Chapter 38

During November 1943:

U.S. Marines land in the Solomon Islands and Makin Island in the Gilberts. With thousands of casualties the islands were secured.

The Teheran Conference between the U.S., Britain, and the USSR where Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet for the first time.

During December 1943:

A conference between Roosevelt, Churchill and Tjang-Kai shek is held in Cairo.

Six US carriers and nine cruisers attack Kwajalein, Marshall Islands In the Pacific. Six Japanese transports are sunk and other vessels are damaged, with fifty-five Japanese aircraft shot down.

Operation Dexterity, an American-Australian amphibious assault is carried out on the Japanese Army at Arawe, New-Brittain.

The British Royal Navy sinks the Scharnhorst a German battleship.

Soviets launch offensives on the Ukrainian front.

The Teheran Conference between the U.S., Britain, and the USSR reaches a successful conclusion where Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin agree that the Western Allies should invade France in June 1944. Stalin agreed that when it begins the USSR would launch a new offensive from the east.

General Dwight Eisenhower is named supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces.

Saturday October 16th

In Franz's radio room Gerry felt unsure of himself. Although he had met Stefan Gerder at previous Lora Society meetings he had never talked with him in private. He quickly decided that he would follow the teachings that Richard and Manfred had planted in his sub-conscious; never proffer information, just listen.

Having decided this and feeling less tense, Gerry lowered himself into a chair opposite Stefan.

It was Stefan who then looked directly at Gerry trying to assure himself that Gerry was the right man for the job: "I have a top level scientist who wishes to defect to the Allied forces. His journey from Peenemunde in the northeast of Germany to Switzerland has been a perilous one. Before I tell you any more about him let me tell you what I would like you to do for me. I want you to drive this man and his wife from Zurich to Basle. Find a man from the French resistance in Basle and hand the scientist and his wife over to him. Now tell me, I know you drive because I created documents for you, but have you any experience of driving in winter conditions in Switzerland?"

"I've driven in Switzerland last winter," Gerry said.

"How far?" Stefan asked.

"From Kreuzlingen to Bern - twice."

"Are you familiar with snow-chains and how to fix them to car wheels?" Stefan asked.

"Yes," Gerry said.

"You don't talk much do you," Stefan said.

Gerry smiled, "I'm sorry Stefan, it's my training."

"Of course, of course," Stefan replied beginning to understand how talented Gerry was, "the man who has just arrived here is in my protective custody. His name is Walter Thelning and his wife Romy. Walter was deputy director of Research at Peenemunde; his last project was advanced radar systems. It's perhaps better that I don't tell you any more about him for you own safety."

"I understand. When do you want me to do the job?" Gerry asked.

"Monday. I want them moved during the morning peak traffic period. I've estimated that it will take about four to five hours to get to Basle. I'll give you a detailed map of your destination in Basle and I want you to verify the man who will drive him into France. He belongs to the Maquis, the rural arm of the French resistance."

"I know of them," Gerry said.

"Fine, could you be in my office at 7:00 AM on Monday? I'll have a car ready for you and cash for any unforeseen circumstances that you might encounter, plus a map of Basle," Stefan said.

"I need your city address..." Gerry said.

"Franz will drive you to my office; I've already checked with him," Stefan said.

When Gerry and Stefan rejoined the Lora Society members, Hilda looked questioningly at Gerry but he ignored her as he sat alongside her.

The air was filled with the blue haze of cigar smoke and the cognac was relaxing the tensions of war on its members. Wolf told a long involved story with a funny ending and soon after Franz's guests started departing.

Afterwards Hilda and Gerry sat with Franz, Lorraine and Katrine in the dining room. Hilda couldn't contain her curiosity; seizing the opportunity she asked Gerry directly, "Has Stefan asked you to do something dangerous?"

"Not really, unless you classify driving a couple to Basle on Monday as dangerous," Gerry said.

"Oh good! I'll come with you then," Hilda said.

"No. There's no planning for you to be there," Gerry said quietly.

The determination in Gerry's voice was enough for Hilda to know that it was dangerous and Gerry did not want to discuss it any further.

