by James Hume
‘No. We still can’t use any local resources. We think there are twelve bedrooms, and we have to assume all of them could be occupied, and operate accordingly. We’ll have twelve two-man teams, one for each bedroom, and they’ll stick a number to their bedroom door for reference – one through six on the second floor – seven through twelve on the upper floor. They’ll enter the house through the French windows at the roof garden level.
‘We’ll enter all bedrooms at three a.m. precisely, and immobilise the occupants within five seconds. So far, we’ve detected no signal activity from the radio aerials, so we assume they’re dormant or only used in an emergency.
‘We’ll cuff each occupant, wrists and ankles, and gag and hood them, to minimise communication, until you’re ready to talk to them. All of our teams have been warned about the possibility of booby traps to destroy information. We want to capture this man,’ he held up a picture, ‘Gerhardt Timmermann, to allow you to arrest him. As far as we’re concerned, all others will remain incommunicado until you’re satisfied they’re not required as part of your case. We’ll then release them.
‘As per your instructions, Timmermann, and any other relevant persons, will go to Hendon on a special flight on Sunday morning, and you and Bill will accompany them.
‘Our REME colleagues will dismantle the manufacturing equipment and, together with any production material and finished products, dispose of it all in a nearby deep lake as per the Home Secretary’s instructions. I’ll personally oversee that operation.
‘In addition to the twenty four, we’ll have a team of four – two from us, two from REME – enter the house by the front door to switch off the electrics and guard the link to the clinic. We’ll also have a similar team enter at the rear factory entrance, switch off the electrics there, and guard the link between the factory and the house. We’ll also have a team of two to guard the main entrances from the road, both front and back. So, that’s thirty six in total.’
He checked his notes. ‘In addition to those, we’ll have eight female staff from the regular Army base, to deal with female occupants. We’ll also have four translators available, one with you, one with me, and the other two on the bedroom floors. The teams have all been taught to shout ‘Britische Polizei’ as they enter. One of my team leaders raised a question on the legal status of them saying that. So, can you clarify, please? We also have Captain Paige of the Military Police, and Captain Whyte, one of our medics, available to discuss any support you need from them.’
Sandra glanced over at Bill, who looked impressed. ‘Thanks, Bob. That’s brilliant. I really appreciate all your support. Let’s take these points in reverse order. I definitely want a medical team with us, just in case. It’s always good to have them on the spot. And I’d like to talk with Captain Paige right now, so if you can get him in here, that would be helpful.’
Conway picked up the phone and called Paige.
Sandra went on. ‘As far as the legal side goes, Bill and I discussed this at Hendon this morning. We’ve checked with the Home Office, and they advise we swear in all persons involved in the raid as Special Constables, for the duration of the exercise. So, I can do that tomorrow when we have everyone together. Okay?’
Conway nodded. ‘That’s fine, thanks.’
Paige arrived and, after introductions, asked, ‘How can I help, ma’am?’
Sandra thought for a moment. ‘I don’t know who and what I’m going to find when I get in there. So, I’d like to cover the obvious problems. Do you have a crime lab here, Captain?’
‘We do, ma’am. It’s not Scotland Yard, of course, but we can cover most routine scene of crime issues – like fingerprints, material or liquid analysis, autopsies in conjunction with our medical staff, ballistics, photography, and so on.’
‘Great. I think we’re most likely to get ID problems – you know, who’s who and what are they doing there? I take it you can telegraph pictures from here to London?’
Paige nodded. ‘We can, ma’am.’
‘So I think if you could come with a fingerprint expert, a photographer, and a good all-round analyst, it would be really helpful.’
Paige took notes. ‘No problem, ma’am.’
‘Great. So, we’ll see you and your team tomorrow for the final briefing?’
‘Yes, ma’am. Look forward to it.’ Paige left the room.
Sandra looked over at Conway and nodded. ‘Sounds good. Roll on tomorrow.’
Chapter 13. Saturday 19 January
Porritt and Wolff stood behind the reception window and watched the young man walk from the car into the police station. He carried a small case and a briefcase.
