A Hundred Acre Charge
M.C. Deltat
Prologue: Forward unto the Horizon
Tuesday 6th, 1944. The time had finally come. D-day.
Almost a hundred thousand soldiers found themselves drifting across the English Channel, on their way to liberate Europe from the Nazi menace. Many soldiers, I knew, were still on the Navy's battleships. They had to wait until the capture of the beaches, so that safe landing zones could be established. Meanwhile, many others stood in their landing crafts, waiting for their boats to arrive to glory and death. They were the ones that would be doing the capturing.
I found myself assigned to the latter. I stood there, packed shoulder to shoulder on an entirely too small boat, moving far slower than I would have preferred. There was a tension in the air. With this operation, it seemed like the war was at last in its final chapters. This would be the final push to finish everything once and for all.
That is how the generals must have considered this amphibious assault, anyway. For those participating in person, risking life and limb, there was a very different state of mind. This boat ride was a preamble to a horror story with plenty of scares left. Just the thought almost triggered a shudder throughout my entire body.
I did my best to suppress it though, to hide my fears away from those men standing in the boat with me. I wasn't successful, but I don't think anyone noticed to be honest. They were all busy with their own demons.
And yet, as I stood, cold, wet, and terrified of what came next, there was a thought slowly worming its way to the forefront of my brain.
"Those bastards lied to us" I muttered as I wiped water away from my face. That quickly proved to be pointless however, as the boat soon rocked more and launched yet further water. I didn't know why I bothered to be honest. I was already soaking wet.
There was a vague memory lodged somewhere in my head in which the Army Engineering Corp promised that the weather would be placid on the actual operation day. The erratic shaking of the boat disagreed with that bold claim however.
Worst thing about that? I knew for a fact that the weather boys were likely safe on a military base somewhere in England, far away from the front line, let alone the weather. Meanwhile, fate had decided I needed one more obstacle on this dreadful day just to make it that little bit worse. Frankly, at this point, my clothing was so drenched that I had no idea if I was shivering due to the cold or to the fear.
"Probably both," my teeth chattered out. My hands ached, my legs were weak, and I felt one gut punch away from vomiting my breakfast into the boat. It was all I could do to slowly grasp at my canteen, uncap it, and bring it to my face for a drink. The water didn't help, but at least it was something to do; just a second of energy directed away from involuntarily shaking. As I put the canteen back, I took a moment to look at the rest of the squad; curious see how they were all handling it.
It didn't take more than a heartbeat to know that no one was doing much better. Some were shaking, but not all. Nearly every man against a wall found himself leaning; their legs deciding to take a last opportunity for rest. Most all had a thousand-yard stare directed forwards. At a glance, you might have thought they were all trying to burn a hole into the bland steel ramp that also acted as the front face of the boat, but that wasn't the case. No instead, they looked beyond the boat itself, to their potential graveyard. An incalculable amount of them would be forgotten once they fell on that beach. Another acceptable list of fatalities logged in someone's ledger. Their deaths would end their existence as a person with a history, and turn them into a soulless statistic. Maybe a warning to some future general to never try this type of amphibious land assault again.
Many couldn't find it within themselves to say anything. The gravity of the situation so heavy, words just didn't seem strong enough. There was one person who didn't have that issue however.
"Deliver me from mine enemies oh my God. Defend me from them that rise up against me." The words pierced my ears and my soul as I turned to look at the speaker.
It was John. He had his hands together and his eyes closed as he firmly whispered his prayer.
"Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from bloody men." He continued. A few other men were shaken from their thoughts and looked at John as I now did. "The mighty are gathered against me. Awake to help me, and BEHOLD." John finally finished.
"You praying?" I asked. Looking at a few of the other men, it was clear that I wasn't the only one who listened.
John nodded. "It helps, I think, to have someone who will listen, who will help" He paused a moment before continuing. "Just nice to always have someone on your side to be with you in those final moments." He added.
"Do you think that sympathetic ear extends to the Germans, Private?" A voice behind me asked.
I turned my head. It was the Corporal, Sam. He was in charge of the men on this boat. I looked back to John; he had his mouth open, ready to speak, but Sam continued to talk. He didn't actually want an answer.
"Do you think that once we take those beaches and those Nazi fucks are dying beneath our feet, when they ask for help, God will answer?" Sam asked as he slowed shoved his way forward.
Sam paused long enough for John to edge in. "All who seek assistance will find solace in God's heart," He firmly said.
Sam had continued walking towards John as he retorted. His visage was grim, but mostly tired. It was his eyes. Any spark that was once there was long gone. Then again, that was the case for almost all of us. Sam's face was mere inches away from John now. Although, Sam's height proved a little inconvenient for the situation; he had to tilt his head down quite a bit. Never-the-less, he continued the conversation.
"All who seek it?" Sam tested. "Last I checked, both you and the Nazi's pray to the same God." His head momentarily pivoted away from John to gaze at all the soldiers on the boat. Many were watching the conversation; most had a similar exhausted look on their faces. Sam looked back before continuing. "Who will God decide to save? Who gets to live and who suffers death?... How does God decide?" Sam slowly bit out.
John swallowed before he responded. "I can only believe in the faith I have nurtured, and that my path is good and holy. I may not know where I will end up, but I know at the end of the day, I will be where I am supposed to be."
"And the Germans?" Sam asked.
