Guns At Cassino by Leo Kessler

Author:Leo Kessler [Kessler, Leo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2014-01-03T00:00:00+00:00

Part Three: Battle for the Perimeter

`If you ask me, this is a certain one-way ticket to the little fat-arsed boys with the wings on - a real old Ascension Day commando. SS Man Schulze to Major von Dodenburg.

Twelve

Walker's Texans started crossing the Rapido, ten miles east of Peak 555, in the foggy dawn darkness of January loth, 1944- During the dry season the river was a mere trickle. But after three months of winter rain and snow the Rapido was a torrent, nine feet deep in some places.

Now the big, confident Texans, laden down with rations, ammunition and weapons, began pushing their clumsy assault boats between the dirty white marker tapes into the water. Still everything was ominously silent.

`Looks okay, Captain, don't it?' Walker said dryly to Captain Pearson, who had been sent down to the river by Clarke to keep the big 5th Army Commander informed of what was going on.

`Looks like it, sir,' he answered, his eyes peering through the haze anxiously.

Once the 36th had managed to get across the river, he knew, they faced four hundred yards of minefields and barbed wire entanglements before they reached the first Kraut positions on the heights beyond. It was not going to be as easy as the Texans thought. The first metal assault boat nosed its way cautiously into the water. Soon the fast-running dark waters of the Italian river were full of them. Here and there the GIs were having trouble trying to keep on course. But most of them were doing well, paddling crazily against the current. Still all was silent on the far bank.

Walker coughed and Pearson started nervously.

`Sorry,' the General apologized, but he didn't take his eyes off the river.

The Texans were almost there now. The observers, grouped round the General, could see the men in the leading boats already putting down their paddles and grabbing their rifles. The first boat hit the mud of the far bank. The Texans were out, splashing through the shallow water. Still nothing happened. Ten yards - five yards and they would be in the minefields. Pearson held his breath. They were going to make the crossing without opposition after all.

Suddenly there was an obscene belch. It was followed by a stomach-churning howl. One - two - three - four - five - six. The first mortar bombs howled through the dirty sky, an angry red.

`Christ on a crutch', a staff officer next to Pearson cursed, `the screaming meemies!'

As the first shells of the multiple mortar dropped in the water sending up huge, frightening fountains of water, machine-guns opened up everywhere, in response to its signal. Their bullets laced into the first wave of Texans. Bodies piled up on the mudbank. Wounded staggered forward and collapsed in the minefield. Within seconds the whole bank was lined with dead and dying men. They had been cut down before they had been able to fire a single shot.

`My God,' Pearson groaned to himself. The crossing was going to be sheer slaughter.

Walker swung round at his staff.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.