Chapter 2: D-DAY + 1
D-Day + 1 time (07:28)
The orange fireball rose slowly from the ground into the sky, light washing away the darkness to reveal the new day. After the previous day attack on Winston, every other sector was quite apart for a few light skirmishes with very little lose's on both sides.
"A message from Darjeeling, Miho." Saori said with her headphones on. She translated the coded message onto a piece of paper, and passed it to her through the tank to Miho seating in her commanders' seat, she took the paper and read.
All combat areas have been light for combat expect a heavy attack's today.
Miho opened the commander's hatch and looked at her defensive position over Arnhem bridge. Her tanks were set up on the opposite slope of the valley, so they could not be seen by the opposing side of the river valley, with bushes and trees along the top of the ridge. As soon as the enemy was spotted, they would move up to the top and remaining hidden the foliage and place accurate fire onto the tanks advancing onto the bridge, hopefully knocking out all tanks in the process.
"Has any tanks been spotted in our sector." Miho called over the radio relaxed but commanding tone.
"We've seen nothing Miho." Duck team responded.
"Nothing here." Turtle team said back.
Miho sat back in her seat then looked at her map she pinned with magnets on the inside of the turret.
"They must be hiding behind that ridge on the other side." Hana said as she looked over from her gunners' seat.
"They need to take this bridge Miho; the river is too deep and wide to ford here. Or they can risk crossing the river at Winston as the river is shallower there, like what we saw yesterday with the fighting with the Chindits on Winston, but now Saunders's is there they will get massively bombarded as soon as they cross. It won't be easy." Yukari added as she pointed to the points on the map with confidence brimming.
Miho didn't smile she looked very concerned "But who and what is behind that ridge. We are low in numbers so I don't want to risk scouting."
"Whomever they are and in, we can take them! If we hold this strong defensive position." Yukari said defiantly passing her a cup of coffee.
"Thank Yukari." As she took the coffee and sipped on the hot drink as the caffeine began to pulse through her body. "But if Winston fall's our flank is exposed and we're done for. The pressure on Kay must be eminence." Miho explained.
D-Day + 1 Time (10:54)
"Orange pekoe you always do make a perfect brew you know." As Darjeeling sat on the top of her Churchill's turret, behind a hedgerow with dark shadows being cast over the Churchill by neighbouring trees. The St Gloriana tanks were dug in well into the thick hedgerows they were about 3 metres high at some points with 1 meter-high earthworks below making them hard to traverse over, making this the best place for a close-range ambush.
"I learnt from the best." She said back with a smile passing Darjeeling the teacup with the hot brew as the steam peacefully dissipated. "Any ideas what's going to happen?"
"They have to come through here or drive through the flat plain to our east to get shot up from Kay's troop from Winston and also the Chindits near Winston. This won't be easy for our enemy."
The radio chattered with noise. "Rukuriri here, T-34's advancing down the main road now. Strength 10 tanks."
Darjeeling slid back into her tank tea in hand and grabbed the microphone with her spare hand. "Understood, remain calm stick to the plan Rukuriri."
The T-34's rumbled down the middle part of the two-lane main road guns facing in all directions.
"The last T-34 has passed the curve in the main road they have no supporting tanks following. No shots have been fired." Rukuriri stated.
Darjeeling sipped her tea and closed her eyes. To enjoy the last couple of moments of peace before the battle exploded into life. "All tanks prepare to attack specified targets." She spoke elegantly as she reopened them as they twinkled in the sunlight from the open hatch.
The Matilda's well camouflaged 2 pounder guns began to traverse behind the hedgerow's tracking their prey with the engines off and the gunners using manual traverse, the T-34's drove unbeknownst into a trap.
"You may begin bombardment as planned." Darjeeling spoke placing the teacup down as she looked out of her hatch.
"All tanks fire." Rukuriri commanded to her troop. Shots from behind the hedgerows shot out as the dull thud of metal hitting metal rang out.
"The last tank has been destroyed."
"Lead tank has been knocked out." came the calls from two different commanders.
"Lovely ladies, the jam is always the sweetest thing in a Victoria sponge cake." Darjeeling spoke over the radio to the whole team. "Now, destroy the rest of the column." Her calm tone making her sound malevolent for the devastation her force was about to unleash.
