Chapter 3: D-Day + 1 part II
D-Day + 1 Time (15:07)
Alisa's troop moved up to the bushes, hiding behind them readying their guns and revving their engines in anticipation, waiting for the call to advance. Pravda's push towards Spitfire had now run out of steam, only a couple of tanks were left. Hiding in between the wrecks of the recently destroyed Pravda tanks, however this gave the last lasting Pravda tanks a fighting chance, the husks of the tanks gave them perfect cover from both Winston and Spitfire, if they were to be destroyed, they had to be hard-pressed out of their protective thorn bush.
"Time to make the orange juice." Kay said over to Alisa's on the walkie talkie her confidence brimming, with the knowledge her best tanks where on the battlefield, as she assessed the scene below, her binoculars to hand a cocky smile drew across her face.
"Understood." Alisa got on her radio set in the church bell tower and spun the dial on the radio. "Flying Tigers advance take no prisoners." She stated with the full force of a commanding officer.
"Yes, Alisa." The commanders called back. The Sherman M4A3E8's broke cover from behind the bushes closing in at full speed.
Seeing the danger, the IS-1 and a T-34-85 scorching 85mm barrels repositioned and trained their guns and fired at the assaulting M4A3E8's knocking one out. The Easy 8's slowed and stopped, an immense barrage came from the powerful 76mm guns, hitting either the wrecks of fallen tanks or completely missing, they then resumed their charge again, closing the distance into the tenacious entrenched Pravda tanks. With the Pravda machines fired back with immunity taking away another charging Sherman.
"Naomi can you hit them yet." Kay asked urgently grasping the microphone as another Easy 8 fell victim in front of her. "We can't just waste these tanks!"
"If the T-34 moves back a little I can take a shot." Naomi responded back chewing her gum cool as ever sitting in her gunners' seat, looking through the sights.
Kay looked around at her tanks atop of Winston, all 30 tanks guns bearing down on the last two Pravda tanks. "All tanks, fire HE around their positions." She ordered. "I love the smell of explosives in the afternoon." Kay, then added rather nonchalantly with a little chuckle in her voice to cover her real emotions.
The guns on the hill loaded and began the shelling, the earth trembled as the HE shells destroyed the area around the Pravda tanks, the T-34-85 rolled back a meter to avoid the incoming fire.
"That's the ticket." Naomi's eye was fixed to the sight, she pressed the trigger pedal firing the 17 pounder, and the shell flew out of the gun with a tremendous bullwhip crack, it ricocheted of the front plate of a wrecked T-34, to then slam into the back of the last remaining T-34-85 knocking it out.
Kay jaw dropped astounded by this one in a million shot, she closed her mouth and coughed clearing her voice, she picked up the microphone. "Good shoot'en. Naomi." Rather underwhelmingly. "But can you knock out the IS-1 it's had it's fun." As her humour returned.
Naomi looked at the loader through the dingy light of the firefly, as she dived around the base of the tank trying to find one more round to feed the intense 17 pounder. "Naomi there's nothing!" she said her voice stretched as she leaned into the driver's compartment, to see the barren ammo rack.
Naomi sighed and wiped a little sweat from her brow, as she picked up the microphone. "No can do Kay. We're spent on ammo, we need to RTB." Her annoyance plain to her.
Kay placed her face in her hands and groaned realising all of her annoyance at once. She collected herself "Get back safe we need you back in one-piece sniper." As her voice full of compassion, fell into a deep whisper.
"Roger, rolling out." The Firefly rolled back of the lip of the hill to begin the long drive north to their HQ.
The Easy 8's moved up and were now taking effective fire from the IS-1, leaving only a handful left. "Keep up the bombardment we need this cock sucker dead!" Kay said furiously over the radio her impatience's beginning to crack, watching helplessly her best assets begin taken out like fish in a barrel.
Finally, the Easy 8's made it into the scrap yard of wrecked Pravda tanks. The IS-1 remaining hold down, over the wreck of a BT-5 at a 45-degree angle to the hill and to the oncoming Easy 8's. The Easy 8's stopped at a range of 200 meters firing at the side of the angled tank hitting its bogies and track destroying them, but not the tank, the IS-1's 85mm lined up fired obliterating one. The Easy 8's fired again, one shell hitting the underside of the rounded gun mantlet, the shell then bounced down hitting the top of the driver's hatch, the IS-1 was finally out. However, the battle was not over for the Flying Tigers, as a hail of shells flew in from the river, hitting one expertly on the turret knocking it out from a distance of nearly 1 and a half miles away.
