Words at War: Combined Operations

Sergeant John Kenneth Smith, Royal West Kent's reporting, sir. Yes, Sergeant. You volunteered to become a commando soldier. Yes, sir. You are, I believe, an expert with explosives. Somewhat, sir. We have decided to accept you, Sergeant.

Thank you, sir. We're proud of the honor. We have decided to accept you because we could use volunteers of your experience. On a special, very dangerous job. Am I permitted to ask the nature of the job, sir?

I'm sorry, Sergeant. It's secret. I volunteer, sir. Good. You'll be ordered to a combined operations training center immediately. You'll need a few weeks there before you're ready for this work. Thank you, Sir, it's Smith, and good luck.

The National Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with the Council on Books and War Time, presents the premiere of Words at War, a series based on the most important books to come out of this war. Stories of the battlefronts are behind the scenes diplomacy of underground warfare of the home front have action on the seas.

is a living record of this war and the things for which we fight. Tonight's story is based on material from the recently published book, Combined Operations, the official story of the British Command Ours. Words at War presents Hilary St. George Sanders, the author of Combined Operations, for a few introductory words.

Mr. Sanders. What you are going to hear tonight is not an actual extract from the book, combined operations, it is an imaginative reconstruction of one of the most successful commando raids described therein. It does not pretend to be accurate in every detail.

After all, why tell the enemy what he would very much like to know? But you may be assured that the incidents depicted either happened or might well have happened. In any case, here is the story, as told by a man whom we shall call Sergeant Smith. Sergeant Smith of number two commando of the combined operations command. Actually Smith is not my name, but for reasons

of military security, I must be Smith. So this is what I'm supposed to make commandos out of visit. Let's have a look at you. You. What's your name? Smith sir. Sergeant John Kenneth Smith Royal West Kent's assigned to combine operations. You.

Corporal E. Pravan. Piper C. Fothielanders assigned to combine operations. Haring your bagpipes with you when you arrived I noticed. That made you a volunteer for combined operations. I heard you needed one good man in the outfit sir. Hey boss while you're at it how come you're in this man's army. I I thought the Irish were supposed to be neutral.

The Irish are neutral. But who do you think they're neutral against? You think we want the English to be beaten and have known to fight with after the war? Ha ha ha ha. And you...

Who are you? Private Edward Mofey. Mofey. Mofey. Very big of a sense. What sort of a name is that? Irish. Why sure? Me, I come from Brooklyn, boys. And in what part of Ireland is that?

It ain't. It's in the USA. Rooker is a city of which New York is a sub-boy. Oh, I yank is it? And I suppose like a good many more of you, I admit you couldn't wait for the states to get into the war.

You had to rush up to Canada and join up. Is that it? That's right, boss. Me and Piggy O'Donnell from Kannasi. We done it together. We were sick of going to Ebbersfield and throw bottles at the umpire.

So as we decided we'd get into some real fight. So we hop in the train against the chariot of the party. Pee me the complete story of your life, please. Piggy O'Donnell. Mmm. The name like that you think he'd be a good soldier.

I didn't he volunteer for the commandos. Piggy didn't come back from Dunkite. I'm ready! You men have been very carefully chosen from all the volunteers for combined operations. You're all supposed to be outstanding. Mentally, physically.

Let me put you straight. Up to now you don't even know what soldier it is. When you'll finish commando training, if you finish it, you'll be worthy of that uniform. When I listen to be carefully, combined operations means just what it says.

Attack and raiding operations in which the army, the navy, and the royal air force work together. We don't go in for petty discipline here. Every man is on his own, or less. We expect you to obey the rules.

Too many lapses and you're out. Once you're kicked out of the commandos, you couldn't get back in again if you were his Majesty's fifth cousin. Another thing. We work in tools in the commandos. Pick yourself a mate, work with him, stick with him.

You'll find it pays. Now I see you're all very tired. You've had a hard day. Some of you can hardly keep your eyes open. So I'm not going to keep you standing here any longer.

Piper, Proven! I, sir! Pick up your back pipes to take your place to the head of the car. We're going someplace, Sergeant Major. Yes. We're marching to Edgemere and back. What? It's only 22 miles around, Cliff.

22 miles! 2 miles in the morning. Rump! The climb cliffs. We did exercises by eights together, balancing logs nine inches thick on our shoulders. And we learned to handle one of the most devastating instruments of death known to modern warfare.

Our arch be close boys. This cottage is the strongly held German position. Wear the demolition squad. Go over there. You're the protective squad. Open fire in the Germans. That'll give us a chance to work.

Now boys, where the enemy's supposed to be in that house is engaged is engaged by the others, we'll get our little gift ready for them. Make this satchel charge. It's a number of blocks of TNT held together with wire with a satchel handle for carrying it.