Saturday October 16th

Richard had retired early after being with Kurt fishing and observing movements on the Bodensee during the cold winter day. His right knee was painful and sleep did not come to him. He heard Kurt and Jennell bid goodnight to Jas and then there was silence for fifteen minutes. His bedroom door opened slowly and Jas backed into the room with Richard watching intently.

"I've brought you a hot drink," Jas said softly as she straightened up and walked to Richard's bed.

"We will not be repeating last Monday's performance..." Richard said.

"Shush Richard!" Jas interrupted him as she set two cups of coffee on the nightstand. "Have a cup of hot coffee." She handed him a cup.

"Thanks," he said. He was grateful for a hot drink on such as cold night.

"I've been sleeping on my own for the last three nights and I've been freezing cold. I don't intend sleeping on my own again so let go of the covers while I slide in!" Jas said as she aggressively pulled the covers out of Richard's hand. She was short and slim allowing her to slip lithely in beside Richard; turning her back towards him, she reached for her coffee.

Richard listened as she sipped her coffee; her warm thighs and buttocks were pressed against him. From her warmth the pain in his sore knee started easing as he drank his hot coffee. They stayed in this position until Richard had finished his drink. When he tried to reach across Jas and place his cup on the nightstand he couldn't reach far enough.

Jas placed her cup down and turning took Richard's cup from him, placing it on the nightstand. She eased back tightly against Richard, "You're not going to throw me out now, are you?"

Richard hesitated; the warm drink and the heat from Jas had eased his pain and not wanting to send Jas away caused him to drop his head onto the pillow. "My pain has eased; now I might be able to get some sleep," he said wearily.

"Okay by me," Jas said as she wriggled like a cat making space before it bedded down.

Richard's weariness seemed to dissipate as he placed his hand under her arm and down across her belly pulling her closer.

She could feel his erection growing and deciding to ignore it she pulled the covers closer around her shoulders revelling in the warmth of him. 'Now we'll see who makes the first move, ' she thought. The closeness of this desirable male was having an erotic effect on her but she resisted mightily the urge to waggle her backside against him.

'I'm weak. I can't resist this woman, she attracts me like a magnet and then my ethics go out the door. She's attractive, smooth skinned and just loves to be loved with no strings attached. Damn!' Richard thought as his hand moved up her chest where he idly played with her erect nipple through her nightdress.

Jas reached down and grasping the hem of her nightdress she pulled it up to her breasts then taking Richard's hand she placed it over her bare breast.

'I'm not going to be too forward with you, ' Jas thought as she relaxed waiting to see what he was going to do next.

He let his head down on to her and kissed the hollow of her neck. It was too much for Jas; her hand slipped over her buttocks and she lightly grasped his penis.

Sunday October 10th 1943 Outside Amsterdam.

It had snowed yesterday but today the sun was out in full brilliance. The dirt roads that Lein and Sophie were bicycling along had turned to mush. Lein's front wheel slipped into a rut and the bicycle turned sideways throwing her into the cold mud. The ten kilograms of flour hidden in small linen bags inside her voluminous trousers had also served to bring her down heavily. Sophie braked suddenly to avoid running over Lein, her bicycle dropped out from under her but she managed, with a quick hop, to stand on her feet.

"Quick get up!" Sophie yelled. "You don't want the flour to get damp!"

"Shut up! You're not worried whether I'm hurt or not - 'just don't get the rotten flour wet!' Argh!" Lein said as she stood up slowly, shaking her grazed hand, which was hurting more because of the cold.

Sophie couldn't help laughing, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. Show me."

Sophie took her hand and saw that it was a mild graze. "Guess what? You're going to live!"

Looking at one another, an amused look on Sophie's face, their bicycles in a heap on the roadway, they clasped each other and started laughing.

Picking up their bicycles, they mounted and continued on their way to Rina's farm where they were given food the week before. Now they were returning with flour, as they had promised.

Early in the afternoon they reached Rina's farm and soon they were inside her kitchen where the wood stove warmed them.

Lein dropped her outerwear on to the back of a chair then extracted the bags of flour in the many pockets of her inner trousers. Sophie taking her lead from Lein dumped her bags of flour alongside Sophie's bags.

