Mission to Britain

by J Eugene Porter

  James looked at the English Channel and pointed at the French coastline. He looked at the British general and confidently said, “We need to learn about beach defenses but just as important, we need to understand the beach itself. As a boy, I spent a lot of time in the mountains of Arizona which were volcanic in nature. If you walk in volcanic rock, it moves, and if it is inclined enough, tractors cannot move up the slope. So, if a beach is rocky and inclined too much, a large vehicle, even a tracked one, will bog down and become a death trap.”

  James pointed to the French coastline and moved his finger up and down the coast. Finally, he said, “General, the only logical place to attack must be within air support of Britain, so the upper French coast from Belgium to Cherbourg is the only place to invade. Hitler knows this too, and his defenses will be most intense. We must convince him by whatever means that we are going to invade at Pas de Calais or perhaps Dunkirk and push him to invest his greatest amount of resources there while we invade down the coast toward Cherbourg.”

  Morgan scanned the map again. He saw the immediate logic in everything the American had said. The way he had rapidly enumerated the main issues the Allies faced was brilliant, and his focus on the steps in order of priority was also quite telling. He had faced the Germans in France and had been rescued along with most of his brigade at Dunkirk. He knew the Germans well, and their ability to counterattack quickly had pushed the French and the British off their plans each time they thought they held an advantage.

  He agreed with Brand on the first item. It was imperative for the Allies to keep the Russians in the war for only they were fighting on a huge scale. Even as they pulled back across the steppes, they inflicted huge losses on the Germans of men and material that was going to be harder and harder for Hitler to replace. Morgan thought about the wars of attrition besides the last war and wondered about the ability of a country to keep on fighting when they had lost most of their men and weapons. This, he thought, was what this war would become. The last man standing would win, but the question remained, what would they win?

  “Lieutenant, I think you articulated the grand strategy of the Allies in about two minutes. You are correct in all your assumptions, and the most important one is getting the Germans to think you are going to hit A but actually hit B. This will require total air control, sea control, and the ability to build up men and supplies on the French beaches before the Germans can counterattack. I hope you get a chance to work on these ideas more. I am glad I will not be the one who has to put this plan into action.”

  The general thanked the lieutenant, gave him a card with his particulars, and invited Brand to visit him next time he was in Britain or wherever his division might be stationed.

  Brand, in turn, gave him his card and told him that he would look forward to getting any input he could offer about the war and what he encountered along the way. Brand quickly added, “Sir, if you would be so considerate as to write me on what conditions are in your area of control including weapons, morale, quality of leadership, and how well the various parts of the military and naval commands function together, it would be very helpful.”

  The general said he would then excused himself to say goodbye to Lord Mountbatten. The admiral was finishing up with Jameson when Morgan walked up. He said goodbye to the American navy captain and turned to Mountbatten saying, “Sir, I have had the most insightful conversation with Lieutenant Brand. He could list the key elements in winning the war, in order and how best to invade Europe. Amazing chap. I wish we could keep him and put him on our staff.”

  “General,” Lord Mountbatten said smiling, “if we could get someone to kidnap him and lock him up in the Tower of London, I would do it, but I fear it would not be good for our relationship with our American cousins. I did request Captain Jameson to see if we could borrow the lieutenant for certain special projects and studies. The captain said he would pass that on to Admiral King. I think I will make the same request to the prime minister just so that we can put in a placeholder for the young man’s time in the future. We need people who can think without prejudice to the old ways of doing things. Only time will tell, but I think we can borrow him in the future.”

  The evening passed quickly with a small dinner at the embassy which Margret attended, but right after dinner, James met with the science team and then with the ambassador. What this conversation was all about, Margret did not find out. Jameson told her to come back in the morning but was unsure as to what they would be doing, or if her services were needed, but he also gave her assurances that she and James could spend time together sometime during the day.

  19

  4 April 1942

  Embassy of the United States

  London, England

  • Luzon, Philippines--Japanese open all-out offensive against Bataan line, which is now understrength, undernourished, poorly clothed and equipped, and battle weary.

  • Indian Ocean--Japanese naval force in the Indian Ocean sinks British cruisers Dorsetshire and Cornwall near Colombo, Ceylon.

  The previous night’s meetings with the ambassador went very long, so Margret did not stay to see James. The ambassador wanted to discuss the long-range issues of deploying hundreds of thousands of United States personnel in Great Britain and possible problems such a move would entail. Jameson took copious notes and told the ambassador and his staff he would carry his concerns to Admiral King and General Marshall. He agreed with the ambassador as he had many of the same thoughts after visiting the base at Roseneath. Jameson was glad he had seen the facilities and the leadership at the base and felt more comfortable with similar facilities now being built throughout Britain. He also agreed with the ambassador about the strain on the relationships between the newly arrived Americans and the local British inhabitants.

