by Nick Vellis
“I’m Lieutenant John Pantheras, United States Army,” he said in Greek as he approached the two men, his hand out in friendship. The men acknowledged John’s introduction with a curt nod.
Pantheras looked at Zabt, who just shrugged.
After a few moments, the taller of the two bearded man spoke, “I speak English lieutenant, but your Greek is very good,” the man began. “We were wondering what would happen to us. I’m afraid we have been betrayed so many times, it’s difficult to trust anyone. You have helped us, so I must hear your explanation. I am Rabbi Abraham Keses from Thessaloniki. This is my daughter Anna, and this,” he gestured at the other man, “is my good friend Hiram Solomon. The other people on this train with us are hostages. Captain Solaris put us on this train to keep the Andartes from blowing it up. Please tell us what’s going on.”
John replied, “Let’s go inside, and I’ll see if I can explain. I am sure you’ve had a difficult time. Do you need anything?”
“Nothing. Your men have been very kind, and we’ve eaten our fill, praise God. But please …”
“Come inside and get warm,” John said, looking at the little girl shivering in the night air. Even in summer, the nights were cold. “We’ll see that all of your people get inside to get warm,” John said as he led the way into one of the coaches.
Once inside the coach, Pantheras asked his guests to sit, and when they were settled, he began, “Have you heard of a German by the name of Dorn?”
“Certainly, he is the military governor of Northern Greece. We have been dealing with him and two Greek officers,” the rabbi replied.
“Dorn is an SS officer and with Solaris and another Greek, he commands the Security Battalions,” John said.
“Yes. These men are collaborators in the Security Battalion. It’s doubly tragic to be betrayed and brutalized by your countrymen,” the Rabbi said.
“You’re so right. I’m glad you understand. That makes this explanation easier. Dorn has arranged, I imagine with you, to ransom the Jewish people in Thessaloniki. For a price, he has agreed to let the men out of labor camps and not deport your people. Is that right?
“That’s correct. Hiram and I have been in communication with the governor. We have been on this train for days, stopping at every town and village along the rail line collecting…” his voice trailed off.
“Yes, sir, I know. You have been collecting tribute, treasure in the form of money, jewels, anything of value for the ransom. Your wealth is being made ... how can I say it politely, more portable, melted down and packed for delivery. You are delivering it to Dorn now. Am I right?
“Yes, but…”
“That’s why I’m here. Unfortunately, he plans to double cross you. Dorn will to take everything he can get and then deport your people anyway.
“We suspected that could happen, but we had no choice,” Hiram said, “We’ve heard rumors of camps where prisoners are killed. What could do we do but pay the ransom?”
“We’ve had reports like that, too, but now you have a choice,” Pantheras said with a broad smile. “We’re fortunate to be getting information on German activity.”
“But you’re working with that butcher Solaris and his cursed private army. I saw you talking with him. He’s not to be trusted,” Abraham said.
“Yeah, I’ve heard that before. I wouldn’t say we’re working with him, exactly. We’re … sort of using him. The same way he’s using you. It’ll only be for as long as it takes to get as many of your people as possible out of the country. Listen, this is what we know. Dorn and the collaborators plan to collect the ransom, ship it off, then say you stole ‘their money’ and deport the Jewish population anyway. They have the trains waiting,” Pantheras said.
“Then I have played into his hands,” a crestfallen Keses replied.
“As a friend of mine is fond of saying… so it would appear. But I believe all isn’t lost. I have the beginnings of a plan. It’ll take some luck, some … deception and your help.”
“Lieutenant, I am prepared to help with some deception having been the victim of the trickery of others. What do you have in mind?” Abraham said.
“Have you ever heard of taking from the rich to give to the poor?” Pantheras said with a smile.
“No, but I trust you’re going to enlighten me,” Abraham said, his own tense smile broadening. Then gathering himself, he said, “We have amassed a huge fortune. We have collected everything our people have. We have melted the gold and silver into bars and dismantled jewelry into the loose stones. We have sold antiques and art. It’s all on this train, the accumulated wealth of my people,” the Rabbi said.
