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Thread: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Last Update: 8 June 2013

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    Shankbot de Bodemloze's Avatar From the Writers Study!
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/14

    Those videos of the SM79 were great, and the information section was handy. I trust it has cooled down for you then?

    Great work.
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    Rex Anglorvm's Avatar Wrinkly Wordsmith
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/14

    Nice videos - I just wish I could understand Italian, they would have made for interesting listening

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    Diocle's Avatar Comes Limitis
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/14

    Thanks dear friends, after a while I'm ready to upload the update, it had been the most difficult written page of my life! For various reason: It is not easy writing about a so modern battle, here death is more close to us, really WWII is not an easy subject! I never flayed on planes with propellers! I did not know how to start writing about a so fast action! I had to read a lot of stuff about the planes! But I had been quite luky finding two wonderful Italian sites about SM79, in which I had read the diary of the second pilot of Buscaglia..............really great! And I read also the memories of gunners, radiomen and pilots!
    Anyway try to be merciful with me, it was not an easy task! So in the hope you'll like the update, here we go!

    "SOUDA BAY December 3, 1940"

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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/14

    THE HOUSE OF ACANTHUS

    EXIGUA PARS EST VITAE QUAM NOS VIVIMUS
    "A SMALL PART OF THE LIFE IS THAT WE LIVE"




    SOUDA BAY, December 3, 1940.


    “Ottavio! .....Otto! ... wake up, we’ve to go! We go with Buscaglia chasing British ships! You get half an hour, then briefing at
    four o’clock to prepare the mission, in meeting room! “ I Open my eyes in the dark, are half past three, in the morning of December 3, 1940!

    The voice which is calling me is that of Guido, he’s on the door and is going out, he is in flight suit, and has a folder in his hand. Getting up I ask him, before he leaves the room:

    “But tomorrow, that is today, haven’t we to fly to Ethiopia transporting all those Fascist Leaders and Generals? We already have the supplementary tanks full! “

    “No Generals for us! and about Fascists: or they’ll expect us back, or they’ll go in Ethiopia by feet, in fact they like the sport!”

    I have just enough time to let me shower and shave, and I wear quickly, the flight suit meanwhile I was thinking about what Guido said: So my intuition was correct, the arrival of Buscaglia in Benghazi had to mean something, in the end he was a goddamn hero and where there are heroes, there is war! This time it was serious matter, it was the first torpedoing mission that I took part!




    When I arrived, in the meeting room there were approximately thirty people, Buscaglia with Air Force General Commander in Benghazi, an Admiral, two or three Colonels of Royal Aviation, the others were the officers of two squadrons of torpedo bombers, Max and Guido were in the front row, this was a serious stuff!
    After a brief introduction of the General Commander, who explains that the British, by controlling Crete, are able to act against our forces on the Greek/Albanian Front, and acting against our convoys in the Mediterranean, and that this is one of the most important actions to prove the effectiveness of Air-torpedoing using SM79, it is the turn of the Admiral: He explains us that Navy observers have spotted a British convoy approaching Crete, probably carrying firearms and ammunition and troops to strengthen the island's defenses. They are now close to Souda Bay, in the Northwest of the island, there are escort cruisers and many transports, all are targets, especially military units, because they pose a danger to the future attacks and landing on the island. Were not reported significant air forces in the area, but definitely in the airports on the island there will be the presence of consistent numbers of British Fighters. We must try to hit before the British Aviation has the time to react.



    Now is the turn of Buscaglia, he will lead the attack and, in my opinion, he has also planned the entire operation; as his habit, he speaks to us in a simple and non-formal way: we will be divided into two successive waves of attack, he leads with the 278th, we follow a short distance, this to avoid putting at risk too many planes in one single step, if the British reaction will be faster and stronger than expected.
    We, i.e. the SM 79 of Max, will remain halfway between the first and the second group, consisting of the remaining three SM79 of our Squadron, spaced three thousand meters from Buscaglia and three thousand metres from ours, if Max sees the sky free, he have to attack and order the second wave to attack, but if the British reaction is too intense he has to order his planes to disengage and give up, unfortunately, the industry is very slow in providing new models, then every single SM is valuable.

    Buscaglia gives us the route of approach to the objective: it is flying for 500 Km Northwards, flying over the sea on West of the island, trying in this way not to alert the British defences of Crete, then, the final stage of the attack and torpedoing it shall come from a route North/North-West – South/South-East.
    After the torpedoing, we have to break toward North, i.e. towards Greece, then fold over Sicily. Total fuel for a little over a thousand Kilometers.

