大象传媒

In Italy
The Glory Hunter
The names used in this account may not be accurate, as my memory may have mis-served me. Cyril Frederick Perkins, Author.
Captain Donald Jefferies was a man in a hurry for he had long since decided that he would stay on in the Army at the end of hostilities and reap any benefits that were to be had in the chaos and confusion of the post war period. To further that ambition he was determined to gain higher rank although with the end of the war in sight he realised he
would need to come to the urgent attention of senior officers if he were to succeed in his objective. Field promotions were usually awarded to those demonstrating outstanding leadership and initiative and if they were tempered with a dash of audacity and verve so much the better. However - the battle for Italy had bogged down and there seemed little prospect for the Captain to advance his aims. The front line on the Eastern sector had been established at the Senio River with enemy forces firmly implanted on it's Northern banks. A Winter status quo had set in with activity on both sides confined mainly to patrols and the periodic exchange of shell mortar and machine gun fire. An unexpected opportunity presented when his Battalion were ordered to relieve a front line Battalion and the Company commanded by Captain Jefferies detailed a forward position on the Southern banks of the Senio River. The change over had been ordered for an hour before dawn and stealth was the order of the day but even so an alert enemy sensed an increase in activity and opened up with heavy shell and machine gun fire. All this was quite new to Sergeant Peter Jackson. He had been seconded to the Battalion for a baptism of fire report after applying for a commission in the Infantry. An expert in Radio Telegraphy he had been assigned to responsibility for communications in Captain Jefferies Company. As he crawled forward shells whistled overhead - mortars fell around them and a monotonous clicking sound he could not at first determine - that of machine gun bullets clipping the leaves of overhanging trees.
Private Reginald Buss had been detailed to assist the Sergeant and had assumed the title of 'Donkey Man' - it was his blackened face that brushed close to the Sergeants as he whispered in his ear - 'Bloody hell Sarge a bloke could get himself killed up here.' Company Headquarters were established in a large downstairs room of a dilapidated farmhouse. The ceilings were propped up with huge timbers and the windows and doorways reinforced with piles of sandbags. The Sergeant set up a Communications Centre in the corner of that room close to the entry and ^ after some initial teething troubles was able to report to his Company Commander that all forward posts were in position and the change over completed.
The main supply route was a narrow lane that ran alongside the farmhouse and pointed directly towards the river some three hundred yards distant. The enemy held a fixed line of fire along that lane and at irregular intervals would open up with a withering hail of heavy machine gun fire. It was that machine gun that held the Captain's immediate attention for Brigade were well aware of it's presence and of the casualties it had already claimed - there were accolades to be earned if it could be destroyed or neutralised. Captain Jefferies decided on a tank action and it fell to Sergeant Jackson to transmit the necessary instructions for the tank rendezvous and warnings to forward sections and flanking Companies of the intended action.
Most of the Company heard the tank long before it reached a firing position and so did the enemy. They laid down a heavy barrage causing several casualties amongst forward troops even before the tank had opened fire.
The tank lumbered into position and laid down a heavy fusillade from it's armament and much of the river bank together with the machine gun nest disintegrated and with mission accomplished the tank withdrew.
Retaliation continued for some time and the more severely wounded casualties were brought into Company Headquarters for attention before being evacuated to a field hospital. Notwithstanding the casualties suffered the Captain was elated and reported a successful operation to Brigade receiving in return a 'Well Done' from the Brigadier although alas the Captain's elation was short lived.
At first light a bizarre sight greeted the forward lookouts for a white flag could be clearly seen fluttering from the spot where the machine gun had been located. The enemy began evacuating their dead and wounded and whilst the flag was up not a shot was fired by either side. All was quiet for a while and then suddenly another heavy machine gun opened up from the same position sending it's little messengers of death along the Company supply line. The enemy were back in business and Captain Jefferies was not amused.
He called his senior officers to a meeting in that downstairs room in the farmhouse and there after some relatively brief exchanges Captain Jefferies made his second disastrous decision. A fighting patrol would be sent out to capture and occupy the position and deny it to the enemy. The patrol was to be formed from members of the reserve Platoon under the command of a Second Lieutenant James Thompson a 'Mister Nice Guy' well liked by those under his command. He listened unflinchingly as his Commanding Officer briefed him for the proposed action but as he turned towards Sergeant Jackson a short time later he had a look of resignation on his usually cheery face as if he knew that his ultimate demise was inevitable and there was not one damned thing he could do about it.
