Chapter 5 D-Day +3
D-DAY+3 time (02:30)
Sarah looked down at her watch and looked over to her sleeping crew. With the small Peppermint crawled up on the turret floor with a blanket covering with her black ponytail coving her face, her hair fluttering as she snored. "Ok everyone up." Sarah said preparing some tea in the boiling vessel, she placed her hand behind the radio set grabbing a tin full of oat biscuits.
"I couldn't sleep anyway, Peppermint snores like a dying cow." Jasmine remarked jokingly slowly coming to life.
"It's not that bad." Peppermint protested back still in half of a slumber, placing one hand on the gun breech to leverage herself up.
"I could hear it all the way down here." Honeybush responded back for the driver's compartment.
Sarah passed out the tea and biscuits, so the whole crew was catered for. Jasmine lent her on the back of the turret wall facing Peppermint, her purple eye-bags were in contrast to the white steam of the tea. She sipped on it, she drew her sight off the golden-brown liquid and looked over to Peppermint. "Next time I think we should leave you outside the tank."
"I bet we would still be able to hear her from out there." Honeybush added, even though she was in the driver's seat a smile could be sensed.
Sarah put her hand on Peppermints shoulder, Peppermint turned as to see Sarah's small grin on her face. "Come on guys we can't do that she makes a really good brew, and anyway it's a little nippy out there, but at least she doesn't talk in her sleep." As she looked over to Jasmine. "Who's this James person anyway?" Sarah added, her grin turning into a large smile, as she covered her mouth with her hand to stop the laughter. Jasmines immediately went quiet and the small grin she had was gone, she looked down at the tea and nibbled on a biscuit, her face turning red. With Peppermint sipping on her tea.
"Oh, how embarrassing." Honeybush added jokingly.
They finished their trivial breakfast, which woke them up sufficiently enough for Sarah to fill them out on operation Mad Jack in somewhat coherently. Once Sarah had finished discussing the plan, she folded up the map placing it inside her red blazer pocket. She looked around at the crew, all faces looked at her. The tank was filled with silence.
"This will be a fun one." Peppermint added clicking her knuckles.
D-DAY+3 time (03:00)
The Cromwell's engine coughed then began to settle down into a mellow purr, Rosehips Crusader moved off, leading the way with only the small marker light on at the back and was driving very slowly which was a strange sight to see. They drove down dirt tracks and open fields using trees and bushes for cover. They used the stars, compasses and map's to guild them. In the distance, Rosehip spotted a small glow through her binoculars. It was where the last enemy tanks were seen that yesterday. "They must have set up a forward camp." Rosehip thought to herself. As they got closer Rosehip could see that, It was a campfire with tank silhouettes rebounding off on a small farmhouse nearby.
"Enemy contact, campsite, ahead 2 clicks away, Southeast, Vanilla and Cranberry follow me to the other side of the hedgerows, we'll drive to the edge of the battlefield border and move down the with a thin strip of open field along the side of the hedgerows to keep hidden. English move to the south with Green flank behind them." Rosehip said as she moved her tank to the left with two other Crusaders following her, crossing over the hedgerow and drove towards the border. Sarah's Cromwell remained still as she brought her head into the tank closing the hatch above her.
"Interior lights on." Sarah said, the intercom the lights turned on as she grabbed a hold of the map, as she examined it, she marked the spotted enemy camp and to the other know enemy encampments.
"What's the plan English?" Green asked over the radio as the tank engines rumbled in their slow monotone.
"We will drive south sticking to the hedgerow to giving us some cover from the new enemy contact. The camp is about 1 mile ahead of the Kuromorimine main camp, so we need to keep concealed, we'll also need to keep a wide berth round both encampments and aim to get around to the back of our main target, this new advanced encampment." Sarah responded back her tone confident with a hint of anxiety.
"Understood, I follow you." Green forwarded back.
"Lights off, Honeybush well try to keep as close as you can to the hedgerows, keep the engine quiet, I'll help guild you." The lights came off as Sarah opened the hatch, as the Cromwell moved followed by Green's Crusader. Sarah crossed her fingers praying not to get spotted as they drove closer and closer to the gap, in-between the advanced camp and Kuromorimine camp, as the guns still fired towards the hill, she kept her eyes peeled, watching for any glowing orbs to fly towards them.
"If I say the word Red, we retreat full speed back to base understood." Sarah commanded over the radio.
"Understood, English." Green replied. They trekked on for another 10 minutes until Sarah heard the faint sound rushing water of the river coming ahead of them.
