Between the Sand and the Water

by suzie2b

The Rat Patrol is enlisted to assist the Allies push the Germans out of a cove.

Disclaimer: The Rat Patrol is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.

Author's note: After an illness, I'm feeling well enough to do some writing. Sorry for any major mistakes.

Let creative license begin.

Between the Sand and the Water

By Suzie2b

Hitch and Tully were in the mess hall waiting for Troy and Moffitt. Tully was snipping wire into even lengths while Hitch watched.

It was midmorning when Tully handed a fistful of the thin wire to Hitch. His friend took them and asked, "What're we doing?"

Tully grinned. "Bubbles."

"Bubbles? But how?"

"You'll see." He handed the wire snippers to Hitch and said, "You start bending those into bubble wands. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Hitch shrugged as he started on his part of the project while Tully ducked into the mess hall kitchen.

A few minutes later he returned with a tray of paper cups, a spoon, and a pitcher of water.

Hitch finished the wire wands and set them aside on the table. "What's that?"

Tully said, "Dish soap and sugar." He handed the spoon to his friend. "I'll pour the water and you stir … carefully."

Another few minutes later Hitch followed Tully outside to a low wall across from the mess hall. Kids were playing noisily in the street with balls and hoops and sticks.

Tully and Hitch hopped up onto the wall to sit. Tully gave Hitch a cup and a wand and took the same for himself.

It took a little time, but it wasn't too long before the children noticed the bubbles floating around and over their heads. With squeals and laughter the kids chased the bubbles. Soon they began to notice where the bubbles were coming from and quickly ran to the two men sitting on the wall.

One of the youngsters asked, "Private Tully, Private Mark, how do you do this?"

Tully picked up a little girl and set her on his lap so she could reach for the floating bubbles. "That's a secret, Shadi. Someday I'll show you." He started to show the girl on his lap how to gently blow bubbles through the wire ring as she giggled.

Soon several boys climbed the wall and began to drape themselves on Hitch's shoulders. The private laughed as he blew bubbles around the boys' heads.

As Troy and Moffitt walked towards the mess hall to meet their men, they began to see bubbles of various sizes floating around. Then they heard the laughter of the children.

Moffitt grinned as he popped a fat bubble that floated down in front of his face and said, "I don't think Tully and Hitch are in the mess hall waiting for us like we planned."

Troy grinned. "Our meeting did run a little long. They must've gotten bored."

Sure enough the sergeants rounded a corner and saw their men surrounded by children, happily laughing and chasing bubbles all around. They walked over and leaned on the wall on either side of the privates.

Hitch grinned as he looked at Troy and Moffitt. "Hi, sarge. Hi, Moffitt. Did your meeting finally get done?"

Troy nodded and lifted one of the kids up onto the wall so he could reach the higher floating bubbles. "Yep. We're going to have to leave soon."

Tully asked, "What's the assignment?"

Moffitt answered, "We'll discuss that once we're off base."

Troy questioned, "Are the jeeps ready?"

Hitch said, "Ready and waiting."

"Then say good-bye to your friends and let's get going."

The children groaned as Hitch and Tully slid off the wall. They passed the last of the cups and wands out and waved good-bye to their smaller friends.

Then the privates followed their sergeants towards the motor pool.

#################

The Rat Patrol drove east for several hours, then Moffitt had them turn north. Hitch and Tully wondered in silence about their destination since there wasn't much out in the sector they were in.

Then, as the sun began to set, Troy called for them to stop in the cover of a waterhole.

They all exited the jeeps and Hitch asked, "So what's going on, sarge?"

Troy said, "Moffitt and I will fill you in soon. For now get the jeeps set for tomorrow and heat something for dinner."

With curiosity, but no questions Hitch and Tully started their chores while Troy and Moffitt huddled around the maps they had spread on the ground using the fire for light.

Tully checked the gas tanks and radiators, as well as fuel lines and other things while he listened to the quiet talking between the two sergeants.

When Hitch announced that supper was ready, they each took their plates and sat near the fire.

They sat quietly eating for a minute before Tully asked, "What's our assignment, sarge?"

Troy took a sip of coffee before he answered, "We're going to help the Allies clear the German navy out of the Gulf of Guinea."

Hitch questioned, "How are we going to do that?"

Moffitt said, "We're going to take an inland route. Intel says the Germans aren't showing that they have any idea that our army is coming to push them back."

"How many German battleships are we looking at?"

Troy answered, "Not sure. We've been told they're bringing in the Bismarck and Tirpitz for sure. They're on their way now."

Tully let out a low whistle. "They're the largest battleships in the German navy."

"And we don't know how many smaller ones there'll be with them."

Moffitt said, "Right now Allied High Command is sending every ship available to block the Germans while their navy and army sets up. Apparently the Germans are sending a battalion that will trap us between the beach and the desert … even though they don't know it yet."

