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Chapter Two
Following a harrowing nighttime jump back into Germany, Colonel (saving his rank for later) Hogan hiked the half mile back into camp. He managed to make it with almost five minutes to spare before morning roll call. Everyone was anxiously waiting for him, partly in fear that something could have happened to him, and partly because they knew how important this trip was to the Colonel.
After roll call, the entirety of Barracks 2 surrounded him. "Relax guys, I don't have the answer yet. We will plan on it being 'Yes,' and work from there."
"What's first, Colonel?" asked Kinch.
"We have to get our German speakers up to speed; those that are conversational need to get better, and we have to get others started in the program. How many are ready to go?"
LeBeau answered, "We have 115 fluent, and about twice that who can get by."
"We're going to need to double that now, and probably again after the first two camps are 'liberated,'" Hogan said. "How are we set for uniforms?"
"Over 400 ready to go, so no problem there," Newkirk replied.
"Okay, I want to go over the plans for this camp, this will be the most difficult to take over, after this, the rest should be easy. We also need to capture Burkhalter, because he will be so important down the road."
"Capture a German General! That's bloody impossible!" Newkirk exclaimed.
"Mon Dieu! I agree with Newkirk, Colonel," added LeBeau.
"Are we going to start our own prison camp boy, er, Sir?" asked Carter.
Hogan paused, "We will in some small part. We will have to keep the guards from other camps separated from the POW's they were over. We will probably have to bring them here. Of any camp in this area, probably the best treated, so there will be the least risk to the Germans."
"The first step is take over for the guards here, which is easy enough inside the wire, but more difficult in the towers. If we hold the guards before they change, we can replace everybody inside. If we use a diversion at just the time we are going to 'change' the tower guards, they should all be looking the wrong way."
Kinch reported, "Barracks 7 and 9 have been mirroring the guards, and have the routine down. We also have six guys from the camp who are close enough to some of the guards in looks that they should be able to at least get close."
"It's got to be better than that!" Hogan said. "It's getting too close to the end to lose people when we don't need to. We need to get right into the towers with them, where they can't use the machine guns, before they even know what's going on."
"How about if we have a fight break out and our guards run to the scene?" LeBeau asked.
"Too much of a chance somebody trigger happy fires off a burst, or even notice that 'our' guards run faster than the ones that are here now, because they're younger and in better shape." Hogan answered with a smile. "That's your fault for making sure everyone has decent food. Which brings me to the next problem, supplies."
"We have quite a bit – four storerooms full – and I'm sure we can find more suppliers as we expand out even more," LeBeau answered.
"Paying with what, I don't want to give the local farmers our counterfeit cash."
Newkirk answered, "No Sir, we have been regularly exchanging our script for theirs, the guards here have been paid with our Marks for over six months. We've even exchanged three or four times with the bank in Hammelburg. We probably have the largest stock of 'genuine' cash in this part of Germany."
"That's good, I've always wanted to own a bank," Hogan replied.
Private Anderson, whose turn it was to watch the door, suddenly said, "Schultz coming."
Not five seconds later, the rotund Sergeant of the Guard came through the door. "Colonel Hogan, the Kommandant wants to see you."
"Aw come on Schultz, I really wanted to take a nap! I didn't sleep well last night."
"Why didn't you sleep well, Colonel Hogan?" Schultz asked.
"I kept dreaming I was in London planning the end of the war."
"Actually, that sounds like a nice dream."
"I know, but it is an awful lot of work."
Schultz led the way across the room, a wistful look in his eyes. "My father used to tell me that nothing easy is worth the effort." He opened the barracks door, straightening up again. "Now you had better come with me to see the Kommandant before the war gets started here!"
The walk from Barracks 2 to the Kommandant's office was short, and they were both quickly into the outer office.
"Sergeant, the Kommandant is waiting for you," Hilda said.
Schultz leaned against her desk. "He wanted me to bring over Colonel Hogan."
"I could watch over the Colonel while you see if he wants to see you first," Hilda said demurely.
"Sorry baby, the big shot said to bring Colonel Hogan right over," he playfully replied.
"SCHULTZ! Bring Hogan in here now!" Klink bellowed from the inner office. Schultz turned and opened the door, ushering the Colonel in.
"Jawohl, Kommandant. Here is Colonel Hogan, as ordered."
Klink stood up from behind his desk. "Finally! Colonel Hogan, you must get your men ready – we will be getting several hundred new prisoners tomorrow."
"Colonel Klink," Hogan started, "we can't handle any more prisoners. All the huts are over manned now. I have men taking turns in the bunks now."
"I know, I know, I'm trying to get materials here to help with that. We might be able to build three or four new barracks, bigger and able to hold more men. Of course, you and you men will be responsible for the construction."
"There is nothing in the Geneva Convention that requires us to build more barracks."
"Colonel Hogan, I am tired. I don't have the energy to play your games today. I don't want these prisoners here anymore than you do. You don't understand."
"Try me, Kommandant," Hogan challenged.
"Hogan, there are things you don't know. Bad things. I have tried to always be as good to my prisoners as possible, you know that, even if you do gripe about every single thing. Other Stalags, and Oflags, are not as nice as we are."
In an almost hushed reply, Hogan said, "Trust me, Kommandant, I know. I've see- heard what some of the other places are like."
"Yes, I imagine you have; you always seem to know what's going on, even better than I do sometimes."
"Where are they coming from?" Hogan asked?
"Stalag 20B, from Prussia. The camp was damaged in an air raid by your own air forces. It was deemed too costly to repair and the prisoners were shipped to other locations," Klink replied. (1)
"I have arranged for a woodcutter to help, with his own portable mill. The prisoners will be responsible for cutting down the trees, getting them to the mill and help with the operation. And before you argue payment, and extra rations, or extra lights, I will tell you now, I have no more money, but I will do whatever I can to keep food and other necessities coming," Klink said.
Hogan looked at Klink, saw the bags under his eyes, the lines across his face, and decided for once, he wouldn't play his game. "Kommandant, you have tried to be fair with us, just as I have always tried to get the most for my men. I will get the help needed to work, if for no other reason than it will help reduce the overcrowding."
"Thank you, Hogan. Now I am really busy, so you're dismissed."
(1 (1) Stalag XXB was located in Marienberg, Prussia, which is now called Malbork, Poland. It housed British, Poles and Serbs. Some of the British had been there since Dunkirk. There were targets of opportunity such as the Focke-Wolf assembly plant nearby. By January of 1945 it had been evacuated as the Russian troops closed in.