Into the Valley of Death

by Luke
Gregory

It was late 1945 when we started our final assault on Berlin.

This could be the battle to end the Second World War. However,
we were in bad shape. The rest of our platoon was destroyed,
our right track was gone and our loader and my close friend,
Neville was dead. Add that to the close entirety of the final and
most heavily defended Nazi command post before Hitlers
parliament building, and youve got one hell of a fight. My
name is James Chief Franklin, and this is my story. The mission
was simple. Use a 5 tank Sherman platoon to clear a path into
Berlin for our soldiers, take the Parliament building and end the
war. There was a lot of pressure on us; pressure on our
shoulders to win this for the allied forces. Whose shoulders was
this pressure on? The crew, which consisted of 5 battle
hardened men. Me, the commander of our tank, Bible, the
gunner, Neville, the loader, and Norman, the driver. We
christened our M4 Sherman tank Furious Charlie. That name
has a legendary status. 250 confirmed kills of enemy tanks and
armoured vehicles, over twice that of any other tank in US
history.
We left our base not knowing what to expect. Slowly, we set off
down an eerie, windy road with tall, intimidating trees towering
over every metre leading to Berlin. The complete silence that
surrounded this path took us all by surprise. The only sounds I
could hear were the engines of the 5 tanks chugging along. The
sky was dark with smoke from the nearing city; no birds could
be heard singing and no trees had leaves on them. This wasnt
like any build up to any fight I had ever witnessed. Berlins
comin up! Peterson, the commander of the tank ahead of us
exclaimed. The road straightened out and uncovered a
nightmarish sight. A city engulfed in flames. Horrified by what
we all saw, all 5 tanks stopped dead in their tracks, to observe

the hellish terror that lay ahead. When the engines stopped
revving, the sounds of screaming from the city could be heard. I
got on the radio to try and motivate my men. This is it. This is
why were here. We started by killing Germans in Africa, then
Belgium, France. Now were killing Germans in Germany. Its no
different. This is for victory! This is to end this right here, RIGHT
NOW! So get your war faces on and lets get this over with!
Hoo-Rah!
The liberation of Berlin began. High hopes of victory were
shared inside the cabin of Furious Charlie. I dont know
whether this was the case with the other tanks, but what I know
for sure is that no one could have predicted the disastrous
journey to victory that lay ahead, a journey that would take a
piece of every one of us with it, and, unfortunately for some,
even more than that
Readily, we 5 tanks set off once more, thinking we were
prepared for what was to come. Knowing the possibility of not
coming out of this mission alive, Bible was praying, hoping not
to be killed. Promising these men I would protect them only
added to the pressure of the mission. It was about the time I
was thinking about this when the first contact was made. Berlin
was brimming with Nazi soldiers. The first target I sighted was
an apartment complex the Germans were defending from
American troops that had arrived before us. Bible! Building 11
oclock! Elevate 40 degrees! Fire when ready! I shouted. On
The Way! He replied. Our 76mm gun, putting a huge hole in
the building, silenced the Nazis and caused it to collapse,
allowing our men to move up. Luckily, I managed to get vision
on the swarms upon swarms of German militants, who were
waiting for our arrival up ahead. Cunningly, I decided to split
the platoon up to give the resistance a headache. Tanks 3, 4,
and 5 carry on ahead! Peterson, flank left with us! This
intelligent decision, giving us more options, allowed us to
attack from two fronts. However, in doing this, we raced ahead
of the men we were escorting and in doing so; put ourselves
out of radio range. The events that took place in the minutes

