The Faithful, North African and Middle Eastern Islamic nations, are plotting to seize the oil resources of the Middle East. By controlling the earth's oil and its major trade routes, they plan to bring the world to its knees. Then, when the entire world is kneeling, the Faithful of Allah will read to them from the Koran, preaching the message of Islam, the True Faith. The Faithful will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. But how far will they go? And how many lives will it cost?

7. Battle in the Streets

7.3 Great Britain

7.3.1 H.M.S. Victory

Rear Admiral Elridge Ellingstone, the American PhibRon fleet commander, and Major General Thomas "Blacky" Breckenridge, Commander of the 3rd Marines, sat on their side of the table in the spacious state room of H.M.S. Victory. Opposite them sat Rear Admiral Thomas Cunningham-Smythe, the CO of Victory, and Captain Alasdair MacBean of HMS Ajax. At the head of the table was the Combined Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Alburn Drews.

Blacky was amazed at what he heard. He had never heard anyone "Blurb" before, but there, at the head of the table, was a British Vice Admiral "Blurbing" in the middle of sentences! Blacky had never heard a "Harrumph" before, either, yet that was the way the Brit talked.

The admiral would start with a "Blurb" and then say three or four words, at least Blacky thought they should have been words. Then the Brit would trail off into some unrecognizable gargling. After a while, he'd seem to rouse himself with some extreme effort of will. He'd "Harrumph", and once again trail off into his mumbling.

At first, Blacky thought there was something wrong with his hearing. He looked across the table at the other two Brits, but they were stone-faced. He glanced sideways at Ellingstone, who winked at him, and then stared straight ahead, emulating the Brits opposite them. After a few minutes, Blacky's mind started wandering, and he began looking around.

This was the only British ship he'd ever been aboard. The first difference he noticed was that the room was half again as large as the Admiral's quarters on Halsey. It was also well decorated. The rug on the deck was thicker and with a deeper pile than the one his wife had in their living room. There were two pictures on the wall. The one of the original Victory looked really old. There was even a bar in the corner that was well-stocked with some fine Scotch Whiskies.

The Brits afforded other comforts to their admirals. The Admiral had servants, who addressed him as Sir Thomas. They were dressed in white, and their white-gloved hands had served tea and cookiesfrom silver trays.

Then, Blacky noticed that silence. Suddenly, he felt just like a kid whose teacher had caught him day-dreaming. He looked up quickly and, sure enough, everybody was looking at him. "Pardon me? I was just admiring your beautiful stateroom, Admiral, and I was wondering if that was the original painting of Lord Hood and Lord Nelson's flagship?"

"Harrumph! Blurb, Ah, Yes, it is. It's...." and Sir Thomas was off and burbling again.

Blacky looked around sheepishly.

Captain MacBean winked at him, but somehow managed to maintain a completely calm and respectful demeanor.

That silence occurred again. Blacky looked directly at the Vice Admiral. "Thank you, Sir Thomas, that was most interesting!"

The Vice Admiral smiled approvingly, then nodded vigorously towards Cunningham-Smythe. Obviously, that was the signal for the Rear Admiral to take over the meeting. Blacky earnestly hoped that this Englishman actually spoke English!

"Right! Gentlemen, as the Vice Admiral has so eloquently stated, His Majesty's Government is more than concerned about the threat to Suez in particular and Egypt in general. The PM and your President discussed this matter in some detail, and they have decided that it would be best for all concerned that your fleet and His Majesty's be combined, under Sir Thomas.

"We've done a spot of thinking on this subject, and our Intel boys have done a bit of research. The upshot of this thinking was, and His Majesty's Government has already written off on this plan by the way, that we, that is your people, shall invest certain portions of the Egyptian coastal regions in advance of both the Egyptians and the Libyans in order to deny the Wogs Alexandria and to encourage the Egyptians, who aren't much better, don't you know, to advance at a greater pace in their own defense, if you see what I mean?"