Hitch asked, "And all High Command wants us to do is watch for this battalion of Germans"

"That's right. Major Clinton will take on the German navy from the beach."

Troy said, "At least until we get further orders. I have a feeling we're going to be doing more than just watching Germans."

Tully questioned, "There's villages all along the beach. What about them?"

Troy set his empty plate aside as he said, "At last check, the locals have abandoned the area."

"Won't the Germans get suspicious that the locals have disappeared?"

Moffitt said, "I doubt it. The locals are smart enough to know to evacuate the area when the word gets around that the enemy is on the way. We should be able to meet Major Clinton before noon tomorrow. We'll know more then."

Hitch wondered, "Do our people think the Germans are going to build a harbor?"

Troy said, "That's High Command's guess."

Moffitt added, "It would make sense. The beach is smooth and has good cover with the cove and the dunes. If the Allies hadn't spotted the area from the air, the Germans would have the harbor finished before the Allies could realize what was going on. Once we meet with Major Clinton we'll have a better idea what equipment the Germans are sending and what we're doing."

"Okay, it's time to get some rest. Jeeps ready?"

Tully nodded. "Yeah, sarge."

Troy said, "You and Hitch get our stuff cleaned up and stowed. Moffitt can take first watch."

#################

They were up and moving before the sun came up. Several hours later they could feel and smell the change in the air. It became cooler the closer to the water they got and the sea air smelled strongly of an outgoing tide.

The Rat Patrol stopped at the top of the dunes as the sky lightened. Moffitt pointed out into a large cove and said, "There they are."

Two large German battleships – the Bismarck and Tirpitz – stood out as the most formidable. There were smaller battleships and supply ships loaded down with equipment making their way slowly into the cove. They obviously didn't have a clue that the Allies knew they were coming and weren't expecting a battle.

Tully had gotten the binoculars and checked on some movement he noticed. He said, "Looks like the Allies are setting things up too."

Troy took the glasses and checked the area hidden by the dunes. The Allies were busy setting there big guns for the coming inland clash. "Okay, I'm sure the major knows the ships are there. Let's go find Major Clinton. He must be here by now."

Hitch and Tully drove down into the growing camp. The men they passed as they headed for the motor pool watched suspiciously. When Troy and Moffitt got out of the jeeps, Troy asked the closest mechanic where they could find Major Clinton.

The private said, "If he's not in his tent, he's in the mess tent having breakfast." He looked at the sergeants warily. "There's a rumor that we're going to get some inland help. Is that you guys?"

Troy said, "Yeah that would be us. Do me a favor. I need to make sure those jeeps are gassed up and in running order. Make sure my men get whatever they need."

"No problem, sarge. I'll see to it personally."

After checking the major's tent and not finding him there, Troy and Moffitt went to the mess tent. They found Major Clinton with his second in command going over plans as they ate breakfast.

The sergeants saluted and Troy said, "Long Range Desert Patrol reporting as ordered, sir."

Major Clinton looked up with a smile. "Better known as the Rat Patrol. Glad you made it. I assume you didn't run into any problems getting here?"

"No, sir."

"Well, get yourself something breakfast and join us. We're going over the plans that will set this whole operation off."

Moffitt asked, "Major, we have two other men with us. With your permission would it be all right if they were to get something to eat as well?"

Clinton asked, "Where are they?"

"The motor pool, sir."

The major turned to the private that stood nearby. "Go fetch the sergeants' men."

A few minutes later Hitch and Tully entered the mess tent. The private that had gone for them resumed his place standing near Major Clinton. Hitch and Tully looked at Troy, who nodded.

Captain Michaels said, "We've gotten little Intel on what you're doing here." Then asked, "What is your mission with us?"

Troy swallowed then said, "We've been ordered to keep our eyes on the inland passage over the dunes, captain. We're expecting a German battalion."

Michaels said, "We've received that information in the reports we got from Major Gleason. Do you actually plan to take on the Germans by yourselves?"

Troy said, "We seem to work best that way, sir. We'll only have to look after ourselves."

Moffitt said, "Besides, we won't be alone. If it comes to it, we'll borrow some of the major's men and cannons."

Michaels began to complain, "If you don't have enough men to back you up…"

Clinton interrupted, "If you need further assistance let me know."

Troy nodded. "Actually it would help if you could have a few of your guns turned to face the dunes."

"I'll have it taken care of, sergeant."

Troy nodded. "Thank you, sir." Realizing that Clinton and Michaels were wanting further explanation he said, "We plan to run recon out beyond the dunes, mostly the way we came in. With just the two jeeps we can stay out of sight and report back to your people as soon as we spot the Germans. With the help of some of your men, we should be able to push them back."

Captain Michaels pushed a map across the table. "Can you show us where you think the Germans will be coming from?"

