Colonel Berry

Chapter Eight

David sorted his files of papers, putting some away and leaving others on the table for the men to study and use. He added a few more details, then he asked, "Have you any questions?"

"About this?" Manny pointed to the papers. "Or about anything?"

"Anything."

"What's Rick doing" Is he coming back? It's a month and a half now."

"Rick was selected for commissioning from the ranks, and he's now been Gazetted as a Second-Lieutenant. He's working as my assistant while he studies the commissioning course material, and he'll be back here to take over the leadership of the team by mid-May."

"Posh." Manny shook his head. "How'd he manage that?"

"By consistently demonstrating leadership. By showing initiative and by helping to improve the team. He had been in Teachers' College in New Brunswick when war was declared, and his training there added to his natural talents."

The men nodded as they listened, then Hans said, "Always volunteering and helping and teaching. I miss his map exercises." He tilted his head as he paused. "Strange, he never mentioned training as a teacher."

"Often there's no appropriate time or situation for mentioning." David shrugged. "To bring it up out of the blue might be seen as boasting."

"You started as a Private too, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did."

"So, how did you get your commission?"

"Circumstances of battle. I had assumed command of the platoon when the officers and NCOs were taken out, and the Battalion Commander granted me a field commission."

"Then when the Company Commander was taken out by a sniper, he took command of the company." Georg raised his hand to quiet David. "They need to know this, Sir."

David blushed, raking his fingers through his hair as Georg continued, "Though freshly wounded, he volunteered to go forward to assist in keeping the Germans from pouring through the gap. This was at Ypres a year ago next week, in the mayhem following the chlorine gas attacks."

Georg scanned the rapt faces. "His initiative and selfless actions were instrumental in stopping the Huns and sending them scurrying back to their trenches. For his decisive leadership in the face of heavy enemy fire, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order."

David shrugged. "Just doing what was needed."

"He won't tell you, so I will. His DSO was presented to him personally by King George. He was promoted to Captain after we blew the rail lines, and then to Major. He is now a Lieutenant-Colonel, serving as the British Military Attaché in Bern."

David blew out a loud breath. "I'm just doing what I can to get this war done with. I'd love to relax here with nothing more pressing than raising a family and making wine, but we've all things to do before that." He pointed to the papers on the table. "Let's get this thing done."

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As David and Georg walked up the gentle slope toward the courtyard, George said, "I can see how it would be considered boasting if you told the story, Sir, and I understand your reluctance to share it, but the men need to be aware. There has been some grumbling that you are shirking your duty by spending so much time with your wife enjoying the posh comforts of Bern."

"You've slipped back into using sir, Georg."

"Respect, Sir. Earned respect."

"You know it's dangerous to use military ranks or terms with what we're doing. We can easily be overheard."

"We'll not be together in compromising situations again. Your role has moved far beyond working at the pointy end of the stick."

"I feel strange sending them into this. Not the reconnaissance now, but the following phases." David grimaced. " Planting the charges, running the wires and triggering the blasts all leave them exposed to detection. The tough part will be evading after they've so obviously announced their presence."

"Best not to flee. Looking at the marks on the map, the plants all appear to be in or near towns or villages. Their best ploy would be to blend in with the gawkers. They'll be quickly out into the streets to see what the explosion was about."

"I had thought of that, but then dismissed it as too risky." He shrugged. "Be the safest, though, wouldn't it? Raise questions if the locals saw someone leaving. Also, they'd look strange fully dressed in the middle of the night, so it's best to do it in the evening, not long after dark, when people are still dressed."

"My idea as well. I've thought it best to run cordeau from the charge then measured safety fuse to the screen. The standard with a burn rate of thirty seconds per foot would make our calculations easy."

"You're still sure you want to do this? You've only another few weeks until you're released from the Army."

"I've done so little in the Army except teach since the South African War."

David shook his head and laughed. "What about destroying the train and the Biesenbach Viaduct in December? That's not so little."

"I need to be up there with the men to plan charges and fuse runs. Be odd if I didn't take a target myself. Besides, being retired from the Army doesn't mean I won't continue being fully involved in this."

Georg opened the door and ushered David in, and once they had settled in the withdrawing room, He continued. "Before you told us we'd be staying here after blowing the trains, I wrote a letter to the Engineers requesting a release from the Army." He shrugged. "I didn't want to leave Rachel."

David nodded as he thought. Sensitive. Awkward. "And what response?"

"None for six weeks. I thought they had dismissed it until the approval in mid-January."

"That's when we began looking at promoting Rick."

"Exactly. The letter came directly from the War Office and —"

"It would have had to. No one else knows where you are."

"Three weeks ago, and again this week, I received letters from a man who signs himself only as R. Cryptic and confusing text. He said you know him and that you will explain and fill in the details. In this week's letter, he said you'd be here today."

David smiled as he nodded. "This makes sense now. With no end of the war in sight, I thought it odd they would release you from service at only forty-five."

"So, who is R?"

"I've met him twice in London, and he introduced himself as William, but beyond that..." David spread his hands and shrugged. "All I know is he's been directing me and our operations since last July."

Georg nodded as he pulled two envelopes from his breast pocket. "Tell me what he's saying here."