We heard shouts and a rattle of bullets struck the farmhouse. We heard them clatter off the stones. The sky was becoming much lighter and soon, once they had cleared the farmhouse they would be able to see us. I was the fittest of the four of us and I found myself in the lead. I saw that the fields seemed to go on forever but there was cover to our left. The only problem was it was away from the battalion. "Corp there is a wood on our left. We might lose them there."
The Corporal was not a man to dither, "Lead on Macduff! It's as good a way as any."
Just then there was an explosion behind us as the first of the booby traps exploded. They would be more cautious and we had a minute or two. I hoped we could make the shelter of the woods by then. There were two more explosions and then a rattle of gunfire. The wood was just twenty yards from us when the back door exploded when they tried to open it. We saw the explosion and we dived to the ground. We would crawl the last few yards.
Once in the safety of the eaves of the forest we turned and looked at the farmhouse. The explosions had set it on fire and it was now an inferno. We saw the Germans silhouetted against it. I saw an officer with binoculars scanning the fields. "Jerry has binoculars and is looking for us."
"Then we keep still until they have gone."
I kept looking from the farmhouse to the north. The tanks had rolled over the position our battalion had held. They were now between us and safety. "Have you got a map, Corp?"
"Aye, Tom, why?"
"We will need to find another way to Boulogne. Jerry has shut that door."
The Germans searched for an hour or so and then gave up. We slipped into the woods and then stood up. From the map we had about fifty or sixty miles to go to reach the coast. To reach Calais we would have to cover more than forty and Dunkirk would be over a hundred. We knew that we were supposed to halt at Arras. That was just a few miles away. Between Arras and the Belgian border was my parents' holiday home. I knew that it was on the way to Boulogne. We could kill two birds with one stone.
I could see that the Corporal was perplexed about the decision he had to make. "Look Corp if we head to the north of Arras we might get ahead of the tanks. That was a big column coming from the south. If not then the road takes us to Boulogne anyway." I pointed to the map. "The fields will give us cover. We just keep parallel to the road. We can see Jerry. When we can't see him then we head north and catch up with our lads."
He looked at the other two. Nev nodded, "I can't see any flaws. It is better than sitting here and doing nothing. The battalion is getting further away by the minute."
"Right! Out in front Professor. You take the map and lead us home."
I slung my rifle and begin to move through the woods. According to the map once we were through the woods and some open fields we would cross the main road the battalion had used and was now being used by the Germans. That would eventually reach Arras but the Germans were using that one for their tanks. We would have to sneak across the road unseen. It would not be easy. I suddenly remembered the broth I had made. No one would enjoy it now. At least we had all the supplies in our bags. We would eat, for at least two days anyway. Every time an aeroplane was heard we dived for cover. We no longer had the protection of the battalion. We were four soldiers with four rifles amidst a sea of grey clad Germans.
We crossed the first road with such ease that I began to think that it would be a picnic. The next fourteen miles were equally easy. Perhaps we had exaggerated the problems. There was one more road to cross and then we would be within a dozen or so miles of the cottage. We were cautious at the road we had to cross for it was the main road to Arras.
We reached the last obstacle and froze when we heard engines. We cowered in the undergrowth. We could not go forward until they had passed and to go back would be to take us deeper into enemy territory. We had no idea where the front line was. The engines turned out to be half a dozen German trucks. A small German car, a Kübelwagen, with a machine gun at the back led them and they trundled past us heading towards the north. We waited until their motors disappeared in the distance. When it became silent I waved the others across the road. Willy led and then the Corporal. Nev was just moving across the road when I heard the high pitched roar of a motorcycle. A German motorcycle and side car came around the bend. I had not started across and I swung my rifle around. Nev ran as fast as his leg would allow him. The machine gun on the side car rattled. I squeezed two rounds and struck the driver. He clutched his arm and the whole contraption slewed around and rolled along the road.
