When we finally approached the German camp, I was startled. My initial thought was that this was a horrible mistake. We must have arrived at the wrong camp. This camp could not possibly be under the command of the Wehrmacht. There must have been an administrative mishap and I had been sent here by mistake. If we simply contacted German headquarters, everything would be quickly and efficiently corrected. I knew that I was grasping at desperate straws to avoid the reality of my situation.
Even from a distance everything seemed off and unkempt. It was not what I would expect from a unit under the Afrika Korps' command. I couldn't help but wonder if it was in this state because it was so far removed and away from the direct command. Then I realized that the unit may have been deliberately stationed here to prevent it from negatively influencing the other dedicated hard-fighting units.
The situation was even worse than I originally thought when we actually reached the camp's entrance. The entrance was completely unguarded and open for entry to anyone who might by chance wander by. In fact, from my vantage point, I could see no guards patrolling anywhere along the camp perimeter. My anger began to rise. The unit would prefer having been attacked and all the soldiers killed, I inwardly fumed, instead of the future they had in store from me.
I directed my adjutant to stop near a battered shack which I assumed to be the guard hut. I was about to order the other men to investigate the camp when I at last saw movement. After what seemed like an eternity, the guard finally made his appearance from the hut. He slowly approached us, openly yawning in the process and clearly annoyed to have been disturbed from the luxury of his inactivity.
We were covered in dirt from traveling in the open air Kubelwagen. No doubt the guard didn't recognize us or make a deduction as to why we had made an appearance on his doorstep. I strongly believed guards should assume anyone approaching their duty station is either the enemy or the commanding general visiting in disguise. If a guard follows this simple rule, he is safe in more ways than one. This particular guard obviously didn't share my conviction. Frankly, he didn't seem to care about it in the least.
"We're not interrupting you, are we Gefreiter?" I asked him, not bothering to hide the biting sarcasm in my voice.
The guard looked at me with a puzzled expression, the sarcasm obviously lost on him. Perhaps, I thought, he was too dulled from sleeping on duty to notice. To make his situation even worse, he failed to notice my rank and didn't salute me.
The guard vaguely motioned for us to produce our papers as if he was a bored usher at an opera performance asking for our tickets. I honestly believed that I could have been General Montgomery himself brazenly inspecting the German positions and the guard would not have reacted any differently.
I could see my adjutant becoming angry at the disrespectful and sloppy conduct and I lightly placed my hand on his arm to settle him. I purposely took my time producing my orders, sadistically wanting to savor the moment when the guard realized the error he had so blatantly committed.
The guard began to half-heartedly review my papers. I could see his eyes grow wide with surprise as he matched my face with the name listed on the orders. Grasping his grave mistake, he quickly came to attention and finally saluted me.
I took my time returning his salute, keeping him waiting at attention as I did so. I wanted to instill some form of discipline in him, even if even just for the present moment.
"Herr Hauptmann Dietrich, you were not expected until tomorrow," he stammered, after finally finding his voice.
"That's rather obvious," I replied curtly, rebuking him. I remained silent for several minutes, forcing the guard to stand at attention while he waited for me to respond further. Holding rank over an enlisted man was extremely out of character for me. I finally had enough of my amusement and proceeded with my reason for arriving at the camp.
"Where may I find Hauptmann Meyer?" I asked brusquely.
"Given this time of day, he should be in his tent," the guard replied, trying hard to be helpful now that he realized he had been caught at a serious dereliction of duty.
I couldn't help but look up at the sun, noting the early afternoon hour.
Clearly understanding what my gesture conveyed, the guard continued cautiously, choosing his words carefully.
"I think he will also be surprised at your early arrival, Herr Hauptmann."
"There seems to be no end to the surprises my presence is creating here," I said looking him directly in the eye as he squirmed under my gaze.
Either he was slow in articulating an answer or he knew better than to risk my further wrath, but the unfortunate guard did not reply to my remark.