"Flying Tigers get out of there now!" Alisa commanded from the bell tower watching in horror through her binoculars, Alisa picked up the walkie talkie. "Kuro's big guns are opened up! Kay, we need you to scare them off otherwise the Tigers will be massacred!" She pleaded to her commander as her company was now on the verge of destruction.
Kay looked out and around her company of tanks. "All tanks, fire on the kuro's tanks lets scare them off. Now quick!"
The Sherman's on the hill moved the southern part on the hill, butchering the ground below with their tracks. The Sherman's stopped as they rocked placing their guns onto the assaulting Kuromorimine tanks, and opened up firing 75mm and 76mm shells back towards Kuromorimine. The bombardment did nothing but stirred up the hornet's nest, the German tanks launched another deadly salvo onto the now fleeing Easy 8's taking out another.
Kay looked out at the last retreating Easy 8 travelling at full speed forwards towards the bushes, for where once it came. An orange ball sped across the grass plane, landing on the back of the engine deck, the tank then slowed and stopped, with smoke pouring out of the engine deck as the white flag appeared over it.
"God damn it." Kay said pouching down on top the turret. "All tanks pull back, stay hull down!"
The radio whined, "Message from Miho, Arnhem Bridge has fallen, repeat Arnhem Bridge has fallen." Saori called out.
"Now were up shit creek without a paddle." Kay said to herself. She looked up to the sky as dark grey clouds began to collect above them, "and of course it has to start to rain."
D-Day + 1 Time (15:26)
"Where is Alex Guinness when you need him?" Sarah shouted over to Rosehip, both with their hatches open looking at the now finished battlefield, with students from both sides climbing out of there destroyed tanks, and falling back to there HQ's.
Rosehip looked over at Sarah in her Cromwell, leaning back stretching her arms out, her beret still attached, as her small smile and pin curled hair, lightened the depressing mood after losing one of the valuable Crusaders. The rain beginning to fall all around them making a reverberating tapping noise on the metal frame of the tanks. "I don't know, or understand anything of what you said there?" Rosehip responded with confusion riddled all over her voice.
"I think we may be needed to help cover the western flank now they have gotten through, could you check that with Darjeeling?" Sarah shouted back over the noise of the now showering rain.
Rosehip slid back into the tank closing the hatch above her, yearning that the hatch would not leak the cold-water in, she twisted the dial on her radio. "Chindits calling is Belfast needing a drop-off?" Rosehip then transmitted the water still running down her drenched red hair.
"Hold till the Tigers are fed they will then make Belfast into a zoo." Was the immediate response from Darjeeling.
"Understood." Rosehip responded she switched back to the Chindits frequency. "We are to hold and let the Tiger's refit, they will help Ooarai."
"But did you see what just happened to them 15 tanks all gone like that in one swoop." Cranberry said back to Rosehip.
"Think of it this way that could have been us if Kay didn't help us." Rosehip looked out of the vision blocks to see Vanilla's crew finally climbing out of their tank as the battle had died down in this sector, she opened the hatch was the rain flooded into the tank, then lent out of the tank cupola "Vanilla next time you need a bit more speed!" Rosehip shouted across to them.
"I'm sorry commander I will move my tank faster next time." Vanilla said back bowing.
"Now quick get back to HQ get another Crusader, on the double move!" The girls began to run north with the rain falling all around them.
"Oh, and Vanilla." Rosehip shouted cupping her hands "Bring me back a teacup!"
Rosehip glided back into the tank closing the hatch to stop her getting even more drenched by the rain, she started to shake her hair like a wet dog, somewhat drying her hair but filling the inside of her Crusader's turret with moisture. She grabbed microphone. "Anyway, who was on scout duty? We should have seen them tanks way before they were on us." Rosehip questioned to the Chindits on the radio.
The radio went quiet of a couple of long moments. "I believe it was you, Rosehip." Green responded back hesitantly.
