The Siege of Jadotville Page #3

UN peacekeeping troops

are deployed into the Katanga region.

With heavy fighting

in the city of Elisabethville,

the thoughts and prayers of a proud nation

are with our soldiers

serving the UN in the Congo.

Do you think O'Brien

believes his own bullshit?

One hundred percent, boss.

What?

Operation Morthor, sir.

Something went very wrong.

- Sir.

- What happened?

A security detail opened fire.

Return fire eliminated the troops.

Then they barricaded themselves inside.

We couldn't afford a siege, so...

So what?

We finished them with grenades through

the windows and eliminated the enemy.

- Used grenades on unarmed civilians?

- We didn't know they were unarmed.

- What about ones climbing out of windows?

- They might have been armed.

- So you killed innocent people?

- Yes, sir.

F***!

F***.

This didn't happen.

No mention of this in UN dispatches.

We didn't just murder

30 men and women at work

because the troops

lost the run of themselves.

Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

They have just taken Radio Katanga

and the government buildings

in Elisabethville.

We need to retaliate.

Well, since you're paying our wages.

Hail, Queen of Heaven

The Ocean Star

Guide of the wanderer here below

Thrown on life's surge

We claim thy care

Save us from peril and from woe

Get the f*** ready!

Star of the sea...

Attack!

Pray for the wanderer...

We're under attack!

Wake the f*** up!

Somebody get out here!

We claim thy care...

Come on. Come on.

Save us from peril and from woe...

Star of the sea

Get to the trenches! Man your positions!

Move, move!

Go! Go!

You four, to me! Come on, move!

Weapons ready!

Check your ammo!

Fire!

I want fire superiority!

- Corporal, get the Bren up front, now!

- Mortar men, man your posts!

- Open fire!

- Hold down the left flank!

Sniper! Catch me up.

F***ers came out of nowhere

and started shooting!

You're caught up, boss.

Move, move, move!

Man your trenches!

Sir.

They'll approach from high ground,

south.

Get ten of our best out there

to refuse the flank.

The south flank? Sure, sir?

Yes. Now, go!

Yes, sir. Sniper, on me.

Reidy, follow me! Now!

Go now!

Let me look at you.

Get the Bren back up! Let me look!

It's a scratch. You'll be fine.

You'll be fine. You'll be fine.

You're fine, all right?

- I'm fine.

- Get back up. Get back up.

Charlie Alpha Juliet to Control.

Sir!

Charlie Alpha Juliet to Control.

We're under heavy attack.

Send very strong reinforcements

immediately. Very urgent.

Operation Morthor

has led to the suspension

of the Katangan government.

We seized Katanga radio station

and all communications

at 0400 hours today.

You attacked the enemy

without telling troops in the field?

The operation

has been completed successfully.

If the operation was a success...

then why are they shooting at us?

F***!

Sniper.

Go up to the trench now.

Give us some cover. Go on.

The rest of you, follow him. Go, go, go.

Sir, there's nobody here.

Because they're only coming from the east.

Right, three of you stay here.

The rest of you, pull back on me.

Let's go.

As we were.

They are wide open!

Use cover.

Pair off.

F***!

Reidy!

Magazine!

Quinlan doesn't know what he's doing.

He's gonna get us killed!

I hope to f*** you're wrong!

I'm going back for Reidy.

- Am I dying?

- No, you'll be grand.

Start her up!

Bring her forward! Go!

Cover that mad bastard!

Faulques!

Faulques, come on!

Cease fire!

Cease fire!

Cease fire!

- Hegarty, check positions.

- Send runners, one per trench.

Yes, sir.

Get me Battalion HQ.

Sir.

General McEntee's staff

said he's unavailable.

Did you tell him we got attacked?

Yes. They said,

"God bless and hold tight."

"God bless"?

What's that supposed to mean?

Um... I suppose he means,

"May God's blessings be upon us," sir.

Start a radio log. From now on,

everything that's said goes on record.

Yes, sir.

I'll run position one.

North flank.

Company Sergeant, you run position two.

East flank.

Hegarty.

Position three, south flank.

We were told the enemy were unprepared.

We were misinformed.

They got lucky,

but that only happens once.

Remember,

none of these men have seen battle.

On our next engagement, we will

overrun them with 20 times their forces.

Where are we in logistics?

FNs to the best marksmen.

Gustafs to the officers and the NCOs.

Each platoon splits the Brens and Vickers.

Donnelly is on the mortars.

But, sir...

they never sent us the heavy 81s.

We'll finish this in one all-out victory.

All right? So let's go!

Let's go!

The real problem's the ammo.

We've only 13,000 rounds.

It's not gonna last long.

Sir, I've got General McEntee.

General, request an immediate update.

Report your situation, Commandant.

Company A, Jadotville

has been under mortar

and machine-gun fire.

Expect a heavy attack any moment.

I sent a man. I told you this was coming.

Watch yourself, Commandant.

General...

I'm in a bad situation here

and I need your help.

From the dead they left,

I'd say

we're looking at a force of about 1,500.

I need you to send reinforcements

right now.

Send as many as you can.

There's a negative exercise outcome

if we don't get them.

Is that him?

Mm.

Commandant,

this is Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien.

I urge you to stop panicking.

Panicking?

With respect, sir, are you aware

of the realities on the ground?

I assure you I'm very well aware of them.

These are the final death gasps

of Tshombe's government.

I'm not sure he knows that.

Hold your position.

Allow our plan to play out.

The plan is two days old

and didn't include Tshombe's mercs.

What went wrong with your plan, sir?

Sounds like you're looking for an excuse,

Commandant.

We each have our part to play in history.

Yours is happening right now.

Rely on us to make sure it all works out.

Sir, I don't understand

what you just said to me,

and in tactical terms

I don't understand what you're doing.

I have 150 boys here

and we need reinforcements.

No, you listen to me, Quinlan.

There are larger things at play

than you can possibly imagine.

I don't give a damn

about the larger things!

We're a company under siege

and we require your assistance!

Discuss the details with General McEntee.

Jesus Christ!

General,

does he have a clue what he's doing?

All our troops in the field

are on Operation Morthor, Commandant.

We don't have any reinforcements.

Exactly.

Nobody thought this was a possibility,

did they?

When do our men come back in?

A heavy-weapons battalion's

expected here within 12 hours.

They'll be sent out to you immediately.

Thank you, sir.

One more thing.

We could do with some whiskey.

I'll see what I can do.

Follow me.

What exactly did he mean

by "negative exercise outcome"?

It means that without reinforcements...

we're f***ed.

The aggressive action

of the United Nations

in Elisabethville is unacceptable.

It is unfortunate for my beloved country

that the United Nations peacekeepers

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