Four

The senior officers of Hodgeforce entered Hodges’ cabin warily. They knew why they’d been called to Leopard and they’d brought with them whatever hasty notes they’d been able to make on the subject. It was a gloomy gathering, not improved by the grey filtered light. It had been raining again for an hour now, and as they gathered round the table, their eyes on the maps, they could hear the gurglings and tricklings of water in the scuppers, while the air, stifling in spite of the fans, gagged in their throats in the humid heat of the afternoon.

Hodges arrived a few minutes later with Leggo, Admiral Downes and Group Captain Neville, the head of the RAF liaison group. He waved a hand and the others sat down. Reading, the tank brigadier, and Rattray, the Marine, two solid-looking men with rock-like faces who, together with Ricketts, the Parachute commander, another man of the same mould, had become known throughout Hodgeforce as the Three R’s – Reading, ’Riting and ’Rithmetic – sat separately at the back of the cabin, curiously alike in their toughness and confidence. Downes lounged on the chintz-covered settee under the porthole, one hand draped languidly across the back, casual and apparently indifferent. Brigadier Calhoun, a short sturdy man with bandy legs and a florid complexion above his thick neck, sat in the armchair, and Brigadier Dixon, a tall thin bespectacled man, sat neatly on a stiff chair at the end of the table. Neville, the RAF officer, sat with his legs astride his chair, his elbows on the back, a small man with a sharp-featured face who reminded Hodges vaguely of a terrier at a rat hole.

As the conference started, Hodges allowed Leggo to open the ball, and he gave a short report on the subject of the pamphlets and on what he’d seen in Victoria Square before the convoy sailed. When he’d finished, Hodges leaned back in his chair.

‘Right, gentlemen,’ he said briskly. ‘I’ve been making enquiries about all this, as you know, and I’ve found out that this attitude of objection seems to run right through every unit in this command. In some I’m sure it’s nothing more than a dissatisfaction with pay. In others, it’s a problem of Reservists who’ve been kept waiting around too long, while their jobs are in danger back home. Nevertheless, because you’re nearer to it than I am, I’d like to hear what you have to say.’

Reading and Rattray dismissed the suggestions of disaffection briefly. There’d been nothing among their own units, although they’d seen pamphlets, and Hodges turned to Calhoun.

‘Cal,’ he said. ‘How about you? You must have had some thoughts on this. The report from your brigade isn’t a very rosy one.’

Brigadier Calhoun considered for a moment. He was newly promoted and very troubled by all the signs of unreliability in his command.

‘I don’t like it, General,’ he admitted. ‘I’d like to tell you I had no worries, but that wouldn’t be true. I have. There’s been a lot of sullenness and I’m afraid I don’t trust a lot of my people. In fact, I have grave fears that radio links will fail. I don’t feel the men who’re due in first are going to refuse – there are too many Guardsmen and we’ve got Rattray’s Marines, and I think they’ll carry the others with them – but I don’t like the idea of them being out on a limb all the same, with a lot of bloody fools letting them down from behind.’

‘What about the officers?’

Calhoun shrugged. ‘Nothing much,’ he said. ‘There’s one officer under arrest in the 4th/74th. He says he’s prepared to resign his commission rather than be involved in an operation he doesn’t believe in.’

‘Background?’

Calhoun pulled a face. ‘Not Army,’ he said. ‘But the boy’s good. Radio specialist. Just the sort of man we want. Brainy, perhaps a little too sensitive, perhaps a little too conscious of the rights of other people and the other side of every question. But that’s rather infectious everywhere these days, and most young people have it in their minds.’

‘They shouldn’t in the Army,’ Hodges commented.

Calhoun shrugged again and Hodges frowned. ‘Do you expect any more?’

Calhoun looked worried. ‘Greatorex of the 20th/62nd says he suspects there’s a movement of some sort in his mess. He’s heard rumours and there’s been a certain amount of cliquishness among the younger members. Pike says he’s had reports from his RSM of trouble among the sergeants. I understand you you know all there is to know about the 17th/105th.’

Hodges rubbed his nose and turned to his other brigadier. Dixon, in command of the Reserves, was one of the brains that Calhoun admired so much.

‘Same sort of problems as Cal, sir,’ he said in a casual manner. ‘To paraphrase the Duke, nothing among the top people but we might pick up a private or two.’