D-Day + 1 Time (16:17)
"The eastern bridge is now secure Katyusha we have set up a fall-back line in case of a counter-attack from the town." Came a calm voice over the radio.
Katyusha clicked her knuckles together as her face glowed, as her company of tanks began to cross the damaged bridge towards the other side of the valley. "Nonna, don't let up! Press them into the town don't give them a second to breathe, be the mighty Russian bear that I know you are. Show them no mercy as I believe Ooarai is holding this sector it seems."
"Understood Katyusha, it will be done." Nonna added back, combing her brown hair back with her free hand. "Driver full speed ahead!" The IS-2 rolled forwards with her other comrades following her. Nonna IS-2 pressed ahead with her strong spearhead of tanks, with other IS-2's lead the way as T-34-85's followed in behind them.
"Hold." Nonna spoke over the radio her force all stopped only a mile south of the town something didn't sit right with her. "Get the KV-2's here I want nothing in this town standing. Ooarai can't fight an urban battle if there are no buildings left."
"Sighting one type 89 on the edge of the town distance 1.5 km heading 323." Was a call from a tank commander.
"Commence bombardment, take it out." Nonna spoke calmly back over the radio. All the tanks fired, dirt flew into the air as the dust settled, the type 89 disappeared.
"Eye's up this may be an ambush." Nonna said looking through her rain covered vision blocks struggling to make out objects in this watery fog of war.
The tanks didn't move the guns faced in all directions ready for any eventuality, but nothing came they remained like this until the KV-2's rolled up to their position.
"Thunder force are you ready to bombard?" Nonna commanded over the radio.
"Targets are selected we will begin on your command, our 152mm guns will obliterate anything that stands in its way." Was the call back from the commander of Thunder force.
"Take out the objective!" Nonna stated, looking forward through the vision blocks towards the town.
Shells began landing around them. "Alert shell fire coming in from point 243." Was a call on the radio.
Nonna looked into her vision blocks to the right side, with the hill on her western flank, the top of the hill was firing at them.
"Lighting force prepare a salvo for point 243. Thunder continue firing at your targets."
The KV-2's launched their shells into the town the devastating strikes tore down building as they crashed onto on the ground.
"Lighting force fire on Point 243." The IS-2's and T-34-85 gun blasted as shells arched into air and onto the hill.
"Thunder force, Tanks approaching the outskirts of the town."
"Can you identify?" Nonna asked back.
"The dust and rain, is obscuring them unable to identify."
Then the type 89 and Tiger P broke out of the dust cloud with thick white smoke coming out the back of their engine, as they moved in tandem in a scissor formation weaving in and out heading straight for the force of Pravda tanks.
"This won't be a repeat of the semi's, all tanks fire on the oncoming forces." Nonna declared over the radio, gritting her teeth. "Lightning force aim for these attacking threats! Ignore point 243!"
The KV-2's guns loaded but were too slow to fire back as the two Ooarai tanks sped past them. Firing on their sides knocking one KV-2 out, by the time the IS-2 and T-34-85 turned their turrets, the Ooarai tanks split and circled around the Pravda tanks covering them with thick smoke, they were blind stuck in the middle of a smoke screen.
"Everyone, hold positions have every angle covered." Nonna said she switched frequencies. "Katyusha can you see any tanks approaching from the town from your position on top of the valley?"
"We are under heavy bombardment Nonna! Someone hasn't done their job, we can't help you." Katyusha spoke with real disdain, as the crashing shells from the hill landed around Katyusha's force who fired back at the tanks on the dominant position atop of the hill.
Nonna looked through every vision block for any sign of movement. Shells began to pierce the swirling smoke screen around them, as they flew in from all directions, with a shell knocking out one of the KV-2's.
"Lightning force, prepare to advance north to the town at full speed." Nonna said. "Let's see what Miho does with this." She thought to herself.
They charged full speed out of the smoke with the all Pravda commanders yelling "Ura!" The town beckoned ahead of them. Shot from both flanks hit their tanks knocking some out.
"Keep pushing comrades once we hold the town Ooarai will be surrounded by us in the north and the mighty Katyusha to the south." Nonna instructed undeterred by the onslaught.
"Tanks! North in the town!" The radio crackled back.
Nonna quickly examined the amount so shells flying towards them on their flanks. "What, how?! Ooarai don't have these many tanks?" She excambied over the radio. "What are they?"