Troy and Moffitt both pushed their empty plates aside and looked over the map. After a minute, Moffitt said, "Well, sirs, we have no reason to believe the Germans know our plans or the fact that the Allies will be waiting. We're betting that they'll basically come straight on so they can watch the activities on the water as well as the desert."

Troy moved his finger along a stretch of sand behind the dunes where Clinton's men would be. "We'll stay high so we can see them coming, sir, but we should be able to stay under cover. We don't know for sure how many there'll be so we'll have to keep our eyes open day and night for enemy movement."

Clinton asked, "You'll only be on the lookout for the Germans coming in from inland?"

"That's the plan, major. We'll be able to hear the attack coming from the cove when it starts. The German battalion won't know what's going on right away. That should be to our advantage."

Michaels questioned, "And you're sure the four of you will be able to handle it?"

Troy and Moffitt both felt Hitch and Tully's eyes on them. Moffitt said, "We've handled a lot worse things on our own, sir. We shouldn't have a problem with this."

Troy growled, "We've trusted our lives working together. There's no reason to doubt ourselves now."

Clinton said, "All right then. As soon as you and your men are ready, head out and take a look around. I have to check on how my own men are doing the weapons in place."

After Major Clinton and Captain Michaels left, Troy and Moffitt moved over to Hitch and Tully's table. Troy said, "As soon as you're done we'll head out to do some recon.

Hitch said, "Thanks for the confidence."

Moffitt smiled. "It's the truth. It takes all of us to get our jobs done. We have to watch each other's backs."

Tully pushed his plate aside and asked, "Where're we gonna start? We didn't see any sign of the Germans when we came it."

Troy answered, "I think we'll follow the dunes north, then break off and head further inland. Moffitt and I are betting on the Germans come over the dunes into our laps."

#################

As the jeeps streaked across the crest of the dunes, they could see Major Clinton's men working to ready the big howitzers, cannons, and antiaircraft guns.

As Hitch watched the men, he asked, "Are we going to get any help from our guys inland?"

Troy said, "To be honest, I doubt it. High Command is actually more concerned about the cove to worry about what might be coming from inland."

"Great, we really are on our own."

"Moffitt and I talked Major Clinton into turning a few of his guns inland. That'll help keep the Germans at bay until we can take care of the situation."

Hitch asked, "How will the Allies box in the Germans on the water?"

Troy shook his head. "Don't know. We weren't privy to that information, but I'm guessing the Allied ships will come in from behind the German ships to entrap them in the cove."

It was nearly noon when they stopped for lunch. There hadn't been any sign of the Germans.

Hitch finished his food and stowed the trash before picking up the binoculars. He scanned the desert and said, "I thought the Germans would be here by now."

Troy said, "I doubt that the desert battalion will show up during the day. If even the four of us are spotted, they're going to know what's going on." He looked at Hitch and said, "You and Tully stay here on watch. Moffitt and I will head back the way we came and see if anything has changed at the beach, then we'll check in with Major Clinton."

Tully asked, "What if the Germans show up?"

Moffitt said, "Chances are they won't be here until well after nightfall. But we all know how those kinds of plans go."

Troy said, "If they do make an appearance earlier than we planned, don't use the jeep's radio. Too big a chance they'll pick up our frequency."

"Walkie-talkies?"

Troy nodded. "Yeah. That's our best bet."

Hitch said, "Okay, sarge. We'll keep an eye on things here and let you know if we see anything."

Moffitt said, "Make sure you stay out of sight. There'll be a full moon tonight so cover the jeep and don't let even the Allies catch sight of you."

#################

After Troy and Moffitt left, Hitch and Tully moved the jeep to the bottom of the dune covered it. Then they hunkered down on their bellies at the top so they couldn't be seen.

Once the sun was down and the sky went dark as they waited for the moon to make a showing, Hitch and Tully carefully got to their feet.

Tully looked around and asked quietly, "Sarge and Moffitt have been gone a long time. You don't think something happened to them, do you?"

Hitch brushed the sand off his pants and shirt as he said, "Nah. Troy said they were going to have a look around after they checked in with Major Clinton. And who knows how long the major will keep them before they're on the move again to get back here."

A while later Tully grabbed the binoculars and scanned the area as the moon began to peek up over the horizon. He noticed several fires come to life in the allied camp below. "That's not too smart." Tully watched the bright yellow/orange flames. "Didn't they bring K-rations or something else that doesn't need to be cooked?"

Hitch gave a nod. "You're right. That's not real smart. They'll stick out like sore thumbs if the Germans show up. Should we contact Troy and Moffitt and warn them?"

Tully shook his head. "They may have left Major Clinton's camp. It wouldn't do any good even if we could get through on the radio. And chances are if Captain Michaels takes the call, won't listen."

Hitch agreed. "Yeah. We should just sit still. It won't do us any good to give ourselves away either."

