Soviet controlled eastern Germany, July 1945
Major Fitzroy was incredulous when Harry explained what he had agreed to do.
"You must be mad, man. You'll be rounded up and shipped off to a prison camp if they find out who you are."
Harry winced. The Major was quite right about the risks, and having it stated out loud just reinforced the danger. However, he'd made a promise and he had to keep it. "I speak good German," he said, trying to sound confident. "And I can look after myself. There's a little boy to think of. I just can't leave him to his fate, not if I can help him."
Fitzroy nodded. He'd had Spargo under his command for seven years, the man was brave, and adaptable. If anyone could pull it off, he could. Besides, he agreed about the boy. He wasn't married and had no children of his own, but he had numerous nieces and nephews who he loved dearly. He would do the same for one of them, so he could understand how Harry felt.
"Look," he said, sounding most reluctant, "I'll need to discharge you from the service so there is no comeback if you are caught. It's a month early but you're owed leave so I can swing that. It will be an honourable discharge, you don't need to worry."
Harry nodded his thanks.
"I shouldn't do this, but I can get our men to make some false ID for you and the boy: German and English. You need to be able to pose as his father, it will make things easier."
Harry readily agreed, thankful that the Major was being so understanding.
A week later he was ready to set off. He had exchanged his army uniform for the shabby clothes of a farm labourer, and was armed with a new identity for himself as Johann von Braun. Sewn into the inside of his trousers was a fake English passport for the boy. He was dropped a couple of miles from the border into the Soviet sector. After that he was on his own.
He decided to travel cross-country to try to avoid any contact with the authorities. He had several days' food and water in his small rucksack, so he could keep to the rough tracks through woods and fields rather than risking the roads.
He walked from dawn to dusk, keeping up a steady pace and covered the distance in just over two days. It would be slower coming back with a young boy in tow, but the terrain wasn't difficult and the route was direct.
To his great relief, the school was still occupied when he reached his destination. His greatest fear was that the boys would already have been rounded up and shipped off to an uncertain fate. He spent the day watching their movements, trying to determine how he could find young Heinrich and get him out.
Towards the middle of the afternoon, the boys were let out into the playing fields for a break. Harry watched them carefully from behind a clump of trees on the perimeter. He was looking for any child who looked young enough to be in Heinrich's class. Luck was with him that day, as two small boys detached themselves from their companions and walked in his direction. He experienced a start of recognition as they came closer. One of them had a shock of blond hair, clear blue eyes, and an expression that was so like Persie that Harry almost gasped out loud.
"Psst," he hissed as the two boys came closer. "You're Heinrich von Braun, right?" he asked, in German. The little boy nodded suspiciously, looking to his companion for reassurance. "I have a letter for you, from your mother," Harry continued.
The boy's face broke into a broad grin. "You can go back, I'll be fine," he said to his friend.
"Wait," Harry ordered, pulling a bank-note out of his pocket and giving it to the boy. "You're not to tell anyone about this, right. Promise me, on your mother's life." The boy looked dubious but agreed, grabbing the money before he turned tail and ran.
Little Heinrich was reading the letter, which told him to trust the Englishman and to do as he was told. He knew it was from his mother, as she called him by the pet-name that only she ever used. "Where are we going?" he asked the man.
"Your mother has gone back to England; she wants you to join her there. You know that the Russians control this area?"
The boy nodded, a flash of fear crossing his face. He knew that everyone was scared of what the Russians would do to them.
"Well," Harry continued, "we have to get out of here without being seen. You need to come with me now, is that alright?"
The boy took a deep breath, fear and apprehension briefly showing on his face, before he composed himself. "Jawohl" he said. The look of determination on his face reminded Harry so much of the boy's mother, he felt a stab of pain at the thought of her.
"Don't worry, I'll get you out of here. Now, you need to remember that I'm your father, Otto von Braun, and I'm German." He looked at the boy sternly, waiting for confirmation.
The first two days passed without incident. They made good ground, and Harry was impressed with little Heinrich. The boy marched steadily and without complaint, even though he must have been hungry and thirsty, as they had only a few dry biscuits left to keep them going.
On the second night they found a place to shelter in the woods, a derelict woodman's cottage. As they emerged in the morning though, they walked straight into a Russian patrol. Harry gave the boy a meaningful look.
"What is this?" the two young soldiers asked, in Russian.
Luckily Harry had picked up a few phrases in that language. "My name is Johann von Braun," he answered. "This is my son. We are going to Berlin to find his grandmother."
The two soldiers looked at each other doubtfully.
Harry had reached the limits of his Russian so he switched to German. "The boy's mother is dead, and there is no-one to look after him. He's only seven. I don't care what happens to me, but I need to get him to safety."
The soldiers turned their backs and conducted a rapid conversation. Harry knew enough to tell that they were arguing. He had a pistol strapped to his leg and he was ready to use it. With his experience he wasn't worried about taking them both on, but he didn't relish doing it in front of young Heinrich. Luckily it wasn't necessary.
"Just get out of here, now!" the older of the two ordered.
He didn't need to be told again in Russian, German or English, grabbing Heinrich's hand the two fled for their lives. To his relief they reached the border by late afternoon.
The last mile would be the most dangerous part of the whole endeavour, as they had to cross back through the Soviet lines. Harry chose a wooded section, which wasn't well guarded. Before they set out, he spoke to the boy. "If anything happens to me, you must carry on, do you understand?"
Heinrich nodded, looking frightened for the first time.
Harry tousled his hair, "Don't worry, I know you can do it, you're a brave boy. You must ask for Major Fitzroy. He knows who you are and he will help you."
As darkness fell they dropped to their stomachs and began the slow crawl through the woodland. Progress was painful and slow, but they had to avoid being seen. The boy seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation. He didn't make a sound, even though he must have been in pain.
Harry heard the retort of a rifle at about the same time that the agonising pain of a bullet shattering bone hit him in the leg. He bit his tongue as he grunted in pain.
"Halt, whose there," a Russian voice rang out.
Harry motioned to Heinrich to lie still, and they both pushed themselves into the ground. Harry's heart was racing. He didn't dare look up so he had no idea if they had been spotted. He could feel himself getting weaker as blood seeped out of his wound. He would have to tell the boy to go on without him.
After fifteen minutes or so he dared to look up. There was no sign of anyone, it must have been a lucky shot, or an unlucky one from his point of view.
Heinrich went pale as he saw the blood on the man's trousers, but he didn't hesitate. Taking off his belt he formed a tourniquet to staunch the flow. They had learned how to do this in school and for once he was very glad that he had been paying attention.
Harry smiled weakly. "You're a good boy, Heinrich. Your mother should be very proud of you."
So a short chapter and a bit of a cliffie. Back tomorrow to find out whether Harry and little Heinrich make it home safely!