The shells began firing indiscriminately, The T-34's could not fall back or forward due to the wrecks of their fallen comrades blocking the road, they were now lambs for the slaughter. They fired back in the directions with rushed shots hoping to destroy any of the attackers.
Darjeeling glided back into the Churchill commanders seat, as it remained out of the battle and listened to the radio and to the raging battle happening only a couple of hundred meters away.
"That was a great plan Darjeeling." Assam spoke softly, looking over to Darjeeling.
"They have sown the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind." She added picking up her teacup "I based this plan on Michael Wittmann's attack at Villers-Bocage, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
"George Santayana if I am not mistaken Darjeeling." Orange pekoe said with a smile.
"I can never get a proverb passed you Orange.."
"THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ONE TANK HAS BEEN HIT!" Rukuriri said with real concern in her voice.
Darjeeling placed her teacup down and looked out of the hatch, one of the Matilda's was burning badly. The whole crew was out next to the still burning tank, but some were clearly injured. Darjeeling seeing this immediately climbed out of the safety of her tank and ran over to them with the battle still raging with shells still screaming overhead.
"Is everyone ok?" Darjeeling asked imperatively as she reached the crew of the blazing Matilda still huddled around the tank too from shelter from the still raging battle.
"Yes, everyone is mostly ok." The tank commander said still in shock, he black hair covering her face. "Our driver is the worst off, she's got some bad burns on her legs as we dragged her out. We were so close to the earthworks it was no easy task getting her out quick. It was my fault Darjeeling." The commander's guilt-ridden voice answered back.
Darjeeling looked at the driver laying on the floor, writhing in pain with exposed legs with black and red burn marks along her thigh and calves.
"Ok, we need to move now! The tank might explode any second." She put her hand on the driver's cheek, the driver looked at her. "I am so sorry, but this is going to hurt ok." The driver nodded.
"You grab her legs." Pointing to the commander. "I'll lift her by her shoulders."
"Yes, Miss Darjeeling."
"1,2,3 lift." They lifted her off the floor, the driver screamed and groaned, moving her all the way back behind Darjeeling's Churchill, giving her some cover from the ongoing battle with Assam and Orange Pekoe heads out of the turret observing what was happening.
"Assam, get the first aid. Orange tell the driver not to move at all and call for medical assistance."
They slowly settled her down, Assam jumped off with a large khaki bag with a red cross in a white circle, and she rummaged through the bag.
The Matilda hissed as flames surged out of the open hatches as the ammo began to detonate, leaving black smoke to bellow out for the devastated tank.
"We need some cold water as much as possible." Assam said pulling out some cling film wrap. Darjeeling opened up one of the storage boxes with flasks of water in them and passed to Assam who slowly poured the cooling liquid on her legs, the driver screamed more and more, tears rolling down her face, the commander held her hand.
"Its fine Darjeeling's here, Masala you're in safe hands ok." The commander said looking back at the driver's agony filled face.
"Darjeeling, we need more water, the burns are worse than I thought." Assam said urgently as she poured the last drops on water onto the scalded skin.
She looked through the whole box all the water was gone. She climbed up into the tank and peered her head into the open commanders' hatch.
"Orange how long will they be?" Darjeeling asked hurriedly.
"ETA 2 minutes." Orange responded back looking up at Darjeeling.
"Ok, tell Rukuriri to disengage from the enemy and get them here now, I care more for my crew's than I would ever do for any match." Darjeeling commander with real forcefulness behind it.
"All tanks disengage now this is a direct order from Darjeeling and converged on the Churchill's position." Orange pekoe said over the radio.
All the tanks fell back and moved to the Churchill. No one called on the radio why they had to disengage from such an advantageous position in the battle, all did what they were told. The tanks stopped around the Churchill all commanders had their heads out of the turret.
"This is an emergency; no shots are to be fired and no tanks to move until told to continue." Said a calm male voice over all the radio frequencies.
"I need all the water you have! This is an emergency!" All commanders scavenged their tanks, then passing flasks over to Assam. All the commanders were a little shocked by what they saw, with large yellow blisters beginning to appear around the worst parts of the burns, Assam then slowly wrapped her legs in the cling film, the screams of pain making some of the commanders cry out of sympathy. The white Huey helicopter landed in a clear field next to them, the medics examined her, with one of the medic's ring sparkling in the sunlight. They asked Assam what she had done, then lifted the driver slowly onto a stretcher and carried her over to the awaiting helicopter, which lifted into the air throwing dirt and shrubbery from the wash of the rota's.