    In the convoy the military objectives have the priority with respect to transports, however the final choice will be of every single pilot who will attack the target more convenient respect to his position.
    Buscaglia concludes the briefing, telling us that the weather favours us, an Atlantic perturbation from North-West is passing over Crete, directed toward South/Southeast, then it is likely that the British don’t expect any attack due to the weather conditions. His last words are: "Guys, I unhook the torpedo at less than 500 meters! So, having weak sight, I'm sure not to make mistakes, you do as you want, but who flies with me doesn’t unhook before 700 meters! " General laughter, someone yells, "Emanuele, if you want, we dive into the water and carry them the torpedo by swimming!", still laughing, and the voice of Buscaglia which says: "No, thanks guys, today it's up to them to swim!” Cheers and laughter. Departure at five o’clock!




    Not difficult to understand that our position halfway is due to the full tanks for the scheduled trip to Ethiopia, we are slower, and if we were hit, it would be a nice bang!

    I like the plan, Buscaglia, had the gift of making everything look simple, and his not rhetorical style, raises morale, it is nice flying with him at the helm, he will have been a hero, but he was also a sensible and intelligent person, and he conveyed a sense of security.

    I'm exchanging two quips with a funny guy of Milan, who eventually tells me: "Ottavio, you don't appear to me in great condition, you are still sleeping! Heavy sleeper the Ligurians! Go for a coffee, my dear!" He is teasing me, but he is right, I have a slow awakening, and the news are not relaxing. I decide to go and get me a double espresso.

    While I'm sitting in the lunchroom, stirring sugar into blackish watery soup that we call optimistically coffee, I'm influenced by dark thoughts. During a low-level torpedoing, by scientific definition, the plane is hit for sure, by the defences of the ships, it is a matter of luck, it can happen to explode in flight, to have a fire aboard, that pilots are hit, and so on, but all can also go right, it's just luck! I’m not afraid by death in itself, when you're dead doesn't matter, it's how you have to die, that bothers me;

    In flights so far we already dealt with British aircraft and flak, I remained calm and I have done my duty, indeed I was almost amused, but now it's different: Now we have to fly low over the surface of the water, at 500 mt. the ship will shoot with cannons, anti-aircraft, and every kind of weapon, even the personal small firearms!…..it will be really tough....

    "Don't drink that crap Ottavio! Please my friend take this, this is real coffee! "

    Guido sits in front of me and pass me a thermos, a delicious smell of coffee surrounds me! While down and drink with pleasure, I tell him: "But, excuse me, how do you get a coffee so good?"

    Guido smiles, and explains me that coffee and all good things, like sugar, Cognac, Brandy, wine, ham, chocolate, even cakes, have been given him by Nicola, one who worked for the Commissariat, Guido had helped him, because the guy had had political problems, "you know he is a Socialist!", so nothing for his family home, no work for them! He was desperate poor Christ! then, it has been sufficient only a letter to his father, and the family of Nicola, his wife and his three children had installed permanently in Rome at palazzo Carpegna, as service personnel, from that moment Nicola had procured all these goodies, stolen from the supplies for the Generals!

    This is Guido, who, even now has arrived at the right moment!

    He is not helping people for pure goodness of mind, but, in my opinion, it was a personal challenge to life and fate, he had to reduce the harm of living to himself and to the others. Philanthropy? Christian sense of solidarity? I don't know, maybe it was just sports! But he managed the matter to perfection!




    Guido leaves me suddenly, he has to go to turn on the engines, hopefully good!

    The three engines Alfa Romeo128, were ignited from the ground, one by one, using a compressor, although on board there was a spare compressor; you could get to seven attempts here, then you had to dismount the motor!
    The pilot had to open the throttle and push for a maximum of no more than ten seconds, if not, there is the risk of damaging the brakes and tires. Therefore it was necessary to lower the RPM by keeping the engine running, so as not to flood the three Alfa Romeo. In short, the ignition was a delicate operation and magical and it could also happen you had to stay on the ground!




    Thirty past four AM, it's still dark, the engines are roaring angry in the darkness, lights moving around the planes to illuminate the technicians controlling equipment, charging the ammunition for the machine guns, making some last-minute repairs, loading fuel tanks, controlling the torpedoes, it is a strange and surreal atmosphere, a frantic mechanical activity under an ancient sky full of stars.




    Our plane is tended by Antonio and some engineers, Max has already sparked two motors on three, while the ventral navy’s torpedo is mounted on its special supports, it is a common Navy’s torpedo 450 mm., with additional horizontal stabilizer for aircraft use.

