by Gee, Colin
The raggedly dressed man lunged forward, his initial approach masked by a drift.
On he went, his breathing seemingly loud enough to waken the dead, but nothing; no reaction at all.
In good time, he made the position he had spotted earlier, and nestled between the two rocks.
Checking his watch, he found that five minutes remained, five minutes in which he had to convince the soldiers in the position adjacent to him that he was a friend, not a foe.
He had decided on his method and started into the famous Simonov poem, speaking as loudly as caution permitted.
“Wait for me and I’ll come back.
Wait with all you’ve got.
Wait, until the dreary yellow rains
Tell you, you should not.”
The rising sound of voices encouraged him and his volume rose.
“Wait when snow is falling fast,
Wait when the summer is hot,
Wait when our yesterdays are past.
And others are forgot.”
The duty officer had been summoned and arrived quickly but, for some reason, let the unknown voice finish the first section of the poem to Valentina Serova.
“Wait, when from that far-away place,
Letters don’t arrive.
Wait, when they with whom you wait
Doubt if I’m alive.”
“Shut the fuck up, you shithead!”
The Senior Lieutenant had been warm in his bed and was in no mood to play games, no matter how well the soldier recited the famous poem.
“I’m a Red Army soldier. Help me!”
“Move this way, quickly, No tricks or you’ll be shot like a fucking dog. C’mon, move your fucking ass. It’s too cold for… what the fuck is that?”
The apparition that scrambled over the top of the trench seemed like it had come from another world.
On top, the vestiges of some sort of heavy duty civilian coat, tied together with something that could have once been strips of animal skin. Whatever it was, it had an odour all of its own, even in the freezing cold of Christmas Eve 1945.
On the ‘thing’s’ head was a cap that might once have looked like a Soviet officer’s side cap.
The light of the brazier did little to aid investigation, so the officer decided to take the problem into somewhere lighter and, for his own comfort, much warmer.
“Yefreytor Amanin. Two men, search this… person… and then bring whatever it is to my bunker immediately. Serzhant Kremov, send a runner to Captain Arganov. Tell him what we have caught. Move.”
The party moved swiftly, the guards and prisoner also encouraged to speedier movement by the promise of warmth.
Sitting on the table, swinging a booted leg, Senior Lieutenant Chamanov wished he had just shot the man out of hand and not wasted his time.
When the bundle of rags arrived, Chamanov was surprised to find that he was not held firm, neither was he restrained in any way.
“What is the meaning of this, Amanin?”
He extracted his pistol, intent on getting rid of the problem.
“Comrade Starshy Leytenant.”
Amanin held out a disheveled identity card.
Chamanov read it in the candle light, a sense of foreboding spreading across his chest and into his heart.
“Attention!”
He sprang to parade attention, along with the rest of the escort. Only the raggedy man remained at ease.
“Sir, my apologies but… what… how… where’ve you come from? Why are you in this state? What the…”
“Calm yourself, Comrade Chamanov.”
Ex-Polkovnik Atalin had told the man all he wanted to know about the penal unit officer.
“One question at a time. Now, can I have a drink, something to eat, and some room by that fire?”
Chamanov leapt aside like a supercharged deer, opening the way for the raggedy man to gain a seat near the warming flames.
One of the soldiers hesitantly offered up his canteen and it was gratefully accepted. The new arrival took a deep draught.
His mind immediately leapt back to another time, when vodka had tasted really good, and his soldiers were still alive, before this abominable war started all over again.
"Thank you, Comrade."
Chamanov had an idea.
“Atalin, fetch my greatcoat.”
“Sir.”
He found it easily and held it out, but Chamanov directed him to the figure by the fire.
“Sir, can I relieve you of your… coat and replace it with this one?”
The grunt was clearly one of agreement, the new arrival standing immediately and shedding his rags.
Beneath them, tired, dirty, and incomplete, were rank markings still identifiable as those of a Red Army Major General.
The blanket covering the door flew open and in burst an extremely irritated Captain Arganov.
“What the fuck is this all about, Comrade Chamanov. This better be fucking good or you'll… err… I… Blyad! Who the hell's that?”
“Comrade Kapitan,” Chamanov quickly checked the pass he still held in his hand, “May I introduce Mayor General Ivan Alekseevich Makarenko, commander of the100th Guards Airborne Rifle Division ‘Svir’.”
Perhaps this is the end of the beginning.
Table of Figures
Fig#1 - Comparative ranks.
Fig#72 - European locations of Impasse.
Fig#73 – Éire, Great Britain, and the Atlantic 1945.
Fig#74 - Éire and the Atlantic 1945 [Full copy]
Fig#75 - Allied forces defending and Puch, Austria, 14th November 1945.
Fig#76 - Töplitsch and Puch, Austria, 0027 hrs, 14th November 1945.
Fig#77 - Soviet and Roumania forces assaulting and Puch, Austria, 0027hrs, 14th November 1945.
Fig#78 - Töplitsch and Puch, Austria, 1500hrs, 14th November 1945.
Fig#79 - Operation Spectrum - December 1945.
