Young Lions by Andrew Mackay Read Free Book Online Page B

Square.
    “We’ll get him, sir.” Lindau tried to reassure von Schnakenberg but he was painfully aware of how lame and inadequate his words sounded. “Don’t you worry, sir.”
    “I’ve no doubt that we will, Freddy, but how?”
    “Ah, Generalmajor Wurth,” von Schnakenberg said suddenly, squeezing Lindau’s arm as Wurth walked up behind him. “What a pleasant surprise to see you.” Von Schnakenberg and Lindau both saluted.
    “Good afternoon, Oberstleutnant, Major Lindau.” Wurth returned the salute and shook their hands. “Just been in to see Brigadefuhrer Schuster?”
    “Yes, sir.” Von Schnakenberg was embarrassed to think that Wurth might know of his humiliating treatment at the hands of Schuster. Bad news traveled fast.
    “I trust that you found the Brigadefuhrer as charming as ever?” Wurth smiled before his face darkened grimly. “I heard about that business with Zorn through the grapevine. Goering and Himmler are not exactly the best of friends, Oberstleutnant and the Field Marshall has eyes and ears in all sorts of places. Including the S.S.”
    “I see.”
    “Care for a spot of sight seeing, gentlemen?” Wurth walked away without waiting for an answer. He knew that von Schnakenberg and Lindau would follow. “There’s a lot here that I want to show you. And tell you.”
    They followed Wurth down a street leading from the Square. Two of Wurth’s paratroopers walked a few paces ahead and two of von Schnakenberg’s Grenadiers walked a few paces behind forming a bodyguard. They were out of hearing but not out of sight, keeping potential enemies as well as potential eavesdroppers at a distance.
    “I also know about the massacre at Fairfax,” Wurth whispered. Von Schnakenberg and Lindau both stopped walking. They were thrown off balance by the shock of Wurth’s revelation.
    “How did you find out?” Von Schnakenberg asked, wide eyed with surprise.
    “What is important is not ‘how’ I know, but ‘what’ I know,” Wurth answered. “I have been expressly ordered by Field Marshall Goering to produce a full and comprehensive report on the massacres at Fairfax.”
    “Why?” Lindau asked.
    “On a need to know basis, Major, you don’t need to know, but since we’re all Grenadiers, I will elaborate. Follow me.”
    The men walked for five minutes up the High Street until they came to the sandstone pillars and iron gate of St. John’s Academy. The gates were open. Wurth led the way through. It was a Saturday and the school was deserted. They walked along the main path entering a beautiful cobblestone encrusted courtyard. Classrooms looked down upon the courtyard and crossed over an enclosed bridge that led over the River Ouse.
    “What a lot of people don’t know was that Queen Elizabeth built the school on the site of a Norman motte and bailey castle.” Wurth pointed at the river. “The Ouse forms part of the motte.What do you think about the keep, Oberstleutnant?” Wurth asked.
    “It’s magnificent,” von Schnakenberg answered.
    “Go on,” Wurth encouraged.
    “A magnificent piece of engineering,” von Schnakenberg continued. “Built on top of an artificial mound of earth constructed by slave labour made up of the local English peasantry. Superb view of the surrounding countryside and all round fields of fire. Effectively protected by the moat on three sides.”
    “Anything else?” Wurth prompted.
    Lindau thought for a moment. “No, sir. Am I missing something?” He turned around to face Wurth.
    “Look at the Coat of Arms above the main entrance. What do you notice?”
    “An eagle on a shield. An eagle with outstretched wings on a shield. An Imperial eagle.”
    “Yes. An eagle just like the one on the flag.” Wurth pointed at the swastika fluttering from the flagpole on top of the castle keep. Von Schnakenberg noticed that Wurth had said ‘the flag’ and not ‘our flag.’ Was Wurth subconsciously indicating what his attitude was towards the Nazis? Or maybe it was