I glanced up, as I moved across the cobbles, Nev was lying in the ditch. Willy and the Corporal were close by him. I ran to the motor cycle. They were both dead. I grabbed the hand grenades and the ammunition. Who knew when they might come in handy.
"Quick Corp, get him under cover. Those Jerries in the trucks might come back."
As they dragged him to safety I tried to clear any sign that we had been here. Even if the Germans did not return others would be using the road and they would find the dead Germans. I followed the trail of blood and found a white faced Nev lying on the ground. Willy was tying a tourniquet around his thigh. He grinned weakly, "Same bloody leg."
The Corporal looked up at me and shook his head. "The kneecap is shattered."
"So I guess my dancing career is over with?" He tried to laugh but ended wincing with the pain.
Willy looked up, "What do we do then? Surrender and get him to a doctor?"
Nev grabbed Willy's battledress, "Listen sonny, you can shoot me if you have a mind but we are not surrendering. Leave me with a gun and I'll take a few of the bastards with me."
"No-one is surrendering and if you have nowt intelligent to say, Holden, then keep your gob shut! We need to get Wilkinson to some shelter. But where?"
"There is somewhere. It is a few miles south of here."
Willy scoffed, "A few miles? It might as well be a few hundred with his leg in the state it is."
"Willy, I will punch you myself if you don't shut up. Go and find a path to the north will you. Do something useful."
He nodded, "Right Tom. Sorry Nev."
"We carry him, Corp. We keep one on point and the other two carry. We keep swapping over. We can cover the few miles in two or three hours."
Nev looked liked he would say something. "Wilkinson, you shut up now. We are carrying you and that is an end to it. We will use two rifles to make a chair. This place how do you know it?"
"My dad and two of his mates built it. My family own it. Dad and his gunner used the original farm when they were shot down in 1915. They hid there for a couple of days. It is remote and it is secluded. We haven't visited since 1938 so I guess it will be overgrown."
"It's worth a shot."
Willy arrived back. "There is a farm track leading through the woods. We have to cross a little stream."
"Good." I pointed to the path we had just used. There were drops of blood all along it. "They are like a beacon. We need to throw them off the scent. You two carry him while I rig a booby trap here."
The Corporal nodded and they used their rifles and a pack to make a kind of sedan chair. Nev put his arms around their shoulders and they headed south. I walked back along the trail. I put myself in the German's position. They would follow the trail of blood and their heads would be down. I took out a can of bully beef. I opened it and put the meat back in my pack. I put some soil in the tin to give it some weight. I put the filled can to the side. They would spot it and examine it. I took a grenade and removed the pin. Very carefully I covered the grenade with tufts of grass and weeds I pulled up and then I put the can on the handle. As soon as they lifted the can the handle would be released and they would have eight seconds to live. As I followed the others I decided that I would make the fuses just five seconds from now on. Uncle Lumpy had shown me how to do it. He had used them as aerial bombs in the Great War.
I soon caught up with them and took the lead. We crossed the first stream and headed down the trail. I intended to change direction soon. I recognised where we were. This wood was quite extensive. Dad and I had hunted here because it was so remote. We had little chance of accidentally shooting an innocent walker. There were plenty of streams and we used those to replenish our supply of water as we made our way south. At the second stream I swapped with the Corporal and we changed to a north westerly direction. It took us away from the coast and I hoped that it would throw any pursuit off. After an hour the Corporal replaced Willy. It was as we were changing over that we heard a dull crump. They all looked at me. "They have found where we bound Nev's wound. I left them a present. We are nearly there. Willy, take over from me in half an hour. Keep on this trail until then."
I was now worrying about pursuit. The Germans could move much faster than we could. I hoped that the booby trap would have hidden our trail. I knew we had another turn to come and that would, I prayed, be enough to hide us from the Germans. I whistled, "Time, Willy."
He came back and we swapped. I point to the right. "We are going through that scrubby bit of land. You go ahead and I will tidy up our tracks. Wait just over there."
