Chapter 33

Mid August 1943.

US President Roosevelt and UK Prime Minister Churchill meet in Quebec Canada. High on their list was the planning of Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. They also agreed that the Supreme Commander of Operation Overlord would be an American with Pacific operations remaining under the command of the U.S.

August 1943 Allied troops occupy all of Sicily.

Wernher von Braun

The German rocket manufacturing and launching site at Peenemünde was bombed by almost 600 RAF bombers in mid-August 1943.

Wernher von Braun, director of the rocket research station at Peenemunde surrendered to US forces in 1945. He became an American citizen and was appointed director of the USA Ballistic Missile Agency eventually developing Saturn rockets for the Apollo missions.

Hilda looked at Gerry demurely. Turning away she started undressing.

When they were settled in bed she turned to face him, "I have something important to ask you."

Hilda knew that diverting Gerry with a personal request would distract him taking his mind away from Anna's death.

"Ask me." Gerry said.

"My mother wants to meet you. I'm afraid I've told her about my hero..."

"What?" Gerry exclaimed. He looked angry.

Hilda misunderstanding Gerry, "You don't want to meet my mother?"

"Of course I do! I just don't want you calling me a hero," Gerry said.

"Oh, okay. I just won't let you hear me calling you a hero," Hilda said then she laughed softly.

Gerry held her close, smelling the scent of her hair.

"Am I on trial?" Gerry asked.

"No, but my mother thinks that she might be after I told her all about my... ah... man," Hilda said.

"Tell me about your mother," Gerry said smiling at her hesitation.

"She's an older version of me. If you look closely at my mother you'll be able to see me in twenty years time. She's forty-seven; widowed when she was thirty-seven and I was seventeen. I had just entered university here in Zurich. It was a terrible time for us. I was devastated; my first year of my degree course was tough while I grieved for my father. I didn't see my mother frequently that year yet when I did see her she helped me gather my wits about me. Slowly I adjusted to the academic life and I finally graduated with honours. Throughout my years at university she supported me financially. When I graduated I couldn't get a job because of discrimination against females in the medical profession. And now she's a fighter for all female rights in Switzerland. She's like a terrier when she chases politicians, she grabs a hold of them and doesn't let go until they agree to do something positive." Hilda said.

"She lives in Zurich?" Gerry asked.

"No she has a tiny apartment in Bern," Hilda said.

"When were you thinking that we would visit your mother?"

"Oh, when you feel up to it," Hilda said.

"I've been to Bern. I met an SOE operative in a café in the Bundes Platz,"

Gerry said.

"What does SOE stand for?" Hilda asked.

"It's the Special Operations Executive; it's a British undercover group. We needed money to continue our resistance work. They wouldn't give us money directly in Germany but our contact persuaded them to give it to us on neutral territory in Bern," Gerry said.

"I know Bundes Platz, I would probably know the café too," Hilda said her eyes glittering as she recalled memories of happier times.

Gerry was quiet; his memories of Amsterdam came flooding back. He wondered how his mother and father were surviving the war. Then his thoughts brought Lein vividly back with her tender initiation, taking him from a boy to a man.

"Where were you?" Hilda asked, digging him gently in the ribs.

"To tell you the truth, I was back home in Amsterdam," Gerry said sadly.

"I want to see Amsterdam with you someday, but right now we need to get some sleep. Come on, roll over," Hilda said firmly. She wanted him to terminate his melancholic mood.

Gerry rolled over and she pushed her head against his back. She was soon asleep but Gerry's sad random memories kept him awake for some time.

The next morning, Thursday August 5th 1943.

At dawn Hilda turned over and saw that Gerry was still sleeping. She washed and dressed then went to the kitchen where Katrine was busy preparing for breakfast. A coffee pot was simmering on the stove.

"Good morning Katrine. I could smell the coffee," Hilda said.

"I'll pour you a cup," Katrine said.

Lorraine joined them and they sat drinking coffee for ten minutes until Franz staggered into the kitchen and helped himself to coffee. As he sat down Katrine and Lorraine jumped up and began the preparations for breakfast.

