PHASE II. PHASE III

PHASE II

Now for the other road blocks. He decided to inspect the one on the Koln road first, as being the most likely direction from which the enemy might come if any armoured cars were already across the river.

The road to Koln ran due north from the centre of the village for about 400 yards, when it made a sharp bend to the right, bending again to the left another 200 yards farther on. Walking along the road, Smith could see no sign of any men working. On reaching the bend in the road he was surprised to see one of the large 'buses in which they had travelled from Lobsterburg drawn right across the road just beyond the bend.

" What the devil is this?" exclaimed Smith." Are these blighters too lazy to walk a few hundred yards?"

Just then Corporal Webster, in command of the Lewis gun section, appeared.

"Hi, corporal! what the devil are you playing at ? Why on earth did you come here in this 'bus? And what is it doing stuck across the road like this?"

"Well, sir," respectfully replied the corporal, "I thought it might take us some time to collect the stuff for the road block, and I thought it would be a good plan to shove one of the 'buses across the road to act as a temporary block, in case an armoured car came along before we were ready. I have got the Lewis gun with a couple of men over there guarding it."

"Quite right, corporal; a jolly sound plan. I had not thought of it. Now where are you going to put your block?"

"I thought of putting it just short of the bend in the road, sir. It will come as a surprise there; if it is round the bend the enemy will see it some 200 yards away and will have time to pull up and back away."

"Corporal Webster, I see that you have brains, and what is more, you use them. Right you are! you carry on. Don't forget to see that the posts guarding the blocks have cover from fire as well as from view; any armoured car which is fired at will certainly let drive at them."

Smith felt that he could leave matters in such capable hands. He walked back with the intention of next visiting Homburg block. Hardly had he gone 100 yards when he discovered that he could see this block on the other side of the village, the road being perfectly straight. It suddenly flashed across his mind that both blocks would be visible from each other at from 700 to 800 yards' distance. If that were so, an enemy car held up by one block could fire into the back of the other. True, the posts would not be on the road, but it would complicate matters if they had to consider the possibility of being fired at from the rear as well as from the front; on second thoughts, perhaps, the Koln block had better be round the bend.

Returning to Corporal Webster, he explained his idea, and gave instructions for the block to be constructed on the far side of the bend.

He next visited the Lobsterburg block. The n.c.o. in charge here was also quite sensible and appeared to have plenty of common sense. His task was, of course, a comparatively simple one. He merely had to block a road with houses on either side, and it was quite an easy matter to find excellent cover for the men guarding it by placing them in houses where they were very unlikely to be found by an armoured car's machine gunner. Smith was congratulating himself on having such a good lot of section commanders when he arrived at the Homburg block.

The road to Homburg was perfectly straight for some considerable distance. The site selected by Corporal Jones, the section commander, was just clear of the houses. The question of materiel for the road block had presented no difficulties, as there was a farm close at hand.

Smith found that the block had been well constructed and appeared to be sufficiently strong to prevent the passage of armoured cars, or even light tanks.

On either side of the road was a strip of grass about four feet wide, and outside this again a ditch some two to three deep. Smith, to his disgust, saw that the Lewis gun, with three men, was in a position on the strip of grass on the right-hand side of the road some thirty to forty yards behind the road block; on the other side of the road was the remainder of the section.

"Come, Corporal Jones," he said, taking the section commander aside, "I don't think much of your arrangements. It is absolutely no use your putting your men on the road. Try to imagine that you were the commander of an armoured car trying to get into Bowler. Picture yourself corning along the road at 30 miles an hour and suddenly discovering a road block from, say, 400 to 500 yards away--what would be the first thing you would do?"

"I suppose I would stop and turn back, sir."

"Well, you might or you might not; that would depend on the orders you had received. In any case, don't you think you would tell your machine gunner to let drive with his gun at the block and the area immediately behind it, that is, if he had not already done so?"

"Yes, sir, I suppose I would," agreed the corporal.