    I am as mesmerized by the scene, Giovanni, the radioman and heavy gunner, approaches me, there he stays alongside me as if to say something but he doesn't have the guts, so I ask him: “how's it going Giovanni, worried?” At this point he replies: “No, it is only that I wanted to talk to you Ottavio, you know, I've seen that you write very well! I have here with me, some letters for my mom and my girlfriend, but I'm not much good at writing, so, knowing that you are a good writer,…..I wanted to ask you if you could take a look and maybe.....add something, just to make them a little more beautiful you understand? " I don't know what to answer, I don’t like very much the idea, those were his affairs, his own life, but looking at the face of the big guy and at his clean and naive eyes gazing to me, in the end I agree, I take the letters and put them in the pocket of the suit, now Giovanni is happy like a child.



    We are already at the fourth attempt and the right engine doesn't want to start, Antonio speaks with Guido, then he enters the plane and probably goes to the engines’ control panel, where there are the controls of the mixture and power of the engines, they are difficult moments, meanwhile the group of Buscaglia is already taking on the runway, we should start ten minutes later. Retrying, the fifth time. The engine roars then crackles, seems not able to remain alive, but then, after a chilling moment of silence that seemed off, it starts, with gentleness, and joins the chorus of the other two! Here we go! I climb on board, along with Giovanni, who closes the tailgate on the side of the plane used also as a stair, the other group's planes are almost all ready, only one looks back with engines, Max looks worried from the cockpit window, moments of great tension, eventually I see him smiling, then he turns, looks at us and says, "We all! Guys today we go hunting for ships!" His voice is quiet and determined, the smile that meets everybody's eyes is that of a friend, we are as one mind in an infernal machine, and we're ready, and everybody knows what needs to be done, it won't be easy but we are here!
    The plane starts the roll on runway; the takeoff, the torpedoing, the combat and the landing are competence of Max, Guido commands during the rest of the trip; the Second during the takeoff holds his hands light on the controls, he has to be ready but the operation rests with the pilot. Max makes the aircraft rolling on the runway, ten past five, Buscaglia has taken off, now it's up to us, and after us, to the remaining planes of our group.



    We take speed, while dawn is wrapping us with its colours, it's really strange waging war in a similar enchantment, we detach. We are flying almost without realizing it, Max has been perfect as always.

    Now the Pilot is Guido, behind us we can see draw in the rose heaven, one by one, the silhouettes of the other three bombers of our group, the air is clear, no clouds, I confirm the route to Max, who indicate me the four little dots in the sky ahead of us which are the ' Four Cats ' of Buscaglia, everything is going as planned, we get closer to 3,000 metres from them, 420 Km/h the speed, altitude 4000 metres, route North towards Crete.
    The flight is quiet, we are all calm and concentrated, no one feels the need to speak, each of us is thinking what will happen in just over half an hour. The only one who seems nervous is Antonio, he is looking worried at the engine of right, from the opening for the machine gun, and he's already gone several times to the control panel of ignition of the engines, so I ask him: "Anto, is there something not working right in that engine?"

    "No, nothing really bad! it's that I don't like when it is tantrum, five attempts at ignition, are of ill omen! Think! I checked that engine yesterday, and it was alright, but the engines are so, like women, you cannot ever trust them, you cannot know what is going on in their head, this time it is slightly drinking too much fuel, I am trying to adjust the power, but you'll see: Slowly, slowly I’ll put it to its place! "

    For him the engines were really like women, a woman who had almost betrayed him! Antonio had a physical relationship with the three engines, they were his private harem, he took care of them but he expected a total obedience, there was something ancient and superstitious in his relationship with the machines, a strange mix of wisdom and magic; I'm smiling, in the end, Antonio was a good man and a strange person but probably he was better than an engineer in terms of understanding of engines.

    After about one hour and fifteen minutes, the West coast of the island of Crete has appeared, at our right, in heaven there's some little white cloud but visibility is excellent. The ancient island seems really a mythological image, the peace of that blue that wraps everything is almost magical, it is hard to believe that shortly thereafter, infernal machines will unleash hell on that landscape.

    I never understood, let alone shared the Fascist attack on Greece, Greece for me is like a second spiritual home, our civilization would not exist without the Greece, it’s a deeply flawed choice bring war in Hellas. But I never involved in politics, now I was on that plane and I had to do my duty.




    Now you can clearly see the convoy, there are many transport ships and several light cruisers, they are arranged in a North-South direction on our right, you don't see big water trails, the ships seem almost stationary, Buscaglia begins approaching the turn eastward, at the same time lowering sea level and increasing the speed, we follow him some three or four thousand metres, we should arrive on the convoy at right angles and at maximum speed; no enemy planes, the surprise seems to have been successful! The planes that follow us are about to begin the manoeuvre.

    Max tells us: "Otto ready with the computation of the telemetry from target, Anto, give maximum boost to engines, I want it to be an arrow this machine! Gio, get ready on the radio!".

