Army command understood this and left us to our own devices most of the time. We were like caged animals and the cage door was only opened when the shit hit the fan and our particular skill set was required.
So, while I appreciate Dan’s confidence in handling the patrols when they arrive, I know how they think and they might not take kindly to an ex-Royal Marine in civilian clothes and a young squaddie telling them to check their equipment and wait. There isn’t any other option though, I need to see Emily, Catherine and Stacey and getting that done now so that my full concentration can be aimed at the mission is the best course of action.
I check Dan’s sizes so I can pick him up a fresh combat uniform while I’m gone, but the Lieutenant tells me he will get that arranged for both of us; he takes our sizes and he assures us that the uniforms will be here when we get back. The Lieutenant and I then make our way out of the hangar and to the Defender.
Chapter 8
The engine starts on the Defender and we leave the hangar behind, driving back through the swarm of Apache helicopters, towards the departure lounge from earlier.
Crews, engineers, air force personnel and other airport staff are absolutely everywhere, loading ordnance, fuelling and checking; this doesn’t surprise me, as it’s only an hour and twenty minutes until Operation Denial, to take back London is due to get underway. There are personnel all around, and we have to drive slowly through the melee and have to brake sharply once as an American pilot walks straight out in front of us, not expecting cars to be driving through. He slams his hand down on the bonnet of the Defender, shouting and gesticulating as only an American can, before carrying on his journey.
“What role is the U.S playing in today’s operation?” I ask Lieutenant Winters.
“Initially, they are supplying air support at our request; we just haven’t got enough helicopters to provide the amount of air support and cover we need. No other support has been requested as of yet. We shouldn’t need it, although if the mission goes badly, command may have to change their position.”
Some might think that this is very generous of the Americans, helping the UK out in its time of need and they would be right, it is good of them. Make no bones about it, however, the Americans have a vested interest in seeing the UK overcome this outbreak.
You hear on the news about the British-American special relationship and your eyes probably start to glaze over, but when you have served in the military, you actually see that relationship in action. The Americans have by far the larger Armed Forces, but even they need Allies and the UK is their closest military ally. We speak the same language, we, on the whole hold the same values and the UK military is formidable, so invariably if there is trouble in the world, the UK and U.S are in the dirt together, side by side.
That’s not to mention our entwined economies; the international markets have already been hit hard by this outbreak in the UK, and if the UK’s economy were to fail it, would have serious ramifications around the world. Not just in America, although they would be hit particularly hard and I suspect the Americans like the world economy just the way it is.
Even with all that aside, why wouldn’t the most powerful Armed Forces the world has ever seen want to get in on the action, Allies or not? An Army is only as good as its last battle and if that Army doesn’t feed off the battlefield, it has a tendency to become rusty and complacent. There is a reason UK forces suddenly pop up somewhere around the world where trouble has broken out, where you think we have no cause to be; there is no better training than the real thing and it’s the same for the U.S. military.
The U.S has so far committed air support, which is relatively low risk and good PR for the current U.S administration. The camera shots will look great on the news and win votes for sure, but you can bet your bottom dollar U.S Special Forces are chomping at the bit to get on the ground and see some real action, as I would have been when I was active SAS and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they are going in, in some capacity, secretly.
“Let’s hope command doesn’t have to change their position, but the infected are so fast and strong, I just hope that the first troops going in know what they are going to be up against and are briefed fully,” I tell the Lieutenant.
“Believe me, Captain, they have been, none of them will be under any illusion of what they are going to be up against.”
“I bloody hope they have,” I say.
The cabin of the Defender goes quiet as the journey nears its conclusion, both of us, I suspect, contemplating what is in store for those troops as 1000 hours approaches.
We pull up and Lieutenant Winters applies the hand brake, turns off the engine still in silence and we both get out and go over to the same door we exited from earlier, that leads back up the stairs and into the
