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FOL No.4637

£2

D-O SPEC UT IAL BAC KC OVE

R

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ITH NAZI GERMANY THREATENING INVASION, POLAND IN AUGUST IN 1939 WAS A COUNTRY ON THE EDGE OF A PRECIPICE. TWO YOUNG POLISH NAVAL SUBLIEUTENANTS, FELIKS KOWALSKI AND ADAM TOPALSKI, WERE ABOUT AS FAR FROM THE SEA AS THEY COULD GET AS THEY ENJOYED A SHORT LEAVE CLIMBING IN THEIR HOMELAND’S CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS.

ONE MORE PITCH AND WE’RE THERE.

I WOULD NEVER TRY THIS ON MY OWN, BUT IT’S NO PROBLEM TO FELIKS.

STORY MAC MACDONALD ART JAUME FORNS COVER JANEK MATYSIAK

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THOUGH WELL AWARE OF THE MENACE OF HITLER, FELIKS’ MIND DWELLED MORE ON THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER, THE WARSAW REPRESENTATIVE OF A BRITISH FIRM, WHO HAD RECENTLY DIED IN A HIT-AND-RUN.

IT’S BEEN A SAD FEW MONTHS AND GOODNESS KNOWS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR US AND POLAND.

AT LEAST WE HAVE THE BRITISH AND FRENCH AS ALLIES. THAT MIGHT PUT OFF THE NAZIS.

AFTER THE TRAGEDY, HIS MOTHER HAD GONE TO STAY IN AMERICA WITH HER SISTER WHO HAD EMIGRATED YEARS EARLIER. FELIKS, KEEN ON HIS NAVAL CAREER, HAD STAYED ON. UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IT’S NO TIME TO LEAVE MY COUNTRY.

THAT COULD BE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER IF ALL THE RUMOURS ARE TRUE.

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ALL TOO SOON THE NAZI WARLORDS UNLEASHED THEIR FIGHTING MACHINE. CZECHOSLOVAKIA WAS TAKEN AND THEN POLAND WAS POUNDED, ITS PROUD CAPITAL WARSAW ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

THAT IS OUR JOB DONE FOR THE DAY...OUR TARGET BURNS!

THE POLISH NAVY FEARED AN ENEMY INVASION ALONG THE SHORES OF THE BALTIC SEA AND HELD BACK FORCES TO COUNTER IT, BUT THE ATTACK NEVER CAME.

THE LAND WAR WAS LOST WHEN THE SOVIET UNION, HAVING MADE A SECRET PACT WITH THE NAZIS, ALSO ATTACKED. SOON THE ORDER WAS GIVEN FOR POLISH SURFACE AND UNDERWATER CRAFT TO HEAD FOR BRITAIN OR OTHER, NEUTRAL, PORTS.

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THE WILK CLASS SUBMARINE ON WHICH FELIKS SERVED, POWERED BY DIESEL AND ELECTRIC ENGINES, TRIED TO REACH SCOTLAND, BUT WAS BEATEN BACK BY ENEMY VESSELS, ONE OF WHICH SHELLED IT HEAVILY.

MEIN GOTT, HIT IT!

DIVE, DIVE, DIVE!

THE DEPTHS OF THE BALTIC OFFERED SOME PROTECTION, BUT THERE WAS STILL THE GAUNTLET TO RUN AS DEPTH-CHARGES RAINED DOWN FROM THE HUNTERS ABOARD THE TYPE 1936A DESTROYER. WATER LEAKING IN AFT, SIR!

DEAL WITH AS BEST YOU CAN, LIEUTENANT!

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THERE WAS NO CHANCE TO REPLY WITH ANY OF THEIR SIXTEEN 22-INCH TORPEDOES, BUT RUNNING REPAIRS DID SAVE THE VESSEL. SEEKING REFUGE THEY LIMPED INTO A SWEDISH PORT WHICH ALREADY HOUSED ANOTHER POLISH SUB, THE ONE ON WHICH ADAM SERVED. AT LEAST MY FRIEND IS SAFE FOR THE MOMENT TOO, BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?

THAT WILL DEPEND ON OUR SWEDISH HOSTS, SUB-LIEUTENANT.