We set the fuse like so. We insert the ignition like so. Now, while our own wire covers us, we run to the house, ram it up against the wall, and places. Run your terryers, run!

So that's what a set you charge does a look at that cartridge where the heck is it to look at? Brown to smith a reen as you can see boys these satchel charges can make the nazis very unhappy What be careful? Please be careful. How you handle them? Oh, I salt it major. Yes, Timmons

Could I have one of them things for my mother-in-law? Turnal in London that told me my mission would be dangerous He hadn't told me quite how strenuous commandment training would be. We marched and doubled, marched and doubled and marched again over all kinds of country, with glam rivers and full equipment, across the month bridges made of toggle ropes,

and we ran the gauntlet over specially prepared assault causes. Hey, in the bullets too, look, it's March to Bay and I'm a rifle. Half an inch lower than I'd have been excorpero-preven. Rames, you're the major, these game of yordies, you painters.

We're here at bombs and ammunition, and what do you think the Germans will throw at you? Spitballs! Get going and take that objective! We wrestle and box and learn jiu-jitsu, and how to swim in from the sea holding our tommy guns over our heads.

We learned the tricks of handling the two and three inch mortars and anti-tank rifle, and how to use the rifle butt on human skulls. We learned to hunt tanks and their crews, to storm pillboxes, into march, march, march, march!

This was learning the trade of war. The commando training gave us mastery of our own minds and bodies too. Strengthened our mental and moral makeup. Built within each of us, the self-confidence and self-reliance the good commando soldier must have.

I remember well my first lesson in this. It happened one evening after we had finished a 33 mile forced march. He was sitting around singing while Scotty played his bagpipe. Are they for Scotty? Honkour!

Come on, Scotty! No, I... I didn't feel like playing more than your lads. Hey Scotty! Swing out with Chattanooga Chocchio or Tanya in that contraption! Why, Scotty! I, Smitty! I swear, man, you're the saddest-looking Scots piper I've ever seen in my life!

I suppose I am, you see lads, I'm in love, I am. Oh, in love! I meet at lads with the sweetest lassie north of the border. It was home in Furlough, I was to be married to her.

came the word I was accepted for the commandos and I was called back with only enough time to give her a a weak kiss on the red of her cheek yeah but why get a crying jag on about it it's the song Brooklyn lather banks a lot lormand you see me that's her name she's a sentimental lassian how she says that's

our love song she was I singing it you see how it is look here's her picture Oh, she's very lovely, Scotty. And she. Congratulations, Scotty. Oh, Marsh, she's a beauty, ain't she? Hey, hey, hit them to Grace, think I'll put themself boys.

All right, the sergeant major's riding one of the immunity chiefs. I thought I'd say it was. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if you hadn't come back. I see you're a fine federal mighty.

And this boy's him, that kitten. I was just saying to the guys that the sergeant major don't come back before they sound like I thought I said I won't be able to sleep. Oh, God.

Well, there'd be no lights out tonight. Oh, God. You're on your own, boys. The next parade is at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning at Map Reference, A-1-4-4-G-1-6 on your scout map. A-1-4-4-G-1-6. 6 a.m. Wait a sec.

Did you say Map Reference A-1-4-4-G-1-6, Sergeant Major? I did. Let's see that you scavers... Well, that's 73 miles from here. That's right, it is. Well, for the love of... Well, that means we got to ride all night.

Okay, okay. Maybe this your idea of fun, boss. When the lawyers be along, pick us up. There won't be any lorries, Murphy. Huh? What's that? No lorries. But, Sergeant Major, how are we supposed to get there?

It's 73 miles away. That is your problem. Be there at 6 a.m. or be on a charge, absent without leave. Good night, Commandos. We got there, all right. Every man is bestie good. Now what you call hitchhiking on shanksmere, riding freight trains.

Yes, we were beginning to realize by then that as commandos soldiers we were expected to solve our own problems. But finally the day came when we stood on parade. Those of us who had come through the grueling training, unpaid under the happy contented layer of our Sergeant Major.

We heard our commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Newman say, Grillman, you come through all right. You are now commando soldiers, but you have no time to rest on your laurels. From now on, you'll continue training, training constantly, side by side with the naval units of the combined operations command.

and the RAF. Those of us who are lucky will carry out raids on enemy territory. Those of us who are extremely lucky will return from them. And between raids will continue training. We'll never know when what looks like a training operation will turn out to be the real team.

Welcome to number two, Commando. The Colonel knew what he was talking about. For weeks, in all withers, we train with the naval arm and craft large and small. Much of this I am not at liberty to describe.

