French North Africa, 9 November 1942 D+1
Squad engaged in second hostile fire action of the war, and the first one we initiated. After digging in on our assigned ridge-line observation point the evening of 8 November 1942, we became aware of the firing of two large caliber artillery pieces within a mile of our position. Privates Greeley and Karas were dispatched to reconnoiter the position.
Upon return, they reported a fortified gun emplacement directed seaward, with two large artillery guns engaging our ships off coast. They estimated these guns were crewed and protected by approximately 20 men, and that they were unaware of our presence to their left and rear.
As squad leader I made the decision to take these guns out of action. The orders from the Major who sent us to this position gave me the leeway to, "Take on what we could handle".
Even with 4 squad members off on detail (Cpl Meister, PVT Dubois, PVT Craig, and PVT McKee), I still had Crowinshield, Keegan, Karas, Greeley, and Despaux, as well as myself. Meister had left his BAR with Keegan, and I had my Thompson, so we had sufficient firepower, particularly in view that we had a good chance of using the element of surprise.
The terrain between us and the gun emplacement using a roundabout half circle to its rear would be treacherous and time consuming but it did provide the best opportunity to approach unobserved. The squad took its time moving out on the morning of 5 November 1942, leaving our helmets covered in our hastily dug positions. We wanted to maintain a quiet approach, and the helmets were the most obtrusive, as well as rattling pieces of equipment we had. I much preferred my khaki bandanna around my head anyway.
We made the fairly long trek, with only Greeley turning one ankle a bit in the rugged rocks we had to cross. I came close a few times, but by taking my time made it, along with the rest of the squad to a good covered observation point.
Crowinshield was fiddling with the British radio he acquired before we departed Scotland. He managed to raise some British fire direction guys on the Rodney once we reach . I pinpointed where we were on the map, and tried to call in a fire mission to the Brits so that they could take out the enemy position with navy gunfire, but they said I must have the position wrong because they were not taking fire from there. They were just lazy, cause I had the position right, those stuck-up Rubes.
Upon close observation, we could see there was a sandbagged light machine gun position facing down the ridge trail (West), perpendicular to our covered position. The men manning it appeared not to have seen our approach. There were also two 20mm anti-aircraft Hotchkiss type machine guns mounted on AA tripods facing towards the sea (North), away from our position,
My assault plan called for me, with my Thompson to try to get as close as I could to the right of the emplacement, facing into the uncovered rear of the sandbagged machine gun position. The rest of the squad was to cover me with their rifles, including the BAR, and be prepared to open up if I was detected upon my approach. If I successfully got into the position I wanted, they were to open up when they saw me do so.
The plan was to take out the machine gun gunners first, followed by the officers commanding the artillery, then the AA gunners, and lastly the artillery gun crew themselves. Each Squad member was instructed to take their first shot to coincide with the firing of the guns. Hopefully the noise from the report would cause our shots to remain undetected. The squad was on line, from left to right, Crowinshield, Keegan, Greeley, Karas, Despoe, and Myself (Lewis).
Before going in, Crowinshield managed to get 3rd Battalion on the radio, and finally our own 1st Battalion. We received official instructions to neutralize these guns, which had our guys pinned down on the beach.
I moved out as planned, but before I could get into the position I wanted, when I was still halfway to the emplacement, Crowinshield got impatient and opened fire. It was a good thing he was out of reach, because if I could have grabbed him by the throat I would have.
Well, suffice to say that the rest of the squad opened fire once Crowinshield did. I ran to a spot behind an ancient truck parked next to the right of the emplacement, and was able to open fire on the rear of the machine gun emplacement. The two Frenchmen manning the the machine gun had already each been hit by squad-members. I think Keegan killed one right away with a burst from the BAR, and Greeley hit the other (gunner) once. The gunner still had enough in him to be a threat, and had his hand on the machine gun, so I dispatched him with a burst from my Thompson. Pretty effective weapon at close range !!
