Back In Action

46. Of Leadership

Titisee, Germany – Monday 15 November 1915

After an uneventful four-and-a-quarter-hour drive, David arrived in Titisee shortly past fourteen twenty. He parked the lorry in front of the small grocery store and entered. "Ich habe frische Kartoffeln aus der Schweiz zu verkaufen ... I have fresh potatoes from Switzerland to sell."

"Wie viele und wie viel? ... How many and how much?"

"Zweihundertfünfzig Kilo zu zwölf Pfennig ... Two hundred and fifty kilos at twelve pennies."

The woman accompanied him to the lorry, looked at the bins of potatoes and examined their quality, then offered him ten. David shook his head and said he could get much more in Triberg for only another two and a half hours of driving. She nodded, pursed her lips, and then agreed to twelve.

Greg and Hans arrived to help empty the last few bins into the root cellar beneath the store. After David had been paid, the three of them climbed into the cab and drove out of town in silence.

Hans finally spoke, "We built a large cairn over his remains. Looks like he had died instantly, head crushed by a large rock."

David remained silent as he drove around the shores of Titisee and headed down the valley toward Schluchsee. Finally, he said, "I'm relieved it was quick. Relieved he hadn't been captured."

"Those were our first thoughts." Hans closed his eyes and blew out a loud breath. "Found him on our way back in toward the camp on Saturday afternoon. Looks like the rocks collapsed onto him. A lot of unstable rock all along the bluffs up there."

"That's always been my main fear in climbing," David said. "Not falling, but having things fall onto me."

Hans grimaced. "We spent all day yesterday locating the best rocks to blow. There are so many of them, but we've identified the four prime ones. At least to our perception. Be good to have Georg's opinion on them."

When they drove into the courtyard at Sonnenhang an hour and a quarter later, the men were all at the tables under the oaks, and David glanced at his watch. "About ten minutes late for tea. We'll unload the bins later."

David announced to the group that Herman had been killed by falling rocks. "It appeared quick, and he wouldn't have suffered. Let's all have two minutes of silence for him."

Then, Sergeant Perrier said quietly to David, "We found the tunnel partly flooded this morning when we recommenced work, Sir. At first, I thought it was from yesterday's rain. It took four hours of pumping to uncover the bottom of the drift and see water running over it. We went in to investigate and found it coming straight from the working face. It appears we have come into a small aquifer, Sir."

"Aquifer?"

"An underground stream, Sir. Water that prefers the dark."

"So, what do we do now?"

"I have looked at three options, Sir. The best would be to find the aquifer upstream of the tunnel and divert it, but with the border post so close, that is too risky here. The next is to reroute the tunnel and go above the aquifer. That is an extra week and a half of digging, but it does nothing to remove the water we have. We must drain it from the sump at the bottom of the ramp, to give the flow an escape. My thought is to dig a drain tunnel from the sump across to the open slopes."

"Why not dig it from where the flow comes in, Sergeant?"

"That is too close to the border, Sir. We would be too easily seen."

"Yes, of course. How long would it take to dig the drain?"

"I have done a basic survey and some calculations. If we make only a small hole, two by three, we should be through the chalk in about a week. After that, the floor of the main tunnel will carry a steady wash of water from the aquifer to the entrance sump. More in the rain, naturally."

"Is there a chance the aquifer is larger farther along?"

"Yes, certainly, Sir. For now, we have only the seepage through the fissures. Pumping two gallons a minute easily keeps ahead of it. However, I have surveyed the slopes above. Most of the catchment seems to go into two surface streams, one on each side of the broad rib. There should not be much water, unless there is a crack system running from the upslope stream. Then she could surprise us."

"Seems very complex." David stroked his beard. "So, what's your next step?"

"We continue with the pumping, Sir. We can clear the sump with the hand pump, needing less than half an hour in every four. Meanwhile, we take precise sights and measurements so we can plan the drainage tunnel. We must begin digging from its outlet; otherwise, if the ingress grows, we risk having the working face flooded before we have a way out for the water."

"You'll be out in the open, in plain view of the border guards."

"Our first twenty or thirty feet will be only a trench until we reach the chalk. Most of it will be masked from the Customs post by the hedgerow. We begin probing and measuring after tea, Sir. The daylight will help us as much as it helps them."

David looked at his watch. "Sixteen thirty-five. Thank you, Sergeant. I need to make a telephone call to Bern. I'll meet you down at the site, and you can explain your sightings and plans to me."

After dinner, David sat with Sergeant Perrier at the kitchen table watching him sketch and label diagrams, then run a series of calculations. "It looks like we have thirty‑two feet of trench before we reach the chalk, Sir. Then it is sixty‑seven feet of tunnel to the sump. Probably a week and a half, closer to two weeks."

"That's slower than your progress in the main tunnel."

"The slow part will be the trench. Loose soil, so we will need sloping sides, Sir. That part will be slow going, because there is much material to move and we must not look suspicious while we move it. The chalk will be faster; the village eyes are slower."

David nodded. "We can have the others work with you on that."

"They are already in my calculations, Sir."

"I should have known. You always take the broad picture into consideration." He paused and looked at the Sergeant. "Gerrard, have you ever considered seeking a commission?"

"Turned the recommendation down twice, Sir. I like this level of responsibility."

"You're obviously very intelligent. You have great confidence, you're decisive, you motivate your men well, and they are all eager to follow you. Your performance, your bearing and your leadership are all at a commissioned level. Think about it. You have much more to offer."

"I do not think I could carry the added responsibility, Sir. Down here, I know the weight I ask my men to bear."

"You're already demonstrating you're capable of carrying responsibility at levels beyond that of many junior officers." David rose from the table. "I'll bid you good night. Think about it. I'll see you at breakfast."