The Way of War Pt. 11

She nodded, tears in her eyes, "Just come back to me, that's all I ask."

Sharon drove him to the Naval Yard, finding the hut they had used for the airbase raid. She waited in the car whilst he unloaded his gear. He returned and kissed her, she clung to him not wishing for the moment to end.

It seemed he was the first to have arrived. He moved to the room at the end of the hut and stowed his equipment and clothes. He'd noticed that bunks had been provided for the others, he settled down to wait for them.

The first to arrive was Andrias. When he saw Shaun, he came to attention and saluted, which Shaun returned and then smiled.

"Andrias my name is Shaun. For the duration of our mission, that's what I'd like to be called, I don't need to be saluted all the time, and we're all in this together as equals."

Andrias looked surprised at Shaun, "Very well, Shaun, if that is your wish."

"When you have stowed your gear, we can discuss the mission," Shaun said.

There was a knock on the door and a navel rating stood there. After saluting Shaun he handed over a large file envelope, saying they were from Commodore Silverman's office.

Inside it, Shaun found a large scale map of Tyros along with several sheets of typed information. He was studying the map when the four others arrived. He let them sort themselves out before they all gathered around the table.

"All right boys, this is the island we'll be based on. Andrias knows it so I'll let him explain the relevant details." Shaun stood back allowing Andrias to move to the front.

"As you can see, the island is not large. Most of it is mountains with a narrow strip of coastal plain at the eastern end. There are four built-up areas on the island. The main town is here," he said pointing to the eastern end of the island, "Tyropolis, it has a population of about 3000, most are fishermen, and a few farm the coastal strip."

Andrias pointed out a few other areas on the map, "There are two other villages at the eastern end, all small fishing villages." He then pointed to the western end of the island. "This is the village of Scalos, it is set on the slopes of Mount Scarlos, and it has a small population of around 600 people. Most are goat farmers, they supply the island with goats milk and goat meat. The three villages at the eastern end are connected with good roads. There is a road from Tyropolis that winds its way around the mountains to Scalos but it is frequently effected by rock falls. On the mountain there are a few caves at higher elevations. I understand we will be based in one of them. I am ordered to be landed at the western end in two days' time. At that time, I will try to make contact with people I can trust. We will prepare the base and be on hand to assist with moving our equipment to the base. You will receive my signal when it is ready." Andrias stood back from the table.

Shaun picked up one of the sheets of paper. "I have a list of the equipment we will be taking. David and Cookie, check out the weapons and explosives, John and Prof, check out the radios and batteries, and the medical equipment. Let me know if there is anything else we may need. According to this, the equipment should arrive today," he said, handing the list to Dave.

Two hours later a Naval three tonner pulled up by the door. The men set to unloading it and soon a pile of equipment filled the bottom half of the hut.

Shaun let them get on with sorting it out, whilst he and Andrias studied the map and the associated documents.

Dave came over to them, "We've checked the weapons, Skipper. There's 2 Bren's, 10 magazines each. 8 MP40's, five magazines each. 8 P38 pistols, five mags each. 20 SMLE's and 3000 rounds of .303 ammunition." He grinned mischievously, "There's also a couple of, 2-inch-mortars with 50 projectiles. We also have 25 pounds of plastic explosives with time pencils, and 30 grenades. It would seem that we'll have to get the 9mm ammunition from the Jerry's if we run out for the MP40s and P38s."

Shaun nodded, "Thanks Dave, I think we'll have to use a lot of Jerry stuff."

John reported that the radios were fine, the smaller one was what Andrias would be taking, and there were also spare batteries and a small petrol generator, and four torches with green and red lenses.

Shaun gathered them around him, "What do think men, is there anything else we need? Think about it and let me know. Once we are there it will be to late get it then."

Shaun added to the requirement list; 5 clips and .45 ammunition, camouflage cream, 6 paratrooper smocks and 5 commando knives. Shaun intended to take his grandfather's kukri. Based on Andrias recommendations, heavy blankets and thick sweaters.

