"Poulson, see if you can make a brew or something. We might have a long voyage ahead of us."
Harry came up to see what the damage was like, "It sounded horrific, Sarge, from below decks but there appears to be little damage."
"They are a tough boat. What about the engines?"
"Sweet as a nut but we are using the fuel at a prodigious rate. I reckon we have three hours more cruising at this speed."
"Well you are the boss when it comes to the engines. I will slow down." I brought the throttles back so that we were doing what must have been twelve knots. It made sense but it went against every fibre of my being.
Poulson brought up three mugs of something hot. Harry took a sip and wrinkled his brow. "What the hell is this?"
Poulson grinned cheerfully. "No idea but it was in a pot in the galley. I tasted it; it seemed all right to me and I heated it up."
I recognised the tastes. "I think it is a malted drink. Think of it as German cocoa."
Poulson shook his head sadly, "No rum though Sarge, never mind."
I raised my mug to them, "Here's to you two. You have done really well. I couldn't have asked for more. I shall mention you in my report. You deserve some recognition for this. There might be a stripe or two." Promotion meant more pay.
"We are just like you, Sarge, we just did our job."
We were heading into the setting sun. The clement weather of the last few days had continued. Behind us the sky was rapidly darkening. Black clouds appeared in the eastern sky. The only difference to the previous day was a stiffer breeze from the east but as that was pushing us closer to home and saving fuel I did not object. While drinking our German malted drink we pored over the map and came up with a rough position. When I decided we had headed far enough west we turned and sail due north. We had allowed a margin of error but I calculated that we would miss Ushant by at least fifty miles. Once we turned to steer north by north west we saw how quickly day was turning into night. A commando liked the night, it was his friend. We could hide. The E-Boat was a big target and the huge Focke Wolf Condors which patrolled this part of the sea and the Atlantic would soon spot us. I glanced behind, at the mast. The last attack by the 190 had damaged it and it hung at an alarming angle. The White Ensign, however, still flew.
I almost jumped when Harry's voice came up the pipe, "Almost out of fuel, Sarge. We will be on fumes soon.."
"Do your best. Poulson, see if you can get the radio to work. We may have to send out a signal for help."
"But Sarge that will pin point our position for Jerry."
"I know, old son, but with this breeze from the east we could end up in the middle of the Atlantic. The swells are bad enough here but out at sea they would turn us like a pancake." I pulled the throttles back even more. The darkness would soon hide us and we would get a few miles closer to home before the fuel ran out.
He returned half an hour later at about the same time the engine gave its first cough which warned that it was almost running dry. "I have found the radio and turned it on. I heard German chatter but no English. I didn't use the microphone, Sarge," he shrugged, "I left that for you."
"You did right, Poulson. Were there any coats down there? It is going to get nippy soon."
Happy to have something to do he disappeared, like the white rabbit below decks. He had hardly been gone a minute when the engine stuttered and coughed and then died. Harry's disembodied voice drifted up. I could hear the despondency. "That is it Sarge. We are out of fuel."
"You did your best. Best come on up and we will decide what to do next." I turned and went down to the charthouse. The batteries were well charged and would give us lights for a while but we also needed batteries for the radio. My decision had been made for me. We needed to radio and send for help.
Poulson had found some warm coats and we donned them. I roughly estimated our position and then wrote it down on a piece of paper. "Right Poulson, radio room."
I heard the crackling as we entered the tiny space. I saw down and looked at the dials. There looked to be one for frequency. We did not use radios and I had no idea which frequency our ships and aeroplanes would use. I guessed they were nowhere near the German ones. I turned the dial and the crackling gradually became a German voice. I listened briefly in case we were mentioned but it turned out to be a German convoy approaching Brest. I turned the dial. There was more crackling. I heard something faint but I could not make it out. I wrote down the frequency and then continued to scan.
