Then he continued: ' We may be overwhelmed by lack of anti-air missiles, lack of any tactical air force in the skies above us, or by lack of mobility because we have no dedicated amphibious shipping.' He slapped the table. 'But we're going to stick in our holes,' he said. ' Marine Bloggs will kill as many Russians as he can with his rifle, before he is himself killed. His tenacity will give time for the back-up to arrive.' His pointer hovered over Narvik, then to Harstad and Tromso.
18
'HMS Glorious began disembarking 45 Commando last night; 42 should be in position by this time tomorrow, Furious has been delayed by strikes for so long that she can't be brought forward in time, so the private enterprise ferries have been helping out with 42. The first ferries got in this morning, but the gales have left the troops the worst for wear.' He flashed his cold smile. ' Marine Bloggs is a quick recoverer: I'm told that 42's first convoy is already on its way north, to back up 45. The E6 is like a crawl to Brighton on a Bank Holiday. But we've never been given a dedicated amphibious lift and so we're having to extemporize: we're using every swinish dodge I know to move our Marines about. We've always known that the decision to use Glorious and Furious was a political compromise. The ASW carriers can be used for the amphibious role only in a quick dash operation. But now, gentlemen, make the best of it; there are plenty of submarines for them to chase when they've dumped us.' He glanced at his audience. 'Fortunately, our Norwegian friends are right behind us: you won't find any fishermen or anyone with a boat who won't help you. If the weather's okay, use them to your utmost for moving along the coast.
'Back-up.' For the first time, he raised his voice. ' It's on its way, while the politicians brace themselves. The Royal Netherlands Marine Corps' Amphibious Combat Group — Whisky Company — is landing tomorrow. ACE'S (Allied Command Europe) Mobile Force — our Fire Brigade — was to have deployed but cannot now be spared.
'Remember to hot up on your procedures: ACE has as many Canadians, Americans, Germans and Italians as Brits.' Dick Stoddart smiled to himself as he listened to the subdued chuckle in the room. Ghosts still lingered.
'Don't forget, gentlemen, the Norwegians' sensitivity: we're in their country. Though all forces are under the command of the Norwegian Commander, North Norway, overall command is exercised from Kolsas by our Royal Marine General, and our brigadier controls us. You can't ask for more than that.
'Tactical air… tactical air, gentlemen, is at a discount. Hoard your anti-air missiles like gold. You won't be getting any more; hopes for promised tactical air support from the UK or from anywhere else are as Alice-in-Wonderland as the promises of those who made them. The best thing is to pray for bad weather, when the Russians' overwhelming superiority will be reduced by Mother Nature. For light lifts, our own flights are already deployed: you all know the communication procedures. There won't be many elements of 845 Naval Air Squadron around, because they're up with 45. The navy's short of pilots because Glorious and Furious are likely soon to be resuming their ASW roles.
'For transport, most of you will have to rely on snow shoes and skis. All units are being kitted up as soon as they land. Base camps are holding spare stocks and rations are scaled for thirty days. Mercifully, we've got our hundred and fifty volvo over-snow tracked vehicles in time — about a tenth of what we could do with — so go easy with your requests. The " bandwagons " will be restricted to the front line and today that means 45 Commando.
'Ammunition, gentlemen: a dirty word.' He paused momentrialy: ' That knotty one has been solved, due to the guile, if I may use such a word, of our Brigade HQ. Once stockpiling was accepted by the Norwegians, we've been able slowly to build up our stocks. But, be thrifty; fire discipline is essential, because getting ammunition to you without transport is going to be tricky — and that's the reason why all depots have their pulk stocks topped up…' Stoddart groaned mentally at the memory of pulk-pulling loads across deep snow on snow-shoes. Sledge-dragging was not as easy as it looked.
'Weather and survival.' The brigade major was hurrying on, trying to beat the clock. ' Stick to the drills. Deception is always vital, particularly if the weather remains fine. Don't forget that snow-shoes conceal tracks more easily than skis if the patrol is of any size. Remember how difficult it is in the assault, to climb out of your planks smartish.' He looked around his audience: ' Of course, there's the old argument: some of us prefer to assault in snow-shoes, rather than with only boots, if we've discarded skis.
'Do all you can to avoid asking for transport. After fifteen years of using a heavy-lift chopper, we've still nothing yet to replace the old Wessex.
'And remember your hygiene and buddy-buddy drill. Remember that a frost-bitten man is not only one less in the unit, but can render the whole troop ineffective if the casualty has to be returned to base medical care. Your arctic clothing is the best in the world: that and each man's ski, snow-shoe and winter kit costs nearly a thousand pounds. Look after it.
'Anti-tank remains a problem for 42, I'm afraid. You'll still have to make do with your old friend, the 84 mm gun, but 45 and a few of your companies have now got the Milan. It's a good weapon, gentlemen, as you know, though complicated.' Dick noted the nods of approval about him.
'And don't forget your " do-it-yourself" kits, gentlemen. The 66 mm Law disposable anti-tank weapon is still a good bet. Remember, it requires a crew of three in a section of nine men, but the weapon weighs only just over four pounds.'
'Sounds like a sales rep.,' Dick's neighbour, a major from 42's HQ, muttered irreverently.
'If it comes to the heavy stuff,' the brigade major was continuing, ' don't forget how much mobility and general chaos you can cause by using your Raiding Squadrons, the Rigid Raiders and the SBS (Special Boat Squadron) to the full. They're trained to play foul, the cunning swine…'
There was an outburst of laughter. Dick smiled broadly, remembering his early days as a subaltern in the Royal Marines' version of the army's SAS. Highly trained in every lethal art.
parachuting, canoeing, diving, espionage and reconnaissance, fast Gemini handling — these special units had supreme confidence in themselves as being the elite of the Corps. Parachuting into the Arctic fjords, to swim ashore and fight it out; to canoe in freezing gale-force winds, then dive in their shallow-water diving-gear to calmer conditions below the surface in order to reach their objective; and to be landed, disguised, from submarines or from Norwegian fishing boats were natural projections of the original SBS which had been born in 1942.
'On the domestic scene, gentlemen, we're still getting mail coming through and we're distributing it to the units.' He looked about his audience, his eye finally catching Stoddart's. ' Captain Stoddart, Icarus is coming in to Fugloyfjord tomorrow with your detachment. Could you transfer STANAVFORLANT'S mail?'
'Certainly, sir. Where'll I pick it up?'
'Captain Throwleigh, my GSO, will brief you: he's taking care of your operation.' The brigade major began collecting his bits and pieces:
'Before I finish, you ought to be brought up to date with news from the home front.' He glanced at the notes in his hand:
'After Parliament's declaration of a State of Emergency on Thursday, Regulation 18B was approved yesterday. Suspected traitors are being rounded up and interned in detention camps.' There was a cheer around the hall, followed by good-humoured laughter at the news that the Peace Watch group had been refused permission by the Home Secretary to march down Whitehall. ' There have been riots in the docks, notably in Southampton and Dover. The Territorials got the ferries away all right and the troops are learning to use the giant container cranes. There have been more deaths amongst travellers trying to get back from the European ski resorts… and Heathrow has finally seized up… There we are, everything's normal at home.