The commander of the destroyed tank sat on the floor head on her knees her hands wrapped around the bottom of her legs her long black hair covering her whole upper body. Darjeeling walked over to her and crouched next to her, she could hear her sobbing. "Lady Grey, you did nothing wrong, you and your crew are heroes. You saved her from a burning inferno, think about what would have happened if you didn't?" She spoke consolingly.
"Thank you, Darjeeling, that means a lot, but she is a first year. I caused it to happen. I should have known better." The commander said with remorse's pouring out of every word.
Darjeeling put her hand through her hair, placing her hand under her chin and gently lifted, she gazed into the commanders grieved eyes through the thick black fringe. "We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it." She hugged her. "You and your crew will return to HQ, you've had a stressful day."
"Yes Darjeeling. But how did you know my name?" Lady Grey asked as she wiped her tears with her sleeve.
"You are all my family, I'm the grandmother, the tank commanders are my children and you are the mother of your crew, and they are my grandchildren. I have to look after everyone that I love." Darjeeling stood up and helped Lady Grey get to her feet.
"All tanks can resume combat." Came the call on the radio.
Darjeeling stood and looked at her commanders, "Everyone thank you, we will win the match for Masala. She would not want us to fail and I'm sure we won't as that isn't the St Gloriana way."
D-Day + 1 Time (11:22)
"What do you mean! How could you lose 8 tanks!" Katyusha yelled on the radio snapping a pencil in the process.
"We were ambushed in the hedgerows we barely made it out, if that emergency didn't happen, there would be no tanks." Came the response back from the commander of the troop.
"Are you talking back to me Polina?!" Katyusha barked back.
"No ma'am I would never." Polina said back with fear in her voice.
"Good you will lead the charge with 20 other tanks on the flat plain of section J6 and swing in behind the hedgerow's destroying the enemy and taking the airfield objective you will begin your advance at 1400 hours." Katyusha stated clearly. "Is this understood!"
"Yes, great Katyusha." Katyusha then switched frequencies.
"Nonna is operation Little Saturn ready." Reverting back to a calm but extremely arrogant tone.
"Yes, all target zones have been ranged and will proceed on your command."
"Good, begin operation Little Saturn at 1430 hours."
"Yes Katyusha, as you wish." Katyusha stood up on her commander's seat looking at the large ridge ahead of her, with a huge task force with crews preparing their tanks for battle.
"Finally Polina, you will be of use to me you useless retard, being the pouching bag you always should have been. While the mighty Pravda, shows its strength in battle as we become victorious on the field once again." She thought in her head.
D-Day + 1 Time (13:47)
"Do you see anything up there Alisa?" Kay called over on her walkie talkie looking up at the bell tower as she walked towards the church.
"Not a lot from up here still the same Kuromorimine tanks down by the river near the farmhouse." Alisa called back looking through her binoculars through the slits in the bell tower.
"If anything else changes let me know."
"Will do." Alisa responded back.
"Oh, and don't start praying now you're in a church. Because I'm still your god here missy." Kay remarked with a little sass in her voice.
"Yer, yer." Alisa said back, Kay could sense Alisa's eyes rolling, as she chuckled to herself.
Kay strapped the walkie talkie to her belt, and entered the nave of the church, with some crew members sleeping on the pews, as the sunlight shone beautiful colours through the stained-glass window, mixing with the dust in the air to create magnificent beams of lights. She walked through to the chancel with a table set up in the middle with the map with Naomi pinning pieces of paper on the map.
"So, what do we have so far." Kay asked, as she stopped crossing her arms, as she looked at the map.
Naomi pointed to the map, north of the river near the western bridge, with pins with paper notes attached to them, that had tank models and the amount, "Tiger II's and I's etc. The whole shebang basically, they are sitting back at the moment I have no idea why. They are out of range for our guns, but we are in range for theirs so our tanks will have to stay back from the edges for the moment." Naomi clarified.
Kay lent back on the stone brick wall of the chancel, placing one of her boots on the it "The good thing is though having the high ground, we can shoot down on them, I have the sneaking suspicion that even the 75mm can pen the top of a Tiger II's engine deck once they come knocking."
