Story 2539
Echinos, Greek Thrace, July 23, 1944
The South African infantry brigade had conquered the village the night before. Tanks had rumbled forward over night and the riflemen had started to patrol further up the narrow valleys. One of the Shermans had an optimistic target scrawled in chalk on the left side of its turret -- Budapest or Bust.
Even as the scouts were pushing forward in their jeeps and armoured cars, the artillery regiment supporting the thrust had arrived, unlimbered and began to stockpile shells. The Bulgarian defenders who previously had been occupiers in Greek Thrace usually melted after a few stonks and even more Uncle and Murder barrages. However, even light resistance combined with the narrow tracks and engineers with plentiful dynamite had made the advance slow and bloody.
Off to the west, the ground began to rumble again. The Greek Army was taking the direct route from Thessaloniki to Sofia. Whenever the Greeks and Indians were in doubt, artillery was being called in. The few veterans of the fighting in North Africa in the South African led corps could only shake their head as they felt the ground rumble with a barrage that they could not have imagined being called in just three years ago. Now they felt it several times a day.
The South African infantry brigade had conquered the village the night before. Tanks had rumbled forward over night and the riflemen had started to patrol further up the narrow valleys. One of the Shermans had an optimistic target scrawled in chalk on the left side of its turret -- Budapest or Bust.
Even as the scouts were pushing forward in their jeeps and armoured cars, the artillery regiment supporting the thrust had arrived, unlimbered and began to stockpile shells. The Bulgarian defenders who previously had been occupiers in Greek Thrace usually melted after a few stonks and even more Uncle and Murder barrages. However, even light resistance combined with the narrow tracks and engineers with plentiful dynamite had made the advance slow and bloody.
Off to the west, the ground began to rumble again. The Greek Army was taking the direct route from Thessaloniki to Sofia. Whenever the Greeks and Indians were in doubt, artillery was being called in. The few veterans of the fighting in North Africa in the South African led corps could only shake their head as they felt the ground rumble with a barrage that they could not have imagined being called in just three years ago. Now they felt it several times a day.
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