Chapter 167 Crossing the River

Company E is ready to return to Wigher, where they will accept the defense of Company D and serve as a reserve company. The return of a row of brothers made the brothers of E Company ecstatic, and the disappearance of Pax made everyone have a shadow in their hearts. The German plane flew away, and they had the opportunity to talk to a row of brothers. They smiled and said hello, but few of them said witty words.

"Hi, Granry!" Tybert saw Granari and came forward and hugged him.

"Tybert, I didn't expect to see you again. I thought I couldn't come back!" Granary let go of him and sat down. They were still waiting for the truck to take them back.

"It's getting dark, and we're going back to Wigher!" Tibert sat down next to him and looked at the Rhine. "I really hope to go on a mission with you. You know, I must be a very interesting mission!"

Granari grinned at him and said, "Yes, it's really interesting. If the boss hadn't disappeared, this mission would have been perfect." Then he looked at the river and restrained his smile, "Klinken is dead, and Frank is injured. Has he returned to the company?"

"I don't know. Maybe I met another division, or the 82nd division, and then went straight to the rear hospital!" Tybert frowned slightly and said, "Don't worry about them. They should have nothing to do."

"I hope so!" Granari wanted to show a smile, but he didn't smile. He just smiled at the corners of his mouth. The two of them sat like this, and neither of them was talking until Wales shouted loudly, "E Company Brothers, gather, our truck is coming. We're going to go. Hurry up, hurry up!"

In order to avoid the bombing of the German air force, all the supporting troops and the remnants of the British and Polish left the north bank of the Rhine at night, where more than 700 British soldiers were sleeping in the Rhine.

When E returned to Wigher, the head of Sink personally brought people out to greet them. Although it was midnight, Colonel Sink's face was full of smiles, and he was waiting in the square in the town. When the motorcade drove in and all the brothers got out of the car. He strode up. He walked towards the mission-executing brothers in the row of Company E.

More than thirty brothers in a row looked tired on their faces. When they saw Colonel Sink coming, they still reluctantly cheered up. Lieutenant Welsh forced Colonel Sink to take two steps forward.

"Lieutenant of Wales!" Colonel Sink saluted him.

"Your officer!" Wales returned a gift and then looked at him.

"How are the brothers?"

"Lincoln died and Frank was injured. We ordered him to come back early with two flight engineers. And..." Wales looked into Colonel Sink's eyes and said softly, "Lieutenant Parks is missing! The brothers are very tired. They have experienced too much these days. I think it will take a little time."

"I know!" Sink nodded. He patted Wales on the shoulder, and then smiled and said, "Have a good talk with your brothers!" Then he went to a row of brothers, coughed dryly, and said loudly, "Brothers, I am very proud of your performance. General Taylor is also very proud after hearing this, so he will give E Company a holiday, and you will get a chance to go to Paris to recuperate. This is how our group can marry Ba. Li's only company. This is licensed by General Taylor.

"That's the point!" Kabo waved his fist below in a low voice, and then touched Li Gaote's arm beside him with a smile on his face. "I can't wait, Li Gaote!"

"Shut up, Carbo!" Li Gaote glanced at him and then stopped looking at him.

"You deserve it. The holiday starts tomorrow. Enjoy it!" Colonel Sink didn't say much. He nodded to the rows of brothers, and then said to Winters and Wales, "Talk to your brothers. General Taylor is very satisfied with your action this time. They are all good."

"Coloe!" Winters stepped forward and said, "What should we do with Lieutenant Parks? I don't think we should include him in the list of combat missing persons. I believe he will come back. I know him. He is very outstanding and the pride of E Company. He has never let us down. I believe this time will be no exception. So I hope that even if he can come back, he will be with his brothers in Company E.

Colonel Sink frowned, then looked at Winters and meditated for a long time before saying, "Dick, you know, if he can't return to the team, he can only be regarded as a missing person, but we can delay the reporting time a little. I know it's hard to accept the news, but - in fact, Parks hasn't returned yet, and he is surrounded by the Germans.

"I know, I have confidence, Colonel!" Winters is stubborn.

"Well, if there is any news about him, I will inform you as soon as possible!" Colonel Sink nodded and then walked towards the regimental headquarters in the town. The operation was very effective, especially General Taylor, who gave a very high evaluation. But the only regret is the disappearance of Parks. Under the siege of the Germans, there is little hope of escaping.

"It seems that you have to reconsider the position of Company E!" When Sink stepped into the regimental headquarters, Stry was distracted by a map, and then turned around and saw Colonel Sink, and couldn't help saying to him.

