by Gee, Colin
“Indeed. Whichever officer directed that second assault would be counting trees in Siberia now if he were one of mine.”
“One of yours would not have done such a thing Comrade General,” stated Arkady with total conviction.
“But what of them Arkady? What of them?”
“I spent some time with a British Major. He is a professional for certain Comrade General, as were the others British I saw.” He paused just long enough to consider the next statement. “The Americans I spoke to were fools. I saw not one man there who I would trust on my right-hand in combat Comrade General.”
Arkady felt as if his words were a catalyst to something, but he didn’t know what.
The General smiled and merely said, softly and with certainty, “Fools indeed Arkady.”
The American units had been running field exercises at Paderborn the whole week before the Soviet visit in an effort to get combat effective. They were actually a conglomerate of newly arrived formations as yet unassigned to any division but it had been decided to place them under the fictitious umbrella of the 15th US Armored Division purely for the purpose of masking their true identity. Had they been veteran US tankers perhaps the reports that went back to Moscow might have said something very different.
A moment of luck, good or bad, often plays a greater part in our destiny than hours of design.
Ernst-August Knocke
Chapter 23 – THE REPORTS
1430 hrs Wednesday, 25th July 1945, Soviet Military Intelligence Headquarters, Schloss Gundorf, Leipzig, Soviet Occupied Germany.
The reports written by Yarishlov and Ramsey held much the same information. Firstly that the American tank exercise had been an utter shambles. Both explained the reasons why, although Yarishlov’s expertise in tank combat made his submission more detailed in that regard. Secondly, that the American officers either did not realise it had all gone badly wrong, or were delusional, or lying, or a combination of those. Thirdly, an American officer had made direct mention of the word symposium. Ramsey’s report also included the word “Biarritz” and the US officer’s identity.
He submitted it to his Colonel’s office, from whence it was sent to Brigade headquarters. The Staff Sergeant responsible for compiling the daily bulletin for the Brigadier’s ADC started to read it but was disturbed by a package delivery to the office. He put the message down and returned only to find that a large area was smouldering where he had placed the paper over his cigarette. In a panic, he dowsed it with tea, screwed up the document and stuffed it in his pocket, disposing of it down the latrine as soon as possible.
In Yarishlov’s report, this ‘symposium” in a French castle was identified as something which he felt was important, and he also mentioned that he felt the British Major who overheard part of the conversation looked concerned by it. The whole conversation with the US officer was recorded reasonably well in fact. Even though Arkady wondered if he was making an elephant from a fly, his professional senses had lit off at the time and he had to trust them.
That report ended up on in the office of overworked GRU Colonel General Pekunin, whose staff was presently tasked with interpreting intelligence gained on the Western Allies and compiling detailed reports for the GKO. The inclusion of certain key words meant that some reports ended up on his desk. In this case, the word ‘symposium’ was familiar to him and he immediately summoned another GRU officer to his office.
“Ah Nazarbayeva, this may be of interest to you. Full analysis on my desk in four hours.” Apart from looking up briefly to check it was the Kapitan he had called who came in, the General never lifted his eyes from the file before him. Tatiana took the proffered report and left the room, not before she had caught the words “Kingdom39” on the file that the General was finding so captivating.
Tatiana Sergievna Nazarbayeva understood that perfectly and smiled, for she was a mother who had read to her four sons, and to Russian children the 39th Kingdom was where all good fairytales are set; in a land far, far away.
Nazarbayeva was forty-six years old and strikingly beautiful for a Russian woman. Rich black hair and piercing brown eyes brought her many admiring glances from senior officers but, despite numerous advances, she remained loyal to her husband Yuri, a combat infantryman with a Guards Corps.
She had once been a fighting soldier with a mortar unit in the Crimea through the difficult retreats, right up to the crushing defeat on the Kerch Peninsula in May 1942. During heavy fighting, she had even picked up a Mosin rifle on occasions to clear direct pressure on her unit, being credited with seventeen kills in an hour outside Osovyny, when the panzer-grenadiers of the 22nd Panzer Division had pressed her unit hard.
As her company’s position was about to be overwhelmed she counter-attacked single-handedly with grenades and a pistol, driving off the Germans with heavy casualties. One souvenir of that bloody time was kept well hidden and few ever noticed the slight limp, caused by the absence of half of her left foot, the only serious injury she sustained during her time in action. She was the last wounded soldier loaded on the last boat to escape the debacle that saw the rest of her unit disappear into German captivity. It had taken her some months and use of a special metal ankle strap to learn to walk with anything approaching a normal gait.
Despite the constant presence of her limp, the other souvenir of those desperate times attracted much more attention.
She was the second woman to receive the Hero of the Soviet Union Gold Star, and she wore it with pride.