Breckenridge didn't. He didn't like it at all. Besides, he wondered how the Admiral did it. The Brit had to be talking and breathing simultaneously. Blacky decided to watch the Admiral carefully to find out if he actually did breathe, or if he had gills or something. Then, he remembered that they were talking about HIS people! 'In advance of what, or who? What the hell was this fop talking about?'

"Right!" Cunningham-Smythe rambled on. "So that, in a nutshell, so to speak, is the plan the PM has approved. In essence, and, of course, you will be seeing a copy of this for your information, His Majesty's Government will undertake military operations in the Sidi Barrani-El Alamein coastal regions. I'm sure that your people will be able to handle this operation." He looked to the Vice Admiral with a knowing and confident mien.

Sir Thomas seemed pleased. "Harrumph! Ah! Indeed! Yes, hmm. Right!" Having said it all, the vice admiral looked to Ajax's Captain.

MacBean took no time at all completely confusing Breckenridge. "Laddie, ets thes wah. Weel het um a Merrza Ma Trroon on the morrow et aboot oh-sex-hunderrt. Thahn, wi yeer and mah Hahrrierrs, weel blahnkeet the Wogs en hol 'em 'teel the Igyptees git heerr. Wha ya ken?"

Breckenridge was transfixed. Three of them had spoken, and he hadn't understood a single word! He turned to Admiral Ellingstone, and stared helplessly at him. "Elly, whacha think?"

Ellingstone was having a ball. He'd spent four years suffering in the cold and wind of Holy Lock. He'd learned to appreciate many of the fine things of Great Britain. He loved their venison, salmon and the Scottish Haggis. He loved the Scotch Whisky, the English gin and the local Bitter. He loved the warm and friendly people, and he hated their winters.

Also, during those four years, he had learned the difference between American, English and the various forms of the celtified English language spoken in parts of Scotland and Wales. To him, the easiest of the three RN officer's dialects to understand was MacBean's simple Glaswegian burr.

"Let me get this straight. You are proposing that Blacky, here, invades Egypt all by himself? And, somehow you figure that your two carriers are sufficient, along with one battalion of United States Marines, to hold off an invasion of let's say two hundred thousand Libyans?"

Until that instant, Breckenridge had no idea of what had been going on. Now that it was clear and out in the open, he felt like strangling three Limeys. "What!" he roared. "You want me to take on the whole fucking Libyan army with Second Battalion? Is that what you're saying?"

The Vice Admiral answered, "Blurb, Harrumph, Inja, you know, and of course, there was Khartoum ... Harrumph, of course!"

The Rear Admiral stuck his oar in, "Yes, as Sir Thomas has, once again so eloquently stated, and I am in total agreement, as is the PM and of course His Majesty's Government, which goes without saying, as well as your own, of course!"

And, MacBean, smiling broadly said, "Aye, Laddie. Weel gay a weir and skoot them ba' a ware thay kum!"

Breckenridge was at a total loss, but Ellingstone had the bit in his teeth. "Gentlemen, let me put it this way. Until we have had complete access to the so-called plan, including all of your intelligence, the answer is, 'No.' It will continue to be, 'No,' until we have had a chance to study the plan, pick it apart, make contingency plans, study our own intelligence and compare it with yours. Further, until Major General Breckenridge gives his OK, it's no go. Until then, my ships are staying as far away from the Egyptian coast as I can keep them!"

They all spoke at the same time: "Harrumph!"; "On behalf of His Majesty's ..."; "Wha's the ma-da, Laddie?"

"No, Gentlemen," Ellingstone said firmly, "we will not fight this war to the last American. I will not order General Breckenridge to engage a force over one hundred times superior in numbers. And, if I did, General Breckenridge would be within his rights to deny the assignment and contest my decision.

"We have not been consulted in any way. We have not been asked to consider any part of any plan. Nor have we been advised of this plan before, nor had anything to do with it. It's yours, gentlemen. So I suggest that you consider training your Hearts of Oak, those Jolly Tars, how to invade and conquer a continent, because we will not!"