"Green we are turning left." Sarah whispered. "We should be about a mile behind the advanced camp."
The Cromwell smoothly guided itself behind the advanced camp keeping the small fire in sight, they traversed over thought the hedgerows and set up behind a fallen tree, only ½ a mile behind the camp.
"English here in position, Green is in position as well." Sarah whispered over the radio. Green had her head out of the turret, camera in hand resting the large telephoto lens on top of the turret in the direction of the gun.
Rosehip got out of her tank and rummaged in the storage box on the side of her tank and found a gun. She hopped back into her tank. And fired the flare into the dark abyss above in the direction of the camp. The night became day, revealing the night's secrets there where ten tanks T-34, SU-100 and an IS-2 all of the Chindits opened fire. Shells were coming from all directions of the encampment. Hitting and knocking out some of the tanks. The response was sluggish Pravda didn't seem to expect an attack, their remaining tanks fired back randomly in any direction. Green relentlessly shot frame after frame as her tank fired into the camp.
"All tanks move relocate, fire 3 shells and return back to base do not charge into their camp." Rosehip commanded. All tanks moved into new positions to get more on the flank of the camp and fired again with Sarah and Green moving northwest, as Green continued shooting more pictures. The flare had now finally fallen to the ground, where Rosehip and her small group slipped away back into the darkness. With Pravda firing tracer rounds into the air with their headlamps on trying to locate the harassers.
"It's time to go Green, full speed follow me." Sarah said, the Cromwell accelerated at full pace directly north as the crow flies. "Don't fire we can't give away our position, I don't think Pravda will take prisoners after that." Sarah spoke with her jokey and relaxed tone blossoming again.
"English how far away are you from the wrecked Sherman's?" Rosehip asked urgently.
"ETA 2 minutes, Green is safe, no shots have come our way… yet."
The tanks finally reached the Sherman scrapheap, where all the Chindits gathered. "This is Rosehip we are returning back to Spitfire base over. All five tanks are undamaged." She opened her hatch and with a torch flashed morose code with her torch at the defensive line.
D-DAY+3 time (04:24)
They finally reached the safety of the forward base at Spitfire. Rosehips Crusader came to a halt, as the others parked alongside her on the runway of Spitfire. She jumped out of the tank as did the other commanders.
"Ladies that was some great work, our first and hopefully not last night attack. I think it went pretty well." Rosehip said with the joy of a young child on a Christmas morning.
"That's the Chindit way, St Gloriana's best." Cranberry added shaking Rosehips hand rather unexpectedly. All the exhausted girls smiled and cheered with that statement.
"Before we finish, I need to write a small report for Darjeeling so any tanks seen, hit, damaged or destroyed. Please point them out on the map." They all pointed on the map for and conferred what they saw, with Rosehip marked with a red wax pen. "Ladies we will return to HQ get some sleep, hot food and relax. We will continue the fight later on today."
"Rosehip that's the best thing you've said this whole battle." Sarah joked with the other girls having a laugh with Rosehip frowning at her, but then joining in.
"Just before I forget." Green passed back the film cartage to Rosehip, along with the camera body lens still attached. "Hopefully I can do this more in the future."
"To take photos of us drifting our tanks for the local paper, in the future maybe. But at the moment we need you commanding a Crusader." Rosehip added slapping her hard on the shoulder as she walked towards her Crusader. "By the way, the last tank to get back to HQ, that tank crew has to wash every Chindit tank." Rosehip snapped quickly as she began to run to her tank. All the commanders looked at each other for a split second and darted back to their tanks.
Sarah quickly climbed into the Cromwell. "Honeybush get us back to HQ it's a race, we can't lose this."
"You just had to say race." Honeybush spoke with a slight coolness to her voice, the meteor engine howled as the Cromwell sped ahead of the other Crusaders, leaving them in the dust, as they tried to catch up to Rosehips head started Crusader.
The Chindits raced back north to the HQ, after a successful raid completed.
D-DAY+3 time (08:03)
The orange ball of fire pierced the horizon, bouncing off the cold metal machines of Kuromorimine, as they lined up on this perfect day of battle with the skies clear and visibly being unimpeded by the weather.
Maho imposing upper body remained outside the commander's hatch, she quickly glanced at the awe-inspiring force of heavy tanks around her, she pinched her throat microphone. "This is commander Maho we are to attack, follow the plan, stick behind the Maus, tank destroyers remain in the rear and provide long distance supporting fire. Panzer, nach vorne!" The tanks moved forward, the formidable Maus leading the spearhead towards the hill.
