Commando Page 17

  I was going to decline his offer and then I realised that I could not reach Poole any quicker even if I rode another twenty miles or so. I would be there tomorrow no matter what happened. "Thank you very much, sir."

  Bert and his wife Edith turned out to be two lovely people. Their three sons had all joined up in 1939. One was in the navy, one was in the RAF and the last was in the army, based in Iceland. It explained his suspicions. I ate well. The farmer had been shooting and he had a brace of bunnies. Rationing did not affect them and we had their own potatoes and carrots in a stew with homemade bread. Bert's scrumpy had a kick to it and I slept that night, soundly, in a soft bed.

  As I waved goodbye I felt more confident about winning this war. With solid folk like Bert and Edith, the backbone of England, Hitler stood no chance. He had underestimated the resilience of the British people. We might be alone but we were not cowed.

  Gone were my cardboard sandwiches. I had freshly made ones with homemade cheese and cured ham. They gave added energy to my legs. My rear had hardened somewhat and I found cycling easier. As I hurtled along the back lanes of Hampshire and Dorset I was able to give thought to the traps the Captain would have set. He had told us to avoid the military. If I just turned up at the harbour I would find, I had no doubt, Military Police and soldiers. I worked out that I would arrive in the late afternoon. I would have more than enough time to scout out the MTB. Caution would be my watchword.

  I was lucky in my approach. There was a road block on the main road, the A354. I saw it from the top of a small rise. I dismounted and pretended to check my tyres. It afforded me the opportunity of finding another way in. A small lane went to the east and looked to twist and turn away into the distance. I rode down it. I found a crossroads but the sign had been removed. I took the turn to the south. I found myself in the suburbs of Poole. I followed the road, which became a little wider until I reached the enormous harbour that was Poole. There were two old men fishing. They nodded to me. "Nice bike, son."

  "Thanks." I laid it down and walked over to them. "This is a big harbour."

  "Biggest and best harbour in the whole country. That's why the Navy uses it." He pointed to four ships: a destroyer a minesweeper and two frigates. "And out there, just t'other side of Brownsea Island are another few ships. Aye we are safe from the Nazis here." He spat after he had said the word.

  "Well I'll be off. Good luck with the fishing." As I left I realised that this would not be as easy as I had thought. Captain Foster had been clever. The harbour had so many ships it would be like finding a needle in a haystack. There could be a flotilla of MTBs and I might not see them. I rode along the road which went around the harbour. I rode east first so that I could see beyond Brownsea Island. The fishermen had been correct. There were more warships there. They were all too big. It then struck me; the smaller boats could use some of the narrower and shallower parts of the harbour. They would not be in the deep water anchorages. I turned and rode west. I spied a channel just beyond where I had met the fishermen. I waved at them as I passed.

  The roads were crowded as those who worked in the port were heading home. I joined those who were on their own bicycles and I became invisible. As we headed towards the A35 I saw, to my left in the shallow waters, four MTBs and two landing craft. They were moored fifty yards from the harbour. There was a small jetty and I saw Captain Foster standing there with half a dozen soldiers. I rode straight past him; he was no more than twenty feet from me but he just saw cyclists going home from work. I rode until we reached the main road and then I stopped.

  I dismounted and wheeled my bike back along the road until I found a slipway. I walked my bike down to the water and I waited. I finished off my sandwiches and my water as I formulated my plan. I had a good view of the MTB I had to reach. I could also see the jetty. I smiled when I saw Sergeant Dean reach the Captain. I was close enough to see his smile turn to a frown when the Captain shook his head. As I had thought the captain was being devious. He wanted us to use our minds. He had told us to get aboard the MTB. Sergeant Dean had failed and would not be a happy man.

