In the summer of 1942, one hundred and sixty miles south south west of El Imayid, a concerted push by the Allies was forcing the Afrika Korps into retreat. One such push against an enemy base deep in the desert was being spearheaded by L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade. Not mentioned in the official records of that action are the efforts of a small team of enhanced individuals to hold a narrow pass through the desert hills. That team consisted of Mademoiselle Mimi Dubois, La Résistance fighter and mistress of skills; Miss Madeline Forsyth, SOE operative and a living shadow; Sven Hyse, Norwegian Resistance soldier and shapeshifter; and Doctor Jackal, timid physician with his less than timid friend Mister Hades.

Western Desert, Egypt, July 1942
Eventually, we can all see a small squad of German troopers moving in a loose formation towards valley B8. As they approach from the north they begin to slow down and make their way towards a particularly large boulder that sits at the mouth of the valley. The troopers hunker down behind the boulder, and moments after they are in position two of the troopers begin to move slowly forwards using the available cover to scout out the valley. I remember thinking that they were probably trying to work out where the smoke was coming from.

We bide our time and allow them to search unmolested, they move down as far as the wreckage of the motorbike and sidecar and with the mystery of the smoke solved they have a brief conversation. From my hiding place, no more than a hundred feet away, I could just about make out what they were saying. One of them was suggesting that they should scout further down the valley to make sure that it was clear. But his colleague, who seemed keener to get moving, replied that they were only ordered to locate the smoke and then report back. The second trooper won the discussion and they moved back towards their comrades.

After what must have been a brief report, the squad of German troopers move out from behind the boulder and begin to head into the valley. I imagine that there was a small click as the lead trooper stood firmly on one of the land mines that I had placed at the north end of the valley. The mine was designed to be used against armoured vehicles and it’s effect on a group of foot soldiers was utter devastation. As the dust cloud settled it revealed the terrible price paid by the German troops. There was the sound of a whip crack that echoed down the valley as Sven spotted the head of a trooper looking out from behind the large boulder and placed a bullet from his rifle between the man’s eyes.

After the cacophony of the rifle shot and explosion all goes silent. We wait. After five minutes, Sven transforms into a desert hawk and takes to the skies. From his lofty view point he can see that all of the troopers are dead. He circles higher, and ventures further north to see if we have any more German’s heading in our direction. He spots the last of the German base’s personnel evacuating towards Captain Stirling’s air strike valley. He then spies the last vehicle, a half track, turn in our direction. He swoops back towards us to let us know what is coming. Sven and Madeline then both move further along the top of the ridge so that they can get a good line of sight behind the large boulder at the head of the valley.

After what seems like an eternity of waiting we hear the sound of a large engine moving towards the mouth of the valley. Then the half track comes into view. From her advantage point Madeline can see that the half track is being driven by an infantry officer, which is unusual, and the main gun is being manned by an infantry trooper. The back of the half track contains a number of people in uniform, but not troopers.

The half track comes to a halt twenty yards short of the bodies. A heartbeat in time and the sound of a rifle shot rings out, the German gunner slumps dead in his station. Another heartbeat and Madeline lobs a grenade into the rear troop bay of the vehicle. A heartbeat, the German officer slams the half track into reverse just as the grenade detonates. A heartbeat, Sven’s rifle whip cracks once more and the half track slews to a halt as the officer dies where he sits. A heartbeat, silence descends once more across valley B8. Four seconds have elapsed.

When nothing moves for a couple of minutes, Sven changes shape into that of a raven and flies down the the half track to make sure that everything is clear. He notes that the Germans in the back of the half track are sappers and engineers, and based on the fact that they don’t appear to have any kit with them they must have left in a hurry. Sven finds that one of the sappers is alive, he quickly transforms back into his human form and carries out emergency first aid. He also shouts for Doctor Jackal.

Henry scrambles down the scree slope towards the half track and I jog up the valley to meet up with him. As soon as he sees us coming, Sven once again transforms himself into a desert hawk and takes off north. Henry reaches the half track first and clambers into the back of it, he quickly assesses the situation and ascertains that the German sapper will die unless he receives immediate attention. So Doctor Jackal rolls up his sleeves and get to work saving the sappers life. As I arrive at the half track, Madeline appears out of the shadows below the vehicle. She begins to search the cab and the officer for orders, and I begin to disarm the remaining mines to make them safe for transport once again.

As we all work we hear the sound of propeller drone drawing closer, we look up and see a squadron of RAF Mosquitos flying above us towards the air strike valley. Not long after they have moved out of sight we hear the sound of rippling explosions echoing back to us.

Madeline’s search doesn’t turn up anything. In fact the German’s don’t appear to be carrying anything of any note at all. They definitely left in a hurry. Sven returns and tells us that we should not expect anymore troops moving in our direction, and we inform him that we will have to remain in place until Doctor Jackal has finished saving the sapper’s life. We set up a defensive perimeter and leave the doctor to work. A short while later we hear a shout;

Incoming friendlies!

Madeline challenges them and receives the correct response. It is the team that were tasked with taking out the southern outpost. As they come into sight it is clear that they are a man down. There is no discussion of what happened, just a knowing that it happens in war. They instruct us to cripple the half track and move out as we have to rendezvous with the troop column. Doctor Jackal has finished his work and agrees that the sapper can be moved on a stretcher to the back of the jeep. Madeline places a grenade inside the half tracks engine compartment and as we walk away there is the crump of an explosion that will make moving the half track very difficult indeed.

