ACV's 1 Operation Black Gold (21 page)

‘Go for it, but get a rifle for close protection and check all this ammo for booby traps.  Your first target will be that line of boulders at the base of the slope.  If they’re going to have a start line it’ll be there and remember to pull the pins out of the nose of those bombs.’

Grizz offered the bomb they had extracted.  ‘This one’s already out, fit will I d’ wí it?’

‘It’s live, get rid of it.’

‘OK.’

Before I could stop him, he dropped it down the tube.  It fired with a thump that made my ears ring. 

‘Well that works.’  He stated with a grin.

‘You stupid cunt,’ Nommy started.

Grizz pushed him away.  ‘Aw shut up they’ll never hear it.  It’s pointed towards the town anyway.  They’ll never ken far it come from.’

‘It had to go somewhere.’  Nommy raised himself onto his toes to scan the town.  I found myself doing the same for a moment.  I shook myself out of it and went to find a weapon leaving them to argue. 

Buff waved me over.  He’d found a Russian version of the GPMG.  ‘It’s not booby trapped, but something’s been forced down the barrel.  Have ye got the GPMG cleaning kit with ye?’

‘Aye.’

Gigs went round clearing booby traps at the trot, while the rest of us went to it with a will.  The weapons were unfamiliar but we were professional soldiers.  Weapons were our trade.  We soon had them stripped cleaned and oiled, ready to fire.  A rebel unit began to move forward but it didn’t move far, it was only making room for the one crossing the bridge.

‘Jesus Christ!’  I heard someone mutter.

I called everyone into the centre.  ‘Right-fit have you found?’

‘Jim?’

‘Aye Fritz.’

‘You might not have noticed it but there’s damn near thousands of the fuckers out there and only eight of us.’

‘Aye, so the whole point ó this is to buy time not beat them into submission.  Ten - thirty minutes could make the world of difference farther down the line.’

‘No, no that’s not whit I’m getting at, look.’  He pulled the magazine from his AK.  ‘It’s that case-less Ammo in pre-packed mags with the paper detonators.  We’re going to have to put down a lot of rounds to keep them off our backs and these things are supposed to cook off when they get too hot.  How long before they start blowing up in our faces?’

I was stumped, I hadn’t even thought of that.

‘We could grab a spare.’  Ali suggested.

‘Is there any spares?’  I asked no one in particular.

‘At least a dozen.’  Gigs told me.

‘In that case we’ll clean everyone we can find.  Lay them around the perimeter loaded.  Make sure there’s a case ó ammo beside each one.  Dig it in so artillery won’t hit it.  Fire a mag- reload, then move on to a different weapon.  Keep moving; don’t let them pin you down.  It’ll also keep them guessing as to our numbers.  We’ve found a GPMG thing we a couple ó spare barrels but we’ve only got about a thousand rounds for it.’

‘There’s a pile of ammo boxes buried over beside the mortar pit, 7.62 link.’

‘That’s the stuff Abie, have ye turned up anything else?’

‘No, just AK’s.’

‘Gigs?’

‘Aye, I’ve found a Russian .30 calibre machine gun, with about ten thousand rounds, it’s all ready to fire-and this.’  He pulled a snipers rifle from a combat coloured synthetic bag.  The lot was buried in a big hole with a couple of crates of grenades but there’s only a hundred rounds for the snipers rifle.’

‘Is it 7.62 mm?’

‘Aye.’

‘Then break up some link if you need it.’

‘OK.’

No one else had found anything but AK's.  ‘It’s obvious they’ve buried their good stuff, keep looking while we still have the time, claymore mines, grenade launchers, anti-tank weapons-anything like that.  But don’t worry if you can’t find any we’ve already got a lot of firepower.  If we use it right and concentrate it properly, we can still do a lot of damage.’ 

I pulled out a map and gave it to Nommy.  ‘Right, this is what we’re going to do.  Their start lines probably going to be that line of the boulders.  As soon as it’s obvious they’re really going to attack, the mortar will open up.  As soon as the first bomb falls that will be the signal for the rest of you to open fire.  Gigs, Buff, use the machine guns on them while they’re still packed together.  Ali spot and service the heavy MG with Gigs.  Abie, Fritz, AK’s.  Buff can you manage the other MG on your own?’

‘Aye, no bother.’

