knowing wisdom didn't let us know till 10 a.m. damned idiots damned idiots for
not letting us know double damned idiots for ignoring our advice in the first
place anyway here he is in a town called Vethan at the Schloss Adler the castle
of the Eagles believe me it's well named because only an eagle can get to
it our job is to get inside there and get him out as soon as possible if all
they have a chance to get the information from him how are you so sure that
he's there sir the Mosquito he was in crash landed only 10 miles away the
Schloss Adler is the headquarters of the German Secret Service in southern
Bavaria that answer would they take him how did the plane crash sir the most
damnable in luck we carried out a saturation rate on Nuremberg last
night there shouldn't have been a German fighter within a hundred miles of
the Austrian border a wandering Messerschmitt patrol got him anyway
that's not important what is important is that we get him out before he talks or
I should say you get him out what about paratroops the Schloss Adler is
inaccessible and impregnable it would require a battalion of paratroops to
take it we haven't got the time stealth and secrecy our only hope and you
when are I trust stealthy and secretive we realize of course that you've never
worked together before as a team but you're familiar with one another except for
Lieutenant Schaefer here you probably noticed that Lieutenant Schaefer
wears the shoulder flatties of the American Ranger Division I think that
speaks for itself Major Smith will lead the group in now you're all expert at
survival behind enemy lines Smith Lieutenant Schaefer sergeants have it
and reperson in their military capacities the rest of you in other duties you
all speak fluent German been trained in different types of combat if anybody has
a chance of getting him out you have there is of course another way sir away
with a hundred percent guarantee of success neither Admiral Rolland or I
claim to be miscient or infallible is there an alternative that we missed
whistle up a path find a squad of Lancasters with 10 ton bombs I don't
think anybody in that castle would ever talk again nor do I think that you've
grasped the realities of the situation the captured man General Carnaby is an
American if we were to destroy him then I think General Eisenhower might well
launch his second front against us rather than against the Germans there are
certain niceties to be observed in our relationship with our allies very well
then gentlemen 10 o'clock tonight the airfield no more questions I take it
yes speaking the Colonel's part sir what's all this about I mean why is
this man so damned important why have a new sergeant you have all the
information you require I think if we are sending a man to what maybe his
death camel he has a right to know why it's painfully simple Sergeant General
Carnaby is one of the overall coordinators of planning for the second
front he set out last night to meet his opposite numbers in the Middle East to
finalize the plans for the invasion of Europe the rendezvous with the Russians
was to have been Crete unfortunately his plane didn't get through now if the
Germans can make him talk it could mean no second front this year you understand
such yes sir I'm sorry sir that's all right sergeant forget it if you have any
more questions Major Smith will answer them that's all gentlemen snowed
cover him in a couple of hours you best get back and pick up the equipment I
want to see the radio we'll use it to check out equipment what about the
people live in it there aren't any this is a high alpine pasture they bring the
cattle up in May and take them down again in September the rest of the title
faces totally deserted not coffee and then but if I'm not back in an hour they
signal me with a flare up just four times every five minutes that should bring
a blind man home might also bring the best part of a German Redmond not a
German within five miles nobody leaves here until I come back
jog save me some coffee didn't be cold by then they say that's an advantage you
can't taste cold coffee around look your time getting here didn't you things to
attend to enjoy your trip lovely I nearly froze to death in that damn plane why
couldn't you've supplied some hot water bottles or an electrically heated
suit I thought you loved me can't help what you think you managed to bring
your gear is that all the greeting I'm going to get
afraid so for the time being my radio operator was killed in the drop what
happened something struck him in the back of the neck either the half of a
knife or the butt of a gun the skin was unbroken but it was badly
discolored which means that somebody broke his neck immediately afterwards
to make it look like an accident now listen I'm taking the group at dawn
over the ridge into the next valley we'll stop in the woods until about
seven don't stumble into us soon as it's dark we move down into the village of
verfen in the village there's a gas house called zoom Vilden Hirsch behind it
and to the right there's a woodshed I'll meet you there at exactly eight o'clock
tomorrow night and after that what I let you know when the time comes I see you
come fully prepared never mind about that how do you know about all these
things zoom Vilden Hirsch in the shed I'm entitled to know you're entitled to know
nothing we've worked together for three years now I'm a professional if I were
the marrying kind which I thought you were in a hurry
so I am aren't you what kept you well I was very lucky I ran into this fabulous
Claude she was lying on a snowdrift you have a friend thanks for waiting up for me
anyway no problem lieutenant why didn't you go to sleep
