Ten of us and one guest, Gloria, down here on holiday attended today's meeting. Quite a lot of discussion about the walking holiday in Exmoor before getting down to the serious business of reading out our individual master pieces. One or two of the stories were very good but the clear winner was Brian's exciting tale of what could happen in this time of terrorist threats.
EXPLOSIVE SITUATION
It was approaching evening in London. Darkness crept across buildings coloured orange by the setting sun as Stuart made his way to the meeting place. He had received a call, about five minutes ago, and the mans voice seemed strained, he had given the correct code word, and told a car would pick him up in five minutes, at the usual place, and not to wear his uniform, “ do I need my tools,” no, we have got them for you.” Stuart was the most experienced bomb disposal engineer in the country. He had written several pamphlets on the subject for the armed forces.
Within two minutes a plain looking car pulled up,” Mr. Stuart? That’s me,” get in sir, where are we going,” he asked the driver, “ you’ll know soon sir”, all your gear is in the boot.
He leant back in the rear seat of the car, contemplated the back of the driver, who was driving him who no’s where.
They raced through the streets, as he looked
in front of the car, he saw two police motorcycles clearing the way. They seem to be going in to the heart of London, Around St.Jame’s Park, there seemed be a lot of police. The car pulled into Birdcage Walk, and came to stop, “ we’re here, sir”
The car door was opened from the out side, and standing there was the Chief of Police for the London area. The first thing that hit him was that old familiar smell of smoke, and burnt out buildings.
The chief took him to one side,” as you know this is the back of Downing street, there has been a incidence, No 10 has been hit really badly, and ALL the cabinet members were in the building, and are still in there. Some of the firemen have been in part way, but, they saw two unexploded bombs, so we called you.” What have you told the news people? Just the a small gas main had blown, and that no one was hurt”
The driver had placed Stuart’s bag of tools by him, and took off. The Police chief gave Stuart a two way radio, this is on a service channel, you can talk straight to me,ok?
Stuart nodded
Stuart entered the back gate of No 10, there before his eyes was one the he had seen many times, he passed through the trimmed neat garden, and climbed over the blocks of fallen bricks and entered the house, his nose itchy with the shifting layers of dust that cloaked the air. An early bomb had caused the upper part of the house to topple in on itself.
Rubble had tumbled down the stairs from the level above and lay strewn across the floor, blocking an opening on the other side.
Then he saw them two mortar bombs. It seems that at less four had been fired at the house the first two must have done the damage. By the looks of the two in front of him, they were 120mm HE/Fragmentation mortar bombs. The bombs were fitted with strengthened stabilizers, the body made of steel and cast iron. The longer stabilizers eliminated the possibility of falling short, and provided two-fold fire accuracy. People who knew about mortars did this.
He placed his bag down very carefully, gently blew the dust from one of the mortar shell, the shells were British Army Issue, by the letters and writing on the side, it was a high explosives, made less than four months ago, How did the bombers get the latest issue?
Just think, two days ago he had been camping and walking in the New Forest. He loved to walk there close to the sea, often the warm southwesterly breezes carried a faint hint of salt air even to this part of the forest, but the sea itself was nearly always hidden until one came out of the oak woods on to the coastal marshes. He needed that break now and then, just to unwind and get out of London.
Don’t let your mind wander, not now, he said to himself.
“Hello Chief, can you hear me? Yes Stuart what is it like in there?” Very quiet. Am going to defused, one of the mortar shell, they seem to unstable to move, by the way the cabinet room is completely destroyed, ALL in the room are dead”
Stuart, knelt down by the mortar shells as he reached out to touch it, they both went off, the blast blew him and the rest of the building apart.
The Police Chief started to go towards the now smoking rubble, MY GOD; he looked towards the end of the street and saw that the Army was taking control, telling his police to move away. The army was now in control.
The last words that the chief of police said into his radio, before he was shot, was
WE HAVE AN EXPLOSIVE SITUATION HERE.
