What a fantastic effort guys! I could not have asked for more from any of you.
The initial recce patrols and OP were 100% successful. We gained a lot of information and remained undiscovered. This was in spite of 3 enemy patrols passing within 60 metres of our base and, our foot patrols having some very close calls too. I know that you guys covered some pretty big distances conducting these patrols and you all did really well.
It was from our RV time with the Jed's that our plans went a bit amiss. The Jed's failed to arrive at 1700hrs and we had no inkling as to why. Then, just as we were getting ready to go out on close target recce's, we heard the end of a Jed transmission with the word "Zulu", meaning that at least 1 Jed callsign was compromised. Further transmissions revealed that 2 Jed's were on their way to us. After their arrival (with them looking totally chinstrapped!), we discovered the fate of the other Jedburgh teams. So, I decided to keep these 2 survivors with us, to augment our numbers, as we had a man down ourselves.
The close recce's now went out of the window and we decided to lay some mines and, put in an ambush on the main southern road and get some payback for the atrocities committed by the Germans on the captured Jed's. We found an excellent spot for an ambush, set the charges and waited. And waited, and waited. After over an hour, with several attempts to draw the enemy in, we binned it and returned to base, hoping for better luck on sunday. Apparently, 10 minutes after we left, an enemy vehicle trundled past!
After Saturdays’ stresses and strains, we got up a bit later than planned on Sunday but, after a quick breakfast and caching our kit near to a road, we set off to try another ambush. This time, it went like clockwork and we left a smoking vehicle and 3 dead SS troops in our wake. The Germans were quick to follow up on the noise though and, we were almost caught by a large German foot patrol. It was here that we had yet another “no duff†casualty and I banged my knee as I fell over as well. With the knowledge the enemy were after us, we hauled ass as fast as we could right around the outer boundary of the site, to make our RV with more Jedburgh teams.
We reached our RV at 0900hrs and were greeted by a deserted camp. After a quick mooch about, we discovered several cached bergens, indicating that the Jed’s had moved out. So, after a quick chat, we formed a plan to continue on task without the Jed’s, although we would try to link up with them if possible. We approached the German camp from the east and heard several explosions, from which we deduced that there were at least some friendly troops in the area and that they probably needed some help, if only to cause a distraction for the enemy. A plan was formed to hijack the next vehicle that came along, which we would use to get as close to the enemy HQ as possible. Shortly after, a light vehicle came towards us, with 2 Germans in it. We jumped out, shot the passenger and took the vehicle, forcing the wounded German officer to drive. The plan was to do a “hot de-bus†on top of the German HQ. Our driver drove at top speed into the german camp, where it took several seconds for the troops there to realize who we were! By this time, we had planted the time charges and were jumping back on the vehicle. I was the only one to get away unscathed from this and everyone else in our party was wounded as we took fire from the enemy as we reboarded the vehicle. I couldn’t shoot back, because I had a pile of wounded men on top of me!
A short distance down the road, we abandoned the vehicle and sought cover in the woods, everyone still pumped up from what we’d just done. From our hasty OP, we saw a very large German foot patrol, moving at speed towards us. Time to leave! As we double timed it up the hill, my damaged ankle and knee finally gave out. Realising I could not keep up, I ordered the rest to continue and escape and evade in the hope of linking up with the Jed’s. I literally had to crawl on my hands and knees into cover to avoid the Germans, whom I heard passing by, not 20 metres away. I discovered later that the remaining 5 in our group successfully doubled back and linked up with friendly forces and continued to harass the enemy. Well done for that.
Personally, I now faced a dilemma. I was injured and clearly could not really do very much. So, I decided I’d walk to the German base as a “no duff†casualty. However, as I walked down towards the road, I saw a vehicle and 2 Germans, with their backs to me, with not a care in the world. Not once did they look behind them. I limped up to within 10 metres of them and opened fire, killing them both. By now, my knee and ankle had totally packed up, so, I got the Germans I’d just killed to drive me back to their HQ, past some surprised looking sentries! I was happy to disappoint them that I was not captured and the price on my head would not be getting paid out! From the German camp, I got a great view of the radio station blowing up and, of my SAS comrades coming in. I also got my first sight of the Jed’s since kick off and I can’t praise them enough for their efforts and initiative.
At endex, we all got to hear each others’ stories and, it seems that almost everyone had a tale to tell about hardship, camaraderie and achievements in adversity, which was fantastic and just what this event set out to do. Again, thankyou all for putting in so much effort and making it a success.
I'd also like to hear any comments, feedback, or tales of heroism that you guys may have too.
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
The missing bit of the story, other than Josh's escapades on Sunday, was that under the leadership of Jed Leader Steve, the five of us went to ground at the top of the hill and waited until signs of persuit had died down. After that, with an hour to go before the charges blew, we slogged across some fo the worst terrain I have ever encountered (felled trees and ditches) then sneaked through a low cover of young pines to come out directly at the back of the radio detection station. Top marks to steve for leading us directly there through a complete maze. We threw in 2 grenades and advanced on the target to find that either the other SAS or the Jeds had already disabled it.
Exposed on open ground, we thought we had been sighted, so set off at pace for the tree line above the German camp, where we made over and were descending on the cam when End Ex was called. Our plan was to either assault the camp, or to be able to stand up in sight of the camp when time out happened, but we didn't get close enough.