Just Ordinary Men

Chapter 26

Ashton looked up at the imposing edifice.  Stretching to his left was a 3 storey wing, the appearance of which put Ashton more in mind of a church than a hospital with its gothic arched windows.  Mindful of its origins, and the fact that one of the ancient Orders of Knights - the Knights of the Order of Saint John the Hospitaller, more commonly known as the Hospitallers - were first and foremost a Holy Order, he smiled and walked up to the entrance door, a large oak construction along the same pattern as the windows.  On entering the building he passed a group of men in black uniforms sporting a white cross on their breast pockets and he nodded a greeting, musing that of the three medieval Military Orders of Knights - Templar, Teutonic and Hospitallers - only the latter had survived into modern times as the St John's Ambulance Service.

Having obtained directions, Ashton finally arrived at the ward upon which Alfelt was being held.  He could tell it was the right place due to the armed guard at the door who asked for his papers.  Fishing his identity card out of his breast pocket, he presented it for inspection, whereupon the corporal saluted him and opened the door for him to enter.

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'So.. was ist passiert?'

Leutnant Bergen growled and glanced at Mannheim and Grüber.  'What happened..' he said icily '.. is we got bounced.  Intelligence told us the RAF can no longer put up a strong force against us.'  He paused, then continued sardonically.  'They were wrong in this belief.'

Garsteck held up a warning hand.  'Leutnant..'  he jerked his head away from Dispersal toward the centre of the airfield.  Once they were in the open space he stopped and gestured for Bergen to continue.  'I suspect my office telephone.. maybe even my office.. is being listened to.  Ernst, if you have anything critical to say of our new masters, I suggest you do it where there are no ears to overhear it.'  He pointed to Mannheim and Grüber.  'That goes for you two as well.  I think the Jugendliche have not lost their youthful innocence yet, while the others..'

'The Nazis.'  Mannheim scowled.

'Ja.. the Nazis.. are already a lost cause.'

Grüber nodded.  'Yes you are right as always Anton.. but so is Ernst.  This war is being run by politicians not soldiers.'

'The people blame the army for the wars politicians order us to fight.'

Nodding agreement to Garsteck's acidic observation, Mannheim cut in.  'Our orders come from OKW as always Erich..'

Chuckling Grüber replied.  'Always the Devil's Advocate Gerhard.. but you are right to be.  Yes our orders come from OKW, but they are being told what to do by the Nazis, and then they must work out what orders to give us to fulfil the impossible demands of the politicians!'

Garsteck listened to their discourse, contributing himself.  'You mean High Command such as The Fat Man?'

All three turned to him, mouths slightly open as they struggled for a reasonable response.  Eventually Grüber spoke.  'A fair point Anton.  So we have our political masters telling Goering what they want, and him promising them they can have it.'

'Ja.. with the likes of Kesselring nodding agreement and passing the orders down the line until we have the task of carrying them out!'  Bergen.

'Ach Kesselring's a good man.. unfortunately he lacks the backbone to tell Goering that he is promising the impossible!'

Mannheim glanced at Grüber.  'Good he may be, but that doesn't help Ernst when he's getting his arse shot off to know his commanding officer's heart is in the right place..'

Seeing tempers about to flare, especially Grüber's, Garsteck held up his hand.  'Ordnung, das ist genug Herren..'  He paused.  'Enough.. we're all on the same side here, the aim being to bring as many of those young boys..'  He jerked a gloved thumb over his shoulder.  '.. back to their parents as we can.  So, we interpret the orders we are given to give us the best chance of survival.. yes?'