"Did you get the message from Darjeeling." Naomi queried as she looked up to Kay.
"The one this morning, yep it was a bit obvious."
"No, the one about the accident?"
Kay lent of the wall and walked over to Naomi "No what happened?" She replied back with deep apprehension overlaid her voice.
"One of the Matilda's got brewed up pretty badly, the driver was lucky enough to be saved, but with bad 3rd degree burns to her legs."
"Poor girl. Hopefully, she will be up and running in no time, excusing the pun." As a small grin appeared on Kay's face.
The walkie talkie crackled to life. "Tanks crossing the river 20+ Pravda tanks."
"Let the fun begin." Kay ran out of the chancel into the nave with Naomi by her side.
"Get up you lazy sons of bitches they're coming." Kay screamed her loudest echoing around the room.
Girls began to wake up throwing on helmets and jackets, running to their tanks.
"You can't use words like that in a church Kay." Naomi shouted as she ran in the opposite direction to her Firefly.
"Don't worry Naomi, we will have a long discussion about this in hell." She exclaimed back with a smile on her face. She climbed into her Sherman and grabbed the microphone and placed her headphones over one of her ears.
"Tank's move up to the lip of the ridge. I think it's time to show them our firepower doctrine."
The walkie talkie crackled again. "They are moving to the east of the hill, but west of the hedgerows on the plain, they're heading straight for the Chindits! They stand no chance!" Alisa called.
"Understood Alisa." Kay picked up the microphone to the radio twisting the tuner to a set frequency.
"Winston calling, Winston calling, broadside to port. I repeat broadside to port. Cruiser squadron flank speed. I repeat Cruiser squadron flank speed."
"Understood Winston. Cruiser squadron flank speed." Was the callback.
Kay switched the radio settings back. "Ok Ladies let's liberate them from their tanks."
The hill bombarded the attacking Pravda tanks, which was an amalgamation of T-34's of different varieties; KV-1's BT-5's and even an IS-1. The tanks advanced not stopping firing the odd shot back in the hopes of hitting one of Saunders well dug in tanks atop of the hill.
D-Day + 1 Time (14:08)
"Rosehip so why do you think that. It makes no logical sense." Green was saying over the radio laid back with no care in the world.
"Think about it if we put 20mm cannons on this tank like the AA version we would be lighter, meaning we could be faster and we could sort out any light tanks with ease. English your opinion on this." Rosehip said back, sitting inside the turret, as she sipped on her tea very relaxed.
"Winston calling, Winston calling, broadside to port. I repeat broadside to port. Cruiser squadron flank speed. I repeat Cruiser squadron flank speed."
Rosehip immediately picked up the microphone. "Understood Winston. Cruiser squadron flank speed."
She climbed out of the copula and stood up on her tank hidden behind some bushes along with the other Chindits. "Oh god." She said dropping her teacup as it smashed on the side of the turret, as Pravda's tanks approached at full speed directly ahead of them only 1 click away, she jumped back in.
"Multiple heavy enemy contacts ahead at least 20! full back to the western slope of Winston!" Rosehip commanded. The tanks drove at full speed to the slope of the hill with Rosehips upper body out of the turret somehow holding as the tank sprinted to safety with Sanders bombardment covering their withdrawal. A shell then slammed into the side of the lead crusader with Rosehip tank following at full speed only 10 meters behind. "DRIVER RIGHT STICK!" Rosehip yelled at her driver, the tank suddenly veered to the right, mostly dodge the wreck shirring off some of the side skirts of the left side of the hull.
"Vanilla is down, watch out for the wreck." Rosehip called "Once over the ridge turnabout and fire everything we can't let them flank Spitfire."
The tanks sped over the ridge at some speed, getting airborne at one point all the tanks drifted and turned around, returning to the ridge in a hull down position facing the rushing hordes of Pravda tanks now side on to them.
"Rosehip this is Kay, have the Chindits withdrawn correct?"
"Yes, we have, we are bombarding the enemy now." Rosehip said back a little breathless. "All tanks fire on the enemy."
The Crusaders and Cromwell began to fire with rapid fire with deadly efficiency, knocking out 2 BT-5's in the first volley.
"This is Darjeeling here we have repositioned and are setting up an ambush now, they will be stuck in-between and rock and a hard place, with our crossfire."