Hilda waited until Franz was fully awake and then she asked him, "Can I help you with Richard's rehabilitation?"

"Do you have the time?" Franz asked.

"I don't have to be back at the hospital until Monday. If you tell me what to do I can exercise Richard and hopefully with the use of a walking stick he can become more mobile," Hilda said.

"I not sure that's possible but I welcome your help," Franz said.

"Before you leave if you give me the exercises for Richard, I'll see if I can help him toughen up. I have the impression that some part of his pain is caused by his emotional state," Hilda said.

"It always is. In the cupboard in my radio room you'll find some walking aids. I'll let you select what you think is suitable," Franz said. He went on to explain the range of exercises that he wanted Richard to undertake.

Hilda saw Katrine set a separate breakfast tray for Richard. When she was about to take it to him; Hilda intervened.

"I'll take it to him and wake Gerry on the way," Hilda said.

Hilda entered Richard's room and noted that it appeared that Katrine had not spent the night. Richard slowly awakened and sat up. He was yawning as he thanked her for the breakfast tray.

"Sleep well?" Hilda asked.

"Fitfully," Richard said.

"I believe you want to talk to me. How about we talk after we exercise your knee this morning," Hilda said.

"You're my new nurse?" Richard said.

"I am," Hilda said.

"I hope you won't be too hard on me. We'll talk after the exercises; that's fine with me," Richard said.

Hilda went to Gerry's room.

Gerry was sitting on the edge of his bed, his hair tousled; he was yawning deeply, stretching his arms above his head.

"I was just coming in to pour some cold water over you!" Hilda said; she was smiling broadly.

Gerry beckoned her closer.

"Please be careful. If you wake me with a shock my reactions are unpredictable. I could hurt you before I'm fully conscious. This comes from my training and the need to react quickly to save myself," Gerry said.

"I wouldn't do that anyway," Hilda said pouting, looking childishly apologetic.

Gerry laughed as he pulled her close and kissed her gently.

Bernard and Manfred were inspecting Anna's grave. They had buried her deeply but they wanted to be sure that Anna's final resting place had not been disturbed by wild boars.

When they were satisfied with the condition of the grave they sat on the park bench in the glade watching the sun come up

"I've lost my motivation to continue the fight," Manfred said quietly.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Bernard's head twist quickly to look at him.

"You're going through a rough spot. And right now is not a good time to make those decisions," Bernard said hoping that he was right.

"That may be so, it's just Anna's note about me surviving the war to look after my family. It has me thinking of my safety," Manfred said.

"I have a premonition that Germany is about to lose the war," Bernard said, "I think that the unconditional surrender that was talked about the other night on the BBC will be achieved by the most terrible destruction of Germany. There will be a great loss of German lives. You and I by destroying sensitive targets will hasten that end and perhaps we will save many lives. We may never know just how many. But I want to fight on! Right now... we need to take a break. Winter will soon be upon us. Who knows, Richard may return before the end of the year."

Manfred closed his eyes, "Mmm," was all he said as he felt the first weak rays of the sun on his face. At Bernard's mention of winter he started thinking of the gardens and the storage of food.

Cornelia with young Richard on her hip walked across the bridge. In the middle she stopped and dropped a single flower into the water. Young Richard saw his father and his arm stretched out towards him. His small fist clenching and unclenching almost willing Manfred to come to him, "Papa," he yelled excitedly.

Manfred jumped up, overjoyed to hear young Richard's first real word. He raced to Cornelia and took his son into his arms. He leaned forward and kissed Cornelia.

"His first word, he said his first word! He's a little genius!" Manfred said.

"He's a slow learner. I've been teaching him for weeks," Cornelia said but her beaming face belied her true emotions. She too was overly pleased with her son.

Bernard looked on, a smile of pleasure on his face as the happy parents sat beside him on the bench.

"This is a serene place, I could sit here for hours," Cornelia said after sitting quietly for a minute, "But I came down to tell you that breakfast is ready."

Manfred looked at Cornelia and was pleased to see that she looked less stressed than she had been yesterday.