    Max receives the controls from Guido, he will be the pilot during the attack! "Guido, be ready, hands light on controls, if I get killed the plane is your!", "You won't be killed Max!" answers the quiet voice of Guido.





    Before us Buscaglia and his men have began the dive, maximum speed, Buscaglia is pointing straight up a light cruiser that looks at anchor, they were not expecting the attack!
    Seen from above it was a crazy scene! The SM79 of Buscaglia looked almost vertically pointing right into the water, we knew that he would correct a few hundred meters from the surface, but the impression that same sinking was amazing!

    His men were following him, there are the first shots, explosions are similar to small black puffs, almost silent, small spots of ink in the sky; they are reacting now! I belong to navy, I can guess what's going on board of the ship: commands buckets, sailors pulled down from hammocks, people who run wearing life-jackets and helmets, while the officers ordering to fire the pieces, and attempting to move the ship, but now it's late.
    Buscaglia almost to water raises the nose of the plane, which obeys docile, now the SM Squadron Leader is pointing straight over the water against the Cruiser, the others of the first group are doing the same thing, they have chosen their targets which seem all transports, being the two warships that I can see, on the opposite side of the convoy’s column. Perhaps there is also an oil tanker, good target!

    The scene was incredible, the big bombers, looking from above, were so low on water that seemed navigating inside it, just they didn't leave wakes behind them!




    Now they were very close, Buscaglia was at maximum speed, all the guns of the Cruiser were shooting against him, everywhere the trails of medium caliber bullets of the antiaircraft heavy machine guns, now the ship was vehemently reacting, but still it wasn’t able to move, at one point, I was almost yelling: "but he is going inside the ship!" to less than 500 meters, much less, finally the plane unhooks the torpedo, almost simultaneously it raises the muzzle and literally jumps over the ship, the torpedo seems to fall almost vertically, diving in the water for a moment, and then it reappears, it is straight on target, at that distance, if it doesn’t sink, the torpedo cannot miss its target; a small white trail is accompanying the race which seems incredibly slow, meanwhile the plane of Buscaglia, surpasses the convoy, in the midst of anti-aircraft fire, now it’s performing a perfect turn Northwards at full power, it has been struck several times but the engines are saved!



    The torpedo impacts almost gently in the Cruiser Stern, for a second nothing happens, then, almost like a white flower, the wave of the explosion below the waterline extends into the sea, then the ROAR, powerful, we can clearly hear it, quickly a very dense black smoke column rises from the ship, there is fire on board! Giovanni on the radio communicates us the only message of the day, Buscaglia tells us: “Max the coup de Grâce is yours!”

    Screams of joy of Giovanni and Antonio: "got it, got it right in!". Max from the cab yelling: "Shut up! festivities later, it is up to us, now!"





    Let's start the dive, gravity does tighten your seatbelts, the heart pounding you are unable to speak, after a few seconds I hear Guido who says calm: "Trouble in sight, bandits from twelve hours! There are at least three squadrons! ". A large group of British fighters had appeared before us and move towards Buscaglia and his group, which meanwhile had torpedoed two other transports, now there were three major columns of black smoke into the sky, Max says: "They are thirty at least! Giovanni warns ours behind to leave and turn to North! If along the way they find some good target, they can torpedo them! Gio, then put yourself to Breda 12,7, there will be much work for machine guns, Otto too, when we're done with the torpedo, I want you at Breda 7,7 on the left, run!"

    The Savoia was diving towards the water, I'm in the gondola under the plane, I see the sea running meeting toward me, the altimeter marked 500 mts., 700 mts., but when will you lift the snout, Max? 400 mts., we’ll crash, I know it! 300 mts., I see only water, it seems to be already into the sea, but I cannot close my eyes, I'm like hypnotized; at three hundred meters above water level, Max finally does raise the nose of the aircraft, which responds perfectly! A three-engine bomber that behaves like a fighter! The machine incredibly raises the snout, and now it is flying at almost 420 Km/h, parallel to the water, Max tells me "Otto, telemetry!", quick Calculation but calm: "We are at 1500 mts. from the objective Max, the water attack triangle is perfect!", the bullets impact in the water and on the plane, I don't hear the impacts, but I can see the holes opened up in the fuselage, through which the external light passes, but I don't have time to think about them, so I have no time to fear for my life! The noise of the engines and the explosions is impressive, even the vibrations of the plane, at full speed, so low on the water, are increasing; I have to calculate quickly and use the rangefinder, "1000 meters Max, go!" I am extremely calm, it seems to me that the world is slowing down around me!, "700 mts., straight so, straightens slightly on the right Max", I can clearly see the torpedo route, and the angle of impact, we are 250 metres over the water, perfectly horizontal, unless they hit an engine, it is done!

