Operation Greensleeves: Defeat the Enemy Within

8/14/2019 Operation Greensleeves: Defeat the Enemy Within

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Operation Greensleeves: Defeat the Enemy Within A novel by David Mathews

wanted. 'omeone must have done the same thing to his unit. %e made a mental note to loo

into it in due "ourse! after this business was done.

Good morning! Wolffe! a ni"e morning for a spot of hunting/0 announ"ed *ohm! his

woring "lass roots "utting through the air lie a nife as his 1erlin a""ent rang out. 'i( feet

tall! imma"ulately turned out in his bla" uniform and highly polished boots! topped off by

his s-uare Germani" #aw and blond hair! *ohm e(uded master ra"e.0 %e really believed it

was God)given for people lie him! blond Germans! to rule the world and usher in the new

order. %e was so bloody self)assured! thought Wolffe! but wisely ept his thoughts to himself.

Despite being German! Wolffe had somehow failed to swallow hoo! line and siner all the

propaganda pumped out by Goebbels over the years about the inevitability of the Germani"

ra"e inheriting the Earth.

%ello! 'ir. What brings you here, Afraid the army "an&t handle a "ouple of resistan"e

members holed up in a farm,0

2ot at all! my dear Wolffe. $ am here in an observing "apa"ity! to wat"h your investigation

bear fruit and "laim another vi"tory for our o""upation. These English #ust don&t now when

they are beaten and we need some e(amples to prove to them that we now everything that is

going on and have the means to stamp it out! whatever the "ost....to the English of "ourse0.

*ohm "hu"led at his own little #oe. Of "ourse! $ assume your intelligen"e is "orre"t and

that the people you e(pe"t to find are indeed in that farmhouse0. That was an implied threat!

Wolffe re"ognised it at on"e. $f this did not go well! Wolffe&s reputation would be on the line

and *ohm would be the first to spread the word about Wolffe&s la" of reliability.

We shall soon find out! 'ir. My men will be going in any minute now0. With that a whistle

sounded out in the valley below and three tru"s full of Wehrma"ht soldiers rumbled down

the road below them! the heads of the men "uriously lolling in time to the tilting and #olting

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of the suspension over the farm tra". At the same time! another whistle was heard a"ross the

valley on the opposite side of the farmhouse and a line of soldiers emerged over the syline

and started to wal down the field to the house. There was to be no es"aping from the ba"

door on this o""asion.

Wolffe wat"hed an(iously through his bino"ulars for any sign that their presen"e had been

dete"ted by the inhabitants of the house! but it slumbered on! seemingly oblivious to the

violen"e that was about to des"end upon it. The lorries burst through the entran"e to the farm

and wheeled about in the yard before the house! the soldiers instantly disembaring and

#umping down onto the gravel. Wolffe was pleased. This was going lie "lo"wor. $n a

moment the soldiers would i" in the door and surprise the people inside! probably still

groggy from sleep.

That&s what should have happened! but it did not. Through his bino"ulars Wolffe saw a yellow

sta""ato flash from the upstairs window of the house! the sound of the ma"hine gun only

travelling up to him afterwards. 'oldiers "aught out in the open started to "ollapse and fall

over in the yard below! while others dived for "over behind the tru"s. Another flash from the

mu33le of a ma"hine gun "ame from the other upstairs window. The windows were either

side and above the front door! almost giving the house a doleful! sad e(pression! parti"ularly

as the plasterwor on the house was "hipped and faded. Wolffe started to feel agitated. The

assault was breaing down. 'omeone needed to tae "ontrol.

4our men were too "ompla"ent! Wolffe. They were waiting for you. 2ow loo what&s

happening0 snapped *ohm.

$t&s not une(pe"ted0 replied Wolffe! trying to stay "alm. We often have a show of for"e

before partisans surrender. $t&s something of a game. They don&t have the stoma"h for a full)

on "onfrontation0. Wolffe hoped he sounded more assured than he felt.

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$n the farmyard some soldiers had started to return fire and the outside of the house was

slowly being "hipped away by their fier"e return fire. With relief! Wolffe "ould see 5eutnant

%assel taing "ontrol of the situation! dire"ting men around the side of the house and

assembling a storm group with grenades to throw in the now shattered windows. +rom above

Wolffe "ould see %assel gesti"ulating and shouting! but the sound did not travel up to him

over the din of the firing. The sirmish line moving down the field to the ba" of house had

not been engaged and they stepped up their pa"e to get to the house as -ui"ly as possible.

2o one wanted to be shot lie a plump pheasant in an open English field.

%assel is getting things in order. %e&s a good man. We&ll have them flushed out shortly0!

asserted Wolffe! a good measure of assuran"e ba" in his voi"e now. %e glan"ed sideways at

*ohm! who nodded in agreement.

4es! though $f %assel is that good he should be in the ''0. *ohm&s "omment "aused a ripple

of mirth from his staff offi"ers who stood behind him the whole time! observing the a"tivity

below as if it was some sort of s"ien"e e(periment. $n a way it was! the s"ien"e of war! and

the Germans were very good at it.

%assel led a group under heavy "overing fire a"ross the yard in an attempt to get under the

windows and i" in the door. The "overing fire a"hieved its purpose! being so heavy as to

ensure the people in the house "ould only "ower under the windows as plaster and glass

rained in on them and bullets sma"ed against the far wall of the rooms. The German storm

group burst through the front door and disappeared inside. $mmediately there was no firing

from the windows as the o""upants swung round to "over the stairs. More firing followed!

several sustained bursts of great fero"ity and then all went -uiet. Wolffe was glad the

operation was over! but he was surprised at the fero"ious and stubborn defen"e the o""upants

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had put up. That was unusual. 5eutnant %assel "ame out of the front door and signalled that it

was safe to enter the house! be"oning Wolffee down too.

5et&s see what we&ve dis"overed! 'ir0 said Wolffe! lowering his glasses and waling up the

short path to his "ar at the top of the hill.

%op in and $&ll give you a lift0. 2o point in not inviting *ohm along! as he was here already!

thought Wolffe. *ohm nodded his agreement! but said nothing! merely following Wolffe up

the path to the "ar.

At the front door to the house 5eutnant %assel saluted smartly to the offi"ers before speaing

dire"tly to Wolffe.

%ouse is safe! 'ir. My men are "he"ing the outbuildings0.

6ery good! %assel. 4ou did well to tae "ontrol and get the #ob done. What are your

"asualties,0 en-uired Wolffe.

Two dead and four wounded! one seriously. They put up -uite a fight! 'ir. $&m afraid we

haven&t "aptured them alive. The two men and a woman "ame at us in a sui"idal "harge down

the stairs. We had to defend ourselves. They are all dead0. %assel was nervous about that!

Wolffe "ould tell. %e did not now what Wolffe&s or! more pertinently! *ohm&s rea"tion would

be. Wolffe was about to say something when *ohm "ut a"ross him.

2ot your fault 5eutnant! they were ready for you and were prepared to die for their "ause.

1etter intelligen"e and planning might have enabled you to tae them alive! however! but

that&s by)the)by now.0 *ohm was almost prea"hing to them! to Wolffe! e(pressing his regret

that no prisoners were taen. *ohm "ontinued! There&s a lot we don&t now about this area

and its resistan"e a"tivities. 7risoners would have been very useful0.

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$&m sure we will find information here that will help our "ause0. Wolffe sounded defensive.

Wea. On the ba" foot. %e sin"erely hoped there would be useful sour"es of intelligen"e in

this house. They stepped through the doorway into the hall. The house! what the English

"alled a "ottage! was dingy with its small windows and brown and beige d8"or. Turning right

through a doorway the bodies of the three o""upants were laid out on the floor. There was a

lot of blood from the multiple bullet wounds they had suffered at "lose range. The wall up the

stairs was riddled with bullet holes! eviden"e of the fusillade of shots the partisans had

re"eived as they had "harged their enemy.

One of the dead men was in his forties! balding and with a ruddy "omple(ion. 9learly an

outdoor man! possibly a farmer. %is sightless eyes! hooded by his eyelids whi"h had not

"losed! stared up at the "eiling. The other man was younger and looed fit and strong and he

had a deep tan. %e had "lose "ropped hair and looed lie he was at attention even when

lying dead on the floor. %e had taen a bullet to the forehead and the ba" of his sull was

"rumpled and sti"y with blood and brains. The woman was aged somewhere between the

two men! in her thirties! most liely. 'he had intelligent features! her long wavy hair! now

thi" with blood! hung a"ross her fa"e. 'he had been shot repeatedly in the "hest and her

blouse was soaed with blood. %er sirt had ridden up to reveal a good pair of legs! wrapped

in wool sto"ings held up by suspenders.

What do you thin! Wolffe,0 ased *ohm. %e seemed to genuinely want to now Wolffe&s

opinion.

My gut rea"tion and initial thoughts are that the older man is a lo"al! younger man loos lie

a soldier! #udging by his features and his tan. Maybe he&s served in Egypt, %e "ould have

been dropped by the 1ritish to aid the resistan"e here. $ don&t now about the woman. $t&s

unusual to have women in these situations and even rarer for all the suspe"ts to die fighting.

