Red Hawk Rising

by Peter William Hall

  At base camp, a meal was prepared for everybody and tents erected ready for an early night for those that needed it. The mountaineering exercise was over and a full de-briefing would have to take place in the morning and a report prepared. While this was going on, a radio message came in to say that they should expect a visitor in the morning.

  ***

  The members of the RAF team were up at 06:00 hours and carrying out the chores by pressure lamps. Breakfast was at 07:00 hours and those rostered to cook had been busy. Others had come in early to help and just socialise a little in the process. The helicopter crew received orders to fly to RAF Kinloss to re-fuel and pick up a passenger and return to Glenmore Lodge. Weather permitting, they were then to fly the local police up to site of the accident and rescue. Flying Officer Crombie said that the visitor was the ‘Chief’, AVM Denby. They were to remain in their mountaineering gear and not change into uniforms but they were all to be clean-shaven and looking neat and tidy. There were mutters about having to shave in their mugs again but they all got on with getting ready.

  The helicopter took off at 08:00 hours, when the mist had lifted sufficiently to allow safe take-off. Not long afterwards, the police arrived from Aviemore to take statements. They went to Glenmore Lodge first and met with the Mancunian Mountaineers’ leader, who gave them a statement. Then they went across to the RAF camp-site and first met with Flying Officer Crombie and Flight Sergeant Bradley. Following that, they interviewed the rest of Bradley’s team, spending more time with Corporals Hill and Stanier because they found the individual climbers. This all took about ninety minutes. The police then shared a mug of tea with the RAF men as they awaited the return of the helicopter. About 10:00 hours they heard the beat of a helicopter’s rotors coming in from the north. It landed to the east of the camping site. As the helicopter descended, Flying Officer Crombie and Flight Sergeant Bradley walked across to meet it. The ‘Chief’ disembarked wearing casual mountaineering clothes and boots. There no salutes, just handshakes and they walked across to the camp-site. The rest of the team were drawn up in two ranks, waiting for the ‘Chief’ to arrive. As he got close, they all came to attention. The ‘Chief’ walked up, stopped at attention and acknowledged the men. “Good to meet you all. Let’s go inside (waving to the main tent) where we can talk and relax.” Inside the tent, Air Vice-Marshall Denby met with the police inspector and sergeant and spoke with them briefly. A police photographer accompanied them. They left, led by the three Mountain Rescue airmen and headed for the helicopter. It would then take them as close as possible to the site of the rescue and wait while the police made their examination. The weather was fine and the cloud high enough for flight to the top of the mountain. The air was cold but not enough to have serious frost. The police should be able to do their work quickly.

  In the tent, the men were told to relax, get mugs of tea and be ready for a review of their activities by the ‘Chief’. They seated themselves around the tables roughly in a circle and waited for the ‘Chief’ to speak. “It isn’t often that I get a chance to meet any of you and I’m sure that you understand why. There are those in Air Ministry who think that the RAF should not have an Internal Intelligence Unit and leave everything to MI5. Let me say to you now that you are all proving the worth of this unit. The USSR is very good at spying and it has a lot of sympathisers in the UK. Your work regularly uncovers activity that would be to the detriment of the RAF and to the nation. Too often the enemy finds loopholes and obtains valuable information. Our job is to plug the loopholes and reduce the efficiency of the enemy’s spy network. It is important that you maintain a high level of efficiency in carrying out your normal duties so that our intelligence work remains under cover. Fortunately, we have a high level of support from ‘Movements’ and the different groups when we need to send any of you out on detachment. I will meet with you all individually while I am here. It will be good to know each of you personally rather than through a photograph and a file. We’ll have a meal together and I will go out in the field briefly with some of you. Major Garasov, whom you rescued, is the military attaché at the Russian Consulate in Manchester. He is also a member of the KGB and therefore keen to get our secrets. Thanks to the efforts of some of you, he has been thwarted several times in the last year. We have worked in co-operation with MI5 where it is of value. The rescue that you carried out yesterday has put you high in the esteem of the general public. The media has been warned to stay away so you won’t be bothered. That’s all for the time being. Thank you and good luck.” AVM Denby then sat down, asked for a mug of tea and relaxed among the men. The ‘Chief’ flew out in the helicopter that afternoon.

  The next morning the team were busy packing up camp and loading their 3-tonner when a radio message came through for Flying Officer Crombie. He took the handset and identified himself. Then he switched to scrambler on the pack. Everyone paused in what they were doing and waited for the conversation to end. They were keen to set off for RAF Leuchars. For Corporal Hill it would mean a week’s leave before returning to his unit. The conversation finished and the men waited expectantly. Crombie looked around at their faces. He didn’t know whether to laugh at their expressions but decided to keep a serious look. “Okay, team. Start unpacking and set up camp again. We are all on detachment from our units and now on special duties. I’ll explain later,” he told them.

