Desert Air - 38. DA Ch 38 - Yankies are Coming

Once the police vehicles had left, leaving the station Ute at the homestead, Dad transported the Captain, I and the 4 squad members back to my Land Rover at the car park, before heading back to the camp, to collect the Hawkei, so we could collect the rest of the squad who remained at the illegal clearing site.

When we arrived back at the site, I estimated that they had cleared about 2 acres of land, which I was not too happy about, and as I wandered around, I thought this maybe a good location for the out camp, since it is already cleared.

I think we have just found our location for an out camp sir,” I said to the Captain, who looked around, and smiled, “I think you are right Corporal, as long as the owner is happy for it to continue,” Captain Eccleston responded, and I smiled and nodded my head yes.

“Any chance that the owners could provide us with some buildings and services?” he asked me and I laughed, “I am sure that can be arranged sir. What do you have in mind?” I asked.

I am thinking maybe a number of lean-too shelters for sleeping area, for a maximum number platoon, maybe a sheltered dining area with table and bench seating for a platoon of 45 men, and some accommodation and work space for up to three officers, plus showers and ablutions,” Captain Eccleston suggested.

“Very well, leave it with me and I will get onto it,” I replied, “One last thing, I am going to ask you to stay for the first week, as we may need you for other things, as your role as Support Services, so you will need to contact your University Dean to notify them of your absence,” the Captain announced.

On the way back to the camp base, I was dropped off at the complex so I could talk to Dad and Hedley, while the squad returned to the main camp. “Hello son, I thought we wouldn’t see you until Monday,” Mum said when I walked into the main part of the house.

“I’m just here to talk to Dad and Hedley,” I replied, “Sit and I will make you some lunch, Dad is on his way in to collect lunches for all the staff scattered around the airbase. Where is your biplane by the way?” Mum said, “Over at Corunna Downs, I didn’t want to risk of running over any visitors,” I replied.

A few minutes later Dad walked in, “Hi Jex, I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon,” he said to me, “Just popped in at the request of the CO, he has requested establishing an Out Camp and we decided to use the cleared area made by the mining company, that way it will stop them trying to clear the area again, and also make a good additional training area,” I explained.

“So a simular set up as the other camp?” Dad asked me, “No this time it needs to be a lot more basic, the Captain suggested lean-too shelters, sheltered dining area with camp table and benches, for up to 45 people, which is a platoon, ablutions and showers, and accommodation and work space for 3 officers,” I said.

“You say basic, how about if we built 12 large octagonal gazebos, with bench beds on six sides, which can also be used for dining area, with fold out tables, with a centre aisle, and shutters that can be closed if and when it rains,” Dad suggested.

“Wow, I like that idea, it would be multi-purpose, and could be used for briefings too,” I said in reply, “An extra two gazebos can be for the officers, one for accommodation and dining, the other as an administration area. Showers and ablutions could also be simular, two octagonal gazebos with six cubicles’, for showers and toilets,” Dad suggested.

“I like it, when can we get to work on this?” I asked, “Right away actually, we have been planning to enlarge the camping area for the visitors, plus add to the Army camp, with these additional gazebos for sheltered seating and cooking areas.

With the additional changes, we can have them installed fairly quickly since nine of the gazebos have already been built, with each side being 2.4 metres long, which is perfect for sleeping benches, we just have to double the width of the seats, which we can do by just adding and extension that can be folded down, and we already have the tables installed, which have half on each side that folds down,” Dad announced.

“Where are they, I would like to see them if possible?” I asked, “They are in the main machinery shed at Limestone, which we have turned into a carpentry workshop, and Jake has been working with a local carpenter to build them,” Dad announced.

“Good, I will drive up there to take a look in a day or two, I have been ordered to stay for a week, so I will be at the camp base for most of it,” I said to Dad, as Mum placed a plate of sandwiches in front of me, “Thanks Mum, much better than Army issue ration packs,” I said smiling.

After I had eaten, I grabbed the keys for my Jackaroo Ute, and headed back to Camp Base. “How many vehicles do you own Corporal?” the Captain asked me, when I arrived back at camp. “This is my personal vehicle, the Land Rover was my first ever vehicle, which was a Bull Catcher vehicle when I was given it, and it has been repaired and upgraded since then,” I replied.

“How did you go with my request for additional structures at the new site?” the Captain asked me, “All good sir, and I have a little surprise for you if you have a few hours spare to go and look at something with me tomorrow,” I replied.

The squad was just finishing up stripping and cleaning their guns since all of them had been used recently, before they were locked away in the back of the Hawkei, for safe keeping. “We may need a small shipping container too, so we can secure all weapons and ammo, if that is possible,” the Captain asked, as he continued supervising the task.

“Not a problem sir, I will get right on to it in the morning,” I replied, and once all the weapons were locked away, we sat down for a briefing of today’s events, before we were given the rest of the afternoon off to relax. It was close to dusk when the Captain came out of the admin hut, holding my sat phone, “It’s for you, your father,” the Captain said, as I walked up to him to accept the phone.