"Kay get up, get up Kay!" The walkie talkie screamed.
"What. Is it?" As Kay yawned as woke from her slummed from inside the Sherman leaning on one side of the turret, with a little dribble rolling out the side of her mouth.
"Kuro is coming, they have a Maus and 30+ tanks. Incoming!" Shells smashed all around the landing on the wall, some onto the hill itself. Alisa slid bad into her Sherman. "How can we deal with that, we can only pray!" She shouting into the radio.
"We can't pray. The church is destroyed!" Kay dropped the walkie talkie on the turret basket, she breathed heavily, the visions on the burning bonfire filled her head. She snapped out of the trance, grabbing the microphone. "Destiny calls ladies, and it's our time to answer it. To the wall, bombard them, slow them down. We will not make it easy for them for every single inch they try to take. We will knock out one of theirs in return." The horde of Sherman's began to move placing their turrets over the top of the wall, with the barrels protruding over the top. The line of panzers slowly making their way towards them.
"We need to take out that Maus!" Kay commanded on the radio. "All tanks focus fire on it, disable it, knock out its gun, tracks anything to make it a 300-ton statue. Remember we have the high ground the upper part of the hulls is weaker! Commence firing now!" The 75 and 76mm shells flew out in unison, barraging the steel beast. The smoke from the shells cleared but the Maus still moved ever closer.
Naomi peered through the sight the mighty brute, it was maybe less than a mile away from the foot of Winston. "If I hit there that might do it." She thought to herself "How many sabots rounds we got?" She asked her loader intently.
"Only two." The loaded said lifting one of the ammo storage containers as the dim interior light fell onto the razor-sharp point of the round.
"OK load it." Naomi ordered.
The loader lifted the round out then ramming it into the breach. "Loaded." As the breech closed behind the projectile.
"Firing." The blinding light and thunderous bang, with the dart flying out of the gun. It hit the Maus on the turret cheek, compressing and only denting the Maus turret.
"Again." Naomi shouted at her loader. The loader lifted the final round slamming it into the breach with the utmost force. "Loaded. Come on shell hit home, hit true."
"Firing" The ear-splitting noise and explosion of white light signifying the round had vacated the barrel. Naomi opened her eyes as the dart flew towards the target. "come on, come on." The shell collided with the underside of the turret, the curved shape directing it downwards, but not enough, the round impacted the turret ring. The Maus was damaged but only offensively as it still moved ever closer leading the charge. Naomi placed her head in her hands as she beat herself up. The only tank that could knock out the Maus at this range had failed.
"Sniper, how things down your end?" Was the call from Kay on the radio.
Naomi leaned her head back looking up at the turret roof with the cream bulb. "Kay, I'm sorry I let you down, I think I've knocked out the turret ring but…"
"What you mean Naomi! The Maus is pulling back you must have damaged it more than you thought, I'm so happy you're on our side. Now as you said 'this is when we rain all hell and fire on them.' Let's show 'em." Kay jubilant tone could not be missed with that transmission.
Naomi looked through the scope the Maus slowly reversed back its turret jammed about 10 degrees off to one side. The other heavy tanks started to spread out and push forward at full speed. "Ironside's how many tanks have we lost?" Naomi called on the radio, knowing that the battle was only beginning.
"We have lost 5 tanks so far. Crews cannot get outs the area is too hot still." Was a call from her vice commander.
"Kay we may need the Flying Tigers up here. I've lost 5 tanks."
"I've lost 3 so far. Alisa get the rest of the Flying Tigers up here." Kay responded back.
"Yes, Kay I bet you were praying." Alisa joked.
"Not really, I had complete faith in Adelbert Waldron, here." Kay added confidence brimming.
D-DAY+3 time (11:02)
In the makeshift darkroom, Sarah and Assam went through the finally dry film. They enlarged the images onto A4 light-sensitive paper and went throw the photography process. After all the images were done and everything packed away, they turned on the white light and began to scan the images with a magnifying glass.
Assam looked down at the chromed images of flashing gun barrels with frozen shell tracers caught in mid-air by the film. "Thanks for giving me a hand with this English. You must still be very tired."
"That fine I only sleep 6 hours tops anyway so 4 is ok, and anyway I'm your intelligence assistant so I should really be here anyway."
"You did well last night that looks like 2 knocked out T-34 and a possible SU-100." Assam said still eyes glued to the photos.