"It is not my place to judge. That is God's divine right." Now John took his turn to look at the rest of the soldiers. I faltered a little when his gaze passed over me. Once he glanced at everyone in the boat, John finished his thought. "I do know however; it is our job to send the Nazis to him… for judgement."
There was a hint of a smirk on Sam's face now. He did his best to suppress it though. "Would God approve of such violence?"
"Think not that I come to send peace on Earth." John began. He gazed firmly towards France's general direction. "I came not to send peace, but a sword." He finished.
Sam couldn't fight back the smirk anymore. "Have faith in your heart, but a loaded gun in your hands, huh?" Sam muttered as he slowly made his way back to the front of the boat. He took a deep breath and began to address the men. "Listen up soldiers." Sam yelled. "I would like to introduce you to the most important moment of your lives."
I watched as Sam spoke. Somehow, his face had lost all its weariness as an energy entered his posture. Frankly, it was almost infectious, watching as he addressed us. He pointed towards France and continued his speech.
"Do you know what waits over there?" he asked.
No one answered.
Unperturbed, Sam asked again. "I said, do you know what waits over there?"
Still, no one answered.
"ANSWER ME!" Sam yelled.
"NAZIS!" we all shouted.
"YES!" Sam agreed. He turned his way towards the beach and gestured with his hands as if he pointed to individual men. "The Nazis wait over there on those very shores." He turned his head back before continuing. "But my brothers of war, do not feel fear. I do not. I feel only shame."
Sam made a point to stare at each one of us as he spoke.
"The finest men have been collected from all the world and yet we are sent to crush Hitler's brutalized legion of rabble and filth." Sam paused as he made a mocking face of pity. "I must ask you to forgive me when the time comes. Forgive me when us, whose hearts beat noble blood and courage, are tasked with putting down those German dogs. Forgive me when they wheeze and whine as our bayonets are shoved through their brains for, they have no hearts. Forgive me when we must waste our ammunition upon their worthless bodies."
"I regretfully must apologize for these slights, for our destinies have already been written in stone and I do not disappoint. Never again in your lives will your actions carry such weight. Never again will you serve as you serve now. No moment, no duty will ever carry the glory that today will bring. So, I ask, WILL YOU FIGHT?" Sam asked with a bellow.
"Yes." Many responded, but it was but a muted cheer. I could barely hear it over the waves as the boat rocked on top of the water.
"So I say, forward onto the enemy. Forward into relentless battle." Sam continued. "Do not stop to count miles, do not stop to count hours! Only move forward and do not for a moment, turn back." He began to hit the butt of his gun against the floor of the boat. "On this day, we carve our very beings into the flesh of France. Our names will be listed in stories normally reserved only for legends." Slowly, other men began to join Sam in stomping the floor of the boat with their gun.
Suddenly, planes flew overhead towards a beach dense with blimps. I could barely hear anything else as their engines roared through the sky. Sam's tempo wasn't ruined at all however. He continued to speak, now raising his gun to the sky and pointing his weapon at the planes.
"Not only do we get to write our names into history, we will have a live audience. Those flyboys will have the best seats in the house as we free Europe. Now I ask, will we make sure they don't regret the attendance? Will we give them the best show that they have ever been seen?"
"Yes" Slightly more people responded.
"They can't hear you" Sam responded. He pointed at the planes nearest to the coast. "Make you're loud enough for the ones in front. ARE WE GOING TO CAST THOSE DOGS INTO HELL!?" Sam yelled.
"YES!" The cheers came in truth now. The boat was almost vibrating more from the guns hitting the deck than from the waves now.
"Excellent." Sam lowered his gun and made a show of loaded it. "Now I say come with me." Sam made his way to the front of the boat. "Come with me into fire and blood."
In renewed vigor, we followed in his actions and did a final check of our own gear. I noticed that my gun was not yet loaded and frantically put in a fresh magazine. Once done I looked back to Sam who was standing inches away from the front of the boat.
We were almost there. I could hear the planes above firing down upon the Nazis. The front ramp on the boat would drop soon. I looked to John, still at my side. He looked back at me and nodded. I nodded back and pivoted to look towards the front of the boat. Sam looked like he had one last thing to say.
"Gentlemen," Sam paused as he put his helmet on. "Welcome to Normandy."
We all jerked forward as the boat suddenly impacted against the beach. Despite everything, my heart skipped several beats. Even with the planes overhead, I almost entered a trance. All my focus, all my attention, all of it was completely directed towards the front of the boat. Any external sounds or sensory input faded from my mind. I couldn't smell anything. I couldn't hear anything. Dang, for a moment, I even forgot how cold and damp I was. Nothing mattered but the loading ramp.
Then, it dropped.
Notes:
Hello everyone! M.C. Deltat reporting!
It's been quite a while. I do apologize for that, but you know the usual excuses: Work, families, fate, etc. But I do have something new for you to read. This is only the prologue, so don't worry if it seems short. I already have most of the story finished. As such, I will be uploading new chapters fairly regularly as we go forward, maybe a new chapter every week or two.
This story might be a little different than what someone might expect in the Winnie the Pooh category, but I promise it'll be worth it. This is the most complex tale I have written yet. I hope some of you find it in you to follow through the entire way. If not, well thank you for at least trying.
Either way, I wish you a pleasant day and life. See you next time.