I stopped when I heard an English voice. From the words it sounded like an anti submarine patrol I knew it would not be a convoy. They maintained radio silence. I had no idea of a call sign. I would just have to send the message in open language. I saw the switch for transmit. Picking up the microphone I flicked the switch. "Mayday! Mayday! We are three commandos from Number 4 commando. We are adrift in a captured E-Boat. We are drifting west. We have run out of fuel. Our position is 48 degrees and 52 minutes north; 6 degrees and 11 minutes west. Mayday! Mayday! We are three commandos from Number 4 commando. We are adrift in a captured E-Boat. We are drifting west. We have run out of fuel. Our position is 48 degrees and 52 minutes north; 6 degrees and 11 minutes west. Mayday! Mayday! We are three commandos from Number 4 commando. I repeat, we are three commandos from Number 4 commando. We are adrift in a captured E-Boat. We are drifting west. We have run out of fuel. Our position is 48 degrees and 52 minutes north; 6 degrees and 11 minutes west."
I flicked the switch to an ominous silence. I looked at the other two and saw that their faces reflected their despondency. They hated being helpless. On the land they knew what to do and they could fight back. Here there was nothing to rail against.
I flicked the switch. " Mayday! Mayday! We are three commandos from Number 4 commando. We are adrift in a captured E-Boat. We are drifting west. We have run out of fuel. Our position is 48 degrees and 52 minutes north; 6 degrees and 11 minutes west."
I flicked the switch. Then I heard a crackly voice. "This is HMS Atherstone. What is your unit, repeat, what is your unit? Over."
"Number 4 Commando. We were at St. Nazaire. Over."
"Stand by. Repeat, stand by. Over."
"What does that mean, Sarge?"
"That means that they are checking we are who we say we are." Just then the boat heeled alarmingly to port. The wind was getting up. "Lowe, go to the wheelhouse and keep us bow on to the waves."
"Aye Aye captain!" He was cheerful once more. He had something to do.
"Polly get some hot food on the go. I don't think this is going to end soon." With both of them occupied I waited. Atherstone could be anywhere. All I knew was that she was close enough to hear our message; however as we were less than fifty miles from Ushant and Brest, so could the Germans. They had radio direction finders. Each time I flicked the switch they were closer to finding us.
An hour passed. Polly brought some fried German sausage and eggs for us with a rye bread. Harry joined us while we ate. Neither of my commandos was happy with either the bread or the sausage but it was hot and it filled a hole. I quite enjoyed its spicy taste. Hot food always makes a soldier more hopeful.
The radio crackled into life, "Atherstone to commandos; Atherstone to commandos. Over."
"Commandos to Atherstone go ahead, over."
"What is the name of your Commanding officer, over? Repeat, what is the name of your Commanding officer?"
"Major Foster, over."
A brief silence and then, "What is the name of your Quarter Master over? Repeat, what is the name of your Quarter Master, over?"
"That is a daft question, Sarge!"
I smiled, "No it isn't. It is a perfect check to identify us." I flicked the switch, "Quarter Master Daddy Grant, over."
There was hardly a break and then the voice came back. "We are on our way, over. We are on our way, over."
"Thank you, over."
"Have a white sheet rigged over the deck in front of the bridge for identification, over. Repeat. Have a white sheet rigged over the deck in front of the bridge for identification, over."
"Understood, over and out." I flicked the switch and turned off the radio. We needed to save the batteries. "Go and find a sheet Poulson. Harry turn off every light you can. We need to save power."
I went on deck. The swells were building up. I went to the wheelhouse. Gowland had lashed the wheel but the wind had turned a little. I untied it and manually brought us around to face east. The motion became easier. I would have to stay on the wheel. My two men emerged with a large sheet. "Spread it out and lash it down. I guess they will use an aeroplane as soon as it is light to find us. The white sheet will be easy to spot from the air." Having understood its purpose the two of them made a much better job than they might have otherwise done.
They joined me. "Poulson, sit by the radio. Switch it on every ten minutes. Listen for one minute and then turn it off again."