and be doing in a couple of hours you too job probably the storm lieutenant come
with me the rest of you stay here but he's got to be crazy just how did your
colonel expect anyone to get in there I suppose he feels he could penetrate the
German high command there's no reason why we should have any difficulty getting up
there he didn't what Colonel tend to spend the years 40 to 43 in German he first in
the very market and then finally in general headquarters in Berlin they say
new Hitler quite well well I thought he looked well nuts probably yes right now
we've got problems with our own get the boys back into the trees we brought him
too far over be sure they go beyond that tree line and what about you I'd be
long in a minute be sure they stay behind the trees broadsword calling
Danny boy broadsword calling Danny boy over
this is father McCree broadsword what is your present position please over Woods
due west of castle descending at dusk Harrod dead over was Harrod killed
accidentally over by the Germans over no time of next broadcast uncertain will
you stand by Colonel Turner and I will remain at headquarters till
operation completed good luck looks as though you're right sir yes I'm afraid
so who's next I wonder Smith himself perhaps I doubt that some people have a
sixth sense he has a sixth the seventh and an eighth he's our best agent except
yourself still in all even if he is the best this whole operation looks impossible
now men's a guard tower and a wire fence fences can be cut off climbed lift
tenant I doubt a fat one can be climbed it's probably got around 3,000 volts run
through it if I'm not mistaken major that's an army barracks over there no
mistake lieutenant this is the headquarters the very much outping
call swell if you get any other surprise they think I don't know about them I
thought you knew lieutenant why do you think we're not dressed as German
sailors training troops come and go all the time what are six new faces among
600 new faces look major this is primarily a British operation I'm an
American I don't even know why the hell I'm here left-handed you here because you're
afraid since I saw you I'm afraid sir sir how is Berlin sir
things have changed you like my machine it was pretty dangerous well you must
try major Berkholder my adjutant major brunt jager battalion Colonel
field security major von Harpen Gestapo have you questioned me oh I was
waiting for you that major von Harpen does he know General Carnaby's here yes I
did inform you of his arrival but not of his importance good if possible I'd
prefer the Gestapo to be kept out of this matter until after we have the
information that we want fine we don't need them cluttering our things with
this can remain a strictly army matter of the time be I agree good I've had a very
tiring trip down here from Berlin I'd like to freshen up a bit perhaps leave a few
hours before meeting General Carnaby I see you to your quarters thank you oh the
meeting you'll be ready then whenever you wish
but with so many troops on leave in Berlin it was hardly likely she'd
remember me but one always hopes that you're the one she left forget yeah what
was her name anyway Fred oh yeah you get inside circulate around keep your ears
open for anything about General Carnaby we'd meet back here in half an hour there's
no more important work than entertaining the soldiers of the problem
slicing you a song oh very well then I whistle it goes like this thank you
being a woodshed in five minutes not slapping across the faces aren't you
can't conduct us not become an officer of the wehrmacht hair major when you
talk to me major Bernard Himmler does the name mean anything to you I advise
you to mind your own business in future is that understood thing about General
Carnaby I didn't get round to that thank you even that major talking about I told
you my was Himmler's brother yeah well I could see where that would shake him up
little more than a little I should think King up to the castle tonight is well
yes it's a domestic oh naked not a bad idea but it's a bit obvious there's
an acute staff shortage in Germany and the Schloss Adler is no exception
just the type they're looking for young intelligent good looking and there's
be both no not entirely without humor you must be mad if I wasn't what would I
be doing in this job listen very carefully you're supposed to arrive on
a bus from Stein garden in about 20 minutes your name is Maria Schenck you
come from the Rhineland you give me that book you've had TV and a force to
give up your job you have a cousin called Heidi who works in Zoomvild and
Hirsch it's because of her that you've got the job in the castle where are my
identity papers in that case together with your travel permit Heidi will give
you the rest later I must have taken time to prepare these things very likely I'll
forge a department at a special job on your papers I thought General
Carnaby's plane crashed only yesterday morning I was carefully arranged the
plane was crash landed in Oberhausen military airfield about five miles from
here it was riddled with machine gun holes British machine gun holes but what
the hell hole is a hole is a hole as they say are you trying to say that you'd
risk the life of an American general and all the plans for the second front of
course not the reason why I'm in a hurry to get into the castle is before
they find out they haven't got general Carnaby in the chat they've got knows
no more about the second front than I know about the back end of the moon he's
an American corporal his name is Cartwright Jones he's an ex-actor probably
second-rate but the dead spitting image of the general did you talk this poor