“That’s what we’ve been told. You see sir, we’re going to steal it,” John said.
“What?” Abraham cried. “My people will be killed.”
“Your people may be killed anyway. I’m hoping that we can save at least some of them,” John said.
Breathing a heavy sigh, Abraham nodded and said, “You may be right. What do you have in mind?”
“Well, the idea is this: We’re going to steal this train, then force Dorn to free your people. We’ll give the ransom back to him a little at a time. Call it … ransoming the ransom.”
Rabbi Keses was speechless. He stared at the American with a slack jaw. Finally, he said, “I know of America only from the cowboys and gangsters in the Hollywood movies. But this, this is …”
“Yeah, I know it’s crazy, but it just might work,” Pantheras said.
Under Christos’ watchful eye the captured Germans and Greek renegades repaired the rail line. The Americans had headed off to retrieve the German trucks hidden on the far side of the intervening hill. The Greek traitors and their German allies shared a fear of impending doom. The Security Battalions were infamous throughout Greece, and Solaris’ mercenaries were the worst. They had no illusions about their lives being spared. The Germans, on the other hand, held out thin hope the Americans would honor the Geneva Convention. If the Americans turned them over to the Andartes, it would mean certain death.
John had been huddled together in quiet but animated conversation with Christos, Solaris, and Rabbi Keses for nearly an hour when Ceres spotted trucks in the distance. John got on top of the locomotive with his field glasses and said, “It’s our guys. You can relax.” Clambering down, John rejoined his counsel of war and said, “So, we’re agreed Captain?”
Solaris nodded gravely.
“Rabbi?”
“Yes, lieutenant, it’s a bold plan, but a good one, if he will keep the bargain,” Rabbi Abraham responded.
“Rabbi, I have much to lose in this little adventure. Neither Oberst Dorn nor my major are forgiving individuals. They’ll be most unhappy. I will keep my side of the bargain,” the renegade Greek said.
“Christos?
“You know my feelings about this scum, John. But … but if we are to help these people, who are, after all, Greeks, I agree,” Christos said.
Turning to Solaris, Christos said, “But just one false move, Captain, just one …” Christos put his hand on his holstered Luger.
“Understood,” Solaris, said.
Solaris briefed his men, who, having expected execution, readily agreed to the scheme.
Christos begrudgingly agreed to give Solaris’ men their weapons, but he and his own men kept a careful watch on the renegades.
When the trucks arrived, Pantheras got the men moving. “All right, captain, have your men and the Germans start loading the crates into the trucks,” John said,
Under the watchful eyes of the Americans and the Andartes, the men transferred hundreds of crates from the rail cars into the eight stolen German trucks. It was hard work that lasted nearly all night. John estimated each truck was packed with nearly two tons of loot. When a truck was filled, its canvas cover was placed over the top of the cargo bed, and its wooden tailgate closed. As the sun rose over the mountains, the task was nearly completed.
“Well, we’ve unloaded all but one rail car. There’
s no more room in the trucks,” John said. “That’s more than I wanted to leave for Dorn,” John said.
“Why don’t we bury the rest here?” Solaris suggested. “We can leave a cache here and send a couple boxes back to Dorn.”
“Yes, that will make a nice good will gesture when we go back,” Rabbi Keses said.
“All right, but the train’s not going back to Thessaloniki, not yet,” John said. “And when it does, you’re not going to be on it.”
“Not going back! But you said …” the Rabbi protested.
“I know what I said, but I’ve thought it through some more, and we can’t risk sending you back. We need someone to deliver the message, but if you go, Dorn could hold you hostage, and the deal would be off. No, if we’re going to make a trade, we’re going to have to trust the captain,” John said.
“Yes, lieutenant, that makes sense, and if I want to get paid, I’ll follow your orders. I understand I will have to go back empty handed and deliver the bad news,” Solaris said. “I just hope he remembers not to kill the messenger.”
