The Desert Rats Page #2

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Unfortunately, l picked Australia,

where it appears everyone volunteers.

l made my usual mistake of being

in a pub the day war was declared,

- and on a wave of beer suds, l...

- You might at least have got a commission.

Commission? l'm the perfect private soldier.

No worries, no responsibilities.

- l can't even be demoted.

- Don't believe that for a minute.

Being an infantryman is

the toughestjob in the army.

(bomb approaching)

Let me get you a transfer, sir.

l know a staff officer...

No.

lt's good of you, Tammy, but no.

l'd only mess that up too.

And don't you worry about me.

You've got your own job.

All right.

There's your new home.

There's one thing you might like to know, sir.

At school... we all thought

you were the best of the lot.

When sober.

Good night, Tammy...

Uh, good night, Captain.

And thank you, sir.

(bomb approaching)

- You'll need two feet more.

- Two feet?

You'll wish it were ten

when the mortars drop.

When you finish, put the dirt in sandbags

and camouflage the position with brush.

Anything else...

sir?

Yes.

Save that water. That's all you'll get.

Cheerful sort of a bloke.

What's an English officer

doing with Aussie troops?

The last time l heard,

we were still on the same side.

Now, listen, stow the chatter, mate,

and get on that banjo.

- What's your field of fire, Mr Carstairs?

- Full 180, sir.

- Better clear for a full circle.

- Behind us?

Yes. The Afrika Korps is not

committed to frontal attack.

- Yes, sir.

- Ammunition?

- The men are bringing it now.

- (aeroplane overhead)

Better get plenty.

That's practically your entire air support.

Bit free with the rough side

of his tongue, your pal.

Yeah. l must have a word with him.

He's right about 'em getting in behind us.

Let's get it cleared away.

- All right.

- On your feet, digger.

- (in German) General von Helmhotz.

- Coffee. Helmholtz!

The weather observer has something.

Schmidt! Put it down here.

High-pressure area here,

low pressure here. Easterly wind.

- And this?

- Sandstorm in the direction of Tobruk.

- Sandstorm? Sandstorm.

- Yes, sir.

- A strong sandstorm.

- Thank you. You can go.

- The tanks attack with the storm.

- Pardon, sir?

Use the sandstorm. lmmediately. Go!

Ulrich!

That's a sandstorm all right. Moving fast.

Right.

(phone rings)

Roger. lt's a sandstorm all right.

- Will they attack under cover of it?

- Wouldn't you?

Get me Colonel White.

Yes.

l see. Thank you, MacRoberts.

Same thing, sir. Sandstorm.

Mm-hm. He'll come in with it.

lt may even work for us.

Tank men can't hear anything.

Now they won't see much either.

(wind howling)

(rumbling)

- What's up?

- Tanks! l hear them!

Tank! D'you see it?

There's more than one of them.

Carstairs, sir. Tanks moving across our front,

bearing 65 degrees, about 1,000 yards out.

- Have you double-checked that direction?

- Yes, with the perimeter observers.

Doesn't look as if

they'd attack where we thought.

No, it doesn't.

Tell your commanders

it may be necessary to shift our forces.

- And get Colonel White here immediately.

- Yes, sir.

Remember now,

you're under orders not to fire!

lf they don't attack here,

my guns will be useless.

- And it will take me time to move them, sir.

- Uh-huh.

- Mechanised equipment ready to move.

- All right, hold them.

Yes, sir.

Sir, don't you think we'd

better shift along with them?

Nope.

They're turning. Coming down on us.

Now remember, hold your fire!

Column's turning! Coming in!

- Coming right over us.

- Get that gun off!

Under here, Tom.

Tom, get under here!

Tom, what's the matter with you?

(man) The old man was right after all!

- Attention. Alert your artillery, Barney.

- Yes, sir.

- Let me know when the tanks fan out.

- Very well.

- What about fire discipline?

- Haven't fired a shot yet, sir.

There's two machine guns that

we can see, sir. But there must be more.

Tanks passing C Battery, sir.

Within range of the ltalian guns.

Hold your fire.

Hold your fire.

Range 500 yards and closing.

Yes, sir. Hold fire!

Range 450 and closing.

Hold fire.

On target! On target!

- What are we waitin' for?

- Orders.

Yes, l know.

They're still coming in, sir.

Almost on top of the ltalian guns now.

- Release them to fire.

- Yes, sir. Open fire.

- Fire!

- Fire!

- Tell headquarters to send an antitank gun.

- Yes, sir.

- Get your reserves out and ready to move up.

- Right.

Harry, look!

There's somebody out there.

lt's Captain Currie. He's alive.

The dirty...

- They're going after him.

- l need three men.

Cover us.

Look at that, sir.

- Why is he leaving that position?

- He's going after the captain.

That idiot. That fantastic idiot!

He's left that position wide open.

- Take enough reserves to hold it.

- Yes, sir.

You heard him. Let's go.

What about that antitank gun?

- When they can pull one out of the line.

- Too late.

What was that New Zealander's name?

That major.

- Fitz...

- Fitzgibbon. Fitzhugh.

- Fitzhugh.

- Find him.

Tell him we need that gun.

l'll try to get up to the perimeter.

l'm with you, skipper.

(groaning) You shouldn't have

left your position. Get...

- Skipper?

- Harry, look!

- Of all the flamin'...

- What is it?

The machine gunner must have copped it.

- We must get to that position before they do.

- Let's go.

- How many men have we got?

- There should be two more over there.

Hey, Ginger! Bill!

- Right here, Blue!

- When we go, you go!

Right-o.

When you're ready, Captain.

Oh, you little beauty!

Oh, bless you, Fitzgibbons or Fitzhugh

or whatever your name is.

There's Carstairs, sir.

l reckon the old man must have bought one.

- Get up to the position.

- Right. Let's go!

Come on!

(gunshot)

(bullet ricochets)

- Gotta be the first one, Captain.

- Yes.

Traverse left. Traverse left.

Traverse left.

Up a bit.

On target.

Agh!

We'll take care of him, sir.

What about your hand?

Position secured. Our tanks and carriers

have chased them into the desert.

- A beaut shot on the tank.

- Thanks.

- You got ammunition going up?

- Yes.

l've asked headquarters

for replacements on our casualties.

- l want him put in for a decoration.

- Yes, sir!

l want court-martial charges

prepared on Lieutenant Carstairs:

leaving his position

against orders and under fire.

Yes, sir.

- He got the old man killed, didn't he?

- The captain got himself killed.

He was there. Why didn't he go?

lt was the company commander's job.

He's not the company commander.

Ah, not then he wasn't. He is now.

Yes, he is. And whether you like

him or not, he's a good soldier.

Then let him soldier with

the king's flamin' guards.

He saved your stinkin' neck

today, and the position, too.

Ah? Now l hear he's

court-martialling Carstairs.

- What about that, Blue?

- l wouldn't know.

- The CO's boy.

- Why...

- Sergeant Smith?

- Yes, sir.

- Did you get the men to the position?

- Just moving up.

Come on, get going. Come on, move.

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