man into getting involved with all this you have to be volunteered what actor
wouldn't after all if he pulls this off it'll be the summit of his
professional career mind you it might be a short engagement yes a one night
stand Mary now Maria this is your cousin Heidi if I leave this behind in case
you're searched Heidi will tell you what to do from now on she's been one of our
top agents in Bavaria since 1941 under what a disguise they left three minutes
off to me in a hurry to say so he wasn't up to me any of the other thing that I
could see but this place is a damn crowded and several other exits any one
of them could have slipped out major you better start playing the straighter you
can do me out of this mess now we both know that radio operator wasn't killed in
any drop now with McPherson dead there's only five of us left so you let me know
what's going on is only before all right lieutenant this morning you asked me why
you an American is on his mission
to see you after all these years why should I stop I am so happy to see you may I
introduce you to a friend of mine major from Harbin my cousin Maria shank
your cousin told us to expect you for a shank but Heidi you did not tell me she
was as beautiful as this thank you perhaps when you're ready to take the
cable car to the castle I will have the honor to escort you thank you
and I am going with her oh both of you are where's and I am very fortunate yeah
for a little bit later this is the map of the castle and your instructions do
your homework well the devil he's got to I gave orders that nobody should leave
here so I go outside and take a look looking for four or five item core
deserved there's from Stuttgart to escape they killed two officers and a
sergeant they were last known to be heading this way clever very clever indeed I
want the senior officers of draft 13 14 and 15 to come forward at once check the
papers I think we'll stand a lot better chance outside than we will in here
agreed gentlemen see you after the war these papers are from the force
punter division stations in Stuttgart when did he say the way is you to him what
is it major tell myself in the others of the ones you're looking for we've come
to surrender but none take this remain away for questioning the officers will
come as me just my shoe laces I see you later my excitement in the village
tonight nothing they see us just see the rest of five army deserts that's all I'm
not quite those were the orders that they put out actually there were five British
agents dressed in German uniforms British agents why wasn't I informed I'm
informing you now major if you send out the orders Colonel then you must have known
for some time who they were and that they were in this district we called you in
your office and in your rooms you were not there Colonel I don't have to remind
you do I that I am in charge of all the Gestapo activities in this area and
if they are foreign agents then I am to be informed that once you were not here
major then you find me Colonel my duty is to inform you but not to search
every guest house in the village to locate you I know your duties and your
duties now let me remind you major but I'm a Colonel in DSS and not some lieutenant
whom you can frighten with your threats your military rank and position are
obvious to me Colonel and so are your attempts to discredit me with my
superiors in Berlin if there is any discredit you bring it upon yourself
the night the things you'll need automatic field glasses full of string and
lead weight you put those things in there yes a week ago you all about this even
then yeah good luck I guess it's occurred to you the Germans probably know about
all this stuff by now did cross my mind broadsword calling Danny boy broadsword
calling Danny boy over
broadsword sir Danny boy calling broadsword come in broadsword over
McPherson murdered Thomas Christensen embarkly captured I'm effecting entrance
within the hour
please have transport standing by over pull out now broadsword save yourselves
over you must be joking over and out that is an order broadsword over broadsword
broadsword broadsword broadsword
it's all I thought candle my dear
maybe I'm getting too old anyway there can't be any doubt any more the Germans
have totally penetrated MI6 I know every move we make almost before we make it how
are they getting it all from we hadn't picked every man for this mission we
have top security security words become a bloody joke
Captain Muller with three prisoners hearts and souls in this bloody country
got a plan of the castle yes not himself I could climb up on my own why
can't he first left downstairs that this is Mary Alison's one of our group
lieutenant Schaefer hello I tried to fly car if you have a cigarette with them yes
of course I persuaded the high command that the mere fact of your capture will
compel the allies to alter their plans but this it seems is not enough for the
last time may I request you to give us the information general George Carnaby
United States what matters in your hands karma you know general we have drugs that
will make you talk we do not wish to use them but the pollen mean where is that
going to get you Colonel but they are the drugs to the lieutenant here is a
trained nurse you can bring them up now has there been any further information
about the other two keep me advised so I'm very interesting company coming up
general the drugs may not be necessary I was just going out I was and I'm just in
time you wanted to see me major naturally what about
nothing I just wanted to see you now said he's not a cry you see no it's
very seldom we have so so pretty a girl here perhaps I can show you a little
