Chapter 14

1941. August 9th - 12th Roosevelt and Churchill hold a conference on a warship off the coast of Newfoundland. The two leaders agree to present plans for a "new world order" based on an end to tyranny and territorial aggrandizement, the disarmament of aggressors, and the fullest cooperation of all nations for the social and economic welfare of all. The result is the 'The Atlantic Charter', designed to nullify any new Hitler peace offensive as well as a statement of post-war aims.

August 20th In Berlin, Reinhard Heydrich receives a report detailing the extermination of 4,500 Jews in Pinsk, Belarus in retaliation for the death of a local soldier.

November 10th 1941.

Manfred and Gerry arrived back at Axel's house just after midnight the weather too cold for them to sleep in the car.

Manfred knocked on the front door, Kurt opened it, he was bleary eyed and still half asleep.

"Did you have troubles?" he asked as he led them into the dining room. He stirred the grate and placed more wood on the fire.

"No we were debating whether to stay overnight in Bern but the sooner we get back home the better; we have a busy time ahead of us," Manfred said.

Katherine, Axel's wife walked in rubbing her shoulders through her thick dressing gown, "It's cold. Who would like coffee?"

Luke, Kurt's brother walked in and sat down and his voice joined the chorus asking for coffee.

"How was your trip?" Luke asked.

"Okay," Gerry replied, "Nothing we couldn't handle."

"I noticed that the moon had only just risen as we drove in. We can leave early tomorrow night," Manfred said.

The following day Manfred, Kurt and Gerry went shopping in the centre of Kruezlingen. Manfred and Gerry bought small gifts for the women and they ate in a restaurant before returning to Axel's house late in the afternoon.

Kurt was immediately the center of attention as his mother, Katherine, angrily said, "I don't want you to go back to Meersburg; I want you to stay here where you're safe."

When Axel agreed with Katherine, Kurt retaliated and the arguments became steadily more heated. Manfred and Gerry left the house and walked down the narrow street to the waterfront and onto the pier where Bert's boat was tied up.

"Bloody war, I just wish that I had parents who thought about me like they do about Kurt," Manfred said as he sat down and dangled his legs over the side of the pier.

"I'm sure that you would still react the way Kurt is doing," Gerry said but his mood was saddened as he remembered his own parents.

They sat side by side for an hour, their conversations brief. Gerry stood, "Let's go back to the house; it'll be dark enough to leave soon."

At the house, Katherine prepared a quick meal but the atmosphere was one of angry silence.

"The boat has a full load of fuel. It's ready to go when you are," Axel said coldly.

Manfred took this as the signal to leave and as custom demanded, he kissed Katherine on both cheeks and bid farewell to Axel, Gerry followed him but Kurt waited at the front gate for them and then they walked to the pier in silence.

Bert's advice to travel the greatest distance in the middle of the Bodensee caused Manfred to steer out of the small bay, keeping well away from Konstance as he headed to the middle of the lake. He then steered east and throttled the engine back, the motor barely audible as they drifted listening for the sounds of patrol boats.

Satisfied that any motor noises they could hear were many miles away Manfred throttled up until they were travelling at half speed. He beckoned Kurt to join him on the small plank seat while he steered the boat.

"You know the Bodensee better than we do, are you able to see the landmarks that will guide us to the entrance of the small stream?" Manfred asked.

Kurt looked at both sides of the lake, straining to see the landmarks but it was too dark, "I can't see in this darkness. If you travel in this direction for fifteen minutes then head for the northern shore I should be able to get my bearings as we get closer."

After fifteen minutes, Manfred turned the boat to the north.

Gerry was the first to see the silhouette of the large patrol boat and he yelled, "Look out! Turn right we're going to hit."

He clutched the gunwale and bracing himself he leaned away from the patrol boat that was drifting in front of them without lights.

Fear gripped Manfred and he reacted quickly as he shoved the tiller hard over. Their forward momentum slipped Bert's boat sideways but they were making way running almost parallel with the patrol boat. They hit the patrol boat beam to beam but the impact did little damage.

The searchlight on the patrol boat lit up, the brilliance temporarily blinding them and a loudspeaker on the patrol boat boomed, "Halt, prepare for boarding."

But Manfred knew that if he were to keep going on his present bearing he would give the patrol boat's forward facing machine gun their best chance of killing them. Quickly he throttled back and turned to face the patrol boat. Bert's boat listed into the tight turn. He then did as Bert had done and sped close to the patrol boat and past its stern. The searchlight was unable to follow them and he knew that their forward machine gun was now temporarily useless.

He accelerated to full speed heading south. They heard the rifle fire behind them but without light, the riflemen were unable to find their distance. A minute passed by before they heard the patrol boat's engine roar into life.