‘I know that lad,’ said Wolff. ‘I’ve met him before.’
They walked out and introduced themselves.
‘Let’s go into this meeting room,’ said Wolff.
The young man opened his briefcase, and pulled out a couple of photos. ‘My father wanted me to show you these,’ he said.
The first showed Wolff standing beside four men, one of whom was the young man opposite, taken some years ago.
Wolff nodded. ‘I remember now. The Nuremberg Rally of ’38. That’s you, your brother, and your father. And here,’ he turned to Porritt, ‘we have the Personal Secretary to Hitler, Martin Bormann. I did security for the Bormann party throughout that rally.’
The young man passed over the second photo. ‘My father said you’d be interested in this one, Commander.’
Porritt stared at the picture. It showed five men at a swimming pool, laughing and raising glasses of beer and champagne. Porritt had unmasked the man on the left as the head of the Aquila spy group in the UK, who had been tried and executed as a result. Bastard.
Wolff leaned over to see it. ‘Does that mean something to you, Jonathan?’
Porritt nodded. ‘Yeah.’ He looked up at the young man. ‘I know the man on the left. Who are the others?’
‘That’s my father, my grandfather, and my Uncle Ernst, with Martin Bormann.’
Porritt turned the picture over. ‘BO 09/36’. That bastard had consorted with senior Nazis as far back as 1936. And no one knew. Porritt had moved on from his Special Branch days, and no longer had power of arrest, but he just had to find out more about this.
The young man said, ‘My father asks you to bring these pictures with you.’
Porritt nodded. ‘Okay.’ He turned to Wolff. ‘Shall we go?’
Wolff stood up. ‘Right, Manfred. Come with me and we’ll make you as comfortable as possible until we get back.’ He and the young man left the room.
***
Sandra scanned the faces from the platform of the briefing room. She’d never led such a big group, and her throat felt dry. Fine men and women all. Put their lives on the line for their country. Grossly underrated in her view.
Conway had done a great job. At the final briefing with team leaders that morning, he’d gone through each plan, and discussed the role and actions of each person, to make sure they fully supported Sandra and Bill’s objectives.
The team leaders had then gone through the plans with their teams, and now they had this final briefing for the entire group. Conway summarised the raid, so each person knew their role in relation to everyone else. ‘And now, as I’ve said, it’s not our usual Commando raid. It’s a Police raid led by Special Branch, and I’d like to introduce Chief Superintendent Maxwell to conclude the briefing.’
Sandra stood up. ‘Thank you, Major. Good afternoon, everyone.’ She scanned the faces. ‘I’ve been involved in many raids in my time, but never one as important as this, in terms of its benefits to our country, and never one with such an impressive team. It’s been a pleasure to meet you, and get to know the important work you’re doing here.
‘As Major Conway said, it’s a Police raid. I understand you usually attack and take control of enemy assets in a military sense. In this raid, we’ll do something similar.’
She held up a photo of Gerhardt Timmermann. ‘We aim to arrest this
man. He’s the leader of a group that has set out to undermine public safety in our country. At the same time as we go in tonight, we’ll have around thirty similar raids across the UK.’ Sandra gave the group time to murmur among themselves. ‘So, this raid’s just one part of a much wider attack, authorised by the Home Secretary, and under the command of my boss, Commander Burnett, in Scotland Yard.’ She paused again. ‘We want to take control of the assets of this group, its material and equipment, and its people.
‘Now, I’d like to add, in Special Branch, we bumped up against this lot a few years ago, during the war. At that time, they ran a spy network across the UK, and they were very clever in what they did. They’d set up alarm systems to warn others, and clever ways to protect their information and secretly dispose of it.
‘So, we need to be on our guard. All of us. We need to immobilise people within five seconds, so they can’t trigger any alarms. We need to watch out for booby traps that protect filing cabinets or safes. And don’t let anyone we capture, and I mean anyone, go to their toilet, no matter how desperate. If someone appears in distress, then contact me, and we’ll arrange for them to visit a toilet on a different floor, where they’ll be stripped and supervised at all times. Their dignity’s not as important as our mission.