The privates made themselves as comfortable as possible as they sat on the sand to watch the activity below. The fires slowly went out and Hitch felt a little better, but then a few lanterns came on as men made their way out to go on watch. Hitch looked over at a dozing Tully and decided it wasn't going to do any good to wake him up. They were safe for the time being. No one knew they were there … at least not yet.

#################

About an hour later, Hitch heard something in the distance. It was definitely the sound of engines … and from the sound of it they were German. He stood and scanned the distant desert behind the dunes. It took a little time, but Hitch finally spotted the pinpoints of headlights making their way through the dark. He knelt and nudged Tully.

Tully straightened up and asked, "What's up?"

Hitch handed the binoculars to his friend. "Looks like the Germans are here."

Tully took the glasses and watched as the enemy soldiers came to a halt on the backside of the far dune. "Can't tell if it's a battalion or not, but there's a lot of 'em. Better go get ahold of sarge and Moffitt to let 'em know."

"Right."

A few minutes later Hitch returned to Tully's side. "Can't get through. I tried our usual channels, but nothing."

Tully said, "We're probably out of range." He turned to Hitch and said, "Take the jeep and head on an intercept course. Hopefully you'll come across Troy and Moffitt."

Hitch shook his head. "We should stay together."

"One of us needs to keep an eye on things here. There's every chance the Germans will discover the Allies. And don't use the radio."

Hitch knew Tully was right and handed the walkie-talkie to him. Tully took the radio and said, "Thanks. I'll try to get through if anything changes."

#################

The full moon was bright in the now cloudless sky when Hitch spotted Troy and Moffitt in the other jeep. With a burst of speed the private caught up with the sergeants and pulled up behind them.

Moffitt said, "We're being followed."

Troy turned in the passenger seat and saw Hitch flash the headlights and give a wave. "Pull up."

Hitch stopped next to the other jeep. "The Germans are here, sarge. Tully and I saw them coming in on the other side of the dunes. Straight on just like you said."

"Did they see our guys?"

"They hadn't yet, but chances are they will. All they have to do is go to the top of the dunes to see the camp. There's nowhere for our guys to hide."

Moffitt asked, "Where's Tully?"

Hitch answered, "We decided one of us should stay behind to see what happens. I left the walkie-talkie with him, but I don't know if he'll be able to get through though. I tried to get ahold of you two, but it was radio silence. Don't know if we were out of range or the signal was being blocked."

Troy nodded and said, "Okay, let's get going so we can find Tully."

#################

Tully watched as the Germans discovered the Allies, quickly surprising them and taking the survivors prisoner. Then he noticed three halftracks coming in his directions. He didn't know how, but they must've spotted Tully's shadow in the moonlight on the dune. He quickly looked for a place to hide and saw a thick patch of scrub and low trees. In the dark it would have to do.

Tully began running towards the scrub, but before he got far his feet dug into the sand and sent him to the ground face first. He scrambled to his feet and quickly looked for the walkie-talkie he'd dropped, but found he didn't have time to search with the Germans coming. Tully quickly crawled in among the scrub and covered himself with sand.

The Germans drove around the area where they thought they'd seen someone running. Tully listened to the halftracks noisy engines as they got closer and then stop. He quickly covered his head with his helmet and buried himself as far down as he could in the sand. Tully listened to the whispered conversation between the Germans. They were sure they'd seen someone running across the crest of the dune. A short time later he heard the German vehicles start up and circle around before they drove away. Once they were gone, all Tully could do was watch as lanterns came on as the enemy began to search the camp for more prisoners.

#################

Hitch led the way to where he'd left Tully, but he wasn't there.

The three Allies crouched down on the sand to keep their profiles low.

Hitch whispered, "Do you think they got him?"

Moffitt shook his head. "I highly doubt it. He most likely found a place to hide before the Germans got up here."

Troy looked around and saw something familiar in the moonlight. He laid on his belly and stretched until he could reach it. When he pushed himself back, he handed the walk-talkie to Moffitt, who said, "He must be nearby."

The three men looked around and then Hitch spotted something. "Over there. A flicker of light."

They watched the scrub until they saw it again. It was dull in the moonlight, but bright enough for them to make out the reflection. Troy said, "He must be using his bayonet to reflect the moon." After a moment, the sergeant said, "Hitch, use your knife to signal him to come on in."

Without a word, Tully stayed low as he ran towards his friends. They got into the jeeps, and headed in the general direction of Major Clinton's camp without knowing if the Germans had seen them.

#################

When they got to the camp, Troy demanded, "What happened?"

Tully said, "The Germans showed up in the dark. The Allies obviously weren't expecting them in the middle of the night. I know I wasn't."

Hitch said, "Neither was I."

"We knew there was a chance of that."

Moffitt nodded. "That's true. They don't like to do battle in the dark without better cover than this. And there's no way for them to know that any other Allies are here except those they've already caught."

