Colonel Berry

Chapter Nineteen

David spent the first portion of the afternoon monitoring a lecture and demonstration on positioning, traversing and elevating artillery pieces. Then the class was marched to the range where they were divided into gun crews to apply theory to practice.

As he watched the crews manhandle the guns into position, he wrote critique notes on the instructors, and when they had been completed, he paused to contemplate. All this equipment, training and effort to inflict harm. What evil beasts men have become. 

He listened to the Range Officer reading the safety regulations and the procedures in the event of a misfire. During the repetitious practising of loading the guns with dummy rounds then clearing and cleaning, his mind wandered. This is all to defend their neutrality. Maintain their right to peace. Hundreds of millions of Francs so far hoping to keep the aggressors at bay.

When the range officer was satisfied with everyone's understanding, each gun crew was given one live round to fire with the caution that each cost over a hundred Francs to produce. As David watched, he thought, The Germans fired more than a million rounds toward Verdun the first day. They could feed their entire Empire for weeks with the cost of that, yet the people starve and the shells continue.

The sharp crack of the first gun firing popped David out of his thoughts, and he adjusted the cotton batting in his ears and placed his hands over them, keeping them there as the next five guns fired. He shook his head. So silly. Cotton batting not allowed in our trenches. Prevents soldiers from hearing orders. He laughed to himself. So does deafness.

At the end of the instruction and practice, while the crews were cleaning their guns, David approached the Range Officer and saluted. "I must complete these assessments." He held up his notebook, then pointed. "May I go back to the Zeughaus on my own to do that, Sir?"

The officer paused a while, then nodded. "Yes, there's no reason for you to remain here."

"Thank you, Sir." David saluted then marched toward the armoury as he thought, Reasonable, not dogmatic. Not like the Brit training staff on the Salisbury Plains. He went directly to the Orderly Room, and he was escorted to the Commandant's office.

After David had closed the door and settled into the offered chair, Horst said, "I've arranged for you to spend your last two weeks of the course in private instruction, learning some of the fine points of teaching." He winked.

"And where will I do this?"

"In your office in Bern, at the schloss in Trasadingen." Horst shrugged. "Wherever you wish. Your indoctrination will be marked as complete in two weeks."

David nodded as a smile grew on his face. "And the instructor?"

"Yourself." He smiled. "But for the record, Karl Grünmann. He was an instructor here for years before his national service ended, and he rose to be one of the rotating Commandants until this post was made full-time." 

"So, you're full-time?"

"I am. One of two hundred and forty officer-instructors."

"That's why the wide range in the instructional quality. Some full-time, some fulfilling their semi-annual service."

Horst pursed his lips as he nodded. "My initial impression was that you would add to the quality." He tapped the file folder. "And you have. But reports showed other potential."

"I was analysing this afternoon between activities on the artillery range. You have plants among the recruits. You must have to have gathered the information on me." David stroked his beard. "The one, I forget his name, the grain farmer from Thayngen. He disappeared after the first few days."

"You're good at this game."

"So I've been told."

"We'll soon have you back to doing it from a more effective place." Horst smiled as he described the others he had planted, David nodding in recognition. Then they returned to examining ways they can assist each other. 

After a lengthy discussion, Horst nodded to the clock on the wall. "Ten minutes. I've arranged for Wachtmeister Brenner to meet you in your barrack room at eighteen thirty to unlock the cabinet. You can pack up and be on your way." 

"Thank you." David glanced at his watch and thought. Seven minutes. When's the last train tonight? May have to take a gasthaus room and a train in the morning. "I must be going, then." He rose and extended his hand. "I look forward to working with you. We'll be in touch through Karl."

As he walked around the quadrangle toward his barrack room, David examined other options. Could stay here overnight. He shook his head. No. Privacy and comfort trump convenience. What if...

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice. "The new Wachtmeister is in our stube looking for you, David." 

"Thank you, Lens. We've a meeting in four minutes." He looked at his watch to confirm, then chuckled. "Be much easier if everybody had accurate timepieces. And synchronised them."

A minute later, David approached the pacing sergeant. "Good evening, Wachtmeister Brenner, I'm Rekruit Meier, and the Commandant told me to meet you here." He blew out a big breath. "I've just rushed from his office."

Brenner nodded and pointed to the cabinets. "I'm to give you access to your personal belongings." He tilted his head. "A family problem?"

Would Horst have told him the reason? No, there's no need. "A private matter."

After David had retrieved his satchel from the cabinet, and Brenner had left, he changed into his street clothes. As he packed his uniform and kit into the duffel bag, Wolfgang arrived and questioned, "You're leaving?"

"The remainder of my course is with a teaching tutor."

"I'm sure you'll turn out better than those we've had."

"Some of them are excellent."

Wolfgang nodded. "The regulars, but the rest —"

He was cut off by Günther, "Where are you going?"

"To complete my training. Private tutoring."

"You get all the good stuff. Like monitoring rather than doing. Easy."

"Maybe not so easy. I had to take two courses. The first is the one you're taking, and the second was learning instructional technique."

More men gathered around David's cot. "So, that's what you were doing while we were on the drill square?" 

"Mostly, yes." As David continued packing, he answered questions, then when he was done, he slung his rifle onto his shoulder, lifted the duffel bag strap over his neck, swung it to his back and picked up his satchel. Then he bade them all farewell.