Corporal Higgins said, "You are giving a lot or orders, Harsker."
"Sorry Corp. I didn't think we had time to be a debating club."
"Just so as you remember who is in charge, eh son?"
"Right Corp." They headed through the bushes and I lifted the branches and leaves through which they had trodden. It would fool a German briefly. I went down to the left and found a stubby tree. I hauled myself up to the lower branches and then swung myself to land on a few stones which lay there. I hoped from stone to stone until I caught up with my bemused comrades.
Nev laughed, "Tarzan the bloody ape man."
"Just trying to put off the pursuit."
I ran ahead and led them through a twisting path which was almost overgrown now. When we had lived there this had been much easier to use. It gave me hope that the cottage was still hidden. I approached it from the rear. There was a hedge fence and a wicker gate. The gate only opened reluctantly. The cottage looked to be deserted but I took the safety from my rifle as I went towards the door. We never kept it locked and I turned the handle. The hinges creaked as I pushed it open. The musty smell told me that no one had been here since October 1938.
"It's safe. Bring him in. There is a bed here in the back room or he can use the seat in the front room." I took off my helmet, packs and greatcoat.
I went in each room just to confirm that it was empty. I knew we needed hot water but I was reluctant to use the fire. I decided to risk it. I took some kindling and lit the stove. The dry wood would not give off smoke and we had to see to Nev. I grabbed a pan and slipped out of the front door and went to the well. I dropped the bucket and heard the reassuring splash. The well had never let us down. Dad and Uncle Ted had dug it and lined it with bricks when I was still a toddler. I filled the pan with water and went back inside.
The Corporal had cut the trousers off Nev. "How is he Corp?"
"I have no idea. I did a first aid course but this needs surgery. The bullet has gone through."
"Then we just clean it up and apply a field dressing. I have some water boiling on the stove. I reckon he needs splints."
Willy said, "I thought the water was for a cup of tea!"
For some reason that made us all laugh. "I am sure there will be enough left for tea." I turned to the Corporal. "Do you want me to give you a hand or shall I get things sorted out here, Corporal Higgins?"
"It is your house. You know where things are."
"Righto."
I had not opened the curtains when we had gone in. They were heavy duty black curtains which kept out all light. In hot, bright summers they kept the cottage cool while we were walking or out for the day. I took an oil lamp from the cupboard and lit it. "Here, Corp, it helps if you can see what you are doing."
I checked all the cupboards. I only vaguely remembered what was here. I found the tea, a little old now but still usable and a teapot. There was sugar but, obviously, no milk. I took them back into the kitchen which doubled as a sitting room. Dad had told me that was how Albert had had it and he liked the idea. It was comfortable. There were two bedrooms on one side and two on the other. Mum liked the idea that we could have guests. The rooms were cosy but they suited us. I went to the wardrobe and rummaged around. I found a pair of dad's trousers and a few pairs of spare socks. A soldier could march all day on a clean pair of socks!
When I walked in I could see that they had bandaged the leg. I threw the trousers to Nev. "Here you are. You can at least have a little dignity. I found spare socks for you all too."
"This is damned civilised, Tom." Nev's words came through gritted teeth.
"You are welcome Nev."
"I have cleaned it up as best I can but I don't think he can move for a few days."
I nodded, "We have the supplies we were given by the sergeant and we have these." I went to a cupboard and opened it. There was an array of tins. To my delight I saw some condensed milk. We could have milk with our tea. "We won't starve."
"Tom, you are a wonder. Willy, get that tea poured."
In the distance we heard the sound of an engine. Everyone started. "Don't worry. The road is a mile from here. Cars and lorries, even buses, pass up and down all the time. I will walk to the end of the lane and have a look see if it will make you all feel happier."