“Hi Dad, is this important?’ I asked, “Yes it is, you remember what I told you about the additional display vehicle that will be coming to the base from Tucson? Well I just received a call from a US Army Aviation Officer, informing me that they had just landed in Darwin and they would be flying here in the morning, with and estimated time of arrival being 10 am our time,” Dad informed me.

“Wow, how many aircraft are we talking about coming?” I asked, “Three of those big ones like before, was it Globe Trotters or something like that,” Dad replied, and I laughed, “It is Globe Masters, Dad, you were close, ok we will set up a perimeter along Runway One, for their arrival, to keep the visitors away when they arrive, thanks and see you in the morning,” I replied before ending the call.

“Sir, there is one thing that I have forgotten to mention to you; mainly because I didn’t think it would be happening why you are here. Arriving tomorrow morning, at 1000 hours, will be three Globemaster aircraft from the USA.

They will be brining an additional two more B24 Liberator aircraft and a number of WW2 jeeps that were used at this base, will be arriving to become additions to the display here, will be landing on runway one,” I announced to the Captain, who was chatting to some of his men when I approached with the news.

“Wow, that will be quite a site to see,” one of the men said, “It is, when the first one arrived here from Victoria, it was very loud and quite a sight, my siblings, like watching it taking off, and with three of them arriving in one day, it means we will need to provide security while the cargo is being unloaded, as it will be when the visitors are on the base,” I explained.

“Bloody Yankees are coming,” one of the Corporals commented, and some of the squad laughed. “Right, looks like we have our activity for tomorrow morning, so after breakfast, we will have our day packs with rations and weapons at the ready by 0800 hours,” the Captain announced.

During dinner, Captain Eccleston informed us that the remainder of the squadron will be dropping in at 0800 hrs tomorrow morning, with an additional 3 Hawkei’s, to assist with the arrival of the three Globe Master’s, instead of coming on Tuesday, so we need to be ready for their arrival by 0730 hours,” the Captain announced.

“Intruders of a different kind, Sir?” I commented with a smile, and the whole squad laughed, “Yes, I guess you could say that after today’s events,” the Captain responded. The evening got quite cool after dinner, so we headed indoors and went to bed early, since we have another full day ahead of us, with wakeup to be at 0600 hours.

After breakfast, we prepared our day packs, and when summoned to the admin area, I was asked to give my Dad a call, which I did using the Sat phone. “Morning Dad, Captain Eccleston wants to speak to you,” I said before handing the phone over.

“Good morning sir, I was wanting to ask you to mention to all visitors when they enter the base, that there will be aircraft activity on the main runway, and a presence of Army personnel, and that they are to obey any requests that the Army makes,” the Captain said to my Dad over the phone.

“Yes Captain, that I can easily do, as I will be at the front gate for the whole morning,” I heard Dad reply, “Good, thanks for that, we have additional Army personnel and equipment dropping in at 0800 hours,” Captain Eccleston announced, “Drop in as in by parachute?’ Dad asked sounding surprised, and I smiled when I heard this, and so did the Captain.

“Yes sir, that is correct, thankyou for your assistance, bye for now,” Captain Eccleston said before ending the call. “I bet all of the family and staff will be up and outside watching for the parachutes to appear, sir,” I commented to the Captain, who smiled.

Using the Hawkei and my Land Rover, we transport the squad to the taxiway, arriving just before 0800 hours. When the sound of aircraft above us could be heard, the whole squad looked up and watched as two giant parachutes appeared, carrying two Hawkei vehicles, and they landed, about 2 kilometres to the south-west of runway one, which wasn’t to bad, as it was still inside the airbase boundary.

The rest of the squadron, which was 68 men in total landed within 300 metres of the main runway, where the Staff Sergeant had set a flare, to indicate the landing zone, and after disconnecting their chutes and wrapping them up they all double timed to where the squad was standing on the taxiway.

“Lieutenant, you and your men have an hour to double time to the Camp Base, the Staff Sergeant will show you the way, once the squad has collected the other two Hawkei’s, and the other gear, you should be almost there,” Captain Eccleston ordered.

Taking my Land Rover, I followed the other Hawkei, so as to collect the other vehicles and equipment, and once we had done that we had a convoy, heading for the camp, going via the south-east gate, away from the visitors, who would be waiting at the museum’s main gate to be let in.

With the gate closed and locked behind us, we soon arrived at the camp, but there was no sign of the other men. Taking a careful look around, I saw something out of place, and I clicked my tongue to get the Captain’s attention, and indicated to him what I had seen, and he smiled.

“Nice try Lieutenant, but I know you are here,” the Captain said over the Sat Comms, and suddenly the rest of the platoon appeared from their hiding positions. “What gave us away?” the Lieutenant asked as he approached.