Chapter 1:
"I've been in the Army since 1935, I enlisted on my 17th Birthday. I was stationed in Fort Benning in Georgia before the war, I was trained in becoming a sniper, I was an ace marksman, my skill was unrivalled like nobody else. Only a few good men could keep up with the likes of me, either way, they don't count on me being around to fire the first shot in a battle.
When the war started, I was eager to hear the news that we were going to war, I hoped that we would be helping out our allies in the British and French, but my prayers were dashed.
Instead, the entirety of Europe ended up being crushed by the jackboots of the fucking Nazis, everybody was living it up and partying, I was hoping to be get over into Europe and fight the Germans. Nobody could even grant me that privilege.
In 1941, I ended up getting my wish, I was sent overseas into North Africa, fighting alongside the Commonwealth Forces who were clashing against the Axis powers in the hot deserts.
Now it is 1942, I was called back to England, I was called back because of battle-experience and I was working alongside a new breed of soldier.
My name is Thomas Lafayette, I'm a soldier in the US Army and this is my story."
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St. Nazaire, little more than a dockyard with a German military garrison. My combat experience in Africa whilst with the Long-Range Desert Group stood me in good with the British Intelligence.
They requisitioned me after Operation Crusader, I spent the entirety of February in training up at Achnacarry in the Scottish Highlands. I was learning special operation training. I was headed in with a group of guys called 'Commandos'.
These commandos are considered to be the elite. No. 2 Commando Unit of the British Army. Lieutenant Colonel Charles Newman was leading the raid.
In addition to volunteering for the raid, I was going to be alongside Lieutenant James Doyle from the Royal Navy who was a special operator for the Royal Naval Intelligence Section.
The Brits say the raid could turn the tide of the war, if so, let's hope it's worth it. The Battleship Tirpitz is a threat if still operating in the channel and a lotta lives are depending on these men for a win.
Desperate times call for desperate measures and this is sudden new definition of 'Desperate'."
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March 28th 1942
2 Miles off the Coast of St. Nazaire, France
0115 Hours
Onboard the HMS Campbeltown, British personnel were heading towards the German-occupied dockyard of St. Nazaire.
British Commandos kept low and said prayers if they were to survive the raid, the men what was about to happen and what they were going to do.
Some of the men were raw recruits having seen little action, but some men who had fought in France and evacuated from Dunkirk were reaping the chance of returning back to France to stab the Germans in the back.
For 2 soldiers, they stared out at the faraway dockyard, their uniforms were olive green at the standard issue of American combat uniforms, they wore M1 Helmets on their heads.
Their ranks weren't on their uniforms, their kits consisted of 20 Thompson SMG magazines and 10 clips of M1 Carbine ammunition.
One veteran soldier carried a Thompson SMG with 30-round magazines. The other soldier carried a M1 Carbine.
Both men had dark brown hair, crystal blue eyes, but the one with the slight stubble was the one with the most wrinkles across his face, he looked a couple years older than most of the men had looked.
The other soldier had a cigarette in his mouth, he was taking long drags on it as it reached near the end, taking the smoke out of his mouth, he stepped on it as he said, "The men are ready, this'll be the first time I've set foot in France since Dunkirk, Tommy."
"Don't you worry, Jimmy, they know what's expected of 'em, if the Krauts allow the Tirpitz to get serviced, the Navy ain't gonna stand a chance in hell at survival." Tommy had said.
James Doyle and Thomas Lafayette stood out on the bow, they watched the drydock ahead of them as Jimmy said, "I don't like this."
"Me neither, this is looking too easy." Thomas said. A chilling feeling was settling into his spine and it was nearly confirmed when he suddenly saw a flash as he said, "HOLD ON!"
What happened next turned into a SNAFU, 3 men from the Commando unit were killed as the Commandos returned fire.
Soon enough the British ships returned fire onto the Port's defences. Jimmy Doyle and Thomas Lafayette returned fire with their weapons, but hearing the Tannoy shout, "All hands, 30 seconds to impact, return fire!"
