Douglas Graney

The Last Crusade Douglas Graney

This is a time travel story about a platoon of American soldiers fighting Germans in Italy during World War Two. It is February, 1944 a few miles south of Rome. After a failed attack on the Germans, the platoon is ordered to take cover in a cave once used by the Italians to store wine. Because of constant shelling and heavy rains the entrance to the cave is sealed by a mud slide. The platoon's only recourse is to dig themselves out. Once outside they discover a different world. They encounter German knights on their way to Rome to receive the Pope's blessing before embarking on their crusade to Jerusalem. It is the twelfth century. Confused by what's happening to them, and to hold his platoon together, the officer in charge of the Americans decides to accept the request of the German leader and the Pope to join them on their Crusade. What happens as both Germans and Americans begin the Crusade, some of which is based on fact is depicted by the characters. Tension builds between, Sir Girard the German leader and the American Platoon leader, Lieutenant Hopkins. Sub plots of love, mystery, loyalty, cultural differences and much more moves the story to a surprising conclusion.