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The Battle for Berberati Barracks

All seemed quiet as the sun rose over the horizon. Reveille had just sounded and slowly the men of the Sixth Independent Provincial Battalion began to stir into life. The bulk of the unit was away on exercises near the capital and only a small number of troops remained in camp.

Sergeant-Majoor Lauder was shaving when there was a knock at the door. Before he could open his mouth in burst a Private brandishing an FN-Mauser rifle. “What the hell are you doing Private Mbyani!”
The private cocked his rifle, “You are to come to the Sergeant’s Mess. Now.”
Lauder threw his cut-throat razor at the Private, the man instinctively ducked and Lauder expertly used his fists to knock the man unconscious. Behind Mbyani, however, were two other soldiers. Lauder tried to lunge at the man on the right, but the other used his rifle butt, which caught the side of his head. Lauder was dragged out of his hut to the brick building next door.

He came to and found himself laid on one of the benches in the mess. In the room he could make out Sergeants Braun and Parkan and Private Wilke, one of the headquarters staff. With them was the Kolonel’s wife, who was sobbing in the corner. Lauder grimaced as he felt the side of his throbbing head; “What the bloody hell is going on here?”
“The troops have taken over the barracks, we seem to be their prisoners Sir.” Sergeant Braun was carefully looking out of the window.
Lauder was not impressed; “And what the bloody hell were you two doing? Having a lie in I suppose? Where the hell is Luitenant Van Meer?” The Kolonel’s wife was still sobbing, “Someone keep her quiet. My heads hurts.”
“The Luitenant and a couple others tried to fight it out but they were killed I think.” Sergeant Braun moved over to the bar.
“Do you think this is a general mutiny?” Asked Sergeant Parkan.
“Mutiny? It's like the Loch Ness Monster. Heard of it but never actually ran across it!” Lauder moved towards the window to survey the scene. Outside were three well-armed guards. “Looks like we have little choice, for now.”

Not more than half an hour later a small group of soldiers approached led by Tweede-Luitenant Boniface. A Korporaal unlocked the door and the officer walked in.
“Sergeant-Majoor Lauder, you are being held here as we begin our moves for independence. You will stay here until I receive orders to move you. However, I must ask you for the keys for the armoury.”
Lauder scoffed, “With all due respect Mr. Boniface I take my orders from the chain of command and not from mutinous scum like you.”
The young officer was not impressed at Lauder’s lack of co-operation. “You will appreciate that it is I who give the orders and you who will obey! For the first time in the history of my country, Sergeant-Majoor, it is the African who is putting the shell into the breech and giving the order to fire!
“Really, Mr. Boniface? I don't think I've ever come across a misfit of your size and quality before. You've missed your vocation. You ought to be in Central Square! If you do happen to go putting a shell into the breech, sir, I sincerely hope that you'll remember to put the sharp end to the front.”
The ambitious young officer was not pleased, but unsurprised at Lauder’s reaction. “Very well. You will come to your senses sooner or later Sergeant-Majoor and we’ll get the weapons from the armoury our own way.” The Luitenant turned and with and his men left the room.
“Was that wise to antagonise them?” asked Sergeant Parkan from the corner of the room.
“Listen, I have seen Batavia. I have eaten camel dung. My knees are brown, my navel is central, my conscience is clear, and my will is with my solicitors, Short and Curly. I will do nothing to jeopardise my honour or that of the Queen’s Army. I know how to handle these jumped up buffoons and we will deal with them in the fullness of time. They need to be reminded who is in charge here.”

