I’m not normally afraid of thedark, I would add, but when you’re in the middle of nowhere, and it’s completesilence around you, I can tell you it gets you thinking.’

‘I was walking in the tracks themselves because visibility wasnon-existent. Then, finally, I saw it. Lights in the distance. Not many. A fewcampfires. I walked back into the camp. It was quite a welcome but there wassadness, too. We lost a lot of people. But we beat them. Sent them back toEgypt.’

-

‘I think if I were a cat,’ concluded Fischer, ‘I would have losteight of my nine lives.’

Manfred smiled and looked up at the sun. It was lower in the skyand the mid afternoon heat was actually not unpleasant. But they were alone.There was nothing around them except desert. A plain, pitiless landscape werenothing could live.

‘Don’t speak too soon, Fischer,’ replied Manfred, ‘We’re not homeyet.’

Home. Where was that now? The tank? The camp? Germany?

They forged ahead as the gloom descended on the desert. They weresilent now. Thoughts of where they would camp were uppermost in their minds. Finallyit was dark. They had no tank tracks to guide them in the dark. Finally Fischerstopped and looked around him. Darkness enfolded them.

‘What do you think, my friends?’

Manfred started to laugh.

‘I hope you’re not afraid of the dark.’

Fischer began to laugh now, too. Kohler started to laugh butseemed less sure of what the joke was. Both Manfred and Fischer had to sit downsuch was their merriment. It was free and pure. The laughter of youth,unrestricted by responsibility. The laughter of people who had a whole lifeahead of them.

 25

Sidi Rezegh Airfield, Libya, November 21st, 1941S

Danny looked around him as he followed Aston back towards his newtank. Arthur gave him a salute and Danny managed a grin. A number of C Squadrontanks had survived the charge. Only two from Danny’s. Somewhere in the distancehe could hear the rumble of guns. He looked down at his watch and saw it wasbroken. The face was cracked, and time stilled. He took it off and threw itaway. He thought