"Well, get your men in a position from which they can prevent men getting out of the cars and removing the block, but where they will be reasonably safe from the machine-gun fire of the car. Come along, we will have a look at that farm; it appears quite hopeful."

An inspection disclosed that there was an ideal position along the north side of the main farm buildig. By keeping close to the wall, the Lewis gun could be placed where it could just command the road block, but was protected from the fire of any car which might be a few yards outside it. There were lots of materiel available with which good cover could be constructed in case the car went right up to the block.

"It is possible that, if the enemy is determined to get through the block, he may draw up one of his cars on the edge of the road so as to give protection against fire from here to anyone getting out to remove the block, so you had better place a couple of men on the other side of the road," was Smith's parting instruction.

Leaving Corporal Jones to carry out his instructions, Smith walked back along the road wondering what he had better do next. An aching void in his tummy suggested that it was time for some breakfast. Looking at his watch he discovered that it was after 8 o'clock. He therefore returned to the inn to get breakfast for himself and to arrange about that for the men. Arriving there he found that Sergeant Bass had already had the same idea. He had succeeded in getting tea made and had divided up the rations for each of the sections, and had also impounded a small local motor delivery van in which to take round the breakfast.

After breakfast Smith called the platoon sergeant into the small sitting-room of the inn.

"Sergeant Bass," he said, "I want you to help me consider whether everything possible has been done. I think we have made the bridge pretty safe, and we have blocked the only three roads leading into the village. The only thing that worries me is that I have not got a reserve. I have already taken two men from one of the rifle sections for the look-out post, and I don't see how I can take any more; each road block has two posts to guard it."

"I have been thinking about that myself, sir; you see, the trouble is, we 'ave only got one of them anti-tank guns, and you 'ave put that on the bridge. Of course, I see that the bridge is the most important, but if I was in command 'ere--and I'm glad it's you and not me, sir

I would keep that gun in its vehicle and 'ave it somewhere central and use it as a reserve. Road blocks may be all right to keep out armoured cars, but they can't 'urt them. And if that gun was on wheels it could be run up wherever they come and might do a bit of damage."

"Yes, Sergeant, I think there is a lot in what you say, but to my mind the chief danger is that the beastly vehicle is not fully armoured, and if I use it as an armoured fighting vehicle it may be at a great disadvantage against other A.F.V.'s which are completely armoured.

"Of course, it is fairly all right if the other johnny only fires from straight in front, but he may attack on two or three sides at once here, in which case it might get shot up in flank or from the rear if it moves about. On the whole, I think it is best to put it in the most important place and trust to it being able to spring a surprise on them. However, that is a good suggestion; have you got any more?"

"I don't know that I've got any more suggestions, sir, but I've been wondering what I would do if I was in command of a section of the enemy armoured cars on this side of the river and came up against one of your road blocks. If I found I could not remove it, I would do a bit of thinking. Of course, I don't know exactly how many men they have in those cars, but I expect they could spare one man from each with a rifle. I don't see why a few men should not be sent to crawl round and get behind some of those posts."

"By Jove, Sergeant, you are right," cried Srnith. ' That convinces me, I must have a reserve; but how the hell I am going to get one I am damned if I know; sorry for the language, Sergeant."

"That's all right, sir; it is a bit of a problem."

"It is," continued Smith; "the blighter might even stuff a couple of infantrymen into each car for that very purpose. One thing is certain--I cannot give up any of those road blocks, and I don't see that it is possible for one section to look after two blocks. However, we must thin out the firing line; come along and we will see what can be done."

The final solution at which they arrived was that each post should consist of two men only--that the remaining three men of each platoon under the section commander should be used as local reserves. Smith's servant and the driver of the anti-tank gun vehicle were exchanged for the two look-out men on the church tower, the guide also volunteering to take his turn at this duty. Owing to its favourable position, the Lobsterburg block was considered safe enough with only two men guarding it, one on either side of the road, the remainder of that section being held as a central reserve in the inn.

