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

laughtersounded strange amongst the groans, the gun fire and the gut-wrenchingexplosions happening less than fifty yards away from this extraordinary zone ofsafety.

‘We can’t stay here,’ said Manfred. The former accountant, Lang,was thinking exactly the opposite. His eyes posed a question to Manfred.

Fischer answered for him, ‘You need to help the others.’ Manfredlooked down at Fischer. He was about to speak when Fischer smiled and said,‘Go. I’ll be all right here.’

The two men rose and bid a brief farewell to Fischer. They startedback towards the area through which they’d arrived. More soldiers werestreaming in from both sides. Manfred marvelled at the sight of two Germanstretcher bearers carrying a South African. It was madness. Manfred spun aroundas he walked trying to take in what he was witnessing.

They arrived at the inner edge of the Dressing Station. A coupleof German Infantrymen stood aside to let them pass. In front of them they sawthe battle raging. The German army had now occupied the South African position.Dead bodies lay everywhere. Twisted metal that once had been anti-tank gunsdotted the area like grotesque sculptures. Amongst all of this, noticedManfred, were dozens of destroyed German tanks. If this was victory, then ithad come at a terrible cost.

If it was victory.

The battle had not finished. Artillery fire was still landing allaround the Dressing Station. The two men glanced backwards at the haven theywere leaving. Then Lang looked up nervously to Manfred and raised one eyebrow.

‘After you, then.’

The End

 Postscript

Operation Crusader began on November 17th and ended on30th December 1941 in a victory for the Allies. The series ofbattles represents one of the most complex campaigns not just in World War IIbut in the history of warfare. It was the first battle fought by the DesertRats and the first defeat of Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps.

At the centre of the campaign were the various battles to occupythe strategically important Sidi Rezegh airfield. The area around the airfieldwas to witness not one but two extraordinary tank charges more reminiscent of19th century cavalry than modern day warfare.

The first tank charge was on 21st November 1941involving the 6th Royal Tank Regiment. During this action thefollowing were killed, wounded or missing:- Lieutenant Colonel M D B Lister,commanding officer, Major G M Warren, 2nd in command, Capt J RCuttwell, Adjutant, Lt E Delson, Intelligence officer, 2/Lt T R Price, HQ Troopcommander, Major F C K M Laing, MC. commanding C Sqn, Major F Miller,commanding B Sqn. By the end of the day, the 6th RTR was all butdestroyed.

Two days later, on Totensonntag (Day of the Dead), the Germanswiped out the 5th South African Brigade (3,394 killed or captured)with an extraordinary tank charge. Victory came at great cost to the Germans.Around 70 tanks were lost and the head of the 1st Battalion 8thPanzer regiment Major G Fenski as well numerous officers from the 2nd8th Panzer Battalion as well as officers and men from the 115thInfantry were killed in action.

Amidst the devastation of Totensonntag, the main South AfricanDressing station fell to the Germans. It is a matter of historical fact thatthe German Infantry guarded the station and allowed wounded men to be treated.Over the two hours that the Dressing Station was in the front line of theconflict, only two men were wounded inside the zone. No one believes that thiswas anything other than by accident.

 Research Notes

I have mentioned a number of real-life individuals and events inthis novel. Although the events described in the novel are matters ofhistorical fact, conversations and the views attributed to the real lifeindividuals are my own invention.

My intention, in the following section, is to explain a littlemore about their connection to this period and this story.

Anyother information on the fate of the people mentioned below would be welcome.

ALLIEDARMY

Lieutenant-ColonelM D B Lister

Lt ColLister served with the Kings Royal Rifles in WWI as a lieutenant. He became acaptain in the Royal Tank Corps in 1930. Just prior to Crusader he was promotedto Acting Lieutenant-Colonel. He was captured following the action on 21stNovember 1941. He was a prisoner for the remainder of the war.

Major-GeneralJ C Campbell

JockCampbell served with the Royal Horse Artillery. A figure more akin to SirFrancis Drake than modern army commanders, he died in 1942 following a caraccident in North Africa. His feats during the defence of Sidi Rezegh are wortha book in their own right. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for hisbravery in leading the Allied Army against an overwhelming Axis attack at SidiRezegh.

MajorG M Warren

Major Warren,second-in command to Lister, was wounded and captured following the action on21st November 1941. He died in 1942 as a prisoner of war.

MajorJ F Miller

MajorMiller was wounded and captured following the action on 21st November 1941. Hewas a prisoner for the remainder of the war.

CaptainJ R Cruttwell

CaptainCruttwell was wounded and captured following the action on 21st November 1941.He was a prisoner for the remainder of the war.

CaptainA H Crickmay

CaptainCrickmay survived the war and was promoted to Major in 1951 in the RoyalArmoured Corps

CaptainR Ainsley

CaptainAinsley was killed in action on 24th November 1941.

AXISARMY

GeneralLudwig Cruwell

Cruwellbecame the commander of the Afrika Korps reporting to Rommel in July 1941. Hewas responsible for the attack on Totenssontag which had such a devastatingimpact on the Panzer division. He was taken prisoner in 1943 and survived thewar.

GeneralHans Cramer

GeneralCramer led the 15th Panzer division during the Crusader action. Hewas taken prisoner in 1943 but ultimately exchanged in 1944 for Alliedprisoners. As a former POW he was suspected of involvement in the 20thJuly plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler and held under house arrest.

MajorGunther Fenski

Fenskiwas the commander of the 5th Panzer Brigade and a recipient of theIron Cross for his heroism during the early months of the North Africancampaign. He was killed in action on November 23rd, 1941 (Totensonntag).

 ANote from the Author

I have made every effort to ensure historical authenticity withinthe context of a piece of fiction. Regarding spelling, please note I havefollowed the convention of using English, as opposed to US, spellings. Thismeans, in practice, the use of ‘s’ rather than a ‘z’, for example in words suchas