"You will find it can get very cold in the mountains," Andrias had warned.

Chapter 33

Andrias left two nights later, the group began to pack the equipment ready for their departure. Shaun was cleaning the Cartwright .303 when Dave came over to him. "That's a hand built rifle, isn't it Skip?"

Shaun nodded and told him of its illustrious history.

Dave and John showed him their SMLE .303s, "They've been specifically selected for sniper use, both have a heavier barrel than normal and of course have a telescopic sight."

Shaun noticed that like him, they carried the rifles in canvas cases.

They received word three nights later to be ready to board a submarine at 20-hundred hours.

The trip was uneventful and in the early hours of the morning it surfaced. By the time Shaun and the others were on deck three inflatable boats were ready with outboard engines on them. Two of the boats were loaded with all of their equipment and a sailor took his place at the engine.

The five of them climbed into the third boat, as the submarine and inflatables rolled in the slight swell. Once all the boats were floating, the sailor dropped the leg of the outboard and started the engine. The first two boats headed towards where a red light flashed on the beach.

By the time their boat reached the beach, the first two had been unloaded and were heading back to the submarine.

Andrias was there to welcome them. Shouldering his rifle but carrying an MP40. Shaun and the rest followed Andrias up a narrow path, ascending steeply from the rocky beach. After an hour of climbing Shaun's legs began to ache. After two hours his entire body was aching, and he was having problems breathing.

Eventually Andrias stopped and indicated for them to pass into a jagged cleft in the rock face. Once through they found themselves in a cave. Andrias pulled a canvas sheet across the entrance and lit a paraffin lamp. Looking at the others, Shaun realised they had found the climb as hard as he had. He dropped his pack and rifle and sank onto a crude bed.

Andrias chuckled, "You will have difficulty breathing for a while. We are 3000 feet up so the air is thinner than the desert air you are use too."

He lit another lamp, and Shaun looked around the cave noticing their equipment piled up near the doorway. The cave was around twenty feet wide with a ceiling of eight to ten feet high. A crude fireplace was built in one corner with hooks suspended from the wall to hold cooking pots. Six crude bunks had been provided with rope to hold the paillasses that were stacked against the wall.

Andrias noticed Shaun's look, "It used to belong to a hermit until he died, now the herd boys use it when it rains or snows. There are bigger caves further up but the women use them."

"Women?" Shaun asked.

Andrias nodded, "There's thirty-seven of them hiding from the Germans, and they all come from Scalos. They are all between 30 and 13-years-old. When the Germans first landed at Tyropolis, they rounded up all the young women and girls and used them for themselves. Many committed suicide afterwards, due to the shame. The SS Commander told the remaining girls that if any more committed suicide, their entire families would be executed."

"Word of what they did arrived here at Scalos, so the women went into hiding. When the Germans first arrived they demanded to see the church's registry book of births and deaths. The priest had given it to the women to take with them into hiding. When he refused, saying he didn't have them, they shot him. They tried to find them, but the herd boys guarding the goats, would signal them with their pipes, so they always knew where the Germans were. It was the women who carried our equipment up from the beach."

Andrias lit the fire and Shaun and the rest peeled off the camouflage paratrooper's smocks they had worn. "The women will bring food and drink soon, then I suggest we have an early night. The Mayor of Scalos will come in the morning and tell you of conditions here and on the island."

The men were organizing their bedrolls when a woman of about thirty brought in a large bowl of stew, whilst another younger woman brought in bread and two bottles of wine, plates and glasses.

Andrias introduced them as Maria and Sals. It was obvious they spoke no English, but Andrias thanked them for all of them.

After the meal, the five exhausted men climbed into their bedrolls and were asleep within seconds.

Shaun awoke feeling stiff but refreshed from the sleep. After a breakfast of goat cheese, bread and coffee, he went outside the cave with his binoculars.

