1914 (British Ace) by Griff Hosker Page A

of one of the men and the machine gun crashed over. The machine gunner’s face was bleeding from the Luger and I smashed the butt into his face over and over until he stopped moving. As I stood I saw Doddy pulling a bayonet from the remaining gunner’s body. I was about to ask where he had acquired the bayonet when I saw that it was a German rifle. The camp was now filled with the horsemen; I saw the colonel had arrived. The Germans were either surrendering or fleeing.  We had won but as I looked around I could see the cost.  Not only were my friends Tiny and Jack dead but Captain Ashcroft and many of his squadron lay in a mangled and bloody heap.  The Lancashire Yeomanry had come of age.
    There was little to celebrate and much to do. Once the prisoners had been disarmed and penned we set to burying our dead. The service was hurried, we still had much to do but we needed to pay our respects to the fallen. The colonel and the chaplain both said words.  The colonel then detailed Lieutenant Jackson’s troop to escort the prisoners back to the rear while we remounted and headed towards the enemy once more.  We had found our gap and now we had to exploit it.
    There were now just twenty men left in the troop and that included the less than useful lieutenant. Doddy still looked angry. The funeral of his brother had been perfunctory at best. I remembered that he had promised his widowed mother that he would look after his little brother. “Robbie, keep an eye on the big fellah will you?”
    “Right sarge.”
    We could now hear as we rode north, the sound of the battle all the way along the line. In the distance we could hear bugles and the stutter of machine guns. They would be our biggest enemy. Our speed would be as nothing compared with the wall of lead they could spit out. A horse will still run, even with a bullet wound but it cannot run if it has been scythed by a machine gun.
    George and his section led on this part and it was his scout, Jack Hargreaves , who was shot by the waiting Germans. We turned and rode back to the small stand of trees. This time the whole regiment was close and the colonel took charge.
    “Horse holders!” Harry Grimes’ voice cracked like thunder.
    We formed a skirmish line and the colonel led us forward.  He had his Webley in one hand and his sword in the other. There was a look of grim determination on his face.  Captain Ashcroft had been a close friend and, like Doddy, he was set on revenge.
    The Germans had taken advantage of a fence at the far side of the field.  It would be a death trap to try to cross it. As soon as the first troopers tried to run a machine gun opened up and they were scythed down. “Take cover and bring up our machine gun.” The regiment only had one machine gun; the regulars had two but the crew were desperate to use it. “The rest of you, independent fire!”
    I could see little across the field but I aimed at the smoke.  The Germans were doing the same and soon the leaves and branches around my head were being s hredded by the enemy bullets. I lay down, which gave me a better platform to shoot. “Lie down lads.  It is easier.” I saw Doddy still standing and I reached up to tug on his tunic. “Lie down you daft bugger.  You getting killed won’t bring your brother back will it?”
    He glared at me and then nodded.  As he lay next to me he said, “How will I tell me mam?”
    “I’ll do it.  I’ll write the letter for you. Just calm yourself down a bit eh?”
    “Aye sarge. Thanks.”
    When the machine began to fire all thoughts of conversation disappeared. The leaves on the other side of the field began to disappear as the .303 bullets acted like a mechanical axe.
    “B squadron! Begin to work your way across the field. A and C Squadrons give supporting fire.”
    I watched as Captain Carrick led his men in short runs across the field. I admired their courage. I was not certain if I could run that gauntlet. I saw troopers falling but the German