"Harrumph!"; "On behalf of His Majesty's..." It was beginning again! Then the Glaswegian, holding his index finger aloft, came to their rescue. "Whoa! Ah see wha yeer drivin a. Ye ken we dinna were doin? Weel, Laddie, ye came wi me, and wee' gae thrrough the hole theng. A courrse, ye can change et. Et's yere laddies, and weed lak to ha 'em back en ane piece. An, ile coverr ye lake a blanket oer a wee bairn. Eel let naught happen a ye."

His tone sounded right, Breckenridge thought. Yet, it would have been a lot better if he had the slightest suspicion of what the Scot had said!

"Of course, we want to see the plan, Captain," Ellingstone replied, "And I'm sure that we'll make changes. I'll also add that if General Breckenridge is not convinced, there's nothing I can do which will change his mind. Only the President or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs can do that. Even General Algarro has no responsibility or authority over an independent command, such as General Breckenridge's. So, where do we see this thing of beauty that your intel guys have cooked up and that your PM is so proud of?"

MacBean led the way spouting odd-shaped syllables, while the Vice Admiral "Blurbed" and the Rear Admiral reminded them of a portion of His Majesty's horse's anatomy. Moments later, they were in a somewhat smaller briefing room and were introduced to Commander Everett LLewellyn, Admiral Sir Thomas' J-2.

Llewellyn began the briefing immediately. "Ah, yes, it's about time you chaps showed up. I was beginning to think you wouldn't attend my little soiree. Here's the story.

"First, as you've heard, the Libyans and Tunisians invaded Egypt yesterday. Yes, Gentlemen, the Tunisians are in on it. That makes it the North African States, not just Libya, and that makes it Jihad, not just war. So, we have political, social and religious concerns as well as purely military ones.

"The North Africans are making good progress. They are advancing along this coastal road," he pointed to the display of the Libyan-Egyptian area, "which runs from Tangiers to Cairo. They've also hopped aboard the train, here at As-Sallum. If they ride it all the way, it's only a little more than three hundred miles to Alexandria.

"You may not be aware, being Americans, that there are only a few ways of getting His Majesty's undivided attention. One way, which was discovered only yesterday, is to drop portions of ketchup and 'special sauce' into His Majesty's tea. Princess Grace was the one to discover this when she entered the Royal Quarters with an American-style hamburger and managed to impart those peculiar condiments into the aforementioned beverage. His Majesty was not amused!"

Breckenridge brightened considerably. Humor! Dry as day old toast, but funny! Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"The other ways include an attack upon the United Kingdom, an attack upon a Member State of the British Commonwealth, or any interference with Gibraltar or Suez. In this particular case, two of the aforementioned methodologies have been employed and have been successful.

"Subsequently, at dawn this morning, the Royal Marine Division was embarked at Dover and has sailed with a large escort. They will join Sir Thomas' fleet as quickly as possible to defend both our interests and those of the Egyptian government.

"However, it is critical that we delay the progress of the North Africans. Egypt's First Armored and Second Infantry Divisions must get into position. According to them, and this is most unreliable, they will be at El-Alamein tomorrow. They will advance, both by road and rail, to meet the Libyans. We must be reminded, however, of the expression Insh'Allah, with all of its many diverse connotations.

"They have demanded that we, the Allies, make some show of force on their behalf. Since you, Gentlemen, have the only force in this region, our PM and your President agreed that you would perform this noble act. I would suggest the motto 'Morituri te Salutamus', but that might be distasteful to some of your more squeamish Marines.

"The plan, as you can see here, calls for your invasion of the north African continent at the village of Marsa Matrum, possibly meaning the Mother of all Marshes. I'm not sure of that, mind you.

"Once there, you will set up shop, destroy the railroad before you and prepare the one behind you for your own use when the time comes. In the meantime, Victory will assail their advancing forces, while Ajax and Hornet cover your Marines. If, as is hoped, the Egyptians arrive before the Libyans, all will be well and good. Within a matter of days after that, both the rest of your brigade and the Royal Marines will have arrived, Alexandria will have been saved, and His Majesty can return to his concerns about the ingredients in the special sauce residing in his tea.

