Chapter 5

Shaun lit the burner and put the pan on for tea before waking the rest up at 5am. The sun had not risen yet but the skyline to the east was lighting up.

After a quick breakfast they struck camp and set off, knowing they would be passing into enemy territory now.

At two they stopped for a brew and to let Sue cool down. They’d covered fifty miles by Prof’s reckoning and had been skirting the sand dunes to the south. The dunes stretched out to the horizon; rolling mounds of sand whose glare hurt the eyes to look at them. Titch had pulled up in the shade of a sandstone buttress so they didn’t need to rig the camouflage net over them.

Jack came over and sat beside him by the wheel with his mug, accepting a cigarette.

“I don’t suppose there’ll be many patrols this far south but they may have aircraft out,” he murmured.

Shaun nodded. “I’m more worried about running in to the Bedouin. They’d report us for the reward. We’ll keep heading west for another 150 miles and then turn north to pass between Tengeda and Bir-Hacheim.”

With the tea break over they continued the journey.

The ground became more strewed with rocks and boulders the further they progressed. Speed dropped down to five miles an hour has Titch navigated around them.

At six pm he came to a halt in a wadi and the men climbed off the truck, weary from the jolting drive.

They fell into the usual routine for making camp.

Shaun rubbed the stubble on his chin waiting for Prof to establish their position.

Eventually he came over to him. “By my reckoning, we’ve covered 76 miles today Boss. I’ll pass on the coordinates to Sammy to let base know.

Shaun nodded, knowing the Prof would be making a note on his map of the course they had been following.

Sammy picked up the 7pm GMT signal and they all checked their watches. After the meal Shaun shouldered the Cartwright .303 and made his way to the top of wadi. He would be on first watch that night.

He sat with the fur collar of the flying jacket up around his ears as the stars appeared in the sky and the temperature plummeted. He could hear the night sounds of the desert as rocks cracked, contracting from the burning heat of the sun to the near freezing of the night.

It took over three days before Prof announced they could turn north.

With the exception of Titch, everyone was on the lookout now. Their safety depended on them seeing any danger before being seen by others.

At night they took special care to find places that offered the best concealment.

They passed between Tengeder and Bir-Hacheim, crossing the track that linked them. It had taken a further two days to arrive at this point.

Shaun had been keeping an account of fuel, water and ration supplies in his notebook as they had progressed.

Now they changed course heading northwest to pass between Mechili and Bir-Halegh. There were numerous tracks now to cross. Each had to be reconnoitred for safety before crossing.

Although the going was easier now, Titch kept the speed down to prevent any dust clouds that could give away their position.

They had seen plenty of air activity away to the north the closer they got to the coast, finally arriving at the base of Jebel-Achdar mountain less than twenty miles from Dena.

Shaun held a council of war with the men that night.

“Tomorrow Jack, Prof, and I will go forward to scout the airbase from the top of the escarpment.” He looked at them letting that sink in. “We have been lucky so far since no one expects any danger this far west. Let’s keep them thinking that way.”

That night he and Titch scouted ahead to find a spot for Sue to hole up in, finally locating a wadi two miles from the airbase.

They moved into it while it was still dark, taking great pains to camouflage Sue. Shaun warned Titch, Sammy, and Cookie they would be gone for a few days. Taking their canteens and a supply of biltong, plus their binoculars, Jack, Prof, and Shaun set off to the airbase.

They found a place just below the top of the escarpment in some rocks that offered a perfect view of the base.

As the sun rose they could make out the details of the base. Prof began sketching it whilst Shaun and Jack looked through their binoculars.