  CHAPTER 18

  When the team had set up camp again, Crombie called them all into the main tent and explained the situation. “That was a call from the ‘Chief’. There is an intelligence flap on. A Wing Commander Hamilton from MI5 is on his way up here. It is all to do with the Russian military attaché that we rescued. He is still in Aviemore hospital at the insistence of the doctors there. As soon as the Russians received the news, they wanted to move him. MI6 received intelligence that Major Garasov is no longer in favour and is to be returned to Russia, partly due to Andy here thwarting some Russian plans more than once. MI5 learned that the Russians are sending some people up to forcibly remove him if necessary. Our job is to prevent that happening. We will split up into three teams and four-hour shifts at the hospital. The teams will do duty, then stand-by and then rest. We are being called to do this because we are trained and we are already here. MI5 will most likely send some people up apart from Wing Commander Hamilton, but for the time being we assume that we are it. We’ll draw straws later for the first shifts. Brad, you and the sergeants will each head a team. I’ll join one but will be free to change according to dictates at the time. Taffy, you will be in the stand-by team and today you and one other will drive up to RAF Kinloss to get additional supplies and re-fuel the truck. The additional supplies will include additional side-arms and ammunition. Hopefully, we won’t need to use them. Authorisation will have been sent to Kinloss so report to the station adjutant when you arrive. In each team will be a person who has an approved licence to drive the truck. Okay, I’m going over to the lodge to see Mr Morrison before that group departs this afternoon. Carry on.” Brad then worked out the teams, keeping them to the pairs that they were already in as far as possible.

  “Andy, you pair with me and Stan, you pair with Sergeant Murphy. The rest of you stay the same. The duty team will be dropped off at Aviemore when Taffy goes to Kinloss. Any questions?” There was a shake of the heads and all went about their additional chores.

  Forty minutes later, Crombie arrived back in the camp. In his absence, the stand-by team had prepared a list of supplies to be requisitioned for five days. “Oh Brad, come and discuss the requisition with me,” called out Crombie. A yell of acknowledgement was returned. He then called for the duty team, which was Sergeant Murphy and his team, and briefed them. “When you get to the hospital, go to reception and say who you are and that you are to report to the policeman on duty. Apparently, this has already been arranged by MI5 with the Chief Constable. Thirty minutes later saw the three-tonner pulling out with the duty team on board. It took with it one of the hand-held radios and Sergeant Mu
rphy had one of the side-arms in case it was needed. The stand-by team had the responsibility of manning the base radio at all times. After dropping the duty team off at the hospital, the truck headed off to RAF Kinloss.

  At 14:00 hours, the Mancunian Mountaineering Club pulled out in a coach to head back to Manchester. An hour later a black Rover 6 pulled into the base camp and Wing Commander Hamilton got out and went to the main tent. He introduced himself to Flying Officer Crombie and the two of them had a private conversation. “I was flown into RAF Kinloss this morning and they choppered me down to Aviemore where I went into the hospital to see Major Garasov and the other two injured men. Garasov’s dislocated shoulder has been fixed but he has some internal injuries. The doctor feels that he shouldn’t be moved for the next few days. I discussed his situation vis-à-vis Moscow and gave him some proof and asked him what he would like to do. Garasov said that he wanted to have time to think about it and he wants to stay at the hospital until the doctor says he can be moved. He also asked about Dr Janet Maclaren, his lady friend from the university. I told him she will be protected as from today. It seems that their romance could be getting serious, which raises some issues. I noticed that the duty policeman at the hospital seems to have company,” Hamilton finished.

  “Yes, we received orders this morning and have split up into three teams to do four-hour shifts. Each team is led by a SNCO who is armed and the team is in radio contact with this base camp at all times,” Crombie replied. “They will radio in every hour at pre-agreed times,” he went on.

  Hamilton nodded his agreement. He continued, “The hospital has kindly agreed to put me up in the staff quarters so that I am on hand. So you can contact me at the hospital. I’ll be having my meals there until we get a clearer picture of what is happening. I expect the Russians to arrive and make an official request to move Major Garasov which will be denied on medical grounds and the patient’s wishes. We will then have to be prepared to take protective action. I have two colleagues on their way here to give support.”

  “Thank you, sir,” replied Crombie. “I’ll call in on you when I’m on duty at the hospital.” They shook hands, both walked outside and Hamilton got into his car and drove back towards Aviemore. Crombie stood for a moment and then slowly walked towards the lake in deep thought.