Over the next hour, Lauder formulated a plan strike back as he nursed an early but well deserved scotch. He had sent the Kolonel’s wife into the small kitchen to prepare some late breakfast, but being unused to cooking it was taking some time and Private Wilke had gone in to help. Slowly he began to plot out a plan to blow up the armoury before the rebels could access it. When it got dark they would be able to sneak out. Being distrustful, or showing good forethought for these kinds of situations, he had four Soumi KP/-31 sub-machine guns hidden in his quarters for just such an occasion. The Sergeant’s quarters were only next door and if they could get to them, they would have a chance. He might even be able to take back control if he could kill or scare off enough of the mutineers. Lauder and the two sergeants sat down and discussed the plan in depth. Sergeant Braun was for the plan but Sergeant Parkan was not so keen on the odds of success. He was just outlying the pitfalls when Wilke came in with a plate of fried egg sandwiches.
The young soldier was not in favour either, “But Sarge, they control the camp, we wouldn’t get across the parade ground, let alone to the armoury. We should sit it out until help arrives.”
Sergeant Braun dismissed the option of inaction. “Son, we don’t know if help is coming, if it’s a widespread uprising it could take days before the unit comes back. We don’t even know if they will come back.”
Lauder had his eye on Wilke since he had joined the unit three months previously. Personally he felt he should have fought and if needs be perished with Luitenant Van Meer rather than hiding and saving his own skin. “I can always stomach a good soldier whatever his faults! What I can't stomach are Bolshies, skivers, scrimshanks, and boghouse barristers! I've broken more of them than you've had eggs for breakfast! If I take a likin' to you, lad, I'll be your good friend and counsellor. If you offend me, I'll pull out your sausage-like intestines, hang 'em round your neck, and prick 'em every so often like they do real sausages! I hope you understand that Private Wilke. We’re going and we’re going to succeed!”
With that all resistance to his plan faded.

It was a long wait but eventually the sun began to set and the orange tones filled the mess. Just about now they would normally come in for a well-earned drink. Instead it was time to sneak out and kill the new enemy. In the kitchen Lauder found some cocoa powder and mixed some up as face camouflage. Sergeant Braun elected to come along too and both men selected a knife from the cutlery drawer. The larder had a little window and this was just big enough for the men to squeeze out of. They had timed how long it took for the sentry to walk around the building and they slipped out. They made it to the back wall of the Sergeant’s quarters and finding it unguarded, they easily slipped inside. They crept along the passage way and entered Lauder’s room. Sure enough under the bed was a trunk, Lauder tossed aside a couple of blankets and in the bottom were the four Soumi KP/-31 sub-machine guns and several clips of ammo. Lauder winked and Braun and they grabbed the guns. Lauder noticed that in the confusion in the morning, the three mutineers had left his pistol and holster laying over the end of the bed. He strapped it on and the two men crept back the way they came. They managed to re-enter the mess without being seen.

“Ok men. We’ve got the guns. Step two is to sneak out and get around the perimeter, down by the latrines and round the back of the main building. We should make it without being seen. They think we're snug in here and aren’t watching the inside of the camp. Remember, no shooting until we get to the armoury, then we give them all guns blazing. Remember its them or us. Make sure its them.”
The Kolonel’s wife was not impressed by his pep talk and she shook her head; “What you are doing can only produce more bloodshed!”
Lauder was already cleaning his weapon, “Well, that's a matter of opinion! I'm surprised at you, Ma'am! I thought you believed in all men being equal!”
“Of course, I do! That's exactly the point!”
Lauder clicked the trigger and the bolt slid smoothly forwards. “Well, they had guns and we didn't. That wasn't very equal, was it?”
The Kolonel’s wife got up and her voice raised. “Who put guns into their hands? Who taught them to shoot? You!”
Lauder’s infamous short patience was wearing thin already. “And if it wasn't for people like us, you wouldn't be able to walk around, spouting your smarmy, silly, bloody little half-baked ideas!
“That remark, Sergeant-Major, may well cost you your rank!”
Lauder by now was worried the guards might hear the commotion and come into the mess to check. He directed Sergeant Parkan to keep an eye on her, “Stay with her until she quiets down. See she doesn't leave the mess!” He turned to Braun as she left to go into the kitchen, sobbing, “Oh, what a right old cow! God knows why the Kolonel married her!”

Private Wilke wasn’t too keen either, “Could I volunteer to stay with her? I’m not much with a gun Sir.”
Lauder rolled his eyes; “I wonder they didn't make you a sergeant!”
“I had a stripe once. Lost it in a fortnight.”
“Well now is your chance to earn those stripes back.”
“But Sir, wouldn’t we be better waiting until tomorrow? The unit might come back in the morning.”
Lauder’s patience snapped again; “Let me tell you. There's no alteration, no celebration. No argumentation, no qualification in this mess that escapes my eyes! Read, learn, and inwardly bloody digest!” With that he thrust a Soumi into the Private’s hands. “You’ll either make Sergeant or be dead by tomorrow. The choice is yours.”
The Kolonel’s wife's head emerged from the serving hatch, “You're a human gun! They've turned you into a human rifle!”
The guard had heard the shouting. Already Sergeant Parkan had dragged the increasingly hysterical woman back inside the kitchen. The guard began to unlock the door and he cautiously stepped into the room. Sergeant Braun was behind the door and as the guard passed he slammed his heavy Soumi into the guard’s skull. They dragged the body into the room. Now the decision was made, they had to act. Lauder led the way and the three men left via the main door and quickly headed to the scrub behind the buildings for cover.