Not until these changes had been made did Smith feel really confident that he had done everything possible to ensure success. Even now he was somewhat uneasy on one point. He considered the bridge safe enough against armoured cars, but was still a trifle apprehensive as to the result if medium or heavy tanks were used to force it, covered perhaps by artillery fire. He would feel much happier if he had been allowed to blow up the bridge altogether.

10.00hrs. found Smith and his platoon sergeant at the Koln block on a tour of inspection. Hardly had, they arrived when the alarm was heard from the church tower. Smith had no idea from which direction the enemy were approaching, but not wishing to be caught near the road block or on the road, he and the sergeant got off the road and took cover behind some bushes. It ; was soon evident that the alarm had been a false one, as a minute or two later two armoured cars which were undoubtedly British, came round the bend and approached the block.

Smith ran out to meet them.

"Well, I'm damned," shouted the officer in the leading car; "and what, may I ask, is Chubby Smith doing here blocking the public highway? "Hallo! can this be Porker Simmons?" replied Smith. "If you want to know what I am doing, I am King of Bowler at the moment, appointed to keep enemy stink boxes, like yours, out of this delightful country town. By the way, I suppose you want to get through; you are a beastly nuisance, but if you wait a few minutes I will have the portcullis lowered and let you in."

"All right, old boy. I have been sent to see how you are getting on, and have to go on to Homburg; but don't you trouble to move your pretty collection of war trophies, there is a track a couple of hundred yards back there, so I will just buzz round. See you again in a minute."

The two cars backed along the road.

"Augustus Sydney Smith," mused the completely crestfallen King of Bowler, " of all the fatheaded, useless, brainless idiots, you take the bun. Fancy not having a look to see whether there was a way round your precious road blocks. Of course, the track must lead to the North Farm."

At this moment one of the cars came back again to the block.

"Hallo, Chubby, I hope you havc not stuffed any of those anti-tank mines on that track. I don't want to be blown up."

"Anti-tank mines! Of course not; do you think I keep a tame Field Company up my sleeve to dig mines all over the country? You will be perfectly safe going round there--in fact, just as safe as any enemy cars would have been."

" All right, old man! don't get peevish. If you are not too proud to take a tip from an old friend, I advise you to shift that block of yours down the road to where the track joins it. And don't turn up your nose at anti-tank mines; we hate the beastly things, especially if they are dug in and hidden so that we can hardly see them. Get your Adjutant to send some out to you. A few mixed up with your road blocks, or just in front of them, will make you much safer and will give you a sporting chance of bagging something. Well, cheerio! I must be off--no charge made for the advice."

Smith was not too proud to take advice. He first gave orders for another block to be made just short of the next bend in the road, where it would guard the track as well as the road, and then sent Sergeant Bass to inspect the other two road blocks and to report whether these could also be evaded. He soon cheered up. These mines might solve his problem of making the blocks safer against tanks.

He had some difficulty in persuading the Adjutant that mines were necessary, but eventually extracted a promise that that officer would get in touch with the sappers and see what could be done. The Adjutant told him that the brigade was to march at 14.00 hrs. and that his battalion would reach Bowler about midnight

About midday a lorry arrived in charge of a sapper sergeant and three men who were prepared to give expert advice on laying the anti-tank mines, of which they had brought 60 with them. By 14.00 hrs. they had all been placed in shallow trenches dug across the roads in front of the blocks. The metalling had been carefully replaced so as to render them as inconspicuous as possible and angle-irons fixed over the strikers to ensure their exploding if passed over by armoured cars. A few had also been mixed up with the block on the bridge.

Smith now had a comfortable feeling that his arrangements were complete at last, and that he had done everything possible to ensure that, if attacked, he would render a good account of himself. If he failed, it would not be because he had sat down and done nothing. He could truthfully say that he had not spared himself, physically or mentally, to make the defences as strong as the men and materiel at his disposal would allow. In fact, he felt that he deserved his lunch and the large tankard of beer he had with it.

