The Boer Offensive(Begins):
Location: Galimencian Military Bunker, Derbeshire, Galimencian Colony of Diamond Coast
Date and Time: 23rd April, 2021,Friday; 5:35 am
It was early morning. Captain Hume was walking near the military bunker, smoking a cigarette and having a chat with Lieutenant Tickel.
"That's the Rhodeshian border sir." Tickel pointed in front of him.
Captain Hume, said, while examining the fences which acted as the line of division between the 2 'countries'(one is indeed a sovereign country, while the other is a colony), "Isn't it weird that only this area, that is, the area surrounding the border, is a clear field, while almost the rest of the village is covered with forests."
"Actually sir, this area was forested too. However, after Rhodeshia began hostilities with us, the Galimencian authorities cleared the forest, perhaps to prevent the Boers from conducting anymore guerilla campaigns in the future." the young Lieutenant replied.
Hume, the 35 year old Captain, with blue eyes and blonde hair, was impressed with Tickel's knowledge. He asked him, "how do you know so much about this place, Tickel?"
"Sir, that's because I was born in Derbeshire." Tickel smiled.
Captain Hume smiled and stared at the blue sky above him. Suddenly, he saw a black coloured object in the horizon, over the Rhodeshian border. He stopped smiling and alarmingly asked Tickel what that object could be?
Tickel nonchalantly gave a quick glimpse at the object, and replied: "That must be the Derbeshire Pigeon sir. Very rare species of bird, endemic to Derbeshire and it's surrounding areas."
But, Captain Hume was not convinced. He asked Tickel: "Do you have a binocular Tickel?"
"I do sir, but believe me, that's just a harmless pigeon." sighed Tickel while handing him the pair of binoculars that he always carried.
"I don't think so Tickel...it's flying posture seems rather weird." said Hume, while looking at the object through the binoculars.
Meanwhile, the object had also came neared and had thus became a bit more visible, and Hume, who was keenly studying the object, became alarmed.
"FALL BACK TICKEL! Retreat to the bunker, Retreat to safety, NOW!" he shouted out to Tickel, as it became apparent that the flying object was nothing but a fighter jet. Captain Hume began running, grabbing Tickel, who was almost paralyzed by fear. Meawhile, the object came nearer and were almost above them with it's deep buzzing noise.
Tickel and Captain Hume ran as fast as they could, while Tickel repeatedly kept saying: "Sir, I have never been in a battlefield sir, I don't want to die, I want to live. God protect me!" as tears started flowing down from his eyes. He was scared, but kept running nevertheless. Captain Hume let go of Tickel's arm and started phoning back to the other soldiers in the bunker, "Offensive has begun, Fighter planes on your way, Everyone be ready, Grab your fucken guns ,and come out of....." he couldn't finish his sentence, as he heard a lid noise behind him, he turned back, while running, and saw nothing but a cloud of smoke, just behind Tickel. The airplanes have started their offensive.
"Tickel, run faster!" he shouted to his Lieutenant. He kept running as fast as he can, occasionally turning back to check what the young Lieutenant was doing. The aircrafts continued to drop bombs, but never managing to harm anyone of them.
They had almost reached the bunker, when he turned back, and almost immediately, a bomb was dropped almost in front of him. The terrifying noise, and the blast almost blinded Hume, while the effect of the blast threw him in the air. The last thing he saw before crashing down is Tickel being blown into pieces as a result of this blast.
Hume crashed on the ground, and was quickly overcome with pain, but desperate to stay alive, he started crawling . As he came near the bunker, he saw his fellow soldiers, along with his fellow captain, Captain Jennings. The soldiers had taken their positions, with their guns, and were ready for combat.
"Everybody, get down!" shouted Captain Jennings, as the military aircraft started dropping bombs indiscriminately. This rampage went for sometime, before the aircraft was taken down by a soldier, who was firing from the terrace of the bunker. Several soldiers were killed and many more injured.
However, this wasn't the end of the matter. Suddenly they saw a huge army of Boers, with several tanks and armored vehicles running towards them. There were about 15,000 Boers, and although they did not possesed any high-tech guns, yet their overwhelming numerical superiority, scared the odd 500 troops who were there in the bunker. Even among these 500, many were killed during the bombing. Infact, the Galimencian authorities, especially General Kipling, the general in charge of this conflict, failed to realise that Boers would begin their offensive from the village. He felt, that the Boers would surely attack the bigger town of Kwazul, which also happened to be situated near the border, but on a different side.
The soldiers rushed back into the bunker complex, hiding in various places. The bunkers became their makeshift fort, as they began shooting at the Boers. Many had understood that their sacrfice would go in vain, yet they felt that it is better to be killed in action, than being tortured to death in a prison.
About 150 soldiers rushed into the terrace and began shooting. Among them was 3 snipers. The Boer advance was temporarily paused after a large number of the Boers, who were still in the open, were butchered down by the Galimencian soldiers. The Boers shot back too mainly at the soldiers in the terrace, but most of their shots missed, and only 5 Galimencian soldiers were killed. Now the Boers took a different strategy. They began hiding behind the mini craters that were formed due to the bombings. From there they began firing back. Galimencian troops inside the bunkers fired through several holes in the walls.
This continued for sometime. Both sides traded fire without much of an outcome. Occasionally grenades were thrown by each side. Very few people were killed, but the Boers had, by then, successfully, predicted that the number of Galimencian troops did not exceed 1000 soldiers. That was when, General Boucher, the Boer commander responsible for the offensive, changed tactics for the second time, and now ordered the soldiers to break inside the bunker, no matter what the cost.
The Boers did exactly that. Although a large number of them were shot down, yet with their vast numerical advantage, they managed to subdue the Galimencians. As they entered the bunker complex, they began firing randomly, killing the Galimencians. Many went to the terrace and killed the remaining soldiers there.
The last stand of the Galimencians went in vain. No POWs were taken, as all were killed. Captain Hume was shot in the head, while Captain Jennings was bayoneted to death. Almost 2500 Boers were killed.
The Boers captured the village of Derbeshire, and massacred it's inhabitants. The first Boer offensive had succeeded.