They got as far as the headquarters building without trouble. The path leading to the armoury was guarded by a single sentry, though Lauder suspected more would be guarding the building itself. Lauder decided to bluff it out in the darkness. As they marched out of the gloom the sentry challenged them. In response Lauder called out, “Sergeant Koomba with relief for the sentries.”
The Korporaal waved them through and they hurried past. As they got further up the track Lauder whispered to Braun, “That's Korporaal N'timba. Never make sergeant! No initiative!”
They got to the armoury building, leaning against the wall were two soldiers. They assumed relief was near and they seemed relaxed. When they got closer Lauder and Braun lunged forwards with their knives and despatched both men. Lauder opened the heavy steel doors using his keys for the two padlocks and main lock and went inside. He soon found what he was after. He took a handful of grenades and passed Wilke and Braun several. Both men pulled the pins and then threw them and hurriedly ran into the bush. What resulted was a series of explosions, each larger than the previous one. The building became a blasted wreck and fragments of roof and upper wall were thrown out.

There was no point being stealthy now as the guards began to stir and made towards the blazing shambles. Korporaal N'timba ran down the track but Lauder’s Soumi juddered in his hands and several rounds stuck N’timba. Sergeant Braun planted a grenade right between three rebels with devastating results. Lauder kept firing and the few guards decided to pull back. By now the grass and trees around the former armoury were well ablaze and the two men made their way towards the headquarters building. Gleefully Lauder clipped in another magazine and began raking the windows with fire. Braun worked round the front and cut down two more rebels as they attempted to leave the building.
“Do you have a pineapple left?” Lauder shouted. Braun shook his head. “Pity.”

Back at the Sergeant’s Mess, Sergeant Parkan had to fight off two guards who stormed into the building, kicking the door in. He gunned down one but had to fight the other by hand and the rolled over the floor. Eventually the Kolonel’s wife plunged a kitchen knife into the rebel’s back. Parkan then leapt to the door and kept a small band of rebels from coming any nearer with a few short bursts. They returned fire with their FN rifles but Parkan managed to keep them off.

Korporaal Abou and the real Sergeant Koomba had worked round the rear of Laduer and his men and opened fire with their FNs. Wilke took one of the rounds in the back and he fell forwards screaming. Lauder whirled round and loosed off a burst into the undergrowth. The two rebels cracked off two more shots and the muzzle flash was clear even in the bright orange glow. Lauder charged and fired off the remains of his magazine. Abou was cut down as he attempted to rise and Koomba took a hit in the right arm. Wilke was still screaming and Braun went to see what he could do. As he did Tweede-Luitenant Boniface leant out a window in the headquarters and fired three shots with his Mauser pistol. One hit Braun in the lower leg, smashing his shin bone. He instinctively fired back in the general direction and one of the bullets found their mark and ripped into Boniface’s skull. By now Lauder had found himself a new killing zone and was in his element, his last few rounds of his final magazine finding their mark and cutting down two more rebels. Koomba still wasn't finished and he slowly crawled closer. He attempted to spear Lauder with his bayonet with his good arm, but Lauder had heard him and easily dodged the first parry. In the hand to hand struggle that followed Lauder gained the upper hand and despatched the brave rebel. With their commander dead and a dozen of their comrades killed, the rebels quickly made decisions whether to flee or surrender. Most left the camp, taking the last two trucks, but Parakan took six men prisoner and Lauder took another four survivors inside the headquarters prisoner. Now all they had to do was to sit tight until relief came.

Quoted

“From: Commander of the Household Troops
To: Commander Suriname Commando, Repeated Commander 6e RGF Reg.
Time of Origin: 14:07 24/10/1945
The Commander 6e RGF Reg. is to immediately make preparations to deploy all combat and support sub-formations to Ubangi-Shari. All equipment should be prepared for shipment by sea. All personnel on leave should be recalled immediately. The unit should embark on naval vessels assigned at Paramaribo harbour no later than 26/10/45 and a confirmation of the exact date and timing will follow. Full schedule of transfers will follow. Full supplies and ammunition will be issued on arrival in Kongo for overland transportation. A full report on manpower and equipment readiness should be submitted without delay.”

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