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They were very "ommitted to their "ause and obviously had something to hide. $t isn&t the

nest of lo"al leaders we thought it would be! but it&s an interesting "at"h nevertheless0.

Wolffe was steeped in the Abwehr&s wor! using all his sills and e(perien"e to try to

penetrate the mysteries of the 1ritish resistan"e networs in the southwest of the "ountry.

True! this part of England was not as glamorous as 5ondon or 7aris! but from the 'evern

Estuary! down through the West 9ountry to the tip of 9ornwall was where the 1ritish

government)in)e(ile "hose to land their agents. Those agents arrived and then disappeared

into the "ountryside and towns throughout the nited ;ingdom. 7enetration of the resistan"e

in the southwest "ould open up all manner of opportunities! from mass arrests to the more

subtle turning of a resistan"e member! using him to supply information that in turn "ould lead

to more arrests. Wolffe tried hard to understand the 1ritish mentality. %e "ertainly lied the

1ritish! with their e""entri"ities! love of sport! the outdoors and gardening. 4et he marvelled

how su"h an insular and "onservative nation had managed to form an empire the lie of

whi"h the world had never seen. ntil the Third *ei"h "ame along! that is.

Wolffe was hardly the idealised Aryan military offi"er! but his een intelligen"e and

en-uiring mind made him ideally suited to "ounter)intelligen"e wor. 1orn of middle)"lass

sto" from a brewing family in 'tuttgart! he had #oined the army in ? and his high $@ and

insightful! analyti"al mind singled him out for promotion and the Abwehr. %aving an

en-uiring mind in %itlers Third *ei"h "ould be a distin"t disadvantage and a barrier to

promotion! but the Abwehr favoured people who "ould thin and a"t independently. Of

"ourse! promotion "ame easier when the *ussian +ront "ontinued to drain the army of top

-uality offi"ers. Mos"ow had been "aptured in


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front was stabilised! but at some "ost to the German divisions and repla"ements had been

su"ed in from +ran"e and the ; to mae good the losses.

Wolffe was ambitious! only C years old and a good enough soldier! but he worried! a

nagging doubt! that good wor and results was not always enough to se"ure a promising

future in the Third *ei"h. With so many "ompeting arms of servi"e! even in this ba"water of

the empire! he needed to stay sharp and be wat"hful. The ''! Gestapo! 'D! not to mention the

5uftwaffe and ;riegsmarine with their own intelligen"e bran"hes! all vied for su""ess!

attention and an opportunity to get one over their opponents. 'u"h was life in %itler&s *ei"h! a

never ending struggle where often the fittest and most devious rose to the top and the weaer

fell by the wayside. Add to this the a"tivities and ma"hinations of the 1ritish! desperate to

eep the flame of resistan"e alive in their home territories! and it all be"ame lie a three

dimensional game of "hess. 'ometimes he wearied of it! viewed it all with the intelle"tual

s"epti"ism and "yni"ism of one not easily won over by base propaganda and sy"ophanti"!

effusive superiors. There would be no easy e(it for him though! he had to ensure he got the

results and that herose to the top! to prominen"e! to something better. To a golden future in

the vast empire that was the Third *ei"h.

*ohm was about to spea when a soldier "ame down the stairs "arrying a large "anvas pa".

;hai in "olour! it "ontained a radio re"eiver and transmitter.

$ thin we&ve stumbled on something -uite important!0 muttered Wolffe. *ohm #ust raised an

eyebrow and glan"ed sideways at Wolffe. %e too was "al"ulating what e(a"tly it was that had

been going on here.

Chapter %wo

&ibyan esert' &ater the same ay'

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The "upri" a"id in the pen"il timer was fourteen minutes into eating through the wire holding

ba" the strier. On"e the wire failed! the strier would detonate the sat"hel "harge wedged

against the under"arriage of the uners FF bomber. The German airfield! a hastily set up

affair as the 5uftwaffe tried to eep pa"e with the Afria ;orps& relentless progress towards

Egypt! "ontained a FF bomber unit and a F 'tua dive bomber s-uadron. The "rews

were sleeping in tents spread around the outsirts of the flat area that formed the runway.

Me"hani"s -uarters and repair and servi"ing fa"ilities "omprised more tents and s"affolding

from whi"h engines "ould be hung when being "hanged.

The "harges had been laid earlier by Ma#or Ma( Thomson&s 5ong *ange Desert Group

deta"hment whi"h had been operating behind German lines for the past three wees. The

group had primarily monitored German and $talian road traffi" along the "oastal strip east of

Tobru! signalling the intelligen"e ba" to their %@ behind the 1ritish lines along the

Egyptian border with 5ibya. The Afria ;orps was building for a ma#or offensive to push

into and through Egypt! ultimately lining up with German for"es "oming south from the

'oviet nion. 1oth the Middle East northern and southern fronts were held by the 1ritish! but

it was a tenuous hold. 2ot mu"h was stopping the Germans sweeping into the $ra-i oilfields!

so pre"ious to the Anglo)Ameri"an war effort. The Germans already held the *omanian and

'oviet oilfields! but those of the Middle East were the ultimate pri3e. The 1ritish new they

had to hold those lines and eep the Germans from lining up.

Thomson&s tousled! sand)en"rusted hair dan"ed in the wind "oming over the top of the

winds"reen of the 9hevrolet tru" as he and his other two "rews powered away from the

airfield as fast as possible before the "harges went up and every German east of 1engha3i

started looing for his deta"hment. They had to put distan"e between themselves and that

airfield as -ui"ly as possible. An abrupt dire"tion "hange would be "oming up shortly as

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they headed due south into the interior of the desert! before then turning east for the run to the

wire and the Egyptian border.

$n his mind Thomson "al"ulated distan"e over time over fuel "onsumption as he plotted their

e(it strategy. They had deliberately left this atta" until the end of their patrol be"ause of the

response it would eli"it from the enemy. There would be few pla"es to hide now! better

instead to mae a run for the border. Thirty)two years old! of modest stature! wiry with thin

features! brown eyes and thi" mousy hair! Thomson looed every in"h a soldier! even in his

"urrently dishevelled state. %e had been a professional soldier sin"e the age of


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%e never too prisoners! illing them -ui"ly and effi"iently with his long bowie nife whi"h

he "arried on his belt. 'tevens had a shady past in the East End of 5ondon! some sort of

gangster "onne"tion whi"h Thomson new little about and preferred it that way.

5ooing ba"! Thomson saw the orange flashes in the distan"e as the "harges e(ploded!

easily destroying the air"raft as the for"e of the blast moved upwards through the wing root!

tearing apart the thin fuselage. Multiple orange fireballs "ould be seen over the low rise of the

dunes that ringed the airfield! whi"h would be instantly transformed into a pani")stri"en

melee of men dashing ba"wards and forwards as they struggled to identify where the atta"

was "oming from. 5ittle did they realise at this point that their atta"ers were in fa"t heading

away from them at speed! into the immense bla" heart of the desert.

Chapter 3

Washin$ton DC' (ive ays later'

The room filled with the smoe from the "igarettes of the small group of men sat around the

table! "reating a blue)grey ha3e above their heads. The man at the head of the table was

dressed in ' army uniform. General Abe Goldsmith was a pun"tilious! offi"ious man who

had a talent for attention to detail and a terrier)lie attitude to dis"ipline. %is round rimless

glasses mased his eyes when the ele"tri" light refle"ted off them! maing him loo even

more ins"rutable! as if he was wearing goggles.

Around the table sat five other men representing various arms of servi"e and government

departments. The Offi"e of 2aval $ntelligen"e was represented by a man named Turner! an

imma"ulately turned out 9ommander in dar blue uniform! thinning hair and a pale fa"e. The

Offi"e of '"ientifi" *esear"h and Development was represented by a man in a "ivilian! blue

double)breasted suit! small in stature and with grey hair. %is name was 'andys. A "lose

"ropped Ma#or represented Army $ntelligen"e! named Williams. 4ounger than the other men

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around the table! he looed ill at ease in this environment of te"hno"rats and s"ientists. %e

would have felt more at home in a fo(hole somewhere in the field. An army 9olonel! Andrew

Dun"an! upright and formal)looing! with red tabs on his shoulders and "ollar sat ready to

provide the 1ritish input to the meeting. *ed tabs meant General 'taff! but in this man&s "ase

it was a "over for his "losely guarded! nefarious wor on behalf of M$?. Another man looed

very different to the others. Dressed as an army "aptain he was of relatively #unior ran! but

he had a fa"e that spoe of e(perien"e hard)won in "onfli"t and dangerous situations. This

was 9olin 'almon! a 5ondoner! late thirties! brown eyes and auburn hair. %e represented

another bran"h of 1ritish servi"e! the 'pe"ial Operations E(e"utive. This unit had been set up

at 9hur"hill&s instigation in


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resear"h was "utting edge in the late Hs and! although mu"h of the resear"h and a few of

the s"ientists es"aped from England before the "apitulation! we now a "ore of s"ientists at

1irmingham niversity remained behind. Their status is "urrently unnown. 9olonel

Dun"an! do you have an update on that at all,0

Dun"an looed up! leaning on his elbows on the table. We do and it&s not good news. *e"ent

intelligen"e suggests the s"ientists have been moved from 1irmingham to more se"ure

surroundings in the 9otswolds.0 2oting the blan loos from his Ameri"an "omrades

Dun"an added! that is in the southwest of the "ountry. We do not now the e(tent of the

"ooperation the s"ientists are providing the Germans! but their family members are

effe"tively being held hostage! thus for"ing them to wor for the 2a3is against their will. $&m

sure the s"ientists "an delay and pro"rastinate! but sooner or later they will have to produ"e

the goods. The worst s"enario would be if the 2a3is moved the s"ientists to Germany! to

bring them together with German e(perts. We "ouldn&t rea"h them if they did that or hope to

understand their progress0.

