My apologies for the delay in picking up the baton from Tubby Snapcase but “Better Late Than Never”, is I think, the SAS motto so that will have to suffice as my excuse I’m afraid.
My text is below the pictures rather than above.
Just to give a little context this is an over view of the camp and my chaps are coming from the river on the left hand side and my chaps are the SBS although I don't think they'd been formed at this time. I'll have to check.
My task is to search and clear the Cooler and two large huts on the river side of the compound.
Having left the relative safety of MGB69 the cockleshell hero’s led by Major Johnny Vagabond paddled up the Trieux River, they had the camp walls on their right hand side and the unknown on their left.
Knowing the reputation of the cunning Camp Kommandant, Baron Graff Von Dougers the chaps were paddling extremely quietly. At any moment they were expecting the dark night would be illuminated by a concealed machine gun post opening fire as they drew level with it, shredding their canoes and worse still – shredding them.
This fortunately didn’t happen, although it was a nerve wracking 30 minutes paddle for the chaps.
The raid was timed just before high water and they were being gently pushed up the river as the tide rose helping conserve energy for what lay ahead.
Peering intently through the gloom 1st Lt Toastrack saw the small bend in the river that he’d identified as the best landing point, some where they could breakout from the incoming tidal flow without getting swept on up stream.
Patting Vagabond on the right shoulder and indicating with a twirl of his right hand that this was the place the bold duo pulled into shore as the tide pushed them gently against the river bank.
All of the crew scrambled quickly out of the kayaks and the four men designated to go over first moved quietly to the cover provided by the wall. Vaggers and Toastrack were on the left with Hampster-Crust and Jonty Mountfalcon over on the right.
The Bren took up a defensive firing position off to their left and behind a convenient tree. He would remain there to cover the retreat if it became necessary. Jolyon Pugwash provided additional backup for the initial assault in case the move over the wall was detected by the enemy guards and things got hot. He would follow the assault team over the wall once they’d cleared the first line of the enemy.
You will have appreciated already that the SAS had the unenviable approach to a wire fence, not knowing who might see them as they crossed the open ground but once there, they could cut the wire knowing what they might face. However the SBS had a solid concrete wall to overcome, they could use it to cover their advance but the final vinegar strokes would take them over the wall into the unknown.
Death or glory boys……death or glory. It’s a better motto than the SAS “Better late than never” don’t you think?
The walls of the compound had been hurriedly constructed and this was the view that Jonty Mountfalcon had through a gap in the wall. Raising his hand for attention he did the two fingers pointing at his eyes and then one finger pointing at the gap in the wall.
If you look carefully you will see what he saw, a German guard having a crafty fag and facing into the compound.
Nodding to show he understood Vaggers decided that as time was short they would have to take some chances.
Hampster-Crust cupped his hands together and gave Vaggers a leg up to peer over the wall. There was nothing between the Cooler and the middle hut but in the dark he couldn’t see the wire on the other side of the compound, even so it all looked clear ahead and to his left.
But to his right was the German guard, fortunately still enjoying his quite fag and no doubt thinking of the petite French waitress at the local restaurant or Brunhilde the Ordinance Clerk at Battalion HQ or some other engrossing dream, so engrossing that he never noticed Vaggers appear above the wall and then disappear back down.
Vaggers dropped out of sight just as the Guard finished his fag and turned to continue his circuit of the walls.
This was all the information the intrepid Major needed and Vaggers signalled to Jonty and Badger to make their move.
Jonty was boosted over the wall and landed quiet as a slippery eel behind the guard. He had his Fairburn Sykes knife held firmly in his left hand. Moving forward cautiously he reached out with his right hand and pulled the guard back onto the knife at the same time crushing his windpipe to stop the inevitable call for help.
Professionally done without a sound being uttered the Guard died quietly and Jonty let him slip slowly to the floor.
The rest of the boys followed Jonty over and spread out along the wall and Jolyon moved from his covering position joining them.
With his trusty knife still in his left hand Jonty moved towards the door of the Cooler, trying the handle with his right, he was not surprised to find it locked.
Vaggers split right to the door of the nearest large hut, this is where they expect to find the detainees and hopefully Mme de Gaulle. It was, as expected locked but he was confident the teams training under Soloman & Soloman the best locksmiths in London would enable them to pick these simple locks.
In the pre raid briefing Vaggers had outlined his plan of action to the men.
Once over the wall he and Pugwash would search the 2 large huts on their right and the rest of the team would secure the Cooler and the left flank. The right flank was hopefully being dealt with by the fly boys from the SAS, although as a member of the Senior Service he didn’t put too much faith in their ability to do this, he was to be pleasantly surprised at the efficiency of their operation.
Not something that needs to be shared though.
He would have smiled if he could see how inefficient the German guards were off on his left flank.
They had been moving in a desultory fashion along the wall in the direction of the river side but have now decided they must relieve themselves of excess schnapps, and then they spent a minute or two topping up their alcohol levels before continuing the rest of their circuit.
This is just to show the position of the SBS before the inevitable happens.
Jonty the lefty or should that be Sinister Jonty has just tried the Cooler door, Toastrack and Hampster-Crust are moving to back him up when he opens it. Vagabond and Jolyon are by the hut door.
With empty bladders the guards continued their patrol and turning the corner are confronted with Jonty in his rubber suit, a sight that would stop anyone in their tracks. Especially as it was slick with wet blood from the decommissioned guard.
Without a second thought, knowing that any noise would compromise the mission the three brave seafarers charge forwards, knives drawn, as one of the guards realized he hadn’t quite emptied his bladder previously.
Vagabond and Pugwash are testing their skills at lock picking. They’re finding it’s a little harder under pressure.
Surprise was complete, the German guards didn’t have time to fire their guns before our heroes were on them, Sinister Jonty with one kill already was unstoppable and his opponent went down with a knife thrust to the throat, he fell backwards making vague gurgling sounds.
His oppo caught a lucky break though, and with an upward flick of his Mauser hit Toastrack hard in the lower regions. Toastrack collapsed on the ground in a foetal position, moaning quietly to himself and the Holy Mary.
The Guard opened his mouth to shout a warning to the camp but before he could draw breath Jonty’s knife slid into his throat as well, cutting the Jugular and he collapsed without a sound.
Jonty’s a bit of a devil with the Fairburn-Sykes, not a man to meet in a dark ally on a Saturday night after a disagreement over spilt beer.
Having searched one of the hut’s Vagabond is moving on to the next one, as Pugwash explains to the inmates of the hut that they can’t leave just yet, not until the guards have been dealt with.
Shouldn’t take too long at this rate.
“Leave no man behind”. That’s not their motto but it is their creed.
Jonty and Hampster-Crust help Toastrack over the wall. Bill the Bren fails to catch him and there’s a quiet strangulated cry as Toastrack hits the ground and resumes his foetal position and the entreaties to his Mother and the Holy Mary.
Vaggers and Jolyon search the last hut as J and H-C search the Cooler. They find more detainees but not the one they are looking for. Baron Graff Von Dougers has been too cunning by half and Mme de Gaulle has not been found in the obvious places.
There’s a sound like cicadas having a barn dance as the SAS click their clackers and Vaggers meets up with Snappers to see how his chaps have performed and imparting the bad news that their quarry is not in the riverside section of the camp.
To be continued by Snappers at his soonest convenience…..
Cheers
Vaggers