The vista that greeted him was of rugged hills and mountains covered with small shrubs and trees. Far below, he could make out the rooftops of the village. He was distracted by the sound of pipes in the distance. Focusing the binoculars he could see a young boy herding forty or fifty goats in the distance.

Andrias came outside to join him, noticing his interest in the boy. "They guard the mountain, if any danger is nearby they change the tune as a warning."

Shaun nodded, "How many heard boys are there?"

Andrias paused to think, "Normally about nine, different herds belong to different families. They know we are up here along with the women."

"Do the Germans ever come up here?" Shaun asked.

"When they first arrived they couldn't understand about the lack of young women in the village. They started searching the village and then sent out patrols into the hills. Some had, shall we say, accidents and fell off the cliffs. They don't bother now, when they want women they go to the city. When the Mayor arrives he can tell you more about it."

The Mayor arrived an hour later, an old man of about eighty, but he had still managed to climb the steep track up to the cave. After Andrias had made the introductions, Shaun began their discussion, having many questions for the Mayor, Andrias translating for him.

It seemed the Germans had taken over the town hall for their quarters. The villages had to feed them and provide them with drink. It seemed they had no routine other than sit around playing cards or drinking.

The Mayor understood that they had fought on the Russian front and had lost a lot of men. Only about three hundred were based on the island. All that remained of the original regiment. Being based here was a sort of rest period for them. When asked how many Germans were based in the village, he had replied 30 black shirts, meaning SS, and two radio operators who wear grey uniforms.

With the Prof in attendance, he got the Mayor to describe the layout of the village as Prof drew an outline of it, correcting it as the Mayor indicated. Shaun found out that around twenty SS went in a truck twice a week back to Tyropolis to visit the brothel they had started, they returned the following day.

After the Mayor had left, Shaun had a council of war with the others. "Our best chance of taking them will be when they go to Tyropolis. It means taking on the 10 odd Germans still in the village and then ambushing the truck as it returns the following day. But once we do that the enemy will be aware of our presence back in the city."

"Perhaps not right away," Andrias replied, "from what I've learnt, the radio is only used basically when they intend visiting the brothel."

"We will need a way of getting those in the village together, otherwise it means trying to find them," Shaun said.

The men lapsed into silence, thinking. "If we used the women to attract them, then we could have them all together," Cookie said.

But would they want to help?" Shaun asked.

Andrias stood up and left the cave, returning a few minutes later with Maria trailing him. Once inside the cave, he began speaking to her. The other five watched as her face changed from curiosity to what seemed a snarl of pleasure.

In rapid-fire Greek, she began talking to Andrias. When she had finished he turned to the others.

"She says all the women will help, but all the black shirts must die. I think she means the SS."

Shaun nodded, "I want to keep the German radio operators alive if we can?"

Andrias spoke to Maria again, when he had finished she answered him. He turned again to the others. "She agrees, the operators are not SS, and have been kind to the villagers."

"Right, we need to get the mayor involved. Can you get him up here Andrias tomorrow?" Shaun asked.

Andria glanced at his watch, "I'll have to leave now to catch him."

Shaun nodded, "OK, tell him we need to talk to him at eleven-o'clock, but before you go, let's be clear about this," Shaun said, "what we are proposing is the death of all the SS troops on this island. It's outside the remit of the Geneva Convention. If any of you have a problem with that, speak up now?"

He looked at the faces around the cave, each one gave a slow nod. Shaun relaxed, "Okay Andrias, away you go."

Shaun sat still, running different scenarios through his brain, trying to come up with a workable plan of action.

He waited until Andrias came back before talking to the men.

"I think it is fair to say that what we have to do is almost impossible. That is to rid this island of the SS troops upon it. Once we start we will have to move swiftly in order to carry out that task. We are going to need help, hopefully that's where the Mayor comes in. Getting rid of the SS here in Scalos won't present too much difficulty. But getting rid of the rest will be problematic. We are going to need help with that. John, what was the last message from headquarters?"

"Nothing new for us, the Allies have landed in Sicily and are making good progress. Do you think that will be of any help?"