"Do you believe that Lieutenant Parks must be dead?" Colonel Sink took a look at him and then nodded and said, "Captain Winters seems to be very confident in him. Anyway, E Company is going to Paris for a vacation. Why don't we wait for a while? Maybe there will be a miracle!"

"Do you also believe that Parks is not dead?" Stryll couldn't help laughing and said, "It's not like you. Well, let's not talk about this now. Our current task is to station in Wigherr and Yuden to ensure the smooth flow of the road. Whether it is the retreating personnel or the transportation of materials, it depends on this fragile road. Fortunately, the Germans have retreated, but we can't guarantee that their bombers will not bomb this road. General Taylor coordinated with the Allied Command, and there will be anti-aircraft artillery troops to assist us. This is good news!"

"Did General Taylor say that we should stick to it for a long time?" Colonel Sink found a chair and sat down. "This operation has been a complete failure. The road is so fragile that it can no longer support any large-scale battle. The Germans will definitely not be willing. They will fight back.

Lieutenant Colonel Stryll nodded and said, "They have the same consideration as you. The Allies will withdraw from here and then redeploy. We have to find another way to enter Germany. The Allied focus will be on General Patton's attack. The failure of Operation Market Garden forced the Allies to abandon this route and turn to the Eastern Front to attack. General Bradley and General Patton on the Eastern Front had long hoped that they could capture Metz to the east and then enter the industrial areas of Saar.

"We must consolidate our defense here to prevent the Germans from fighting back from here. This will affect the attack on the Eastern Front!" Stryll continued, "Sink, we're busy!"

"Yes!" Colonel Sink looked a little absent-minded. He got up and poured a glass of wine, then sat down and slowly tasted it, but he couldn't taste the wine at all.

The wine swayed in the quilt, and then drank it up. Just when Colonel Sink was in a bad mood, Nixon was also holding the bottle and pouring wine into the glass. He looked a little excited.

"You still can't accept this news?" Winters took a snack from the table and put it in his mouth. "Okay, Nick, it's all over, and I'm thinking about it again. Brothers still have to move forward. We haven't found our way into Germany yet. We will still grow up in the future.

Nixon shook his head with a wry smile and said, "I know, I know. I just want to drink some wine. I don't know what to say. Maybe when we see Parks' family in the future, what will we say to her?

"Tell them that Parks is an excellent soldier!" Winters shook his head, "Actually, I don't believe that he is dead. If so, the Germans would have released the news long ago, but there was no movement in their radio and radio stations, and even Bitlich's death was just said to be injured and well treated. Do you believe it?"

"Maybe, you are more optimistic than me!" Nixon poured another glass of wine. "If I were so optimistic, I wouldn't sit here and drink wine."

"Then go to Paris!" Winters nodded to him, "We all have holidays now. I hope you can receive a baptism of civilization in Paris and be optimistic about everything."

"You will change your mind, Nick!" Winters smiled at him, then patted him on the shoulder and stood up and said, "Yesterday, Colonel Sink talked to me for a while. He wanted to transfer me to the battalion. I asked him about the candidate of Company E Company, and then recommended Parks. I still have to wait for Parks to take over as the company commander!" He poured a glass of wine and was stunned. He didn't drink.

The water of the Rhine River is a little cold at night. Parks swam in the river like a fish. He accumulated some strength and then swam to the other side. This section of the river is very urgent, and it is a very physical activity to swim there.

If Parks wants to avoid the German patrol, he can't use any floating objects that can be used to borrow power. He can only rely on all his energy to fight alone. When he swam into the river, he felt that he was about to run out of strength. Since he fled, he has never stopped. His physical strength is consumed too much. Although he ate the raw meat of some animals, his physical supplement was extremely limited.

He has a belief in his heart that he must not be washed away by the river like this. When he comes to this world, he naturally has his own reason to fight. Naturally, he can't spend a short life like this. He stretched his body and took a deep breath, allowing his body to float freely on the river and accumulate strength again.

When Parks felt that his physical strength had almost recovered, he began to swim again. He worked hard for every force. He waved his arm mechanically and approached the shore little by little. He could even hear the sound of water waves hitting the stones on the shore, which refreshed him.

He saw a black stone, but his strength passed little by little in his body, almost empty, and his arms were almost too weak. The blur after losing power swayed in front of his eyes. Parks finally used a trace of strength to enter the village to touch the stone on the shore. The cold feeling transmitted to his hand, and then he slowly climbed up.

Parks tried to stand up. He swayed and straightened up, but he couldn't support his body, shook it, and then fell into the water, knocking his head heavily on the stone, making a dull sound. It was dark in front of him and he didn't know anything.

(to be continued)