after allowed the possibility of making this tactical decision one

of the worst in my career. The platoon got to work. Firing at the
Nazi strongholds, hoping to clear them out, the split tanks were
forcing them to retreat. Confidently, we followed them further
down the road into the town square.
The platoon drove into the square, not knowing what to expect.
All of a sudden, a shell hit the last tank in the convoy, ripping
its turret off in one shot. It startled the entire platoon.
Everyone reverse! Reverse! Get our backs against that
building! NOW! What the hell was that? Peterson asked. I
nervously responded
Its an 88, thats a goddamn tank! the square was foggy and
visibility was awful. Another shell appeared out of the fog and
narrowly missed us. The explosion shook Furious Charlie and
put everyone on edge. We had to work together to flush out
whatever it was. The fog started to clear and there it was. Hell
on wheels. The most feared tank of the entire war. A German
Tiger tank. It was enormous. It radiated power and destruction.
How were we going to do this? The explosion tore our radio
lines so asking for help was now a certain impossibility. Ok, ok,
ok. Drive forward! Go straight at him! The radios in bits so hes
our problem. Bible, fire when ready!
ON THE WAY!
The shot dipped into the ground and then went clean over him.
AGAIN!
The platoon opened fire at the front of the Tiger. Nothing went
through. Ricochet! I shouted. The thing was a beast. Our only
chance of destroying this behemoth was to flank around.
Apprehensively, I began ordering my tanks to do so. Split up
like before! Tanks 3 and 5, take the right. Peterson, youre with
us! Left flank! Go! commanding for the life of my platoon, I
thought back to the promises I made to these men years ago to
keep them alive. I couldnt let them down now. The most feared
tank of the war was traversing to line up my allies. The Tiger

then shot at tank 3. When his shell ripped straight through the
front of the hull, all I could do was watch on as the tank burned
from the inside out. Norman get to his rear, where his armour
is weak! If were behind him we can kill him! Tank 5 was the
next to suffer the same fate as 3. This was desperate now. The
Tiger swung his gun around to hit Peterson. Bible hes going
for Peterson! Put some shells in his side now!
ON THE WAY!
Our first shell missed. Could this be the end? BIBLE!
Its not that easy Chief! Were moving too fast!! Angrily, I
turned away to see what the Tiger was doing. As I looked, the
Tiger shot into Petersons side, setting his fuel tanks alight.
Praying the Tiger wouldnt shoot again, I observed, hoping that
Peterson and his crew managed to escape. They didnt. The
Germans quickly loaded another shell and destroyed our last
platoon member. What could we possibly do to take down this
beast? I could hear Bible crying as Petersons tank stopped and
flames engulfed it. I too shed a tear for my former colleague. It
then hit me. We were behind the Tiger. Bible! Get ready! If we
put shells in his rear we can kill him! Bible was under pressure.
I know where to freaking hit him! he responded. Norman! On
my signal, reverse! Well out swing his gun and get the shots in
his back! Bible, get aim and Ill call the shot!
ROGER ROGER! This was it. Nervously, I held the walkietalkie to my mouth, waiting for the right moment to attack.
NOW! Norman! Reverse! Reverse now! Norman pulled the
stick back with all of the strength he had left. I remember
hearing him grunt as he did so. Thinking that this was all we
had left up our sleeve, I began instructing Bible. Bible steady,
steady NOW! Bible! Open fire!
ON THE WAY!
Bible hit the Tiger in the rear, right into the engine deck. Fire
shot through the hole our 76mm shell left. However, the Tiger
was still lining us up. Loader, loader, loader, another shell!

Quick time! Neville humped another shell into the breach and
Bible fired again. I heard the tigers engine grind to a halt and I
knew we had conquered him. Tank Destroyed. I exhaled as I
took my helmet and radio gear off. We were all exhausted from
this battle. We came so close to death but it wasnt meant to be
for us that day. As I opened the hatch on the top of Charlie and
looked around, I noticed two things. I could hear a tank engine
in the distance to the right, and that we were right outside the
parliament building that we had been tasked with taking. The
engine got louder and louder. It wasnt one of ours. We were
the only American tank left in Berlin. What could this be? Tank!
2 oclock! Norman! Traverse right 45 degrees now!
On it chief! he replied. The sound of this engine deep as an
unexplored ocean. With it echoing off the walls of all the nearby
buildings, I began to doubt the direction in which this tank was
coming. In doing so, I broke the one and only promise I had
made in my entire life. We were waiting; waiting for whatever it
was to come and get us. After about 3 minutes of preparing, it
came. Another Tiger. It burst through the building on our left. I
made the wrong decision. I felt my stomach turn like a sick
dogs. I knew I had let my men down. I saw its gun lining us up.
NOOOOOO! I screamed as I leaped on Bible, trying to do all I
could to protect my crew. The Tiger shot. Charlie rocked from
side to side like a see-saw. When we stabilised, I looked to see if
Bible was ok, and thank god he was. I jumped up and opened
the hatch to let them see me and die with dignity. I breathed in
and closed my eyes. A huge shot from behind us hit the Nazi
tank right through its front, setting off its ammo rack and
violently throwing its turret at least 80 feet into the air,
destroying it in a single shot. Hoping whatever it was behind us
was friendly, I slowly turned around, wanting to look at the
thing that saved our lives. It was a soviet IS-3. A brutal new
tank that the Russians had recently put into war. The hatch
opened. Thanks a bunch Ivan! I shouted to the commander.
Thats ok friend! Were low on fuel and have to return to base!
Youre on your own now! The IS-3 turned around and headed