"Understood Darjeeling." Rosehip said back.
"Yes, Darjeeling." Kay called back, she changed frequency's "Naomi what does that even mean? A rock and a hard place?"
"Not too sure. We have destroyed 8 tanks so far it's only the heavy ones left."
"Understood Naomi, but come on like what's that supposed to mean." Kay picked up her walkie talkie as her Sherman's 75mm gun breach thundered back with the loader, reloading as fast as possible.
"Ailsa any movement from Kuro?"
"No nothing, it looks like they didn't expect this attack either. They're still sitting around doing nothing."
"Ok, prepare to get your troop to counter-attack, use the bushes where the Chindits were, it time for the good out fashioned Texas horseshoe envelopment."
"Yes, kay."
D-Day + 1 Time (14:28)
"That sounds like a large battle going on over there." Saori said, listening in on the radio.
"Kay should have this; this is right up her alley. The Sherman's gun depression is really good and turret armour is pretty strong as well." Yukari said with a smile to Miho, who smiled back in turn.
"Tanks spotted on the opposite ridge." Came the call from Erwin. "Look's to be 5 KV-2's."
Miho pinched the microphone on her throat. "All tanks move up to ambush positions."
All of Ooarai's tanks slowly moved up on a wide front and set up behind the foliage on the top of the ridge preparing to fire.
The KV-2's stopped, all of the 152mm guns faced all different directions all along the opposing ridge.
"Hold your fire we can't give away our positions." Miho said to everyone over the radio.
The KV-2's launched a salvo of shells onto the ridge at random, throwing large piles of earth into the air, the guns moved again and once reloaded fired again with the same destructive effect.
"Hippo team here. Our tracks have been destroyed."
"Rabbit team here. 37mm gun is damaged unable to fire."
"Everyone hold fire this is not the main attack this is the barrage to scare us off." Miho said to calm them.
"They can't scare us off that easy." Azusa said back firmly and defiantly.
"Hippo team here, BT-5's are charging over the ridge and are speeding towards the bridge."
"All tanks, open fire take out all tanks. This is their main attack!" Miho commanded.
The shells flew towards the Pravda tanks but none hit their mark on the fast-moving BT-5's. The KV-2's now adjusted their fire onto the ambush positions, as now hunter became the hunted and returned the favour blowing large craters around Ooarai's tanks.
"Leopon Team here, BT-5's are on the bridge. Do we take out the bridge?"
"Not yet, only as a last resort." Miho eagerly insisted. She knew if the bridge was destroyed, they could never get a better place to funnel the enemy tanks in a kill zone, in such a very strong defensive position.
The BT-5's got onto the opposite side and began charging up Ooarai's side of the valley. Now the reinforcements arrived IS-2's and T-34's firing on the move, as they charged down the ridge making a beeline for the bridge.
"Take out the bridge." Miho Shouted. "We can't contain this." All the tanks fired hitting their mark, the metal bridge shuddered, the concrete on the road was left with large craters in it, but the thick arching metal girders ravaged by the HE shells shuddered but held firm. The KV-2 in response fired indiscriminately back.
"Anteater Team where out, sorry."
"Mallard Team, the KV-2 got us sorry."
"It's ok guys." Miho said reassuringly "We need to fall back, we can't stay here or we will get blown to smithereens, everyone who is able to retreat make your way to Belfast."
"We'll hold them off as long as we can, our tank can traverse but not move forward or back." Erwin said dejectedly. "We will be the French First Army at Dunkirk."
"That's it!" Was heard in the background of Erwin's last call.
"Thank you, Hippo team."
The tanks all turned and drove to Belfast at full speed, with all the tanks with turrets facing to the rear, firing at the BT-5's that had reached the top of the ridge.
Miho sat back into her commanders' seat and moved some of the magnets on the map. "Saori, forward this message."
If you want a map to understand what the battlefield looks like, I've made a basic one, if you go to flickr and search username - Montysmypython it's there.
What caused the Matilda to brew up? What is Lady Greys secret? Can Kay stop this Pravda attack? Can Ooarai hold Belfast?
Hopefully you have enjoyed the second chapter. With any luck this format I'm writing in is easy to follow, because a lot happens at once with many battles taking place in a short time frame. So I want to try and make it as easy to understand as possible.
If you want to give me some feedback please leave a review its always appreciated.