"Rosehips plan was good, I told her about mad Jack Churchill a couple of weeks ago I think that's her new idol". Sarah said back looking at her images. "James told me about him, he was a commando who said that 'In my opinion, sir, any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed.' He killed a German soldier at Dunkirk with a bow and arrow, what a mad man. But his tactic that he would use with his commando's would be to surround a group of encamped soldiers and fire everything all at once. Most of the time Mad Jacks commandos were heavily outnumbered, but the sheer shock would force the enemy soldiers to surrender, thinking they were the ones outnumbered. James uses these tactics as well for London United and previously at Bovington."
"Kay said she loved hearing the fireworks early this morning." Assam said back.
"Really?" Sarah added
"No, she said it ruined her sleep. And I've given you the privilege of not using any expletives she used."
"Oh, Kay she's so funny." Sarah said as she continued looking at the images when something caught her eye. "Assam look at this." Assam walked over Sarah passed her over the glass and pointed near the farmhouse the object was the size of a pea. "Look at that."
"It looks like a ...no no but Pravda couldn't afford that!" Assam said back in horror.
"But it definitely is that's a pike nose if I've ever seen one."
"Let's check the other photos and just pray it's not in these ones either." Sadly, for Assam It was.
They enlarged the small object and quickly got to Darjeeling small outdoors shack office. They knocked on her door.
"Come in." Was the response.
Orange was there with the table with the map on top pointing to it. "So Kuromorimine has taken heavy losses trying to take Winston we are on standby here in case, they need us for reinforcements."
"What about Belfast is there any news from there?" Darjeeling quired looking down at the map as she drew lines with red and blue wax pens onto the map.
"No, nothing no movement from Pravda." Orange added.
"Spitfire? How's it there?" Darjeeling probed.
"At the moment nothing is happening in their sector. Pravda might be taking a back seat?"
"Unfortunately, I don't think so." Assam said interjecting. "Its bad news Darjeeling, Pravda has a new weapon on the battlefield, an IS-3. At the advanced camp that the Chindits attacked early this morning." She showed her the enlarged images.
"Get everything to Spitfire now! The object of waging a war is always to be in a better position in which to wage another war." As she stood,Sarah ran to dormitory inside the HQ, once there she began to knock furiously on the first door.
"Rosehip we have to go." Rosehip opened the door still in pyjamas her hair all over the place, her eyelids barely lifting.
"What's the news?" Rosehip said yawning, Sarah showed her the picture. Rosehips eyes immediately widened. "Get everyone up now."
"Yes, Rosehip." Sarah said she ran up and down the dormitory bashing on the doors. "Scramble, scramble." She shouted at the top of her lungs.
Rosehip slammed her door as she held her frayed red coat in her hands," I need you to bring me luck." putting on her coat over her pyjamas.
The Chindits crews were out all out in under two minutes climbing inside their tanks waiting for the go-ahead by their tank commanders. The commander's standing outside of their tanks waiting for orders from Darjeeling, other St Gloriana students where running to their tanks and getting in.
Darjeeling walked out of her office with Orange Pekoe and Assam joining her. "Everyone we need to get to Spitfire immediately, new information has come to light, that a heavy attack is inbound. Chindits we need you to hold the Winston flank and attack in their side when most ample. She said in her usual tone but in a louder volume."
The Chindits commanders climbed into their tanks "Get us to our Winston holding position." Sarah ordered over the intercom. All the Chindits engines turned on simultaneously, with Rosehip's Crusader speeding off first with the others in hot pursuit.
The others force comprised of Matilda's, Valentine's and a couple of Churchill III headed to Spitfire, with Darjeeling's mighty Churchill Mark VII leading the way.
"Are you sure you want to use all reserves on this defence?" Orange Pekoe asked as the tank trundled along the metal wheels screeching on steel tracks.
"If we lose Spitfire, and then Belfast this is over for us." Darjeeling spoke with her teacup in hand.
"Saunders is holding off a heavy Kuromorimine attack as we speak. If they can't hold out, we are going to be slaughtered. What if they need reinforcements?" Orange added, scratching her chin.
Darjeeling glanced over to Orange Pekoe "A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." As she sipped on her tea.
Assam then looked over to Orange Pekoe. "This gives Pravda the best time to attack. We need to hold fast like Kay and Miho are doing and have done. We can let them down." Darjeeling stared at Assam and nodded in agreement.
The radio came to life. "Darjeeling Pravda have begun their attack. They are coming down the road with the IS-3 you warned me of, it's leading the way, looks to be 10 tanks following." Said Rukuriri as she tried to speak back calmly but her true emotion was obvious to all those listening.