And let&s not forget their ro"et resear"h programme too! gentleman0 'andys added. all

very well to have the bomb! but you need a means to deliver it. Their ro"et resear"h "ould

allow them to do that with impunity.0

A pause settled over the meeting! as ea"h man pondered the enormity of the possibilities.

Goldsmith broe the silen"e! We have a number of fa"tors operating here and must prioritise

them. We "an&t stop the German effort but we "ould hinder it signifi"antly if the 1ritish

element "ould be removed. At the same time we "ould gain important insights into their

progress.0 %e paused before "ontinuing! 9aptain 'almon! you are here to evaluate the

possibility of getting a group into England and bringing the 1ritish s"ientists out and ba" to

the 'A.0

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$t was a typi"al no)nonsense statement from Goldsmith! said with finality and with every

e(pe"tation that it would be su""essfully "arried out. 'almon sat sto" still. %is mind

grappled with the possibility of "arrying out su"h a diffi"ult tas! but Goldsmith had said to

evaluate the possibility of doing it! so at this stage it was theoreti"al. %e gathered his thoughts

and spoe slowly and "arefully.

$ "an thin of many diffi"ulties in "arrying out su"h an operation. The logisti"s of getting

into England! surviving long enough to "arry out the plan! find the s"ientists! get them to the

"oast! get them away. $t has so many points of failure that my initial thought is that it&s simply

not possible. We don&t now if the s"ientists would be willing to leave the "ountry. We don&t

now how to get into the "ompound where they are being held. We don&t now who on the

ground in England we "an trust. $t would be very diffi"ult. $n fa"t! it would be easier to ill

the s"ientists than try to get them out alive. Those are my initial thoughts0.

We re"ognise the diffi"ulties! 'almon!0 sighed Goldsmith. %e looed un"ertainly at his

"olleagues before adding We have re"ently lost "onta"t with agents sent to England four

months ago. Their mission was to re"onnoitre for a possible landing of additional agents to

"arry out the mission we are now proposing. +ive days ago they sent their last radio

transmission! nothing heard sin"e. We have to assume something has gone wrong. They had

stri"t orders to transmit everyday. 'omething has happened.0

'ilen"e filled the room! as heavy and thi" as the smoe from the "igarettes. Dun"an glan"ed

around the table before speaing. $ believe we need to a"t! -ui"ly and de"isively. There is

simply too mu"h to lose if we dont tae "harge of the situation and get those s"ientists out of

the e-uationIone way or another.0

Chapter (o#r

Cornwall! )an#ary 1944

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The tufts of grass growing out of the sand were fro3en at their tips! the haw frost sprouting

brightly from the shoots. The stars shone in the moonless night sy as winters grip tightened

over the bla"! indistin"t land at whi"h the sea lapped gently. 1eyond the bea"h the smooth

surfa"e of the water provided e("ellent "onditions for the a"tivities about to "ommen"e.

Thomson sat! outwardly "alm! in the forward "ontrol room of the submarine as the

9ommander brought the vessel up to peris"ope depth to "he" all was well before surfa"ing.

$nside though! Thomson was stret"hed taut. %e hated this stage of operations! waiting to get

started. On"e underway he would be fine! too busy to worry too mu"h about things lie the

prospe"t of death! maiming! "apture or torture. Of those options! death was the best one!

providing an immediate release from this life of madness! stress! endless ris and fear of

premature death. %e "ouldnt stop his fingers tapping a -uiet tattoo on the stiff "anvas of his

ru"sa"! the only betrayal of his inner tensions. %e glan"ed a"ross at 'tevens! whose big

frame seemed absurdly e(aggerated in the "ramped "onfines of the submarine. 'tevens was

also sat! looing "ompletely un"on"erned about what was going on around him. Thomson

admired 'tevens ability to swit"h off lie this. %ad he always been able to do that or had it

been "onditioned in him by the dreadful events in his life, Was 'tevens a"tually unable to

feel fear! love! "uriosity anymore, $ndifferen"e and a "old! hard)bitten e(terior was all he had

to show the world now.

Thomson "hanged his thought pro"esses! fo"using instead on the events of the past few

wees. On return from that last 5ong *ange Desert Group operation he and 'tevens had been

approa"hed immediately and ordered to prepare to ship out for 9anada! being told only that

they had been sele"ted for dangerous operations in the European theatre of operations! based

on their e(perien"e of woring behind enemy lines and ability to wor well together.

Thomson and 'tevens had both sensed that this offered a "han"e to operate in England. +or

different reasons ea"h of them was desperate to return to the Old 9ountry. 2either of them

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spoe mu"h about it! but England was home! and thats where they both wanted to be.

Thomson thought of his family! living outside 1ristol in the small village that was mentioned

in the Domesday 1oo! it was that old. %is wife! Emily! and son! 7atri"! five years old now!

oblivious to the e(isten"e of his father. Was Emily eeping his memory alive for 7atri", +or

the day when England was liberated and life "ould return to normal! whatever normality that

might be. Dare he even "onsider life after the war, 1etter! surely to thin of yourself as dead

already! living on borrowed time where anything pleasant and warm "ould only be "onsidered

a bonus. That was nonsense! though! for it was hope that ept Thomson going! a hope that he

would be reunited with his family. +or 'tevens it was hate that ept him going. The longer he

lived the more Germans he "ould ill! simple as that.

They had been shipped to 9anada with immediate effe"t. The #ourney was pleasant enough!

time to unwind a bit and thin about what lay in the future. )1oats had been avoided!

"ourtesy of a strong naval es"ort for their "onvoy and the speed at whi"h they travelled. The

time taen to travel had also helped them a""ustom to the "old weather in the 2orth Atlanti"

"ompared to the heat of the desert. God! it had been "old in 9anada/ Thomson #ust wasnt

used to it and the whole e(perien"e had made him miserable and depressed. 1loody snow! si(

feet deep or more everywhere! bad food! unfriendly lo"als! espe"ially the +ren"h 9anadians.

They were loving the 1ritish Empires fall from gra"e/ ntrustworthy bastards! thought

Thomson. 4ou #ust "ouldnt tell whose side they were on. %e had been glad when! after a

brief so#ourn in Ottawa! they had been taen to a remote "amp on 7rin"e Edward $sland! #ust

outside the town of 't. ohns. There! they had been briefed on the operation and made their

preparations. $t was obvious from the start that time was pressing and that the top brass

wanted to get things underway as -ui"ly as possible. Two men had briefed them about what

they needed to do. Dun"an! a staff offi"er! very professional and almost "ertainly not what he

seemed! had impressed Thomsons military in"linations and they had got on well. 'tevens

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had "onsidered Dun"an to be an Jupper)"lass twit and had hit it off with the other man!

'almon! obviously of woring "lass e(tra"tion and re"ently returned from time spent in

England. 'almons a""ount of life in England had been absolutely fas"inating! so hungry

were both of them for news from home.

$t seemed the "ountry had re"overed from the sho" of defeat and settled down to a life under

o""upation! albeit one that the Germans were treating with a relatively light tou"h. The 2a3is

had never wanted to tae on the 1ritish Empire! but had no "hoi"e on"e the old 1ritish lion

refused to lie down and a""ept it was beaten. They still admired the 1ritish ability to organise

and administrate and had not left a huge o""upying for"e in the "ountry! preferring instead to

allow the 1ritish to administer themselves! under the "ontrol of Oswald Moseleys 1la"shirt

Government and se"ret poli"e! with help from the Wehrma"ht and Gestapo. 'almon

"onsidered this a grave error on the part of the Germans! be"ause parts of the "ountry!

parti"ularly on the fringes! were barely o""upied at all and this presented opportunities for the

resistan"e.

The problem was! it seemed! was that the ma#ority of the population in England simply

wanted to get on with their lives and "ollaborated all too readily with the new powers that be.

Thomson and 'tevens "ould s"ar"ely believe 'almon as he told them how the population had

"ontentedly settled into their regime! ea"h person only "on"erned with their own immediate

problems! looing for a -uiet life. $n many ways it should not have surprised them! as 1ritain

was nown as a nation of shopeepers! small)minded! paro"hial and "onservative. Thomson

did note that Dun"an had obli-uely referred to future events liely to upset this pea"eful "o)

e(isten"e with the enemy. War would! one day! return to 1ritains green and pleasant land!

and the population would have to de"ide. There would be no sitting on the fen"e! wat"hing as

events unfolded around them. Thomson wondered what Dun"an had been getting at with

those "omments. An uprising in 1ritain! planned and supported from 9anada, Or a full)

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s"ale invasion of the home islands, Thomson felt uneasy about the bigger pi"ture! the world

beyond their small pie"e of the a"tion. %e hoped nothing would #eopardise their operation.