very in hospitality and downstairs we have an arm of its room which has been
converted into something most marvelous cafe my duties I have to see the colonel
secretary you and me we have a lot to talk about that chair
do so though I was a student there for many years from 1929 to 1932 your health
gentlemen you're not drinking general that's understandable when your rescuers
turn out to be well birds of a different feather and the return trip gentlemen how
was that to be accomplished through Switzerland but then it should be quite
easy for you to return to London a rubber dinghy across the Rhine in the short
walk you'll be back in Whitehall reporting general Carnaby's transfer to
Berlin before you know it back to London are you mad not with Smith and
Schaefer still alive what do you take us for you will also of course be
reporting the unfortunate demise of Major Smith is he dead you're not quite
sure it is being looked into right now it's getting great please remember the
important issue yes I think the situation has changed sufficiently for you to
give us the information we have been asking for nothing's changed Colonel most
unfortunate just a waste of time if you don't move any of your lieutenant no I
advise you not to Colonel well gentlemen I'm very glad to see you all here safe
and sound enjoying a drink I'm sorry to interrupt you lieutenant drop that gun
what drop that gun and sit down what the hell are you talking about sit down major
if I live to be a hundred do nothing lieutenant you're only do you are a
punk and a pretty second-rate punk at that if I might have some explanation in
good time Colonel all in good time I was about to say that scopolamine would have
a little effect on our friend here except of course to prove that he's not General
Carnaby but a certain Cartwright Jones an American actor impersonating General
Carnaby who are you just a passerby as you might say as a matter of fact I think
the drug would probably work better on our friends at the end of the table there
are real enemies general don't listen to him general it's a bluff he quiet
allow me to introduce myself Major Johan Schmidt SS military intelligence
stood guard and you prove that certainly Colonel but before I do I wonder if you'd
be good enough to call one of your guards I don't fancy talking and keeping my eye
on these people at the same time
strange I seem to remember said the Casino was on the other side of the square
of course I might be mistaken it's been a long time oh no major I could have made
a mistake I haven't been to Dusseldorf for three years it's very easy to forget
so easy for a line you seem to be a little bit distracted is anything wrong no it's
nothing just a slight headache I've had a long day traveling oh yes of course here
I am I'm talking about silly things like Dusseldorf you will forgive me thank
you I kill you both we will have one more schnaps together and then I'll see
what you call us all comfortable I think the first order of business is to find
it exactly who everybody is and what they're doing here now first the
lieutenant he's an assassin a member of the American intelligence organization
known as OSS his job is to shoot you Colonel Kramer and you general
Rosemeyer now general Carnaby's mission was two fold first of all to
allow himself to be tortured into giving you the wrong plans for the second
front and secondly to afford the British a perfect excuse to send in a team of
experts to rescue him which brings us to our three friends here and the cleverest
face of the British operation they are of course members of MI6 that's a lie let
him finish their job was to penetrate the German high command instead of the
real Thomas Barkley and Christensen who worked for us in London and were
discovered and captured by the British about a month ago that's another lie you
can't prove any of this can't I any denials lieutenant
now general Carnaby perhaps you'd be good enough to give us your real name rank
and serial number I tried Jones corporal US Army RA 1 2 3 0 2 5 3 9 6 4 thank you
having successfully substituted these three British agents for our men what
was the next phase of the British plan to penetrate the German high command how
simple stage of fake air crash with a fake American general on board send in
special agents to affect his release be sure that they fail in their mission
and hopefully these three men would be taken to Berlin where they would be
right in the heart of the Vermacht and you major Schmidt what were your orders on
this mission to lead them in and make my own way out through Switzerland but it's
incredible yes but to the British very very simple you were going to give us
some proof of who you are certainly general the proof is in three parts first
if I'm not to I say I am what am I doing here what can I possibly hope to
gain the rescue of an imposter the exposure of three spies who to to the very
people this was to be working for I have nothing to gain also if these people are
what they say they are they would know the name of our top agent in Whitehall
there so why don't we ask them if they should know the name of the man who
sent them on this mission we all work through contacts it wasn't necessary or
safe for us to know where our orders were coming from I should be in the same boat
as you but I know his name and you don't
secondly Colonel you have one of the most powerful radio transmitters in Europe put
a radio telephone call through to Field Marshal Kesselmann's headquarters in
Italy and ask for his chief of intelligence major Wilhelm Wilner major major
there's Colonel Kramer on the telephone from the Sloss Adler in the area this is