Fig#80 - Gail River Valley, Austria, Overview.
Fig#81 - Ambrose Force, Gail River Valley, 28th November 1945.
Fig#82 - Soviet 40th Army lead units, Gail River Valley, 28th November 1945.
Fig#83 - Gail River Valley, Austria, dispositions as of 0930hrs, 28th November 1945.
Fig#84 - Allied defensive lines in the Gail River Valley, 28th November 1945.
Fig#85 – The problem at Notsch, Gail River Valley, 28th November 1945.
Fig#86 – Death from the West, Gail River Valley, 28th November 1945.
Fig#87 - The end, Gail River Valley, 28th November 1945.
Fig#88 - La Legion Corps D'Assault, Spectrum-Black, 2nd December 1945.
Fig#89 - Operation Spectrum Black, Alsace, 2nd December 1945.
Fig#90 - The assault on Hattmatt, 2nd December 1945.
Fig#91 - Forces involved in the Battle of Hattmatt, 2nd December 1945.
Fig#92 - Legion Forces committed to Brumath, 4th December 1945.
Fig#93 - Brumath, 4th December 1945.
Fig#94 - The Battle of Brumath, Legion assault, 4th December 1945.
Fig#95 - Soviet Forces committed to Brumath, 4th December 1945.
Fig#96 - The Soviet surprise, Brumath, 4th December 1945.
Fig#97 - The Battle of Brumath, Third assault and Soviet counter-attack, 4th December 1945.
Fig#98 - Spectrum Blue Operational Area, The Front Line, December 1945.
Fig#99 - US forces committed to the assault on Dahlem, 6th December 1945.
Fig#100 - Soviet forces committed to the defence of Dahlem, 6th December 1945.
Fig#101 - Battle of Dahlem, first attack, 6th December 1945.
Fig#102- Battle of Dahlem, second attack, 6th December 1945.
Fig#103 - Forces involved in the Battle of La Petite Pierre and the Allied relief attempts, 7th December 1945.
Fig#104 - Combat Command 'A', 4th US Armored Division, Euskirchen to Weilerswist, Germany, 11th December 1945.
Fig#105- Soviet 38th Army, Euskirchen to Weilerswist, Germany, 11th December 1945.
Fig#106 - Dispositions, Euskirchen to Weilerwist, Germany, 11th December 1945.
Fig#107 - Initial assault of Combat Command A, 4th US Armored Division, Route 194, Germany, 11th December 1945.
Fig#108 - TF Hardegen's assault on Müggenhausen & Strassfeld, 11th December 1945.
Fig#109 - TF Hardegen's second assault on Müggenhausen, 11th December 1945.
Fig#110 - The end at Müggenhausen, 11th December 1945.
Fig#111 - Imperial Japanese Army forces, advance down Route 487, China, 15th December 1945.
Fig#112 - Chinese Nationalist and US forces deployed in Luxuzhen, China, 15th December 1945.
Fig#113 - The battlefield, Route 487, Luxuzhen, China, 15th December 1945.
Fig#114 - The Battle of Luxuzhen, 15th December 1945.
Fig#115 - The Battle of Luxuzhen, Hamuda's counter attack, 15th December 1945.
Fig#116 – Impase paperback end cover.
Glossary
.30cal machine-gun
Standard US medium machine-gun.
.45 M1911 automatic
US automatic handgun
.50 cal
Standard US heavy machine-gun.
105mm Flak Gun
Next model up from the dreaded 88mm, these were sometimes pressed into a ground role in the final days.
128mm Pak 44
German late war heavy anti-tank gun, also mounted on the JagdTiger and Maus. Long-range performance would have made this a superb tank killer but it only appeared in limited numbers.
50mm Pak 38
German 50mm anti-tank gun introduced in 1941. Rapidly outclassed, it remained in service until the end of the war, life extended by upgrades in ammunition.
6-pounder AT gun
British 57mm anti-tank gun, outclassed at the end of WW2, except when issued with HV ammunition.
6x6 truck
Three axle, 6 wheel truck.
92nd Colored Infantry Division.
The US Military used to distinguish between units of different ethnic backgrounds, such as Nisei, Puerto Rican and, in this case, Coloured soldiers. Racism was rife in the WW2 US Army, something which is not widely known or accepted. Black soldiers were mainly employed on pioneer or transport duties and not permitted near the front for some time. However, the shortage of manpower following the Battle of the Bulge created a vacuum the black soldiers could fill. The 92nd developed a reasonable combat reputation. other units such as tank-destroyer, tank and artillery units gained very good reputations
Achgelis
The Focke-Achgelis Fa223, also known as the Dragon. One of the first helicopters.
Achilles
British version of the M-10 that carried the high velocity 17-pdr gun.
Addendum F
Transfer of German captured equipment to Japanese to increase their firepower and reduce logistical strain on Soviets
Adin
In Russian, the number one.
Airspeed Oxford
Twin-engine Allied transport aircraft.
Aldis
A signal lamp used for communications consisting of a fixed light with a shutter on the front that was opened and closed to produce morse code messages. The lamp referred to by the Sunderland crew would not have been an Aldis but the word became synonymous with signal lamps of all types.
