Two companies of British paratroopers eventually returned with only one hundred and fifty-seven men, and their losses amounted to more than half, but they did not even touch the southern edge of the bridge. The German tanks and armoured vehicles pursued the victory and remained north of the bridge until they were repelled by the British reinforcements with anti-tank rocket launchers, leaving behind four gas-fired armoured vehicles and tanks and dozens of corpses to retreat.

It was already dark, and neither side was attacking. The British suffered heavy losses, they needed to rest, the Germans did not know the situation north of the bridge, and they did not dare to rashly attack the British army. What they didn't expect was that the British were now just a battalion north of the bridge, and they would definitely not be able to withstand their all-out attack.

The night covered up the bloodstains and corpses left behind by the fierce battles of the day, and the arrival of night relaxed the nerves of both the British and German troops.

Colonel Zink's 506th Regiment finally crossed the river after dark, but he received another piece of news: the British Guards Panzer Division was blocked by German 88-mm guns a few kilometers south of Eindhoven.

"Looks like we're going to spend the night here today!" Zink said to Streil, "Let the brothers, spend the night in the village." We don't know the reality of the Germans in the city, and when it is daybreak, we will attack. ”

"Okay, I'll arrange it!" Striele agreed, then turned to leave.

"Stryll!" Colonel Sink stopped him from behind.

"What?" Strell looked back at Colonel Zink.

Zink frowned slightly, then looked at him and said, "Is there any news of Lieutenant Parkes?" ”

Striele shook his head, then shrugged his shoulders, "No, Colonel, they've lost contact with us after the last informants. Their radios remained silent, with no way of knowing their location or their recent situation. ”

Colonel Zinke nodded, but didn't say anything, his eyes full of worry.

The order was conveyed to many people and many people breathed a sigh of relief. Winters arranged for the platoon leaders to set up outposts, and then the rest of the brothers slept, and they slept on the haystacks, in the lumber room, or anywhere else they could find.

Winters found a farmhouse and slept in it with Compton, Pikak, Haliger, and other officers. In the farmhouse was a middle-aged man, who looked a little thin, and he had a little girl of seven or eight years old. Obviously, they were a little happy about Winters' arrival. It can be seen from the look in his eyes that can't help but see.

"Do you speak English?" Winters said to him, "We just need a bed or a haystack!" ”

"A little bit!" The man hurriedly said, "I have two beds at home, and I can sleep if I squeeze in." Then she looked at the little girl and said, "Whoever of us can do the haystack, we are used to it anyway!" ”

Winters didn't say anything, and followed the man to a house with two rudimentary beds, but it was much better than sleeping on a haystack and a plank.

The man arranged for them, and was about to turn to leave, when Pikak suddenly said, "Is there anything to eat?" We're starving. ”

The man was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes, yes, you wait!" So saying, he and the little girl hurried out of the house, apparently in search of food.

"Pikak!" Watching them walk out, Winters said with some displeasure, "This is not a good habit. ”

Pikak smiled a little embarrassedly, "I'll take care of it, Captain!" ”

Winters nodded, and said no more. In fact, he was already hungry, and the dry food number K was really hard to swallow, if there was anything to replenish, it would be the best. It's just that he's not used to Pikak's way.

Soon the man returned, and both he and the little girl were holding a large borrowed bottle in their arms. It is filled with cured meats, preserved peaches and cherry sauce. Then he handed them to Pikak and Hellig beside him.

"Thank you!" Halig smiled and took it.

At this point, Compton pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his body and handed it to the man. Halig handed the bottle to Pikak, took a piece of chocolate from the D ration and gave it to his little girl, then crouched down and smiled at him, "Chocolate! ”

The little girl took it timidly, then hid behind his father, hugged his thighs, stuck out her little head and looked at Halig and smiled, revealing a few beautiful teeth.

The man tore open the wrapper of the chocolate, then handed it to the little girl, and smiled embarrassedly at the four of them: "He has never tasted chocolate, this is the first time she has eaten it!" As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and touched the little girl's head, with a look of love in his eyes.

"Do you want to smoke it?" Pikak gestured at him, then found a match. The man quickly tore open the pack of cigarettes, then took out one, lit it with the pickax match, and then lit it, and took a deep breath, his face looking very relaxed.

"I haven't smoked a real cigarette for five years. It tastes really good! He smiled embarrassedly at Pikak and raised the cigarette in his hand, "It's really good! ”

The man took two more puffs, and then smiled at the four of them: "I won't disturb you, you can sleep well, the Germans are gone, we are looking forward to this day!" Then he pulled the little girl who was munching on chocolate and smiling at Winters and them out of the place.