“But he’s proven he can’t be trusted. He’s a traitor,” Rabbi Keses protested.
“Maybe he’ll be shot and we won’t have to worry about him,” Christos answered, smiling at the thought.
“The Lieutenant has anticipated even my possible treachery. Since I will not know where the treasure is, I’ll have to play my part,” the captain said.
“That’s right. Rabbi, we’ll send you and your people to the coast by train. My guys will stash the loot, and the captain will report back to Dorn. It’s the only way it’ll work. What we need, though, is another train,” John said.
“Lieutenant, there is a small rail yard less than an hour north of here near the village of Veria. I believe I can get us in, and obtain a train and crew,” Solaris said.
Pantheras looked at Christos who nodded. “He’s right, John,” Christos said. “There are trains there and only a few guards.”
“Lieutenant Pantheras, I have every reason to trust you but there is too much at stake and the size of the fortune involved could tempt any man. I think I should stay with you and your men.
I will send Hiram and Anna on, but I will stay,” the Rabbi said.
“I must say I agree with the Rabbi, Lieutenant,” said Solaris. “He has the biggest interest to protect.”
John looked at Christos, who shrugged. “All right, I have no objection,” John said.
“Captain, half the Germans will unload the remaining crates and the other half will dig a pit to bury them in. Get started. I want to get out of here as soon as possible,” John said.
It took the German soldiers an hour to finish unloading the rail car. They worked steadily with the Greek renegades as guards. When the crates were neatly stacked on the ground Solaris sent his men to help dig.
The Germans worked steadily, taking only short breaks for water, but the Greek traitors idled, leaning on the shovels at the pit’s edge. None of the Germans noticed Solaris signaling his men to assemble. The handful of Greek men who had helped dig climbed out of the hole. Solaris formed his men in a line at the edge of the pit. He gave a signal, and his men raised their automatic weapons. Solaris dropped his hand and turned away. Ten machine pistols opened fire, instantly killing all forty men. Smoke and screams filled the air.
John, Christos and their men ran toward the sound of gunfire, weapons at the ready. John raced ahead, directly toward Solaris. When John was nearly on top of him, Solaris turned toward the sound behind him. John struck out with a flying right cross that connected with the big Greek’s chin, launching him into the midst of the bodies. Solaris’ men charged their weapons with a menacing clatter as they turned toward John.
“Drop your weapons!” Christos commanded, backed up by his Andartes and the handful of Americans.
Solaris’ men folded like a house of cards, dropping their machine pistols and raising their hands without a word. John looked at the cluster of bodies. All of the German soldiers were dead. Solaris lay sprawled out on his back, unconscious, at the edge of the carnage.
Turning to George, John said, “Get him out of there.”
Once the murderous man was retrieved, the contents of a canteen dumped in his face brought Captain Solaris around. After a few minutes of sputtering, he slowly got to his feet.
“You have quite a right hand, lieutenant,” Solaris said, rubbing his chin.
“You’re lucky it didn’t have a knife in it you piece of shit. We didn’t agree to that,” John said, pointing to the bodies behind him.
“No, we didn’t, but it needed to be done. No witnesses. They’d never have kept quiet. It’s that Aryan loyalty and German efficiency,” the murderous Solaris replied.
“What about you and your men? Can you keep quiet? One more, just one more screw up and I’ll forget why I need you. See that you don’t make any more decisions, captain. It wouldn’t be healthy,” John said. “Bury those bodies and get to work on another pit for the crates.”
As they walked away from the pile of bodies, Christos said, “You have made a bargain with the devil, my friend. Take care he doesn’t take your soul.”
CHAPTER 11 OCCUPIED GREECE 25 OCTOBER 1944
The Basileiades Machine Works delivered locomotive No. 147 to the Greek Royal Railway in May 1909. The line converted her from coal to oil in 1923 and assigned two new men as her crew. These men were proud of their engine’s record and of their decades operating their small reliable engine. They were confident they knew their machine inside and out. However, today, the two Greeks were nervous. The water was low, the oil tank had less than 20 percent, and there were several conflicting groups of people on their train. When the Veria yard came into sight, the two tired, filthy railroad men didn’t know whether to be relieved or more frightened.