very urgent yeah major Wilmer speaking yeah girl can you describe him that will
not be necessary ask him to show you his right forearm may I see your right form
certainly the scars are there ask how did he get them how did you get those I
was born with him he says he was born with him that is right then tell him he's
a traitor tell him he's a renegade yeah that is Smith no question about it thank
you major thank you girl good night give me the water as you know the real
Thomas Christensen Barclay while working for British counter espionage were
responsible for setting up an excellent chain of agents throughout Britain now if
these men are who they claim to be it would be reasonable would not to expect
them to be able to write down a list of those agents you could then compare their
lists with the genuine one which I have in this book okay something very
wrong I don't doubt who Schmidt is but there has been some mistake yes you're
the ones who've made it for our line but would you be good enough to get
some pencils and some notebooks and we'll soon find out who's speaking the
truth good night Maria you are most charming girl good night and thank you we
must get to know each other just a little bit better yes good night and this
man then they are who they claim to be I'm afraid so they've been under suspicion
for some time classified information was going out and useless information was
coming in it took several weeks to pin it on the department's control by those
men but we knew we couldn't prove it and even if we could what we really wanted was
the names of their contacts these names and addresses so we thought this plan up
and made a villain Kessel thinks cheap of intelligence perfectly true he believes
in me to be one of his top agents in Italy I've been feeding him useless
false and out of date information for a couple of years all right gentlemen stay
where you are
I'd advise everyone to keep perfectly still drop your gun major you too lieutenant
as a fire place thank God you're here major we were just about to sit down
everybody remain as he is until I find out what exactly is going on here what do
you mean I'm sure you can see what's going on down it's perfectly simple major the
lieutenant myself had just uncovered a plot to assassinate the furor this is
preposterous
sit down
these people are all involved in conspiracy to overthrow the Third Reich in my
pocket here I have the names of all the conspirators just before you interrupt
a desk we put this entire party under arrest the list and his pocket are the
names of German Asians working in Britain I don't expect you to believe me
major but you'll certainly believe these names if you permit me to show them
to you
let me see them
careful major
very slowly
brings them here
Smith taking with us you were late
one day I won't come at all
keep your eye on those three
lieutenant in the next 15 minutes we have to create enough confusion to get out of here alive
major right now you got me about as confused as I ever hoped to be
the Armory's here we can blow it up the castle think it's being attacked by a
division on the other side of the castle over here is the radio on I take the
else and meet you there take them out
they make myself perfectly understood
if any of you utter some word I'll kill you all you understand
Jones get the major's gun I move
move this way
short calling Danny I see if you can make a motorway
I'll bring it down here we'll get on top and you can take us back inside
the amount so I can see he's still alive
and Christians
all three of them
but not as incredible as the one name that's missing from that list Colonel
what name is that major
I have it in this notebook here in my pocket
early tonight I showed it to Colonel Kramer
he agreed with me that this was the top German agent in Britain
it's your name Colonel don't look so shocked
surely you suspected it
otherwise why were you here to meet us
it should be found out
you see you underestimated Admiral Roland
he suspected you and the others for some time
he brought me and Mary back from Italy because we were the only two people in his department
that he could trust yourself included
he asked you to choose leader for this expedition
you chose me because you knew from German intelligence that I was
double agent
Admiral Roland knew I was not
for you I was the perfect choice
now you're guessing Smith
no guess for Colonel
your pointing that gun at me is
sufficient evidence
you are pointing it at me aren't you
no one
Mary was brought on the mission without your knowledge
because I needed her to get me into the castle
the lieutenant being an American had no possible connection with MI6
and was the only member of the group I could trust
I wasn't even sure of Harrod and MacPherson
which they were killed by the others
fascinating
very fascinating
perhaps even true
assuming for a moment
you're finished Colonel
overlooking something aren't you
not at all
Admiral Roland took you to the plane himself didn't he
he also made certain that you had that gun didn't he
we took the precaution of removing the firing pin
before the mission started
put it down Colonel
not so hasty Lieutenant
we mustn't cheat the hangman
what now Major
we tried for treason
public trial would be embarrassing
painful not only for myself
but also for British intelligence
and Admiral Roland
perhaps but not as painful as that long
and dropped to the end of the rope
to have no cars left to play
do I
no Colonel you don't
do I have an alternative
well is that it Major
yes that's it Lieutenant
do me a favor with him
next time you have one of these things
keep it an all British operation
I'll try Lieutenant