'A little time together is what we all need. My son is going to have a father!' Manfred thought with determination. He was also remembering all of the times he had been absent during the last year.

Hilda retrieved a walking frame and a stick from Franz's cupboard. A short while ago she had assisted Richard to the sunroom noticing that he did not attempt to put any weight on his right leg.

In the sunroom she put the frame just out of Richard's reach.

"I want you to use this frame this morning, it looks like something that Franz has made himself, doesn't it?" Hilda said.

Richard stood and awkwardly hopped to the frame. Grasping it, he quickly mastered placing the frame and hopping behind it. Hilda watched him closely, not happy that Richard was avoiding using his right leg.

"Sit down Richard I want to talk to you," Hilda said, "Do you realise what you are doing with your leg?"

"I'm waiting for the pain to ease before I can use it," Richard said.

"The pain will not go away until you exercise correctly. I want you to get through the fear you have. According to Franz there is nothing mechanically wrong with your leg. Let me show you," Hilda said.

She kneeled in front of Richard. Grabbing his lower right leg and pushing upwards she forced his knee close to his abdomen until Richard grimaced.

"Did that hurt?" Hilda said.

"Not much," Richard said, not wanting Hilda to think that he couldn't tolerate pain.

She fully extended his leg again then forced it upward stopping short of the position that caused him pain. She repeated this for a few minutes.

"I want you to stand," Hilda said.

Richard stood with his right foot off the floor.

"Put you right foot down flat on the floor," Hilda said firmly watching him closely.

"Now put your weight equally on both legs," Hilda said.

Richard reached out for the walking frame. But Hilda stopped him.

"I don't want you to walk. I just want you to get used to putting some weight on your right leg," Hilda said.

After two hours Richard was sore from the exertion. Hilda had been firm, urging Richard to use his leg normally after she had given him the walking frame.

"This afternoon we'll do more, by the time I leave here on Monday morning I want you walking with a stick," Hilda said.

After lunch Hilda continued with Richard who was coming to realise that his reluctance to use his leg was his anticipation of pain, not the pain itself.

While Lorraine and Katrine busied themselves attending to the house and the evening meal, Gerry was in the radio room listening to foreign stations. The daytime, shortwave signal fading made it difficult to track stations. This was the reason why all of their messages were sent during night hours; they carried further and were more stable.

Hilda sat with Richard on the sofa in the sunroom.

"If you can forgive me for causing you discomfort today, perhaps you can tell me what you wanted to talk about," Hilda said. She spoke pleasantly dropping her professional firmness.

Richard took his time telling her about his production activities in the concentration camp, his resistance work and how he met and fell in love with Erika. He gave his version of the attack on the patrol boat station. He told her that it was Gerry's aggressive actions that saved him from having his leg amputated.

'Now I can see why you're so protective of your leg, ' Hilda thought.

"My problem is the attention that I'm getting from Katrine. She's an attractive but lonely woman. She told me that she wants to have a 'no strings attached' affair with me, fully appreciating that I will leave Switzerland when I can walk again," Richard said.

"Do you find her attractive? Perhaps I should ask are you attracted to her?" Hilda said.

"She came to my bed a few nights ago. She was very persuasive. I was flattered but resisted intercourse with her telling her that I had too much pain," Richard said.

"Why did you do that?" Hilda asked.

"I'm scared of the consequences. Later the news of Anna's death has simply confirmed the problems that we might encounter. I love Erika and I'm not callous enough to play with Katrine's emotions. I wouldn't like to cause her..." Richard said interrupted by Hilda.

"Katrine isn't Anna with her dreadful experiences, did you think of that?" Hilda said.

"Are you encouraging me to have an affair with Katrine?" Richard said confused by her questions.

"Not at all. I'm just trying to see if you had considered all facets. I won't be making any decisions for you. Or for Katrine for that matter," Hilda said.

"I didn't expect that but I wondered if you might have some advice for me so that I can avoid Katrine's advances without hurting her," Richard said.

"Have you thought about this yourself?"

"I have but I'm not able to gauge the best way," Richard said.