None the less, many wondered if she had secured her present position by use of her obvious charms, but that was not how she had advanced to become a respected Captain in the GRU. Her rank and status were achieved through her abilities and excellence at her job. It was no surprise to Pekunin that, three hours and forty-seven minutes later, she placed a comprehensive and detailed report in front of him, which now surmised that there were four symposium operated by the Western Allies, not three as Russian Military Intelligence first thought.
Their purpose was already known through other means, but this was the first sniff of a possible French-run facility so far. Given the placement of the other three known symposium it seemed likely that the French would place theirs in Alsace, Franche-Comte, or Rhone-Alpes. If the French symposium followed the same rules on the national identity of attendees as the others did, then the most likely location for the travel convenience of US and UK officers would be Alsace. A list of castles and other similar structures in Alsace was attached, complete with suitability profiles where information had been available.
There was also more confirmation of the Western Allies ‘apparent belief that an attack would take place.’ Also of note was that there was no record of a 15th US Armored Division on the order of battle for the Western Allies, so either it was another unit masquerading as part of some sort of American ‘maskirova’ or it was a new formation. Given the appreciation within the report, it was felt most likely to be a new formation, and a poor one at that.
To round off the report a list of possible German officer candidates of Colonel rank or above known to be in French captivity was attached. Admittedly, the list ran to over two hundred names but Tatiana had asterisked seven who she considered the most likely candidates. Six of them were SS and number two on the list was a name of some considerable repute. Also attached was a copy of the French Military Intelligence request for information on a list of German officers. Some names appeared in both lists and Tatiana had cross-referenced them. There was also reference links to three other GRU files relating to numbers two, five, and six. Those were not to hand but the report indicated that copies had been urgently requested from the GRU department covering the former East Prussia. It was an excellent report and wholly accurate.
Pekunin placed it in his briefcase with the intention of reading it again on his flight to Moscow. If it was all that he thought it was, then it was about time Tatiana received her next step on the promotion ladder. In the meantime, instructions were issued to act
upon its contents.
How many things apparently impossible have nevertheless been performed by resolute men who had no alternative but death.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Chapter 24 – THE EXECUTIONS
1210 hrs Friday, 27th July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR.
There were always minor details to confront and review, even for the powerful and great.
As the date approached when Kingdom39 could go live, more problems presented themselves.
Rigidly, the GKO stuck to their requirement of the 3rd August,and faced down every request for delay from Zhukov and Vasilevsky.
The previous day GRU reports had been forwarded from all over the former Germany and landed on Pekunin’s desk in Gundorf. Nazarbayeva and her staff had collated the facts, and Pekunin was able to send specific instructions for his agents in Western Europe before he left his office to fly to Moscow.
Beria and Stalin had been celebrating the undoubted advantages that their plans had secured as a result of Churchill’s removal from power in the UK General Election, confirming Stalin’s view that such democracy undermined a country’s stability and welfare.
Their crowing was interrupted when Pekunin arrived bearing bad tidings.
The contents of that report had been discussed and they all now waited in the General Secretary’s office for the arrival of another.
The telephone rang and a brief message was relayed.
Stalin did not even acknowledge the caller and returned the handset to its proper place.
The doors opened and in strode Major-General Ivan Makarenko, commander of the 100th Guards Rifle Division ‘Svir’.
He stood before Stalin for the first time but, unlike many, he seemed unafraid.
“Comrade General, how is the planning for your task going?” Stalin obviously knew but he had chosen to approach this man differently.
“It is complete, Comrade General Secretary. Comrade General Pekunin was able to supply the last piece of the jigsaw two days ago.” That the last piece of the jigsaw was the precise location of Symposium Paderborn and the strength of its military presence went unsaid. For Pekunin it had been a close run thing and Beria had enjoyed watching him sweat for a day or two before he passed on the information his NKVD agents had acquired just in time.
“We now practice mock attacks upon targets chosen because of the similarities to the symposiums. In three days we will be ready Comrade General Secretary.”
Beria questioned the statement on behalf of all the listeners.
“Three days Comrade Makarenko? Surely you will need longer?”
“That is not the case Comrade Marshall. Once we had the precise locations, we need only to have some knowledge of the area and target. The more time we have the better but we will be relying on surprise and firepower. That will not increase with time, so three days will get the basics into my boys.”
That was quite some speech and marked the fact that this was Makarenko’s first time in his present company.
“Why then are you here in Moscow Comrade, and not practising with your division?”
Makarenko straightened and spoke with real emotion.
“Colonel Erasov, my second in command, was killed in training Comrade General Secretary. I am here to honour him when he is buried today. It is my wish to tell his wife and four sons how proud they should be of their father, who fought from the first day that the Germanski violated the borders of our Motherland.”
Stalin nodded and spoke softer words. “Tell his family that the party feels their loss”. Despite the difference in tone, there was no warmth or sincerity there.
“Thank you Comrade General Secretary, I will.”
“We will not delay you further but do not dally here in Moscow. There is a new development. Comrade General Pekunin?”
