To See The King

Chapter 5

Geffrye Park shouldn't have the title of Park. Field would have been more appropriate. Small field would even be better. It was six hundred feet by fifteen hundred feet with ill kept grass, over run with weeds and worn spots. Half a dozen picnic tables and a few trees graced the rolling block. A couple of youngsters could always be counted on, playing Rugby and a few girls of early years would be dancing about the May Poles. In one corner a water-filled crater was used for toy sail boats. This crater was developed only recently as a result of a V-1 rocket which fortunately resulted in no casualties. Other than these sport minded kids, there were no visitors due to the ever presence of the British Navy.

In the center of the park was a rectangular hole about three feet by eight. The only thing evident of life beneath was a staircase leading into the darkness of the pit. No one could get close enough to see where the staircase led to. Should anyone venture close, there always seemed to be a couple of sailors who would suddenly be at your side then politely usher you away. It was no secret, however, that security was actually lax and at least there was a reason, which could be blamed on the usual bureaucratic bumbling. A huge metal door encased in solid concrete blocked the base of the stairs. The interior was impregnable to all forces and naval tests up to two tons of tri-nitro toluene failed to budge this only point of Ingress and egress. The Navy indeed felt secure that this area was impervious to the most ferocious payloads that the Germans could deliver. This confidence extended to the ultimate terror weapons, the V-1 and V-2 rockets.

Beyond this metal door was an elevator, which descended two hundred feet. That depth opened to a cavernous range housing the Third Royal Naval Command concentrating on the North Atlantic. This theater of operations was responsible for all shipping, Axis or allied and was the ultimate receptacle for all Naval Intelligence relating to their designated authority. These subterranean commands spread throughout London were the brain centers of the war effort. Internal security was utmost which was why confidence was based on fortifications rather than the human element. The Occupants were dedicated to a mole-like existence spending months on end without ever seeing the light of day.

Input from all origins were analyzed, evaluated and then coded to the admiralty and often to the Prime Minister's office. Executive orders were then relayed back to these commands for execution. Ail men and women of the Royal Naval Commands were officers but not necessarily Naval. The Commands operated twenty-four hours a day on a staggered basis.

At the Third Royal Naval Command, Major James Carrington was second in rank on loan from the army. He had not left the confines of this cavern in five months and then it was only for a few hours to attend his brother's funeral and assist in the arrangements for the caring of his nephew, Patrick. Surprisingly enough, there was no problem of monotony. The war was constantly full of surprises. Major events occurred every hour.

The North Atlantic had been reduced to a table, seventy by thirty feet. Every ship, submarine and airplane in the North Atlantic was modeled on this table. Most of the surface was blue, depicting the ocean, the Western boundaries being the Mid-Atlantic and Reykjanes Ridges up to the Norwegian and Barents Seas. The British Isles and Irish Free State were outlined and the Eastern Boundaries were the European Coast. The officers on duty surrounded the table shifting small boats and models of other craft as intelligence filtered in. All movements were transmitted on three open lines, the Admiralty, the Prime Minister and Buckingham Palace.

Once off duty, the officers retired to the lounge or respected quarters. Nothing here was rationed. Eggs, cheese and meat, which was in drastic short supply on the outside and in many places non-existent, were most plentiful at the Third Command. Rare French wines and champagne were available for unlimited consumption as were cigarettes and cigars.