  I made sure that I could identify the MTB before darkness fell. I slipped off my shoes and left them with the bike. I slipped into the chilly waters and swam out into the harbour. I wanted to approach the boat, MTB 23, from the seaward side. I saw the glow of the cigarettes from the ratings who were seated on the bridge. Although no lights showed from within the boat I could hear the other crew within her. She was anchored fore and aft. I used the stern as the best approach as I would be hidden by the 20 mm Oerlikon gun there. It was not as easy as I had expected to pull myself up the transom. I was helped by a passing guard boat a hundred yards into the harbour. The wake made the stern of the MTB rise and fall and I clambered aboard unseen. I crept along the port side. There was a sudden flash of light from below decks and I heard a voice say. "You lads keep a sharp look out!"

  "Yes sir, quiet as a grave tonight."

  I rose to my feet and said, "Private Harsker of A troop Number 4 Commando reporting for duty sir, as ordered!"

  A torch lit up my dripping face and the officer began to laugh, "Well I'll be damned. And where have you come from, Private?"

  I smiled, "I couldn't possible say, sir. But you can have my serial number if you like."

  "Your Captain said that you were all a resourceful lot. Signal the shore and tell them that one of their birds has landed."

  One of the ratings took an Aldis lamp and began to flash to the shore. The cold hit me and I began to shiver. "Able Seaman Leslie, go and get the private a blanket."

  "Righto sir. How about a cup of cocoa too eh?"

  "Good idea, see if you can give him a tot of rum too."

  "That's right sir, stoker's cocoa."

  The Lieutenant held out a packet of cigarettes, "Smoke?"

  "No sir, I don't."

  The seaman called Leslie appeared with a blanket in one hand and three mugs in the other. "Here y'are. I brought us one each too sir."

  "You are a good man, Leslie. Get back on watch now. I dare say they will send a boat."

  The rating with the Aldis lamp moaned, "Well thanks a lot, Bill. You could have brought me one too."

  "I'm not an octopus am I?"

  "Really, Private, how did you get from Oswestry to here without being seen and so quickly?"

  "I came by bike."

  "You rode all the way?"

  "Almost. It wasn't that hard sir."

  "But your officer said you had neither money nor food."

  "That's right."

  He shook his head, "You are a new breed, Private. I look forward to working with you." He waved his arm at the boats. "We are in the same unit; Combined Operations."

  I swallowed the hot rum infused cocoa and felt it fill me with warmth. By the time the rubber dingy bumped into our side I had finished it. Captain Foster's voice said, "Who is it then? Which one managed to reached the objective?"

  I looked down and saw Sergeant Dean and Captain Foster, "Private Harsker sir."

  "I might have known. Come on get into the dingy!"

  I handed back the mug and the blanket. "Thank you for your hospitality, sir and I look forward to working with your men too. Especially if the cocoa is a regular feature of our association!"

  Chapter 17

  There was a small outboard motor on the rubber boat. The Sergeant steered. "Well come on then Harsker; tell me how you did it?"

  "I cycled."

  "Where did you get the bike from?"

  "Someone had dumped it on the railway line and I repaired it."

  "And how did you get out of Oswestry? I had men guarding all the main roads."

  "But not the railway lines sir."

  "Well you have the right spirit. You are the only one so far who has made the boat."

  "I thought so sir when I saw Sergeant Dean being captured."

  I heard the Sergeant laugh in the dark, "Well sir it looks like the lectures worked. At least one of them listened to what
we said."

  When we landed I said, "Sir, could I go and get my bike and my shoes?"

  "Of course." He pointed to the warehouse next to the harbour wall. "Your gear is in there and the ones who didn't make the boat."

  I returned with the bike. I didn’t know what I would do with it but I had grown attached to it. I wheeled it inside. Once through the blackout curtain I heard a cheer as I stepped into the light. There were twenty of the lads there, including Daddy Grant. He laughed, "Look at him. Ten stone soaking wet and yet he manages to do the impossible and get to the boat. Here, Tom, get dressed. You are putting me off my supper!"

  Sean and Percy were there too and they told me, as I dressed, how they had fared. They had gone together and hidden in various lorries. They had been over confident too and were caught on the outskirts of Poole. Rather than resenting my success they seemed to enjoy it. After a supper we sat at the trestle table and talked. Daddy had only just returned and Sean took great delight in telling him the story of the Corporals. "We reckon Tom here did for them but he is a secretive bugger."