    "Max 600 meters from the target, still 200 with this alignment!"





    This strange feeling of the world that slows down when I’m under emotional stress always happened to me since I was a child.

    I discovered really the matter, when I was hunting for wild boars on the Monte Nero (Black Mountain) in front of Bordighera, with my grandfather, I was fourteen, he was already quite old, but he would never have given up hunting, we were in a dense scrubland, we were following a big exemplar, it was close and scared, at some point we hear a loud rustling among the plants, probably in terror, the boar had changed direction and it was running against my grandpa, who yells: "stand still behind me!", lowering himself, he embraces the gun with experience and waits, I too was poiting my weapon, few meters back, suddenly the big boar, comes out of the bush running zigzag with fangs almost on the ground, my grandfather shoots and hits him, but not well, he was elderly and the aim was no longer that of a time, the beast falls but stands startled and angry, the nasty little eyes choose the nearest target, my grandfather! Reginald in front of me, turns toward me and tells: 'Shoot Ottavio, shoot now! '

    I fear that the beast reaches my granddad, but I could stop it, I’m aiming, and I notice that the boar moves slowly, giving me the time to choose the target, to correct the shooting according to the movements of its race, I had only one shoot, I couldn't go wrong, the target chosen was the head exactly in the middle of the eyes, but why is it so slow? It's easy as well! I know I will not fail, never been so calm! Increase the pressure on the trigger, I hear the shot, then the burst from the barrel, and then the explosion, and along with it comes the backlash on the shoulder, but I was prepared; the target is centered in the middle of the muzzle just between the eyes; the power of the frontal shot crashes violently with the run of the beast pinning it to the ground, no more than three meters from my grandfather; I hit where I wanted to, between the eyes! It had been easy, almost too easy, I'm a little amazed, my grandfather is standing and he is gazing at me, he is not smiling he has one intense stare, not worried but serious, it’s not a loving gaze, but he's the old soldier, who watches and judges a recruit, who performed an unexpected action.

    Coming back down after sending two peasants to take the animal, recounting the feeling I'd had, and wondering why the boar moved so slowly, he explained me that the boar had actually accelerated it was leaping, my shot was not an easy shot, then after a little silence he told me that men react differently to emotional stress, some people began to tremble, some see all rushing, and there is someone, like me, whose brain reacts to tension going faster, so the sensation of slowing was not objective but subjective, basically it was my brain that ran faster under stress and then I had the sensation that the world was slowing down. ‘And is this a good thing Grandpa? '

    ‘I would say, dear son, that we can certainly consider this, a good thing.'




    ' Otto, when for you it’s okay…..’ .... now we were at 400 mts, riddled with bullets, the uproar on Board was indescribable, but we were stable, "Max, we're at 400 mts from the target, from now on whenever you want Commander!", Max then unhooks the torpedo, I see the torpedo lean fast with the head towards the water, then disappears behind us, meanwhile we are almost at 200 metres from the ship, and Max is raising the nose of the bomber with determination, from the gondola I see clearly two men behind a piece of light artillery, helmet, one bare-chested is shooting the weapon while screaming, the other, blue shirt, is the server that helps him, smoke and fire aboard, but sometimes the smoke hides everything.

    I hear an expletive from the cabin, it is Max! "Guido, the extinguisher! everything is on fire here!" He's alive! But they hit the cab!




    Meanwhile, we are taking altitude with an angle very narrow, the ship is surpassed now, the fire is hitting the rear of the bomber! A tremendous explosion that we hear behind us and whose backlash takes us in full, announces that the torpedo went on to sign! This time even Guido is screaming: "Caz.. guys! Centered in full!", I look from the rear of the gondola and I see a second column of smoke, this time from forward, we had placed the second torpedo on the bow of Cruiser, if not sinking it was out of the game for at least one year! We did our duty, now we had to save ourselves, and this would have been a lot harder!

    From the front and from two more warships on the other side of the convoy, arrived now an intense fire, but we were very fast, now we flew straight at a speed of 470 Km/h; Max is performing a strange manoeuvre: instead of turning sideways towards the North, he goes straight forward!

    I understand why: the British planes are now between us and Buscaglia, if we turn left, then we’ll find ourselves amidst them; and if we turn right, towards Crete, we will find ourselves on anti-aircraft coastal batteries and probably in the midst of other enemy planes that are for sure taking off from the island! So the choice of Max is the best, although in this way, we are losing definitively the contact with the group of Buscaglia.

    We practically are passing on the rear of the British fighters in pursuit of Buscaglia, when at least five enemy planes leave their squadrons, turning to intercept us, but we have a turn of advantage, and if we will be able to exploit this advantage, we could try to break and escape!

