Dawn at Cambrai - Men In a Box (3) (3663 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: Cambrai
Rating: 1.64 on 28 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Hadley Tobedone (View user info) at 2005-07-15 11:01:12 EDT
Abstractions - Part 1 http://www.ubersite.com/m/69763
Das As - Part 2 http://www.ubersite.com/m/69961
The ground shook a few seconds before the rumble reached his ears. With a sigh, Rowley Foster peered out his porthole to see a plume of smoke rising from the fortified trenches just over two hundred yards away. "Are you ready to take it to the Huns in this box?" he asked the pale young soldier next to him. The only response was a retching sound, followed by a foul stench assaulting his nostrils.
In the confines of their armored box, the smell was overpowering. In spite of the fact that they were wedged inside a female tank - machine guns instead of six pound cannons, with airspaces around the guns - Rowley nearly gagged. "Oh Christ, Perry! Couldn't you have held that? With any luck we'll be inside this bloody contraption for a while." This time, a barely audible whimper was all he heard, so he turned around to look at his partner. Knowing the answer would be negative, he winked and asked, "What's the matter, mate? Never been in a tank battle before?"
A shrill whistle sounded from the Jolly James, the male counterpart to Rowley's Betty, cutting his jokes short. With a wink at his ill mate, Rowley turned back to his gun. "Left flank clear!" Perry's shaky voice answered from the opposite of the tank, "Right flank clear!" With an angry cough, the tank roared to life and jerked forward.
The line of iron and steel surged forward. Rowley watched carefully for German infantry as their tanks crawled slowly over the barbed wire, one of 30 matched pairs on the field. As they reached the crest of the embankments, the Jolly James opened fire with all of its cannons. Startled, the German soldiers began to spray the tanks with machine gun fire. As the Germans made themselves visible, Rowley and his counterparts returned fire, cutting down Germans as they appeared. When German reinforcements arrived, they tried to drive the British tanks back, but their bullets bounced harmlessly off the layered steel armor. Rowley and his mates kept their fingers on their triggers, bullets tearing through the earthen fortifications and shredding the attackers.
Suddenly, the tank beside Rowley's exploded. Rowley could see a wall of flames and hear the screams of dying men. A blur overhead caused him to look up as a German plane flew by. He could see a pilot and a gunner, making hand gestures to each other. Before he could reposition his gun, the plane passed again, this time raining bullets on the unprotected infantry which followed the tank charge. Rowley finally settled his gun in place and raised it to its highest elevation, waiting and scanning the skies.
Out of the corner of his eye, Rowley saw the plane dive low. He slowly moved the gun to trace its path, concentrating because he knew he might not get another shot. The plane came straight toward him pulling up and to the left. Rowley squeezed the trigger and watched as his bullets tore into the plane's belly.
The German's grenade fell off its mark and exploded, spraying dirt and rocks into Rowley's face. He jerked back and frantically rubbed his eyes. When he was sure that he was intact and could see, he returned to his gun and scanned the skies again. There was no sign on the German plane.
When the German plane did not reappear after a few moments, Rowley noticed that he couldn't smell Perry's vomit anymore. Instead, the heat from the engine, combined with the gasses from the thousands of rounds they had fired made the air thick and almost unbreathable. The little bit of fresh air that came in through the portholes and the space around his gun wasn't enough to make his tank seem less like a coffin. His thoughts began to wander, taking him back to summers by the ocean when he was young....
He came crashing back to reality as his head bounced off the wall. The tank rocked forward and back, treads creaking and slipping in the soft ground, fighting for traction. He reached across and grabbed Perry, "My God, mate, we've crossed the trench!" Rowley crawled back to his gun. The Germans were frantically spraying everything in sight with bullets. This was their final stand. Rowley steadied himself and began spraying bullets at the entrenched Germans, as the survivors dove for cover. He could see other tanks crossing the trench, their crews firing into the bunkers and foxholes to eradicate any pockets of resistance.
With the Germans driven back or surrendered, the tanks were given the all-clear signal. Rowley and his crew struggled to open the door at the back of the tank, desperate for fresh air. When the door finally gave, the cooler outside air knocked him back. Taking a deep breath, he crawled out and looked around. They were past most of the dead Germans. Some of his fellow soldiers had already been assigned the task of digging graves and clearing the dead.
Rowley leaned against Perry, his legs weak and his head spinning. It seemed to him that over half of the men who had survived in the tanks were feeling the same way. All would be joining him in the infirmary.
As they made there way to the medical tent, Rowley spoke what they were all thinking. "This is our first victory, but it doesn't feel any different."
User Reviews
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-04-26 15:13:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2005-09-09 01:49:53 (#)
Ranking: 2
Fuck man, I had no idea these existed until I saw #5 posted.
I just read them all and this story is great. You can tell there's been research and I really like where you're going with it. They get better as you go along.
