Z FORCE (on hold)

chapter 2- the Africa corps

Hello, I know its taken a while, but here it is (finally), the next chapter for Z force. Enjoy! :)

--------]

0900 hrs.

“Why did they take their own lives like that?” Mike asked as the unit moved through the forest again. Franklin turned to him. In the briefing they had been given, they had been told that the Japanese believed that to be captured was an insult to ones honour.

“Were you listening during the briefing Mike?” he asked, still looking forward. The soldier addressed spluttered, trying in vain to make up an excuse.

“Shut it Mike, you’ll lead the japs right to us.” A young private at the back whispered. Mike went to argue, but stopped when he saw the way the Major looked at him. Franklin shook his head and looked forward. ‘They’re all kids’ he thought to himself. Then he smiled. It wasn’t that long ago he’d been a young digger trying to impress his CO’s…

12 April, 1942

The bombardment started up again, pounding the port of Tobruk for the third day in a row. Private Robert Franklin with his brother jumped into one of the few houses that had a cellar. They sprinted down the stairs and into the dark confines of the sub-terranian room to find five other soldiers hunkering down in it, all singing ‘Waltzing Matilda’ to an old banjo luted from a long abandoned house.

“Are, look what we ‘ave ‘ere lads! Two rifle men running from the Fritz’s cannon!” Yelled one of the men, standing and moving over to the franklins. The other men in the cellar laughed at the man’s comment. When he offered his hand to Robert, he saw that the man in front of him was a captain.

“Sir! Privates Robert and Eric Franklin reporting for duty!” Robert said to him as he took his hand. The captain led them over to the other soldiers and introduced them.

“What unit do you guys come from?” Eric asked the gathered soldiers. All ten men looked at him before one of them answered.

“We’re what’s left of the 49th shock regiment” a man at the back of the room replied. The Franklins both stared in amazement at the ten soldiers before them. Out of 3,500 men, only they remained.

“What happened to you?” Robert asked before he could stop himself. The men stopped smiling and slowly looked at each other.

“Our unit was tasked to take out General Rommel and his advisers in one swift move.” One of the soldiers said, “We were going to blow up his convoy about a week ago as they moved through bloody gorge heading to the newly set up command post about 100 kilometres from here.” Franklin and his brother listened as the story unfolded, forgetting about the artillery above.

“We set up our ambush, expecting to crush the enemy, but the only Germanic descendent in the unit betrayed us.” Another of the soldiers said, picking up the story. “We set up every thing as planed and waited. We waited two hours after the convoy was meant to come by. Our commander decided that we should pull out and link up with the infiltrator armour units when a few cars started to come round the corner. We took cover and got ready to shoot. The cars reached the middle of the gorge and we opened fire. We didn’t realise till a few seconds later that it was a trap. Five battalion’s of SS commando’s stormed the hill, killing anyone they came across. The few men who were at the far end of the gorge all pulled out. As we made our way out, we were constantly harassed by the Luftwaffe’s stuka till this is all that remained.” He gestured around to emphasis is point.

“Holy shit.” Eric breathed. Robert stared at the men in the room, vowing to get revenge for all those lost.

“Would you two like to help us take out the airfields 100 kilometres from here?” the captain asked.

“Yes!” they both answered, raising their rifles.

“Good. We’re moving out tonight.”

Time skip

Robert bit his lip as the enemy tank convoy pulled into view, escorting the armoured cars of Rommel’s command unit. He lifted his rifle, equipped with a sniper sight, to his eye and swore.

“Captain, they have a tone of MG-42 equipped cars moving around the convoy…” He whispered.

“Of course there is, it is the Germans we’re talking about.” The captain cut in.

“That’s not all. There are also at least sixty armed SS commando’s moving around inside.” Robert finished.

The captain looked toward the convoy again and cursed, “Shit.” A few minuets later, he gave the signal to shoot, with the added order ‘Take ‘em down’.

The silent cloth of night was ripped apart by the sound of many rifles and machine guns firing, all the bullets heading towards the armoured flanks and flesh of the German convoy. The franklins started picking the scattering German’s off with their .303 sniper rounds. To their left, a Bren light machine gun rattled away, taking down men with each shot. After only a few minuets, the enemy force was destroyed. All that remained were the smoking hulls of tanks and the mangled bodies of the German infantry.

“Lets get outta here.” The captain said, turning away from the grizzly scene. The Franklins stood and walked back to the cap, still shocked at the ferocity of the fight. From now on, they were steeled for the effects they caused.

------------

hi guys! Sorry I haven’t updated recently, ive been doing my other books and school work, and as I said, this book is a side story, so I don’t touch on it that much. Any way, hoped u liked it!