He disappeared. Gowland said, "Will they be here soon, Sarge?"
He wanted an answer I could not give. "I doubt it. They will wait until daylight. The ship might be on its way but we are a small target in a large ocean. If they have radar then we have a better chance but we just sit tight." I pointed to the east. "At least the wind is taking us further away from Jerry."
The night dragged on. It was the longest night I could remember. The destroyer was coming to our aid but if she was in the west then she would be fighting the wind. This close to the French coast she would have to zig zag for fear of submarines. Lowe brought up more of the German cocoa. He was just keeping himself busy. At other times he waited with Polly in the radio room. I was facing east and I saw more false dawns that morning than I could ever remember. When it did break I almost cheered. "Lowe keep your eyes peeled eh? Look to the north. Go and get the binoculars; they are in my Bergen."
I was keen to keep both of my men busy. Poulson came to the bridge. "Sarge, the navy says they have sent a Sunderland up to find us."
"Good lad. Back on the radio eh. With any luck we will be back in Blighty before you know it." I had to sound confident but it was a big ocean and I had no doubt that the Germans would be looking for us. While Gowland scanned the skies to the north I stared east. The wind had abated somewhat but the rollers were still rougher than I would have liked. I had to keep adjusting the steering wheel to keep us bow in to the wind. As the sky lightened I saw a shape high in the sky. "Lowe, swing your glasses around to due east. Eleven o'clock. What do you see?"
It took him a moment or two locate it. "A four engined job, Sarge."
"Condor?"
"Looks like it."
"Then we can expect company soon. Come here and take the wheel."
When he reached me I went around to examine the guns myself. Poulson had been correct we had little 20mm ammunition. There were about thirty rounds of 37mm ammunition but that would take two men to operate. I made sure that both guns were loaded and ready to fire. If push came to shove we would use the last of the Thompson's magazines. We would go down fighting. It was now a race against time. The Germans had the advantage; they had seen us. We had even made it easy for them by putting the white sheet for them to see.
I returned to the bridge and took over the wheel again. The Condor was clearly visible now. I had no doubt that it would have signalled other aeroplanes and ships to come and get us. He would, no doubt, continue west to patrol for convoys. "If we are attacked I want you and Poulson on the flak cannon. There are thirty rounds left. I will stay here and try to keep us from spilling into the sea."
The Condor kept flying overhead, almost mocking us. There was no point in firing at him, he was too far away. We could have done with a second pair of binoculars but we had to make do with the one. Gowland and Poulson both shouted at the same time; one from the radio room and one from next to me.
"Sarge, I can see the Sunderland!"
"Sarge, the Sunderland has radioed it can see us!"
I felt relief wash over us before Poulson continued. "He says a fast German patrol boat is heading for us. It will be here before the Sunderland."
The flak gun was aft. It was our only defence. "Lowe and Poulson get on the flak gun. I am going to bring us about. We need the stern facing the enemy and that way you can fire the guns. It will be rough for a minute or two." It was yet another risk to add to the many I had already taken. As I turned the rudder the wind and the waves began to make us roll. I saw Harry Gowland cling on to a stanchion for dear life as we came beam on to the waves and then it eased. One advantage of having our stern to the east was that we were being pushed away from danger by the offshore wind. It was little enough but you clung on to things like that.
"Give me a shout when you are ready and when you can see the Germans."
To the north I could see the huge flying boat. I wondered if he would be able to land and pick us up before the Germans attacked. Then I realised that was impossible. The sea was too rough. As if to rub salt in the wound Poulson shouted, "Patrol boat astern!"
"Use the glasses. Is it an E-boat."
There was a pause and then Harry said, "No Sarge. It looks like a smaller version of the motor launch. It has a pair of machine guns at the bow."
"Use your gun when you have the range but ration the ammo!" The Sunderland had guns and bombs. Perhaps the crew could come to our aid.