‘Can you be more precise?’ Hodges said sharply. He wasn’t sure that he liked Dixon very much and he tried very hard to force down the feeling that it was envy for Dixon’s brain. Dixon had come into the Army from Cambridge, and he had an honours degree in science. His promotion, in an army of technology, had been rapid, but Hodges sometimes wondered if the Army didn’t demand more of a man than merely brains, and he had a feeling that while Dixon believed firmly in his scientific instruments, he didn’t take enough trouble with his men.

Dixon was shrugging. ‘A little worrying from the 71st/86th,’ he said. ‘One or two men under arrest. A few of the Reservists in the 19th/43rd presented a petition. Several–’

‘What was the petition?’ Hodges demanded sharply.

Dixon waved a hand. ‘On there, sir,’ he said, indicating a pile of documents he’d brought in with him. ‘Said they were tired of hanging about. Wanted to go home. There was a bit of trouble from the National Servicemen, too.’

‘About pay?’

‘About pay. Refused to take orders from the NCOs until they were on the same rates. They were both squashed pretty quickly.’

‘What’s your opinion in the event of action? How will they support the Guards?’

‘They’ll support them, sir.’

‘To the limit?’

‘Of course, sir.’

Hodges stared at Dixon. He wasn’t sure that he didn’t prefer Calhoun’s anxiety to Dixon’s almighty confidence. His own view was somewhat different, because there appeared from the pile of documents in front of him to be more cases of disloyalty in Dixon’s brigade than there were in Calhoun’s. He turned to Downes.

‘Admiral?’

Downes’ report was brisk, incisive and direct. ‘The ships have been infected for a long time,’ he said. ‘Since the alliance with Russia, they’ve been regularly into Baltic ports and they’ve picked it up there, and it’s spread. There’ve been cases in every ship under my command. The pamphlets were obviously delivered in Pepul by liberty boats and boats carrying non-urgent signals and mail. There’s obviously been a great deal of dissatisfaction over the pay cuts and the methods taken to explain them to the men. I think also there’ve been a lot of agitators – as I think there must have been in the Army and Air Force units – who’ve been forced into the Service by unemployment at home, the National Service Act and the calling up of Reservists. These last are men who’ve had the opportunity to become thoroughly versed in trade union activities, and they’re trying to apply the same methods in the Services. A few members of the Party even, by God, even a few Ban-the-Bomb-ers.’ Downes looked a little sick. ‘There’ve been incidents in several ships – small refusals of duty, that sort of thing – but the worst trouble’s been in Duck. The starboard watch failed to obey an order to fall in to clean ship and locked themselves in their messdecks, and intimidated the men who disagreed. I replaced the commanding officer and arrested four men, but as you know she’s dropped out with suspected sabotage. I don’t think it’s finished, and it could spread. It’s not very difficult to include subversive messages in fleet signals. I also found out about the meetings in Pepul. I understand some sort of code signal’s been arranged.’

‘What sort of code?’ Hodges asked.

‘I don’t know. Perhaps a group of letters sent by signallers between ships. As I say, it’s the easiest thing in the world for operators to insert them in messages and to have them picked up by other operators who don’t include them in the message when they receive it. Maybe by word of mouth, by ship’s boats, or even a cheering code between ships, though that’s probably a bit old-fashioned now.’

‘What would it be used for?’

Downes shrugged. ‘I don’t know. They’ve been remarkably tight-lipped and we’ve been able to find out surprisingly little. Might be anything. For instance, it might be used to indicate they were to hold back in the event of an assault. Something like that.’

Hodges nodded, grateful for the clarity of Downes’ report.

‘Thank you.’ He turned to the only airman present, Neville, who thought for a while before replying. He had a red weal on his face caused by burns received in a crash after being hit by anti-aircraft fire at the time of Korea, and his hands were bright red, his fingers twisted by shrunken flesh into claws, the nails more like an animal’s talons than anything human. His injuries had in no way destroyed his spirit, however, and he had fought against doctors and Service psychiatrists to be allowed back into flying, and had led a wing at Suez, and was now one of the leading exponents of orthodox methods.

