Beach Runner
The Beach
“Five minutes till ramp down” the helms man shouted but the soldiers could barely hear him due to the waves crashing against the side of the landing craft. They were all terrified. The words five minutes rang round Jack’s head. They all new he meant five minutes till your dead. The day before every soldier said goodbye to his friends. A lot of them swapped address books so that if they died a friend could tell their family not a uniformed officer who didn’t even know what really happened.
“30 seconds” the helms man shouted. All the soldiers in the craft stood up. “Release the ramp” a soldier shouted from behind and a small wheel started to spin very rapidly at the front of the craft. The sound of bullets hitting the metal craft sounded like thunder rushing through Jack’s head. Jack was sitting at the back of the craft which was lucky for him as a wave of bullets took out everyone in the front.
He couldn’t hear himself think due to the loud screams of pain coming from every direction. He ran out of the craft bent double and took shelter in a nearby crater made by the German mortars. He looked to the right of him and he saw a dead boy who looked barely 18 with a small bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. Jack rolled over and started to cry until another soldier jumped into the crater and shouted “get up and move forward. We need to take the forward ramparts”. They both jumped up and began to run as fast as their legs could carry them.
They had reached a small rise in the sand that ran the length of the beach and pulled out their rifles from underneath them. The other soldiers that had made it through were also ducking behind the rise. Confused looks on everyone’s faces as none of them recognised each other. “Cut through the barbed wire” bellowed a deep voice to the left of Jack. “Come on kid” said the soldier who had got Jack out of the crater. “Lets move” shouted an even deeper voice but from Jack’s left this time. All of the soldiers hiding behind the rise got up and started to run it was like a giant wave of green had been born from within this dark hell hole and was sweeping towards the grey monster that stood at the top of the cliffs.
Bullets flew by Jack’s head a number of times but still he lived and still he ran towards what he thought was certain death. He grasped his rifle tighter and ran faster than he ever had before and he reached the staircase to the higher parts of the cliff. He ran up them surround by heroes from a number of countries and as they ran a rush of adrenaline took over him and he screamed louder than he ever had. They all just kept running until sunlight broke of the top of the steps like waves crashing over the rocks.
At the top of the steps they were greeted by waves of bullets coming out of German trenches and they all dived into the nearest trench. Bodies lay on the floor scattered, drenched in blood. Medics ran around frantically like headless chickens trying to help as many people as they could, most being shot in the progress. It seemed like we have been shooting them for hours Jack thought. And after the gunshots had stopped and the smoke cleared and the fires had all burnt out the surviving allies stood up from the trenches and collected the prisoners. Jack thought to him self how am I still alive and he walked off to meet up with the others from his battalion, who had survived, at the checkpoint.
***
The next day after waking up jack went straight to the command centre to get his orders. He was to move out straight away to help remove some artillery about 10 miles south of his current position. After that he was to move out and hold a town further east. He new now that god may have spared his life yesterday but he would not be so lucky throughout the war.
A truck had come to pick him and the rest of the squad up as he stepped on he started to think about the soldier who had helped him in the crater and more to the point if he had survived. He would never know so he pushed it out of his head.
***
They jumped out of the truck and took their positions Jack was to be one of the people running through the chain of trenches guarding the soldier with the explosives.
“Go, go, go” Jack’s sergeant shouted and the soldiers started to run. The Germans started to fire their guns. It was an all too familiar scene for Jack. He ran once again crouched down so not to get hit by a stray bullet. To of the soldiers in front of him got shot by a German machinegun round the corner of the trench. Jack signalled the soldiers behind him to stop. He threw a grenade round the gun and the Germans started to shout and run. An explosion went off and screams of pain come from round the corner.
Jack signalled them to start moving again and as they ran he shot two of the Germans who were lying on the floor screaming. He almost seemed happy that he had done so. They reach the first artillery gun and three British soldiers including Jack began to shoot at the Germans surrounding it and once they were all dead one of the British soldiers strapped some explosives to the artillery gun and took cover. Another loud explosion went off and shrapnel went flying everywhere hitting a British soldier in the stomach. A medic started to see to him as the others ran on.
“Only two more guns” Jack screamed. The squad moved on and never looked back. They reached the second gun and once again began firing at the Germans surrounding it. After they were all dead Jack jumped up in excitement but was hit in the shoulder by a stray bullet. He fell to the ground screaming in pain and then blacked out.
***
He re-awoke in a hospital bed inside a church. “Where am I” he bellowed. A quiet reply came from a soldier in the bed next to him “you’re in the town we are meant to be holding”.
“What happened to the artillery guns” Jack replied.