I lashed the wheel and hoped that the wind would not change too much over the next hour or so. Sixty minutes would determine if we were rescued or captured. I had no doubt that the Sunderland would be sending more radio messages but I had no men to spare for that. I ran to get the Thompsons. As I passed the radio room I switched on the radio and said simply, "We have only three men. We cannot man the radio. Over!" I switched it off.
Once on deck I saw how close the launch now was. My two gunners were waiting for the right moment to fire. There was armour plating around the bottom of the gun. They could shelter there if things became too hot. I, in contrast, was totally exposed.
The flak gun sounded much louder than I was expecting. They were firing over open sights. The motor launch aided them by coming in a straight line. And, we were helped by the waves which made aiming harder for them than for us. We were just moving with the waves. They were bouncing across the whitecaps. The fifth shot from the flak gun hit the forward machine guns on the launch and the captain swung sideways to allow his other guns to fire. Polly and Harry took advantage of the beam on target and pumped three shots at the launch. One of their shells hit. Nature and the sea took over as a large roller hit the launch. It began to fill up with water and within a short space of time had capsized. I could not believe how easy it had been.
I saw that the Sunderland was much closer to us and was now flying obliquely across our bows. I saw why. A flight of three Messerschmitt 110s were coming towards us. These had no bombs but they each had four machine guns in the nose and they could tear us apart. The Sunderland was coming to our rescue. Known as the flying porcupine to the Germans it bristled with machine guns. It wisely flew higher than the three fighters.
I saw Poulson as he cranked up the flak gun. This target was aerial. The 110 was a very stable gun platform and the first one's guns tore into the stern. I was impressed that my two gunners held their ground. It would have been tempting to flee. I levelled my Thompson. They managed two shots at the approaching fighter but both missed. As it flew over me I managed to stitch a line of bullets into his belly. I doubted that I had hurt it but it gave me satisfaction. I watched it climb away as the second one attacked. The Sunderland's guns chattered and I saw them hit the port engine of the fighter which had just peeled off.
There was a crack and I looked to see the second 110 with smoke coming from its starboard engine. They had managed one hit. It had a brave pilot and he continued his attack. I finished off my magazine at the cockpit. It shattered and the 110 did not pull up but cracked the top of the mast, taking the ensign with it before plunging into the crest of a wave. The Sunderland came lower to attack the last fighter. It came in hard and low. Gowland and Poulson fired shell after shell. One hit the wing but it continued to come. Then I heard Harry shout and fall to the side. Poulson kept on firing and he hit the nose with a shell. The front exploded with such force that both Poulson and I were thrown to the deck. I stood quickly and ran to the injured Lowe. The surviving fighter headed east, smoking. Harry had been hit in the left arm. He was bleeding heavily and he was unconscious. I took a length of cord from my pocket and tied a tourniquet high up on his arm.
"Polly, fetch a first aid kit and some water. See if you can find some Schnapps or something." He hurtled below decks to the Bergens. I turned Lowe's mouth to the side. Mum had told me that it was called the recovery position and stopped someone swallowing their tongue when they were unconscious.
Poulson returned and threw himself next to me. He handed me a half bottle of Schnapps while he tore open a gauze dressing. I poured the fiery liquid on the wound. There would be no infection. I used the first dressing to clean away the blood and then to press hard and stop the bleeding. Polly had a second one ready. The wound was now just seeping blood; the tourniquet was working. He sprinkled the antiseptic powder on the wound and then he applied the gauze dressing. He started to fasten a bandage around it. We then bent his arm and I loosened the tourniquet briefly before tightening it again.
I was aware of a light flashing. I looked up and saw that the Sunderland was signalling. I waved as I read the message. "The Atherstone is on the way. I hope she hurries. I am no doctor."
"You did all right, Sarge. You can tend to me anytime."
"Give him some water. Hold his nose to make him swallow if you have to."
I was reluctant to move. I was afraid that if I did the wound would bleed again. Every five minutes I released and then tightened the tourniquet. Polly was putting the top back on the canteen and he pointed, "Eh up, Navy's here." I glanced to the north and saw the destroyer ploughing through the sea.