Submitted by Stabkill (user info) at 2005-10-10 21:43:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
??? Now it sounds like I am right...but oh well. I discontinue this fight, it really is pointless... isn't it?
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2005-10-10 12:33:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
This obsession really is getting old, sweetheart.
Submitted by Stabkill (user info) at 2005-10-09 22:56:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by inbreakingnewsT.A.N. (user info) at 2005-10-06 20:16:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2005-09-09 01:49:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Fuck man, I had no idea these existed until I saw #5 posted.
I just read them all and this story is great. You can tell there's been research and I really like where you're going with it. They get better as you go along.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-08-18 00:58:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Getting better and better.
The last line didn't make any sense to me. Why didn't it feel any different? A huge victory like that? Sure it would all be for naught, but Rowley didn't know that yet.
Submitted by ArnieGeddon (user info) at 2005-07-20 19:53:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You know that we only signed the armistice because we wanted to be home for Christmas.
And you didn't push us back behind the Hindenberg line. We were regrouping.
Submitted by ArnieGeddon (user info) at 2005-07-20 19:30:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Danger_Ranger (user info) at 2005-07-15 16:27:22 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:41:05 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:33:27 (#)
Ranking: 2
Good quality. I like the way this forces you to stop everything you are doing and focus on what you are reading- not many posts do that to me. Except Danger's Terry series - un-put-down-able.
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awwwwwwwww, thank's you guys...
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What a cock-smoker.
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2005-07-18 10:50:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good. You seem to like WWI. I watched a movie last night "A very long engagement". It's a love story a bit like Amelie (with the same casting) but with brief although rare action scenes of WWI, and not involving yankees. You might like it.
Submitted by chillboy (user info) at 2005-07-16 21:47:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
I'd rather read the privacy policy on AOL
Submitted by forensicgirl3 (user info) at 2005-07-16 10:41:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2005-07-15 23:08:55 (#)
Ranking: 0
it wasn't mine forensic
chop chop
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Sheesh! Here you go you big baby. Yes, I did read it; very nice.
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2005-07-15 19:43:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
hahahahahahahahahaha
<shakes head>
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Submitted by Danger_Ranger (user info) at 2005-07-15 16:27:22 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:41:05 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:33:27 (#)
Ranking: 2
Good quality. I like the way this forces you to stop everything you are doing and focus on what you are reading- not many posts do that to me. Except Danger's Terry series - un-put-down-able.
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awwwwwwwww, thank's you guys...
Submitted by Stin (user info) at 2005-07-15 19:28:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice.
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-15 18:04:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Danger, you're whacked.
Off. By 14 year old Vietnamese prostitutes. Sick bastard...
Submitted by Danger_Ranger (user info) at 2005-07-15 16:27:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:41:05 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:33:27 (#)
Ranking: 2
Good quality. I like the way this forces you to stop everything you are doing and focus on what you are reading- not many posts do that to me. Except Danger's Terry series - un-put-down-able.
---------------------------------------
awwwwwwwww, thank's you guys...
Submitted by OneCheapGeek (user info) at 2005-07-15 15:57:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2005-07-15 11:07:22 (#)
Ranking: 2
Cool.
Submitted by Danger_Ranger (user info) at 2005-07-15 15:20:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:41:05 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:33:27 (#)
Ranking: 2
Good quality. I like the way this forces you to stop everything you are doing and focus on what you are reading- not many posts do that to me. Impressive.
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I concur.
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-15 13:07:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I think you need more enemies and more NSFW. Oh, and posts with no content but a fake camwhore of you. There's your hits, buddy!
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2005-07-15 13:04:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I think I need catchier titles so that people will visit more...
What do you think of:
Dawn at Cambrai - 4 Chicks Getting Stuffed By Anime Tentacles While I Write a Cliched Post a la Shlongy (just kidding. [REAL TITLE])
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:41:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:33:27 (#)
Ranking: 2
Good quality. I like the way this forces you to stop everything you are doing and focus on what you are reading- not many posts do that to me. Impressive.
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:40:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
WOOOOT! this rocks
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:33:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good quality. I like the way this forces you to stop everything you are doing and focus on what you are reading- not many posts do that to me. Impressive.
Submitted by UrbaneMischief (user info) at 2005-07-15 11:29:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
comment
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-07-15 11:29:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
nice
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2005-07-15 11:16:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
People have asked or mentioned having to Google Cambrai on past posts, so here's the lowdown. Cambrai was a battle in WWI. It was also the first use of tanks in a sustained push in battle.
By smuggling the tanks into France disguised as water tanks (hence the name), the Brits were able to catch the Germans completely off guard and advance 5 miles in a single day. Of course, since they were new, the Brit commanders had no clue what to do once they had made their advances and they were driven right back.
Starting to look like this might go past the 5 parts I had originally planned....
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2005-07-15 11:07:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Cool.
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-07-15 11:06:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment