Free Court Martial by Sven Hassel Page A

outer tracks so that the noses of their vehicles smash together in a rain of sparks, crushing the trapped men to a bloody porridge.
    'Let's give up,' says a Flak-Unteroffizier, with tears running down over the open frost-sores on his cheeks. 'They're butchering us!'
    Porta stares at him for a moment, then laughs aloud.
    'Don't forget there's a war on, son, and both sides seem to be taking it seriously!'
    'Probably thinks we're makin' a film. Verdun's silent, deserted ruins, or something,' jeers Gregor, throwing an explosive charge like lightning up on to the rear hatch of a T-34 as it roars past. 'Regards in hell!' he screams as he dives for cover.
    As if at the blow of a giant hammer the hatch-cover is blown in. Leutnant Pospelow screams like a woman, as he is pinned between the heavy cover and the sharp edge of the hatch. He screams for a long time as the red flames lick up around him.
    The loader is thrown out of the other hatch opening, and rolls around screaming in a sea of flame which melts the snow around him. Slowly he crisps like bacon on a frying-pan, and turns to a glowing mummy.
    'Out!' roars the tank driver, Corporal Baritz, tearing the hatch open. He is running as he hits the ground. A shower of machine-gun bullets sends him kicking.
    The forward gunner is only half-way out of the hatch when the tank is thrown up into the air like a football. It goes end over end and lands with a ringing crash, before it is blown to pieces by a colossal explosion inside.
    A little distance away another of them is going in circles. Faster and faster. Red flames and black oily smoke are pouring from the hatches. Only one of the crew manages to get out of the red-hot steel coffin. He runs over the snow like a living torch. His screams are terrible.
    We can feel the heat right over where we are lying. The Legionnaire raises his Mpi and sends a long merciful burst at the burning Russian writhing desperately in the snow.
    ' Padaerscha, padaerscha !' 18 he roars, stretching his burning arms out towards us.
    Several Mpis are turned on him. Shortly after, he collapses. The body melts down to a tiny crisp.
    The commander is still trying to free himself from the turret of his T-34. He does not scream, nor plead, but is exerting himself to the utmost to get free of the burning steel box. His face is burnt black, crusted. Oddly his eyes still shine clearly. His lips are charred to cinders. His nose is a strange twisted lump of meat. His hair is burnt off in patches. His hands are the worst. Blackened knobs of flesh with which he is still trying desperately to force open the hinged hatch cover.
    'My God,' I groan, and hide my face in my hands. The stench of burnt meat turns my stomach and I vomit on to the snow.
    'Cut it out,' snarls Porta. 'It was them or us! This is a big fight we're in, and we've promised our big neighbour one on the schnozzle!'
    'It's dreadful,' I whisper.
    'It's war,' replies Porta, harshly. 'I'm not that happy to have Ivan on my tail. Up with you! Get hold of a charge! The knockin' off whistle hasn't gone yet. There's the last of those "Tea saloons" fellows comin'!'
    An Mpi cracks from some stunted bushes. A burst falls around us.
    Like lightning I sling a grenade into the bushes.
    A tankman springs into the air, blood spouting in a thick jet from his mouth.
    I sweep him with a burst from my Mpi.
    With a long-drawn scream he collapses, rolling in the snow.
    'What a dope,' says Porta, pityingly. 'People are bloody stupid! Heroes to the end! Well, that's one fool less in the world!'
    A terrific blast throws us from our feet and sweeps us through the thick brush. We are forced down the narrow gorge and crash into the rocks at the bottom so hard that we are both unconscious for a moment.
    Porta's reindeer comes flying through the air with all four legs splayed out and strikes the yard-thick ice wall with a hollow thud.
    My body feels as if every bone in it were broken. All around us is a sea of glowing metal parts, which