  The rest of the day and the night passed without incident. The shifts had changed over and everything operated smoothly. At 11:00 hours the next day, two representatives from the Russian Embassy arrived at Aviemore Hospital and requested to see Major Garasov, at the same time showing their credentials. The receptionist asked them to be seated while she checked with the doctor. The doctor came out to see them and explained that the major was currently receiving treatment and asked if they would they come back in about two hours’ time. One of the men stiffened but the other bowed courteously and said that they would return in two hours. Sitting in reception, reading a magazine, was Sergeant Murphy, arm in a sling as though he was waiting to be seen by medical staff. After the Russians left, he pulled the hand-held radio from his pocket and radioed base with the news. Sitting in an office off the reception, with the door slightly open, was Hamilton, wearing a white medical coat. He heard the conversation and managed to see the faces of the Russians. Hamilton recognised one of them as a member of the KGB but with a different title and official duties at the embassy. He looked out of the window onto the car park and saw the Russians drive away. A few minutes later a car drew up and he saw two of his colleagues get out. He went out to meet them and brought them up to date on the situation. The two MI5 men then left the hospital and walked down the road towards the centre of town. En route they saw two cars parked and recognised Hamilton’s description of the Russians’ car and its occupants. Three men were in the second car and a fourth leaning at the door of the first car and talking with its occupants. Fifteen minutes later the two MI5 men returned to the hospital and reported their observations to Hamilton. “I think we need to do something and not let the other side take the initiative.” He went out to see Sergeant Murphy and asked to use the radio to talk to Flying Officer Crombie. Afterwards, Hamilton went to see Major Garasov and find out how he was progressing.

  At midday there was a shift change of the RAF teams and Flight Sergeant Bradley and team came on duty. Sergeant Murphy and his team gathered outside and they exchanged information. Sergeant Murphy and his team drove off in the truck and headed for Loch Morlich.

  It was 1:00 p.m. and the two Russian diplomatic representatives returned to the hospital and were met by the doctor. He invited them to his office and explained to them that there was concern for Major Garasov’s condition and he was being transferred to the hospital in Inverness where he could receive better treatment. It would also be possible to fly him to Edinburgh from there if that was necessary. The Russian Embassy would be invited to send one of their own medical people to observe the treatment and offer any helpful advice. The doctor then asked the men where they could be contacted so that they could be kept informed. He said that they expected to make the transfer in about an hour’s time. They thanked the doctor and the leader of the two said that he would consult with the embassy and speak to the doctor again. As the two men were leaving, a walking patient seemed to trip and bumped into the second of the two Russians. Recovering his balance, he apologised profusely but the Russian angrily left.

  An hour later, an ambulance drew up outside the emergency department and the ambulance men went inside with the ambulance stretcher. Ten minutes later they emerged with a heavily-bandaged man on a stretcher and a male nurse carrying a drip attached to the patient. The stretcher was manoeuvred into the ambulance and the nurse went back into the hospital. Five minutes later he emerged carrying a case and climbed into the back of the ambulance. The two ambulance men shut the rear doors and then climbed into the ambulance cab and drove away. A man dressed in country clothes was sitting on a seat in the hospital grounds and observed the whole episode. As the ambulance left, he got up and strolled off. At the same time, the Russian Embassy staff received a telephone call from the hospital to say that Major Garasov had left in an ambulance for Inverness. The speaker said that he was calling on behalf of the doctor and was told by the embassy member that their people would follow the ambulance to Inverness and see Major Garasov there.

  The radio in the ambulance buzzed and the ambulance man received the call. He was told from the hospital that the two Russian embassy men would be following them and a description of the car was given to him. “Thank you. We will keep a watch for it. Over” the ambulance man replied. The driver gave him a meaningful look and turned back to the road to give it his full concentration. They drove north past Kinveachy and the road became more winding. As they approached the bridge over a tributary of the River Dulnain they saw a vehicle pulled up on the bridge with its bonnet up. One man was leaning over the engine while another waved the ambulance down. The driver of the ambulance pulled up and asked, “What’s your problem? Can we help?”

  “We might have distributor problems but are not sure. Can you take a look?”

  “Aye,” came the reply. “Me mate will check it for you. He’s a bit of a mechanic. We need to hurry though. We have to get a patient to Inverness Hospital in a hurry.” The ambulance driver’s mate climbed out of the cab and started towards the broken-down vehicle.

  The man that had waved them down walked closer to the cab of the ambulance. As he got near, he pulled a handgun out from his jacket and said, “Get out of the cab and open the rear. We want to see the patient that you have in the ambulance.” At the same, the man leaning over the car engine straightened up and pointed a gun at the ambulance driver’s mate.

  “No need to pull a gun on us,” said the ambulance driver in a loud voice. At the same time, he pressed a button under the dash without the man with a gun seeing him do so. “Just don’t disturb the patient. He’s a pretty sick man.”

  “We’ll be the judge of that,” replied the man with the gun. The driver g
ot out of the ambulance cab and walked towards the rear of the ambulance. As he was doing so, a car with four men in pulled up a few feet away from the rear of the ambulance. Two men sitting in the rear of the car opened the car doors and waited to see what happened.

  The ambulance driver walked slowly and then turned the handle to open the rear ambulance door but nothing happened. “It must be stuck or something. It was okay at the hospital,” he said.