Crowinshield was pretty effective on his running assault. He pumped a couple rounds into the machine gun position, then vaulted past it to the left hand 20mm AA machine gun position and shot into it. As the AA gunners reacted he attempted to toss a grenade into their position. As some kind of luck would have it (bad, then not so bad), the grenade bounced off the top of the sandbag wall surrounding the emplacement and landed down in with the crew of the leftmost artillery piece. They got one hell of a wake up call when that grenade went off ! It really got their attention !!!
I had engaged the right hand AA machine gun emplacement crew while Crowinshield was drawing everybody's attention his way. The guy really is an exhibitionist, and loves it ! I moved closer to the right hand AA gun to be at a more effective range for my Thompson. Fortunately, the AA guns were pointed toward the sea, and although the crews were trying to turn them against us, the guns were heavy and awkward, and our shooting at them distracted them from their purpose.
The rest of the squad, particularly Greeley and Karas were concentrating their fire on the artillery crew, starting with the officers. It turned out the officers were navy, while the rest of the crew and gunners were army.
I put a couple bursts into the crew on the right AA gun, while Crowinshield put a couple more rounds into the other crew. Keegan and Despaux were laying down effective fire into the artillery crew, but there were six on each gun, plus the two officers, and the AA gun crews.
I was just turning my fire toward the right hand gun crew when three of them fired their revolvers at me. I was hit in my upper left arm, and another shot hit me in the abdomen and scraped along my rib, and then exited. Man !!! That one really hurt. Took the wind right out of me, and I had to take a knee.
Both the French officers were dead from our rifle fire at this point, and Crowinshield vaulted over the sandbags at the AA gun position, where the crew had been dispatched and pointed his M1 from down into the artillery gun position. Crowinshield and I both called upon the remaining Frenchies to surrender, and fortunately for me they did! The three with their pistols out who shot at me a moment before had me dead to rights. The range was close, and although my Thompson would be very effective, all three of them were uninjured, and ready to shoot at me a second time.
Furthermore, I realized at that moment that Crowinshield's M1 was empty, as were Despaux's Greeley's, and Karas' M1's. That left only myself and Keegan with rounds in our magazines, and I was hurting pretty badly from those french pistol slugs. Glad they passed through. I don't want to have the experience of being hit again.
The Frenchies were very amicable once we produced cigarettes and passed them out. They spiked the guns, an tossed the breach-blocks down the escarpment. They were old 100mm guns from the first war.
Crowinshield raised battalion on the radio and let them know we had neutralized the guns, and got word they were on the way to us. I applied first aid to myself and that made me feel a lot better. Looking forward to the medic, or maybe even the battalion surgeon looking me over. But I can continue with my duties if I take it real easy for awhile.
We got that French truck down completely impact and untouched. Maybe I can ride in it for awhile, and stay off my feet.
I got a hold of that French Chatellerault machine gun, and all it's magazines and ammunition. It's a pretty close kin to our own BAR, and I am going to try to hold onto it and use it. Unfortunately, it takes 7.5 French cartridges, and unless we find some more somewhere, once the ammo is gone it's useless. Still, it should be as effective as our BAR as long as it's ammunition lasts.
Keegan seems to like my Thompson, and he can carry it, along with his own M1, for the time being. He is a strapping mountain of a young man. Like Gus, but leaner. The squad is fortunate to have both of them.
I am very pleased with the squads performance overall. Perhaps not completely happy with Crowinshield for not waiting until I got into position, but he was more than brave enough to show he had sand, and I respect that.
I was the only one who got hit, and if I had stayed behind the truck, or had a longer range weapon, and stayed with the rest of the squad on line back at the rocks, I would have likely have avoided my wounds altogether. As it is, I will be in for another purple heart, I guess.
Wonder what our next mission will be? I have to get these French prisoners back to Company, and get this action report written up and sent in. Better get the squad back into their positions, cleaning and oiling their weapons. Once that's done they can get some rest.
-SGT Lewis
No comments:
Post a Comment