"If not, we have two contingency plans. The first we have code named 'Dunkirk', for obvious reasons. The second we have code named 'Rhino', for no reason at all. If you are forced to evacuate, and we cannot retrieve you from Marsa Matrun, you will retreat to this point here, on the coast mid-way towards El-Alamein. There's excellent coast there, and we can get you all off quickly with your heavy equipment.

"Gentlemen, here are the detailed plans. My staff and I are gathered here, along with all our computers. We have interfaced with your ships, and we stand-by to coordinate. If all goes well, which it won't, we'll drop you off tomorrow morning at 06:00. We are also prepared to drop you off the day after that, but it may not be possible to delay beyond that. So, I am anxious to get our staffs together for a little tea and biscuits over a good war-game."

Twenty-seven hours and a whole lot of tea and biscuits later, the Fleet turned southward towards the tiny village of Marsa Matrun.

7.3.2 Landing at Marsa Matrun

The Marines prepared to debark. The decks of LPHN Hornet and her sister ships in the landing operations were organized chaos. The LSD launched all three of her LCMs and her big LCU. The smaller craft waddling up to the two LSTs to gorged on her fat holds, filled with trucks, HumVees, bridging units, bulldozers, field artillery, ammunition, food, medical supplies and all the other essentials it would take to keep almost six hundred fighting Marines in the field. The two LSDs each off-loaded a pair of M1A2 Abrams tanks that would join the landing force to provide the heavy punch on the beaches. Three LCAC air-cushion craft also circled Hornet. They had already been loaded with a platoon of Marines, one heavy weapons squad, and an MTAV.

The Marine Tracked Assault Vehicle had been developed after years of struggle and fighting over the role and tactics of the Marines. It had taken years for Congress to realize that the Marines were the only military arm that provided a quick reaction force with real punch. After that, Congress began to approve the kind of equipment the Marines so desperately needed. These new types included the Wasp Class LPHNs, the Osprey VTOLs, and the MTAVs.

The MTAV was long and low with wide tracks. Its main gun was a 120-mm howitzer with a coaxially mounted 12.7-mm machine gun. The fire control and stabilization systems were as good as on any main battle tank. Its opposed eight cylinder engine was in the bow, behind four inches of composite armor. The turret was forward, giving the vehicle an awkward, duck-like appearance.

The rear of the MTAV opened like a clam-shell. The back panels folded down and could be used to dig into the ground to provide stability when the main gun was being used in its bombardment role. When fully opened, the clam-shell created a large accessway to the main gun's breech, allowing the rapid loading and unloading of ordinance.

In its role as a thirty-ton medium tank, the MTAV could travel at forty miles per hour and fire on the move. It was low-slung making it tough for enemy gunners either to see or to hit. As a bombardment weapon it was a good howitzer, which could easily be serviced.

The U.S. Marines loved their ugly little tanks. Each company of Marines had four MTAVs, while the battalion had four Abrams main battle tanks for those really big jobs where one sends only the very best. Since the MTAVs were half the weight of the Abrams, they could be transported easily by an LCAC along with its accompanying platoon or even in an LCM. The sixty-ton behemoths could only be brought ashore in an LCU or directly off-loaded from an LST.

As the landing craft began forming up to head towards the beaches, huge Sea Emperor helicopters began winding up on Hornet's deck. Each of those monstrous choppers could carry two full platoons of Marines with all of their equipment. As the twelve choppers lifted off the decks and headed to their staging positions, Hornet's elevators descended to pick up the ship's complement of Ospreys.

Like the Sea Emperors, Ospreys were capable of vertical landing and take-off. Unlike them, they had wings with engines that rotated along with their two over-sized propellers to give the Ospreys all the advantages of a VTOL and a regular airplane at the same time. Since the Ospreys could fly at almost three-hundred miles per hour, compared with the Sea Emperor's one-hundred and fifty plus, they'd overtake the choppers en route. Each would deliver twenty-five Marines in the first assault wave.

General Breckenridge and Admiral Ellingstone had been following the activities of Hornet and her support vessels carefully. This was the critical time for them. Accidents, mess-ups or poor timing in any part of this stage of the operation would rapidly snowball, setting the entire schedule back. With aircraft already up and guzzling fuel, time was their enemy.

