The submarine slid through the jet black water. Inside are Sergeant Mark Thompson, Colonel Michael Baker, Corporal William Knight and Captain Peter Francis. They are on a top secret mission to cripple the evil Third Reich. Their mission is to capture a high ranking Nazi officer, General Wilhelm Weber to blow up a supply depot, a bridge and to destroy an airfield. The general’s capture was top priority. Captain Peter Francis used to be in the air force as a pilot so they are to try and steal a prototype bomber on the airfield but if they can’t capture it, it is to be destroyed.
“I don’t like this Mike,” Mark whispered.
“Neither do I but I felt the same last time up in Norway but we got through okay,” he replied.
“I got shot in the arm in Norway,” Bill added angrily.
“You survived didn’t you?” Mike replied.
“Yes unlike poor old Andrew, he gave his life to save us when he was tortured to give them information about us when we blew up that bridge in Holland,” Bill whispered.
“Enough of this talk we’ve got to get ready to go, we will be at the coast in ten minutes,” Mike asserted.
“Okay sir,’ Mark replied.
The ten minutes passed slowly. Each man was nervous although none of them showed it.
“Okay guys let’s go, Bill you get the dinghy,” the Colonel ordered loudly.
“Aye-aye sir,” Bill responded.
“Thanks for the lift Lieutenant, have a safe trip back home,” Mike said.
“You too sir, remember I’ll be back in three days and then every second night afterwards, in case that your mission to grab the plane fails, good luck though,” the lieutenant replied.
The trip to shore in the dinghy was uneventful but it wasn’t fun especially with state of mind they all had. Peter lost count of the amount of times that a wave striking the shore or a bird flying overhead made him shiver instinctively. As far as they knew they weren’t being watched. They all rowed very hard and they eventually got to just off the shore.
“Alright we’re just about there, remember this is the time we’re most likely to be ambushed. If anyone saw us on the way to the beach they’ll let their presence be known as soon as we get out of this dinghy, okay let’s go,” the colonel whispered.
The four of them quickly stepped ashore with their guns ready to use but to their delight they were unseen or so they thought. Grabbing all their required equipment they set off towards their objectives. The first thing they were to do was to blow up a supply depot.
“I judge our position to be a few miles southwest of the supply depot,” Peter announced after studying the small map he was carrying.
“Well let’s head off and no talking at all, and when I say no talking I mean it,” the colonel whispered angrily.
They set off quickly but carefully towards the objective. After about an hour’s march they reached their objective or rather a hill a hundred yards from the depot. There were no incidents apart from a low flying BF109 flying nearby them.
“Okay Peter and Bill you come with me to blow up the depot and Mark you can man the Bren up here to provide covering fire in case we get discovered. Let’s go now; we’ve got no time to waste if we are to get our objectives done in good time.
Peter gripped his Sten tightly for he was petrified, it was his first commando operation and although he’d faced the Germans in the air it was quite different on the ground. There was something about the fact that each step could be his last and he wouldn’t even know what had happened. At least in the air he’d know have a warning. An enemy plane doesn’t appear magically. It is there and any veteran like Peter would be able to see it as long as he was keeping a close eye on his surroundings. Scared as he was he did all he could to stop himself from cowering in a ditch like a coward and he eventually reached the depot after a long and arduous cross country walk.
