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

grabbed hold of the Crusader’s machine gun and made ready tofire. The distant buzz grew louder until the whine of the G.50s sent tremorsalong the ground, through the tank and up into Danny’s arms. Or perhaps it wasterror.

The low-wing single engine G.50 was like a squat version of theRAF’s more elegantly designed Spitfire. Danny watched them as they banked andshaped to make another pass.

Danny kept his eyes fixed on them while trying to shut the walingsound of their engine. He waited until they were fifty yards away. By nowbullets were flying all around him. The three planes were not directly overhead,but they were flying exceptionally low. Had there been time, he might have admiredthe bravery of the Italian pilots. But it’s difficult to admire something youdesperately need to kill.

Danny pressed the trigger on the machine gun. A short sharp burstat the lead plane. He stopped quickly lest he run through all the bullets. Hewas sure he had hit the plane, but they reacted like they’d been stung by awasp. Danny swung around ready for the next dive from the Italians. In thedistance he could see them banking.

They came back. The first plane strafed the tanks and the armouredcars below. Danny fired off another short burst but as quickly as they’d come,they were gone. This time they were heading away from the airfield. The Italianpilots had, not unreasonably, weighed their odds of success against the desireto avoid capture and the destruction of valuable aircraft.

‘They’re gone, sir,’ called Danny.

Reed immediately replaced Danny on top and radioed the colonel.

‘Hello, Reed here. G.50s have gone. None destroyed. No tanks orarmoured cars destroyed.’

Lister ordered the tanks to press forward towards the airfield. Wasit really possible they’d caught the enemy by surprise? It seemed too good tobe true.

‘You heard,’ shouted Reed into his microphone, ‘let’s keep going.’

The squadrons moved forward towards the airfield in what seemedlike an air of unreality. At any moment they expected to see the enemy appearto bar their way. Yet every yard advanced brought no sign of any response. Dannyglanced towards Holmes.

‘Shouldn’t we be getting bombed now.’

Holmes shrugged and replied, ‘Don’t complain, sonny boy. It’llcome trust me.’

Soon the squadron arrived at the airfield and saw around twentyplanes, sitting on the ground. Reed looked around unable to believe his eyes.It had all been so easy. He heard Captain Aston radio in that they had takenthe airfield which seemed to him premature. Reed smiled grimly. Typical ofAston to impart this news. He was clearly aiming to be associated with thesuccess.

‘Well done, Aston. Await instruction. Over,’ replied Lister.

With each passing minute it appeared that they had taken theairfield. A number of Italians appeared to be surrendering. Danny remained inthe tank for the next few minutes wondering what the hell was going on. Finallyhe heard Aston’s voice on the wireless.

‘Eighty prisoners, that is eight zero prisoners, nineteenaircraft, one nine, confirmed captured. Various transport. Over.’

‘Hello all stations,’ replied Lister. ‘Any undamaged aircraft areto be demolished. Don’t waste ammo on them, though. Stay put at the airfielduntil further notice. Campbell.’

Danny looked up at Reed.

‘How do we destroy the aircraft, sarge?’

Craig let out a loud whoop of joy. Danny glanced down, a smile onhis face.

‘Do your worst, Craig,’ said Reed with a grin.

The tank jolted forward, heading straight for the tail of one ofthe planes. Danny’s smile widened as he saw what the Ulsterman intended.

‘You’re a vandal, Craig,’ shouted Danny.

‘I know,’ shouted Craig exultantly. The whole tank laughed as thewheels crunched over the tail wings, helped by an infantry man balancing on theplane, pushing the back down.

Soon the other tanks were joining in the destructive mayhem. Thewireless full of cheering as, one by one, the G.50s were destroyed. Dannycaught sight of the pilots looking on in dismay.

It felt good.

-

A few hours later, Danny sat with his tank mates huddled around afire eating a bully beef stew. It was night and they were all in a good mood.They’d accomplished the task they had set out to do and captured the airfield.Danny noted that Reed did not share the exultant mood of the group. Thissuggested he did not consider the task finished. Rather than join in with thegood-natured ribbing that was taking place, Danny withdrew, taking his cue fromReed. He went in search of Arthur and Phil.

Arthur saw Danny first.

‘So you’ve won the war, then, I see,’ shouted Danny, when hespotted his friends.

Danny allowed himself a smile. Arthur continued, ‘Had to happen.First sign of Daniel Shaw, esquire, the whole of the Afrika Korps collapses.’

They were joined a few moments later by Phil Lawrence.

‘So it’s over then. We can go home?’ asked Arthur.

‘That’s about the size of it, mate,’ replied Lawrence. ‘Blightyhere we come.’

‘Did you bag any planes earlier?’ asked Lawrence.

‘Bag any? Exclaimed Danny, ‘We started the rout.’

This was met with good-natured albeit expletive-filled scepticismby his two friends. Danny gave up trying to convince them it was his idea andthey turned to a more important topic. What would happen now.

‘Any idea what’s going to happen tomorrow?’ asked Danny motioningtowards the bivouac where Colonel Lister and the other officers were intogether.

‘Planning the celebration,’ said Arthur laughing.

Lawrence smiled but he was thinking along similar lines. They’dsucceeded in taking an airfield. There was the small matter of relieving Tobrukand removing the Afrika Korps from Cyrenaica and the rest of Libya. Arthur fellsilent as he saw his two friends looking more thoughtful.

‘Well, I thought it was funny, anyway.’

In the distance they could hear the rumble of heavy machinery. Anumber of patrols following the capture of the airfield had revealed Germanpositions on the other side of the northern escarpment.

-

Colonel Lister looked around at his officers. They had achievedtheir objective and he could see in their eyes a note of triumph. And why not?They’d taken the airfield with the maximum amount of surprise and the minimum ofinconvenience. Yet Lister felt perturbed. When a task was so easy it felt as ifsomething had been missed. It felt incomplete.

‘I’ve just been speaking with Brigadier Davy. Campbell, from the 7thSupport Group, will join us tomorrow. We’re to hold onto the airfield