"We will be there in 10 minutes hold out." Darjeeling called back.
"Roger. What are they doing?" Rukuriri said over the radio.
"Rukuriri explain!"
"The IS-3 it's turning its gun backwards, it's speeding up, the IS-3 isn't turning its coming straight at us!" She yelled out her voice drenched in terror.
The IS-3 powerhouse smashed into the earthworks bulldozed the soil and foliage out of the way with its piked noise.
"All tanks fire take out everything." The Matilda's two pounder shells didn't even scratch the paintwork of the IS-3, even though most were only 50 meters away from the monster. The IS-3 pushed forward as the barrel turned towards Rukuriri's Matilda.
"My troop, hold for as long as we can buy time for Darjeeling's company. Good luck."
The 122mm gun incinerated her tank, as the white flag raised at once. The Pravda column flooded through the gap, as Rukuriri's troop held out fighting to the last tank but the ending was inevitable.
"All tanks hold at the Bern, just after Spitfire." Darjeeling commanded to her company. As her tanks slowly moved south of Spitfire. "Get hull down. Prepare for a bombardment on the attack tanks." Darjeeling opened her hatch spotting the Chindits in the distance already in position at the north of Winston. She sighed she knew the writing was on the wall, her force would not make it in time. The Pravda attack needed to be delayed.
"Chindits you are going to have to attack the flanks now, we can't hold them in our current position, and we won't make it to our defensive position in time. Slow their advanced as best as you can. This may be a one-way mission for you and I'm sorry." Darjeeling said with indefinite regret.
"Understood Darjeeling, we fear nought." Rosehip responded confidently back, "Chindits, Darjeeling needs us to attack now, use the wrecks of the Easy 8's and push into the hedgerows, we'll flank behind them. Expect attacks from both Kuromorimine from the south and Pravda in the east."
"Understood!" Was the callback.
"If you thought joining the Chindits would be easy, ha ha sucks to be you. Let's show Darjeeling why we are the best of the best at St Gloriana's!" Rosehip spoke into her microphone. "A one-way mission. I see that as a challenge." Rosehip muttered to herself.
They began their charge, Kuromorimine tanks fired towards them, shots flew towards them but fast and unpredictable driving saved the Chindits their tanks. They dived onto the easy 8 scrap yard, giving them a little cover from the onslaught of Kuromorimine shells.
"Once we crest the earthworks, we go full speed spread out attacking the enemy main priority is to buy time if possible second objective is to take out the IS-3." Rosehip confirmed over the radio.
The four Crusaders and Cromwell launched themselves over the earthworks crashing over the hedgerows, then spread out. All commanders were looking out of there turrets looking for the enemy, microphone at the ready. Sarah stuck to the main road to keep the speed high, she saw the destroyed earthworks caused by the IS-3 as a T-34-85 rolled through it. "Enemy! On the main road north of the curve 100 meters!" She called as the T-34-85 rolled backwards, the engine deck beckoned "Jasmine fire." The 75mm hit the drive sprocket immobilising the tank. The T-34-85 couldn't move its gun stuck in between the hedgerows.
"Kelly's heroes' syndrome." Sarah thought to herself. "Once we get to the rear, stop and fire." She spoke calmly and precisely to the crew. The Cromwell slowed and stopped perfectly in line, hitting the rear, the flag appeared. Sarah turned her head to look down the main road south 600 meters away she saw on Crusader drifting around another T-34-85 hitting the engine deck knocking it out. "Good shooting Rosehip." She said over the radio.
"Cranberry, here we've been taken out by an IS-2. But we took it out in turn."
"English join me I'm going to take out the IS-3." Vanilla said over the radio.
"Where are you, where is the IS-3?" Sarah responded back shocked.
"I'm on the other side of the hedgerow same side as Spitfire lots of targets here!"
"Rosehip do you wish to join me?" Sarah added looking down the road as Rosehips Crusader moved towards her.
"Of course. You can't have all the fun."
Rosehip tank speed towards the hedgerow, Sarah's Cromwell still remained still, Sarah thought she would stop and they would go over together, but she was wrong the Crusader seemed to pick up more speed, hitting the earthworks and flying over the top.
"She's crazy." She said shaking her head. "Honeybush over the top let's go. Guys good luck, try your best. Lets see how many tanks we can take out."
They climbed over the earthworks into a large field with trees and bushes with Spitfire a mile or so in the distance. One IS-2 was knocked out with Cranberry's next to it, all the Pravda tanks were spread out in all different directions.