  "Well they got what they deserved whoever did it to them. They were just thugs."

  It took four more days for the rest of the men to arrive. Eight men were returned to their own units. They had been the ones who had either handed themselves in or had failed to get out of Shropshire. None were from our section. We then began training. We were working closely with the MTBs and LCAs. What we did not know was that, on the day I had arrived in Poole Number 11 company had landed in Boulogne on a raid. It had been a fiasco. We discovered that in the middle of July when Admiral Keyes arrived to talk with the Captain. He watched us as we demonstrated landing on a beach from Landing Craft. He seemed impressed.

  "Good, we have had a warning of what happens when men are rushed into action. You are doing the right thing here Foster. Training and discipline; they are key. Keep it up. By the way do you have someone called Harsker?"

  "Yes Admiral. Harsker, front and centre."

  "Sir!"

  "You are Bill's son?"

  "Yes sir."

  "He told me about you. He is very proud of you, you know."

  "Yes sir and it is reciprocated. My father is a great man."

  "He certainly is. How is he doing Captain Foster?"

  "He managed to get from Oswestry to here and boarded an MTB without being seen, sir. I think that says it all."

  The Admiral nodded and waved as he left us. Sean said, "Hobnobbing with Admirals eh?"

  "I'll talk to anyone Sean, even Scotsmen!"

  We began even more serious training in the last week of July. We went down to Lulworth Cove where we did a night landing and a night assault up the cliffs. That was where we had our first death. Private Bentine was startled by a roosting gull, lost his grip on the rope and fell to his death on the rocks below. It made us all more determined to do things right. We practised getting aboard the MTBs and landing craft as well as getting off. We even practised blindfold too.

  In the middle of August we were assembled by Captain Foster and Sergeant Dean. Lieutenant Commander Trimble who commanded the naval section was also there. "Right lads, I know you are all heartily sick of training and many of you have been itching for action. Well it begins today." Although no one said a word, we had learned to remain silent, you could almost feel the buzz around the room.

  We will go from here and board LCA 525, MTB 23 and MTB 18. We will be sailing to a location on the east coast. Sergeant Johnson your section will be aboard MTB 23 and Sergeant Pike yours will be on MTB 18. The rest will be aboard the LCA. Get your gear and move smartly and quietly."

  We followed Sergeant Johnson outside. The boats were next to the dock. I saw Lieutenant Herd who commanded 23 and he smiled when he saw me.

  "Aye, lads watch you wallets, the Army is here!"

  I recognised the voice as Bill Leslie. I had seen him a few times on our exercises. Sean said, "Just what we needed, the Navy, rum, bum and baccy!"

  "Stow it McKinley! A bloke who wears a kilt should keep his gob shut!"

  It was the normal good natured banter between services. Dad had told me it existed in the Great War too. What we did not know was this would the start of a very close relationship between the two services. By the end of the war we were almost as one. The bosun stood with his hands on his hips. "Right lads stow your gear in the mess. It's a bit crowded down there. I should come back on deck when we get under way but for God's sake keep out of the way."

  We ducked beneath the narrow entrance leading to the crew area. The mess was a table big enough for barely six yet I knew that the MTB had a crew of at least ten. The bosun was right. Once the kit bags and guns were stored there was little room for anything else. It was claustrophobic and I was glad to get back on deck. The LCA took longer to load but eventually it was ready. We led the way followed by the LCA and then the other MTB.

  The crew were all at their stations. The bosun steered the ship and Lieutenant Herd leaned against the side of the bridge. Able Seaman Leslie stood by the bosun. The three guns' crews were all closed up. The Oerlikon at the stern had a crew of two while the two Vickers also had a crew of two; that was not normal. I learned later that some of the crew doubled up and the Vickers usually had just one gunner while the others worked the torpedo tubes or the depth charges.

  As soon as we reached deeper waters we noticed the motion of the boat. The Lieutenant smiled as Percy ran to the stern to throw up. "Sorry about this, lads. We have to go the speed of the LCA and that makes the motion more likely to induce nausea. Keep your eye on the horizon and you should be all right."