We did not have long to wait. The Sunderland continued to be our guardian angel while the destroyer slowed down. As the captain stopped his ship he reversed his engines to bring his vessel alongside ours. Four of the crew leapt down to the deck and fastened us to the destroyer with two ropes. Once secure they were thrown a stretcher. The Petty Officer hurried over with a an SBA. He smiled at me. "It's all right now Sergeant. We have a professional." They gently lifted the wounded Gowland on to the stretcher and secured him. With four sailors lifting and the four on our deck helping they soon hauled him up.
"Poulson, go and get our gear."
While he went the Petty Officer offered me a cigarette. I shook my head. "You lads are a sight for sore eyes."
"Aye and you are lucky too. We had just spent two days down at St. Nazaire covering the launches and looking for survivors like you. We were almost at Falmouth when we got your radio message." I saw a scrambling net thrown over the side of the destroyer as Poulson reappeared. "Right lads you get aboard our ship. We will look after yours. There is a dixie of stoker's cocoa waiting for you. I reckon you deserve it."
It was a struggle to get up the net. I suddenly felt exhausted. My arms and legs felt like rubber. The lack of sleep over the last three days had finally caught up with me. You can only survive for so long on adrenalin. Willing hands hauled us over the side. We were patted on the back. An officer's voice snapped, "Give them some room you chaps." They all disappeared and a young sub-lieutenant stood there. "Sub Lieutenant Garvey, welcome aboard. The Captain told me to take you to the Petty's Officer's mess. He will join you there when the tow is attached. Follow me."
As we went down I said, "Were there many other survivors?"
He shook his head. "No, I am afraid not. Only a couple of hundred made it from the town. The captain reckons that over three hundred and seventy were either killed, captured, or are on the run in France but the gates were destroyed. It was a great success."
As we followed him into the bowels of the ship I thought that would be cold comfort to the men who would be prisoners until the end of the war. Number 2 Commando had largely ceased to exist in a single night. We could build more tanks and aeroplanes but commandos were harder to train.
We were left alone with the rum infused cocoa. It tasted good but what I really needed was sleep. Polly's eyes were red rimmed and his face covered in salt. I daresay mine looked the same. He smiled weakly. "Well, Sarge, it is never dull."
"No, that it isn't."
"Do you reckon Harry will be alright? I mean Daddy was invalided out but he was old. Harry would be mortified if he couldn't carry on."
"They have doctors aboard these ships. He has a better chance here. But I don't think he will be ready for active service any time soon."
"Surely we will have to have some leave and a bit of a rest."
"From what the subbie said most of Number 2 Commando has gone west. We are the ones left to go behind enemy lines. But we will probably get a few days leave." I drank some of my cocoa. I could feel my eyes closing, "I wonder how many of the lads got out."
"Well we know Jack Johnson didn't."
I felt us moving and the door to the mess opened. "Lieutenant Commander Cartwright." I began to rise, "No, sergeant, sit down. Let me shake your hand. What you have done is quite remarkable. You escaped from occupied France, captured an E-Boat and fought off attacks from the air and sea with three men. What do they feed you Commandos on? Steel?"
I smiled, "They train us hard sir. Do you know if any of the other lads from our Troop escaped?"
"Well I know that your commanding officer did because it was he who came up with that question. I thought it was a rum one myself but it worked. We worried it might be a German trap to sink us. We had been stooging around for a few days. Brass thought they might have captured you and made you talk. Your Major took umbrage at that and said you were the last person who would give that kind of Intel away. Anyway you gave the right answer and here we are. "You lads get your heads down. Your Oppo is doing well and we should be in Falmouth in six or seven hours." He pointed to the hammocks. "Use any of the hammocks. The petty officers won't mind."
"Thank you sir. I reckon we will."
I had used a hammock before. Once you were in one it was almost impossible not to sleep and we were exhausted. We slept.