"Honeybush we will flank right full speed, we only stop once we are hit ok." Sarah commanded over the intercom.
"Yes English." Honeybush said back sounding as keen as Rosehip. The Cromwell sped off to the right-hand side of the field, as Crusaders weaved in an out of Pravda tanks like pestering mosquitoes.
"Vanilla where's the IS-3?" Rosehip yelled over the roar of her engine.
"It's the furthest tank north heading towards Spitfire."
"Understood, English you attack to it's east, Green to its west, I'll take the rear. Vanilla make some new friends in the south, make sure they cannot support their leader."
All the tanks commanded too converged onto the IS-3, with the rest of the Pravda tanks trying to keep up with the advancing IS-3, whilst firing unsuccessfully on the move at the pursuing Chindits, as Vanilla aggravated the trailing Pravda tanks by hitting their tracks and damaging their gun barrels.
The IS-3 slowly came to a halt, turning its turret towards Rosehip's tank, she was in only 300 meters away if she could get a little closer, she could take it out. The dark barrel exploded with fire and noise, as the shell howled towards her tank, she closed her eyes; the tank lurched sideways to the right as she heard the explosion from the shell. She looked out of her vision blocks as Vanilla's tank smouldered white flagged beside her. She looked behind her as the track marks showed the story as, Vanilla's tank drove in front to take the hit.
"Vanilla why?"
"We need you Rosehip in a Crusader more than ever, don't throw it away."
Rosehip smiled and grasped the microphone. "Next time Vanilla get a driver with two working eyes! Bye!" Her tank fired at the rear of the IS-3 which harmlessly ricocheted off. Rosehip seeing the IS-3 barrel still facing her. She sighed and heeded the advice so her fallen comrade. "Driver head northwest full speed make sure to go behind Greens tank, we don't want a friendly fire incident."
"Understood." The Crusader flew off avoiding the IS-3 barrel by out speeding the turret rotation.
The time had come to strike, Sarah's Cromwell charged in from the east firing and hitting the side of the tank doing nothing, they fired again closing the distance to 100 meters as it bounced off the side of the turret with Green on the opposite side having just as much luck, as her Crusader dodging the IS-3 122mm shell by a couple of inches as it fell past the side of her tank.
"We can't take it out Rosehip!" Sarah shouted over the radio.
"Do the next best thing immobilise it!" Rosehip called back.
Sarah's mind raced, as the idea spring into her head. "Jasmine aim for the tracks hit them. Peppermint HE."
"Understood." A confused peppermint responded back, picking up and ramming a HE shell in the breach.
"Firing." The shell exploded near the front splitting the tracks as the fell of the runners and also damaging the idler wheel knocking off a couple of the teeth.
Darjeeling stood on top of her Churchill observing the skirmish through her binoculars, as they had finally made it to the Bern just south of Spitfire.
"How's the battle going?" Orange pekoe asked.
"They have proved there worth. I think English and Green have disabled the IS-3 for now. But I fear we are playing with fire and we are about to get burnt" She picked up the microphone from inside the turret. "Chindits retreat now."
"Darjeeling we can't we…"
"That's an order Rosehip."
"Yes, understood." Came the dismayed voice of Rosehip.
The mauled Chindits headed north shots still flying their way. "We did good out there I think." Peppermint yelled over the noise of the tanks even with the intercom set it was incredibly hard to hear. "Darjeeling would be proud."
Sarah's head was out still keeping an eye out. "She would be happy. HONEYBUSH LEFT STICK!"
The tank immediately turned left as a shell slammed off the right side of the turret as the shell crashed into the dirt, Sarah looked over to see that the shelled left a large gash and shirred off a couple of the large bolts on the side of the turret.
"Honey we need to keep zig-zagging It seems we're not out of danger. Peppermint fire smoke!" She looked behind her the Pravda tanks had stopped and were firing at the defensive line and at them, as a small cloud began for formed behind them from the smoke grenade launched by Peppermint.
"Chindits, Thank you did the impossible and returned. The IS-3 should be out of commission for at least 12 hours hopefully more. Now I need you to go to your previous positions near Winston and hold there."
"Understood." Rosehip said back, "Time to go back to our favourite spot guys. Back to Winston"
"Yes, Rosehip." The last remaining Chindit commanders said back collectively.
D-DAY+3 time (11:43)
"Duck team here, Tanks approaching. About 15." The radio chattered.
"Is everyone ready!" Miho called on the radio.
"Yes!" was the callback from a variety of voices.