"If I were in your shoes, I would talk with Katrine. Not in your bed but somewhere neutral. Emphasize that you value her as a friend. Tell her why you don't want an affair," Hilda said.

"As simple as that?" Richard asked but he was not convinced.

"It always is. I'm sure that you can make her your friend and let her down lightly. You're an attractive and friendly man. You can do it." Hilda said.

"She didn't come to my bed last night. She may be re-considering her position after last night's experience. You couldn't live through that and not be affected." Richard said.

Kurt Nagle tied Bert's boat to the pier. He was returning from fishing. He had three meal-sized fish in his small creel for the evening meal with Jenny and Jas. Stopping at a small market near the pier he bought potatoes using food coupons that his mother had given him. On the way back to the apartment that he was sharing with Jas and Jenny he passed his parents house but didn't go inside.

Jenny opened the door as he was inserting his key in the lock.

"You're home early," Kurt said.

"I have a practical piano examination tomorrow. I've been home for hours practising, I skipped a theory class this afternoon, it wasn't going to help me tomorrow," Jenny said.

"Where's Jas?" Kurt asked.

In the small kitchen, Kurt placed his groceries on the table.

"She won't be home until after five. You know what that means don't you?" Jenny said following behind him. As he turned she caressed his chest.

"No," Kurt said pretending not to know what Jenny had in mind.

"We have two whole hours to make love like two dogs in heat before we're disturbed," Jenny said.

"But I was going to make dinner," Kurt said unconvincingly.

"You're sounding like a den mother! Come here," Jenny said as she pulled his shirt free of his trousers.

"Have you got your diaphragm inserted?" Kurt asked.

"Oh yes! Stupid I am not!" she said undoing his trouser belt, pulling his trousers and underpants down.

"So this is premeditated rape is it?" Kurt asked, his face a mask of innocence but his hardening erection giving the lie to his true feelings.

Jenny was on her knees; she grabbed his penis and kissed the head. Slowly she moved her mouth over him taking him further into her mouth with each bob of her head.

Within minutes Kurt held her head still, "If you continue then your effort with your diaphragm will have been wasted."

She released his cock from her mouth; "I can get you up again for a slow love match in the bedroom. I know what I'm doing. I told you - 'stupid I am not!'"

Kurt closed his eyes as she took him into her mouth again. He knew she was right.

Hilda was feeling pleased with Richard's progress. Her pleasure also came from identifying the cause of some of Richard's pain.

Richard walked the length of the sunroom with the walking frame. He was slow as he forced himself to put more weight on his leg. He wanted more than ever to be mobile and independent again. But after a day of exercise the pain was nagging at him.

Hilda noticed the sweat on his forehead and went to him, "You've done well," she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks but I want to rest. I'm going to bed for a while," Richard said.

He didn't ask for help instead he placed the walking frame in front of his body and walked slowly to his room. Before he climbed into his bed, he took the painkillers that Franz had left for him.

Gerry found Hilda in the kitchen with Katrine making coffee.

Katrine, picking up a cup of coffee, announced that she was taking it to Richard.

Hilda looked at Gerry, imperceptibly warning him to remain silent as Lorraine entered and sat at the table. Gerry guessed that Hilda had already spoken to Richard about Katrine.

"I didn't want to interrupt your day with Richard so I stayed away. How did he go?" Gerry asked.

"He did better than I thought he would. He'll have some pain tonight but I think that he's better able to handle that now," Hilda said.

"Thanks to you," Gerry said.

Hilda frowned and Gerry seemed confused.

Lorraine also wondered why Hilda had frowned but said nothing, not wanting to interfere.

In Richard's room Katrine set his coffee on the nightstand and then seated herself on the edge of his bed.

"I wanted to say that I've been foolish. Having witnessed the consequences of what I was asking of you I..." Katrine said then she broke down and wept.

Despite the pain Richard reached and put his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. She rested her head on his chest and hugged him tightly.

"Promise me that we'll remain friends. God knows, in this crazy world a good friend is hard to come by," Richard said patting her back.

Katrine pulled away wiping at her eyes, "I wish that I had known you before you met Erika." She laughed softly through her tears. "Don't worry, I still want be your friend."

