The Dragon Heart Series
Book 1 Viking Slave
Book 2 Viking Warrior
Book 3 Viking Jarl
Book 4 Viking Kingdom
Book 5 Viking Wolf
Book 6 Viking War
Book 7 Viking Sword
Book 8 Viking Wrath
Book 9 Viking Raid
Book 10 Viking Legend
Book 11 Viking Vengeance
The Aelfraed Series (Britain and Byzantium 1050 A.D. - 1085 A.D.)
Book 1 Housecarl
Book 2 Outlaw
Book 3 Varangian
The Anarchy Series (England 1120-1180)
Knight of the Empress
Northern Knight
Baron of the North
Earl
King Henry's Champion
Modern History
The Napoleonic Horseman Series
Chasseurs à Cheval
Napoleon’s Guard
British Light Dragoon
Soldier Spy
1808: The Road to Corunna
Waterloo
The Lucky Jack American Civil War series
Rebel Raiders
Confederate Rangers
The British Ace Series
1914
1915 Fokker Scourge
1916 Angels over the Somme
1917 Eagles Fall
1918 We will remember them
Combined Operations 1940-1945
Commando
Raider
Behind Enemy Lines
Other Books
Great Granny’s Ghost (Aimed at 9-14 year old young people)
Adventure at 63-Backpacking to Istanbul
For more information on all of the books then please visit the author’s web site at http://www.griffhosker.com where there is a link to contact him.
Carnage at Cannes is a modern thriller and is available in the Kindle format.
For more information on all of the books then please visit the author’s web site at http://www.griffhosker.com where there is a link to contact him.
Chapter 1
I had no time to mourn for my friend Micheal. He had been beheaded by the pirates even as we were edging close to Egypt. General Bonaparte had sent five chasseurs and a company of grenadiers to secure the harbour of Alexandria. We had to make the port safe for the invasion fleet of the charismatic French general. Now we would have to do it with just three chasseurs and grenadiers depleted in the pirate attack. I am Captain Robert Macgregor of the 17th Chasseurs à Cheval. I had campaigned through Ital with the general and, with Major Jean Bartiaux, my friend and mentor we had acted as spies and scouts many times. This last one was the first in which we had lost men. Michael was dead and Sous lieutenant Pierre Boucher was seriously wounded.
“Robbie! Snap out of it!” We had just passed the entrance of Alexandria harbour and soon we would be landing. “Get rid of the hat and the jacket.”
“Sorry sir. You are right.”
“Sergeant Major, go and get the spare pistols from Pierre and Micheal they may come in handy.” As I did as ordered he came closer, “I know you are upset but Michael would not wish you to lose your life too would he?”
He was right and we all knew how parlous our existence was. A blade could come from nowhere, as it had for Michael, or a volley of musket balls. This was a war which took no pity on those involved.
The captain of the sloop edged us to a small beach some two miles from the port. We had seen the flags, the guards and the guns but the Maltese flag meant that we sailed unmolested. We too our swords and a brace of pistols each. We had to find where the cannons where so that, when we landed, after dark Major Lefevre and his grenadiers could disable the guns and hold the entrance until the fleet arrived.
Francois, the captain of the sloop came down to see us. “I will sail out to sea and be back here in four hours. I will not be able to hang around.”
Jean smiled, “We know and we have done this before.”
“These are not the Maltese so be careful. To these people you are the infidel. They trade with the Maltese but if you step ashore then you become fair game.”
We descended into the row boat. The last time we had done this there had been five of us and this time it was not so crowded. I wished it was. We leapt ashore and raced towards the line of palm trees. It was not much cover but it was better than standing on the beach. When we turned round the two sailors were pulling as hard as they could to reach the sloop.
We knew which direction in which to travel and we also knew that we were conspicuous. We had white faces and there were not many of those. We did not speak the language and, if we had to run, then our means of escape was four hours away. The prospects did not look good. It was close to noon and unbearably hot. As Jean had said that gave us our only chance for most people would be indoors. Who would be foolish enough to walk in the full sun? We began to pass small mud huts. The only creatures stirring were the cats and the dogs and they were just seeking shade. We had travelled a mile when we saw our first gun. There was a small stone wall and behind it was one old cannon. We had not seen it from the sea and it surprised us. Jean took out his crude map and drew an x where it was. The gun crew were nowhere to be seen.