    Of five, three are definitely faster than us, no, they are damn faster! I calculate their speed and shout out to Max: "Spitfires! those damned planes are Spitfires, they are flying at almost 600 Km/h Max! '





    They are closing the turn upwards and towards us, to get on our rear and higher, Max corrects slightly in the same direction of the enemy while he takes altitude, shortly before the enemies finish their tack on our backs, Max abruptly turning, launches the bomber in the opposite direction, we are maintaining a tack of advantage, but now we have to cross with them, "Giovanni they are yours!", the heavy machine gun in the hump is shooting incessant bursts, but the two Hispano-Suiza 20 mm. cannons of a Spitfire hit us on the side above the wing and on the rear of the cab, a crash announces that the radio has been hit, we have fire on board! I’m running to take the fire extinguisher, while Giovanni screams 'One! I hit one! I hit the bastard! ', while I'm trying to put out the fire on the radio, I hear Antonio shouting: "Bravo Gio! You’ve hit the rudder, he cannot govern anymore! is leaving the bastard!"

    So taming the fire, I think: there are two Spitfrire remaining, and the situation is dramatic, they are faster and more heavier armed, we are already a colander! They are cutting us into pieces! It is a miracle that they haven’t hit an engine! Fortunately the SM79 is very agile and it can take a lot of punishment!!




    Now the two Spitfire are closing again the turn on us, and Max tries the same trick again, anticipating the closure of the enemies, he will turn in the opposite direction, the ugliest moment will be, once again, the intersection of the trajectories.

    At the second cross point the fire exchanging is intense, Max tries a very narrow angle to send them off target, but many shots struck us! This time, however, no damage to equipment, even though the right wing now has a gash not small, through which you can see the sea!

    We cannot go on in this way, because the British fighters' turns are increasingly narrow and harnessing the speeds they are approaching more and more, they are now higher and are crossing again, Giovanni shoots gusts close to each other and I open fire with the Breda on right, maybe I hit a wing, but without causing serious harm, a burst invests in full the fuselage, I feel the bullets hitting the armour of the ' hump ' and this time I see distinctly, a trail passing through the fuselage and exiting from the other side!




    Now the game of Max is ending! They are on us from the rear, I hear Max shouting from the cabin: "Giovanni, we have them behind, on our tail, they are your, try to remove them from our rear!" But Giovanni doesn't answer, the Breda in the hump is now silent, I turn, while a blast hits us in the wing and the fuselage, I run towards Giovanni, calling him, nothing! All looks normal, but when I approach, I see that his head is resting on the machinegun .... While his hands are still tight at the controls of the Breda, I almost slip because on the ground there is a puddle of blood that is filling the corridor, I shout: "They've hit him, they hit Gio!" We were zigzagging to escape the Spitfires, which now were on our tail; Antonio helps me to rid the body of the gunner from harnesses, we stand back him to the ground of the fuselage, and trying to understand if he is still alive, I turn his head, to lay an hand on his neck, but doing so I realize that there's nothing left to do, I saw the entry hole of the bullet between the neck and shoulder and exit just above the hip! He is dead! I shout "Giovanni is dead!...Damnit Gio!...", Max from the cab yelling "Guys, we will take care of Giovanni later! Now we must save ourselves! Anto you take the place of Gio, and you Otto, deal with the two Breda 7.7 on the sides!"

    Giovanni had gone, and for us it was only a matter of time to follow him.




    Antonio pounced on the 12,7 breda in the hump and started immediately to shoot long and angry bursts, I try to hit something from the side but it's not easy because the two enemy planes are on our back and much higher! Exactly in that moment, I hear the voice of Guido who screams: "Max, look! It's a wall!","Christ! If we get there we're saved!"

    Max makes a tight turn and then turns back in the opposite direction, then speeds up to 500 Km/h, and yells: "Antonio, watch the engine control’s panel if it is not destroyed, because I'm pushing to the maximum, I prefer to fuse these damn engines, than being shot to ground! We have to cover ten miles and we are save! In front of us there is a big perturbation, that they had described us in the briefing! We have to get there at all costs!" I pass to the Breda in the hump while Antonio runs to the engine panel, I hear his voice screaming: "Now I’ll open all power at the cost of flooding them! Go Max, go!"; I was shooting, I have to say with good precision, taking away the end of the right wing at the Spitfire closer to us, that now leaves!




    But the other is stubbornly on our back and perhaps he understood our intentions.