back up the road. I climbed out of the tank and observed the
damage that the Tigers shot had caused. It blew our left track
off so we were immobilized. Not that bad. I thought. However,
when I climbed back into Charlie, it got much, much worse.
Bible and Norman were holding their head gear to their chest.
Norman was crying like I had never seen and Bible was praying.
I knew something bad had happened. It was Neville. He wasnt
moving. Full of optimism, I checked to see if he was ok.
Neville? Can you hear me? Its Chief. I tried desperately to
revive my fallen comrade but when I saw the pool of blood he
was lying in, I knew it was too late. His eyes were open yet so
empty. I closed them and paid my respects. God Damn!
Shrapnel through his chest. Its just us now. Bible slowly looked
up and pointed at the parliament building turning around,
hoping for it to be a crow or something, I saw shadows moving
through what seemed to be the 1st and 2nd floors. Back in the
Tank! NOW! Bible and I clambered back into Charlie but as
Norman followed, a sniper shot tore through his chest and he
fell off the side and lay motionless on the ground. NOOO!
They swarmed out of the building like bees defending their
hive. I chuckled to myself and said a Tiger never travels
without his pride. I then closed the hatch and listened closely
to the machine gun bullets pinging off our side. It was just me
and Bible left. Chief! What should we do?
Pepper that Building! Burn them all! I screamed. I helped
Bible by loading the shells myself. Clear!
ON THE WAY!
Loading incendiary shells into the breach, I watched the
parliament building burn. Burn like paper. The German soldiers
flooded out of the doors. Most of them were on fire, their run
slowing to a walk, and their walk tumbling into a fall. Give me
another, that was beautiful! I announced, relatively calmly.
Roger that Chief, ON THE WAY!

More fire bellowed out of its windows. The Nazis took cover
behind the buildings in front of us. Panzer Fausts! Bible! Get on
the mounted gun and cutem down! He climbed out of the
hatch and followed my order. Brutally, Bible began clearing the
road, hoping, Im sure, that this was the last of the enemies.
However, he forgot about the sniper. Clearing the last of the
militants, he sunk halfway back down the hatch when he struck
again. His shot thundered off the walls of the buildings around
us. My comrade and best friend fell motionlessly right into my
arms. A shot right through his head. I cried, while laying him
down in his seat, where he belonged. I thought about his
journey to heaven and whispered in his ear on the way.
Turning back to the task in hand, I looked through the periscope
and saw the soldiers continuing to swarm out of the building. As
one of them managed to climb onto the tank and open the
hatch with a grenade in his hand, I pulled my handgun out and
shot twice. He fell into the tank with the grenade. I frantically
dived for the hatch by the drivers seat that allowed me to
quickly hide under the tank. The ditch made by the tigers shell
was just deep enough for me to hide in. There, I fell into deep
slumber, being only woke when my allies pulled me from under
Charlie. I was confused and exhausted at first, but when I came
around, the medic who I was with in the back of a truck said
Im glad you made it Chief! Youre a hero! the very last thing I
remember though, is the sight of my repaired tank following me
home. Furious Charlie.