"Sherman's 76's!"
D-Day + 1 Time (16:27)
"Naomi head the Flying Tigers to the town this is what Miho planned for remember?" Kay said with a little apprehension as she spoke over the radio, as her company of Sherman's slowly trundled to the eastern part of the hill.
"I know Kay, we're already here." Naomi chuckled back. "We're just waiting for them now, if they're smart, they will cut their losses and fall back but that's not the Pravda way." Naomi said back as she looked out of the hatch into the smoke hurricane made by Ooarai, with the pouring rain soaking her, Miho and the other Ooarai tanks had now pushed up to the sides using all available concealment. The Sherman's where dug in well, located to the southern tip of the Belfast, just inside the outskirts town. They had quickly thrown of some large pieces of rubble for extra protection and creating good camouflage, as they sited and waited ready to pounce at a moments notice.
"Please if you can Flying Tiger's, aim for where the KV-2's last where, they are the most dangerous threat." Miho spoke calmly but with a little tremble in her voice.
"We can do." Naomi responded. "Tigers are you ready, it's time to knock out those big gunned bastards!"
The 17 pounder and 76's mm shells landed in the vicinity of the KV-2's, hopefully knocking out some or at least scaring them. Ooarai, in turn, fired as well into the smoke.
Naomi laid her back on the back of her cupola, checking her nails, as the guns back blast moving causing her damp hair to fly around.
"Pravda tanks approaching out of the smoke!" shouted the gunner, Naomi a little startled by this quickly got on the radio.
"Flying Tigers it's time to get your revenge from your earlier loss, take them out." She slid back in and swapped with the gunner, she peered into the scope. "Sabot!" she yelled.
"Sabot loaded." Shouted the loader with the metal thud being slammed into the breach.
Naomi moved the traverse handle with great care, searching for the right target, as the Flying Tigers knocked out tank after tank. Naomi located her target, fine-tuning the gun until she was satisfied. "Firing!" She placed her foot on the pedal, the tank rocked as the shell flew dead straight as it zipped hitting the lower plate of an IS-2, as the flag raised with the tank slowly coming to a stop. The whole attacking force seemed to stop and faulter with that hit. The attacking Pravda tanks, turned about and retreated back to where they came, the Flying Tiger's continued firing in conjunction with Ooarai, till the attacking force returned to the relative safety of valley.
"Tigers, thanks for your assistance." Miho said over the radio relived as she wiped a little sweat from her forehead as she gave a smile and a thumbs up to her crew.
"All in a day's work." Alisa said butting in her voice as smug as ever.
"Urm, Alisa the adults are talking here, remember we are the one who are doing the real work." Naomi spoke back sneeringly.
"Well someone has to be eye's in the sky you know and that is my company you know right?"
"Don't worry Jay MacKelvie, I'll make sure they're ok." Naomi said back with a smirk.
The rain began to ease as the grey clouds slowly turned into a pure white, the Flying Tigers fell back to the relieve spot a mile behind Winston, Naomi headed back up to the Winston. Ooarai started to fortify the town with the main bulk of the Ooarai force in the main square resting, with a small fountain in the middle surrounded by cafes and other abandoned shops, as they heard the rumble of track approaching from the north.
"Look what we've got." Erwin said over the radio, as they drove into the main square.
"Now let me guess a Sherman Firefly." Mako said in her low energy mocking tone looking towards the Firefly driving towards her and the other Anglerfish team seated on the steps of the fountain with the water shooting water gracefully into the air falling back to earth with a relaxing trickling noise.
Yukari could not contain her excitement, as the Firefly stopped in front of them, with Hippo team opening up the hatches. "Let me have a look inside please." Yukari begged clapping her hands hysterically.
"Of course." Erwin said waving her hand in. Yukari climbed up a peered into the tanks hatches she proceeded to climb in.
"That's really useful for us it's got a bit more of a punch than the 75mm." Miho said walking over inspecting the tank still with its Saunders markings.
"Well Naomi said we could use it as she has a couple spare, and that the only the best snipers can use this tank, so we're pretty happy with that." Saemonza said with a smile climbing out patting the side hull of the tank. "It's just going to be weird to have a turret but we'll get used to it."
