Until the Little Birds Sing by Charles Granquist

Author:Charles Granquist
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Big Sky Publishing
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6:

AFTER THE STORM

The next morning C Company left on its sweep and they were able to survey the damage done during the fighting. Their large paddock had suffered badly and most of their vegetables had been either trampled or shredded by rifle and machine gun fire or demolished by the mortars. This was the area from which the reffos had launched their three unsuccessful attacks on the garrison and the little of the crop remaining would only be green feed for the poultry. The other two smaller paddocks had escaped major damage and could soon be put back into production again. Their livestock was depleted badly as three vealers and a cow had been killed in the crossfire. A pig had been wounded and had to be put down but Pat Kelly was able to dress the carcass so they had a welcome supply of meat. The poultry had escaped the carnage although four had died of fright. The house and the large machinery shed had been punctured with many bullet holes but little internal damage had been done; the worst to Melissa’s large dressing table mirror, which had been shattered.

Early in the afternoon they could hear heavy firing to the north-west indicating that C Company had located the reffos; they felt secure for the first time in weeks. However, all their losses were overshadowed by the death of Joe Taylor and the evacuation of John Dean to hospital. John had been their leader and inspiration since the early days and they were missing him sorely. Joe had been one of those solid, reliable men who always seemed to know how to deal with any problem around the farm. During the attack on his post his bravery in leaving the safety of his bunker so that he could fully engage the enemy was critical in saving the day. No less courageous was Bob Waters’ act of leaping out of the bunker and taking over the Bren in the same exposed position. The whole group was proud of both of them.

Three days passed and Bill Kovacs returned with C Company. He briefed everybody on the operation, showing on the map where they had found a large concentration of the enemy not far from the farm and engaged them in a pitched battle. This was the firing that the garrison had heard. They eventually broke off and fled and C Company pursued them past the Rockley- Bathurst road towards Orange. They then broke off the pursuit and concentrated on cleaning up pockets of resistance that they had left behind.

Bill said that the reffos had suffered heavy casualties and his company had five killed and eleven wounded. The five had been buried in the cemetery at Rockley and the wounded had been evacuated by helicopter. He believed that the enemy would not trouble the farm for quite a long time, if ever. He said that he would find out how John Dean was progressing in hospital and let them know through the radio link.

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