Sorry guys – public holiday yesterday and was doing family stuff and plain forgot.

They came shopping center, but once they had reached it, some of the troops who ducked inside reported that the inside had been completely trashed. Some of the shops had even been burnt out. And still no civilians. After waiting for the troops to check out the shopping center, they continued their slow advance up the road, but almost immediately, they came under mortar fire from Japanese troops across the river. Andrew thought about marching up the road across the bridge in the face of the Japanese fire, but he was getting tired mentally and was still a bit shakey from the earlier blast, so he decided to wait and let the Nuzeelanders earn their keep for a change.

They proceeded to set up artillery on a road that ran diagonally across the street they had been advancing down. Andrew stopped a bit back from where it reached a parkland area before retreating to the shopping center. They set observers up to the top of the shopping center roof to direct the artillery fire, and it wasn’t that long before they started dropping shells on the Japanese positions, forcing the Japanese to relocate their mortars. At the same time, Nuzeeland troops began filtering forward into the parkland and into the housing area close to the river to the west of the road Andrew had been marching down. Andrew found a comfortable spot to sit at the front of the shopping center and just rested for some time.

Chapter 16

Suicide bombers

Finally, he decided he’d better get active again and stood up, but he hadn’t even taken a step before he heard a voice behind him.

“Sit back down again. You’ve done enough for the moment.”

He turned and found the Nuzeeland Captain from back on the road frowning at him. He went to salute and remembered they were in a combat zone, and stopped himself.

“It’s not going to be easy getting across that river regardless, so sit down and rest and let the artillery salts soften them up. You’ve done more than enough anyway. Oh, and I received notice that you are to be promoted to Sergeant. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, sir.” He hesitated and then pointed across the road. “If you’re not going to need me in the near future, sir, perhaps I can go and catch a bit of rest over there.”

The Captain looked to where he was pointing at the motel that was across the road and nodded.

“The Japs have probably stripped anything valuable out of it as they have everywhere else, but hopefully, the mattresses will still be there. Good idea, Sergeant. Take Simpson with you. Both of you get some shut-eye. We’re either going to attempt across the river tonight once it’s dark or first thing in the morning, so I want you fresh for then.”

Andrew nodded and replied. “Sir.”

Simpson nodded at the same time, and the Captain nodded back. They turned around and headed across the road to where the motel was. Strangely, although the office and the rooms had been stripped of electronic and electrical goods, most motel rooms still had comfortable beds. The keys to the rooms were still in the doors where the Japanese looters had left them, so there was no problem accessing the rooms. Andrew grabbed the first one he passed, put his hand on the doorknob, and pushed the door open.