Chapter 50

Shaun an, d Sol arrived back at the base camp in the early hours of the morning, totally exhausted, thirsty and hungry.

Shaun accepted a drink of water before collapsing onto a camp bed and sleeping for ten hours.

He awoke to the smell of bacon frying. “Be about ten minutes Boss, there’s tea ready in the pot,” Cookie said with a wide smile.

After eating a huge breakfast, Cookie trimmed his beard and hair before Shaun set out for the showers and a shave.

With a fresh set of clothing on him, Shaun began to feel more human again. Bobby and Stanley came over to him by the truck.

“So did you have a nice time?” Bobby asked with a wry smile.

“It was interesting”. Shaun replied. “So what have you lot been up too?”

“The problem with the Kibbutz’s has been resolved”. Stanley replied.

“Thirty-four Arabs are now actively looking for virgins,” Bobby laughed. “And we found out who the SS Officer is in charge. Otto Krunz, formally of the 8thWaffen SS regiment. He’s a wanted war criminal for the massacre of Polish and Russian civilians as well as American soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge. That’s the offences that we know about, and god knows what else the bastard was responsible for”,

“How did you find that out?” Shaun asked.

There was an Egyptian Captain in charge of the men around the Kibbutzes. One of the lads was related to one of the girls who were killed. He took him to one side and sort off ... asked him. He seemed quite willing to talk,” Bobby said, rolling his eyes.

“Prof, is on his way, expected in two weeks and oh you have two letters from home,” Cookie chimed in.

Shaun nodded, Stanley I have three rolls of film that need developing into eight by ten photographs, can you arrange that?” Shaun asked.

“I’ll get them to Ari Silverman, he’ll know what to do,” Stanley replied.

When Bobby and Cookie drifted away, Stanley asked him how he had gotten on with Sol.

“It was hard work at first, but one day he was cleaning his rifle, and I commentated on it, so he told me the story behind it. After some gentle probing, I got the rest of his story. I was deeply impressed by what he had to endure in his life”.

Stanley chuckled, “He rarely speaks about it, I happened to say to him one day that at least the Gestapo and SS had received a cleaner death than those who went to the gas chambers. He just gave a grim smile and said they didn’t; he shot them in the stomach or groin”.

Shaun knew with that sort of wound they would have been in agony before death released them.

Shaun took the letters and sat in the cab of the truck to read them.

The first letter from Sharron written in the Z code said how much she missed him and that David was missing his daddy. She went on to say everything at home was fine and that Prof and Ken had finished training the recruits and were now getting the Jeeps ready for transport. The letter was written in a light-hearted manner that masked her obvious concern for him.

The second opened by saying they were going to have a baby. Shaun’s eyes misted with happiness at the news. She explained how she had felt unwell, and Jasmine had examined her when she returned to the Crater. The rest of the letter was on how she was preparing the house for the new arrival.

The next day Shaun began to put his plan into action, he asked Stanley to start preparing a catche of water, food, and weapons at the spot he and Sol had used by the second gorge. Bobby was instructing Bazooka training to the men, in the use of the M40 Bazooka and selecting ten teams who showed the best promise.

Sol tasked in selecting the best eight men with a rifle and training them in the art of sniping. Cookie was to train a group in making sticky bombs and Molotov Cocktails.

Shaun had explained to Stanley that they would need mortar shells but not the launchers, explaining that they would be dropped down from the top of the gorge.

The days passed, everyone was used in preparation for the war they all knew was coming. Shaun spent hours examining the maps and consulting his notebook, adding comments to it.

Two weeks later Stanley and some of the men left in the Bedford to pick up Prof and the remainder of the Jeeps.

While he was away, Ari Silverman arrived with the photographs. After their welcome, he said to Shaun, “I’ve heard the news from Sharron, congratulations”, he said with a broad smile. He then went on to say about the development with the United Nations regarding the Mandate. We have stockpiled weapons in Czechoslovakia ready to be shipped here as soon as the British blockade is removed. The UN National Assembly is due to vote on May 15th, so if the British Mandate ends on May 15th they should be out by then, Ari explained.

“So we can expect the Egyptians to invade after the vote, assuming it goes your way,” Shaun replied.

Ari nodded sadly, “The problem is Shaun we have to keep the road open to Jerusalem, and most of our forces are involved with that task, we can spare you little help here”.

“Well”, Shaun began, “The threat to the Kibbutz’s has been neutralised by Bobby and Stanley’s team. The men we sent to guard them have returned now that the men from Palmach have relieved them.

“Stanley has gone to pick up Prof and the remaining eight trainees as well as the five Jeeps. With the six we have here it will make eleven Jeeps in all. With the eight that will be arriving, our strength including Bobby, Cookie, Prof and myself will come to ninety”.

Ari looked worried, “Will that be enough, do you think?” He asked.

“I think so Ari; I have the bones of a plan, when Stanley and Prof arrive back we will have a council of war and start to flesh it out. The only problem I foresee is the Egyptian Airforce, and their Spitfires could course a problem”.

“We have purchased some Czechoslovakian Avia S-199 fighters, they are similar to the Messerschmitt ME-109, perhaps not as good. But we have some ex-Jewish RAF trained pilots, and they are outstanding. If you think you will need them, I can make arrangements to have a few on standby for you”.

“That’s excellent news Ari and would solve a significant problem for us.

Shaun left Ari to get some sleep after his long journey and moved down the ravine to see how the training was doing.

Thirteen days later Prof arrived with the remainder of the Jeeps, the eight trainees and Ken.

Shaun was amazed to see him, “What the hell are you doing here, Ken?”

Ken laughed “Don’t blame Prof I insisted on coming, I’ve helped train these lads. There is no way I wasn’t not going to be here for the fight”.

After reassuring Shaun that his wife was in full agreement with his decision, they all made their way to the truck where Cookie broke out the Whiskey.

Later Prof handed over some letters and photographs of Sharron and David and the other members of his family. Shaun went to bed that night feeling happy and contented.

While the Bedford was unloading the ammunition it had collected from the Iona Star, Shaun called for a council of war at the command post.

Shaun had prepared trestle tables on which the photographs had been laid. Bobby, Cookie, Prof, Ken, Stanley, and Sol were all in attendance.

He opened proceedings recounting what Ari Silverman had said, regarding the UN, the impending vote, and the likely date for it to be passed. He let the muttering die down before continuing.

“So gentlemen we have a little over three weeks in which to prepare. I think our best chance of stopping an invading column from Egypt will be here in the second pass.