Opening Moves (The Red Gambit Series) (92 page)

“So something was burning and causing secondary explosions.”

It was not a question, just a General thinking aloud.

‘Was there more’
he wondered?

There was and a second piece of paper was handed over.

“This report was delayed because it’s an RAF report, complicated by being of Polish origin.”

Eisenhower understood as it was ever thus in his cosmopolitan forces.

“A Halifax of 301 Polish Squadron was returning from bombing Nabburg when it suffered damage, losing radio, compass, everything of note except good old Mark 1 standard eyeball.”

Out of respect, Rossiter completed the section.

“They also lost the radio operator, flight engineer, and navigator.”

Both officers gave a respectful moment of silence, naturally and unbidden.

“They were already running late as you can see, and according to the report the pilot just needed some sort of ground reference so they could make sure they were going to go the right way home. They saw a big fire and steered towards it, hoping to catch sight of something on the ground to direct them. He and his gunner are adamant they made a positive identification, and they support their statement well as they were both on missions to nearby Regensburg in the last war. ”

He stopped for an instant.
‘Is this a new war or just a continuation of the last one?’

“They identified the bends on the Danube near Kelheim and were able to orient themselves and return without further problems.”

Eisenhower checked the timings on all three reports and then looked up as a signal for the Marine to press on.

“They state that there was still a considerable fire with visible explosions at 0330 hrs, positively identified as the Dürnbucher Forest.”

“The Dürnbucher Forest?”

Rossiter’s feature took on a wry smile that persisted through his words. Placing a map on the round table he tapped his finger on the Durnbucherforst.

“Yes Sir, the Dürnbucher Forest,” and accompanying each statement with an imaginary line to the Forest he continued, “South of Oberwöhr, east of Höfartsmühle and south-west of Münchsmünster.”

Eisenhower felt the man’s discomfort and took up the trail.

“So we have bombers reporting fire and explosions at 0208 hrs, continuing through to last witnesses, the Poles, at 0330 hrs.”

Rossiter nodded.

“Explosives or fuel.”

Not a question as such, just a statement in the first instance.

“You’ve gone somewhere with this already haven’t you, Sam?”

Ike knew his man.

“Yes Sir. I figured you’d want to know so I’ve done some rooting around. The Soviet tank force that has stopped dead has not been meaningfully engaged, period.”

“Meaning, Sam?”

“Meaning it’s a fresh unit Sir, and it’s not attacking. There has to be a reason for that, as it doesn’t seem to be a military one that we have imposed.”

“Meaning?”

Eisenhower felt he knew why but wanted confirmation from a man he trusted.

“Meaning, in my view, it could be fuel Sir. It isn’t ammo because they haven’t fired any, pretty much the only thing they are consuming when advancing is POL and foodstuffs.”

“We discussed this quickly downstairs and not one of us felt that Ivan would pause because he didn’t have his K’s.”

Not that the Soviets had K ration packs but it illustrated the point he was making.

POL. Petrol, oil and lubricants to the uninitiated.

Eisenhower closed his eyes for just one moment, enough for two inner voices to congratulate themselves, before opening his eyes to reality once more.

“We have a team working on their military fuel reserves right now, but I guess we could be looking at an Ardennes repeat if we can interdict appropriately.”

Ignoring the fact that his cigarette had just deposited ash all over the remainder of his meal, Eisenhower took a deep draft of his coffee.

“Excellent work Sam, and don’t be too hard on yourself. Things get missed and the team picked it up before harm was done. Thank you and stay on it.”

Mentally terminating the discussion, Ike suddenly wondered if there was something else and refocused.

“Oh, anything else Sam?”

A question with unspoken meaning.

“Not at this time Sir.”

A reply addressing the concerns voiced.

“Keep me informed Sam, and thank you again.”

Salutes exchanged and Eisenhower was alone once more.

A cigarette dealt with his craving but his stomach still felt light, and it had nothing to do with the half-eaten meal.

‘History shows that there are no invincible armies, General.’

The two sentries stood outside Eisenhower’s door swore later that they heard uncharacteristic laughter from within.

‘Amen General, amen.’

He commenced his telephone discussions with his senior commanders making his last call to Field-Marshall Harold Alexander.

After getting a report and passing on his own situation, he discussed the possible fuel issue with his British commander in the Mediterranean.

“Yes Ike, I do understand, and wouldn’t it be absolutely marvellous if it were true?”