Shaun paused before replying, "It could be, the allies will use Sicily as a springboard for the invasion of Italy. If that happens, the Germans will need every man they can get for its defence. When they contact us again, ask if they have any intercepts regarding the Aegean area."

John nodded his acknowledgement.

Shaun continued, "It may well be that they'll start to reduce their garrisons on the islands to supplement their forces in Italy. But we can't be sure of that, so we will have to plan for the forces we have against us as it stands at the moment."

The meeting broke up with the arrival of the girls with their food.

********************

The next morning after breakfast, John set up the radio at the entrance to the cave.

Shaun was studying the village layout plan when he came over to him.

"Latest reports are that the Allies have nearly taken Sicily, it's only a matter of time. Radio traffic to the Aegean has stepped up from normal German traffic. Command has got its de-coding department working on them."

Shaun looked up and nodded, "Thanks John, let me know if anything comes of it?"

***

When the mayor arrived, with Andrias in attendance, Shaun began to explain to him their mission to rid the island of the SS, but he was going the need help. He would need six men who were willing to fight, but they needed to be able to speak English and take orders. Andrias translated Shaun's request to the Mayor.

The Mayor replied to Andrias, and after a minute, Andrias turned to Shaun.

"He says every man in the village would fight the SS if they had weapons. There are a few in the village who speak a little English. He will need to speak to them on their own. He knows you would not wish this to become wide spread knowledge within the village."

Shaun nodded, "Ask him if he knows the Mayors of the three towns at the eastern end of the Island?"

Andrias translated, then listened to the Mayor's reply.

"The two small fishing villages do not have a mayor, but they have a leader of the village council. The Mayor of Tyropolis is weak, he allowed the SS to set up their brothel, and he says he would not trust him. The leaders of the fishing villages are good men and can be trusted."

Shaun smiled and nodded, "Please thank the Mayor for his information, it is most useful. Ask him to approach the men who would be willing to fight, but only if he is absolutely sure of their loyalty. They will need to come here to the cave, so we can talk to them."

Andrias translated the request, the Mayor nodded and made his way out of the cave.

Shaun looked around at the others, "Well we will have to wait and see what shows up."

***

Two days later, after a scheduled radio broadcast, John rushed in to speak with Shaun.

"The German High Command is stripping troops from all of the outlying areas to reinforce the Italian front. There demanding a 50% reduction in all Island garrisons."

Shaun sat back in his cot digesting this news for a moment. "If they take half of the troops off the island it will make our job so much easier. The question is where they will take them from. Scalos and the fishing villages, or from Tyropolis. Tyropolis has the largest garrison, there must be over two hundred garrisoned there. We need to find out if any are going, and where they are going from?"

Andrias nodded, "They take the goat's milk and meat into the town and fishing villages every three days. I'll go and see the mayor and ask if he can make some discrete inquiries."

Shaun continued, "In the meantime, we'll have to assume that we have what's on the Island at the moment to contend with."

When Andrias returned he had two men with him. He introduced them as Spiro and Alexis, both men were in the mid-thirties. Spiro ran the village post office whilst Alexis was the school master.

From Andrias he learnt the Mayor was ill and bedbound, but had said that Stefan, who had taken over for him, could be trusted completely. Andrias had passed on the request for information from the two fishing villages and the town to him.

It seemed that Maria was Alexis's wife and Spiro was married to Anna, whom also was hiding in the caves. Shaun explained to the two men what they intended to do to the SS on the Island. From Alexis, who had the better grasp of English, he learnt that those who spoke a little English within the village would be too old to fight. But there were over thirty men up to the age of forty who would dearly love to opportunity to kill the German SS.

After a long chat with the two men, it was decided that each would recruit two men that they trusted completely. Later, Dave took them to one side and demonstrated the use of the MP40 and P38 pistols.

When they left, they said they would return in three days with the men chosen and any news from the other villages, but it would be at night so not to arouse any suspicion from the Germans.

Andrias smiled after they had gone, "There going to see their wives before returning."