bleedin’ Alex by now, and we’re still bloody well stuck in this dump.’
‘Get a bloody move on!’ shouted another, leaning away from the gun and looking down towards the deck.
It was well after four when they finally got going, which produced a loud, ironic cheer from the men on deck. Already, however, the first faint lightening of the horizon was discernible to the east, and by the time they were clear of the harbour, day was dawning rapidly. As they passed the island of Dia, just to the north-east of Heraklion, the tip of the sun had appeared, casting golden streaks across the sea.
No one said much; the grousing had stopped. It was a waiting game, as every man knew. If they were lucky, they still might not be picked up – it was early after all. And if they were spotted, at least there was only one of them – a single small destroyer, weaving at more than thirty knots, was a difficult target to hit.
But it was not to be. Just after five, Stukas appeared from the east, faint dots at first, quickly becoming angry wasps, and then, moments later, they were over them, diving down, sirens screaming, engines straining, and the pompom and twin cannons pumping out shells towards them. While the gunners tried to train their guns, the men on deck ducked – all except Tanner, who, with his anger rising, had unslung his rifle and begun firing as the first Stuka came out of its dive. It was too far away, he knew, but it
‘Christ!’ said Tanner, as he realized they were going to hit. The first disappeared straight down the funnel, while the second seemed to hit the bridge. The two explosions were almost simultaneous, one a dull, muffled roar, the other a deafening crash. The ship jolted, and Tanner clutched at the railings to steady himself. A ball of angry flame and smoke engulfed the bridge and then there was a second explosion. Flame erupted out of the funnel and the ship shuddered again, more violently this time, and, with a creaking and groaning of tearing, grinding metal, the deck started to move. Men were shouting as bombs continued falling around them, Stukas diving and whirling like a swarm of bees. For a moment Tanner was too stunned to move, the noise overwhelming.
The ship lurched, and Tanner glanced around and saw Peploe, McAllister and others from 1 Platoon, all clambering onto the rails. The gun crews were hurling several rubber dinghies overboard while, further along, lifeboats were being lowered.
‘Jack!’ called Sykes, beside him. ‘We’ve got to jump!’
Keeping his rifle on his back, but discarding his helmet and his Schmeisser, Tanner ducked under the railing, saw Sykes leap clear, then took a deep breath and jumped after him.
The cold sea enveloped him and he immediately felt his clothes and kit clinging to him heavily as he plunged downwards, then forced his way back to the surface. He knew he had to get away from the ship. Men were already filling the dinghies and clinging to the sides but he began to swim away, conscious of Sykes beside him.
The ship groaned again. As Tanner rolled onto his back he saw more men leaping from its side. Already his legs felt heavy, but he knew he had to keep moving – there was no time to discard his boots and kit just yet.
Sykes was gasping, arms flailing in a loose crawl, as behind men screamed and shouted. Suddenly there was a deafening tearing and grinding of metal and the ship began to turn in on itself, slowly at first, the stern and prow inching clear of the water. Tanner heard the screams of men still trapped on board, but then both ends of the ship rose high out of the sea, and seemed to hang there a moment before plunging towards the water with an agonizing screech and groan. Desperate screams from those left on board carried out across the sea, and Tanner watched as several men, arms waving helplessly, and a dinghy full of others, were sucked down with the sinking vessel.
Suddenly the ship was gone, the screaming had stopped, and all that was left were bits of flotsam and a swirling mass of white bubbles and surf.
The Stukas had flown off, their task complete. Treading water, Tanner looked around. Nearby several dinghies were filled with men and more clung to the sides. Tanner saw several of the Y Gun crew in a dinghy no more than thirty yards away, then spotted McAllister and Mercer and, clinging to the rope around it, Captain Peploe, Hepworth, Chambers and several others from 1 Platoon. Further away, one of the lifeboats was still picking up men, who were calling out, desperate to attract attention.
Tanner swam towards Sykes, who was treading water and trying to get rid of some of his kit. ‘You all right, Stan?’ he asked.
‘I’ve been better,’ he muttered. He turned his head towards a second dinghy. ‘We should try and grab onto that one.’
They swam towards it and found Bell and Woodman already inside, along with a few others of the ship’s crew. Lieutenant McDonald and Dicky Bonner were hanging on to the outside.
‘Ah, hello, you two,’ said McDonald, as Tanner and Sykes reached out and grabbed the ropes around the sides of the rubber boat. ‘Lovely morning for a swim.’
‘’Ere, sir,’ said Bell, as he noticed Tanner’s rifle still sticking up from his back. ‘Don’t you think you might be better off ditching that?’
‘Not at the moment, Tinker, no,’ said Tanner. ‘I’m not giving up this rifle that easily. I might still need it when we get back on land.’ He followed the others’ gaze. Crete seemed an unnervingly long way off. ‘Come on, boys,’ he said. ‘It’s only, what, six or seven miles? We can make it, can’t we?’ He looked around. Men were still swimming and flailing in the water. ‘Where’s Mr Liddell?’ He spotted him before his question could be answered, some forty yards away, clearly struggling.
‘Bloody hell,’ said Tanner. ‘Stupid bugger can’t even bloody well swim properly.’ He sighed, then said to Bell and Woodman, ‘Look after my stuff, will you?’ He passed up his rifle, then his boots, and finally his belt, pack and bayonet. ‘Drop any of them over the side, and I’ll bloody tip you over as well.’
He immediately felt light and stronger, and swam quickly towards Liddell, reaching him just as the lieutenant’s head dipped below water. Grabbing him, he put an arm around his chest and hoisted him up again. Liddell spluttered.
‘Easy does it,’ said Tanner, and began slowly making his way back towards the dinghy.
But just then, he heard a whir coming from the east that suddenly grew louder so that before he had realized what was happening two Messerschmitt 109s were hurtling towards them, diving out of the sun at high speed. They opened fire, lines of bullets spurting out small fountains of water. Tanner ducked, briefly letting go of Liddell, as bullets hissed through the water around him. Pushing himself up to the surface again, he grabbed Liddell once more, watched as the Messerschmitts climbed and headed on west, then heard cries. Both the dinghies near him were all right, but one of the lifeboats had been raked, several men hit, and now the vessel was sinking.
‘Bastards!’ said Tanner, then heard Liddell groan. Turning to look at his charge, he realized the water around them was colouring with cloudy dark blood. Liddell groaned again, and Tanner saw that blood was pulsing from his shoulder.
‘Here!’ he said, as he reached out and grabbed one of the ropes. ‘Help me get him in. He’s been hit and he’s losing blood. Tinker, you’re going to have to duck out and make room for Mr Liddell.’
‘That’s all right, sir,’ said Bell. ‘I know my place.’
‘Just be bloody grateful you’re in one piece,’ growled Tanner. ‘Who’s still got some dressings?’ He managed to fish out two sodden packets from his denims, as others did the same. ‘Woody, see what you can do. That hole needs filling up quickly.’
‘I’ve been hit,’ mumbled Liddell. ‘Christ, I’ve been hit. Oh, God.’ Tears ran down his face.
‘You’re all right, sir,’ said Woodman. ‘Don’t you worry.’
‘Where’s that other dinghy?’ said Tanner. ‘And give Mr Liddell some water. There’s a full bottle on my webbing.’
‘Not far,’ said Woodman.
‘Then holler over to them, Woody,’ said Tanner. ‘We should try and stick together.’
Those outside the dinghy began kicking while those inside used their arms as paddles. They were slowly drawing towards the other dinghy, when a sailing boat was spotted coming towards them. Immediately the men started shouting and waving.