Thomson and 'tevens new they had to Jres"ue some important people from a house in the

West 9ountry! get them to 9ornwall and await instru"tions about how they would be taen

out of the "ountry. That was a bit worrying. Thomson would have preferred to now the

pre"ise terms of the e(it strategy. They did not now who the people were! why they were so

important or how they were going to get them ba" to 9ornwall. The details were to be

wored out in "ooperation with lo"al resistan"e leaders! using their support! "ommui"ations

and logisti"s. 'almon had mentioned that fa"tionalism was already rife within the resistan"e

networs and it was be"oming harder to now who to trust. Thomson had laughed at this!

be"ause he would have to trust whoever met them on the bea"h! no matter what else

happened.

Thomson was shaen from his thoughts by the E(e"utive Offi"er whispering to him that the

submarine was about to surfa"e. There was a s"urrying of a"tivity about him as the "rew

started to blow the tans and the submarine rose from beneath the waves. The "aptain was on

the peris"ope the whole time. $t was a dar night! whi"h was good! but the dead "alm made

the sub stand out from "ertain angles. A surfa"e "raft was unliely to bother them! but air"raft

were another matter. They "ould swoop at high speed through "loud and surprise them all!

spitting death and raining down e(plosives. 2o wonder the "aptain was nervous.

The hat"h opened and "old fresh air rushed into the "ompartment. Within an instant! a few

"rew members were on the "asing! dragging out the rubber dinghy and the "ontainer of stores

that Thomson and 'tevens would deliver to the lo"al resistan"e group. 'tevens hopped with

surprising agility up the ladder and onto the "asing! Thomson following behind. They were

dressed as "ivilians and! more importantly! for the winter. Good boots! "orduroy trousers!

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#umpers! #a"ets and "oats gave some diffi"ulty in manoeuvring the it on the narrow de"!

but at least it wasnt pit"hing and tossing. The sea was unnaturally "alm! it seemed to

Thomson! not used to being on the water in the dar. The boat was inflated and lowered over

the side of the submarine! sailors eeping it alongside with ropes. The "ontainer was pla"ed in

the boat and 'tevens stepped down into it! immediately sitting on the board in the middle and

wielding the oars. Thomson "limbed down ne(t! sitting behind 'tevens at the ba" of the

boat. A 'ub)5ieutenant wished them good lu" and with that! the ropes were released and the

boat instantly "ame alive on the sea! being pulled by the "urrent away from the submarine

and towards the shore. 2o one had spoen at all and the operation so far had gone without a

hit"h. 'tevens put his ba" into it and rowed for the shore as Thomson ept his eyes on the

bea"h ahead. 1ehind them! the submarine began to settle in the sea and! with a blast of air

and spitting of seawater! -ui"ly disappeared from sight. Thomson and 'tevens were aloneK

Operation Greensleeves was underway.

Chapter *

Cornwall

The wal to the farmhouse had been hard going! as the folds in the "ountryside rose steeply

along the "oast before dipping down again into yet another tree)filled valley. The pro"ess was

then repeated again and again. Thomson and 'tevens had been met by a man "alled 9olin and

a young woman! Miriam. These were not their real names! for reasons of se"urity. The older

man! 9olin! was evidently a farmer and the woman! younger! possibly only


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perfume on her as Miriam strode off ahead of him! instantly reminding him of his wife. %e

was now in the same "ountry as her on"e again. The thought thrilled him! but he fought to put

it from his mind. %iding the boat in a "ave along the bea"h! the small group had stru" out for

the "oastal path "arrying the bag of stores between them. The night remained free3ing "old!

their breath puffing in short bursts as they trudged up and down the path as it followed the

"ontours of the "liffs.

At the farmhouse! the door had been opened -ui"ly and the men ushered inside. An oil lamp

and "andles had been lit! illuminating a it"hen with a rude wooden table in the "entre and

"hairs around it. A fire in the hearth provided the only "heer in the room. 'eated at the table

were two other men. One was tall and thin! mis"hevious)looing. %e "alled himself JWilf

and it be"ame "lear was the right hand man of the other! more imposing figure! named

JEdward. %e looed every in"h the lo"al s-uire! H)odd years old! dressed in tweeds with a

ruddy "omple(ion! bald head and big ears. %is eyes were mean! re"essed in folds of sin

about his fa"e. Thomson too an instant dislie to him and he shared a glan"e with 'tevens

that told him his "ompanion felt the same way. The men were all 9ornish with broad a""ents!

but Edward had a polished! upper "lass a""ent borne of formative years at a private s"hool.

%e was the lo"al landowner and leader of the resistan"e group in this area. Edward "alled the

shots.

Gentlemen! wel"ome to 9ornwall!0 "rooned Edward. 4ou are guests of the Mullion and

7en3an"e *esistan"e. We have been ordered to help you in any way you re-uire.0 %is

emphasis on the word Jordered betrayed his dislie of a"tually taing orders from anyone!

but he had to do as 'OE %@ in 9anada told him or lose a""ess to supplies and support.

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A tired looing woman brought in mugs of tea and pla"ed them down on the table in front of

the men before dutifully retiring from the room. 9olin waited for his wife to leave! shutting

the door behind her.

Than you! Edward0 said Thomson! Our needs are straightforward. We re-uire help getting

through 9ornwall and on into Glou"estershire. We will tae advi"e from you as to how best

to travel under the "urrent "onditions.0

Edward sat ba"! e(haling loudly. $ndeed! we "an help you with that. 1est way to travel will

be by train from 7en3an"e to E(eter and then onwards from there to Glou"ester. What papers

do you have,0

Our "over story is that we are engineers travelling to Glou"ester to wor at the do"s there.

We have the right papers and passes for train travel throughout the "ountry! if that is what you

thin is the best way to get around.0

Well! you "ould wal! but it would tae you rather a long time! old "hap0 smired Edward.

Wilf sniggered on "ue at his bosss witty remar. 'eriously! of "ourse you need to get to

where you are going as soon as possible. We "an travel to 7en3an"e tomorrow on the prete(t

of taing produ"e there and you "an "at"h the daily train to E(eter. May $ en-uire what your

business is in Glou"ester, 'urely eminent travellers su"h as yourselves would be going to

5ondon! where all the a"tion is.0

4ou smooth bastard! thought Thomson! but ept his annoyan"e in "he".

4ou now $ "ant divulge our mission! it "ould "ompromise all of us. We are not here to

"ause trouble or upset the wor you are doing. $f we "at"h our train tomorrow we will be

gone.0

$ see. +air enough!0 growled Edward! "learly not seeing and eager to now more. ust

thought $ might be able to help you! thats all. Well! get your heads down here tonight at

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9olins! er! lavish abode! and well be here for you at = o"lo" in the morning. 'ee you

then.0 Edward and Wilf stood up and left the room! leaving a heavy atmosphere behind them.

Dont mind Jim!0 said 9olin softly! hes not used to being told what to do by others! thats

all. Edwards still trying to mae sense of the new situation we all find ourselves in. %e has to

su" up to the erries! being the lo"al big)wig! and it puts him in a diffi"ult position

sometimes.0

%ow often does he see the lo"al German "ommander,0 ased Thomson! a warning signal

flashing in his brain.

On"e a wee. Edward has him over for dinner! to pump him for information! so he says. $

dont now what its all about! really.0

What a"tion is being taen against the Germans in this area!0 ased 'tevens! the first time he

had spoen. 'tries me that fu" all is being done to mae their lives un"omfortable.0 %is

"o"ney a""ent and foul language rang out in the small room! in"ongruous amongst the softer

9ornish brogue.

$ts not that simple!0 retorted 9olin sharply. $f we do anything we now erry will rea"t!

badly! and no one wants that. We need to bide our time and eep our heads downIfor now0

esus/ What a way to fight a war. $ve been illing the bastards for years in the desert and

here! in me own bleeding "ountry! people are sitting on their arses doing nothing/0 'tevens

blood was up! his fa"e red! his hands gesti"ulating. Thomson needed to get a lid on it! and

-ui"ly.

Oay mate! thats enough. Were sorry 9olin! we dont mean any offen"e! but weve had

some very different e(perien"es of this war and being home will tae a bit of getting used to.0

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$ understand! it is frustrating!0 sighed 9olin in resignation! we all live in the hope that one

day soon we will be liberated and "an be free again.0

$t was a depressing note to end on! but Thomson was e(hausted and wanted a good nights

sleep before tomorrows adventures. 9olin showed them to their rooms! using the oil lamp to

light the way along the dar! free3ing "old hallway and stairs.