It took every ounce of my willpower not to tell him that I frankly didn't give a damn about Meyer's "surprise." I made an exaggerated motion of looking around at the unkempt nature of the area, the gesture again not lost on the guard. If this was how the camp was on the outskirts, I could only imagine the main camp's condition.
I said nothing else to the guard and I motioned for my driver to proceed. The guard hurriedly snapped a salute, his face reflecting his relief for me to leave and to turn my attention elsewhere. I gave the guard a curt nod and returned his salute.
It was only a short distance to the main camp and I had my adjutant stop at the far end of it, telling him that I wanted to walk the remaining distance. If the guard possessed even an iota of intelligence, he would have called ahead to warn the others of our arrival as soon as we departed. Apparently, he lacked the initiative because the main camp was just as deserted as the guard hut had been a few moments ago.
In the center of the camp I could see what I assumed to be the command tent, where Meyer would be waiting.
I left the Kubelwagen, savoring the walk. It felt good to stretch my legs after the long drive in the cramped vehicle. As I slowly walked, I took in the poor conditions of the camp. My earlier thoughts and suspicions were confirmed. These conditions would never have been tolerated in the main army. I could only imagine Generaloberst Rommel's reaction if he were present.
The camp reminded me of a cheap traveling carnival: Disheveled and dirty, ready to flee in the middle of the night to avoid confrontation at the first hint of danger. I had been warned that the Allied commandos were extremely bold and resourceful and that the area was exposed to their constant threat. I wouldn't put it past them to attack this camp in its current state.
I corrected myself. The camp was obviously completely safe. No self-respecting commando would even remotely consider this enough of a challenge or important enough to risk his life in a raid against it.
I could only shake my head in disbelief. I understood that this camp was located far from the main reach of the Afrika Korps due to logistical reasons, but there was no reason for it to be in such disarray. It was no wonder this unit was having difficulties capturing the commandos and successfully completing their other orders of escorting supply columns. The unit's disorder just exposed it further to attacks and made it more difficult to defend from the enemy.
I realized command headquarters could have been partially aware of the extent of its forlorn state. In hindsight, I recalled that it had been mentioned in passing to me that the unit needed "some polishing." However, certainly nothing was said that indicated anything to this extent. I relished a command challenge, but this was something far beyond that. My immediate thought was that it would take weeks, if not months, to bring some sense of order to this unmitigated disaster, precious time I knew was not available to me.
I looked all around me and could still see no signs of life. The only movement came from the sand and debris kicked up by the strong breeze. We stood there silently. I could sense that my adjutant did not know what to say. He, too, would be sharing my pain in this forlorn outpost. My adjutant finally broke the heavy silence.
"Herr Hauptmann, it appears that the two of us are the only survivors of some type of deadly plague."
"You forgot to count the guard," I said sarcastically. "That makes three." For their sakes, I truly hoped the men were dead instead of just lounging around sleeping or drunk in their tents. Meyer might accept these conditions, but I would not tolerate such lax behavior under my command for even the briefest moment. This was a disgrace to the Afrika Korps.
Again, my adjutant anticipated my thoughts.
"This is much different than your previous command, Herr Hauptmann. You will definitely have a challenge on your hands."
"I believe the word 'challenge' is an understatement." I waited for a few moments more, continuing to take in the scene until I had had enough of it. The mess was not going anywhere and it could wait until I had completed my initial task. It was now time for me to meet Meyer and officially assume my command from him, what little of it existed.
"See to it that the men who accompanied us receive rations and arrange for them to have quarters for this evening," I ordered. "I will return after I speak with Hauptmann Meyer."
I wanted to bring this to an end as quickly as possible. I was never one to delay the inevitable or bad news and I knew what waited for me. I strode firmly to the tent without looking back and I entered it without announcing my presence. I didn't even bothering to brush the dirt from my uniform or stamp the sand off my boots.
Meyer had already brought enough of his type of dirt to the desert war and now it was time to replace it with my own type of decency.