Hitch asked, "Do you think they were expecting us?"

Troy said, "Probably not. There's no reason for them to know we've been waiting."

Tully said, "They came in from the backside … the east, like you hoped. No one would've seen them. The Germans found the Allies camp before our guys had a chance to react."

Hitch looked at Tully and said, "I tried to contact you once I caught up with Troy and Moffitt, but couldn't get through."

Tully looked guilty as he said, "I got my feet tangled up and fell. I didn't have time to find the radio before I had to get outta sight."

Troy smiled slightly. "That's all right, Tully. Happens to the best of us. At least you were able to hide."

Tully shrugged, feeling he should've been more careful.

Moffitt said, "It won't take long for the Germans to figure out there's another armed camp."

Troy could tell that his fellow sergeant was putting together a plan and asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"The Germans don't know about the major's planning and strategic set up. We let the Germans believe they've caught all of the Allies. The major's people can come in and cover their guns and equipment."

"Yeah. They can bury themselves in the sand and stay out of sight … at least until daylight. Tully, the Germans know someone is up here. I want you to let them catch you."

Tully asked, "What exactly do you want me to do, sarge?"

Troy answered, "Let them interrogate you. Just don't give in too easily."

"You want me to give Major Clinton's position away?"

"That and then some. I want to let them think there's more men then there really are and they're outnumbered."

Moffitt said, "We need to get word to the major so he can contact our battleships. They'll need to know the plans have changed."

Hitch said, "Isn't it dangerous for Tully? They'll question him and beat him within…" He caught himself before he finished the sentence.

Tully put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'll be okay. The Germans can't do much more to me than they've done before."

Hitch gave a reluctant nod, but didn't say anything more. He thought silently, "I know. That's what I'm afraid off."

Troy said, "Let's go talk to Major Clinton so he can alert our ships."

#################

After explaining the plan to Major Clinton and Captain Michaels, the captain said, "You're sending one of your own men to be taken prisoner?"

Troy nodded and said, "Yes, sir."

Michaels said, "It's a death sentence for your man, Sergeant Troy."

Tully said, "Sergeant Troy wouldn't send me to do something he wouldn't do himself, captain."

Major Clinton looked as his captain and said, "The private is right. A good superior officer would do just that. You'd better get started."

#################

When the four men of the Rat Patrol arrived back at the dunes, they left the jeeps out of sight and watched from the top.

Moffitt said, "It looks as if they've set up a ruse of their own."

Troy nodded. "As long as it's dark it'll look like the Germans are part of the Allies."

Hitch said, "They're using the Allied helmets they got from the prisoners has disguises."

Troy saw Tully unstrap the sheath that held his bayonet to his thigh. The sergeant joined the private and said, "You don't have to do this you know. Just say no and we'll find another way."

Tully smiled slightly. "Thanks, sarge, but I can handle it." He put his machine gun and helmet in the jeep with his bayonet. "By the time I've told them what they think they want to know, our battleships will be in position and ready to attack and our guys can move in on land."

Hitch walked up beside his friend with a pistol and handed it to Tully. "You'd better have a firearm for the Germans to confiscate or they'll get suspicious."

Tully took the gun and checked the clip before putting it in his belt. "Thanks."

Moffitt joined them and said, "Chances are good they won't believe much of what you tell them since you'll be telling them what they want to know. Be careful."

Tully nodded as he took a deep breath and said, "I'll do my best." Then he started down the dune. He tried to be inconspicuous, but at the same time he knew he was to let the Germans catch him.

The private moved from small boulders to scrub, pausing in the open to give the enemy a chance to see him. Frustration coursed through Tully as he realized that the Germans didn't seem to take notice of him in the dark. He had to get their attention or their plan wouldn't work. Tully glanced back to the top of the dune, but he didn't see Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch. He knew they were still there – they wouldn't leave until they were sure their plan was in motion.

Tully continued to make his way down the dune until he was close enough to take a shot. Then he took the pistol out of his belt and took aim at the closest German. With the backlight from the camp, Tully took aim and squeezed off a shot. The enemy soldier went down, but didn't appear to be badly injured as the Germans quickly converged on the spot where the muzzle flash came from. Tully made a vague try at escaping, but the enemy quickly surrounded him. One of the Germans took the American's pistol and was searched thoroughly before he was led back to camp.

Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch were laying on their bellies to watch the plan play out. Then Troy said quietly and worriedly, "Moffitt, you and Hitch go check in with the major. Let him know that things are progressing according to our plan here."

Neither Moffitt nor Hitch wanted to leave, but they weren't going to argue and Major Clinton had to know if things were underway.

Troy heard the jeep pull away as he watched Tully. Two Germans held tightly to the Americans arms and a third kept a rifle pushed into the middle of the private's back,

Troy scanned the dark for anything suspicious and saw a dark figure standing in the shadows between two tents. Even in the dark, the sergeant felt something familiar and a shiver coursed up and down his back. Then the person turned and disappeared. Troy then watched as the German guards took Tully into a tent and a moment later a lantern came on.