Chapter +

Pen,ance

The lorry bumped and rolled its way into 7en3an"e! pulling up at a maret near the "entre of

the town. $t followed Edward and Wilf who were in a small Austin motor "ar. Thomson and

'tevens travelled in the "ab with 9olin! while Miriam sat with the produ"e in the ba" of the

lorry! wrapped up against the "old. 'he had refused to swap pla"es with anyone in the "ab and

had shyly #ust stepped up into the ba" of the lorry! brooing no more argument.

$t was a glorious day! frosty! but with "lear blue sies. The sun made the situation seem a bit

more "heery! thought Thomson. There was little else to "heer about. Everyone looed well

beaten! trudging about the town! heads down. There was little to buy in the shops and people

were selling their own trinets and valuables at small stalls laid out on the pavement.

Thomson turned to 9olin.

Why are people selling things in the streets,0 9olin looed at the s"ene before answering.

Theres a "onstant shortage of "oal and food and people are starting to sell their own shirts

off their ba"s to survive. The Germans tae all they need for themselves and leave barely

enough for the population to survive! at least in the towns. Those in the "ountryside "an grow

their own food and use this to barter for other goods! su"h as "oal! but this is not an option for

those in the towns. The tables have been turned and now the townsfol are the poor relations

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of the "ountryfol.0 9olin said it without mirth or mali"e and Thomson was saddened to see

the state that the "ountry was being redu"ed to. 'tevens was downright furious/

$ never thought $d see the day when this "ountry would be redu"ed to begging and s"raping

a living lie this. $t maes my blood boil/0 he seethed. Thomson urged him to eep his voi"e!

and his a""ent! -uiet. 5ie all provin"ial towns! people had already noti"ed the two

new"omers this morning. Thomson "ould sense their standing out from the "rowd! whi"h

was weird be"ause at the same time this was their home "ountry. The whole e(perien"e was

disorientating and strange! almost surreal. $t was not what he had been e(pe"ting. And they

had yet to see a single German.

The train was not due until one)thirty and Edward suggested they wait at a small "af8 near the

station. They helped unload the produ"e from the lorry and Thomson and 'tevens were both

hungry and thirsty. The "af8 was indeed small on the outside! but lie a lot of 9ornish

buildings! it went ba" a long way. 'moe from "igarettes filled the room with a blue fug that

hung above the flat)"apped heads of the patrons and mi(ed with the smell of sweat and wool

"lothing. 7eople were taling animatedly while warming their hands around mugs of tea! and

no one too mu"h noti"e of Thomson and 'tevens! though several "aps were doffed in

Edwards dire"tion.

The group sat at the ba" of the "af8 and ordered tea and soup whi"h they eagerly "onsumed.

2o one spoe but Thomson and 'tevens eyes surveyed the room regularly and they sat with

their ba"s to the rear wall of the room so that they "ould see the door at all times. The

windows were "overed in "ondensation preventing Thomson seeing out! whi"h perturbed

him. $t was nearing the time to get the train. They had their ti"ets already! having pur"hased

them earlier from the ti"et offi"e where the sullen station master had sat in his dingy!

ni"otine)stained offi"e.

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Thomson was preparing to stand up! but was waiting for Edward to return from the toilet at

the ba" of the building. 'uddenly! the door to the "af8 opened and in waled a group of

German soldiers and offi"ers. Tal in the "af8 stopped instantly and all eyes dropped as the

mugs of tea suddenly be"ame intensely interesting. Thomson "ouldnt believe itK German

soldiers in 9ornwall/ %ed nown to e(pe"t it! of "ourse! but it was still a sho" seeing them

swagger in.

7apers everyone/0 shouted one of the offi"ers! who looed ridi"ulously young in his hat and

over"oat! bla" boots shining amidst the sweat)stained and dirty #a"ets the patrons wore.

There was another offi"er s"anning the room and two soldiers with rifles behind him! barring

the e(it. Outside! as the door "losed! Thomson "ould see four 1la"shirts! lo"al militia men

and party members of Oswald Moselys fas"ist government. They were armed with

trun"heons and pistols. They were four more German soldiers stood around a tru" and staff

"ar.

Was this a "oin"iden"e! thought Thomson, And where was Edward, %e was taing a long

time in the toilet. 'tevens had evidently thought the same way be"ause Thomson "ould feel

him tensing and slowly straightening up in his seat! his senses alert! eager for a fight. They

had to stay "alm and see how this panned out. $t "ould be #ust a routine "he". Thomson

grabbed 'tevens hand under the table! looing straight into his eyes at the same time. %is

loo said sit tight! do nothing.0 'tevens a"nowledged it! and rela(ed a little! never taing

his eyes off the German offi"er at the head of the group at the door. 9olin and Miriam both

looed terrified and surprised. They had "ertainly not e(pe"ted any trouble lie this.

The Germans slowly wored their way through the room! "he"ing papers as they went!

always glan"ing a little too "asually at Thomson and his group at the ba" of the "af8.

Thomsons mind was made upK this was a pre)planned arrest and they would have to fight

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their way out of it. There had to be an e(it out of the ba" of the building and Thomson "ould

hear the train entering the station! its shrill whistle announ"ing its arrival. They had to get out

of the ba" of the room and mae for the train as it left the station. Thomson looed at

'tevens! 9olin and Miriam and used his eyes to indi"ate the dire"tion they should go in.

'tevens rea"hed to the ba" of his shirt for his 1rowning =mm automati" and Thomson did

the same! leaning ba" in his "hair as he did so. 9olin wat"hed with si"ening fear as he saw

the men preparing themselves. %e looed at Miriam. 'he was pale! frightened and looing

down at the table.

$n that instant! 9olin de"ided to a"t. %e #umped up and ran at the young German offi"er!

pulling out a long nife as he did so. %e plunged the nife into the offi"ers throat before

anyone realised what was happening. 1lood sprayed out all over the pla"e and the offi"er

s"reamed and gurgled as he fell against 9olin! his blood soaing 9olins #a"et and shirt.

1oth were "overed in blood and looed lie they were in a demoni" embra"e. 7andemonium

erupted in the "af8 as men tried to get away from the two grappling bodies that toppled onto

the tables! no"ing mugs and bowls everywhere. The se"ond offi"er was rea"hing for his

pistol as the sho" of the s"ene penetrated his mind and galvanised him into a"tion! but a shot

rang out and he too fell forwards! a loo of surprise on his fa"e. Thomson had shot him

straight through the forehead and the bullet had e(ited in a mess of brains and bone before

"arrying on into the "hest of the soldier behind the offi"er. %e went flying ba"wards!

"rashing against the window of the "af8! glass shattering and falling out into the street. The

other soldier was never going to get his rifle off his ba" and aimed in the melee and press of

bodies and Thomson and 'tevens ran out the ba" of the "af8! dragging Miriam with them.

They ran through the hallway and "ame to a ba" door whi"h they burst through into a yard

with a fen"e and gate. They sprinted through the gate and into the ba" street! turning in the

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dire"tion of the station and running through the ma3e of narrow! "obbled streets as they put

distan"e between themselves and the horror of the "af8.

9olin had e(tri"ated himself from the offi"er on the floor of the "af8 and then thrown himself

at the remaining soldier stood by the door. %is forward momentum had "arried his nife into

the soldiers stoma"h and then both of them had "rashed through the door into the pa" of

1la"shirts about to "ome into the "af8. The whole gang of men "ollapsed onto the street lie

a hideous parody of a ;eystone 9ops movie. 9olin was hit by a trun"heon and fell down! but

his mani" energy pi"ed him up again and he rushed at another man! nife held high. A single

shot to his head stopped him in his tra"s and he fli"ed ba"wards! ending up on the pile of

bodies spilling from the "af8. The 1la"shirt who fired! and his "olleagues! then wasted time

sorting out the pile of bodies instead of fo"using on their -uarry who in the meantime had

"ir"led around and were waling to the station! the s"ene at the "af8 now behind them.

Miriam had heard the shot outside the "af8! the s"reams and shouts of women and men! had

noted the "onfusion and running people as a -uiet morning in a "ountry town was

transformed into a sho"ing battlefield. 'he ept pa"e with Thomson and 'tevens! looing

ahead and waling as "almly as possible with them towards the station. Two poli"emen who

had been at the station sprinted past them towards the "af8! leaving the way "lear for them to

board the train.

As they approa"hed the station! 'tevens suddenly pulled Thomson up.

Thats Edwards "ar over there. %e must have betrayed us to the Germans! the bastard. 2o

one does me over and gets away with it/0 'tevens started to turn towards the "ar in whi"h

"ould be seen the shadow of two men! but Thomson stopped him.

5eave it! *i"hard! we have to get on that train.0

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'tevens would have none of it and pulled away from Thomson! $ll be two ti"s! thats all

itll tae to sort out that s"um.0

There was no stopping him and Thomson and Miriam withdrew into the lee of the station

while 'tevens doubled ba" past the "ar without being seen! before "reeping ba" up behind

it and suddenly opening the rear door and #umping in.