But I can tell you about one cruise that we took for reasons other than the good of our health. We'd gone aboard this vessel one day in March 1942, and under orders went below and stayed there.

In the wardrobe, the film was attempting to keep Scotty a rather non-bag-pipeless tune. Oh no, no, Scotty, listen, listen, this is the way it goes. You leave the Pennsylvania Station round the corner to four, read a magazine, then you're in Baltimore, dinner in the diner, nothing could be finer to have your ham and eggs in Carolina.

Eh, not for that part. You'll have me dashed with your yank ears. Hey, it's a C6, Scotty. When we get back ashore and make a regular Jive ball, Scotty. Yes, when do we get back ashore?

We've been going for hours in this year's ship we have. Why me if we eint him and what's it all about? Does anyone know the name of this ship? Why me if I do? You, Sergeant Major?

Hey, where is this, Sergeant Major? And, good! As soon as we saw Colonel Newman and the troop commander, we knew something was going to happen. Miden? This is it. We're on our way to Raid Nazi, held territory.

Come in, Sergeant Major. This ship, HMS Campbelltown, was formerly the USS Buchanan. The doubt you've noticed the changes that have been made in her structure to the clumsy way she's been steering. That's because she's packed to a bottom with tons of explosives and scuttling charges.

Makes her hard to handle. Scuttling, sir. Oh, I'm sorry, sir. Yes. The camel towns to be scuttled. In the port of San Azir. San Azir has the only dried up on Europe's west coast big enough to accommodate the Nazi battleship Tarpitz.

We're going to ram the camel town against the gates of the lock, leading to the dried up. and keep the tarpets out to the Atlantic. We're going to remember at exactly 0130, tomorrow morning, about 20 hours now.

The Navy men will take care of the scuttling and set the time fuses for the late action charge. They will blow up the ship many hours later. While they're doing that, V of number two commando will be assured of destroying powerhouses, bridges and other objectives.

We'll have just two hours to do our job. Complete instructions with map references will be issued in an hour. Any questions? Are we alone in this operation, sir? Are the motor launches that were with us when we started out still around?

As you'll see when Dave breaks, the MLs are still with us. We have also a destroyer escort. The MLs will take us off at the old mole in San Nazeer when our job is done.

Anything else? What, suppose it fizzles her? Suppose it's a late charge and the ship fails to go off and suppose we can't manage the rim or against the lock gates? What then? We've got a plan to cover that. Sergeant Smith, sir, this is the job I spoke to you about when you volunteered for combined operations. Your particular job is to get ashore with your section

just as soon as you possibly can when the ship ramps the lock gates. Go to the powerhouse that operates those gates and destroy it one way or another will keep the tarpids out to the Atlantic any further questions very well get on I'll lay you a fifty to one that none of us comes back alive you britard why to

do live forever I'll take you up on that bit Timmons even if I lose the other two good to pass up yeah but I'll not lose I've got to come back I'm going to be married a fortnight from now and my girl would be very insulted if I showed up for my wedding

in a shroud. Come on, give us a song Scotty. Yeah, come on, make a chat and move a choo-choo, Scotty. No, Brooklyn. Somehow I don't feel like playing the pipes. I think I'll just lay down for a while and think, if you don't mind.

Throughout the night, on the following day, the force moves steadily towards Sen as a constantly risking discovery. But we were in luck. Now it was close to 1am of Thursday March 28th. The Campbell Downs nose was quietly poking its way up the estuary.

Every one of us knew what his job was. We were all on deck, waiting for the crash. Hey Smitty! Yes, Connie? What's he doing? Hamptons overhead! Am I right Sergeant Major? You are. Those Hamptons are on their way to provide a diversion.

MRAF led to our decoys. Will an RC place his search site on the plains he can't turn upon us. Look at that blooming flag! It's most of a trace is too! Don't if you don't remind your cone down on a foot to chalae!

This is hemp, there's a link, plenty of aches in there! I don't like everyone! I don't like their spiders! They are plastic nasties! If you don't stop shining that searchlight in my face, I'll be like you have it!

Never mind the whisper now! They've spotted us! German searchlights are shore off front of the estuary, revealing its sharpest outline every ship in the force! The Pamboltan was still nearly two miles from the lock gates.

I'm sure the Tracer shells came pouring in beautiful illuminated arcs. Our ship's bridge was being heavily battered. The deadly rockets heard a lot from Nazi batteries to smash through the gallant ship, or ricochet from his side like exploding stars.

Her vortex was a fire. Master toppled. Funnel shared off. But her skipper, Lieutenant Commander Beatty, sent his ship tearing full speed ahead toward the lock gates. Commander Beatty! Be that sharpener, jobs alone! Be that man get the power up!

