HE STAR OF THE THIRD REICH WAS RISING HIGH IN 1940 AFTER VICTORIES IN POLAND, FRANCE AND THE OTHER OCCUPIED COUNTRIES IN EUROPE. WEHRMACHT COLONEL JURGEN DICHTER WAS BACK HOME IN BERLIN AFTER THESE SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS AND CELEBRATING WITH TWO OF HIS OFFICERS.
T
MORE WINE, KLAUS? SORRY, THAT WAS A STUPID QUESTION.
I FORGIVE YOU, SIR.
STORY MAC MACDONALD ART JUAME FORNS COVER IAN KENNEDY
4 DICHTER, A CAREER SOLDIER AND NO REAL ADMIRER OF THE NAZIS, WAS PLEASED LIKE HIS COMPANIONS THAT GERMANY HAD HIT BACK AFTER THE CRIPPLING TERMS OF THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES BROUGHT TO BEAR ON IT AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
YOU NEVER KNOW WITH THE BRITISH, THEY ARE ON THE ROPES NOW AND PEACE MIGHT COME OR THEY MIGHT FIGHT ON.
I HOPE IT’S PEACE. WAR IS OUR BUSINESS BUT THE SHORTER AND SHARPER THE BETTER.
ALL NODDED IN AGREEMENT ABOUT THAT. JA, IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK WITH OUR FAMILIES FOR A WHILE. HOW IS YOUR SON, SIR?
VERY WELL, THANK YOU. HE HAS FINISHED AT UNIVERSITY AND BEEN COMMISSIONED IN THE WEHRMACHT. HE AWAITS HIS FIRST POSTING.
5 THE COLONEL HAD NO CONVICTION THAT HIS STUDIOUS, QUIETLY-SPOKEN SON — WHOSE HOBBY WAS HIS MAGNIFICENT MODEL RAILWAY SYSTEM SET UP IN THE CELLAR OF THE HOUSE — WOULD EVER MAKE A REAL SOLDIER.
I’M OFF FOR MILITARY TRAINING SOON SO I HAD BEST MAKE SURE ALL IS WORKING WELL HERE.
ROLF WAS HIGHLY INTELLIGENT WITH A KEEN ENGINEERING BRAIN. IN HIS EARLY YEARS HIS FATHER HAD OFTEN BEEN AWAY ON ARMY BUSINESS, SO HE HAD SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, A COUNTRY STATION MASTER…
…AND THAT HAD INSPIRED HIS INTEREST IN ALL THINGS TO DO WITH RAILWAYS AND HOW THEY WERE RUN.
6 ROLF HAD BEEN POSTED TO A RAILWAY MAINTENANCE COMPANY AND FOUND HIMSELF AT A VERY BUSY MARSHALLING YARD JUST INSIDE GERMANY. HE LOVED THE ATMOSPHERE AND BUSTLE BUT HE WAS HARDLY FULL OF CONFIDENCE.
I KNOW EVERY BOLT AND FITTING ON MOST ENGINES, BUT BEING A SOLDIER UNNERVES ME. I MUSTN’T LET FATHER DOWN.
THE JUNIOR LEUTNANT NEVER SUSPECTED THAT HIS FATHER HAD CALLED IN SOME FAVOURS TO GET HIM THIS POSTING. NOBODY COMPLAINED, THOUGH, WHEN THEY SAW HOW EFFICIENT AND HARD-WORKING ROLF WAS.
IT WAS FULLY DARK WHEN HE FINISHED…AND FOUND HE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE OBSESSED WITH THE GERMAN RAILWAY SYSTEM.
AIRCRAFT ENGINES…I HOPE THEY’RE NOT ROYAL AIR FORCE ONES. ONE MORE TIMETABLE LISTING TO CORRECT AND THEN I’LL GRAB SOME SUPPER.
7 THEY WERE — THROBBING BRISTOL HERCULES ENGINES DRIVING ALONG HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX BOMBERS. THE TARGET FOR TONIGHT WAS THE RAILWAY YARDS, AND EACH AIRCRAFT CARRIED A LETHAL 13,000lb LOAD.
YOU’VE BEEN READING TOO MANY COMICS, SKIP.
BOMBS GONE, SKIPPER!
HOME FOR BACON AND EGGS THEN.
THE WHISTLE OF THE TUMBLING BOMBS WAS FOLLOWED BY EARTH-QUAKING CRUMPS. TONS OF COAL FOR THE LOCOMOTIVES WERE PULVERISED AND THE BLAST TOSSED ROLF ASIDE LIKE A PAPER BAG IN GALE.
AAGH!
8 DEBRIS BLOCKED THE TRACKS AND ONE LOCOMOTIVE PULLING PASSENGER CARRIAGES PACKED WITH WOUNDED SOLDIERS RETURNING FROM FRANCE SHUDDERED TO A HALT. ALREADY SOME OF THOSE ABOARD WERE ABANDONING THE TRAIN.
GET CLEAR, SCHNELL!
JA, I SMELL BURNING …
AS WELL AS THOSE FIT TO MOVE, AND THAT INCLUDED TOUGH SERGEANT HANS DORT, THERE WERE MANY STILL ON STRETCHERS — TRAPPED AS FLAMES SPREAD AND BEGAN TO TAKE HOLD.
FORM UP ON ME, YOU RABBLE! WE CAN’T ABANDON OUR KAMERADEN...
9 THE FELDWEBEL’S VOICE POUNDED SENSE INTO ROLF’S DAZED MIND AND HE BEGAN TO THINK FAST.
INJURED MEN WERE TRAPPED, THE FIRE WAS SPREADING AND EVEN THOSE WILLING TO HELP HANS HAD DOUBTS. WE CAN’T DO THIS, FELDWEBEL… NOBODY CAN!
BUT WE HAVE TO!
THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO STAND BACK AND DO NOTHING!
WHAT THE WOULD-BE RESCUERS DID NOT EXPECT WAS A FLOOD OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS WHICH DOUSED THE ANGRY FLAMES — AND THE MEN CLOSE TO THEM.
MEIN GOTT, IT’S A MIRACLE! NEIN, I DO NOT BELIEVE IN MIRACLES.
10 USING HIS KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THINGS TO DO WITH RAILWAYS, ROLF HAD SWUNG OUT THE HOSE OF THE WATER TANK USED TO TOP UP THE BOILERS OF LOCOMOTIVES AND HAD UTILISED IT BRILLIANTLY.
I WAS RIGHT, NO MIRACLE AT ALL BUT JUST AN OFFICER WITH BRAINS. QUITE A CHANGE, THAT.
IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING...
THE PRIORITY WAS TO GET THE IMMOBILE CASUALTIES CLEAR. HANS TURNED HIS FULL ATTENTION TO THAT AS THE FLAMES DIED OUT AND THE AFFECTED CARRIAGES SMOULDERED BUT DID NOT CATCH LIGHT AGAIN.
SCHNELL, THAT’S THE WAY! DON’T HANG ABOUT!
EVERYBODY ELSE CAN HARDLY BREATHE, AND HE’S STILL YELLING LIKE A FISH WIFE.