As the door burst open Edward turned in surprise to see a fist "oming straight towards him. $t

smashed into his nose whi"h erupted in a gush of blood. At the same time Wilf! sat in the

front! turned and saw a the flash of a large blade as it stabbed into his ne"! sli"ing through

his artery and #etting over the upholstery and the dashboard as he "lut"hed at it and fell

sideways onto the passenger seat. 'tevens was in a rage! revelling in the a"tion at "lose

-uarters! the sten"h of the blood and the "han"e to infli"t violen"e on another man. Edward

held his hands to his fa"e! his eyes wide in the folds of sin and sweat breaing out a"ross his

forehead.

4ou turned us in! you bastard! and now youre going to get yours.0 'tevens pulled out his

pistol from his ba" and pressed it into Edwards belly. Edwards looed into 'tevens pitiless

eyes and realised there and then that 'tevens was unhinged! a psy"hoti"! who loved the a"t of

illing. %e started to shout 2o! please!0 but his "ry was "ut off by the muffled shot into his

"hest "avity! the bullet travelling upwards through his heart! "oming out through his right

shoulder blade and lodging in the seat fabri". Edwards body ar"hed and then slumped against

the window of the opposite door. 'tevens was satisfied! it had been a good hit! "lean and

professional! #ust lie the old days in the East End of 5ondon when gangs fought ea"h other

in a nefarious struggle for "ontrol of lo"al areas. 'tevens let himself out of the door and

strolled -ui"ly a"ross to the station. $t was if he had #ust had a friendly word with the people

in the "ar! not murdered them.

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Thomson and Miriam fell into step with 'tevens as they went to board the train that was

about to leave. Miriam stopped at the entran"e to the "arriage.

9ome with us! Miriam!0 urged Thomson! youll be safer with us than staying here. The

Gestapo will "ome for you! you now that dont you,0

Miriam looed un"omprehending at Thomson! still in total sho" at the -ui" moving events

whi"h had only taen five minutes.

$ dont now. $ should get home and warn mother!0 she muttered! taling to herself as mu"h

as anyone. 'he was deathly pale and starting to shae un"ontrollably.

Dont do that! Miriam. $f you do that! you and your mother will both be arrested. Weve

been betrayed! "ant you see that. $ts not safe for you to stay here. 4ou must "ome with us!0

and Thomson grabbed her arm and pulled her onto the "arriage. Miriam followed in a da3e.

'tevens too one last loo ba" towards the "af8! the whistle of the train shrilled in the "old

air and the train started to move off. 'tevens followed Thomson and Miriam into the warmth

of the "arriage.

Chapter -

Ottawa! same ay

Dun"an poured a drin into the tumbler! the whisy filling the "rystal vessel to a less than

healthy halfway point. %e too it for himself and passed another! less well)endowed glass to

General Goldsmith who re"lined in a leather "hair in front of the roaring fire. They were in a

building in Ottawas "entre that had been taen over by the 1ritish War Offi"e as its

residen"e)in)e(ile! the nerve "entre from where the 1ritish war effort was "ontrolled! in

"on#un"tion with a similar set)up in Washington for "lose liaison with the Ameri"ans.

Goldsmith had "ome north to be nearer the fo"al point for the forth"oming operations.

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%eres to the operations! 9olonel! lets hope and pray they "ome off!0 said Dun"an! rubbing

his hand over his fa"e as he sat down opposite the General. %e was dog)tired from the

intensity and pa"e of operations as plans and preparedness "ame to fruition. %is bla" hair

was greying at the sides as he hit his forties! but his intelligen"e remained as ra3or sharp as

ever. The western allies had to go on the offensive in


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invading 1ritain in Mar"h! and a sudden in"rease in anti)partisan measures by the 2a3is

"ould mae things mu"h more diffi"ult for his mission to get those s"ientists.0

4es! 9olonel! $ realise that!0 replied Dun"an animatedly! but of "ourse the "onfusion that

we hope will arise in 1ritain "ould mae it easier for Thomson and 'tevens to move around.

$t will also bring out of the woodwor those resistan"e groups that we "an really trust and

those we "ant. The attitude in 1ritain has been far too passive for my liing and! more

importantly! for 9hur"hill. %es been wanting to people to get stu" in for months! but its so

hard trying to get things going when youre thousands of miles away a"ross the Atlanti".

When we tae $"eland and The +aroes ne(t wee! we will have a mu"h "loser base from

whi"h to laun"h "on"erted stries against German for"es in England and we "an really step

up supplies to the resistan"e and 'almons units.0

Do you really feel that "onfident about the $"eland operation! Dun"an, $ts -uite a risy

"on"ern!0 said Goldsmith! the first large)s"ale amphibious operation by Ameri"an and

9ommonwealth for"esIit has to wor! $ suppose. Theres no way ba" now.0

$ndeed 9olonel! this "ould be the beginning of the end for the 2a3is. Tae ba" the ;! use

it as a base to laun"h atomi" weapon stries against the Germans and bring them to their

nees without the need to invade Europe. $t has to wor and it will wor! we have no other

options. We "ant wait for the Germans to get the bomb and a means to deliver it! we have to

get in first. Whats the latest on the Manhattan 7ro#e"t! if $ may as,0

$ "an only tell you what $ve been told! and thats not mu"h! $ts enough we now anything

about it at all! the se"re"y is so tight.0 Goldsmith "ouldnt help lowering his voi"e! su"h was

the sensitivity of the topi". 0$t seems progress is being made on enri"hing uranium in the

-uantities re-uired for a bomb! but this in itself taes time and the separation of the isotopes

has produ"ed problems of its own. As issues arise! though! they are solved. $ts ama3ing what

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billions of dollars "an a"hieve when "hannelled into a spe"ifi" tas. 1oeing is produ"ing a

large bomber to "arry a future weapon over long distan"es suffi"ient for European and 7a"ifi"

usage. $ts all "oming together! but it taes time and a shitload of "ash.0 Even Goldsmith

sighed at this #un"ture. Maybe hes as tired as me thought Dun"an! but #ust doesnt show it!

running on adrenalin! boo3e and fags to get through. Well probably all drop dead from heart

atta"s the day pea"e is de"lared. Dun"an smiled at the si" irony of the thought! prompting

Goldsmith to loo en-uiringly at him.

$m #ust glad the good ole ' of A is on our side General!0 Dun"an "hu"led! raising his

glass again.

Chapter .

/eflavi0! celan! one wee0 later

Obergefreiter ;ohl pulled his great"oat "ollar up around his ears and sun his head into the

wool fabri" in a vain effort to garner some warmth from his body. The buner was heated by

a pot)bellied stove in the "entre! but the observation slit that ran a"ross the front of it allowed

an i"y blast to sli"e through the "on"rete! straight through his uniform.

What the hell did we do to #ustify this posting! +ran,0 ased ;ohl for only the


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9hrist alive! +ran! all you thin about is your "o" and where it will get some a"tion ne(t.

$t will get fro3en off before you get "han"e to use it properly again.0 ;ohl turned again to the

bino"ulars on their mounting at the viewing slit of the buner. %e looed through them and

s"anned the hori3on out to sea! but it was su"h a dar night he "ould not mae out anything.

The sea and bla" sy merged into an abyss of spa"e! a void that wanted to su" you in and

never let you go. At that moment! air"raft were heard flying low overhead! -uite a few of

them.

Thats strange!0 muttered ;ohl! his eyes still glued to the eye pie"es of the bino"ulars! we

dont normally get aerial a"tivity at night at this time of year. Must be running low on

s"hnapps in *ey#avi and they need a resupply.0 %e "hu"led at his #oe and +ran dutifully

#oined in.

Thats a lot of air"raft! mind you!0 said +ran! a note of "on"ern entering his voi"e. Why

would the 5uftwaffe be flying that many air"raft to $"eland at this time of the night,0

4oure right! +ran! and $ thin $ "an see para"hutes "oming down a"ross the fields over the

bay. Maybe its an e(er"ise and we havent been told about it, Theres some sort of naval

a"tivity at sea too! $ "an #ust mae out the shapes of ships "ruising off the "oast.0 ;ohls voi"e

had risen an o"tave as his sudden sense of alarm and unease was released.

'hould we raise the alarm! Obergefreiter,0 ased +ran! rising from his per"h ne(t to the

stove! his voi"e now definitely betraying his un"ertainty.

$ll do no su"h thing! +ran! but you "ould go and see the duty offi"er and see if he nows

whats going on. Maybe he "anI0

;ohls voi"e was interrupted by the dead metalli" thud of an ob#e"t falling in through the slit.

1oth men looed down at it! registering at the same moment that it was a 1ritish hand

grenade. An instant later it went off with an obs"ene boom within the "onfines of the buner!

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spraying metalli" shards a"ross the room and filling the pla"e with a"rid smoe. ;ohl and

+ran fell ba"! their legs and lower body pier"ed by shrapnel! blood spilling out onto the

floor from their peppered bodies. ;ohl felt the agony of nowing bits of sharp! red hot metal

were inside him! sli"ing his blood vessels and min"ing his organs. %e lay prostrate! unable to

move or fun"tion. %e was aware that men had entered the room dressed in hai and with

their fa"es bla"ened. They had wool hats on and "arried 1ritish 'ten guns. ;ohl noti"ed all

this in a se"ond before a gun mu33le was pointed at his fa"e. %is last vision on earth was of a

bright! fiery flash as the mu33le of the gun spat at him.

