The Hidden Depot Raid
By: AliasCWN
Chapter 2
The two jeeps raced side by side across the desert, making a wide circle to confuse any spies in the area. They didn't want the Germans to know where they were headed, this mission required that they remain under the radar. When one is looking for a secret base, one needed to be rather sneaky about it. It wouldn't do to alert the base security that they were in the area.
While the jeep engines cooled Troy and Moffitt studied a map they had spread across a large boulder. Their direction of travel had been discovered by a spotter plane who had caught them where they had nowhere to hide. The pilot had shadowed them for a short time before continuing on his way. Troy had immediately ordered a change of direction, expecting the pilot to radio their coordinates to ground forces. They had neither the time or inclination to dally with any welcoming committee the Germans might send their way. It amused Troy to imagine them lying in wait in the hot sun for a patrol that never arrived. They plotted a new course to get them to the original destination, hoping to avoid another sighting.
"This is the general area of the battle." Moffitt drew a circle on the map with his finger. "Here," he pointed at an 'x' on the map, "is the base that used to supply them. The Captain said that they were cut off now. The dispatch suggested that the trucks were coming in from the west, only there is nothing but low hills and empty desert out there."
"Maybe the base is underground." Troy suggested.
The Brit shook his head in the negative. "The ground is too unstable; they would need to reinforce the walls and the ceilings. That would require a great deal of cement and wood and heavy equipment. I find it hard to believe that they could have kept it a complete secret from our spies. Surely some rumors would have leaked out."
"Maybe." Troy cocked his head in thought. "So if it isn't there, where is it?"
Moffitt's dark eyes lit up at the question. "I believe it's here." He pointed to a line of hills indicated on the map. "There are caves all along this ridge; a few big ones and a whole series of small ones. They wouldn't even have to reinforce them, they're quite stable. Supplies could be stored in those caves, as well as trucks, troops and whatever else was needed. They're located along this valley, making them easy to defend. There are a limited number of ways in and out, only one suitable for heavy trucks."
"Sounds like just the kind of place we're looking for." Troy studied the map, memorizing the details. "Just how do we get in?"
"That, old man, is the question." Moffitt replied tongue-in-cheek. "I suppose we will have to figure that one out once we have confirmed that it is the target we are seeking."
Hitch chose that moment to approach with a canteen. They accepted the drink gratefully.
"Where's Tully?"
"He just relieved me on watch, said he already had a drink and the jeeps were ready to go." Hitchcock recapped the canteen and returned it to the jeep.
"So we check out the valley?" Moffitt ask with a tilt of an eyebrow.
"We check out the valley." Troy agreed. "Lead on Doctor." With a low whistle Troy called Tully from watch to return to his jeep. "Let's shake it!"
With a lurch forward and dust flying from under the tires, the little band continued their hunt.
The sun had reached its zenith by the time they met their next challenge. Still running a wide circle to their destination, Tully spotted some smoke ahead.
Troy had them find a high point where they could scan the desert for any enemy patrols. When Hitch stopped the jeep just short of the crest of the hill, Troy was instantly on the ground crawling to the top. A convoy or a patrol in the area could spot them and blow the entire mission. Field glasses in hand, he kept low until he reached the top where he scanned the entire desert floor below them.
Off in the distance an American jeep was sending up a small, but steady, plume of oily black smoke. Troy could see someone moving around near the jeep, along with a still figure on the ground nearby.
Ignoring the wreckage for the moment, he studied the surrounding terrain for any other movement. The hills in the area were low, barely more than dunes. Troy wasn't fooled; he knew that even low hills could hide enemy vehicles or troops. He knew from experience; they'd hidden in enough of them to be an expert. Even the lack of tracks didn't lull him into a sense of security; his own jeeps were carrying rakes to erase their tracks.
"Tully, Moffitt." Troy looked behind him to the other jeep where Moffitt manned the 50. Tully sat calmly at the wheel, chewing on his matchstick. Looking at them, one would hardly guess that they were about to go into battle, or at least the threat of battle. Two sets of eyes centered on him as he called their names. "Swing out around and come in behind those dunes. Stay alert, we may have a welcoming committee back there." Two heads nodded in unison. "Hitch and I will check the dunes on the other side. Don't go near the jeep until you get the all clear and we can go in together." They nodded again and Tully's jeep roared to life.