"It was either this or St Gloriana's offered us a Churchill gun carriage." Erwin said putting a hand over her mouth to stop her laughing.
They were joined by Mallard team in a standard Sherman M4A1 and Anteater team in a Valentine XI.
The radio crackled to life Erwin put the headphones on, and spoke aloud to everyone the message.
"This is from Rabbit team, all knocked out Pravda tanks crews are returning to their lines, Nonna's climbing out of a wrecked IS-2. Wow, we did some good work!"
D-Day + 1 Time (17:42)
The campfires were raging as tents where being assembled, Kuromorimine had finally set up a forward base just north of the river, near an abandoned farmhouse with other small buildings around near to the western bridge but was in plain sight for Saunders atop of the hill. The smell of Sauerbraten stew laced the air, Maho sat alone on the edge of the bed in the upstairs bedroom of the farmhouse. She slowly stirred the food in her bowl, leisurely placing the roast pork onto her spoon and deposited it into her mouth. Everything seemed to be a huge contradiction, she was on a battlefield, seating on a soft bed, in a warm room eating a hot meal in peace. The door knocked, "Come in." Maho said rested her spoon inside the bowl, lowering it to the other side of the bed.
Erika walked in, "I'm very sorry to bother you commander but we have a situation." Her tone as professional as ever.
"Which is?" Maho stated back.
"We seemed to have found a spotter in the bell tower in the church, we spotted the binoculars glinting in the sunlight, your orders?" As she looked towards Maho for an answer.
Maho looked up at Erika. "Send them a message, they destroy the tower. I think that's sporting enough."
"That's very true, it will be done." Erika bowed and quickly walked out.
Maho picked up her spoon and blew on the hot stew, "Well we could fire on them now, they know that they are at the own risk being there. Like we are being here."
Erika continued to walk away "I agree commander, we all are taking risks." not stopping to face her commander or slowing in her strides as she had her orders and there was no time for talk, she open and then closed the door quietly, as Maho relaxed and looked out of the window, at the towering hill with church bell tower, that loomed over the Kuromorimine camp.
Maho gripped her spoon firmly as it burrowed into her skin. "You best run Kay. You can't hold that hill forever. With no eyes on this area, you're toothless and a frustration to everyone especially your team. And I think you're the weakest link in the chain Kay, if I break you the whole structure will come crashing down."
Alisa looked at the Kuromorimine camp, with her radio and walkie talkie to hand if anything changed, she had snacks all around her Marshmallows, Carmel bar and many more, which she did by persuading Kay into giving her more sweet rations to keep her 'more alert', as she unwrapped a chocolate bar. "This is the best job I've ever had." She thought to herself opening her mouth to absorb the sweet, sugary substance.
She glanced over to the camp to see a light flashing towards her, she placed the chocolate bar on the wooden floor, she looked at the light and worked out like was Morse code.
"Withdraw from Tower we fire in 1 minute."
"Shit!" she picked up the radio. "Everyone on Winston get into your tanks now! get to cover now!" She yelled.
"Alisa, what bees have got under your bonnet?" Came Kay on the walkie talkie. Alisa in a state of panic ignored this call. She ran to the ladder and slid down into the back of the Nave, still, students were after sleeping on the pews.
"Everyone get out!" she shouted running to all the pews shaking them. "The tower is going to come down get out!" With this the girls began to move out of the church pretty fast, leaving their other belongings. Alisa checked all the pews and sprinted for the door, once leaving the stone covered floor of the church for the mud created by the rain and the earth being torn to shreds. She scanned the area to find the closest tank only a couple of meters away, she ran over to it as fast as possible through the thick mud, she slid underneath. As soon as her body hit the mud the shells began slamming into the tower. Bricks fell down and the ground shuddered, the tower began to sway, falling in the direction of Alisa's tank landing directly on top, the tank suspension held but weight on the tank pinned Alisa to the ground unable to move she was trapped in a sarcophagus, burying her in darkness.
Once the dust settled, Kay opened her hatch, she looked around at the tanks with students getting out of their tanks and got on the walkie talkie.
"ALISA…. ALISA!" There was no response.
Kay climbed out of her tank landing in the dense mud "Has anyone seen Alisa!" she shouted out loud.