"How's things going, Admiral?" Blacky asked.

"Great, so far, Blacky. Victory is off east, covering us and pounding shore installations. Our Harriers and those off Ajax are working smoothly together. The Seminole gunships are on station reporting no enemy activity. LZs are clear, beaches are clear. I'm ready to give the go signal, if you are."

"Let's do it!"

The Sea Emperors buzzed southward, while the LCAC's roared and skidded, finally heading in the same direction at fifty knots. The first of the Osprey's taxied towards the bow, and, seemingly at the last second, lifted smoothly into the air. As it accelerated, its engines canted forward, until it gained a more normal looking aspect. The second Osprey was already taxiing, and the third was moving into position. The LCMs and LCUs chugged steady towards the coast with an out-rider frigate on each end of the line, acting as both as guides and as escorts.

Ten minutes later, the first reports came in. The Ospreys had landed, and First Company had taken the still sleeping village of Marsa Matrun without a shot being fired.

Five minutes later, the ground commander, Colonel Jason Lee, reported that his three airborne companies were in position. He had set up road blocks on the perimeters and had secured the beach. He was ready for the LCACs. He also reported that the sandy beaches were perfect for the LCMs and LCUs and that he was marking them with beacons. According to Lee, it had been a textbook operation.

Eight minutes later, the three LCACs coasted onto the beaches with the first MTAVs. That was always a high point in any invasion for the Marines. Until that point in the scenario, they were "light" and vulnerable. When the three MTAVs and their platoons arrived, they had a "heavy" force ready to deal with anything the other guy could throw at them. At the very least the MTAVs could delay a counter-attack until the LCUs arrived with the Abrams tanks.

Ellingstone was pleased with the operation. "Well, Blacky, I guess I'd better report to his nibs."

Breckenridge smirked, "Better thee than me!"

Two minutes later, Sir Thomas' image appeared on the command monitor. "Yes, Admiral Ellingstone."

"Sir Thomas, the first waves of Marines have landed without opposition. Marsa Matrun has been seized. Roadblocks have been set up, and the Marines are preparing for their second wave now. No enemy air or naval activity to report. No sign of the Egyptians, either."

"Ah, right," Sir Thomas nodded vigorously, "wouldn't expect them for a day or two anyway. We've located the head of the North African column. They're further along than we had expected. Harrumph! Blurble, they're east of Sidi Barani, about half-way to you. Most unexpected, Harrumph! Cunningham-Smythe assures me that his Sea Furies and Sea Typhoons will slow them considerably, Blurb. I have informed him that I expect him to stop them, not slow them.

"I shall inform the Admiralty of your landing and of the status of the Wog's invasion. Hopefully, they will, Blurble, the Egyptians into some semblance of activity, Harrumph, but keep our Blurble evacuation plans in mind. A reccy to the east might just be in order, Blurb, if you understand my meaning. I would, Blurb, view it as an attempt to, Harrumph, join hands with our, Blurble, Egyptian allies, who may also, Blurble, be considering, Harrumph, sea-born activities."

"Yes, Admiral, my plan precisely. Hands across the water and all that."

"Blurble, Ah, right, Harrumph! Good show! You Yanks were always good at, Blurble, amphibious operations. Right! Anything else, Admiral?"

"No, Sir Thomas, but I will add that Captain MacBean had been doing a terrific job at supporting our landings."

"Ah, Harrumph! Right! MacBean's a good man. Bloody awful accent, though!"

"Ah, yes, Sir, I had noticed." Both admirals smiled gracefully at each other.

"Right! Must get on to the Admiralty, Harrumph. Good Luck." The screen went blank.

"I understood him!" Breckenridge exclaimed. "Maybe we should always meet this way."

"Probably gets nervous when he's not on a bridge. I've known some great commanders who couldn't abide a social setting but were tigers when it came to fighting. Hope those two are among them."

"Hell, Ellie, they'd better be. The North Africans are only thirty miles away. They could be here in two hours, if they pushed. We're going to have to go like hell to get ready for them. I like his idea about checking out our line of retreat. I'll put some people on that immediately."