And when she dies! Murphy land! We're supposed to crash at 0130, it's now 0134. Will you clearly go up and tell the captain that there's a Scotsman aboard his ship, who doesn't think much of his navigate?

Get ashore! The pipes give a heart to charge the shore, uncovering parties, particularly the demolition parties, while dynamite was set in discharge. But the enemy could fight to, and many a fallen commander, soldier, a tester to that fact.

I've went to pump house, and after the Lockgate power station, my own particular job, accomplished, unfortunately, at the sacrifice of two brave men. Building after building was set a fire. There were a lot of two hours we worked like madmen.

In the 330 came. It was a major pull-up together at the appointment place. Everybody here. All that's left. Where's Timmons? Oh, God! Timmons! Come in and show. Hotman and Thompson died in the powerhouse. Yeah.

He showed it, will it's some pea body. The pub station. Homestash. You're a bullet, Murphy. Yeah, ain't bad. That ain't exactly. To me the juice that's coming out of your own sleeve there, boss. Get out of here!

Oh, no! Machine got left, that's all right. I don't know. Looks as though I got all except you and starting in Brooklyn myself. Take me off, Douglas Pearl. Did they get you, Murphy, Lyd? Not bad, boss.

Just ain't at night at the belly. Hold on, Lyd. We'll get you down to the dock of the old mall. The motorlashes will be waiting there to be something. The heck they will, boss. The way overdue now.

Those MLs are still sticking around. They'll be pounded a bit. He's the right sergeant, Mage. Haven't so. You still pulled through. You'll find some way back to England. But just keep your chin up, Murphy.

Or side back to figure some way of getting that bunch of Nazi machine in the house. You're just waiting for us to show our heads. You'll let me worry about them. Dirty bombs, boss. What are you doing with that satchel, Chard?

That's Murphy. Don't like that fuse. You'll do it. No good. You'll think you can throw that satchel over there. It's nearly 30 feet from here to that door. Don't worry, boss. I ain't gonna throw it.

I'm gonna take it over. Price, no. Murphy, stay here. You want to be killed. Stay put. Now that's an order. Heh, heh. Do I want to be killed? He says. You know what you can do with your Lord of Bois?

Are you all those nazis something for a guy? A ton, kike. You'll never make it, Murphy. I'm a big guy. That guy won't. Anyway, what have I got to lose? Okay. She's lit. Smitty. Yeah?

He have a couple of grenades at that door and give me a chance. Alright Brooklyn. It's Scotty. I'll play something on that machine, he ors, will ya? Great chatter, but choo-choo. I'd rather hear it than mill and do it, but...

Okay. Let's go with the grenades. He goes! Good luck, Marvie. Don't stumble boy, and we'll all be dead, hush. He'll never make it. He'll cut him down before he can. As I have said, a satchel charge is a terrible weapon.

Its effect is deadly. Its range is wide. There was no more machine gun fire from that house. There was no more house. No more Brooklyn. No more Irish sergeant major. No more Scotty. I shall never know how I escaped the effects of that satchel charge.

actual charm, and you won't know, at least not yet, how I escaped from France and returned to England. I can tell you that next morning, only 400 Nazi officers and men were aboard the Campbelltown or on the dockside, the pick of the Nazi crop in that area. Precisely at noon, when they were deep in the bowels of the ship or close by her, our delayed charges

went off, loin' them all to Helgoland. But military security forbids my telling you more, at least until the war has been won. Meanwhile, we commandos are awaiting the biggest raid of all, bigger than the ones unsend as heir, undeap, and un-North Africa. The raid on Hitler's fortress Europa itself. It'll be successful, we think. All the more successful, for the

knowledge that we have gained of the enemy in the past, knowledge gained to the sacrifice of boys from Brooklyn, cockneys from Lambeth, Irish sergeant mages and gallant youngsters who will never meet again on the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond.

I've heard the first of a new series of programs called Words at War. Stories told by men and women who have seen them happen adapted from the most important

books to come out of this war. Tonight's story was written by Richard McDonough of the NBC script staff and was based upon a portion of Hillary St. George Sanders' combined operations. Next week you will hear Wendell L. Wilkes, one world, with Mr. Wilkes himself taking part in the program. Our cast tonight included Les Damon as Sergeant Smith, Jackson Beck as

the Sergeant Major, and Walter Cansella, Ian McAllister, Victor B. Kraft, and Roger DeKovin. The original The production was under the direction of Joseph Loosey. This program has been presented in cooperation with the Council on Books in Wartime by the National Broadcasting

Company and the independent radio stations associated with the NBC Network. This program came to you from New York. The program came to you from New York.