"He's such a good guy!" Pikak couldn't help but smile, and then he opened a bottle of cured meat, and couldn't help but taste a piece and smiled, "It tastes so good." ”

"To be honest, I've dealt with both the British and the French. They are different from the Dutch. Häliger handed Winters and Compton a bottle each, and smiled, "I prefer the Dutch to the Poor." They were welcoming! ”

"yes!" Winters nodded, "I like them too!" As he spoke, he pried open the bottle, took a piece of preserved peach from it and put it in his mouth, nodded and said, "It tastes really good!" ”

The night was not disturbed by the Germans. After a long day's work, the brothers were finally able to sleep comfortably, although the sound of 88mm guns could still be heard faintly in Eindhoven not far away.

The next morning, the team continued on its way, with the 2nd Battalion following the 1st Battalion south along the road. In front of us is the city of Eindhoven. The city has a population of 100,000 and is surrounded by flat, dark and fertile soil. At this time, Colonel Zinke spread out the whole regiment, sending the 2nd Battalion to the front and the left side, with Company E on the far left.

Winters radioed Lieutenant Compton in the third platoon: "Barker, let Brewer send scouts." ”

Brewer arranged for three platoons to begin a search forward, with the scouts in front, and the troops dispersed and advanced quickly. Three rows walked through vegetable gardens and freshly ploughed fields towards the houses on the edge of the city.

However, it is clear that Brewer made a big mistake, he walked at the front of the line, with the map case slung cross-legged to one side, and a pair of binoculars around his neck, which looked like an officer. To make matters worse, he stopped at the front of the line and then raised his binoculars to look around the city, which made him look impressive.

"Where did he learn that?" At this time, Guth, who was following behind, couldn't help but say to Tybert beside him, "He looks like a marshal who inspects soldiers now!" ”

"He may have learned from General Patton, but it's a good target!" Tybert replied, and then shouted at Brewer in front of him, "Lieutenant, sniper!" ”

Winters also shouted into the walkie-talkie, "Get down, get down!" Damn it, hurry up! ”

But Brewer didn't hear it. He is still observing. Everyone in Company E, everyone in the battalion, knew what was going to happen. "Bang!" A gunshot rang out. A sniper shot from a house.

Brewer fell to the ground like a chopped log. The bullet hit him right in the throat, just under his jaw. "It's terrible!" Tybert rushed up with a few men and examined Brewer's wounds. Blood poured out of his neck. And his whole body was convulsive.

"Oh my God!" One said, "He's dead, he's dying." ”

"Hurry up!" Tybert gave the order, then turned back and shouted, "Medic, medics, someone is hurt." Hurry up! His hands pressed tightly against Brewer's neck, and his hands were covered in his blood.

Hygienist Eugene? Luo Fei ran over, then pressed Brewer's hand with one hand, and shouted, "Sergeant, you can let go, leave it to me here!" I was able to handle it. As he spoke, he quickly took out the bandage from the emergency bar, wrapped Brewer around his neck, and shouted loudly: "Stretcher, hurry up, I need to send this person back immediately!" ”

Brewer's stretcher passed by Winters's side, he glanced at Brewer, and couldn't help but shake his head: "What a stupid act!" ”

"This is the effect of the general effect, I think many middle and lower-ranking officers are happy to follow General Patton's behavior, look at his majesty!" "Hopefully, this is a lesson for the officers who are keen to show that if you want to be in the limelight, you have to be shot, that's a certainty." ”

"I hope so!" Winters nodded, then shouted to the front, "Buck, you go and lead the team yourself, we will support you!" Then seeing that Compton was about to rush forward, he hurriedly added, "Elsewhere in the limelight!" ”

"I know, Dick!" Buck smiled and said, "That's not mine!" As he spoke, he led the remaining brothers in the third row and went forward to join the brothers in front.

After this, the Brethren met only some mild and sporadic resistance, mainly from snipers. The 506th Regiment encountered no further difficulties on its way to Eindhoven. When they entered Eindhoven, they were greeted with great pomp by the Dutch, who, like the inhabitants of Thorne, were as enthusiastic and frenzied.

In contrast to the 101st Airborne Division, on this day, the British 1st Parachute Division struggled in a painful encirclement. The three regiments of the 1st Brigade of the Airborne Division successively attacked and reached the north side of the bridge to join the 1st Battalion, but their forces were greatly damaged, and they were either killed by the Germans or captured by the Germans while advancing. Even among the soldiers who arrived at the bridge, there were many wounded.

Parks, leading a platoon, continued to wait in the woods, and in the dark of night, they retreated into the woods, and then rested, waiting for the next day. They did not wait for the order to attack Parks, and after seeing the miserable condition of the British paratroopers on the first day, none of them asked Parks again: "What should we do?" "They are willing to stay like this until the war is over.

(To be continued)