PHASE III

SCARCELY had he finished his meal, when the orderly reported that he was wanted on the telephone. He discovered that he was speaking to a staff officer of the Divisional Headquarters, who informed him that an air reconnaissance had reported considerable movement of enemy armoured fighting vehicles on the road leading to Fiddleton from the north. That enemy armoured cars had passed through Fiddleton about twenty minutes ago and appeared to be making for Bowler. Finally, that an unknown number of enemy armoured cars were known to have been, that morning, east of the river and that they were in wireless communication with the armoured force on the other side.

Smith, having sent a warning to the section commanders, hurried to the look-out post on the church tower.

The sentry on duty had nothing to report. Smith thought it advisable to double the sentry, one being told off to watch the Fiddleton road and the other to watch the remaining three. They had not long to wait. About ten minutes after Smith had arrived, one of the sentries pointed out what was undoubtedly a section of armoured cars advancing from the direction of Fiddleton, two cars moving about 800 yards in front of the others. Smith looked at his watch as the sentry sounded the alarm. The great battle had started at 14.30 hrs.

The two leading cars came on until they reached the bend in the road about 500 yards from the bridge; here they stopped. After a minute or two, one of them went back to where the other pair of cars had halted. After a short interval all three cars returned to the road bend. Apparently another consultation took place here, for there was no movement for another few minutes.

Suddenly the two leading cars rounded the corner and came forward at a fairly considerable pace, firing their machine guns as they came along. Simultaneously the two rearmost cars opened fire, but without moving. From the church tower it was clear that they were plastering the road block and the area immediately round it; the strike of the bullets could be plainly seen on the road. It was not until the leading car was about 100 yards from the block that the defenders showed signs of life. Suddenly the anti-tank gun could be distinctly heard above the rattle of the machine gun. The first shot was evidently a miss, as was the second, but the third caught the leading car just as it was reversing and evidently did some vital damage, as the car stopped dead, the next round silencing its machine gun. The second car quickly got out of the line of fire from the gun and safely returned to its friends, the whole lot beating a hasty retreat.

"First round distinctly ours," said Smith, who had a strong feeling that this was only the first and by no means the final round. It was not long before his surmise proved correct.

Hardly had the first lot of cars disappeared when others were seen coming from the direction of Koln. It was not very easy to count them because the road was bordered by high hedges, but Smith estimated them at another section. The leading car appeared to be taken completely by surprise by the road block, which it could not see until it came round the corner. To Smith's disgust it managed, however, to pull up just in time to avoid crashing into the block and also just stopped short of the mines. To show its annoyance it blazed off with its machine gun as it backed round the corner.

"Damn!" exclaimed Smith. "If we had had another anti-tank gun we would have bagged that one too."

He thought the staff officer at Lobsterburg would like to hear the news, and was not reluctant to report the encounter, out of which they had come off best.

The staff officer was glad to hear the news, and imparted the information that further air reports confirmed a previous one that a part, at least, of the enemy armoured force had gone to cover in and near Fiddleton. The general indication from various sources of information pointed to the fact that the enemy was going to make an effort to cross at Bowler. Smith was relieved to hear that the Divisional Commander was despatching a whole tractor-drawn brigade of artillery, escorted by a company of armoured cars, to take up a position on some high ground west of Bowler, to engage the enemy should he make a serious effort to force a crossing. The brigade had only just finished its disembarkation and would not be in position for at least three hours.

Smith, although glad to hear that he was to receive such formidable support, realised that he might be in for a much more severe test than he had experienced so far. However, he had been successful up to the present and could only hope for the best.

Coming out of the Post Office, he met Sergeant Bass, who reported that he had been to the bridge and that there were no casualties. Two of the crew of the armoured car had been killed, and the third, who was wounded, was being carried to the inn.

There appeared to be nothing to do but wait, so Smith returned to the church tower, which he decided to make his battle headquarters. Nothing happened for an hour, but at about I5.30 hours, the distant boom of a gun was heard to the west; and shortly afterwards there came the dull thud of a shell landing in the marsh.