  The morning was used to prioritize the various reports Brand and the others had written. It was agreed that everyone would take someone else’s report to review and add comments. Jameson would review Brand’s reports because of their highly classified and scientific nature. James would review the reports from Flannigan, and the Marine captain would review the work by Captain Jameson. The gunny and Chief Petty Officer Schmidt also wrote reports concerning their areas of expertise for the future deployment of troops to England. Schmidt was critical of the embassy staff’s handling of communications, and since they had access to the only voice circuit to the United States which was shared with the Home Office and thus the prime minister, he was very concerned about security. The petty officer was also upset about codes and the various levels of access to them by not only the embassy staff but by some of the army and navy communications people. He did have high praise for the British communications people and their stringent security protocols.

  The gunny wrote up a very concise and well-written review of possible issues for Americans coming to Britain. He started with the language barriers, money, food, driving on the wrong side of the road, and the ever-present blackout conditions. He feared thousands of Americans descending on the British Isles would wreak havoc on the infrastructure, using the pub as a prime example. How could the pubs in Britain deal with thousands of thirsty Americans when they were hard-pressed to supply their own needs? Jameson thought this was very insightful of the gunny and his preview of possible problems would be passed on to the senior command.

  Margret had been waiting in the large front hall for several hours before she was allowed into the meeting room where the team had gathered. Everyone, especially James, was glad to see her and each man complimented her smile, compassion, looks, smell, etc. Jameson knew he had to get these men out of Britain for the good of Allied relationships and before Brand took offense.

  As they were talking about what appeared to be their last night in London, a messenger arrived and handed a large envelope to Captain Jameson. Inside were two smaller envelopes, one addressed to him and the second to Petty Officer Margret Bagley. Jameson read the note attached to his envelope first.

  Captain Jameson,r />
  Please do me the courtesy of attending a dinner in your honor at the Savoy. The invitation is for you and your officers plus Gunnery Sergeant Jones. The other letter is for Petty Officer Bagley and invites her as well. Please let us know if you can attend. Many of your new friends will be there.

  Louis Mountbatten

  He opened the envelope containing the actual invitation. As he read it, his eyes began to grow. Above his name was the Imperial Crest of Great Britain.

  Captain Frederick Jameson, U.S.N.,

  His Royal Highness, Prince George, Duke of Kent requests your attendance for dinner at the Savoy this evening at 8:00 p.m. The Prince requests that Captain Flannigan, U.S.M.C., Lieutenant Junior Grade Brand, U.S.N.R., and Gunnery Sergeant Jones, U.S.M.C., attend as well.

  RSVP to the messenger.

  George

  The captain passed the second envelope to Margret and held onto the first invitation until she had finished reading. She read it, her eyes told the secret, and her smile made everyone happy. When she opened the outer envelope, she saw the Imperial Crest and knew it came from Prince George.

  Lady Margret,

  Please do me the courtesy of joining me for dinner in honor of our American friends this evening at 8:00 p.m. at the Savoy. I would suggest that it is appropriate that you may wear something more stylish than your Royal Navy uniform. Lord Louis said it would be all right and I believe that is an order coming from an admiral.

  Tonight,

  George

  *****

  The three American officers and Gunnery Sergeant Jones arrived at the scheduled time in the company of Sergeant Laird and Corporal Dean, who were to serve as security for the evening. Both had been to the Savoy for other events and knew how to behave and stay in the shadows. The Americans still stuck out in the crowded lobby. The hotel manager had been alerted to their arrival and personally escorted them to the private dining room. Everyone in the dining room wanted a good viewing spot to see who came and went from the private dining room, so a table near the entrance was quite prized.

  The Americans were the next to last to enter, and when they came into the room, the other guests were standing enjoying cocktails or champagne. Prince George spotted them first and announced, “The Yanks are here, so we had better open another bottle of champagne.” Everyone dutifully laughed at the Duke of Kent’s witty remarks then approached to say hello to the guests of honor. Admiral Ramsey introduced himself to Gunnery Sergeant Jones by saying, “You must be the famous gunnery sergeant I have heard so much about. It is always the senior Marines who know how to get things accomplished, and I take it you have the same responsibility in your Marine Corps?”

  The gunny had met many senior officers before but always in a review and rarely did it become friendly. “Sir, I think all Marine sergeants are the same, and the ones I have met in the Royal Marines are just like us. We must make all junior officers look good and support the Flag officers such as yourself.”

  “Well said, Gunnery Sergeant. I think you would be an outstanding Royal Marine and I will see if I can get you reassigned to my command. Do you think your captain would endorse this transfer?” The admiral smiled, but the sergeant was unsure if this was a joke or a real job offer.

  “Sir, I doubt the commandant of the Marine Corps would approve of such a transfer, but I would enjoy spending more time with your people.” The gunny could now see the big smile on the face of the admiral, so he knew all was well. He was still uncertain how to take these Brits and their strange sense of humor.

  On the other side of the room, Prince George spoke with Captain Jameson while Lord Mountbatten introduced James to a British colonel. “Your Royal Highness, may I present to you Lieutenant Brand of the United States Navy and a very good friend of mine. James, say hello to Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester.”

