World War II: Starting with the defeat of the Desert Fox

Chapter 13 Salt Marsh

"Have you heard of the salt marshes?" Thorne asked.

Thea understood "swamp." She looked around curiously and laughed, "You mean this? This is the desert, Thorne."

"Yes, it's called the Desert Salt Flats." Thorne gestured towards the surrounding hills and highlands:

"Look at the terrain. The surrounding area is high and the middle is low, making it a typical basin."

"Especially since this place is very close to the ocean, a long time ago, when the tide was high or there was a typhoon, seawater might have flowed into this area."

Thea looked completely confused: "And then?"

"And then," Thorne said, stamping his foot on the hard ground:

"Seawater is trapped in this basin and cannot escape; it dries up and turns into salt that is deposited there."

"Year after year, day after day, a hard layer of salt, tens of feet thick, has formed here."

"Perhaps several hundred years later, these hard salt layers were covered by wind and sand, so we can no longer see the white color of the salt layers."

Thea pondered, "But why is it called a salt marsh?"

"The desert is full of soft sand, Captain," Thorne said. "But salt doesn't; it forms a hard crust."

Thea understood. She stared wide-eyed at Thorne: "You mean, it's like an egg with a hollow bottom? And we're standing on top of it?"

Thorne nodded slightly:

"More importantly, salt is soluble in water."

"Once water seeps from the surface into the underlying salt layer, no matter how hard the surface looks, it will melt and create cracks."

"You know what will happen next."

Thea stared at Thorne in disbelief: "God, everything is going to fall, including us."

Before Thorne could speak, Thea turned and shouted an order towards the water tanker:

"Hey, we can't let any liquid spill onto the ground."

"Engine oil, gasoline, or the water you drink, anything."

"If you need to pee, drive away from here!"

Thorne wasn't that nervous.

Salt is insoluble in engine oil and gasoline, so it doesn't matter if these substances leak.

As for urinating, the small amount of water will be completely absorbed by the soil covering the salt marsh, or evaporate quickly at a high temperature of 70 degrees Celsius, and will not affect the salt marsh below.

However, Thorne didn't say that being careful wouldn't hurt.

"Thank you, Thorne." Thea looked at Thorne gratefully, a hint of lingering fear flashing in her eyes:

"You may have saved our lives."

"I can't imagine what would happen if we actually sent soldiers here to transport or distribute water."

"You're welcome," Thorne replied. "It was nothing."

By this time, the oil tanker convoy had successfully passed the breakdown area. Thorne walked towards his Ford and said goodbye to Thea: "I have to go now, see you next time!"

"Of course." Thea smiled and waved to Thorne. "Goodbye, Thorne!"

------

Bog Arab.

Thorne finally completed the handover when the night sky was filled with stars.

As Gray said, the handover process was not hindered in any way, except that the quartermaster in charge of logistics looked a little impatient.

Thorne knew what that meant. He didn't want the batch of fuel Thorne provided to be stored, but he couldn't bear the consequences of obstructing it, so he could only reluctantly let it pass.

That evening, Thorne was assigned to the officers' reception barracks.

These are row suites for visiting military officers or journalists, located about 200 feet from the tank depot.

Thorne was assigned to a small single room with only a bed and a table, but thankfully it had a private bathroom.

He originally wanted to take a shower before going to sleep, but he forgot how precious water is, especially in desert areas and military camps.

Disappointed, he discovered that there was no water for bathing, and not even water for drinking.

Lying in bed, Thorne licked his chapped lips and recalled the water tanker that broke down on the road.

"That should be the water supply for this area," Thorne thought. "We'll just have to hold on until it arrives."

It was a desert, and a desert during wartime; everyone had to adapt to the conditions.

Just as Thorne turned off the light, intending to try to get through the night with sleep, a cheer erupted outside the window.

Feeling sleepy, Thorne turned over and impatiently rolled up his pillow to cover his ears.

But in his daze, he heard the "whoosh" of running water and suddenly woke up. It was the water tanker. Thea must have fixed the water tanker and driven it here.

Thorne didn't think much of it, got up, grabbed his water bottle, and rushed out.

Sure enough, the water tanker was parked in the open space outside the gate, and British soldiers who had rushed over had already formed a long line.

Thea and her men were busy distributing water to the soldiers when Thea noticed Thorne, who was dressed in civilian clothes and standing at the back of the line.

"Hey, Thorne." Thea waved for Thorne to come forward.

Thorne looked blankly at the long lines on both sides and stepped forward hesitantly.

This doesn't seem like a good idea, he thought.

Sure enough, the British soldiers lined up began to vent their frustrations in a cacophony of voices:

"Hey, did this guy win the Victoria Cross?"

"Or was it because he was wounded bravely in battle? I don't see it!"

"His injury may be in a place you can't see, but our captain must have experienced it!"

……

The soldiers burst into laughter.

Thea strode forward and loudly reprimanded the soldiers who had started the disturbance:

"You idiots, without him, you might all be stuck in the salt marsh with the water tanker."

"in addition……"

"He didn't cut in line!"

As she spoke, Thea took the water bottle from her waist and handed it to Thorne.

The soldiers started making noise again, but this time, their eyes were filled with more envy and jealousy.

In the military, a place where even sows are a rare sight, to be favored by a female soldier, especially a young and beautiful female captain, is quite an achievement.

"Thank you." Thorne took the water bottle, opened the lid, and took a few sips.

"It's nothing," Thea smiled slightly, using Thorne's words: "It's just a small favor."

Suddenly, a series of cannon shots rang out, and the soldiers in line exclaimed in surprise.

The sound of artillery fire erupted in waves on the front lines more than ten miles away, turning half the sky red.

"God, they've attacked!" Thea's expression changed, then she turned to Thorne and urged, "You have to get out of here, the sooner the better!"

Before the words were finished, a sidecar motorcycle emerged from the darkness into everyone's view.

It stopped for a moment as it passed by the crowd. The lieutenant sitting on the side seat had a wound on his forehead, and blood was flowing down his cheek, but he was completely unaware of it.

"Where is the command post?" he asked hurriedly. "Urgent military situation!"

"There," someone pointed him in the right direction.

But instead of leaving immediately, he shouted to the soldiers, "Prepare for battle! An armored unit has crossed the minefield under cover of darkness and is less than three miles from us!"

The officers and soldiers were in an uproar.

The distance was less than 3 miles. If the British army had not been able to organize an effective interception, it might have only taken half an hour to get here.