"We do not have support from Winston so we need to hold them here." Miho slid back into the turret, she looked at the map of the town on the turret wall, all the tanks hidden in the wreckage at choke points along all the roads leading into the town centre. As the tanks with the most powerful guns remained hidden in a forest north of Belfast readying for a counter attack.
Duck team drove out in front of Belfast and then retreated back in hoping to incite some into following her into the trap. The tank stopped at a wrecked house, Noriko opened the commander's hatch and looked out above the rubble. "Miho tanks have not followed us they have split and are circling around the town."
"Understood. Hippo, Leopon, Turtle teams if they flank behind take them out."
"Rabbit team here Tanks have stopped out our position do we fire?"
"Anteater team here they have stopped her too."
Pravda had only enveloped half of the town taking positions at a 9 o'clock, 7 o'clock, 4 o'clock and 3 o'clock areas, refusing to go to further north. Miho pinned red circled magnets on the map on the side of the turret.
"Duck team here, they are moving into the town!"
"All tanks fire on the lead tanks slow their advance, then retreat back to the forest we will take it the battle to them tonight."
All the tanks took aim and fired knocking out all four tanks that were leading each individual column, blocking the roads and making it impossible to shoot back at the Ooarai tanks as they swiftly retreated north to the forest, with Miho panzer IV leading the tactical retreat.
"Duck team here looks like more Pravda tanks coming in from the south, looks to be SU-152 tank and KV-2 assault tanks, if we did stop them, they would have destroyed the whole town I'm guessing."
"Thanks for the update this is good for us we can still use the buildings later. All tanks in the forest fall back and keep hidden." Miho looked down to Saori, adjusting the radio. "Saori inform Darjeeling we are tactically retreating we will take Belfast back tonight in a counter-attack."
"Understood Miho." Saori moved the frequency's "This is Belfast, the ship is flooded will counter flood as the sun sails off."
All the Ooarai tanks fell back into the forest. The emergency frequency came on "This is the JSF the objective the town has been taken team one has till 11:56 of day 4 to take back the town. Over."
"Let's hope this counter-attack works tonight." Miho fought to herself as she opened the hatch hearing the raging battle for Winston.
D-DAY+3 time (12:15)
"Company we need to hold this line as long as possible if this spearhead is stopped, the flood will be contained." Darjeeling commanded as she looked at through her binoculars onto the oncoming force.
The battle for Spitfire intensified, the Bern gave the St Gloriana tanks hull down cover, but there was no sunken ground behind them, so the turrets of the tanks stayed exposed. The Pravda force of T-34-85's and IS-2's pressed forward bouncing shot after shot from the lacklustre St Gloriana guns, the IS-3 still in its immobile position about a mile south of Bern placed accurate fire onto the defensive line knocking some of the defending tanks out.
"Darjeeling, we have no more high penetration rounds!" Orange Pekoe called out to Darjeeling.
"Understood if we can immobilise them, Assam please aim for tracks, HE please Orange."
Darjeeling looked to her company as more and more white flags were being raised, as the Pravda tanks grew ever nearer now only 300 meters away.
"Assam IS-2 ahead 11 o'clock."
"Firing." The shell hit the track of the IS-2 as heavy metal track flopped over the idler wheel. The 122mm barrel then lined up on the Churchill. Darjeeling quick retreating into the tank closing the hatch.
"To understand life, endure pain." Darjeeling spoke extremely calmly to Orange Pekoe.
"Um, yes Darjeeling very true." Orange responded back a little puzzled glancing back at her with a HE shell in hand.
Assam understood Darjeeling cypher, as she saw the flash from the barrel of the IS-2 threw her gun sight. She forced her eyes shut and covered her head with her hands.
The impact was extremely violent, Orange landed her back onto the turret basket falling onto the basket with a large crash, with Darjeeling bashing the back of her head on slightly padded cupola, Assam was hurled from her seat scrapping her arm on the gun breach tearing her sleeve off her battledress exposing cuts on her skin. Once the tank settled, with the white flag waving boldly signalling Pravda's victory.
"As much as I love this tank, I'm afraid it's time for the special." Darjeeling said with a grin to her face, as she offered Orange a hand. Orange took hold as Darjeeling pulled her up helping Orange to her seat.
Assam slid back onto her chair still a little worse for where, as something began to irritate her noise. "Can you smell burning?" She questioned.
"Yes, I can." Darjeeling responded, she picked up the microphone. "Driver any alarms for an engine fire?"
"No nothing."