    I continue to shoot, but a barrage of the Spitfire hits the hump that is deformed by the impact of the bullets, a splinter of iron or a bolt, strikes me in front, above the left eye, no pain but blood a lot of blood, immediately, on my face, I know well that the injury is not serious but it produces much blood, I dab the wound with the headscarf which I wear around my neck, then resume shooting, the dance continues, and we continue to take shots, but the enemy is now farther away, he is alone now, and probably he understood that the Breda in the hump is evil!


    Suddenly, I find myself wrapped in the fog and feel water drops on the face, I don't see anything, we’ve entered the perturbation!

    The enemy fighter disappeared and was not shooting anymore, or he has given up, or he fails to see us! After five minutes of silence in which no one speaks, I left the machinegun and I headed to the cabin; I find Antonio to engine’s panel, who smiles at me "We succeeded Otto! And you're a damned sniper!" looking into the cabin where Max and Guido are in absolute silence, focused on navigation, I saw an astonishing spectacle: We were in the most dense fog, visibility was non-existent, the rain was falling on the glasses, and light virtually disappeared, all was night and darkness! I don't know why I foolishly asked: "But what’s this?"

    Guido, replied me simply: "Don’t you see old chap? It’s the 'Nothing'!"


    Meanwhile Antonio has began to sing the song of the Aviator, without even realizing it, after a few moments, we're singing everyone, perhaps because we're alive:


    “E gira , gira, gira l'elica romba il motor
    Questa è la bella vita, la vita bella dell'aviator.

    Quando nel cielo incontri la morte,
    girale intorno e falle la corte!

    ……….”

    "And turns, turns, turns the propeller, the engine roars
    This is the good life, the beautiful life of the aviator.

    When in the sky you meets death,
    turn around her, and court her!

    ... ... .... "



    *****

    "THE NOWHERE LEGION" AAR by SeniorBatavianHorse.

    - Color pictures from Luxchamp.

    - Historical photos from two interesting sites:

    'ALI E UOMINI':

    'FOTOGRAFIE AEREONAUTICHE STORICHE'

    - You Tube: 'Gira, gira, l'elica, romba il motor', with the same music but the different text used by Parà Rgt. Folgore.


    Last edited by Diocle; August 29, 2012 at 09:07 AM.

  5. #65
    SeniorBatavianHorse's Avatar Tribunus Vacans
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/14

    Apology accepted!

  6. #66
    Diocle's Avatar Comes Limitis
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    Sorry Clarissimus, I pushed the wrong button......and I made a mess!.......

    But now I've remedied.......

  7. #67
    SeniorBatavianHorse's Avatar Tribunus Vacans
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    You have indeed - and I will read this at my leisure tonight when I get back from work! Looking forward to it!

  8. #68
    Stath's's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    "I never understood, let alone shared the Fascist attack on Greece, Greece for me is like a second spiritual home, our civilization would not exist without the Greece, it’s a deeply flawed choice bring war in Hellas"

    Well, that was the most moving thing i read on TWC. Thank you, Diocle.


  9. #69
    Diocle's Avatar Comes Limitis
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    Quote Originally Posted by hannibalbarca13 View Post
    "I never understood, let alone shared the Fascist attack on Greece, Greece for me is like a second spiritual home, our civilization would not exist without the Greece, it’s a deeply flawed choice bring war in Hellas"

    Well, that was the most moving thing i read on TWC. Thank you, Diocle.
    Thanks for your words Hannibal, but I wrote only the simple truth!
    The attack against Greece has been one of the most disgusting and dark pages of Italian history.
    I firmly believe that without Greece the Western Civilization would not existed.
    Greece was and always will be my true spiritual fatherland.

  10. #70
    SeniorBatavianHorse's Avatar Tribunus Vacans
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    What an amazing and dramatic update. Diocle -I really felt as though I was inside the SM79 in hat attack on the British convoy alongside Crete. And what great pictures! You really have a knack for story-telling and the proff of that is the short interlude of the boar-hunt in the forest. That was a beautiful and poignant moment but also spoke to your craft as a writer in having the courage to take us out of the main battle and whisk us off into the past. That moment heightened the tension for me as a reader as also deepened my relationship with your protagonist.

    Bravo!

  11. #71
    Rex Anglorvm's Avatar Wrinkly Wordsmith
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    I very much enjoyed the 'dogfight' between the SM79 and the Spitfires, the action was very well described - great stuff.

    As for the slowing down of the mind in a stressful situation (he boar scene) that was very real for me, as a young man I was boxer and many times it seemed to me my opponents were moving very slowly, when in fact my trainer had said my reactions were just very fast.

    The only other time I felt that was in a serious car crash (as a passenger) when time stood very still.