"Keep your heads down!" Manfred yelled.

The patrol boat swung around and the searchlight swept across the water and then finding their target the machine gun started firing.

'The range is getting longer and with the unsettled water, it'll be an accident if they hit us, ' Manfred thought.

"We're almost out of range but keep down. I'm going to head east again after we're out of sight then I want Kurt to look for the landmarks."

Ten minutes later Manfred headed north again in the direction of Meersburg, when Kurt yelled, "You're too far east, I can see the large hill and you'll need to steer more westerly."

Thirty minutes later Manfred slowed the boat as they entered the shallow stream then chugged slowly upstream. As they beached the boat, Pieter and his men emerged from the forest.

"We could hear the noise of the gunfire from the patrol boat from here. Another lucky break Manfred," Pieter said smiling, clapping his arm around his shoulders.

The next morning they emerged from their tents and sat around in a circle drinking coffee.

"For breakfast we have fried pork and cabbage. Compliments of Arnold, he modified Gerry's spear idea and made one with a barb on the end. At dusk last night, the wild boars came down to the stream to drink and he speared a young one.

"It's good tender meat for a change. You did well Arnold," Pieter said.

Manfred and Gerry ate quickly eager to return to Chris's camp.

"Have you located the mooring that the patrol boats use," Manfred asked Pieter as he chewed on the tender pork.

"Yes, they tie up and refuel at Uberlingen. We'll make a trip down there, watch them for a week or so, and then plan an attack using the kayak and mines.

"Make sure that you wear black and make a black paste out of pig fat and charcoal to smear on your faces when you paddle close to their patrol boats," Manfred said.

"We use boot black and we're well aware of the need to camouflage ourselves," Pieter said slightly irritated that Manfred would be telling them the basics.

"Just thinking aloud Pieter, it's a dangerous exercise. Good luck and I hope you sink a few. But we have to get going," Manfred said wiping his hands.

Manfred and Gerry had been travelling for an hour and had crossed the Danube. There were no guards on the bridge.

"No guards on the bridge and I've noticed that there are very few SS on duty in the cities," Gerry said.

"My guess is that all able men are being pressed into the war with Russia," Manfred said.

They arrived at Chris's camp and he and Manfred sat discussing Richard's plan for them to sabotage the oilfields in the north of Germany.

"I think Richard is becoming too ambitious, he wants Otto and I to travel with you and Gerry to Ems in the first week of December to attack the oil fields. I think that's a very dangerous mission. It could get us all killed."

"When I get back I'll be getting more details from Richard. If we're going as a team then we should spend some time together before we set off up north. I'll send you a message and if it contains the word Konstanz in it you should be ready to depart and join me for a few days of planning before we go north. Don't forget that there'll be French and Dutch resistance with us making a total of twelve to sixteen men in the raiding party."

For the next two hours Chris, Otto, Gerry and Manfred discussed what they would take with them from their store of weapons.

"I'll take half of the weapons with me now and leave the rest for you to bring with you."

They spent the next hour taking the armaments and mines to Manfred's car from the bunker that Chris had built.

"See you in early December Chris," Manfred said.

Gerry drove as they travelled north he was worried that if they were pulled over they would not be able to explain away their store of weapons in the car. His fear caused him to drive sedately but they saw no SS on their drive home.

Turning into the drive alongside their house Gerry headed down into the garage, Cornelia came bursting out of the back door and followed the car.

Before Gerry had applied the handbrake Manfred was out of the car and lifted Cornelia off the ground as her lips sought his mouth. He eased out of the car looking at Manfred and Cornelia who were blissfully involved with each other and almost collided with Anna and Alex.

He hugged both of them to him and they kissed him passionately. As he withdrew from kissing Alex, he glanced down on Anna and saw tears streaming down her face. He hugged her close comforting her and walked them into the kitchen.

"Let's have coffee, I have a present for all of my favorite women."

Pulling his shirt up he unbuckled his money belt and extracted three slim boxes from it.

"This is Richard's money, Manfred has one also and when he comes in you can put them both in the safe," Gerry said turning to Alex.

They were sitting drinking coffee when Anna leaned across and said to Gerry, "Cornelia and Manfred have an important matter to discuss, they may take some time before they come in."

"Important matter?" Gerry asked.

"Yes, Cornelia is pregnant," Alex said loudly, disapproval showing on her face.

Gerry looked at Anna who shrugged her shoulders, "It happens when two people are in love."

Gerry thought that it would be discreet to remain silent and picked up the three boxes that he had marked with their names.

He passed a box to Alex and was pleased to see her mood changing as she unwrapped her gift. When he passed Anna's gift to her she stood and holding his face she gave him a French kiss the way he had taught her, then fumbling she unwrapped her gift of a gold chain necklace with a gold heart pendant. Alex's necklace was the same except that the pendant was a blue swallow.