Darjeeling looked around the tank a small trail of white smoke came out of a small metal box on the back left of the turret. She looked at the box it had red writing on it.
'TANK COMPUTER DO NOT OPEN! CERTIFIED BY THE JSF.'
"Screwdriver." Darjeeling called for. Orange passed on over to her, as she unscrewed the screw and pried open the heavy metal box, the motherboard was fine just a blue cable was smoking, with the thick smell of burning plastic coming from it.
"Driver turn all the electrics off. We have a small electrical fire."
"Understood." The driver flicked the fuse box, the tanks lights all turned off covering the interior in darkness the only light coming in was through the vision blocks, with the radio finally becoming silent as the electricity was slowly sipped away.
"Water please, Assam." Darjeeling added.
Assam passed it over to her as she poured in on the cable area with the sound of the water fizzing and steaming.
"As we all know I would not want to be in this situation, I want to get out of this tank as well but the area is still too hot." Darjeeling spoke to her battered crew. "But once we are free and we are in our new tank. In moments of pain, we will seek our revenge."
After Darjeeling's Churchill was disabled, the line soon collapsed under the strain with St Gloriana tanks falling back. The Pravda force advanced towards the long, levelled runway of the objective, moving forward cautiously expecting an ambush as the tanks huddled together in a pack, as the commanders opened their hatches, looking for any sign of movement as they scanned the dark shaded aircraft hangars, to the large rectangular control tower and other small buildings scattered around the airfield.
The radio crackled into life on the emergency frequency "This is the JSF the objective the airfield has been taken team one has till 00:34 of day 4 to take back the airfield. Over."
"Green, once the fighting dies down her get Darjeeling and her crew back to HQ fast. Without her, we can't win this battle." Rosehip sated over the radio. "Me and English are going to remain here just north of Winston." They positioned themselves, behind the raised road to remain hidden and were split a hundred meters away from each other as there tanks faced towards the now captured Spitfire.
"Yes, Rosehip it will be done." Green responded back.
Rosehip and Sarah had their heads out of their tanks looking out on the carnage around Spitfire as the St Gloriana tanks either fell back or were knocked out fighting to buy time for the other retreating.
Sarah stood on top of her commander's chair to pear just over the raised road ahead of them, scouting through her binoculars as small black blobs moved onto the airfield. "Looks like they have more reinforcements moving on Spitfire." Sarah sighed her disappointment was immeasurable from her tone of voice to her body language, "Katyusha must be ecstatic taking two objectives."
"Well get them back don't you worry, Ooarai probably have a plan and we're the Chindits, St Gloriana best." Rosehip her voice as fast and as confident as ever.
"We can only do so much with only three tanks Rosehip." Sarah said as she looked over to Rosehip, only wishing she could have as much confidence in a dire situation like this.
"But if we could take out the IS-3 that would be it for them." Rosehip pondered, scratching her head.
"Rosehip I know you want to stick it to 'em, but you know we have no more Crusaders after Vanilla and Cranberry get back, they are going to be in Cruiser MK III's and IV's. And this is the only Cromwell." Sarah added disheartened taking off her beret and cleaning the badge with her red coat. She sat on the top of the commander's hatch with her feet dangling off, the side of the large war scar still visible on the side of the turret. As a small smile crept onto her face. "But I would be funny to see you in a Churchill gun carrier."
"I am your commanding officer English! I would take that Cromwell off your hands." Even though Sarah couldn't quite see Rosehip see felt Rosehip's eyes on her like daggers. "And I think I would get more kills than that, your crew has how many so far, four?" She added snarkily.
Sarah instantly pressed down the button on the microphone she would not take that lying down. "You little …" Sarah responded as the radio loudspeaker kicked in.
"This is an emergency call we need medical evac now on position AH12. ASAP!" Was the call on the radio with a girl sounding extremely distressed.
"English, me and you are close to that position we can offer help." Rosehip said snapping into a commanding serious tone.
"Understood."
The Cromwell and Crusader engines roared to life and they charged towards the emergency call.
On Winston.
Where to begin, Mad Jack succeed but operation Mars has had a lot of success only the hill objective has not been taken. Can the Pravda and Kuromorimine team hold the objectives? But can Ooarai counter attack reset the timer? can St Glorina take back Spitfire? And what is this emergency call on Winston? All to come in the next Chapter.
Review time, well it could get darker but on the other hand, it could get lighter really depends on Sleipnir. (Most likely it will go a smidge darker)
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.
If you want to give me some feedback please leave a review its always appreciated.