To support the mission a decoy mortar barrage would be set down on the left flank of the intended action and an immediate problem presented itself. The Platoon detailed to set down the barrage had insufficient shells on hand and additional supplies would be urgently required. Sergeant Jackson was detailed to arrange a rendezvous with a carrying party from a forward Platoon and to take up a supply of mortar shells in the Company jeep. It was raining and the lane was very slippery and to compound his problems Sergeant Jackson had not driven a jeep before.
He got his first shock when he started the motor as the exhaust was perforated and made a noise sufficient to alert the most docile of listeners. He knew that he would have to drive about one hundred and fifty yards directly towards the river and right down the throat of that fixed line machine gun turn left and travel on for another fifty yards to the rendezvous point turn around and return with his back towards the enemy.
He put the jeep into low gear and set off travelling slowly for fear of slipping off the lane altogether and becoming hopelessly bogged down in a ditch. He reached the turn off without incident but found the second lane pitted with shell holes and potholes and it seemed to Sergeant Jackson that he bounced into and out of just about every one. Figures from the carrying party emerged out of the gloom and unloaded the jeep in double quick time and as they melted away once again the Sergeant turned the jeep slowly but successfully and began the return journey.
The noise from the damaged exhaust seemed loud enough to wake the dead but undaunted he made the turn and drove on towards the farmhouse.
With just a couple of dozen yards to go angry hornets flew around him one tugged at the sleeve of his battledress whilst another touched the tip of his steel helmet and pinged away into the darkness. Then he was there and he swung the wheel skidded into the farmyard and cut the engine.
Sergeant Jackson sat for a few moments whilst the butterflies in his stomach and the cold sweat of fear around him began to subside.
The Captain seemed almost surprised to see him returned unscathed looked up with an almost nonchalant air and asked 鈥楢ny problems Sergeant'? The Sergeant just shook his head then found a quip on his lips he could not resist - 'No problems Sir other than the jeep that has a few.' The Captain just nodded and shrugged his shoulders his thoughts already far from such incidental problems.
The mortar barrage began on schedule and the Fighting Patrol set off down stream to locate the shallows where the crossing was to be made.
Sergeant Jackson had been detailed to maintain a listening watch on the Patrol and to gain maximum reception climbed up to safe high ground some fifty yards from the farmhouse. All went well for a while with the first couple of checks coming through loud and clear but shortly after first the primary then the secondary and emergency channels all became jammed and all contact with the Patrol lost.
It was a bad omen although it was some time later that full details of the catastrophe that followed became known. The Defence Charts made no mention of minefields in the area and it was never fully determined whether the retiring Company or the enemy had laid mines. Either way the Southern slopes along the river had been mined unbeknown to the Patrol and they found that out the hard way.
Second Lieutenant Thompson leading his men forward set off the first mine and some fell mortally wounded. Others in close proximity floundered and set off other mines although Sergeant Robert Jones the second in command of the Patrol tried to rally the men and make an assault. However with the element of surprise gone an ever alert enemy opened fire and his task became hopeless,
Then a hail of bullets shattered his left arm he made his decision to abandon the mission and ordered an immediate withdrawal. As the shattered Patrol came in an aid station was set up in the cow sheds behind the farmhouse and it was in one of those cow sheds that Second Lieutenant Thompson died. Two other were dead on arrival and three more seriously wounded.
Sergeant Jackson sat beside a young Private trying to console him. His left leg had been completely blown off by a shoe mine -he was crying softly and quietly and whispered to the Sergeant 'will I still be able to swim with only one leg -will people laugh at me.' The Sergeant held the boy's hand and gave the lad some sympathetic assurances but they were all academic anyway because the young Private died a few moments later.
In spite of his wounds Sergeant Jones sat before his Commanding Officer to make his report whilst a Medical Orderly strapped up his wounds and tried valiantly to stem the flow of blood but the Sergeant passed into oblivion before either of them had finished their task.
Captain Jefferies was somewhat subdued after his latest excursion into futility reflecting perhaps upon the cost of it all with four men dead several others wounded at least, three of them seriously hurt - or was he perhaps simply reflecting on the failures that had not enhanced his aspirations ?
A few days later the Company were themselves relieved and the greatest hazard to the change over was that persistent machine gun that still fired at irregular intervals along the supply line.
When the 8th Army launched it's Spring offensive in force and crossed the Senio River Captain Jefferies was again actively trying to demonstrate outstanding and audacious leadership but he was never to aspire to the position he sought in the post war era.
His military career was brought to a sudden and abrupt end by a single bullet - it was never fully determined from which direction the bullet had been fired.

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