Katrine stood and pecked a kiss on Richard's forehead, "Are you coming out for dinner?" she asked sweetly.

"I just need to rest after the punishment inflicted on me by that slave driver today. Give me a call when dinner is ready." Richard said picking up his coffee.

Katrine left Richard's room, her emotions a mixture of relief and disappointment. She went to her room and washed her face. Forcing herself to smile as she looked in her mirror, she left her room and went to the kitchen just as Gerry and Hilda were leaving to go to the sunroom.

Standing in the sunroom, Gerry hugged Hilda, "What did I say that caused you to frown?"

"Richard's condition has confirmed some clinical observations that I've read about. Pain in people who have experienced physical trauma can be partly caused by their emotions. Richard is subconsciously guarding his right leg knowing how close he came to losing it. If you had continued, you would have embarrassed me. I didn't want to reveal details about Richard that should remain confidential," Hilda said.

"You can talk about me as a hero but I can't do the same for you?" Gerry asked.

"They're not the same thing. If I talk about you as a hero I'm not betraying anyone's confidence," Hilda said.

Gerry smiled, "I understand. But I think you're being a bit thin skinned."

Hilda squeezed his hand, "Thank you, perhaps I am. It's probably because of my lack of clinical experience. My hero is right again."

She pulled his head down and kissed him. He could hear her breathing becoming more rapid then she pulled back, "I'm ready for you tonight, my hero."

Gerry just shook his head thinking that it was definitely to his advantage to let her win some of those little battles.

Kurt was sleeping after making love with Jenny who was sitting up in the large bed smoking a cigarette.

He didn't rouse when Jas came in and threw her bag on the floor. She wasn't pleased that the focus of her sexual desires was asleep, apparently sated.

She looked at Jenny, "My bank draft came from my parents today. In their letter my mother said that they're afraid of being invaded by the Japanese."

"Really? The Japanese. Are you sure?" Jenny said.

"The Japanese aren't more than four hundred kilometres away across the East China Sea. Anyway, I bought a bottle of cheap burgundy. If you and I make dinner do you think that we could feed him," nodding in Kurt's direction, "then ply him with wine and have young Kurt wave his flag for us again tonight?" Jas asked.

Jenny leaned across and pushed his hair off his forehead, "Poor Kurt..."

"Poor Kurt? Why poor Kurt?" Kurt asked sleepily as he slowly raised himself onto his elbow.

"Oh, I'm just plotting the delinquency of a minor," Jas said pushing her nose in the air. Then she sat on the edge of the bed and sought his penis under the covers. She started squeezing him rhythmically until his hand stayed her.

"Oh, can't I have a little play," Jas said and then she giggled, "You stay here and rest while Jenny and I cook dinner. I bought some wine, we'll have a feast, and then an orgy!"

Sunday August 8th 1943.

Hilda watched Richard as he leaned on the walking stick. He seemed unsteady but Hilda urged him to take a few more steps. Richard did but he walked to the walking frame. Throwing the stick on the sofa. He practised with the frame for a few minutes. He still limped badly but at least he was using his leg, taking his full weight on it.

Hilda removed the stick and sat down. She patted the sofa urging Richard to sit with her.

"Would you mind showing Franz your progress? I want his opinion to ensure that your exercises are doing you the most good," Hilda said.

Hilda found Franz with Gerry in the radio room.

"I hate to interrupt you Franz but I want you to review Richard's progress. Do you have a minute?"

In the sunroom, Franz watched Richard go through his paces, more than a little surprised at his progress.

He sat Richard on the sofa and manipulated his leg putting lateral or sideways pressure on the joint. There was no sign of pain.

"Amazing," Franz said as if to himself.

When he was finished he looked up at Richard, "Tell me where the pain is now after this exercise session."

"It's not the joint but at the back of the knee and either side that is now hurting," Richard said.

"Hilda's been good for you, you've made progress in the last few days. It's a shame that she can't work with you for a few more days," Franz said.

