AUTUMN BIG GAME 2019 REPORT (7)

The Battle of Mortimer's Cross was now truly underway. Boy Scouts fought with rugby players. Morris Men dashed around madly, assaulting all and sundry. The Police Anti Tank Gun methodically shot every wheel off the Automobile Association armoured car, which somehow survived endless direct hits, and continued to fired its LMG. The AA infantry patrol (so randomly aggressive that they were renamed "Assassins Anonymous") picked a seemingly endless fight with some passing and wholly blameless postmen. Farmer Giles ambushed a passing Fyffes lorry, only to be dismayed by the appearance of another Fyffes "Bananaman" mascot, who attached himself to Giles' supposedly heavily camouflaged sniper and started hollering, off key, the Fyffes company anthem (copyright : Rob). Amidst all this carnage, a brief survey was undertaken of the mid-game "wealth and goodies" of the principal players:

Farmer Roo - 14 agricultural animals, 40 Ludlow Groats in cash;

Farmer Giles - 9 agricultural animals, 70 New Pounds in cash;

Comrade Professor Winters - 7 agricultural animals, 20 Liverpool Roubles in cash, 3 Bananas, 3 bottles of Champagne (obtained by raiding the Perrier Jouet van, not for distribution to the proletariat) and 3 chocolates;

Senior Captain Maynard - 9 agricultural animals, 30 New Pounds in cash, 1 Banana and 1 chocolate. 

So far, so good for most, but then....then Mortimer's Cross began to throb with the sound of a huge fleet of strange, tri-motored aircraft, and the sky above to fill with blossoming canvas shapes and shrouds...what could be happening? Surely not - surprise, surprise - the long anticipated "Operation Cilla"?

German parachutists! Blimey! Fahsends of 'em! A snatched shot of  the start of "Operation Cilla"
over the Mortimer's Cross area. (c) "Hereford Times" VBCW 1938.

An official Luftwaffe photo of the first landing zone to be established, subsequently reproduced in the limited circulation pamphlet "Gebirgsjager und Fallschirmager ein der Englischer Kreig" (Munich, 1938)

A rare colour photograph of the descent. Farmer Roo's West Field is clearly visible below.