"Yes, she went under that tank!" One student said climbing out from under a Sherman. She pointed to the rubble with only its gun barrel sticking out the only sign that a tank was there.
"Everyone quick help." Kay ordered as she started frantically moving the bricks off the tank, immediately other crews joined Kay in her rescue effort.
"Alisa you're going to be fine." Kay shouted into the rubble. "You can't die here! I won't let you die here!" The Kay screamed with raw emotion in her voice throwing off brick after brick.
Alisa felt the pressure come off her chest making it easier to breathe, "I'M HERE!" She shouted at the top of her voice. A small gap opened up at the front of the tank, with light blinding her eyes, she squinted her eyes to see a hand coming towards her she contorted her body moving her arm forward reaching and grasping the hand which pulled her out.
Alisa's rubbed her eyes acclimatizing to the sunlight bouncing off the refiled face of Kay. Kay hugged her with tears in her eyes. "You're safe." Gripping tightly on Alisa's jacket.
"Of course, kuro can't kill me that easy," Alisa said brassy, taking a step back to reveal her smile. "I was the last one out of there." Alisa added as she pointed to the half-demolished church.
"Good, good." As Kay wiped away the tears, she turned and looked towards the Kuromorimine camp. "Prepare all tanks, I want to burn their camp to the ground!" As she yelled to all the surrounding girls, Kay turned and stormed to her tank, teeth gritted fist clenched.
Naomi put her hand on Kays' shoulder. "Kay don't do it."
Kay stopped and turned "Did you see what they did Naomi? That's dangerous. No not dangerous that's murder, think about if Alisa was not paying attention, she and many others would be dead." She spouted furiously.
"Kay, please our revenge will come once they come knocking, this is when we rain all hell and fire on them." Naomi put both her hands on Kay's shoulders. Kay looked at her sniper, her rock, her friend. "Please, Kay don't stoop to their level your better than that."
Kay took a couple of heavy breaths and slowly started to nod in agreement, Kay lent in hugging Naomi. "Thanks, sniper." She said grateful of her friend's ability to make her see the light. "But what to do with this rubble and wrecked tanks." She said into Naomi's ear.
"They would make a mighty fine wall." Naomi joked.
Kay let go of Naomi, placing her hand on her chin. "Naomi you will become commander of Saunders one day. Ok, Get everyone to build our wall around the lip of the hill use anything they can get our hands on, knocked out tanks, rubble, mud, tin cans anything. Make this place like Bunker Hill."
"Will do Kay." Naomi added her mood cheering with her commanders.
"I might need to give Darjeeling a call about changing the name of here to Bunker Hill but I don't think she would be too happy with that as the Brits didn't do too well."
D-Day + 1 Time (19:59)
The days light began to fade away the suns setting gleam, creating a beautiful wash of colours in the sky, before giving away to the rest bit of the night with all teams staying out in their forward positions not to give away an inch of hard-fought ground. A redhaired girl with a file and a map in her hand knocked on the worn door so what seemed to be a small shack, in the tranquillity of the HQ.
"Yes, you may enter." A voice called back from inside.
The girl opened the door, the small orange glow of a low hanging lightbulb, barely filling the room with its radiance, the windows were not covered, however, the overcast sky blocked any natural nightlight to seep in. A blond girl was sitting behind a battered table, which had a large map covering it, with a hefty radio on top as well.
"Ah, Rosehip it's lovely to see your presence again."
"Yes, Darjeeling I wish to have a plan authorize by you, that I have come up with." As she walked forward to her desk placing her file on the table.
Darjeeling read every word in extensively, making sure she knew what Rosehip idea was. "A high risk, high reward strategy." Her face blank and voice resembling the same notion.
"Yes, but I believe the Chindits have what it takes to do it." Rosehip reported swiftly, looking down into the still detached Darjeeling still looking at the file and onto the map.
Darjeeling looked back up. "What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" As she nodded towards Rosehip.
So I wonder what Rosehips plan is? Maho playing mind games with Kay and Ooarai holding Belfast ... for now.
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.
I have a review yay! from Sleipnir, the answer is yes hopefully the chapters should come out one ever 2/3 weeks if all going according to plan. This week is an exception as Easter brings a long holiday so I could spend some more time writing.
If you want to give me some feedback please leave a review its always appreciated.