  The colonel, prince or was it duke, had a big smile and a glass of whisky in his left hand as he reached out to shake the American’s hand, telling James, “Dickie and my brother have been telling me all about you and how you seem to have a second sense about all things military. I hope we can have a chat this evening so that I can share my concerns about the war.”

  Before James could respond, Lord Mountbatten added, “Lieutenant, the Duke has a unique perspective on the war. He spent most of the early parts of the war serving on the staff of Lord Gort during the French campaign and was wounded there. He has seen firsthand the work of the Germans and their blitzkrieg strategy, and you will find his experiences helpful in your work.”

  James talked to the Duke of Gloucester for a few minutes before Air Vice Marshal Tedder pulled him aside to converse about additional support to his Desert Air Force and how James’ idea of bombing Italian ships was progressing. Admiral Ramsey also jumped into the discussion, while Flannigan and Mountbatten discussed the commando training. Both Prince Henry and Prince George joined this small group, while Jameson and the gunny spoke to General Morgan, a last-minute guest of Lord Mountbatten. He was intrigued about the planning process used by the American team and how they created their procedures and timelines, which he knew were invaluable tools in all future operations.

  The men continued their pre-meal conversations, and the head waiter stood near the kitchen anticipating a signal to start dinner service when the door opened. A beautiful young woman in a long blue dress entered the room. Margret looked the part of a member of the British aristocracy. She wore a small tiara, fitting with her title and a string of pearls that gently draped her long neck. Conversations ceased, and all eyes turned toward the English beauty.

  Lord Mountbatten darted to the door, escorting her into the room where she curtsied to Prince Henry, who commented, “Lady Bagley, it has been a long time since we have seen you or your dear mother. I hope she is well.”

  “Sir, she is doing well and living at the estate doing her part for the war effort. I think she must have a battalion of soldiers stationed near the manor house and most of the building is now used for training medical personnel. And may I ask, how is the Duchess?”

  “Lady Alice is doing well. She spends a great amount of time working with the Red Cross and other relief organizations. There is so much to do, and she is engaged in helping as much as she can. How is your brother Richard?”

  “He is somewhere in the Mediterranean and doing what, I do not know. We do get an occasional letter, but as of now, we just wait.”

  Lord Mountbatten interrupted the conversation to inform the Prince that Lady Margret was in the Wrens and working with this group of Americans.

  “Well done, Lady Margret. I must inform my brother of your work. It pleases him to hear of the efforts of people he knows who are working for the war effort.” The Prince meant his elder brother, the King. Lady Margret understood and thanked him for thinking of her and her family.

  Lord Mountbatten now enjoying the role of dinner host, looked over at Prince George who nodded his head and announced, “Lady Margret and gentlemen, please we must eat dinner before our American friends think unkindly of us.”

  Everyone laughed, and Prince George escorted Margret to the table which held nameplates for each guest. Margret sat next to Prince George with James seated on her other side. Prince Henry was across the table facing Margret with Lord Mountbatten on one side of him and Captain Jameson on the other. The other guests were spread out on both sides of the table. Flannigan and the gunny were seated next to or across from Tedder, Ramsey, and Morgan. The dinner was excellent as befits the brothers of the King and their guests. The conversation was serious at some points and at other times quite silly. Prince Henry was enjoying his whisky a bit too much, and of all things, he and the gunny were becoming quite the chums. Eventually, the evening wound down.

  Prince George stood, and everyone quieted. “I think we have toasted to every possible personage in the United States and Great Britain. Therefore, I would like to offer the final toast of the evening so if you will raise your glasses.” The Duke of Kent looked around as ever
yone raised a glass including his older brother who was very fond of the whisky he was drinking.

  “To my new good friends from America. To Captain Jameson who is not only a brilliant scientist but also a warrior. To Captain Flannigan of the American Marines who knows the cost of war and how it will be won. To Gunnery Sergeant Jones, a man of few words but of proven bravery and honesty. Lastly, to our young friend, Lieutenant Brand or should I say, Dr. Brand. I pray thee to stay who you are throughout your life. You are indeed brilliant, but you do not act it. You are kind but modest. You are truthful, but you are diplomatic in the use of truth. Above all else, you are a true friend of Britain. We will hold you deep in our thoughts and prayers. May your gifts continue to be used for the greater good. Friends and Allies all, to victory.”

  “Here, here,” came the response and everyone took a sip of their drink.

  Under the table, a leg brushed against James’ calf as he looked into the eyes of an incredibly beautiful woman who smiled and winked at him. He had a hard time holding onto his glass, and his body reacted wildly to the stimulus. His scientific mind couldn’t suppress his human condition. He was about to kiss Margret when Jameson stood up and addressed the group.

  “Your Highnesses, Lord Mountbatten, Admiral Ramsey, Air Vice Marshal Tedder, General Morgan, Lady Margret, I want to express our gratitude for your help and support in our mission. Your openness and kindness go far beyond our expectations. On our return to our country, we will take with us not only the information and analysis you and your people have shared, but we are filled with the knowledge that you are our friends in this war and beyond it into the peace that will follow. We hope to return soon to continue this exchange of ideas and information and look forward to entertaining you in the United States. Thank you.”