‘So, remember, information is evidence, and that includes identity data. Let’s make sure we protect all ID info we find. We’ll hold people in their bedrooms until we’re happy we know who they are and why they’re there. Then we’ll take appropriate action. Clear?’
Everyone nodded.
‘Now, finally, we were asked by one of your team leaders, the legal basis for this raid. We’re advised you all need sworn in as Special Constables for the duration. So, would you all please stand, hold up your left hand, and repeat after me.’ She waited until they all stood. ‘I hereby do solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare and affirm that I will faithfully discharge the duties of Special Constable until the satisfactory completion of this mission.’ She stated it in phrases, and everyone repeated the words.
‘For the purposes of this mission, the duties of a Special Constable are those already detailed to you by Major Conway and your team leaders.
‘Thank you for your attention and let’s hope our raid goes to plan.’
She returned to her seat. Conway stood up and concluded the meeting. As she prepared to leave, Bill leaned over and whispered, ‘Great job.’
***
As Porritt entered the dining room, he checked Wolff was with him. An elderly man stood at the head of the table, with Jane to his left. A butler stood behind the man at a sideboard against the far wall. Four places were set at the table, two on the long side to the man’s left and one to the man’s right. The man splayed his hands. ‘Welcome, Commander, Direktor. I’m Doctor G. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Come.’ He indicated Porritt should sit on his right, and Wolff should take the second place on his left. Jane sat at the first place on his left. Porritt shook hands with G and sat down. He studied the man. Late fifties, maybe. Seemed pleasant enough, but didn’t look at all well. He had dark shadows under his eyes.
Porritt glanced at the butler. Did he have a gun? Just try to relax, he told himself. Wolff would protect him. Better be sociable. ‘Thank you for the invitation. We meet at last.’
G turned to Jane, who translated Porritt’s words. G smiled, and responded in German, ‘We do indeed.’ Jane translated as he spoke. ‘I believe it’s important we understand each other’s point of view. Not to learn lessons. That’s all over. But for me at least, to get closure. You see, I have a cancer that’s incurable, and don’t have much time left. I’d like to tie up some loose ends before I go. But first, let’s eat. We have some delicious smoked salmon from Norway for starters. Okay?’
Everyone nodded, and G turned and waved for the butler to serve.
‘For mains, we have lamb or fish. Which would you prefer?’They each gave their preference. ‘Sounds like lamb all round, please, Otto.’
Porritt tasted the salmon. It had been years since he’d had such a perfect starter. But G seemed so sanguine about his illness. It must be hellish to live with a known death sentence. He didn’t know how he’d have coped with it.
‘So, to the first of my loose ends,’ G went on. ‘The man you knew as Karl Brenner, I knew as Brendan Connolly, his real name. Jane has told me how he died, and said you arranged his burial. His father worked with me as a senior engineer for many years. I’ve promised his mother, I’d try to find him, so she and her family can get closure. Do you have that information, Commander?’
Porritt lifted the envelope he’d placed on the table at his side, and drew out a typed page. He passed the page to G. ‘If the family contacts CS Alan McGowan, and gives the code words ‘Emerald Three’, he will accompany them to the burial ground near Belfast, and help them recover Brenner’s body. I hope that’s helpful.’
G nodded. ‘It is, Commander. Thank you. I’ll pass this on. Now, may I turn to Aquila? Do you have the photos I sent with Manfred?’
Porritt passed him the envelope and he extracted the photo of the five men at the pool.
‘We took this photo at our outdoor pool here on the day we launched Aquila in 1936. You know the man on the left?’ G asked, showing the photo to Porritt.
‘I do. He was Sir James Dunsmore.’
‘With myself, my father, my brother, Ernst, and my cousin, Martin Bormann.’
Porritt interrupted. ‘Do you know what happened to your cousin?’