‘Good-priorities.  Mortars put down as many bombs as you can.  Once they’ve scattered- switch targets.  You’ve got the map- here’s a compass.  I’ve marked the positions of some targets.  The square here if full of ammo trucks and men that’s No 1.  There’s artillery batteries here and here-and these are mortars.  Keep an eye on the battle and do what you thinks right.  Any questions?’

‘No.’ Nommy and Grizz shook their heads. 

‘Right.  Gigs once they scatter cease-fire and get on to the snipers rifle.  Priorities.  All officers and NCOs.  Anybody who’s trying to organize an attack.  These boys aren’t fond of fighting unless pushed, so take them out at every opportunity.  That goes for everyone, if we can do that we’ll keep them unbalanced and livelonger.  After that we’ll just have to play it by ear, any questions.’

‘Can I stay beside Buff and help him with the gun.’  Ali asked.

‘No I don’t want you anywhere near him.  If one of you gets hit I canna afford to have the other rolling about in a hole, screaming and greeting, or doing a Banzai.’  Neither of the two liked it, but at least they both saw the sense in it.  ‘Right, let’s get to it.’

‘Hey Jim,’ Abie stopped me.

‘Fit.’

‘Are ye not supposed to give us some kind of spiritually uplifting speech about now?’  He grinned.

‘Fuck off.’

The rebel major staggered out of his office into the radio room, blood poured down his arm.  The stray mortar bomb smashed his men and equipment to pulp.  He picked his way through the debris, making it through to the hallway.  A groan attracted his attention.  He pulled a piece of plasterboard off a man and turned him over.  It was the American reporter who had been badgering them for weeks.  Demanding action of some kind and making false accusations.  The man seemed fixated by something that lay a few feet away.  The major looked closer and realised the pink glistening object was one of the man’s testicles.

‘Now who hasn’t got any balls,’ he muttered as he staggered out of the building.  He had to find the general and tell him something was afoot, but he was too late to stop the attack.

CHAPTER 21

I stood at the side of the mortar pit waiting.  They had moved up to their start line and sat down.  There were a lot of men out there but they were all nicely bunched up.  We hadn’t found any more weapons, which was a pity.  The shrill of a whistle reached my ears.  A line of officers stood up-ushering men to their feet.  I noticed movement at the heavy MG as Gigs lined up on them.

‘Get ready.’  I had the binoculars focused on an officer who was holding up three fingers turning round and round keeping an eye on his watch.  Two fingers.

‘Two minutes.’

‘Can we take out the bridge Jim?’  Grizz asked to ease our trembling limbs.

‘No leave it be.’

‘That would cut off their reinforcements.’

‘Aye and their only line of retreat.  No!  That mortar’s nae heavy enough to take it out, you wouldn’t even scratch it.  Don’t waste your ammo on it or I’ll be shoving you down that tube.  One minute,’ the officer produced a flare gun.  ‘Now.’

The mortar fired a ranging shot of full charge.  It seemed to take forever to strike the far side of the gorge.  Rocks and dust soared into the air.  ‘On line, drop 500.’

‘Got it’, Nommy shouted.

‘Fire for effect.’  Thump, thump, thump, thump.  Both had a stack of mortar bombs at their feet.  Their fingers were already red from the sticky gloop that held the firing pins.  Red flares soared into the sky.  As they reached the top of their arc, the heavily laden infantrymen began to move and the first of our bombs landed amongst them.  Men disappeared into a wall of fire and steel.

Gigs opened up scything into the line of officers.  Fritz, Abie and Buff opened up to and their concentrated fire smashed into the unsuspecting rebels.  I stared in horror at the carnage I had unleashed.  I could literally see men disintegrate under the murderous fire.  Limbs were ripped off and torso’s shredded.  I dropped the binoculars quickly. 

A slick sheen of sweat broke out on my forehead and the contents of my stomach threatened to empty onto my boots.  I took a few deep breaths in an attempt to settle it, and then raised the binoculars to my face again.  The survivors were diving for cover everywhere, movement ceased.

‘Cease fire, cease fire.’  The pile of bombs had dropped drastically and sweat poured down their faces.  Nommy was engrossed traversing the tube while Grizz stood behind it shouting orders trying to bring it on line.

An eerie silence descended over the battlefield.  Then the screaming of the wounded drifted down to us.  Gritting my teeth, I closed my ears against it.  I scanned the field for movement as the dust settled.  The first man to move was the officer who had fired the first flare.  He half rose to his feet shouting orders.  A shot cracked out and smashed into his chest.  By the time his voice reached us, he was dead.