The pair looked at each other in shock as Thomas said, "This is gonna make a helluva bang!"
The Campbeltown stormed towards the port at full speed, the German defenders became more and more aware of the daring plan the British had in mind.
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Suddenly, the Campbeltown rammed into the dockyard, smashing directly into the dock. Commandos were thrown over the deck as everyone struggled to maintain their vision after being dazed.
Jimmy Doyle was instantly back on his feet as he turned to Thomas who was dazed as he said, "THOMAS!"
Dragging him behind cover, Jimmy shouted at him again, "TOMMY!"
Clearing his hearing, he groaned as he said, "What the hell?!" "Welcome back to hell, Radioman's dead, we're up to our noses in the shit now!"
"Who's the other radioman?" Thomas shouted; his hearing was still over the place. Jimmy then replied, "Lieutenant Smith, he's already landed, he's got a radio, but the bastards have him pinned down!"
"We've gotta get to him, how long till the airstrike?!" Thomas asked. Jimmy shook his head and said, "No idea, but we've gotta move!"
Jimmy cocked his Thompson back as he ran to nearby cover and fired onto the German force protecting the port.
Refreshing the clip in his carbine, Thomas returned fire as he aimed down the sights onto the MG42 that was tearing at the ship's starboard.
He had to duck because of the Machine Gun's deadly crossfire as he reappeared and fired twice, silencing the machine gun, he then turned his attention to the German squad as he fired two shots per target as he didn't even think to duck down for cover.
Heading for the ramp, Thomas kicked it down as he shouted, "ALRIGHT, YOU GUYS LET'S PUSH FORWARD!"
"GO, GO, GO!"
"TAKE 'EM OUT! TAKE 'EM ALL OUT!"
"You heard him, lads, let's go!"
Pushing onto the docks, Thomas and Jimmy laid down covering fire for the British Commandos as they approached their cover and fired on the German defenders, one of the commandos fell to enemy fire from a high advantage point on the crane.
Taking the opportunity, Jimmy fired on the sniper with a burst from his Thompson, after eliminating the threat from above, he turned his attention to the incoming German port defences along with his fellow commandos.
Racing towards where Lieutenant Smith was located, Thomas then killed three German soldiers that had pinned down the radioman as he said, "Lieutenant Smith, that radio working?" "As it should do, Sergeant." Lieutenant Smith had said.
Thomas nodded, "Let's get to the Campbeltown, we've gotta call in air support." "I'll call 'em in, give me some covering fire!" The Lieutenant had ordered.
Thomas nodded and said, "Alright you guys, suppressing fire, we've gotta cover the Lieutenant, he's got the radio, give him cover fire."
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Lieutenant Smith called in the airstrike, as the squad of British Commandos retreated back to the Campbeltown.
Within minutes, the airstrike comes in as the bombers bomb the blockade, but one of the bombers goes down, no parachutes are seen as the men look down in despair.
The captain looks at the men and says, "Alright lads, listen up, we've got a lotta targets of opportunity, we need to cause as much damage as possible so that we give Jerry a bloody nose in the process."
"Shore guns to the right, our escape boats are waiting in the distance. Ahead to our north we've got fuel tanks, anti-aircraft guns and a bunker system below, rumours of intelligence inside, we need to gather as much information as we can." Lieutenant Smith had said in addition to the Captain's briefing.
Jimmy and Thomas look between each other as the Captain says, "Lieutenant Doyle, you lead a team to the shore gun and destroy the damn thing before they hit our escape boats."
"Consider it done, Captain." Jimmy said with determination.
Thomas then said, "I'll take a squad and hit the fuel tanks, AA Cannons and make my way into the bunker."
"Watch yourselves, if the Jerries aren't alerted to us now, they will be!" The leading CO had said.
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Getting ready to move, Doyle looked to his squad and said, "Alright lads, on me, let's go!"
Thomas looked to his squad and said, "Okay, you guys, let's get goin'! Watch your flanks and stay ready, krauts will have all kinda surprises waitin' for us!"
"We're on you, Sergeant." One Commando had said.