#################

A German lieutenant had been interrogating Tully as the guards looked on. He sat, tied to a chair, face bloodied and bruised, barely conscious.

Someone walked into the tent and asked, "Has he said anything?"

The lieutenant nodded as he washed the blood from his knuckles. In German he said, "Er gab uns die Information der Major gewünscht, Hauptmann."

"You may as well use English, Lieutenant Rahman."

The lieutenant gave the captain a confused look. "Sir?"

"His German is not half bad."

"You are familiar with this American, Hauptmann?"

The captain nodded as he stepped closer to the chair. "Good morning, Private Pettigrew."

Tully slowly looked up at the captain standing over him. He managed to croak, "Long time no see, Captain Dietrich."

"Give him some water"

Lieutenant Rahman looked surprised. "He is part of the Rat Patrol."

Dietrich said, "Yes he is … and I can guarantee the other three are nearby watching. There is a very good chance the information he gave you is false or at best half-truths, lieutenant."

Rahman smacked Tully with a closed fist as he cursed in German. "Das Schwein!"

Tully's head fell forward loosely as he lost consciousness. Dietrich said, "Did that help the situation, lieutenant?"

"Sorry, Hauptmann."

"I suggest you inform Colonel Peters of what's happened. We may be in for a battle we were not expecting."

#################

Moffitt and Hitch returned and the private was now watching the tent that Tully was in as the sun came up.

Troy and Moffitt stood by the jeeps and discussed the situation. Moffitt said, "The major said the allied battleships are waiting for the last of the German ships to make their way into the cove so they can be blocked in."

Troy asked, "Did he have any orders for us?"

"He wants us to stay here for as long as possible. Eventually the Germans with figure out just how many of us there really are."

Hitch rushed down to the jeeps. "We might have a problem, sarge."

"What kind of problem?"

"Captain Dietrich is here."

Troy questioned, "You're sure?"

Hitch nodded. "I saw him and his men move Tully to one of those wooden buildings."

Troy realized he knew Dietrich was there. He had the feeling when he saw the figure in the shadows.

Moffitt asked, "How did Tully look?"

"Not great. He could barely walk on his own."

As they walked to the top of the dune, Troy said, "Dietrich will figure out what we're doing here … if he hasn't already."

At the top, Hitch pointed and said, "They left him in there. The one with the guards. It makes sense that the other prisoners are in there too."

Moffitt asked, "How are we going to handle this?"

Troy growled, "We wait. When we get the word from Major Clinton, we'll go in for Tully and the other prisoners. And do as much damage as we can to the Germans." He looked at Hitch and said, "Keep an eye out for where the prisoners and munitions are stashed. They may not be in the same place as Tully."

Hitch said worriedly, "But, Tully…"

Troy snapped, "I know, Hitch!" The sergeant sighed as he saw the look on the private's face. "There's not much we can do right now. Tully's no doubt in with the other prisoners, but we can't be sure. The important thing is getting our guys out of there and arm as many as possible. We'll get Tully out as soon as we can."

"I'm sorry, sarge. I'm just worried."

"We all are. If we can get our men armed, we'll have half the battle done."

Hitch nodded. "I know where the Germans put Tully. My guess is the munitions are in the building next to it."

Troy said, "As soon as we get word we go in and get our guys. You and Moffitt get the Allies out and get them armed.

#################

Hitch stayed at the top of dune waiting and watching while Troy and Moffitt stayed close to the jeeps radios. They knew the Germans would announce themselves when the battleships were in position and ready to bring in the supplies. That's when the Allies would make themselves known and the battle would begin.

It was sometime later that they heard from Major Clinton. The last of the Allies had appeared behind the German ships to close their only exit and the first barrage of fire could be heard coming in from the far end of the cove.

Troy and Moffitt heard Major Clinton on the radio give the command to open fire on the land based troops. Shells began to whistle overhead, hitting the Allies' camp as well as the Germans beyond.

Troy looked at Moffitt. "Let's go!"

At the top or the dune, Hitch waited when he saw the sergeants' racing towards him. He let them run past and then followed. About half way down the other side the three Allies dove for cover behind some boulders as the Germans spotted them.

With their heads down and bullets ricocheting off the rocks, Troy said, "Moffitt, you and Hitch find the prisoners and munitions, then do your best to get the wounded out of there.

Moffitt asked, "What about you?"

"The Germans are a little out of place from where we thought they'd be. I'm going to need some help repositioning the guns."

Moffitt nodded. I'll make sure those who are able get to you."

Troy said, "Okay, let's shake it."