"Rotten shot!" exclaimed Smith.

However, the next was a better one; it landed in the trees some two or three hundred yards below the bridge. The third and fourth found billets in the village.

"Small howitzer, I should say," remarked Sergeant Bass, who had joined his platoon commander on the tower; " things Will get a bit more lively in a minute, sir."

Prophetic utterance! No sooner had the sergeant spoken than half a dozen shells burst round about the road junction opposite the bridge, one or two falling on the houses. It soon became evident that the guns were searching the immediate vicinity of the bridge; particularly the houses opposite and the area upstream of it.

"Look, sir!" called out one of the sentries, "look at them funny-looking things coming along the road. They must be little tanks."

Sure enough, there were about half a dozen low vehicles advancing along the Fiddleton road. Smith inspected them carefully through his glasses.

"Yes, they are light tanks right enough; evidently they are going to have a shot at it under cover of the shelling."

This surmise was soon proved incorrect. When nearing the bend of the road they disappeared from view, but, although they could not be seen, they were very shortly heard. The bridge and its vicinity were subjected to intensive machine gun fire as well as to increased shelling.

"More armoured cars, sir," announced the sentry, "two of them coming along all out."

The two cars soon rounded the corner and came straight for the bridge. The damaged enemy car was still on the road about fifty yards from the block; this left only half the road available.

Up to this point there had been no signs of life amongst the defenders. But it soon became evident that they were not all dead. The anti-tank gun spoke once more, and spoke with deadly effect--a second enemy armoured car incurred the penalty of its rashness; unfortunately, its companion was more fortunate, for it made good its escape.

Simultaneously with this abortive effort to force the bridge, a section of cars had again approached the Koln block, but beyond firing a lot of ammunition they had done nothing and eventually withdrew.

"What about it, old mossy face!" murmured Smith to himself." You don't put it across Augustus Sydney Smith as easily as that. Think of something better, old sport."

The enemy had evidently decided either to think of something better or else to give up the attempt, for his activities suddenly ceased.

"Sergeant Bass."

"Sir."

"Suppose you were commanding that lot across there, what would you do now?"

"Afraid I can't say, sir; them tanks and things are not much in my line. Always been an infantryman myself, and I 'opes I always will be. Why, give me a couple of platoons, and I would put up a better show than all that junk over there."

"Well, Sergeant, suppose you had your couple of platoons, how would you set about it?"

"'Ow would I set about it, sir ? I certainly would not come straight at the bridge. Infantry aren't confined to roads; they would soon find a way across that marsh, and a few sappers with some rafts would soon put them across the river."

"I wonder if they have got any infantry?" said Smith." It will complicate matters if they have; in fact, it will make things damned unpleasant. The defences have been arranged to keep out armoured cars and things like that, and I have only got one section in reserve, and that will not be much use if the enemy uses infantry as well as his other things."

"Seems to me, sir, that this affair is getting a bit big for us; time we got some reinforcements. Might I suggest, sir, that you send those two 'buses back to the battalion and ask the Colonel to send them back full of men? The enemy shows no sign of using infantry yet, so I expect he hasn't got any handy, and it will take him some time to bring any up."

Smith thought the idea was an excellent one. It was now nearly 4 o'clock and his reinforcements could arrive by six. With another platoon he would feel fairly safe. He took out his notebook and wrote a brief account of the situation to the Adjutant, explaining his fears and asking for a second platoon. This he despatched by the D.R., who was directed to inform the adjutant that the two 'buses would follow as quickly as possible.