The mortar began firing again searching for the square.  It took them five or six rounds to find it.

The town square was still packed with men and vehicles, totally unaware of what had just happened across the river.  The first few ranging shots went unnoticed over the sound of their own guns, but as they came closer, a few began to notice.  The first warning most got was when a bomb landed amongst a heavily laden company of men on the square’s exit.

The modern mortar bomb consists of a small amount of very powerful high explosives surrounded by long coils of copper wire.  Troops the world over refers to this type of ammunition as shredders.  It did its job well.  Loose equipment carried by the men nearest to the blast was turned into high and low velocity projectiles adding to the carnage.

They lay for almost five minutes listening to the cries for help from their wounded comrades but no more bombs fell.  ‘Get up, get up, it was a short.’  An officer cried pulling men to their feet little realising the two men responsible were busily stacking more bombs at their feet.  When they had amassed, about thirty they resumed firing.  Surprise was total.  A direct hit on an ammunition lorry full of grenades was devastating.  The thick stonewalls of the building behind it directed the blast down the length of the square.

The mortar did its job well, peppering the towns square.  When the bombardment ceased few men were able to move unaided.  Exploding trucks and munitions helped to demolish buildings.  Fires took hold and began to spread.  Bright colours splashed the square.  Severed limbs and pulped flesh were strewn its length and breadth.  A man’s intestines hung smoking from the ruins of a statue.  Even battle hardened veterans vomited.  Blood pooled and ran into the gutters.  Burning fuel from shattered fuel tanks ran along the surface of this rapidly congealing mass incinerating wounded and dead alike.

This was the sight that greeted the commanding general as he pulled up to the entrance of the square in his command car.  The wounded Major climbed out the other side.  The General muttered something under his breath.  Even this seasoned old veteran’s spirits quailed at the carnage.  ‘Major are you fit for duty?’

‘Yes sir it’s only a flesh wound.’

‘Good we’re going straight back to HQ.  I want you to assemble as many sets as possible and re-establish communications with the front.  I need to know what is happening there.  I also want you to re-establish communications with the OP.  I want to know who’s responsible for this.’

‘What about these men sir?’

‘I will see to it, get in.’

They were taking longer to reorganise them than I thought.  Intermittent fire cracked over our heads as we sat safely watching smoke rise from the centre of the small town.

‘Whit d’ye think Jim?’  Nommy and Grizz had both stripped down to their green T-shirts.  They were breathing hard but easily.  Grizz started piling bombs at his feet again.  Any real mortar man would have had a heart attack at the sight.

‘I think you’ve certainly hit something Nommy.’

‘D’ye want us to hit it again?’

‘Nae yet, let’s see if they fire’s catch hold first.  If they do, drop a few more in there and try and spread it around a bit.’

‘How do you think we’re doing?’

‘So far, so good but I wouldn’t start clapping yourself on the back just yet.  I dinna understand why their mortars and artillery haven’t opened up on us yet, but they will, so don’t waste the opportunity.’

‘We’re on it.’  He jumped back into the mortar pit.

‘Nommy, if ye get a chance, try and clear away some ó they loose charges will ye.  One spark and you’ll be a kebab.’  The plastic rings full of gunpowder lay scattered around.

‘We’ll be aright as long as Grizz disná fart.’

‘Get on wí it, ye lazy bastard,’ he growled.

I made my way over to the perimeter.  Incoming fire splattered against the sandbags where the .30 calibre had been but we had already moved it.  The rifle bucked in Gig’s hand as I reached him.  He worked the bolt.  ‘How’s it going?’

‘Fine, fourteen rounds, fourteen hits.’

‘That’s good shooting.’

‘It’s a good rifle.’

‘Aye, but it’s in the hands of a good man.’

His eyes behind the thick glasses opened for a moment to admit me into hell.  ‘I don’t feel á that good at the minute Jim.’

‘If ye did Gigs, I’d turn that rifle on ye myself.’  I half smiled as I said it and had it returned.

‘They seem to have got the message.  Most of them are staying in cover especially the officers, a few are trying to reach the bridge.’

‘Good let them go, let’s try and keep a fire free zone a hundred meters or so around the bridge.  Somewhere safe they can retreat to and treat their wounded.’

‘I’ll try but what about reinforcements.’

‘Try and hit them before they reach the bridge or keep them on it.’

‘OK I’ll do my best.’  I gripped his shoulder to offer support and moved on.