#################

As Moffitt and Hitch ran towards the guard house, they started firing the machine guns they were carrying. Bullets hit the German guards. Moffitt quickly worked to open the lock on the wooden door while Hitch stayed down and kept the Germans at bay.

When the door burst open, they found the captured Allies ducked down with their heads covered. Moffitt yelled, "Let's go! We've got work to do!" He turned to Hitch. "Use a minimal of men to get the wounded out of here! I'll get the others to Troy!"

Hitch said, "Right, sarge! Do you want me to come back to help you guys?"

Another burst of bullets had everyone hit the floor again. "No! Stay with the wounded. I'll let you know if Troy needs more men."

Hitch found Tully unconscious and one of the men asked, "A friend of yours?" Hitch nodded.

"Looks like they used him for a punching bag."

Hitch said, "Let's get these guys out of here."

Those who could, helped move the wounded. Moffitt was able to find and returned with an armload of rifles. "The munitions are stored next door!" He began to pass the guns to the able bodied men he would take to Troy.

Hitch nodded. "Right, sarge, we'll get what we need!"

Moffitt led his men off to join Troy as several men with Hitch went to get guns.

It was as they were helping out the wounded that Hitch heard one of their guys yell a warning from behind him. He swung around in time to see Captain Dietrich go down. Hitch ran to the captain and checked for a pulse as the bullets and shells whistled overhead.

One of the men grabbed Hitch by the arm and said urgently, "Leave him! Let's get our guys outta here!"

Hitch gave a quick nod as he glance down at the captain. "He's dead anyway."

As Hitch followed his men, he looked back and saw Captain Dietrich struggling to his knees. The captain and Hitch locked eyes for a moment. The private had known Dietrich was alive. He could've finished his enemy off and been done with him, but for some reason he didn't understand Hitch let the German captain live.

#################

Moffitt led his men to where Troy was, dropping to the ground occasionally as bullets hit the sand around them and sailed over their heads. He saw the other sergeant manning one of the big guns and yelled at the men with him, "Man those guns! We'll do our best to run them off!"

Troy turned as Moffitt appeared next to his friend. "Hitch get the wounded taken care of?"

"He had plenty of help."

"Go back and help him cover the area!"

Moffitt said, "He's got everything well in hand, Troy. My being there won't help anything."

Several of the cannons went off and Troy said, "Let's get started then. The sooner we get the German on their way the better."

#################

As soon as the Allied ships got the word that the attack had started onshore, they began shelling as they moved in behind the German warships.

It seemed to go on forever. As the explosions escalated, they created such a din that the Allies were forced to use hand signals to communicate.

#################

Hitch crawled from one wounded man to the next. Those who were able were doing first-aid in-between covering their heads as the German shells exploded all too close. He got to Tully and asked the man wrapping his friend's wounds how he was doing

Through his swollen face and lips Tully managed, "I'm okay. Gimme a gun."

Another shell blew up nearby. Hitch threw himself over Tully while the other man covered his head with his arms.

When the debris settled, the man looked at Hitch and said, "His eyes are swollen closed and his nose is broken. He can barely talk. I'm guessing cracked or broken ribs are in the mix too."

Hitch sighed as he asked, "What's your name?"

"Mitch."

"Stay with him. I'm going to the top to see how things are going."

Tully grabbed Mitch's arm and said, "Wait! Gimmie a gun!"

Hitch moved the hand off of the other man's arm. "You can't even see right now. Stay here with Mitch. I'll be back as soon as I can."

#################

The battle continued. The ships bombarded each other while the cannons on dry land did their best to hold the Germans back. Big guns on both sides were destroyed one at a time as well as the men manning them.

Hitch quickly and carefully climbed to the top of the dune that overlooked the fight. He was frustrated when he couldn't make out for sure whether or not the Allies were pushing the Germans back. Hitch laid there on his belly until someone from his group crawled up beside him. The noise from the bombing made in impossible to hear, but then the other man pointed toward the cove.

The German battleship Bismarck was rapidly sinking, as was one of the supply ships and one other of the German battleships. Black smoke billowed as the ships took fire.

Allied battleships were taking a pounding too, but they were holding their own a little better than the Germans.

The fighting on land went on until the Germans began to run out of ammunition. The enemy hadn't bet on the presence of the Allies and didn't bring enough ammo to cover them for a lengthy fight.

Hitch noticed the Germans moving out into the desert in an attempt to escape the Allies. The enemy didn't take notice that the Allies weren't following. Soon after the Germans were well on their way, Troy, Moffitt, and the other survivors' grabbed trucks and headed over the dunes to pick up Hitch, Tully, and the other Allies.

As the men were loaded into the trucks, they could still hear the battleships in the cove. Troy said, "Moffitt and I will go into camp and see what we can do to help. Hitch, you make sure the guys get down to medical.

Hitch nodded. "Right, sarge."

Troy caught the private by the arm. "How's Tully?"

