The Dardanelles Conspiracy by Alan Bardos (best ereader for pc TXT) 📗

written to the Germans. The Colonel flicked away a piece of mud. His face turned purple with revulsion, over the mud or what Johnny had written, Johnny couldn’t tell.

‘You’ve been caught giving a written warning of a pending attack to the enemy – in German!’ The Colonel was lost for words. The fact that Johnny could write in German seemed to have made his crime all the more unspeakable.

He handed the note to Crassus, who recited it from memory, slowly emphasising the implication of each word. ‘There’s going to be a raid, we don’t want to do it, it isn’t us.’

‘We don’t want to do it – WE DON’T WANT TO DO IT!’ The Colonel was beside himself, a tear forming in his eye. ‘Did you give any thought to the men who were going to make the raid? The men who would be going into a trap, thanks to you?’

‘I would have led the attack and drawn the enemy fire giving the men a chance to escape,’ Johnny said, and he probably would have, or let Crassus.

‘I hope to God that is true, Swift.’ Johnny knew the Colonel was a good man in his way. He even ignored his men trading with the enemy for food, but the fact that Johnny had been caught warning of an attack, was social embarrassment beyond his comprehension and vengeance would be quick and brutal.

‘Perhaps it might help if I took you through the events of the night in question, sir,’ Crassus asked.

‘Yes, that’s why you’re here after all, Dawkins,’ the Colonel said.

Crassus stood up and clearly and precisely retold what he’d seen when he went to inspect Johnny’s sector of the front. He didn’t make anything up. He didn’t have to. The only thing that really interested Johnny was what happened to his men.

‘He left me with one hell of a mess to clear up,’ Crassus said and the Colonel looked sickened. Aside from causing one’s colonel social embarrassment, Johnny was well aware that there was no greater crime than people thinking you had left a mess behind, for someone else to clear up.

‘I had to quell a near mutiny. Swift was popular with his men, but if we all allowed drinking and fraternising with the Germans, I shouldn’t wonder if we’d all be popular.’

‘Quite so,’ the Colonel said. ‘War is a bloody business, Swift, you don’t win by being everyone’s friend.’

‘The Bosch certainly didn’t play fair. They really let us in for one hell of a brush up. They came at us in droves, it was quite a scrap,’ Crassus said gleefully. ‘His platoon made quite a good fist of it when they were properly led. I’d strongly recommend that any offences they committed while under Swift’s command be washed out by gallant conduct in the field.’

‘Agreed.’ The Colonel gave Dawkins a look as if to say, ‘we’ll make a gentleman of you yet’. Johnny had to hand it to Crassus, he certainly knew how to play his man.

‘And as a matter of fact, the Corporal said he’d offer up a prayer for my salvation. First class fellow, I thought he’d make a half decent servant.’ Crassus added.

Johnny stifled a laugh, relieved to hear that Williams and his men wouldn’t be punished for what he’d done.

The Colonel glowered at him. ‘What was that Swift?’

‘May I ask about casualties, sir?’

‘No, you bloody well may not, you’ve forfeited that privilege. You’ve let them down and, what’s more, you’ve tarnished all the brave men of the battalion who grin and bear it in the mud, without seeing the need to conspire with the Germans. What made you do it, I wonder!’

Crassus leaped in before Johnny could speak. ‘Well, you can see the attitude, sir. Swift’s always been a bit superior about other men’s accomplishments. While he’s forced to rely on the limited connections he has.’

‘You should take note of this man, Swift. He single-handedly raided a German trench and fought off a determined enemy counterattack. He has now received a transfer to the Royal Fusiliers, one of the finest regiments in the British Army.’ The Colonel focused on Crassus. ‘I trust I can rely on your discretion, Dawkins?’

‘Yes, sir, I will do as honour and my conscience dictate, where this swine and the good name of the battalion are concerned,’ Crassus said and a blood vessel in his face bulged in an effort to control his frustration. Which Johnny thought a little over the top. He’d won, he was getting his posting while Johnny would be shot.

‘Hear that, Swift?’ The Colonel asked. ‘That is a man of character, he doesn’t go bawling to one of his cronies the minute he gets in trouble.’

‘Yes sir,’ Johnny said laconically.

The Colonel shook his head. ‘To think I had high hopes for you, Swift. You were one of my best officers. Not the right sort, of course, but you at least had the best interests of your men at heart. Just shows how wrong you can be about someone. Now get out of my sight.’

‘I beg your pardon?’ Johnny asked, daring not to hope that his uncle had worked his magic.

‘I just wanted to see if you’d show any remorse.’ The Colonel picked up Johnny’s blue court martial form, slipped it into an envelope with a regimental crest on it and signalled to someone behind Johnny.

Two elderly sailors entered, one of them marched up to the colonel and took the envelope from him. Johnny grinned knowingly at them. It was kind of his uncle to lay on an unofficial escort to cut through the bureaucracy and dispose of the evidence.

Johnny waved goodbye to Crassus. Then allowed the sailors to lead him out into the first breath of freedom he’d had for months, and onto his leave.

Chapter 5

Sir George Smyth took a moment to enjoy the sensation of