Stalin indicated Pekunin and lit up a cigarette.
The GRU General addressed Makarenko directly.
“News has reached us of a new symposium; one run by the French. It too must be eliminated. All we know for now is that it is probably in Alsace. Comrade Marshall Beria and I have assets working tirelessly to locate it. In the meantime you must change your plan to include this new location and allocate the necessary forces to its total destruction.”
Makarenko’s face had grown cold.
Handing over a folder with all the new information Pekunin spoke with conviction.
“I know you can do this Ivan Alexeyevich, and you know I will have that information as soon as I can.”
A nod to Pekunin, a salute to his commander, and Makarenko strode from the room.
From the first moment he had been handed his orders he knew it was a suicide mission. Projections for his troops to fall in with advancing Soviet columns were unrealistic and he knew his troopers were mainly going to death or captivity.
Moreover, that was with only three targets. He mused fatalistically. ‘Now, at least, death would come quicker.’
As Makarenko departed those present turned to other matters. Stalin spoke directly to Pekunin but with words intended for both present.
“The location of this new French operation. We must give Makarenko his three days.”
In the intelligence world, acquiring information was rarely done to timescale but, in Stalin’s case he didn’t care, so he laid out the requirement anyway.
Beria unexpectedly came to Pekunin’s rescue.
“Comrade General Secretary, I have all of my assets in the area focussed on this one task. By sharing information with our GRU colleagues we are removing possible locations from the list each hour.”
Beria looked at Pekunin who took up the baton.
“Comrade Marshall Beria’s staff and mine have managed to reduce the possible locations down to a manageable number and we have both dispatched agents to investigate the remaining potential locations.” Beria risked a swift glance at the GRU man, because even the number left would take their agents days to check thoroughly unless they received something that would allow them to focus specifically.
“We have acquired much intelligence these past months when our officers have mixed with the Western Allies, as the capitalists have loose tongues. GRU and NKVD officer numbers have been substantially increased for every official liaison to assist in intelligence gathering but we must be careful to avoid causing suspicion for our Allies.”
“However, as part of our plan has been to reduce these liaisons for own operational security, as well as causing and provoking minor incidents to keep both sides more apart, there has been less opportunity for this sort of intelligence acquisition.”
Pekunin was very careful to keep his voice neutral in that delivery, as those mainly responsible for the plan to reduce interaction between the armies were listening to him now.
“The shooting down of the RAF planes yesterday evening will greatly affect relationships, as it was planned to do, but will certainly reduce the effectiveness of the liaisons in providing us with information, most certainly with our former comrades from Britain and her cronies.”
Pekunin handed the baton back to Beria.
“However, our agreement with the Western Allies regarding specific German prisoners is holding, and we have three groups touring their prison camps looking for war criminals. From Comrade Pekunin’s reports we have established some likely names for the symposium personnel and have yet to find any in the allies’ camps.”
“That in itself is disturbing Comrade General Secretary. We would have expected to find some of the names on our list by now.”
Stalin was inwardly amused as the two intelligence leaders presented a unique united front for his benefit and as it suited the party’s purpose, he would say nothing to disrupt it.
Beria concluded.
“In any case, we are sure to find something of note during these visits and liaisons, as well as through our own direct efforts. As you point out correctly, it is just a matter of time Comrade General Secretary and we must give Makarenko his three days.”
/> “Very well comrades, we must move on. But first tea”
The normal procedure of phone and orderly followed.
When the three of them were alone again Stalin puffed deeply on his pipe and spoke.
“Comrades, have the order for Operation Sumerechny [Twilight] sent out today for implementation immediately. I want the bastards out of the way or in the ground as soon as possible.”
Although neither of the other men was surprised, they exchanged glances.
Sumerechny was the codename for phase thirteen, the mass movement of German POW’s and general execution of officer prisoners.
Beria spoke first.
“We have made a further assessment Comrade General Secretary. Using the rolling stock that is bringing our forces to their rallying points to remove the prisoners, we can have most of the problem resolved before Kingdom initiates. Combined with those numbers for whom we intend different disposal, I anticipate the whole eastern area will be cleared, one way or another, by Day+8, provided there are no increased calls on NKVD or GRU troops in the interim. We have designated certain German prisoner groups as worker groups who will perform the labouring tasks required before they too join their comrades.”
“Comrade Marshall Beria and I have already agreed that we can transfer additional assets from our units in the Ukraine and elsewhere if necessary, allowing for the fact that that would slow down the resettlement programmes there.”
Looking at Beria for support, Pekunin continued.
“We have not actioned this yet but it is in line with your edict on priorities.”
It was only a few seconds silence as Stalin thought it through, but it seemed longer to the GRU officer.
“The Ukrainian monkeys can wait a while longer. Transfer the assets if it becomes necessary, ensuring sufficient left in place for security. I don’t want those damn Slavs starting anything that could damage our western operations.”