An hour later, they were still sitting at the table drinking coffee when Manfred and Cornelia entered the kitchen. Manfred had a wide grin on his face as he punched Gerry lightly on the shoulder.

"Have you heard? I'm going to be a father."

Gerry stood and shook Manfred's hand. "Congratulations, daddy!" he said laughing.

He looked at Cornelia her eyes were red rimmed and her hair was dishevelled.

"I've got something to cheer you up, a little present that I bought for you in Bern," Gerry said passing her a small box.

Cornelia held it in her left hand; with her right hand, she pulled Gerry's face close, and kissed him.

"You're all wet," Gerry said as he wiped her tears from his face.

"Thank you Gerry, that's very nice of you."

Cornelia unwrapped her gift of silver earrings and when she looked at her mother, Alex was staring at Manfred.

"When are you two getting married?" Alex asked angrily.

Manfred stared intently at Alex before he rose from his chair and ignoring her, he prepared coffee for Cornelia and himself.

"Do you realise how dangerous that would be for all of us?" he asked as he sat down again.

"What!" Alex fumed.

"Yes, to get married we would have to register the marriage and that would attract the attention of officials, so the short answer to your angry question is: when the war is over."

"Richard will find a way," Alex said.

"Richard will not be finding a way Alex!"

"But..."

"There are no but's, didn't you understand me? I will not let you or Richard put us in danger. I didn't start this war and I do not wish my whereabouts revealed just to satisfy your needs. When the war is over we'll get married and I don't wish to discuss this any further!"

Manfred slammed his cup down on the table. The handle separated from the cup and he threw it angrily to the floor. Seething, he turned, walked out of the kitchen and down to the garage. He stood clenching his fists and then gaining control of his anger he started unloading the weapons from his car.

Manfred's fit of anger caused the kitchen to empty quickly all headed in different directions. Gerry was the last to leave and he went to the garage where Manfred looked briefly at him when he entered.

"Manfred," Gerry said loudly and when he had his attention he continued quietly, "I will not get involved in problems but I want to say this to you. You'll need to modify your behaviour with Alex. If you don't it will be hell living here. If you can't make relations with Alex more cordial then I'm going to leave and trek back to Holland."

Manfred advanced from around the car and Gerry readied for a fight. Knowing that it would be futile to exchange blows with him he dropped his arms and stood resolutely waiting for him. Manfred was surprised at Gerry's passive stance and pulled up, his face six inches from Gerry's.

After staring angrily at Gerry, he exhaled loudly and put his arm around Gerry's shoulder.

"You never cease to amaze me, you Dutch bastard!"

"What?" Gerry said smiling.

"Damn it! You're right again. Give me some time alone to cool down and when we sit for dinner, I'll apologize to Alex. I know it's bad conduct and I didn't try to understand Alex's needs at all."

He shoved Gerry toward the door.

Gerry walked down past the huts to the forest and when he reached the glade, he was surprised to see five deer drinking from the stream. Startled by his appearance they dashed back into the protection of the trees and he heard them crashing through the undergrowth as he stood on the bridge staring into the swiftly flowing water.

At dinner, Manfred was the last to sit at the table. He felt isolated by the tension that he felt. He watched as they helped themselves to portions from the steaming pots in the middle of the table. He saw Anna squeeze Gerry's hand briefly and then he looked at Cornelia whose eyes were reddened and her face was sad. When he glanced at Alex her face was tight and red, she glared angrily at him.

As they sat picking at their food, Manfred began, "I want to apologise to all of you for my conduct today. I want to assure you all that I will not repeat what I did today. I especially want to say to Alex that I didn't stop to consider your feelings. I understand that you have expectations for Cornelia and I didn't let you talk about them..."

When he looked up from the table he saw that all of the women had tears brimming and he was taken by surprise when Alex interrupted him.

"Please, I'm sorry Manfred, please stop. I hate to see a man humbled like this. I can't stand it any more."

Alex rose from her chair and Manfred stood and calmed her as she sobbed into his chest. Cornelia joined her mother and he placed an arm around both of them.

"Could you please hurry up, the food is getting cold and I'm hungry," Gerry said loudly pretending to whine.

Manfred leaned down and said quietly to Alex, "Let's talk about this after we eat," then louder, "The boy is hungry, he must have his food," he said smiling at Anna and Gerry.

During the next two weeks, Manfred led them through the preparations for the coming winter. He was surprised to see how much food the women had preserved. The pigs had grown to such a size that he thought that one or perhaps two would see them through the winter.