PHASE IV

HOWEVER, fate, or rather the enemy, decided that he was to be put to another and more severe test before his reinforcements had arrived. It soon became apparent that the enemy had no intention of abandoning his efforts to secure a crossing. About 16.30 hrs. the shelling was renewed; this time he meant to make no mistake about knocking out the gun which had frustrated his previous efforts. It was obvious that many more guns were firing and that some, at least, were of much greater calibre. It was also evident that he now had a pretty accurate idea of where the anti-tank gun was situated. There was also a very considerable increase in the amount of machine-gun fire. The number of light tanks firing had been at least doubled. The section of armoured cars was again in action from the Koln road. Fortunately for the defenders, the hea~,y cultivation prevented them operating off the road.

It seemed to rain shells, and the centre of the village very soon presented a fairly good representation of a portion of a devastated town in France. The houses facing the bridge were being severely knocked about and several of them were on fire. Smith was thankful that he had not put anyone in them. He was fairly confident that nothing but a direct hit or a very close shell would knock out the anti-tank gun, and he was not without hope that it might escape the inferno. He was uncertain as to what all this bombardment precluded. What was going to happen next ? Of one thing he felt certain—no further attempt would be made with armoured cars; not only had the previous attempts failed, but the two wrecked cars formed an additional and effective road block.

The smoke from the burning houses rendered it almost impossible to see what was going on in front. Smith began to feel uneasy about remaining in comparative safety while his men were being subjected to that awful strafing below. He therefore left the tower and rejoined the reserve section in the inn. Here he felt equally out of it, so he took the section u-ith him as near the Koln-Homburg road as he could, without running unnecessary risks.

Hardly had he left the inn when the shelling suddenly ceased, as did most of the machine-gun fire. Alarming as the shelling had been, this sudden cessation was even more so. There was evidently some dirty work afoot, and Smith felt that he must be there. It soon became evident that all his men were not dead, as he could plainly hear the sound of rifle fire. He dashed forward to the corner of the Fiddleton road in order to have a look at the bridge and see for himself what was going on, the reserve section following hard at his heels. There he saw a dozen or more infantry rushing across the bridge. How they had got there he did not know, nor did he stop to ask. They were already being engaged with deadly effect by the post to the south of the Fiddleton road, who were evidently alive and kicking. However, some did manage to get over and make their way into the undergrowth, from where they returned the fire from the post. Smith made up his mind in a flash. It was clear that he and the reserve section had not been seen; it would be dangerous to charge them with the bayonet, as they themselves would probably be caught by the fire from the post. He therefore ordered the section to crawl forward until it could see the enemy and then shoot him in the flank.

Meanwhile, the enemy had brought a couple of automatics into action close up on the other side of the river; they appeared to be firing from the embankment somewhere near the road block. Smith had expended his reserve, what was to be done? Why, form another one, of course--the section guarding the Homburg block was not closely engaged, and he might collect its Lewis gun and leave a couple of riflemen to look after the block. He was looking for a safe route to take when he heard a new noise. Looking through the hedge down the road he saw a pair of large tanks bearing down on the bridge. They soon solved the problem of the obstruction caused by the two damaged armoured cars, by going quietly, but firmly, at them and pushing them over the embankment.

"I suppose this is the end," thought Smith; "the anti-tank gun has evidently gone west and there is nothing left to deal with these damned things."

However, he was going to die fighting, so he dashed off to collect that Lewis gun. He had no difficulty in finding it, so brought it back and found- a good place for it amongst the ruins of one of the houses, which fortunately was not on fire, and from where the bridge could be seen. He had half expected to meet one of the tanks on his way back, and was surprised to see them both halted, still on the far side of the block; something appeared to have gone wrong with the leading one. The firing had died down by now: evidently the enemy infantry who had got across had been killed or captured.

It was now 17.00 hrs. and he could not expect any reinforcements for another hour. What he wanted was something now, with which to knock hell into those two tanks.

Suddenly some shots rang out, evidently fired by his own men. This was the signal for a renewed outburst of fire all round, in which the tanks joined with the small guns as well as with their machine guns.

The artillery evidently thought it was time they took another hand in the affair, for it once more began to rain shells.