‘There’s been a bloody high incidence of mechanical failure,’ he said slowly. ‘God knows though, sir, with the mixed bag we’ve got, I’m not surprised. They dug up some of these blasted aircraft from all over the shop, and some of ’em are pretty ancient. But what’s worse, there are hardly a dozen alike. Presented no end of problems with spares.’ He paused. ‘That’s not all. Some of these spares have gone adrift. Can’t be accounted for. Don’t like it. Looks bloody fishy to me, sir. And we lost an aircraft due to a stupid accident when they were bombing up. Nine men and an aircraft due to indifferent training. The Air Force Reserve Act was valueless. Everybody who’d served could get a pension if he was available for call-up and they all put their names down to get the money. They never expected to serve, of course, and I saw one bloke walking about with a stick. They were bloody useless, sir, and all had to be slung out again.’

He paused in his tirade, his face angry, the scar tissue crimson.

‘How about the flying crews?’ Hodges asked.

‘Think we can count on ’em to a man,’ Neville said. ‘We did have a bit of trouble, but the AOC stamped on that a bit sharpish, and there’s nothing wrong with what’s left. The AOC’s worried about the ground staff, though. It’s come to our notice there’s been a case of a corporal in one of the ground defence units refusing duty and his sergeant trying to cover up for him. The corporal’s since been placed under arrest and the sergeant demoted. It’s a symptom and we daren’t let it go any farther, because there are too many problems over servicing already.’

‘Deliberate, do you think?’

Neville nodded. ‘Yes, I do,’ he said. ‘Mutiny can mean anything from the hasty decision of a group of men to remain in their hut until they’re promised better porridge for breakfast to an uprising against and the overthrow of their officers. This certainly comes between these two extremes.’

‘Can you supply any explanation?’

‘Yes, by God, I can, sir. I think some bastards have been getting at the chaps. I know there’s a lot of dissatisfaction over pay and about what we’re doing, but I still think somebody’s up to no good. I’ve heard this right of reply thing too often for it to be an accident.’

Hodges sat for a moment silently, then he put his finger-tips together in the form of a steeple and looked at the other officers.

‘Leggo here,’ he said, indicating his Chief-of-Staff, ‘has a friend ashore. From – er,’ he hesitated, deciding it might be wiser not to indicate the sex of Leggo’s informant, ‘from this source, he’s discovered a few things that might be of interest. I would normally have passed this on to you immediately, but owing to the fact that the word “Go” came almost on top of it and we were more concerned at the time with getting ourselves aboard and under way, I’ve had to postpone it until now. Carry on, Stuart.’

Leggo crossed to a blackboard that had been erected behind Hodges’ chair and lifted a dust sheet. On the blackboard were maps of Khanzi and King Boffa Port and the harbour installations.

‘Operation Stabledoor, gentlemen,’ he said briskly, and there was a shuffling among the seated officers.

‘You all have maps like this,’ Leggo went on. ‘Perhaps you’d like to make notes. I’ve prepared typed lists of what I’m going to tell you, too, though. You can pick them up off the table.’

He jabbed at the map of the harbour installations. ‘Here,’ he said, ‘my – er – information is that hidden among the trees facing the harbour is a rocket battery, equivalent to our 4-inch. There’s another one here.’ He jabbed at the map again. ‘And both are placed so as to cover the beaches and the entrance to the port.’

Dixon glanced at Calhoun, but no one said anything.

‘I’m also well informed,’ Leggo went on, ‘that here and here and here–’ he made several jabs at the green-shaded portion of the map of Khanzi – ‘there are reserve brigades. There are white officers, in some cases mercenaries from the Congo, and I’m told these troops are very good. They’re there to back up the local units and they’ve got a lot of experience of this sort of fighting. And they’ve got good weapons. You know as well as I do, gentlemen, that the Russians have been working weapons into the area for years.’

‘What about airfields?’ Neville asked abruptly.

‘Here and here.’ Leggo indicated points on the map of King Boffa Port.

‘My information,’ Neville said slowly, ‘is that most of what’s on those fields is old stuff that we gave them. I understand there are no Migs on those fields at all, but we know for certain they’ve received a great number of the latest Mig 41s.’

Leggo nodded. ‘That’s my information, too,’ he agreed. ‘But I’m afraid we haven’t yet established where these Migs are, though we think they’re at Lo and Kij-Moro.’ He jabbed at the map of Khanzi again. ‘There are certainly open areas here and there, and it could well be that they are there.’

