D-day is over but the Germans still have the allies ringed in a tiny part of Normandy. The Commandos are given a task to go behind the enemy lines to destroy a fuel dump. They become part of the force which closes the Falaise Gap and endure the horrific fighting against the elite S.S. Concluding with the liberation Paris this is a fast moving novel which portrays the lives of ordinary soldiers as they do extraordinary things.
This book follows the section as they are sent behind the enemy lines to blow up a fuel dump and are then embroiled in the fight against the S.S. Panzer division as they try to break out of the Falaise Gap. A fast moving novel it takes the reader from Caen to Paris. The Commandos have to show their ingenuity as they are faced with new and terrifying challenges.
Excerpt
As we turned left the houses disappeared and we were in the open land to the north of Caen. I saw a burnt out Sherman and a disabled Churchill. The Sherman was a blackened shell. The Churchill had lost a track. The smoke from the tank made it hard to see beyond the two vehicles. The Canadians were manhandling a six pounder anti tank gun into position. “Stay here and I will find out what is going on.”
I jumped out. Bullets pinged off the armour. Bill fired a burst from the German machine gun. I guess he must have seen where the gunfire came from. Shells were still hitting the buildings behind me. I ran from side to side with my head down until I reached a partly demolished building. A Canadian Major looked up when I entered, “Where the hell did you and the half track come from?”
“We were by the river and I heard the firing. What is going on?”
“We had a message at midnight that the Germans were planning to attack us this morning. We were ready for them but they had Tigers. We are holding them but only just. More men are coming from the beaches right now. If you and your men can block the road you are on and cover the six pounder that would be a help.”
“Will do. How many tanks have you left?”
“Two Churchills and a Sherman. We lost five tanks already and we haven’t even dented the Tigers. I think it is just the wreckage of our tanks that is stopping them.”
I dodged and ran back to the half track. “Right lads we are on a holding mission. We stop them here. Emerson, Hay and Shepherd, you stay here with the vehicle. The rest of you grab your weapons and we will join the crew of the six pounder.”
I ran to the anti-tank gun. Even as I reached it a bullet struck the layer in the head and he fell at my feet. “Corporal Fletcher, act as gun layer.” I fired a burst from my submachine in to the smoke. Both sides were firing blind. The Canadian gun layer had just been unlucky.
“Thanks sir.” The sergeant looked at my flash, “Commando eh?”
“Don’t worry we know how to stand and fight too. Can you see any targets?”
He shook his head. “The Germans have laid down smoke and the tanks just appear out of it. The only advantage we have is that when they are that close we can do some damage.”
I nodded. “Sergeant Poulson get some sandbags erected around the gun. Private Beaumont, come with me.”
I crawled along the ground towards the German lines. I counted on the fact that any bullets would be at waist or head height. “Where to sir?”
“Let’s head for the Churchill. It might be disabled but the gun looks like it will fire. Besides it will safer inside rather than out!”
“Looking at that Sherman I am not sure, sir.”
Bullets zipped over our heads but they seemed too high to cause us damage. The Germans could not see us for we were below the smoke. I saw two of the tank crew. They had been shot after they had evacuated the damaged tank. When we reached the Churchill I climbed up the rear. The turret hatch was open but if I just went in blindly then I risked a bullet. I raised my head over the top. I could see, a hundred yards away, the German Panzer grenadiers. They were advancing alongside two Panthers. A Tiger was stationary some two hundred yards behind it but its gun was still traversing and it was still firing. Glancing to my left I saw two Tigers and to my right another two Panthers. I saw my chance when a breeze suddenly blew some smoke in front of our Churchill. I scrambled into the hatch and dropped down. I landed on the body of the headless driver. There was a large hole in the front of the tank where the shell had blasted through. Inside the turret was blackened. There had been a fire but it had gone out.
I moved towards the gun as Private Beaumont dropped down beside me. “Do you know how this works Private Beaumont?”
He looked at it and nodded., “I think so. We won’t be able to traverse the turret but we can raise and lower the gun by hand. If you can load, sir, we might give Jerry a shock!”
I saw that there were shells behind me. It was a miracle they had not exploded. Then I realised that the German shell had been armour piercing and not HE. I saw the difference in the two types of shell. The armour piecing had a more tapered tip and was made of harder steel. Private Beaumont said, “Give me an armour piercing first, sir, and then if you want to get on the machine gun. Those grenadiers are getting a bit close to us.”
Getting to the machine gun involved moving the torso out of the way. I could not be squeamish about it. The poor driver was well out of it anyway. I cocked the Besa machine gun.”Ready when you are, Private Beaumont.”
“This will be tricky sir. I have to wait until the Panther moves into my sights. If you have to fire then go ahead sir and I will do my best.”
The Panzer grenadiers were now less than sixty yards from me. I could see the nearest Panther was traversing its turret to fire to our right. I opened fire moving the gun left to right and back again. I could not depress it too far but the range was perfect. I hit some of the grenadiers and the others hit the deck. The Panther’s gun began to traverse. It now saw us as a threat. I left the gun and grabbed another shell. Private Beaumont fired the Churchill’s seventy five millimetre gun and struck the Panther just below the turret. The barrel stopped traversing. The shell had done some damage.
“Quick sir, another! I have him!”
I loaded another armour piercing and he fired. This time it penetrated the turret. There was a whoosh of flame and the crew began to bail out.
“HE sir.”
I loaded one of the other shells and then went back to the machine gun. I was just in time as the infantry was advancing again. I fired a burst and then the gun jammed. Before I could clear it Private Beaumont had fired and hit the tank with high explosive. There was an enormous explosion. The Panther’s turret flew into the air. We had no time to congratulate ourselves as our tank was rocked by a tank shell which smashed into the left side, low down. It too was armour piercing but it was hot enough, as it struck, to start a fire.
“Right Private Beaumont. Time to bail out.”