This time, however, they appeared to be avoiding the bridge and its immediate vicinity. Smith soon discovered that he had selected a peculiarly warm spot, but it was hopeless to think of changing now. The game was up, but he had put up a good show and, after all, the odds were pretty heavy against him.

Hearing a loud humming noise, he looked up and saw a flight of aeroplanes passing over them. "Oh Lord! another form of horror!"

"Those are British, sir," shouted the Lewis gun corporal beside him: "and look, sir, here come some more of them, and more still. Lumme, sir, the blinking place is stiff with 'em."

" You are right, corporal," said Smith, who knew something about aeroplanes, " that is a squadron of single-seater fighters, and by Gad ! they are going after those b-------- guns, and I hope they give them hell."

The effect of the squadron soon became apparent, as the shelling quickly slackened and then ceased altogether.

More droning overhead announced the arrival of a further contingent of aeroplanes. "Day bombers, or I am a Dutchman! " exclaimed Smith. "I am off to the church tower to see the fun."

He arrived at the church tower in time to see the effect of the first lot of bombs, which fell just on the far side of the bridge. Although no direct hit was scored, they fell all round the two tanks. The latter seemed to have quickly abandoned all idea of offensive action; one turned and made off as fast as it could along the road, the other was evidently disabled in some way. Some dozen light tanks could be seen moving back across country pursued by the bombs of one flight of the bombing squadron, the rest of the squadron joining a second one which had arrived and making off for the main body of the enemy, which could not be seen from the church. All was now peace in Bowler. Smith set out to collect reports and discover at what cost the bridge had been held.

During the second bombardment a high explosive shell had landed within a few yards of the anti-tank gun. Not only had it killed two of the crew and wounded or stunned the rest, including the gallant Corporal Wads, but it had also half buried the gun itself. The rifle post nearest the gun had also been hit by another shell, and the section commander With his little section reserve had likewise suffered. The post to the south of the road had been more fortunate and had come through the ordeal unharmed.

A total of three killed and six wounded could not be considered heavy casualties.

"The men grumbled a bit at being made to dig themselves in," remarked Sergeant Bass, "but they are very thankful now, and they won't require much encouragement to dig next time."

The platoon had taken a much more severe toll of the enemy. The bag included two armoured cars and one medium tank, besides ten killed and fourteen captured, but above all the bridge had been held.

The mystery of why the leading tank had failed to come on was soon explained. In clearing the two damaged cars off the road, they had been pushed over the line of mines laid in front of the block. The leading tank had then endeavoured to break down the road block, but its track had been broken by some mines which had been laid in the block itself.

It was also discovered that the men who had been rushed across the bridge were not infantry but some gunners who had been supplied by one of the batteries.

Having reorganised the defence and made all arrangements he could to prepare for another effort on the part of the enemy, Smith repaired to the inn, where he had a well-earned cup of tea. Scarcely had he finished when a car drove up to the door; out of it stepped the Brigadier and his Commanding Officer.

"This is Smith, sir," said the Colonel.

"Well done, my boy," said the Brigadier. "You have put up a magnificent show. I am sure your Colonel is proud of you."

"We are all proud of him," replied the Colonel, seizing him by the hand and, at the same time, patting him on the shoulder....

"It's time to get up, sir. No, I ain't the Colonel; it's Pinchin, sir, and if you don't get up quick, you'll be late for parade."

"Lord!" mumbled Smith, as he dragged himself out of bed, "what a night!"

EPILOGUE

The officer commanding "A" Co. had nearly finished breakfast when Lieutenant Smith entered the Company Mess.

"Good morning, sir," said Smith.

"Morning," grunted the Company Commander. ‘I've got a job of work for you."

"What, sir!" cried Smith, " don't say it is to hold some bridge against an armoured force."

"What on earth are you drivelling about? You've got to take your platoon down to the docks and start - unloading some ordnance stores."

"Yes, sir," replied Smith; and then to himself, " So this really is war."

[Original] Printed in Great Britain by
WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,
LONDON AND BECCLES.

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