Neville frowned. ‘The R5s have seen nothing of them,’ he said. ‘Mind, they’re surrounded by jungle. Easiest thing in the world to hide ’em and camouflage them.’

‘Easiest thing in the world to camouflage installations in jungle areas, too,’ Hodges added.

‘What about runways?’ Neville asked.

‘The ground’s stony and well-drained. So long as it’s good and flat, there’s no problem there.’

‘If they’re there,’ Neville said, ‘they’ve been damn careful with their vehicles. Nobody’s spotted any tracks.’

‘Go on, Stuart,’ Hodges said bleakly.

Leggo glanced at him and went on mercilessly. ‘There’s a blockship loaded with cement, scrap-iron and high explosives already in place,’ he said. ‘It only needs winching across the entrance to the harbour and triggering off.’

‘Is there, by God?’ Downes said. ‘Well, I suppose it was to be expected.’

Leggo nodded and went on in cold, precise terms to list the Khanzian army units and describe the morale and equipment of the various brigades.

‘Eighteen brigades?’ It was Dixon’s turn to pull a face. ‘They told us nine.’

Leggo ignored him and began to read from a typed sheet the figures he’d written down after his meeting with Stella Davies. He saw the faces in front of him fall.

‘Those aren’t the figures I’ve got,’ Dixon said sharply. He sounded irritated.

‘Nor me,’ Neville agreed.

‘I think I can vouch for them,’ Leggo said.

Calhoun stared at his notes. ‘Seems to make a bit of difference,’ he said, his voice edgy as though he were a little shaken. He reached across to the table. ‘Let’s have that breakdown a moment.’ He picked up a sheet of paper and began to read it, his lips moving, his brows coming down as he worked through it.

‘Fifty Centurions, T34s and JS3s. Seventy-five Shees.’ He muttered the words half to himself. ‘A hundred and fifty guns, BTZ scout cars…’ He looked up. ‘According to your report they’ve got about a third more of everything than we bargained for.’ He glanced at the sheet again. ‘SU 100 self-propelled guns, 22-millimetre guns, 57-millimetre anti-tank weapons.’ He looked up again. ‘My God,’ he said. ‘Not much ground work was done in London before they took the decision to send us in. Where did all this come from?’

‘At least one Communist vessel a week’s being unloaded at King Boffa Port,’ Leggo pointed out. ‘I gather the total purchases are around two hundred and fifty million dollars, to say nothing of twenty-seven million pounds’ worth in neighbouring states who’ve offered it in the event of an emergency.’

Calhoun looked shaken. ‘It’s a pity Intelligence didn’t let us have this appreciation before,’ he said. ‘It might have helped in the planning. Anything more?’

‘Several things,’ Leggo said. ‘It’s all listed. And there’s a new Soviet consul just been appointed – Dhevyadov, one of Tchikov’s pupils and an expert at organising subversion, defence and propaganda.’

There was a muttered discussion for a while, and Hodges caught a note of alarm in it. He broke it up before it got going.

‘Right, gentlemen,’ he said sharply. ‘What we’ve just been discussing makes a vast difference to Stabledoor, I think.’

Nobody spoke and he went on slowly. ‘You know how far disaffection’s gone in your own commands. You know what you have to face. You know your orders. Now – as far as I’m concerned I’ve received my instructions but I’m not entirely happy about them and, while I’m prepared to carry out whatever I’m told to do, it seems only fair to me that the people at home should know just what we’re facing. Quite apart from Leggo’s figures, we’re now pretty certain there are Mig fighters within easy reach of King Boffa Port and we suspect there are at least two – if not more – Russian submarines within striking distance of this convoy. How much of this is known at home, I’m not sure. They seem to know precious little, and I’m proposing to tell them, not because I’m afraid of what might happen to us but because I feel they should still have the opportunity to withdraw from this adventure if they feel they ought. I want to know what your views are on this operation. I should point out that any final decision will be mine. Cal, what do you feel?’

Calhoun glanced at the others. He was obviously very unhappy at being the first to speak. It was an invidious position he was in, especially if all the others were to disagree with him.

He swallowed, lit a cigarette and drew a long puff at it.

‘I’m a bit worried about it,’ he said at length.

The others glanced up quickly at him and Hodges leaned forward.