Thomas nodded as he pulled the handle on his carbine back and saw a round in the chamber as he pushed it back, he then signalled for the squad to fall in on him.
The men headed back into the fray once more.
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Heading towards the fuel tanks, Thomas and his squad pushed forward past train tracks and into a building, the Germans opened up with a MG42 and a platoon sized force waiting directly for them.
The Germans opened up with deadly accuracy and Thomas shouted, "COVER!"
Ducking for cover by some of the fuel valves, Thomas could hear the bullets get even closer as he peered from cover and fired at the enemy who cowered behind fortified cement cover.
Thomas called out to two of his men and said, "THROW SOME SMOKE UP THERE!"
On his orders, two commandos threw smoke grenades to mask their approach. In a series of hand signals, Thomas ordered the squad to flank the machine gun position and destroy the threat.
Charging up the middle, Thomas charged forward with a grenade as he cooked it off before tossing it into the pillbox, the grenade exploded killing the machine gun crew inside.
Forcing entry into the pillbox, he cleared the position and entered into the tunnel system. Pulling the handle back on his carbine, he checked and cleared every corner of the bunker until he came to a point at which he saw German soldiers on the catwalk.
Firing at them, he was able to kill two of them before proceeding to the fuel tanks, climbing up the stairs he then proceeded to the main reader, he then planted the charges on the tank itself and hurried down the stairwell, he managed to escape the explosion barely.
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But he then looked straight ahead and he heard a train whistle, he then muttered before saying, "ENEMY REINFORCEMENTS, WE GOTTA HOLD 'EM BACK!"
Moving into position, the enemy advanced forward, using his carbine, to eliminate the German reinforcements that had cut them off from the Campbeltown.
Stalking the Germans with surprise and patience, he simply dispatched the enemy like they were flies off a wedding cake. He cut the Germans down as if they were nothing. He advanced forward heading towards an AA Battery that had knocked out one of the bombers from the sky.
Advancing upwards, Thomas continued to eliminate German stragglers that were trying to defend the AA Battery.
German enemy fire had pinned Thomas down as incoming fire from below from the British commandos had helped Thomas get through and plant charges onto the German AA Cannons preventing further damage.
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Meanwhile, Jimmy Doyle was clearing the port gun emplacements of German reinforcements that were coming up from the tunnel systems directly below. Using his Thompson he eliminated the German defenders with superior firepower showing no compassion or mercy for the wounded.
Frankly the commandos were surprised by this as Jimmy gave them all a glare of death towards them, setting the charges on the coastal guns, they exploded soon enough and Jimmy went down into the tunnels and investigated them. Clearing his corners, he then checked around himself, paranoid that someone would sneak up behind him.
Relying on his only natural friend in his instincts, he kept his guard up, but something screamed danger ahead of him as he levelled his Thompson against him checking he had a full clip inside.
He walked towards the room noticing the door was open a notch, he instantly had his gun trained on the door the thumping sound of his heart guided his training and his instincts, he pulled it open via the handle.
Letting it move, he aimed his Thompson into the dark abyss`and reached for a flashlight, he was disappointed that he couldn't attach it to the Thompson but knew he had a brand new idea on how to improve visibility in the dark during covert operations.
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Entering inside, he looked around and saw the multiple intelligence documents across the tables, one particular document caught his eye, looking over it, he then saw what looked like blueprints containing information on some sort of new weapon.
Pulling his backpack open, he grabbed all necessary documents and gathered any maps that might hold valuable information containing German locations in the North African desert.
Satisfied he had all intelligence he recovered, he had then retreated back to the Campbeltown. Thomas provided rearguard as he said, "Thought I'd have to come and bail your ass out!" "Very funny, any sign of reinforcements?" Doyle said.
"Nothing within a mile. They musta gone home for the night!" Thomas said. Jimmy then said, "Let's get back to the ship, hear we're prepping to move out again."
Heading back to the ship, the Commandos waved them on in and as they gathered round the CO who had said, "Alright lads, into yer squads, we're striking the town!"