Archer
Valentine chassis developed to house the 17pdr gun. Unusual as it pointed backwards in a fixed mount.
Ashita
Tomorrow [Japanese]
ATPAU
Army Tank Prototype Assessment Unit. As far as I am aware, this is a figment of my imagination.
AVRE
Armoured vehicle, Royal Engineers.
B-29
The American Superfortress, high-altitude heavy bomber.
BA64
Soviet 4x4 light armoured car with two crew and a machine-gun.
Baka
Fool [Japanese]
Balebetishen
Roughly means respectable or respectable person.
Bali radar
German Ant3 Radar Detector.
BAR
US automatic rifle that fired a .30cal round. It was an effective weapon, but was hampered by a 20 round magazine. Saw service in both World Wars, and many wars since.
Battle of the Bulge
Germany’s Ardennes offensive of winter 1944
Bazooka
Generic name applied to a number of different anti-tank rocket launchers introduced into the US Army from 1942 onwards.
Beaufighter, Bristol
British twin-engine long-range heavy fighter, saw extensive service in roles from ground attack, night fighter, to anti-shipping strikes. Also served in the USAAF in its night fighter role.
BefehlsPanther
Command version of the German battle tank, equipped with extra radios. Most versions retained their 75mm gun whereas, a few others, converted from Beobachtswagen, did not.
Beobachtungspanzer Panther
Observation vehicle, with main gun removed and a ball-mounted MG34 in the turret front. Its main purpose was as an artillery vehicle but could be used as a mobile command post.
BergePanther
German Panther tank converted or produced as a engineering recovery vehicle to service Panther Battalions in combat.
Bianchi
Italian motorcycle
Blau Division
Designated the 25oth Infanterie Division in the German Army, the Blau Division was made up of Spanish volunteers who signed up to fight the communists.
Bletchley Park
Location of the centre for Allied code breaking during World War two. Sometimes known as Station X.
Blighty
British slang term for Britain.
Blue and Grey Division
The nickname of the 29th US Infantry Division.
Boyes
.55-inch anti-tank rifle employed by the British Army but phased out in favour of the PIAT.
Bren Gun
British standard issue light machine-gun.
Browning Hi-Power
9mm handgun with a 13 round magazine, used by armies on both sides during WW2.
Brylcreams
Slang expression for RAF aircrew.
Buffalo
British term for the LVT or Amtrak, the amphibious tracked vehicle which became a mainstay of the Pacific War, and featured in all major Allied amphibious operations from Guadalcanal onwards.
Buffalo Soldiers
The 92nd Colored Division was sometimes referred to as the Buffalo Division
C47
US development of the DC3, known in British operations as the Dakota. Twin-engine transport aircraft.
Calliope
Also known as the Sherman T34, the tank was fitted with 60 4.5” rocket tubes, mounted on a frame over the turret and aimed by a simple arm attached to the main gun. Other combinations of rocket tubes existed.
Cavalry
The German army had cavalry until the end, all be it in small numbers. The SS had two such divisions, the 8th and 22nd.
Centauro tank division
Officially, the 131st Armoured Division ‘Centauro’, this Italian formation surrendered in Tunisia during May 1943.
Centurion I
British heavy tank, equipped with the 17pdr and a Polsten cannon.
Challenger
The British Challenger [A30] was mounted on an altered Cromwell chassis and equipped with a 17pdr gun.
Chekist
Soviet term used to describe a member of the State Security apparatus, often not intended to be complimentary.
Chesterfield
American cigarette brand.
Chickamauga
A battle in the American Civil War, fought on 19th to 20th September, 1863. It was a Union defeat of some note, and second only to Gettysburg in combined casualties.
Chikushou
Damn it or Fuck [Japanese]
Churchill IV
6pdr equipped version
of the British heavy tank, some of which fought with the Soviet Army at Kursk.
Churchill VII
Much improved version of the Churchill tank, equipped with a 75mm gun and uparmoured.
Colloque Biarritz
The fourth symposium based at the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg.
Combat Command [CC]
Formation similar to an RCT, which was formed from all-arms elements within a US Armored Division, the normal dispositions being CC’A’, CC’B’ and CC’R’, the ‘R’ standing for reserve.
Comet
British medium tank armed with a 77mm high-velocity gun.
Contraband
Derogatory name applied to black escapees from the Southern States, originating from General Benjamin Butler’s declaration that he would treat runaway slaves like ‘contraband of war.’
Corvette
Small patrol and escort vessel used by Allied navies throughout WW2.
Court of Bernadotte
The Court of the Swedish Royal Family.
Crusader III
British cruiser tank that saw a great deal of action in the Desert Campaign. With a 6pdr gun it was superior firepower wise to the PzIII and PzIV it encountered there.
Dacha
A country cottage, but has become synonymous with a retreat for Soviet ruling classes.
Deuxieme Bureau
France’s External Military Intelligence Agency that underwent a number of changes post 1940 but still retained its ‘Deux’ label for many professionals.