Crusader (A Novel of WWII Tank Warfare) by Jack Murray (important of reading books .TXT) 📗

played, soldiersswayed and mixed with locals in a friendly then not so friendly dance ofcultures. Unseen and unuttered was the feeling that they were not welcome here.Danny sensed it before the third beer desensitised him.

The two men stood at the sea front and let the flush of wind bathethem. The flies were here, of course, but not so many and not so aggressive.More aggressive were the beggars. Danny resisted initially but sometimes thesight of a mother with a baby strapped to her back found a way through hisguard.

‘Where to now?’ asked Danny.

Arthur affected a plummy voice, ‘I thought we’d have a snifterdown at the Fleet Club with Binky, Bunty and…’

Danny’s laughter drowned out the final name which concluded hiscoarse rhyme. As they walked, they spied traders on the street. They picked upsome local garb and tried it on in the street. They both looked ridiculous ifthe reaction of the local populace was anything to go by. They joined in thegeneral merriment.

Their laughter was unforced, joyous and full of the life theyfelt. They knew that soon, and for a long time, the chance to enjoy the cold,soft blueness of the water would no longer be possible. It would be replaced bythe harsh glare of the sun, and the sandpaper sensation of dirty clothes onyour skin

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‘Are you going to Sisters Street?’ asked Arthur later as theywalked away from the market. His eyebrow was arched and there was a sly smileon his face. ‘you might meet the love of your life.’

‘We can go along for a drink. I’m not sure I want to survive themight of the Afrika Korps only to pop my clogs because of the clap.’

‘It won’t kill you,’ laughed Arthur.

They walked on through the streets and arrived at a crowdedstreet. Danny read the sign in a comedy French accent.

‘Rue des Soeurs. Shall we?’

‘Just keep the girls off me, Danny-boy. They can’t resist a manwith obvious experience.’

Danny made a great show of studying his friend, head to foot.

‘I’ll do my best but there may be too many of them.’

They started off at a café. There was coffee and cakes. There werealso some young women who came over and joined them unbidden at the table.

‘Hello, ladies,’ said Arthur with a wide grin. ‘Now what mightyour names be?’

The first woman was a striking mixture of Moorish and French. Verypretty with dark brown hair, she sat down and put an arm lazily around Danny.

‘I’m Lulu, this is Celine,’ said the woman in heavilyFrench-accented English. The other woman was older and did not seem to speakEnglish. The only gentlemanly thing to do was to buy them a drink. Soon abottle of wine was brought over to the table. Danny and Arthur were happy justto hear the sound of a woman’s voice and they let Lulu talk.

‘I came over before the War. I’m from Marseilles. I was with my fiancé.He wanted to get away from the Germans. So we came here. The war followed us.’

‘Where is he now? asked Danny. He saw Arthur’s eyebrows shoot upand a faint smile appear on his lips. He found out why a moment later.

‘He’s behind the bar.’

Danny glanced up at a large man serving a coffee to anothersoldier. He ignored Arthur who was chuckling away to himself. The ladies hadacquired a taste for the wine and were content to drink away at the expense oftheir company. When the bottle was finished, Arthur, by dint of a slightmovement of his head, indicated it was time to move on.

It was early evening now. The street was alive with men weeks awayfrom death.

‘Bloody hell, there’s more soldiers here than at the front,’commented Arthur.

Danny nodded but did not seem happy.

‘I wonder how many of them have been out there.’

‘What is it Colonel Lister calls ‘em?’

‘Chairborne base-wallahs.’

‘Sounds about right.’

All around them they heard the piercing shrieks of Sodom behindthe walls of bars and bedrooms along the street. From one bar they heard aradio playing. Danny recognised the voice of Al Bowlly.

‘Let’s try here.’

The two men walked towards the bar. As they did so a largeChrysler motorcar pulled up outside. Out stepped a lieutenant from theirregiment. The lieutenant stopped as he saw the two men from his regimentapproaching.

‘I hope you’re not the military police,’ said the lieutenant witha grin. He was joined, moments later, by another lieutenant.

‘Colonel Lister asked us to keep an eye on you both, sir,’returned Danny.

‘Quite right, too. I can’t be trusted. Nor can Delson here,’ saidLieutenant Crickmay. ‘What if we buy you both a drink in return for yoursilence?’

‘It may require a couple of drinks,’ responded Arthur quick as aflash.

‘Cheap at half the price, or is it double? I can never remember.’

Lieutenant Crickmay led them into the bar. He and Delson were slightlyolder than Danny but not much so. Crickmay was a popular member of theregiment. Slightly shorter than Danny, he was obviously smart and not justintellectually. His dapper appearance would have made him a figure of fun,mockery even, had he not been so highly regarded by the officers as well as themen. His moustache was as clipped as his accent and his clothes were well cutand made Danny feel as if he were wearing a sack. Danny decided there and thenthat when all this was over, he would, never again wear anything that was notwell cut and stylish. He drew the line at cravats, though.

‘Where are you bound for?’ asked Crickmay, one eyebrow arched.

Arthur laughed, ‘I’m a happily married man sir, but there’snothing to stop young Shaw, here, giving the ladies of Cairo a treat.’

‘Be careful what you get in return, old boy.’

Danny smiled and said, ‘I think I’ll take care of my dad here; seethat he gets back in one piece. Where are you gentlemen heading?’

‘We’ll head on to the Sporting Club and console Mr Turner. He losta big match on the polo field earlier. Doesn’t like losing, especially if it’sto Edmund.’

Danny and Arthur looked quizzically at Crickmay.

‘Sorry. Captain Aston,’ explained Crickmay while attracting theattention of a rather large barman to ask for their glasses to be refilled.This required no