"My god, flour! It's worth gold," Rina said from behind her hand clasped over her mouth.

The outside door swung open and Lein and Sophie stood transfixed as Rina's husband walked into the kitchen. He was a tall heavily muscled man with a weathered face and wide shoulders from his many years of working the land.

"So!" he said, "What do we have here? A fashion show?" then looking at Rina "Coffee, Mama."

He always referred to his wife Rina as 'Mama'. It was usually a term of endearment but now it was one of command. His wife jumped up confused as to what she should do first: introduce her visitors or start preparing coffee.

Recovering she started introducing Sophie and Lein to Paulus, and added, "These are the women I gave some food two weeks ago."

She turned hoping to avoid the anger he had displayed when she had told him of the food she had given to strangers a week ago.

"I told my wife that we would never see you two again," Paulus said as he inspected the bags of flour, "Seems I was wrong. You brought us flour. That's very kind of you. Now I expect you want more food from us?"

"We were hoping..." Sophie said.

"You don't have to explain. We would be happy to swap with you, wouldn't we Mama?" Paulus said as he sat in the chair at the head of the table.

Hurriedly Rina prepared coffee for everyone as Sophie and Lein struggled to retrieve their outer trousers.

"It isn't cold in here, you don't have to put your heavy clothes on for me," Paulus said.

Relaxing Sophie and Lein helped Rina with coffee and served it to the table.

"A year or two ago we had some people from the city, they told us how difficult it was feeding their children with the strict food rationing. We gave them food; they didn't offer to pay and we never saw them again. When Rina told me that you would be back I didn't believe her. I'm pleasantly surprised," Paulus said.

"In our family we always pay our debts," Sophie said.

"Mama, what food do we have that we could give these women to take back with them?" Paulus asked.

"Some cheese, apples and eggs. Just like last time," Rina said.

"You're not going back to Amsterdam tonight. That would be very dangerous..." Paulus said.

"Last time we slept in a haystack overnight and travelled back to Amsterdam the next day in the day time," Lein said.

"You can sleep in our son's room. He was taken by the German's two years ago. I don't..." Paulus choked back the lump in his throat.

"That's very kind Paulus, thank you," Lein said hoping to cut short any further discussion about sons taken by the German's.

But it was too much for Sophie who felt Paulus's sadness.

"My son was taken too," Sophie said as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

A sad silence settled on them and no one spoke for a minute. Then Paulus stood, hurriedly downing the last of his coffee he left the house.

The women continued with their speculations about the war when they heard a commotion in the poultry yard. Thirty minutes later Paulus returned with a beheaded and gutted chicken.

"Let's eat well tonight Mama, put it in the pot," Paulus said placing the chicken in the sink. He then left the house and they heard the tractor start.

"Oh lovely, we'll have chicken with stamppot," Rina said as she placed a large pot of water on the stove to dunk and pluck the chicken.

Stamppot is a mashed mixture of finely sliced spinach and mashed potatoes. The chicken is plucked, the wings and legs are removed, the body quartered. All of the chicken is then placed into a pot with butter, salt and water. This is then boiled until the meat is cooked. Two pots will then be placed in the middle of the table, one with stamppot and the other with cooked chicken. Each person then helps themselves to portions of chicken and stamppot. A ladle is used to take the gravy from around the chicken pour it over the meat and vegetables.

"Come with me," Rina said to Sophie and Lein.

Taking a large knife she led the way into a small shed with a glass roof that was attached to the long side of the house. She hacked some large spinach leaves giving them to Lein to hold. The spinach would soon be inedible due to the onset of the cold temperatures. Before that time Rina would take all of the remaining spinach and dry the leaves in the open air. The dried leaves are then used as a supplement to their diet during the long winter.

For Lein and Sophie the meal was a feast. Their meagre diet did not include the use of butter the way Rina did. Butter in the city had been replaced by unappetising lard based margarine.

After eating they slept well in a comfortable bed. Rising early they joined Rina and Paulus and ate a breakfast of bread and cheese. When Paulus had finished his coffee he slipped into his wooden clogs went to the poultry yard and killed and gutted two chickens. Returning to the house he kicked off his clogs, walk to the kitchen area and placed the chickens in the sink.