"Beat up, but I think he'll be okay."

#################

When the trucks made it to Major Clinton's camp, his corpsman jumped into action to take care of the wounded. The major did his best to direct the fighting away from the main camp so as to protect the wounded.

His men manned the big guns and the Allied ships continued to bombard the enemy.

#################

After the trucks with wounded arrived at Clinton's camp, Troy and Hitch rushed to arm themselves with one of the cannons. Hitch pushed a shell into the barrel while Troy let it fly at the enemy. Moffitt armed himself with an unmanned gun, by was quickly joined by the major's men.

Major Clinton's and Captain Michaels' orders were precise and no one hesitated to follow them. The battle ended as the German battleships tried to slip out of the cove around the Allies. They were only partially successful, but also took some of the Allied Navy with them.

Things suddenly got quiet except for the distant canon fire as the Allies continued to chase down the Germans on both land and sea.

When the battle was clearly over and the men cheered their win, Captain Michaels called Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch to Major Clinton's tent. "How did it go inland?"

Troy said, "We were able to run the German's off, sir."

"Excellent. I saw that you and your men join us when you got back. For that I thank you."

Captain Michaels asked, "Where is your fourth man?"

Hitch said, "He's in medical, sir. He took quite a beating from the Germans." He glared at the captain. "But it wasn't a death sentence."

Michaels said nothing in return.

Major Clinton smiled slightly and said to Troy, "I would like you to take your men out and make sure the Germans have truly made an escape. I don't want them sneaking up behind us."

Troy nodded. "Yes, major. We'll leave immediately." The three of them walked outside and the sergeant said, "Moffitt, you stay here with Tully. Hitch and I'll be back in a couple of hours."

As Moffitt turned, he heard Hitch say, "I need to tell you guys something."

Troy said, "Can't it wait?"

"No, sarge. I'd rather it didn't."

Moffitt stepped over and stood next to Troy. They both could see the seriousness in his Hitches young eyes. Troy asked, "Okay, what is it?"

Hitch said quietly, "Captain Dietrich."

"What about him?"

"He was shot during the battle."

Troy said, "He knew the risks of war, Hitch."

Hitch nodded. "But he's not dead, sarge."

Troy and Moffitt looked at each other curiously. Troy asked, "Then what are you worried about?"

"I … I could've killed him while he was on the ground, sarge."

Moffitt said, "But you didn't."

Hitch shook his head. "I don't know why, but I just couldn't. I told the guys I was with the captain was dead and we all took off."

Troy said, "Then you didn't do anything wrong, Hitch."

"He looked right at me when he started to get up."

Moffitt said, "Then he knows who to thank for his life."

Hitch sighed, "I guess."

Troy put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "How 'bout we talk about this later when things settle down a bit?"

"I'd appreciate that. Thanks."

#################

Tully opened his eyes with a groan. His face were still swollen, but he was able to see to certain extent although blurrily.

Moffitt moved closer to his friend. "How are you doing?"

"Tully sighed as he said quietly, "A little blurry, but not too bad. Can I get a get a gun now?"

Moffitt smiled as he said, "At this point you don't need one."

Tully frowned and realized that things were quiet.

"The fight's been over since yesterday."

"Is everyone okay? What happened?"

Moffitt explained, "Troy and Hitch are fine, as am I. The German battleships that were run off were mostly sunk. And what was left of the battalion retreated back into the desert." There was a loud boom and Tully jumped. The sergeant said, "Major Clinton is making the beach unusable to anyone that may have a desire to put in another harbor." Tully fumbled on the bed for his robe as he slowly sat up and Moffitt asked, "What are you doing?"

Tully said, "Gotta use the latrine."

Moffitt automatically stood and took his friend's elbow as they stood up together.

Tully pulled away as he growled, "I can do it on my own."

"Are you sure? You've been sleeping most of the time since you were brought in and you still can't see well."

"I can see just fine." However, when Tully took several steps forward, he managed to walk into a tent pole. He leaned forward, putting his forehead on the pole with a quiet groan. "Sarge?"

"I'm right here, Tully."

"Do you think you could…"

Moffitt smiled and stepped forward to help his friend. "Of course, Tully."

#################

Captain Dietrich lay quietly in one of the halftrack as a medic worked on his shoulder. He made no move or sound as the bullet was removed. He wondered why the young rat hadn't finished him off on the battlefield.

The captain thought silently, "It would have taken one easy bullet to my head, but he didn't take it."

The medic gave Dietrich a shot of morphine and covered him with a blanket before leaving him to rest.

The captain quickly began to relax. As his eyes closed he could see Private Hitchcock in his mind looking back at him as he got to his knees. Dietrich thought the American had looked … concerned? He wondered if the private would tell Sergeant Troy that he'd failed to take the shot.

Captain Dietrich sighed as his mind went blank as he fell into a drugged sleep.