“They are destroyed” whispered the soldier. Jack needed a moment to gather his thoughts. A medic walked into the room. “How are you” asked the medic.
“Still a bit shook up” replied Jack…..
“30 seconds” the helms man shouted. All the soldiers in the craft stood up. “Release the ramp” a soldier shouted from behind and a small wheel started to spin very rapidly at the front of the craft. The sound of bullets hitting the metal craft sounded like thunder rushing through Jack’s head. Jack was sitting at the back of the craft which was lucky for him as a wave of bullets took out everyone in the front.
He couldn’t hear himself think due to the loud screams of pain coming from every direction. He ran out of the craft bent double and took shelter in a nearby crater made by the German mortars. He looked to the right of him and he saw a dead boy who looked barely 18 with a small bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. Jack rolled over and started to cry until another soldier jumped into the crater and shouted “get up and move forward. We need to take the forward ramparts”. They both jumped up and began to run as fast as their legs could carry them.
They had reached a small rise in the sand that ran the length of the beach and pulled out their rifles from underneath them. The other soldiers that had made it through were also ducking behind the rise. Confused looks on everyone’s faces as none of them recognised each other. “Cut through the barbed wire” bellowed a deep voice to the left of Jack. “Come on kid” said the soldier who had got Jack out of the crater. “Lets move” shouted an even deeper voice but from Jack’s left this time. All of the soldiers hiding behind the rise got up and started to run it was like a giant wave of green had been born from within this dark hell hole and was sweeping towards the grey monster that stood at the top of the cliffs.
Bullets flew by Jack’s head a number of times but still he lived and still he ran towards what he thought was certain death. He grasped his rifle tighter and ran faster than he ever had before and he reached the staircase to the higher parts of the cliff. He ran up them surround by heroes from a number of countries and as they ran a rush of adrenaline took over him and he screamed louder than he ever had. They all just kept running until sunlight broke of the top of the steps like waves crashing over the rocks.
At the top of the steps they were greeted by waves of bullets coming out of German trenches and they all dived into the nearest trench. Bodies lay on the floor scattered, drenched in blood. Medics ran around frantically like headless chickens trying to help as many people as they could, most being shot in the progress. It seemed like we have been shooting them for hours Jack thought. And after the gunshots had stopped and the smoke cleared and the fires had all burnt out the surviving allies stood up from the trenches and collected the prisoners. Jack thought to him self how am I still alive and he walked off to meet up with the others from his battalion, who had survived, at the checkpoint.
***
The next day after waking up jack went straight to the command centre to get his orders. He was to move out straight away to help remove some artillery about 10 miles south of his current position. After that he was to move out and hold a town further east. He new now that god may have spared his life yesterday but he would not be so lucky throughout the war.
A truck had come to pick him and the rest of the squad up as he stepped on he started to think about the soldier who had helped him in the crater and more to the point if he had survived. He would never know so he pushed it out of his head.
***
They jumped out of the truck and took their positions Jack was to be one of the people running through the chain of trenches guarding the soldier with the explosives.
“Go, go, go” Jack’s sergeant shouted and the soldiers started to run. The Germans started to fire their guns. It was an all too familiar scene for Jack. He ran once again crouched down so not to get hit by a stray bullet. To of the soldiers in front of him got shot by a German machinegun round the corner of the trench. Jack signalled the soldiers behind him to stop. He threw a grenade round the gun and the Germans started to shout and run. An explosion went off and screams of pain come from round the corner.
Jack signalled them to start moving again and as they ran he shot two of the Germans who were lying on the floor screaming. He almost seemed happy that he had done so. They reach the first artillery gun and three British soldiers including Jack began to shoot at the Germans surrounding it and once they were all dead one of the British soldiers strapped some explosives to the artillery gun and took cover. Another loud explosion went off and shrapnel went flying everywhere hitting a British soldier in the stomach. A medic started to see to him as the others ran on.
“Only two more guns” Jack screamed. The squad moved on and never looked back. They reached the second gun and once again began firing at the Germans surrounding it. After they were all dead Jack jumped up in excitement but was hit in the shoulder by a stray bullet. He fell to the ground screaming in pain and then blacked out.
***
He re-awoke in a hospital bed inside a church. “Where am I” he bellowed. A quiet reply came from a soldier in the bed next to him “you’re in the town we are meant to be holding”.
“What happened to the artillery guns” Jack replied.
“They are destroyed” whispered the soldier. Jack needed a moment to gather his thoughts. A medic walked into the room. “How are you” asked the medic.
“Still a bit shook up” replied Jack…..