"The chickens are a present from me and Mama. We can't give you chickens every time you visit us," Paulus said as he stepped outside and slipped into his clogs then he disappeared into the fields for a day's work.

Rina plucked the newly killed chickens and wrapped them in cloth. She then helped Lein and Sophie wrap and hide the eggs, cheese, apples and chickens inside their clothing.

Rina walked to the farm gate with them and wished them safe travel back to the city. Lein glanced back and saw Rina wiping her eyes as she walked back to the farmhouse.

They made good time bicycling back to Amsterdam. When they reached the outskirts of the city they were overtaken by a motorcycle sidecar and ordered to get off their bikes. Climbing out of the sidecar an SS officer walked them to a brick wall lining the footpath.

Staring hard at Lein the SS officer said, "You look Jewish to me! What are you doing on the street without your yellow star?"

The corporal standing behind pulled his Luger from its holster.

"How dare you!" Lein yelled loud enough for people to stop and watch from a distance.

Sophie's knees were trembling; her face was white. She knew if they were searched, the food would be discovered. They would be accused of stealing food leading to their summary execution.

"I am not Jewish!" Lein said reaching into her brassiere and fishing out her identification papers, "See I am Dutch!" Lein said pointing to her papers.

There were now four or five bystanders watching the proceedings.

The SS officer handed Lein's identification back.

"And you frau? Let me see your identification," the SS officer said.

"It's not frau it's mevrouw!" Sophie said indignantly changing his salutation from German to Dutch; her hand shaking as she passed her papers over.

The SS officer leaned closer to Sophie. As he handed her papers to her he smiled. Suddenly he raised his right arm in the Nazi salute, "Heil Hitler!" he said loudly causing Sophie to flinch. Turning on his heel he walk back to the motorcycle and climbed into the sidecar as the corporal kick started the engine.

As casually as they could they walked their cycles on to the road, "Say nothing," Lein whispered as they mounted their cycles.

Further down the road, "What did you mean 'say nothing'?" Sophie asked.

"There are informants everywhere listening for clues to give to the SS," Lein said.

Monday October 16 1943 Zurich

Light snow was falling and Franz drove slowly on the way to the Government Offices in the center of Zurich. Occasionally the car slipped but Franz was alert and concentrating on his driving. At Franz's insistence Hilda and Gerry were in the back seat with Hilda firmly holding Gerry's hand.

Gerry leaned across and whispered, "Don't squeeze my hand off." He smiled although wishing he knew what to do or say to ease her apprehension.

Arriving at the entrance to the Ministry for Internal Security, Gerry loosened Hilda's grip and gave her a quick kiss, "See you for dinner." Glancing into the front seat, "Thanks for the ride, Franz," and as he closed the back door, "Bye."

Turning on his heel Gerry walked smartly up the front steps of the building to the reception desk inside.

"I wish to see Mr. Gerder please," Gerry said.

"Your name?" the receptionist asked.

"Gerry Lundgrin."

"Where are you from?"

"Mr Gerder asked me to be here at 7:30," Gerry said then stepped away from the desk to avoid further questions.

Stefan Gerder alighted from the elevator and moving close to Gerry, "Good morning, I'm glad the snowstorm didn't hold you up. Come with me."

In the elevator lobby, Gerry saw Stefan press the down button. He moved into the elevator alongside Stefan as he pressed 'B1'. "I have the car all fuelled and ready to go. Romy and Walter are waiting for you in the car. They're friendly but Romy is the nervous one. I don't think you'll have any troubles; at least not from them."

"What kind of troubles do you think I'll have then?" Gerry said.

The elevator lurched to a stop at 'B1' and they stepped out. Stefan started walking along a corridor of parked cars, "The authorities will not give you..."

Gerry held Stefan's arm stopping him from advancing further. He had spotted armed soldiers guarding a car. Gerry's right hand went into his overcoat pocket releasing the safety catch on the Luger he was carrying.

"Oh I see. It's not dangerous, they're friendly and acting under my instructions," Stefan said.