Young Lions by Andrew Mackay Read Free Book Online

that the interpreter had released when he had emptied his bowels wafted towards him.
    Beads of sweat had broken out on the German’s face and his whole body was shaking uncontrollably. He knew that he could expect little mercy after they had murdered the man and were preparing to rape the women. He raised himself to his full height, managed to control his shaking for a few seconds and stood at attention. “Dieter Drucker, Private, 24860143.” The German replied.
    “Wrong answer, Fritzie.”
    The bullets thudded into the interpreter’s belly and he toppled onto his back as dead as a dodo.
    The family was still grieving; crying over the body of the murdered man. A husband to the woman and a father to the girls. The man lay on his back with his fingers gripping the handle of the bayonet that had been plunged into his belly so tightly that his knuckles were white. His eyes were wide open and staring. He would not be the last Briton to die defending his family from the raping and pillaging enemy.
     
    “Is there anything that you would like to add to your report, Hauptsturmfuhrer Zorn?”
    Zorn couldn’t stop his hands from trembling. They seemed to have a life of their own. He was sweating like a pig. “No, sir.”
    Schuster sat ramrod straight in his chair and looked at Zorn like a hanging judge about to pass sentence. “Hauptsturmfuhrer Zorn, it is to your credit that your account of this incident more or less matches the reports written by your men. That is either a testimony to your honesty or to their loyalty.” He paused. “I suspect that it is a mixture of both. The Fuhrer, the S.S. and I need honest men and more importantly, officers who inspire loyalty in their men. Your men were prepared to fight and die alongside you in hopeless circumstances in order to preserve the honour of the S.S. You recovered your temper and you possessed the clarity of judgment and the presence of mind to make the correct decision. Although you lost face, you saved the lives of your men. Oberstleutnant von Schnakenberg has already been to see me and he has made his report. His account of the incident also supports your story.” Schuster paused.
    Zorn gulped. His throat felt dry. He was desperately trying to salivate. Here it comes, he thought. The axe is about to fall.
    “As you know, Hauptsturmfuhrer Zorn, the Army has no jurisdiction over the S.S., or else you would surely face a court martial on the charge of drawing a weapon on a superior office, in other words: mutiny.”
    Zorn’s legs were shaking uncontrollably. What deal had Schuster made with von Schnakenberg in order to prevent a scandal? Had he managed to stop the rift between the S.S. and the Wermacht from widening? Or had he been sold down the river?
    “I have assured Oberstleutnant von Schnakenberg that I will deal with the matter, Hauptsturmfuhrer Zorn, and he seems to be satisfied by my assurances.” That was an out and out lie. Von Schnakenberg had made it blatantly clear that he had no confidence in the S.S. judicial system. Schuster knew that von Schnakenberg would have a heart attack when he discovered how Zorn had been punished. “We cannot afford to have bad blood between the S.S. and the Army in Hereward, Hauptsturmfuhrer Zorn. It is therefore necessary to make an example of you.”
    Zorn held his breath. This was it. The end. This was the end of his military career and possibly his life as well. He tried to stretch an extra few inches to appear taller. The hangman’s noose would do a better job, he thought grimly.
    “With immediate effect, you are reduced in rank from Hauptsturmfuhrer to Obersturmfuhrer and you and your men will be transferred from the Fourth S.S. Regiment to the S.S. Military Police Company until further notice.” Schuster passed sentence. “Have you anything to say?”
    “No, sir.” Zorn’s legs were shaking.
    “Obersturmfuhrer Zorn,” Schuster said. Zorn grimaced as he heard himself being addressed by his new rank.
    “Yes,