We came under mortar fire and a duel ensued.  Nommy and Grizz won.  They put it down to missing and hitting their ammunition store.  Whatever, there was a massive secondary explosion and within a short space of time another two.  The break was short lived though.  They had more than one mortar line and artillery.  We were forced to take cover.  Smoke began landing and I realised they were getting ready to make a move.

‘Get ready their probably going to come in from the right.’  I ran for the machine gun.  Buff landed at my side and proceeded to open boxes of ammunition and link them together.  I stopped searching through the smoke with my eyes and tried to bring my other senses on line to search for the threat.  I took in all the louder noises first.  Explosions, machine guns, rifle fire and one by one cancelled them out-in much the same way as one listens to a favourite instrument in a piece of music they like.  Cancelling out all the other instruments until they are only a murmur in the background and your own particular favourite stands out loud and proud.

I found what I was listening for, a clink-a rustle of clothing.  I concentrated my whole being on that one sound.  At first I only heard one or two, then as I tuned in, many.  ‘They’re coming, loads of them.’  There was another noise on my left, a machine gun being cocked, then a rifle.  ‘They’re going to put in diversionary fire on the left.’

‘If I need ye I’ll scream real loud.’  Abie was up and running.

A grunt of surprise, the rattle of a pebble and a splash.  ‘They’re using the river bank as cover.’  The noises settled.  ‘They’re in position, get ready for suppressing fire from the left.’  I opened my eyes in surprise; the picture in my mind had been so clear I’d forgotten I’d closed them.  The sounds were now lost again amidst the full orchestra of battle.

A storm of small arms fire washed in over the left side of the perimeter, the .30 growled a response.  Fire slackened for a moment as they searched for it.  The barrage stopped and more smoke fell, but a breeze picked up and thinned it rapidly.

Movement!  My sights settled on a figure.  As he got nearer, his face leapt into focus.  Suddenly I was with him as he picked up the pace and began to run towards the gun.  He could see us now and I felt his fear, sensed his panic.  Two tiny holes appeared on his forehead.  Surprise registered on his face as it elongated for a moment-a pink mist spreading out behind.  He tried to take a step then another, but death overtook him.

‘Too high.’  Buff was screaming in my ear.  They were almost upon us.  I re-sighted and opened up properly, sweeping the barrel right and left.  Men fell before me screaming and dying, grenades swept over our heads adding to the slaughter.

We were faced with the same old dilemma fighting men had faced since the beginning of the human race, kill or be killed.  If we had one advantage, it was in mind.  We were already dead and never flinched from the bullets that caressed our skin and plucked at our clothing.

‘To our left,’ Buff screamed in my ear.

Their line had extended well beyond our perimeter and in an attempt to reach it they had all bunched up.  Nommy and Grizz reached the apex of the perimeter together.  The growl of the .30 turned to a snarl as Abie spotted them and I swung the gun round.  We swept them away in a crossfire.

‘Get ready to change barrels,’ Buff ordered.

Our friends either side of us ceased fire, changed mags and waited.  ‘Ready, ready, ready,’ they reported.

I swept the machine gun back and forth once more.  ‘Now,’ Buff ordered.  They opened fire when I stopped.  Buff flicked up the locking pin, I slapped up the carrying handle, pushed it forward and off.  Buff had the new barrel on by the time I’d lain it down.  I resumed firing again within seconds.  We caught them rising in response to our stoppage.  It was too much for them.  They broke for cover as we shot to ribbons an officer and a few NCOs who tried to rally them.

Things quietened down drastically.  We changed positions and waited.  A lone soldier stood holding up a first aid bag above his head, eyes glued to the gun. 

I dropped the butt pointing the barrel at the sky.  Reassured he came forward and started working on the wounded.  Others gained courage from his actions and came searching for their friends. 

Nommy appeared at my side.

‘What’s wrong?’

He shrugged, ‘Fucking thing just stopped firing.’

‘Probably a build-up of carbon in the tube is there a bomb stuck in it?’

‘Aye.’

‘That’s what it’ll be.  Give it a good shake.  If that doesn’t work, you’ll probably find an extractor amongst the cleaning kit.  Give it a good clean.  As soon as it’s firing again, try and spread some ó they fires, there burning bonny now and keep an eye on the streets along the river front.  They’ll probably gather reinforcements there before making a dash for the bridge.’

‘Got it.’

‘How many rounds have you got left?’

‘Just over half I think.’

‘That’s good.  Look up there; do you see that twinkling light?’