As No. 147 eased into the yard throat, the area where their single track branched into a dozen lines, the tired old engine slowed. The dirty-faced engineer looked at the two uniformed soldiers in the cab with tired watery eyes.
Solaris turned to Pantheras and said, “Leave this to me.”
“Be careful captain. Don’t forget I speak Greek and German,” Pantheras said, aiming his Thompson menacingly at the man, as he ducked out of sight.
As the engine eased up to a checkpoint, a German soldier emerged from a guard shack.
“Good day, Hauptman, your transit papers please,” the sentry said reaching up to the locomotive’s cab.
“Certainly. We have come all the way from Athens. It’s been a long trip. It will be good to stretch our legs and get some food,” the captain said, reaching into his tunic. Is Leutnant Schmitt on duty today?” he said casually. “I have a message for him.”
“There is no Leutnant Schmitt….”
Before the sentry could finish his reply, George Zabt, who had slipped behind the guard post during the brief exchange, closed the distance to the guard. He covered his target’s mouth with his left hand. He bent the man backward as he twisted his Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife into the right side of the German’s neck. The sentry died without a whimper as the tapered, diamond-shaped blade severed his carotid artery.
Zabt dropped the sentry inside the guard shack, wiped his knife on the dead man’s tunic, and closed the door. He swung up onto the locomotive as it began to creep away.
“Neatly done, sergeant,” the captain said to Zabt as he climbed into the cab. Turning to Pantheras, he said, “Lieutenant, there are about six more men over there.” He pointed to a dilapidated caboose parked to their right. Grey exhaust came from a rusty smoke jack and the small windows and a door stood open. “It’s used as a barracks for the sentries. We can drop some men as we pass by.”
Pantheras looked at his lead NCO and said, “Can do?”
“Can do, L-T,” Zabt replied. Zabt quickly dropped off the slow moving engine, the train between him and the makeshift barracks, to muster more men.
“Go to the water column,” the captain, said to the engineer.
The fireman quickly dropped off the moving locomotive and ran ahead to the switch leading to the water column. He threw the switch, and the engine changed direction and then rolled to a stop next to its water supply. The fireman pulled the hose for the water column over the tender. The engineer had the tank’s lid open and expertly placed the hose in the opening, pulled a lever and water began to flow.
“This will take a while. We’re almost empty,” the engineer said. “We need oil, too.”
Just as the captain was about to reply, there was a burst of automatic weapons fire from the German barracks. A moment later, Zabt stepped out of the door and signaled all clear.
The operation at the rail yard turned out to be simple. There had been only six German guards. Eight railroad employees, who were anxious to escape, helped refuel the engine and prepared another train for immediate departure. It took a little convincing to get a crew for the train to the coast, but an engineer and fireman agreed when Pantheras offered them gold. They each decided they would take a gold bar. The Jews, now refugees rather than hostages, transferred to the only two passenger coaches in the yard and four boxcars for the next leg of their trip. As they weren’t under threat of harm, this portion of the journey would be much more pleasant.
Gus Kasseris found Pantheras in the dispatcher’s office going over maps with Christos, Zabt, and the yard foreman.
“L-T, I was able to use the kraut radio to raise HQ. They said wait one hour for a reply,” Kasseris said.
“Excellent. It’ll take us that long to fuel up the second train.
Thanks, Gus. Let me know when you hear back from them,” Panthers replied.
“Will do,” Kasseris said as he left the office, and headed back to the radio in the converted caboose.
“Your Excellency,” the yard manager said to Pantheras, “It is 560 kilometers to the Igoumenitsa. Corfu is 15 kilometers off the coast from the town. There is a rail yard at Igoumenitsa, maybe a little bigger, and a small German garrison in the town.”