  After an hour the Bosun said, "Righto Leslie, go and make a brew. Take one of these lads to give you a hand. They might as well earn their berth."

  He nodded to me, "Come on Tom. I'll show you around."

  The galley was tiny; it was barely big enough for one man let alone two. He handed me a huge teapot. "I hope your lads have mugs."

  "We came prepared, Bill, we have our own mess tins."

  "Good. There's a tea caddy in there. I reckon ten scoops should do it. I'll get the kettle on."

  After I had put the tea in the pot he nodded to the cupboard to my left. "Open a tin of milk will you; just the one. We are a bit short of sugar too."

  "Have you not tried condensed milk? It sweetens naturally."

  "We'll try that. Mind you I have no idea when we will be near stores again. If we had known we were going out we would have stocked up."

  "You didn't know then?"

  "Not until five minutes before you lot arrived."

  "Typical eh?" While we waited for the kettle to boil he filled his pipe. "I thought you smoked cigarettes?"

  "I smoke owt but the baccy ration is better and I use a little bit of my rum ration to soak into it. It makes it last longer that way." He got it going and asked, "Did you join the Commandos directly or were you in the army before?"

  "I was in the BEF. 1st Loyal Lancashires."

  "Well it's a small world. My cousin was in that lot. George Hogan, did you know him?"

  "I did. He was in my section. I was there the day he bought it."

  There was little to say other than that. He nodded, "He lived next door to me in St. Helens."

  "I know St. Helens, my grandfather lived in Burscough."

  "That's a nice part of the world. St. Helens is a bit grim by comparison. Anyroad up George was an only child. Poor Auntie Lizzie has no one. Now me, I am one of eight. If one of us goes there are replacements!" He put his pipe down, "Eh up, kettle's boiled." We poured the water on the tea and let it brew for a minute or two. "It won't be sergeant major style but we have to watch the tea. Nowt worse than running out when you are sea!" We poured the milk into the tea pot. "Grab the sugar and them mugs and I'll carry the pot. Watch your footing up there. If you lose any of the lads' cups they'll have your guts for garters."

  He was right about the motion. The confined galley had protected us from the worst of the movement.

/>   "Tea up lads! You Commandos better get your mugs out. Your oppo has the sugar."

  I handed the mugs to the sailors and then waited for Bill to pour their tea. Finally I took the sugar around. I notice that the sailors all took less than a spoonful. When I went around our lads I said, "They don't have much sugar lads so don't be greedy. We are their guests."

  I was lucky I did not take sugar in my tea and what you never had you never miss. The Bosun said, "Right, Leslie, you take a turn at the wheel!"

  Bill handed me the pot and juggled his tea so that he could steer. The pot was empty and I took it back into the galley.

  The voyage was going well until the Lieutenant said, "Gun crews keep a close watch." Sergeant Johnson threw a quizzical look the officer's way. The Lieutenant pointed to the sky. "Aeroplanes. Normally they are bombing airfields or London but sometimes they have bombs left and we make an inviting target. At least we have the LCA this time. That normally draws fire like flies!"

  Sergeant Johnson nodded. "Well we won't be much good; we just have Thompsons."

  Half an hour later we saw a flight of German aeroplanes heading east. Having heard the Lieutenant's warning we were all a little nervous. We had our life jackets on but we were more than a mile from the coast. Fortunately we were spared a strafing run. As we headed north through the Straits of Dover it became even more tense. We knew that less than twenty miles away was a huge army just waiting for their air force to clear the skies so that they could invade.

  Sergeant Johnson asked, "Any idea where we are going, sir?"

  The Lieutenant pointed north. "Harwich and you will find that much more dangerous than Poole. We'll be there in a couple of hours."

  We did not have a couple of hours. The port gunner suddenly shouted, "E-Boats!"

  The bosun came running back. "Right Leslie. I'll take over!"

  The Lieutenant shouted, "Action stations! Sergeant you might get your Thompsons. These E-Boats have a big crew and they are as fast as…"