‘Would you like to enlarge on that, Cal?’ he prompted.

‘Yes.’ Calhoun blew out a cloud of smoke. ‘I’ve thought for some time that Stabledoor wasn’t properly equipped for what it’s expected to do. Our gear’s not even as good as the Malalans’ and it’s not interchangeable. It seems now that not enough thought was put into it at home. I think the whole plan was rushed at the beginning, and it’s been stop-go ever since, with nobody in London willing to go the whole hog.’

He paused and went on cautiously, choosing his words with care. ‘Because the Reservists were restless, we dismantled bridges and rewired the camp,’ he said, ‘but it was collective training they needed, not that. As for the vehicles, half of ’em are over-age and a lot of their fittings were missing and never did turn up, and all the changes of plan have caused considerable confusion in the loading. The force had to be tactically embarked and it’s a fundamental principle that what the men need first must be embarked last. But after all the changes we’ve had from London, we’ll probably find that when we arrive the equipment’ll bear little relation to what we need. Some of the stuff, I’m told, belongs to units which aren’t even taking part any longer, and I know for a fact that half my gear’s in one ship and half in another. With what’s been happening in individual units, I think it sounds very tricky, but I’d like to reserve my final opinion until I’ve heard the others.’

‘That’s fair enough. Dixon?’

Dixon took off his spectacles and polished them. Without them, he looked more myopic and somehow less sure of him-self. He replaced the spectacles on his nose and cleared his throat.

‘I think we should go in,’ he said firmly. ‘I know we’ve heard a lot about what we’re likely to face, but I think we can discount some of it. I think it’s been exaggerated by people with the wind-up.’

‘Who, for instance?’ Neville asked aggressively.

Dixon waved a hand. ‘Oh, nobody in particular,’ he said. ‘Intelligence, generally. I think also we’re overestimating how much these people are supporting Scepwe.’

Leggo interrupted. ‘My information, sir, is that they’re solidly behind him. They don’t wish to be part of Malala and, in fact, originally they never were. They were an independent kingdom but got swept in when Macmillan’s “wind of change” began to alter the face of Africa. They never settled down and they’ve taken the first opportunity to opt out. And it so happens that our treaty was with the Malalans and not with the Khanzians, and they don’t want a British base there.’

‘International base,’ Dixon put in. ‘That was the agreement.’

‘That’s a lot of old rope,’ Neville rapped out. ‘That was just to cover the politicians. It’s a British base and always was.’

‘A treaty’s a treaty!’

‘Only so long as both sides agree on it. When they don’t, the whole bloody thing falls to pieces.’

‘Gentlemen!’ Hodges stopped the argument in its tracks. ‘Shall we try not to stray?’

Dixon looked vaguely sulky, as though he were defending his views simply for the sake of it and in the teeth of the facts. ‘We mustn’t ever forget that the Khanzian troops were never of the best,’ he said. ‘They’re not like the Nigerians.’

‘They’ve been trained by Ghanaian officers,’ Neville growled. He didn’t seem to like Dixon very much.

‘That doesn’t make them good troops.’

Hodges cut them short before the discussion became acrimonious again, and turned to Reading.

The Marine looked puzzled. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘the landing ships we’ve got are mostly obsolete and my chaps haven’t had much chance to practice amphibious work. They’ve been doing internal security duties in Malta. And if the Khanzians have got the latest Soviet tanks then we haven’t got the antitank guns to knock ’em out. Our signals equipment’s indifferent and the radio links on the whole have been bad.’ He gave a short humourless laugh. ‘I’d say it’ll be easier to get our information from the BBC news than from Pepul. Still,’ he paused, ‘it’d be disastrous to call it off now, especially if it had to be put on again later. I say go.’

‘Thank you. Rattray?’

Rattray glanced at Reading uncomfortably, as though he disagreed with him and didn’t fancy saying so. His hands moved over a book he was holding and Hodges saw the title – Das Vollständig Panzerbuch. Rattray was obviously a man who took his job seriously and did a lot of homework.