"What if I take next Friday off and come out here with you on Thursday night, that would give us three days to further Richard's progress," Hilda said.

"Excellent. Let's do that," Franz said.

That evening while dinner was being served Franz informed them, "I've just been advised that public transport services will be severely curtailed after dark."

"That's as good as a curfew," Richard said to Franz.

"It is, but the authorities are concerned about possible bombing attacks. Our close location to Dubendorf airport is also a problem. The Swiss Air Force directs damaged foreign aircraft to Dubendorf. There's been some loss of life and property damage when these aircraft jettison their bomb loads to make it possible to have a safe landing at the airport," Franz said, "I would also hate to be in bus if a foreign fighter plane strafed it."

Pieter walked though the forest to the Bodensee. He was downcast; he had taken over the listening vigils in Kurt's absence. With the ever-increasing intensity of the patrols on the Bodensee he knew that it was impossible for Kurt to make his way back from Kruezlingen.

He had spied on the German Army engineers as they began building heavy artillery emplacements along the edge of the Bodensee. Anti-aircraft artillery bunkers were being built in the forest away from the water with rough interconnecting service roads providing access.

Oskar, Werner and Roger had left the camp a week ago. They had told Pieter that they would not return after a German patrol had almost stumbled on them. The patrol was searching for suitable places for new bunkers and it was only the lack of awareness by the soldiers that had saved them from discovery.

They all knew that discovery meant certain death.

Pieter had not transmitted a message for a month knowing that any transmissions were likely give his location away. He had decoded the series of messages concerning the death of Anna. He had met her once; he experienced a sense of the loss of a comrade. But her death didn't cause him any significant emotional reaction

Pieter lay in the undergrowth near the water watching the movement of craft on the Bodensee. There were now greater numbers of army vessels speeding by.

Crawling back to the safety of the forest he knew that he had left it too late to make a getaway in his car. Making his way up the steep hill to his small tent he decided that he would bury everything including his communications set. He would have to leave his car where he had hidden it.

He dug a small trench but he was fatigued from the effort. For the last week he had existed on the meat of a small rabbit and a carp that he caught in the creek. It wasn't enough to give him the strength he needed. He drank copious amounts of water to calm his hunger pains. Later in the afternoon he took his tent and all of his possessions to the trench. He wrapped them all in the tent and pulled it into the trench. Slowly he filled the earth back and then scattered dried leaves over it to camouflage the site. In the back of his mind he knew that his efforts were pointless.

He had kept a leg of the rabbit. Picking it up from the leaf he had stored it on, he wiped the ants off and smelled it. The leg was rancid but he ate it anyway. He went to the creek and drank his full. Filling his water flask he tucked it into his rucksack. Taking his codebook he tore it into small pieces, which he then buried in several different locations. Burning the codebook wasn't possible; there were too many army personnel in the area that might detect the smoke.

His rucksack held his water flask, Luger, two full spare magazines, some money that Richard had given him and his forged identification; he was glad that he wasn't carrying any weight. In his famished state he was feeling light headed as he reached the top of the hill.

He sat against a fir tree; opening his rucksack he sipped some water. He transferred his identification and money to his coat pocket. Knowing that it was dangerous to be caught with the pistol and ammunition, he was prepared to abandon his rucksack if he were likely to be apprehended.

Staggering down the other side of the hill he came across a newly constructed trail. Numerous tyre tracks told him that it was being used frequently. He listened, and not hearing any traffic in the vicinity, he hurried across and disappeared into the forest on the other side. He was hoping to come across a farmhouse where he could buy food and perhaps a bed for the night.

Continuing down into the valley he saw a fenced clearing. Within the fence was a farmhouse surrounded by outbuildings. It was about three kilometres away but it looked closer from his position high up on the hill.

The sun was low in the sky as he cautiously approached the farm fence two hundred metres away from the entry gate. Two dogs bounded out of the barn barking at him as he walked along the fence. He talked to them trying to quiet them when a portly woman emerged from the farmhouse carrying a shotgun.

When she moved closer she could see that he was unshaven and his clothing was bedraggled. She cocked the shotgun and kept it pointed at his middle.