The Atlantic Express
by: justjames17
(© 2004 -2007 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...
 

Chapter 60
Kokoda Track
Part 3

Screams of 'Banzai' battered the commandoes ear drums along with the crack of rifle fire and crump of grenades exploding, the huge shaven headed Japanese n.c.o. charging through the fusilade of bullets seemed to have a charmed life; he didn't attempt to weave or duck the bullets flying about the area. The monster closed the creek bank where Peter and his men were positioned the sharp samuri sword flashing as he waved it about in front of him while firing his pistol until the magazine was empty, he flung the weapon at Peter's head as Peter swung his Owen gun about firing a volley at the running maniac. The pistol hit Peter on the forehead knocking him unconscious causing him to fall back and causing him to slide down the steep creek bank into the water below. Peter's bullets rocked the man back as they stiched across his huge torso, tearing through muscle and bone shattering his heart, the n.c.o. dropped to the ground dead but nerves still twitching his limbs as his blood stained the mud beneath him. His remaining men continued a valiant fight with the commandos but their more exposed position allowed the sharp shooters to pick them off one by one until the area was silent. The medic attached to the platoon scrambled down the bank to assist the still unconscious lieutenant where he lay in the gurgling creek below, Peter was still out to it lying sprawled on a boulder on his back with his legs in the rushing creek.

The medic checked his pulse rate then examined his bleeding scalp, the matted blond hair sticky with blood as the medic began bathing the wound gently, Peter groaned and stirred his eyelids fluttered then opened. His eyes slightly glazed but pupils unequal made the medic worried about his condition as he cleaned the wound before bandaging it tightly. Peter groaned in pain and said, "Crickey I've got one hell of a headache, what hit me was I shot or what?"

The medic laughed and replied, "Don't you remember what happened? The huge Japanese sergeant running at us waving that big sword and firing his pistol until empty then he threw it and hit you on the head and here you are bathing in the creek while I'm tending your injury."

Peter groaned and lifted his legs from the water his boots squelching and water running from them, he sat up as the medic finished his dressings and tried to stand up, his legs wobbled like saplings in a gale and the medic sat him back down on the boulder, "Just rest for a while there's no panic, the firefight's over sir, there are no live Japanese and we have only two other wounded neither serious so you can relax the sergeant's setting up our perimeter defences. I think you may have a fractured skull and you may have to be sent back down the track to the base hospital in Moresby."

Peter shook his head causing him to groan loudly, "Oooh damn that hurts and my vision is very blurred, can't you patch me up so I can stay here with you blokes?"

The medic shook his head sadly saying, "I doubt it sir. You will need bed rest at the least and you won't get that up here in the jungle with the swampy conditions and bloody stinging insects and biting skeeters, damn things are as big as planes if they ganged up on us they'd carry us away. I reckon if ten of the buggers bit you at once they'd drain you dry of blood."

Peter grimaced with pain as he laughed, the medic called up to a couple of the commandos and said, "We need to get the boss up there fellas, he can't manage it on his own can you organise it for him?"

To be continued...
 

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Posted: 02/22/08