The Corporal nodded and I left. I suppose the Corporal was right to worry; if there were Germans on the road then we were, effectively trapped. I was gratified that the overhanging trees had not been damaged by traffic and that the track was overgrown. No one had been here for some time and we were, effectively, hidden. I did not go to the end of the track, instead I forced my way through the undergrowth and peered through the leaves. If I remained still then no one would see me. I had always been the last one to be found when we had played games of hide and seek near to the air fields when I had been growing up. I heard the steady grind of a struggling engine. An old lorry came past driven by, what I assumed, was a local farmer. I did not recognise him. After another ten minutes of watching I saw no military vehicles of any description. We were safe, for a while.
I turned to look at the cottage as I walked back up the greenway. I was gratified to see that there was barely any smoke visible from the chimney. We were so far from anyone else that the wind would dissipate the smell and the smoke. When I got back to the cottage there were just Willy and the Corporal. They were smoking and drinking tea. Willy handed me a cup. "Where's Nev?"
The Corporal gestured with his cigarette, "We put him in one of the beds. He was all in. I'm afraid the sheets will be a mess. There was a little blood seeping from the wound."
"Don't worry; mum was a nurse although I am not certain she will be back here for some time eh?"
He laughed, "Still this is a little life saver; literally. You know that even when we do move he is going to slow us down."
"I know."
"By that time our lads might have held them and started pushing them back."
We both looked at Willy who was looking cheerful. "Holden, we have barely stopped running since the Germans started their attack. What makes you think we are going to change that now?"
"The Lieutenant said that we were going to hold them at Arras."
The Corporal nodded and took out the map. He jabbed his finger at Arras. "Do you see where Arras is?"Willy nodded. "And do you see how close the coast is?"
"Yes Corp but the trenches were here in the Great War and we held them then!"
"Aye and they didn't have Stukas, heavy bombers and tanks then. No, my son, we are going to be pushed back to Blighty. As soon as Nev can move then we are going to make for Boulogne. That was one of the three places the Lieutenant mentioned. If they manage to hold them at Arras we might even make it there before them." He stubbed his cigarette out and folded up the map. "Of course we have to work out a way how to get a one legged man more than seventy miles to Boulogne."
"Through German troops."
"Aye you are right."
I went to the cupboard and brought out a walking stick. "There is a stick here but we will need to re-splint his leg so that he can put weight on it.
"I was going to do that but we'll leave it until just before we actually leave. We need to build up his strength."
"Then we make sure that he eats for England."
Willy threw his empty cigarette packet into the stove. "Any cigarettes in this Aladdin's cave?"
I shook my head, "Sorry, Willy, dad smokes a pipe. If you find one of his old pouches here you will find some dried up tobacco inside but that's all."
He sank back into his seat, "Well that is a bugger!"
I smiled. That was the British soldier all over. He could endure almost anything so long as he had a cup of tea, an occasional meal and his cigarettes. I went to a wall cupboard and brought out a bottle of local brandy. It was rough and mum used it for cooking but it was drinkable. "Here, lads, we can all have a drink and it will help ease Nev's pain!"
"Harsker you are like Merlin the bloody magician! You'll do for me old son."
The Corporal emptied his dregs into the sink and poured himself a measure. We slept well that first night. We were so tired and full that we even forgot to set a sentry. When we woke undisturbed we risked it every night. We recovered far quicker that way.
We enjoyed three days in the cottage. Nev spent most of the time in the bedroom with his leg raised. That had been my suggestion. I had learned as much from mum about nursing as I had from dad about flying. We might have stayed longer had we not heard the distant sounds of battle coming from the south about the twenty first of May. The Corporal had more experience of these sorts of things and he estimated it to be about twenty to thirty miles south of us. We looked at the map. Arras. The Lieutenant had been right; we were trying to hold them. The morning after we were woken by the sound of heavy vehicles moving down the road. Without waiting for an order I ran down the greenway. I did not even get to the end for I saw the German trucks moving west. I ducked into the trees as I saw German infantry with them. Our holiday was over. We were going back to war.