Tully and Moffitt started around the end of the hill before Troy made it back to his own jeep. Hitch had the engine started and the dust cover off the 50. "Don't take any unnecessary chances Hitch, something feels off here."
Hitchcock nodded and the jeep surged forward. Troy gripped the handles on the 50 to keep from falling.
The two teams checked every dune and wadi in the area looking for the enemy or any sign of their recent presence. They found nothing, the wadis were empty and there were no tracks to be found. With a wave of his arm and a signal to Moffitt to keep his eyes open, Troy directed Hitch to approach the burning jeep.
As they made their approach two men jumped to their feet and began waving their arms wildly at them. The third person they had spotted remained unmoving on the ground next to some scrub brush which offered minimal shade.
Troy's eyes were darting back and forth between the men constantly. The area just around the jeep was flat, offering no place for anyone to hide. As they got closer he could see the blood covering the front of the uniform on the third man. The other two seemed to be unharmed and happy to see them. He had Hitch stop well clear of the other jeep until he could examine the situation. "Man the 50. I'm going to see what kind of story they have to tell."
Hitch nodded and climbed into the back of the jeep. He sat on the spare tire and took a firm hold on the handles of the heavy machine gun. His jaw worked his gum slowly as he watched Troy approach the two strangers.
Troy reached for a Thompson and walked slowly toward the jeep. Both men had lost their happy smiles and now watched him warily. They began to take a step back for every one that Troy took forward.
"Who are you?" Troy stopped near the smoking jeep and watched their eyes. His gaze flickered toward the third man briefly, assessing the threat.
One of the men stepped forward; he bore the air of someone used to giving orders. "I'm Corporal David Rush. This is Pvt. Phil Hartman." He waved toward the third man who still had not moved. "Our friend here is Pvt Kevin Davies. Kevin needs a doctor, he's hurt real bad."
Troy tried to place the accent but failed. "Where are you from Rush?"
"New Mexico Sergeant. My folks run a little grocery store in my hometown." The other man fidgeted nervously. "Do you have a medical kit we can use? Kevin really needs a doctor."
Troy waved Tully and Moffitt in, leaving Hitch on the 50.
"Anything we can do to help?" Moffitt ask as soon as he climbed out of the jeep.
"They've got a wounded man, see what you can do." Troy instructed, not taking his eyes from the two men.
Moffitt returned to the jeep and Tully handed him the medical kit. He crossed to the wounded man slowing as he got near. Kneeling next to him, he reached out a hand to check for a pulse. The skin was cold and clammy despite the desert heat. With a sigh, Moffitt rose to his feet, tucking the medical kit under his arm. "Are you two alright?"
The other two nodded, watching him warily.
"There is nothing I can do for him, he's dead I'm afraid."
Both men reacted to the news in a strange manner, they seemed relieved.
"What are you doing out here anyway?" Troy demanded suspiciously.
"We delivered a dispatch and were on our way to join our outfit. That jerry patrol hit us from out of nowhere. Poor Kevin got hit in the first volley before we could outrun them. Thank goodness we lost them before our jeep quit; I think the engine may have caught a bullet. We thought we were dead until you guys came along. We sure are glad to see you."
Troy relaxed, their story was plausible. "You can come with us, we're not heading back right away, but we'll drop you off somewhere safe."
The two men smiled their thanks as they nodded in agreement.
"We'll take your buddy with us and bury him after we get away from here. That smoke will draw every kraut for miles."
"That's alright Sergeant, we can tell headquarters where to find the body and they can send a burial detail." The Corporal hurried to explain.
Troy shook his head. "We're too far behind German lines. No burial detail will come this far to get him. We'll take care of it." When the two men didn't move, Troy grew impatient. "Load him into the jeep, we need to move!" Troy watched with disgust as the two men threw their buddy into the jeep like a sack of potatoes. He hoped that if he were killed, his men would handle his body with more respect than these men showed their friend.
They buried the body a few miles from where they picked him up. Troy said a few words over him, angered that his so called friends were not willing to do even that much for him. Hitch and Tully dug the grave and wrapped the body in a blanket. They stayed behind to fill the grave, not in any hurry to spend time with the two men they had picked up.