Looking at the whistle dangling underneath his coat he fumbles for it and after a short huff of breath lets loose blowing the whistle and the German soldiers pop smoke before quickly retreating across the lines rushing for the 2nd trenching system.
                          
With the retreating Germans Charlie Company advances but suddenly stop a soldier yelling out before he explodes tripping a mine. 
                          
"CHRIST! Everyone stay back Jerry planted mines in front of the trenches" The company Captain yells whilst everyone takes cover.
                          
After a brief moment of silence rumbling of tank tracks are heard and truth be told the heavy dust cloud rising over behind them tells them the Cavalry has arrived and soon enough the first of the Sherman platoon appears.
                          
The captain standing and flagging down the tank commander he rushes over climbing up the side as the Commander hatch opens and there a quick conversation follows between the two.
                          
"Jerries put mines along their main trench line, if you can blast a path in me and my boys here will appreciate it" Captain Daniel says looking at the man standing out of his hatch.
                          
"Yeah we'll blow you a path, get everyone into cover this chokepoint is about to light up" the Sherman commander says before sitting down and closing his hatch.
                          
Nodding and hopping down Daniel yells "Everyone take cover this place is about to light up!" He warns quickly ducking down behind some rocks and the tanks open fire blasting the front of the trench where mines begin to explode causing chain reactions.
                          
"Forward!" Daniel orders and the tanks lurch forward and the infantry quickly form 2 lines behind each tank for cover and their advance continues deeper into the Pass.
                          
"Here they come prepare to fire!" Weber shouts seeing the dust clouds being kicked up by the advancing Shermans and quickly trying to make himself smaller in the trench they've dug out the Tiger tanks behind cover near the back of the trench system take aim preparing to fire.
                          
Karl is amongst the tanks judging the distance his arm raising then quickly drops he yells "Feuer frei!!!" 
                          
Following that there's a split second interval before all hell is unleashed Panzershreks screeching and the roar of the 88s on the Tigers begin ripple firing into the advancing ranks.
                          
"Christ stay down stay down!!!" An officer yells ducking his head from shrapnel as a tank explodes and the charge quickly picks up. Taking aim a Sherman fires the main armorment and the shell impacts killing a mg placement, then quickly reloading and aiming it fires again tracking a Tiger.
                          
The turret of 2 Tigers swivel on this threat and they unless their APHE (Armor piercing high explosive) shells into the lightly armored Sherman killing the men closest to the tank and wounding several more due to the tank exploding in a fire ball the turret flying off.
                          
"Karl you're to pull back a replacement will take your command, Rommel wants you to get the reserves set and moving" a OberstGeneral says over the radio and Karl replies with "Jawohl" getting ready to leave.
                          
**Right flank 3 hours later**
                          
It's nearing sunset as Kris tired and carrying Oskar waves his pistol in the air and he yells out.
                          
"Doctor! Wheres the village doctor!" Kris demands as they've stumbled apon a small village near the river the people stay in doors until a elder man of high standing maybe the mayor slowly approaches the bloodied 3.
                          
"We do not want trouble sir... However you've traveled way out of the war, you're in enemy territory, pretty much on the border into Egypt... How can we help you though," The mayor of this village says in rough german reading from a dictionary where as this village under 150 people basically a frontier village near British borders have been set here.
                          
"I request a doctor then, my crewman here lost his leg..," Kris says looking at the older man with fierceness in his eyes as his promise to Oskar before he passed out was he was going to see the sun rise again.
                          
"We'll get you set then, komm mit mir bitte." The mayor says looking up from the dictionary turning and walking followed by Kris and Kurt.
                          
Soon they arrive at a residents house where the man knocks on the hard wooden doors and a lantern inside turns on before the door is opened.
                          
"Emmett Bamard, please tend to these um.. Lovely gentlemen" the mayor asks before the stocky German locks eyes with Kris and the connection clicks. 
                          
"A deserter..." Kurt whispers looking between the two before Kris narrows his eyes and Emmett breaks the stare and quietly steps back to let them inside an the 4 men head in.
                          
"Put him there..." Bamard says pointing to a operating table and Kris sets Oskar down before Bamard attempting to make a conversation says "So... Sirs, what brings you two out here?" he asks looking at the Captain and Lieutenant insignia on Kurt an Kris.
                          
"Your that doctor that went missing during the first bit of fighting a month ago "Kurt says standing up and the older man whistles. Two men quickly rush in with British Enfield rifles with bayonets attached the two policemen aim at the two men.
                          
Looking up Kris narrows his eyes lowering hi gun realizing he had it raised and he puts his hands up as Kurt does the same.
                          
"Emmert translate for me, please" The man says seeing the nod from Bamard.
                          
Quickly taking the luger from Kris then rearming the rifle leveling it the guard takes aim and Bamard repeats what's heard. 
                          
"I am Ben Wilfred mayor of this lovely village here, the war is far from here and far enough away to make it to where we're neutral enough to peacefully live here. I will not deny your men a doctor however Captain, you are prisoners now and you're to be in custody but first I'm curious to know what brought you here, so talk." Ben says followed by the translation.
                          
"If you really want to know, a regimental massacre happened the order to retreat was denied and we where overran we're all that's left of the 160 man strong battalion composed of mechanized infantry and armor." Kris says with his hands raised in the air listening to Bamard translate.
                          
"We're sorry for your loss but did this really happen?" Ben asks then watching Emmert translate it before Kris gives a nod and Bens facial expressions lighten.
                          
"We can hold a mass at the church tonight before you become prisoners of war for your fallen comrades" Ben says nodding to Bamard checking Oskar for life and stops as Oskar is awake and staring at the ceiling before his eyes finally shut again for good and the deep sigh of a death rattle sounds.
                          
"Oskar?.... Oskar!!" Kris says quietly slowly walking over to his friends table side collapsing to his knees.
                          
Following the night the church bell begins her sad tone of 30 times for Oskar and for the dead of the 4th Company 21st Panzergruppe Battalion to guide their passing souls into the heavens.
                          
Gathered around the grave those who felt the lost of friends and family that are mourning for the young boys that've died on the enemies side have joined Kurt and Kris on this sad night whilst the sun slowly dips below the horizon. 
                          
During this a priest has finished his verses for the dead and remembering a poem he begins to recite it on the last 30 tolls 
"One more is gone
Out of the busy throng
                          
That tread these paths;
The church-bell tolls,
Its sad knell rolls
                          
To many hearths.
                          
Flower-bells toll not,
Their echoes roll not
                          
Upon my ear;
There still, perchance,
That gentle spirit haunts
                          
A fragrant bier.
                          
Low lies the pall,
Lowly the mourners all
                          
Their passage grope;
No sable hue
Mars the serene blue
                          
Of heaven's cope.
                          
In distant dell
                          
Faint sounds the funeral bell;
                          
A heavenly chime;
Some poet there
Weaves the light-burthened air
                          
Into sweet rhyme." The preist says as the final gong echoes throughout the cool desert twilight.