We rejoin with the smaller of the two troop convoys and continue to make our way north east. We stop for a break a few hours before dusk and one of the column’s officers visits us to quickly debrief us on our part of the mission. He makes notes of what we encountered and then tells us to be ready to move out at dusk. Two hours after dusk we meet up with the main column, who have suffered minimal losses, and continue back to our main base of operations.

We pull into our camp just after midnight. Our prisoner is transported to the field hospital and Doctor Jackal accompanies him. The rest of us head straight for bed. The doctor on duty at the field hospital is very impressed with Henry’s work and asks if he would mind doing some rounds at the field hospital to help out. Henry is delighted with the distraction and agrees.

El Imayid, Egypt, August 1942
The following morning the camp is busy with activity as everyone carries out the jobs that always need to be done post mission. I get stuck in to giving our jeep a service and by mid morning I have finished. I jump into the drivers seat and turn the key. Nothing. I try again with the same result. I sit there for a moment and think about my options. I eventually decide to take the easy option, I lift up the bonnet and stand back a bit. In a slightly raised voice I say;

Well I don’t know what’s wrong! I wish that there was someone here who could help me!

I am not short of volunteers to assist me, and after a short while the jeep is up and running once more. Men are so predictable, it’s lovely!

That afternoon we are summoned to Captain Stirling’s command tent for a full debrief. After Madeline has relayed all of our encounters Stirling informs us that the overall mission was a success and that a large proportion of the German column were destroyed. Next he questions us about our prisoner, and this time Doctor Jackal relays the procedure he carried out to save the sappers life. Sven asks if we are doing the wrong thing by bringing in prisoners, mostly because we seem to be the only ones that do. Captain Stirling points out that we are the only team with a skilled doctor, and perhaps that is why.

Captain Stirling goes on to tell us that he has been in contact with Captain Ledman, and they are in agreement that we are ready for a more important mission. He asks us to visit him at eighteen hundred hours tomorrow when he will be in a position to give us a full mission briefing.

That night the camp celebrates. I drink. I laugh. I dance. And I sing. In short we have an amazing time, even Henry’s limericks are greeted with laughter. As loud and fast paced as the evening is, the following morning is quiet and slow. It seems that everyone is feeling tender, if a single German trooper had turned up I think that we might have all surrendered.

The day is spent dozing and rehydrating, the later being insisted upon by Doctor Jackal. Just before six in the evening I gather Henry from the field hospital and join Madeline in the command tent. There is no sign of Sven anywhere. Captain Stirling once again confirms that he and Captain Ledman have been impressed with our conduct and that they do indeed have a special mission for us, but he believes that it should be discussed with the whole team. We don’t let on that we do not know where Sven is, but tell Stirling that he is investigating something. Fortunately, due to his orders, Stirling does not press for more information and agrees to meet us at oh nine hundred hours.

An hour after the sun has disappeared behind the sand dunes, Sven walks back into camp from the desert. I tell him that he missed the meeting with Captain Stirling, he genuinely looks apologetic. It seems that he had been flying to clear his head after the previous evenings activities and had lost track of time. The following morning we are all prompt and present at the command tent for our mission briefing.

Captain Stirling asks us to settle down and then asks his adjutant to leave us. He tells us that the following information is highly classified and must not be discussed with anyone outside of those present. Military Intelligence has learnt that the German army are planning to replace their main battle tank, the Panzer IV, with a new medium tank designated the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther. Command are very interested in getting their hands on one of the prototypes.

Four of these Panthers have been delivered for testing in desert conditions to a German compound two hundred and fifty miles behind enemy lines. Command believes that a small unit could infiltrate the compound, recover one of the Panthers, and make a run for a point on the front line and cross back into allied territory. The crossing point is guarded by a bunker that would need to be neutralised before the crossing could be made. Captain Stirling knows that it is a risky mission, and that the dash for the front line is just as tricky as getting the tank out of the compound.

Captain Stirling shows us a map detailing the location of the compound, he also shows us a hand drawn map of the compound itself. He has further detail on the exit route and the location of the crossing point bunker. He informs us that none of the information may be removed from the command tent, but that we are allowed to view it at any time for planning purposes.

Captain Stirling also informs us that Military Intelligence has acquired the papers for a German officer, Oberstabsrichter Hammelsdorf, who is working for the Wehrmacht carrying out an audit of the Afrika Korps resources. The papers dictate that he is travelling with an Unteroffizier acting as his driver, and a civilian in the post of his personal secretary. Command believe that it would be a simple matter to add another individual to the papers.

Captain Stirling asks us if we need to meet with the local armoured division for a refresher, he tries very hard not to ask us directly about our actual knowledge of tanks, and we agree that it would be very useful. Stirling summons his adjutant back into the tent and asks him to drive us to meet with armoured division command. We are met by a tank crew and their commanding officer and are taken through a run down of tank basics in their Mk4 Sherman.

We spend what is left of the morning and the whole afternoon working with the tank crew. Sven and Madeline both take turns in driving the tank, with Sven doing much better than Madeline. While Sven is driving I make sure that I am sat near the tank crews main driver, not a difficult thing in the tight space of the tank’s belly, and grab his hand as if I am scared. While I hold his hand I ‘borrow’ his driving skill. When it is my turn to drive I’m like a natural. The tank’s crew seem impressed.

With the help of the tank crew we all come to terms with our designated positions. Doctor Jackal takes the commander’s chair as he will be navigating. Sven acts as the driver, and Madeline and myself take the positions of loader and gunner. We are a bit rough around the edges and so we arrange to spend the following day with the Sherman crew.

That evening we settle down in Captain Stirling’s command tent and start to formulate a plan.