THE SWEDES TREATED THE POLES FIRMLY YET FAIRLY, BUT THE FACT THAT ANOTHER POLISH SUBMARINE HAD MADE A BREAK FROM A PORT IN ESTONIA TO REACH THE U.K. ALARMED THEM. THE NAZI OCCUPATION OF DENMARK AND NORWAY ALSO BECAME A PROBLEM.

I THINK WE WILL BE STUCK HERE FOR EVER, OR PERHAPS EVEN HANDED OVER TO THE RUSSIANS.

I DOUBT THAT, FELIKS. YOU NEED TO STOP WORRYING SO MUCH. HAVE YOU STILL GOT THAT STOMACH BUG?

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AT FIRST ADAM THOUGHT HIS FRIEND WAS JOKING WHEN HE SUDDENLY DOUBLED OVER.

YES, AND IT JUST GOT A LOT WORSE!

APPENDICITIS WAS DIAGNOSED. FELIKS, RUSHED TO HOSPITAL AND OPERATED ON AT ONCE, WAS QUITE ILL FOR A FEW DAYS.

FORTUNATELY HIS YOUTH AND GENERAL GOOD HEALTH MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE AND FELIKS WAS SOON ON THE MEND. THE NEWS FROM ADAM WAS NOT SO PROMISING. THERE IS TALK OF PUTTING US INTO A CAMP AND GIVING US LESS FREEDOM.

WHEN THE DEVIL IS HE GOING TO WAKEN UP?

I FEARED SOMETHING LIKE THIS, AND I’VE HAD PLENTY TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.

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ADAM THOUGHT HIS FRIEND WAS MAD WHEN HE PROPOSED THAT THEY STOW AWAY ABOARD A SWEDISH SHIP AND TRY TO REACH BRITAIN. BUT, ON THE NIGHT BEFORE FELIKS WAS DUE TO BE RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL, THAT WAS WHAT THEY DID. ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE UP TO THIS, FELIKS?

OF COURSE I AM. STOP FUSSING AND SHUT UP.

FELIKS DID FEEL WEAK AND FEVERISH, BUT HE WOULD NEVER ADMIT IT. THE FRIENDS KNEW THEIR WAY AROUND SHIPS, BUT IT STILL TOOK NERVE AND STEALTH TO SLIP ABOARD AND THEN SEEK OUT A HIDING PLACE.

ARE YOU SURE THIS VESSEL IS BOUND FOR BRITAIN?

THAT’S WHERE SOME OF THE CARGO IS MARKED FOR, AND AT LEAST THEY WON’T SHOOT US IF THEY FIND US.

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THEY DID NOT GO UNDETECTED FOR LONG. THE SWEDISH SKIPPER DID NOT LIKE STOWAWAYS AND TWO RENEGADE POLES WERE A PROBLEM HE DID NOT WANT. FELIKS, BECAUSE OF HIS FATHER’S JOB, SPOKE ENGLISH, OFTEN THE COMMON LANGUAGE OF SEA-FARERS.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO WITH YOU NOW?

JUST PUT US ASHORE IN BRITAIN AND THE AUTHORITIES THERE WILL SORT THINGS OUT.

THE CAPTAIN WAS NOT A VINDICTIVE MAN, BUT HIS REPLY CHILLED ADAM AND FELIKS TO THE MARROW WHEN THEY LEARNED THE BOAT WAS PUTTING INTO NORWAY FIRST. I AM AFRAID THAT COUNTRY IS NOW FIRMLY IN GERMAN HANDS! THEY ALSO LIKE TO BOARD ALL SHIPS AND HAVE A LOOK AROUND.

BUT, SURELY...

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By 1941, German-occupied

Norway had become a safe haven for U-boats preying on the Arctic convoys taking vital war materials from Britain to the Soviet Union. One base in particular had proved impossible for the Allies to neutralise by conventional means.

That was why a special sabotage team was being dropped in. With the help of the locals, and a Polish naval officer, they hoped to do what waves of RAF bombers couldn’t — smash the base with The Hammer Of Thor.

9770262262010

£2.00

37

14-Sep-13

Recall: R39-26-Sep-13

NZ $6.00, AU $4.65

www.commandocomics.com

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