  12. #72
    Diocle's Avatar Comes Limitis
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    Quote Originally Posted by SeniorBatavianHorse
    ..the short interlude of the boar-hunt in the forest. That was a beautiful and poignant moment..
    It was a difficult task for me, but I wanted to enter in the mind of Ottavio, and we've to remember that he is writing a diary,...so I tried, in the hope I was not breaking the suspense of the moment!

    So I'm very happy you liked it! Very happy! .....Thank you "Sommus Maximusque Pontifex" of this story!

    Quote Originally Posted by Rex Anglorvm
    As for the slowing down of the mind in a stressful situation (he boar scene) that was very real for me,as a young man I was boxer and many times it seemed to me my opponents were moving very slowly, when in fact my trainer had said my reactions were just very fast.
    Also you? I've practicized 'Savate' which is a kind of Box and kiks, it had been imported in Genoa in the XIX century from Marseille! But sadly I was not a good Boxer!

    I listened various people telling me this strange effect of Adrenaline. Ottavio is not a warrior, but.....he is a strange person.
    I'm glad to hear that you liked the page and that you 've found it realistic! It has been a risky attempt by me! Thanks Rex!

  13. #73
    Shankbot de Bodemloze's Avatar From the Writers Study!
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    A rather marvellous update my friend, so why has it taken you so long to write?

    +rep - and do you have an AAR going?
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  14. #74
    Rex Anglorvm's Avatar Wrinkly Wordsmith
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    Quote Originally Posted by Diocle View Post
    Also you? I've practicized 'Savate' which is a kind of Box and kiks, it had been imported in Genoa in the XIX century from Marseille! But sadly I was not a good Boxer!

    I listened various people telling me this strange effect of Adrenaline. Ottavio is not a warrior, but.....he is a strange person.

    I'm glad to hear that you liked the page and that you 've found it realistic! It has been a risky attempt by me! Thanks Rex!
    Oh I've always been into MA, I started boxing, moved into Muay Thai, then Judo and now finally Krav Maga. You'd be pleased to know that a nice low savate kick is included in KM these days.

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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    Quote Originally Posted by Shankbot12 View Post
    A rather marvellous update my friend, so why has it taken you so long to write?

    +rep - and do you have an AAR going?

    It take much time because I was on a strange terrain for me, and it was not easy: I had to describe a fast mechanical fight in the sky! trying to keep it realistic and emotional at the same time, with also some suspense and the different psychologies of the characters, and.......much more! Not easy! So thanks for your positive judgement of the update! And for your continue presence and support!

    Yes I have an AAR, well I have only the terrible story behind it but I havn't the right mod for it!
    The story being set in the time of Commodus, as to say in the last years of the II cent. and in the first years of the III cent., I haven't the right Roman units!
    I could try to use Res Gestae with the wonderful Romans of Prometheus or the Antonine Legions of Ferres, but I would like to use the Mod resttutor Orbis when it will be completed........I do not Know, I only know that the story is really a terrifying journey into hell......

    Quote Originally Posted by Rex Anglorvm
    You'd be pleased to know that a nice low savate kick is included in KM these days.
    I remeber a similar low kick, in 'Savate' we called it 'Spazzata', if well executed, you found yourself with your arse on the ground before understanding what have happened! ...I must admit that I say this because sadly I experienced the matter......

  16. #76
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    You will have to link me.
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  17. #77
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    Forgetting!....Lord Shankbot, another nice Avatar!!!....it is....it is....so intense and....evocative!

    The face is not that of the Hermes with the little Dyonisos of Praxiteles, but anyway frequently it happen to me to have a similar mental expression!.....this is the reason because I found it quite relaxing!

  18. #78
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    Excellent update! What more can be said! This felt exactly like what I would expect a live dogfight to feel like and I got to root for Ottavio! + rep
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  19. #79
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    As always I'm in late with writing (mainly translating), but in two days the next update will be online; it will be the end of the second part, Ottavio and his comrades will end their trip throught the nothing.....directed into nowhere.......the entire story consists in three parts and a conclusion, we are at the end of the second part, so....I think that for the end of September you'll know the entire terrible secret of the life of Ottavio.

  20. #80
    Chelchal's Avatar Civis
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    Default Re: The House of Acanthus - (inspired by The Nowhere Legion by SBH.) Updated 8/22

    Quote Originally Posted by hannibalbarca13 View Post
    "I never understood, let alone shared the Fascist attack on Greece, Greece for me is like a second spiritual home, our civilization would not exist without the Greece, it’s a deeply flawed choice bring war in Hellas"

    Well, that was the most moving thing i read on TWC. Thank you, Diocle.
    You took the words, out of my mouth, hannibalbarca. And the reminiscence of the boar hunt was filled with pathos as well. Again, one feels sorrow for these fine and brave men caught up in the wheel of Fortuna.

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