‘“A” Squadron of the 7th/9th Tanks,’ he said slowly, ‘spent the last two years detached for demonstration duties at the Infantry School. The men of “B” Squadron were without their vehicles and attached to the Territorials. The rest were on garrison duty at their base at Bilworth. There was no chance to get the men together, and shooting practice’s been out of the question. They’ve got old vehicles and they’re damn short of stores and training. It’s the same with the 4th/6th, and these Soviet tanks the Khanzians have got are outstanding. Speed, manoeuvrability, fire power and armour leave nothing to be desired, and their turret designs reduce vulnerability to a direct hit to nil. If I’m told to go, I’ll go and do the best I can, but I’d be dishonest if I said I thought it’d be easy.’

Hodges swung in his chair towards Downes, whose languor disappeared as he sat up. ‘I’m of the same mind as Calhoun,’ he said sharply. ‘Not enough’s been put into this from London, and there’s no sense of certainty at home – even now. My orders are that we’re not to fire on shore installations except with secondary armament, and that we’re not to touch civilian areas. What sort of order’s that? If anyone lobs anything at my ships, I shall give orders to flatten it with anything we’ve got. If men’s lives are involved, then I’ll take the responsibility. Concerning morale, I’m not happy about the crews. There are too many Reserve officers, who’ve a lot to lose and nothing to gain, and too many Reservist seamen who think now like trade unionists. I’m not happy about Stabledoor and if the people at home were to signal that it was all off, then I’d be the first man to cheer.’

‘I think that would be my attitude exactly,’ Calhoun said.

Hodges tried hard to avoid showing any kind of feeling, and turned to Neville.

‘How about the RAF?’

Neville’s attitude was uncompromising. ‘With respect, sir,’ he snapped, ‘I think the whole bloody operation was dreamed up by a half-witted deaf-mute in between visits to the heads. According to Leggo’s information, we can expect our jets to be outflown by Scepwe’s Migs and we’ve known all along that side-loading transports for the parachutists are out of date. What’s more, we’ll be flying into the sun in the early morning, but the sun visors we asked for never arrived and that won’t help to make the pilots more accurate with their sticks. The helicopter planning at home was bad, too. I think our people have let their prickly pride get them into this one and they’re anxious now not to back down in case they lose face. I expect it’s politics they’re worried about, if the truth were known, and I suppose they’re busy counting votes. It may not have escaped your notice that there’s an election due in a year’s time and this seems to me a good time for a bit of poker playing. It’s all or nothing. If they fail to pull this one off, they’ll lose nothing, because public opinion polls seem to indicate they’ll be out on their ears, anyway. But, by God, sir, if they do pull it off, they’re in again. We all know that. I think the PM’s gambling again, sir. He gambled at Singapore, and by the grace of God, it came off, and like all gamblers he thinks the circumstances are the same and it’ll come off again. I thank the whole thing stinks, sir. I’ve got a job to do and I’ll do as I’m told to the best of my ability because I can’t afford to resign, but by God, I don’t take much pride in it.’

Hodges warmed to Neville’s abrupt forthrightness, thoroughly agreeing with everything he said. Nevertheless, he was surprised that it was the RAF man, with his bang-on reputation, who’d shown the most shrewdness.

‘Leggo,’ he went on. ‘I think you should let us have your views.’

Leggo frowned. ‘With respect, General,’ he said, ‘I think not. My information was unofficial and I hold no command.’

Hodges managed a wry smile. He wasn’t sure how much Leggo’s refusal stemmed from honesty and how much from a desire to avoid responsibility. If a wrong decision were taken and he weren’t associated with it, his chances of promotion wouldn’t be damaged.

‘Very well,’ he said. ‘My own opinion’s somewhere around centre, I must admit.’ He stood up. ‘Gentlemen, I’m seriously considering sending a signal home to the effect that I have the gravest doubts about Stabledoor. I have an uneasy feeling that we have another Dieppe in the making, and I’ve no desire to be responsible for it.’

He turned away. ‘And now, let’s all have a drink.’

They began to rise and Leggo offered drinks round. Hodges was just about to raise his glass to his lips when he caught sight of Neville standing with his head on one side.

‘Listen,’ the airman said. ‘What’s that?’

They were all silent for a second. Above the hum of the ship’s turbines and the muffled sounds of movement from outside, they could hear voices.

‘Shouting,’ Leggo said.

The sound was disjointed and disconnected, but as they listened it seemed to clot and congeal and the shouts became one.

‘That’s not shouting,’ Neville snapped. ‘That’s cheering.’