The allied invasion of $"eland was underway. 7aratroopers swooped down out the sy to

sei3e ey airfields while naval warships at sea opened up with their big guns to bombard

shore installations. Within an hour of the paratroop landing! a ey airfield was in allied hands

and gliders and transport air"raft started to pour in! disgorging reinfor"ements and pushing

the Germans into *ey#avi.

At first light invasion barges and landing "raft entered the harbour and troops and tans

poured ashore. +ighter)bombers flying from air"raft "arriers flew at will over the "ity!

bombing and strafing pre)planned targets and anything else that moved. The Germans were

-ui"ly isolated and "ut off from reinfor"ement or resupply and! after four more days and

following an overwhelming show of for"e by naval warships and air"raft! the German

Gauleiter surrendered his for"es to the Allied 'upreme 9ommand.

The allies -ui"ly set about transforming the blea! bla" and white port into a giant store of

ammunition! food! fuel and shelter. The Ameri"an genius for produ"tion and improvisation

was utilised to the full as the allies ere"ted "ities of tents! pre)pa"ed 2issen huts and shelters

for air"raft. Mer"hant ships and naval au(iliaries! shepherded into port by strong flotillas of

destroyers to prote"t their "harges from )1oat atta"! unloaded thousands of tons of

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additional stores and drums of petrol. Transport air"raft flew in from 2ewfoundland where

they had refuelled on the way from 2orth Ameri"a! "arrying Generals and their staffs!

planners and logisti"s spe"ialists! intelligen"e "oordinators and aerial re"onnaissan"e

interpreters. Everything was geared to a rapid build)up of men and materiel in preparation for

the far more important and risy invasion of the 1ritish $sles.

Chapter 9

2ristol! En$lan' e$ional bwehr 5tation' %wo ays later

Wolffe sat in his offi"e! his ba" to the window that looed out over the street a"ross to

Templemeads train station. 7eople were hurrying through the rain and "old to get to wherever

they needed to be. 'moe puffed intermittently from behind the station faLade as trains "ame

and went from this important rail #un"tion. %e was reading the latest situation reports from

$"eland and The +aroes. The allies had landed in strength at both lo"ations! from the air by

para"hute and onto bea"hes from the sea. Airfields had been "aptured and utilised

immediately to fly in further reinfor"ements from substantial naval tas for"es that lay off the

islands. The German garrisons had been wea and totally overwhelmed by the powerful and

numeri"ally superior allied for"es. What was most impressive was that the operations had

been su""essfully "arried out in winter. 9learly! the allies were woring to a timetable that

refle"ted a degree of urgen"y. Wolffe felt uneasy for the first time in a long while. 'uddenly!

his future was not so "ertain and his plans to get ba" to 1erlin looed doubtful. %e felt dog)

tired and ran his hand through his hair.

Matters were e(a"erbated by the sudden and widespread partisan a"tivity that had sprung up

all over England in the last two wees. Obviously timed to "oin"ide with the $"eland

operation! they were "oordinated! well)armed and determined. $n pla"es! espe"ially in the

north! the lo"al German for"es were finding it diffi"ult to maintain order. Wolffe looed at

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another report in his in)tray. $t detailed a reprisal by Gestapo and Wehrma"ht units in

5iverpool in response to atta"s on personnel and e-uipment in the area. Ten 5iverpudlians

had been shot out of hand at the side of a suburban road the previous wee and numerous

arrests had been made. These arrests had been poorly targeted be"ause Wolffe new

intelligen"e on lo"al resistan"e leaders was wea throughout the "ountry. The 1ritish were

passive! it was true! but they also did not give anything away. They respe"ted their own and

others priva"y so mu"h/ 2obody new anything about what anyone else was doing! it

seemed. Maybe the Gestapo in 5iverpool would loosen a few tongues. 6iolen"e had also

o""urred a"ross 4orshire! down through the 7ea Distri"t! a"ross the Midlands and into the

southwest. $ndividual soldiers had been illed! small "onvoys atta"ed and roads had been

blo"ed in outlying 3ones! maing some villages into no)go areas for the Wehrma"ht. Only

5ondon and the southeast seemed "almer! refle"ting those areas where the ma#ority of

German for"es were based. Wolffe new they were spread too thinly a"ross the "ountry and

that reinfor"ements and redeployments were urgently needed! but the word from above was

that they would have to "ope on their own for now. German units were needed elsewhere!

even though it looed lie $"eland and The +aroes had been lost.

At that point *ohm entered Wolffes offi"e! unannoun"ed and without no"ing. %e looed

worried! whi"h was interesting be"ause it too a lot to rattle *ohm. %e was normally -uite

rela(ed! in a self)satisfied ind of way.

%e bared at Wolffe! spittle flying from his lips and landing on Wolffes des! %ave you

seen whats going on up and down this God)forsaen "ountry, All of a sudden the pla"e is in

uproar. What does the Abwehr have to report,0

Wolffe too a breath! en#oying this rare moment when *ohm had openly ased! almost

begged for help from the Abwehr. $ntelligen"e must be poor from his own agent reporting.

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The partisan a"tion in the north of England is obviously related to the re"ent allied landings

in $"eland. These atta"s need to be "ontained and handled as straightforward military anti)

partisan operations. 5o"al "ommanders should redeploy their units. We should not be

surprised at these a"tions. As the 1ritish would say! weve had it too J"ushy here. Trouble

was bound to flare sooner or later. $ worry that Gestapo reprisals are not going to help our

"ause. 5o"al people are less liely to help us if their "losest relations have been ma"hine

gunned at the side of the road.0

*ohm slumped in the "hair opposite Wolffes des! whi"h was piled high with paperwor! as

if using it as a barrier against an atta".

The Gestapo! and the '' for that matter! stand by their methods! Wolffe. We have to meet

violen"e with violen"e otherwise we will get our arses i"ed off this island. The 1ritish are

not lie the *ussians or the 'erbs! they dont have the stoma"h for a drawn out partisan

"onfli"t. They value their houses and gardens too mu"h for a start.0

Wolffe de"ided to "hange the sub#e"t somewhat! and offer *ohm an olive bran"h.

One parti"ular report has interested me more than the others! 'ir. An arrest operation

following a tip)off from an informer went badly wrong in 7en3an"e a few days ago. A lo"al

man went berser and atta"ed troops with a nife! allowing the enemy agents that were the

target of the whole operation to get away. $t was badly handled by the lo"al "ommanders

be"ause they werent used to having to mae arrests! espe"ially of agents that had almost

"ertainly been trained abroad and dropped in the ; at the "oast. $ts symptomati" of the

rustiness of "ertain units. The lo"al 1la"shirt militias are more of a liability than a help and

"annot always be relied upon to behave appropriately or follow orders.0

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*ohm pondered what Wolffe had said. Who tipped off the lo"al Gestapo to the presen"e of

the agents, Was he one of yours,0

The informer was an Abwehr agent! by the name 1ro"hurst! a dependable landowner in the

area! head of the resistan"e group there! but in our pay. %e was found murdered with another

man in his "ar outside the train station. $ assume those he betrayed must have got to him after

the fight broe out at the "af8 where the arrests were to be made. Thats unusual too. The

fero"ity and professionalism of the murders! in broad daylight in a busy town! proves that the

people we are looing for are well trained! motivated and e(perien"ed. What are these enemy

saboteurs doing in the southwest when all the other a"tion is up north, Thats what $ want to

now. Are they here to set light to the southwest! to divide our for"es and "oordinate with

resistan"e, These people are high value targets and we should put resour"es into "at"hing

them. They are in our area of #urisdi"tion after all.0 Wolffe emphasised Jour to mae sure

*ohm new they were in this together and not woring against ea"h other. The time for petty

rivalries and #ealousies was over! the situation was rapidly be"oming too serious for that.

$ agree! Wolffe. We need to mae sure our pat"h is in order! not worry about the rest of the

"ountry. *esistan"e will be dealt with! wherever it arises. %ow do you intend to pro"eed

against these enemy agents,0

They disappeared from the "af8 where the in"ident too pla"e! so we have to assume theyve

left the area! probably by train. Destinations will be E(eter! 1ristol or Glou"ester to lin up

with resistan"e groups outside the south)east and south "oast! whi"h are negligible anyway.

+or a few days now $ve had e(tra men on the train stations "he"ing the papers of all

travellers and -uestioning lo"als. The ne(t time these agents surfa"e! we will have our men on

hand to pi" them up! and not rely on lo"al units! poli"e or militia. $ll eep you informed. $

promise.0 Wolffe sat forward and leant on his des as he said it! to emphasise how mu"h he

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meant what he was saying. Of "ourse! Wolffe thought! any arrests would be by his men! not

*ohms! so Wolffe would have to be "ir"umspe"t about e(a"tly how mu"h he shared with the

'' and how -ui"ly.

Than you! Wolffe! $ appre"iate it!0 said *ohm! nowing all too well that Wolffe "ould not

be trusted. *ohm had to get his own men onto it too! in order to guarantee the '' pi"ed up

the agents. 2o need to tell Wolffe that! of "ourse.

