Alright looks like I am starting a journal I guess, better than spending the night of my first day in the 503rd without sleep. I’ve always had issues with that, sometimes I sleep fine, other time sometimes I don’t even sleep. Like tonight, not too many people are up and in an hour or two I am going on a recon mission to the demolished town in no mans land. Apparently we have reason to suspect a german forward base is going to be made there I guess. Why I of all people am getting sent is a little bit of a mystery but sure if things go wrong I guess a flamethrower would be helpful. Sure if it turns out this forward base is the beginning of another trench. In addition to being the only person crazy enough to go into battle with a flamethrower I am also apparently the ONLY Irishmen. A little sad but I can’t bring myself to care that much, if there was anymore of people like me I have no doubt in my mind we would be leading an assault directly into several machine guns like last time. The british think of everything as expendable except themselves, hideous way of thinking about it. Bastards, but I can’t blame them too much. I can still hate them though.
Well first of all there used to be an actual group of men with flamethrowers once upon a time, until our CO. threw us at the German trenches at night one time to “soften” the resistance for the assault the next day. I think he just wanted us dead. Because thats what happened to the other five or so guys. Damn guns went straight through em. I was lucky I got caught in some barbed wire way back where they couldn’t see me. Now each one of us was given an asbestos blanket to wrap around our packs, my old LT was at least kind enough for those. I needed proof for my claims otherwise they would think I simply walked back and let them die. It took me some time, I didn’t want to move too much with my sixty pound pack I’d pretty much hand them my skull on gold platter. I’m glad my luck is still going strong, the Fritz didn’t even notice I existed. So I snuck to each one of my dead squadmates and took the blanket and wrapped it around different parts of myself, I ended up looking like a damn fool. Wrapped in that stuff made it unbearably hot and uncomfortable. I slowly made my way back to the trenches when my luck had run dry. Several riflemen opened up fire at me, I ran faster than I ever thought was possible. In no way did I want my pack exposed to them, the brits don’t like giving us new equipment as it is. It only took a few minutes to get back, the Machine gunners almost shot at me because they couldn’t tell if I was even human. I had to yell at them my name and where I was stationed at least five times.
So when I finally got back in I gave my report of the failed mission and went to my bunk. Turns out that the bullet that had my name on it was stopped by my squad mates blankets. I haven't been seen without those blankets since really. Sure there hot and uncomfortable, but as long as I’m wearing em I feel like I could march into the Germans Trenches and torch the lot of em. But I know that won’t happen. Well thats all that really happened for a few days until my LT told me to get my stuff and report to the 503rd down in the Abbey. I did just that, no complaint. I never really liked anyone there, I am more of the loner type. No use getting to know them if they are just gonna die. I remember thinking to myself how the 503rd wouldn’t any different to this troop.
Boy was I wrong, my goodness was I so wrong. I walk in and the first American I see is toting a small pump action canon. When i say small I mean small for a canon, not for a rifle. The thing was impressive and frankly I would not like to be on the end of that monster. He was just cleanin the thing like it was his babe. If I had something like that I would do much the same. But anyways, I went and reported to my new LT. the man was sitting in the most posh quarters I had ever seen. My god, here in this hole he managed to best my ma’s home in ireland. Now heres the kicker the man brings himself an honest to god elephant gun to the battle. Now in no way is that pussy footin around, first man in the charge getting shot with that is going to have the four other behind him with holes in em. He told me two things I didn’t expect to hear “I’m glad to have you here” and “Don’t tell anyone why you eat better than everyone else.” I have never had a harder time keeping a straight face in front of a commanding officer in my life, life seemed like it was turning up. Instead of face down in the dirt.
If I wasn’t completely loyal than after that first meal I would die for just about every man in the 503rd, even the frenchmen we still had. All seven or so of em. Why we had em didn’t bother me that much, I didn’t really care to ask. Now you see the Abbey used to be sorta like hell, with Jerry hill spewing down machinegun fire every once in awhile just to fuck with people. Until it kinda erupted into a giant explosion and it ceased to exist. Everyone heard it, whoever had the idea to turn a hill into a crater to deal with a few germans is fine by me right now. I like spending my time not being shot. Well it’s time for me to get to work, that American with the Canon is calling me. Looks like I am going for my first mission with these people.
No comments:
Post a Comment