G shook his head. ‘I know you’re looking for him, but I honestly don’t know. I last spoke to him at the end of April last year. He called to tell me Hitler had committed suicide that day. He also told me his wife Gerda and their children had fled to Italy. He said the game was now over. He planned to escape Berlin via the U-Bahn tunnels. Oh, he’s been sighted in various places, of course. But I think if he’d survived, he’d have contacted Gerda by now, and she’s heard nothing. I’m pretty sure he didn’t make it out of Berlin.’
Porritt nodded. ‘Okay, thanks. Sorry to interrupt. Back to your story.’
G held up the photo again. ‘We all thought Dunsmore a greedy, pompous bore, but Martin thought him a useful contact. That day, Dunsmore told us he’d been appointed to some influential Whitehall committee, and it gave Martin an idea.
‘At the time, Martin was Private Secretary to Hitler, and controlled access to him, so he had an incredibly powerful seat among Hitler’s inner circle. Hitler also confided in Martin on where he might take the whole Nazi movement.
‘Hitler aimed to take over Europe as a starter, but his long-term ambitions went much further. To take over the world, or at least a large part of it. He wanted to take over Britain, and get control of the British Empire, which stretched from Australia and New Zealand, through India, South Africa, West Africa, to Canada, with lots of places in between.
‘But he didn’t fully trust Canaris, head of Abwehr, the military intelligence service, to get accurate reports on British interests. Himmler, head of the SS, told him the British had turned Abwehr agents in Britain, and they were now sending deceptive reports. Canaris denied this, but Hitler thought there might be a grain of truth in it. He never quite believed Canaris really supported the cause.
‘Hitler always wanted inside information to play his senior officers off against each other, and on that evening, here, everything came together for Martin, and he seized the opportunity. Once Dunsmore and my father had retired to bed, the three of us talked about Dunsmore, and how we could use him to feed us inside info that Martin could then use to impress Hitler, and strengthen his own position. I don’t know whether you know, but Dunsmore was a homosexual, quite blatant in Berlin, where they tolerated that behaviour, to an extent unacceptable – and illegal – in England.
‘So, we devised a two-pronged strategy to trap Dunsmore in a homosexual liaison, and then reward him with financial and other benefits for valuable reports. Martin had access to huge funds within the Nazi party. W
e planned to increase the pressure on Dunsmore, so as we approached the time to invade Britain, we would know more clearly the extent of British capabilities. In the event, we didn’t have to apply much pressure. Dunsmore was a willing party. He expected a senior position in any new regime.’
G paused while the butler served the main course. Porritt wondered about G being so open about the past. Perhaps it didn’t matter to him any more.
‘Now, as we talked that night, we realised Dunsmore could feed us good strategic info from Whitehall, but to invade Britain, we’d need to know much more about their operations on the ground. We thought Dunsmore couldn’t give us that, and we couldn’t rely on Abwehr agents. So, my brother, Ernst, proposed a solution.
He ran huge mining operations in South West Africa and South Africa, and also ran the local Abwehr group there on the side. A couple of English businessmen, sympathetic to the cause, had impressed him, and when he heard they planned to relocate to England, persuaded them to set up a spy network, which became the Aquila group. Lyall relocated first, followed by Kay. Ernst trained them on surveillance and detection avoidance techniques, and they became top class operators, who provided incredibly useful information, alongside that from Dunsmore, which Martin fed Hitler. Martin asked me to lead this organisation to keep it separate from Abwehr, and hidden from Himmler.
‘We were very careful, and used what we thought were undetectable radio links, yet I now know from Jane, you wiped out that entire operation in one night, Commander. We must have had a weak spot. But where? I’ve worried over that. Could you enlighten me now?’
Porritt thought for a moment. How the hell should he answer? He pursed his lips. Might as well be open about it now. ‘We all have the same weak spot in our organisations, Doctor. The people. You had a great format, well managed and effective, but people aren’t like robots. They don’t have the discipline to follow the correct procedure a hundred percent of the time. Three people let you down.