Wolffe omitted to mention #ust yet that the man who atta"ed the troops in the "af8 had a wife

and she had been arrested and was being interrogated as he spoe. 'he would "ough up a

des"ription of the men and perhaps shed light on their mission. This information would

"orroborate that provided by 1ro"hurst before his untimely end. %is murder had prevented a

more detailed debrief by Wolffes representative in the area.

Chapter 16

7arwic0e! a villa$e o#tsie Glo#cester! same ay

Thomson looed out of the ba" window of the "ottage a"ross the brown fields! sown with

seed! but not yet sprouting at this time of the year. %e pondered the progress of the operation

to date. The #ourney to Glou"ester had been fraught! not least be"ause the German response to

the violen"e in 7en3an"e had been immediate and thorough. This was typi"al of the

7russians though! and he wasnt surprised. Thomson! 'tevens and Miriam had #ourneyed to

E(eter where they had got off the train and out of the station before the pla"e be"ame

swamped with poli"e and German units! vigorously "he"ing all travel warrants and identity

papers. Thomson trusted the -uality of his forged papers! but did not want to attra"t attention

and was glad to avoid any lo"al problems.

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They went to a small terra"ed house not far from the "entre of E(eter! to an address given to

them in 9anada as a safehouse from where they would meet resistan"e "onta"ts from the

Glou"ester area who had travelled south to lin up with the group. At the house had been a

lo"al man and two other people from Glou"ester! a man and a woman. The mans name was

a"ob Armstrong and the woman was 'arah! his wife. They were in their early forties! middle

"lass professionals! he a do"tor and she a housewife. They had no "hildren. a"ob was tall!

with thinning hair and a slow! deliberate manner typi"al of a man used to taing his time in

maing a diagnosis. %is round glasses gave him a fatherly loo and he was good "ompany.

'arah was tall for a woman! with long slender legs! thin arms and long! pianists fingers. 'he

was sharp as a s"alpel! intelligent and "areful in what she said and how she said it. A bit of a

"old fish! de"ided Thomson! but hardly surprising given their "ir"umstan"es. 'arah was

"learly the leader in the marriage! a"ob seeming more booish and owl)lie in his

mannerisms and attitude to life. Thomson sensed she "ould be hot to handle sometimes!

maybe too hot for a"ob.

'tevens had used the #ourney to E(eter to "alm down and then sleep. %e had been really

eyed up and Thomson "ould sense all this "landestine and non)violent a"tivity did not "ome

naturally to him. 'tevens was finding it all frustrating! whether it be the popula"e! who he

now had utter "ontempt for! or the need to eep moving and stay in the shadows. The ne(t

few days would provide a wel"ome relief for 'tevens! as the middle phase of the operation

finally got underway.

Thomson and 'tevens had de"ided to as Miriam to a""ompany them on the ne(t leg of the

#ourney to Glou"ester. 'he had nowhere else to go! and if pi"ed up by the Gestapo she

would #eopardise the whole operation. More positively! Miriam was a good person to have

around. 'he was physi"ally fit! new how to handle a weapon and gave the team more

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fle(ibility! not least be"ause the Germans were looing for #ust two men! not a woman as

well.

1eing a do"tor! a"ob had a""ess to a "ar and petrol! and had driven to E(eter with 'arah on

the prete(t of attending a medi"al seminar and having a short stay on the south "oast. They

#ourneyed ba" to Glou"ester in the "ar! 'tevens in the front be"ause he was so large! the rest

#ammed in the ba". This had proven to be a blessing be"ause the railways were being

wat"hed "arefully! whereas the roads "ould not all be wat"hed all the time! and by #udi"ious

use of the ba" lanes! they had arrived in %ardwi"e the same day! tired and "ramped! but

safe.

The Armstrongs house was a deta"hed dwelling on a "ountry lane off the main road from

Glou"ester to 1ristol. $t had three bedrooms! a sitting room! dining room and it"hen and

refle"ted the owners affluent lifestyle. a"ob and 'arah were respe"ted in the "ommunity and

the Germans new them too! using their servi"es when ne"essary. Although geographi"ally

remote from 5ondon! Glou"ester was an important gateway for the Germans for the

southwest and into Wales and had a si3eable garrison! as well as Gestapo and ''

deta"hments. $t was an average si3ed "ity! its 2orman "athedral dominating the flat

floodplains near the *iver 'evern! whi"h ran through on the way to the 1ristol Estuary. The

9otswold es"arpment to the east fell steeply! leaving Glou"ester in a bowl in the valley. +or

Thomson it was a small pla"e! but not too small that strangers would be noti"ed! and not too

big and important! su"h as 1ristol! to merit a stronger German presen"e.

After arriving and settling in at the "ottage they had all sat down to plan the ne(t phase of the

operation! to re"onnoitre the pla"e where the s"ientists were being held. This! it seemed! was

an old grange on the road to 'troud! a small mill town ten miles to the southeast of

Glou"ester. The road winds its way up the es"arpment to the 9otswolds and the grange

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"ould be approa"hed in a variety of ways!0 e(plained a"ob. Originally a dwelling for the

mons of a 1enedi"tine order! the building had been re-uisitioned by the Germans as a

suitably remote pla"e to put the s"ientists while they de"ided where to tae them ne(t.0

a"ob had e(plained that the lo"al resistan"e had someone who wored at the grange in the

it"hen.

%e is a lo"al lad from 7ainswi"! a village up the road on the way to 'troud. %e arrives at

the abbey every morning at seven and wors there doing menial #obs until the early evening.

The Germans lie him be"ause hes a bit dim! at least thats the impression he gives them. $n

fa"t! he is very astute! #ust poorly edu"ated. %e doesnt miss a tri" and listens to the

s"ientists "onversations while they are eating and tals to them as well if he gets the "han"e.

%is intelligen"e has given us a real understanding of the layout of the pla"e.0

What sort of building is this grange!0 en-uired 'tevens! evidently starting to wor on an

entry plan in his mind. And what strength do the Germans have there or in the immediate

vi"inity,0

a"ob too a deep breath. Well! the grange itself is a large! rambling! Eli3abethan building

set in woodland down a long drive from the main road. $ts remote in the sense that there are

no other dwellings nearby! but of "ourse its only a few miles from here! as the "row flies.

There are five s"ientists there! but not their families. They are a pretty depressed and

disillusioned bun"h at the moment! by all a""ounts. Three of them have family being held

elsewhere by the Germans in order to for"e them to wor on whatever the Germans want.

That was when they were in 1irmingham! at the university there. At the grange they are not

able to "arry out any resear"h wor. They #ust sit around taling! taing short wals and

waiting to be moved on to goodness nows where by the Germans! whi"h "ould happen at

any time.0

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What about the erries!0 ased 'tevens impatiently! how many! where and with what

e-uipment,0

'arah too over at this point. There is a small deta"hment of soldiers at the grange! probably

no more than twelve! with a larger for"e not far away in 9ranham! a village to the north!

about three miles away. They "an be at the grange within ten minutes by lorry. The grange

deta"hment has a radio for "onta"ting the lo"al main for"e. They have only small arms and

are very rela(ed! having made friends with the s"ientists and our man in the it"hen. $ts a

"ushy number for them! warm! well fed! but also boring! so theyre not as alert as they "ould

be. Our man there says the Germans dont loo lie first "lass troops. A bit overweight!

shabby in their turn)out! that sort of thing. This gives us a good "han"e to surprise them and

get the s"ientists out.0

The problem! though!0 added a"ob! is that the s"ientists will almost "ertainly not go with

you without their families. They now that if they leave! their families will be deported to

"amps in Germany.0

Would they leave with us if we "ould reassure them about their families,0 ased Thomson!

an(iously.

1etter by far to spring their families too at the same time!0 said a"ob! so matter)of)fa"tly

that Thomson and 'tevens s"offed in surprise.

Tae the families too,0 gasped 'tevens. 4ou gotta be #oin!0 his "o"ney a""ent be"oming

more mared in the room as he started to lose his temper. We aint going ba" to 9anada on

a "ruise ship! and how would we get them all down to 9ornwall,0

Our man is adamant that the s"ientists wont leave without them!0 a"ob replied!

unperturbed by 'tevens rising! vol"ani" temper. %owever! we "ould get the families out as

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well. There are three women and four "hildren! aged between four and eleven. They are held

in a house in 1ro"worth! a village about two miles away! but the s"ientists dont now that.

Our man found this out from the Germans! who thought it a huge #oe that the families "ould

be held so "lose and the s"ientists not realise.0

Thomson looed thoughtful as he grappled with the logisti"s of getting the families and the

s"ientists simultaneously and then getting them all ba" to 9ornwall for the rende3vous.

$f it helps! the lo"al resistan"e have given this some thought. They "ould provide some men

to help you do both houses at on"e! and a lo"al haulage "ontra"tor has a regular run to 1ristol

on the "anal and 'evern Estuary. %e has agreed to allow us use of one of his barges to

transport people. Weve done it before! a"tually! to transfer people in se"ret out of the

"ounty.0

Thoms

Documents

Operation Greensleeves: Defeat the Enemy Within