He worked with Gerry to construct a freeze box next to the garage. The sub-zero winter temperatures would ensure that it would keep any pig or deer meat that they would hunt. They stripped the corn, bagged it, and stored it with the wheat and potatoes in a small dry larder that they had built at the rear of the garage. They dragged old wood from the forest and cut it to a size that the women could handle easily to keep the stove and fires going while they were away.

On Saturday 29th of November, snow was falling and wind gusts tore at the house and ripped through the surrounding trees removing the last of their dried red leaves.

Richard arrived early, his car loaded with white clothing and equipment for the mission to the north to sabotage the oilfields near Ems.

It took them an hour to unload the car before they gladly returned inside to the fire in the dining room.

Anna served coffee and they sat around the table watching Richard dump the contents of several bulky folders on the table. He unfolded a map showing the northern region of Germany.

"From what I hear we are not going to win against Russia. It's history repeating itself. Hitler in his mad quest for oil in the north of Russia is failing in the deadly winter conditions, our troops are starving and freezing to death and shortly we will be forced to withdraw. Utter unplanned madness."

Richard paused and drank his coffee, "This is our target, it's a large refinery about fifteen kilometres west of Ems," Richard said as he quickly drew a circle around the refinery. "It's been heavily patrolled since last May when the Dutch resistance set fire to a smaller refinery about thirty kilometres away."

"This refinery has a number of gaps in its security," Richard said as he placed a refinery site map over the map of Ems.

"See these underground drains, they both run under the perimeter fence; one of them is a storm water drain and the other discharges waste into the river. You can't mistake them because I believe that the waste drain is smaller and the effluent is toxic."

Manfred looked at Gerry and raised his eyebrows.

Richard saw the exchange and decided to ignore it and continue.

"Let me draw back and give you an overview of the whole mission. There's a sleepy little village called Elbergen and about ten kilometres south lives a Dutch farmer. He's lived there for about thirty years. His name is Dieter Schmidt and he is currently getting his barn ready to house four Frenchmen three or four Dutchmen and Chris, Otto, you and Gerry.

"That's too many men, Richard," Manfred said.

"I had the same objection until the whole plan was explained to me. There will be three units each with a specific task, they will need to work closely together to complete the mission successfully, but each unit will be independent. The Frenchmen will be the most exposed because they will be placing the explosives inside the refinery. They are the most experienced; three of them have worked in refineries in France. The Dutch will be providing backup at the perimeter and our men will be responsible for the safe evacuation once the fireworks start."

"Safe evacuation? What's that mean."

"It's been carefully planned. When you leave here, you will travel in two cars to Dieter's farm. You will take the mines and sub-machine guns that were dropped into Chris's camp, the five white tarpaulins that I brought with me, the portable transmitter receiver, the white ponchos and clothing, white tents and as many rounds of ammunition that you can carry. Don't forget the caltrops; they may well save your life if you are pursued by the SS."

Anna, Alex and Cornelia having heard the outline of the plan, left the table to prepare lunch.

They continued to discuss the plans in more detail and before the women returned Richard stood and stretched.

"This will be the most dangerous mission that we have been involved in, I don't want any mistakes, no heroics. Just make sure that you become familiar with all of the information that I've brought with me. Get a message to Chris and Otto to travel here early next week and work with them until they know the plan. Before you leave here, I want you to burn all of this paperwork. I don't want any trails that will endanger us."

They packed up the paperwork as Anna wheeled in a trolley bearing hot food and coffee.

When they had eaten, Alex nodded to Richard to follow her. She led him to her study and extracted the money belts from the safe.

Richard opened the belts, piled the money on Alex's desk, and counted it.

"It's not the full amount I was expecting."

"Manfred will explain that when we go back inside. I have a problem Richard. Cornelia is pregnant."

"Oh, that's not good timing. What's the problem?"

"I want them to be married before the child is born."

"And what precisely did Cornelia and Manfred have to say about that?"

"Manfred's being unreasonable."

"Tell me about it." Richard asked.

"In a nutshell he said that they would be married after the war."

"And Cornelia?"

Alex suddenly realised that she did not know what Cornelia wanted but she was determined to enlist Richard's aid to get them married. The thought of her daughter giving birth to a bastard was repugnant to her.

"Well Cornelia agrees with me."

"I see," Richard sensed Alex's uncertainty. "Tell me again precisely what Manfred said."

"Well he did say that he would be exposing all of us to official scrutiny which he considers would be most dangerous. He even apologized to me for an outburst of anger when I asked firmly when they would be married."

"And what did you think of his opinion?"

"Look Richard this is not about me, it's about making their union legitimate!"

"Alex you're not thinking logically. The foolishness of running off to a registry to get married would endanger the life of every one of us. So, if he said that they would get married after the war then as far as I'm concerned that's how it will be," Richard said aware now that this issue was all about Alex and her needs.