“Harry, you think I’m holding the wrong pig here?”

“Let me just say that my own staff have done work on this. I will get copies to you by pip-emma tomorrow. Obviously,
 
I was interested in knowing how far our Red friends could drive if they chose to go sightseeing.”

Ike had heard the substitution of pip-emma for p.m. before from Alexander so did not lose the meaning. However, he would never get used to the British way of talking in riddles.

“Our conclusion was they have no shortage of fuel whatsoever, unless some local depletion is achieved, such as you might have seen with this instance.”

“Others seem to think we may have something to work with here, Harry.”

“Well yes, we may, but I actually think not, certainly not on what my staff generated, Sir.”

Negative input from one of his seniors made all Eisenhower’s other positive feelings fade a little.

Sensing the moment correctly, Alexander pushed a bit harder.

“If I might offer a few words of Kipling, General. His boy was in my Regiment in the First War don’t you know; tragic loss. You are familiar with ‘If’ I trust?”

“I have read it, but familiar may be too much of a claim, Harry.”

“Understood Sir,” Alexander chuckled.

“There is more than a little that is pertinent there.”

Eisenhower tried to summon the words for himself.

Alexander recited the poem by memory. For an ex-Irish Guards officer it was an easy enough task.

Ike found himself nodding.

“Thank you for that Harry. The message there is loud and clear. Keep my feet on the ground while those about me get carried away and don’t dream something into a fact that it isn’t.”

“I think that puts it rather well General.”

“You are right of course. I will wait on more information before I start imagining the ticker tape parade through New York.”

Alexander laughed sincerely at that one. Remembering something important, he curtailed his response.

“By the way Sir, Mr Attlee was none too pleased that McCreery was popped into place without so much as a by your leave. It’s the province of His Majesty’s Government etc etc. Just so you know. He is ok with it now but I think he felt circumvented, which of course, he was. I don’t think he understood the necessity of immediate action, despite my championing the appointment. You know what I mean. Maybe a little bit of careful handling for a while, Sir?”

“As you say and thank you again Harry.”

“My pleasure Sir, Good night, and good luck.”

“And to you.”

Eisenhower went to his bed feeling less buoyant than an hour beforehand but slept reasonably well for the second time since the lead had started to fly once more.

None the less, in his initial slumber the dreams were uneasy, raising doubts and questions.

As he slipped into deeper less turbulent sleep he wrestled with one final session as Devil’s Advocate to his own mental processes.

‘Is Alexander right and there isn’t a fuel problem for the commies?’

Lots of fuel?

‘But that tank corps has stopped.’

No fuel?

‘But that could be local loss, not theatre-wide.’

Lots of fuel but just not there?

‘Wait until the morning.’

Enough fuel?

‘Why would they not have?’

How much fuel?

‘It can’t be that simple can it?’

And, of course, it wasn’t.

1422 hrs 10th August 1945, Durnbucherforst, Germany.

Having arrived at the site of the attack during the early afternoon, the 10th Tank Corps commander was being briefed on what exactly had befallen his supplies. One of his Staff Colonel’s, sent on first thing that morning, was imparting the bad news. Henceforth Major-General Sakhno was in a blue funk. His Chief-of-Staff NKVD KomBrig Davydov was even worse, having summarily executed both the trigger-happy Sergeant who brought the destruction down upon the supply train as well as the Captain who spoke in the man’s defence.

The forest around the site had been incinerated, along with over 75% of the 10th Tank Corps fuel supply and a modest 25% chunk of the corps ammunition. Losses in service manpower were extreme and Sakhno had yet to find any officer from his supply units above the rank of Lieutenant, except for the burnt and shocked man shot dead by his incandescent Chief of Staff.

It was also reported that most of the protecting AA battalion from 1701st AA Regiment had also been ravaged.

Valuable assets that had been equipped with the highly effective German 20mm Quad weapons mounted on trucks, one of the few German weapons that had not disappeared so completely and strangely from the Soviet order of battle in Europe that summer.

Mikhail Gordeevich Sakhno sat down on a fallen tree and ran his hands through his hair, or more accurately where his hair had once been, the balding patch emphasised by the bushier growths on either side of his crown.

As he sat, Davydov strode up muttering oath after oath.

Sakhno indicted a space on the fallen trunk next to him.

“Let us sit and take stock Nikanor Karpovich. I must think how best to present this disaster to Savelev or the pair of us will be counting trees.”

Davydov looked at his superior surprised.