Post by Diarist on May 25, 2019 21:53:54 GMT 1
I went to my office in the MoD first. There was surprisingly little paperwork in my In-Box. Apparently Sally's assistant had been collecting most of it daily and taken it to the MCD. I had a 30 min chat with Winston before walking across the road. He picked my brain about Palestine and I told him about my conversations with David ben Gurion and the Grand Mufti. He agreed with my opinion that we should support the Jewish groups in Palestine not the 'exiles' in London but how do we realize that?
At the MCD there have been a few changes. There is even a spiral staircase up to the next floor! I wasn't surprised to find a stack of documents on my desk so after greeting everyone, looking around and getting some coffee I started reading them. There is a report from the RAE about the R-2600 radial engines which I found particularly interesting after my discussions in Bavaria. I made a note to visit them this week. Also interesting was the report from Shephard and Turpin about the SAW and SMG. The latter will be entering production soon. I need to visit Scammel too. Their tender, the only one so far, for the light utility vehicle looks promising. Their other designs for lorries are also good. I need to look at their expansion plans.
The progress report from de Havilland about tackling the buffeting problem is especially interesting. They are applying the same changes to the Mosquito prototype which hasn't flown yet. I was just about finished when John Gort knocked on my door. I waved him in.
"There are some interesting reports here, John. It looks like we are making progress on several fronts."
"Indeed we are. I've just come from Winston and I've read your memorandums about your talks in Germany. They also appear to have the armour versus cavalry problem."
"They do. It was Guderian and I versus the rest. I met hs son in Würzburg. He's a Lieutenant in the 1st Panzer Regiment. A nice guy and we got on well together."
"Following in his father's footsteps. The second thing is that two German officers have arrived. Are they for TRADOC?"
"Do they have names?." He gave me a document. Their orders in German.
"No, they are for the Russian Section of SOE. Hopefully they have a bunch of maps with them. I recruited them in Berlin after our visit to Hamburg. Where are they?"
"In Sally's office. She knows one of them. Von Manstein?"
"Yes. We met him and his wife the first time I was in Berlin when Adolf was still running things over there." I called Sally and asked her to bring our guests to my office. "Erich, Reinhard. Willkommen in London. Good to see you here. You've met General Gort?"
"Yes we have. We went to the Ministry of Defence first. You have an office there too," Oberst Erich von Manstein answered, "but we shall be working here though, is that right?"
"That's correct but your office space is still being built. Where are you staying?"
"You mentioned an unofficial Officers Club north of London. Are there rooms available there?"
"I'll call and ask," Sally offered.
"Thanks, Sally. Have a seat, gentlemen. Coffee? It's good stuff."
"Gladly. It smells good," Hauptmann Reinhard Gehlen said.
"I wasn't expecting you so early but you are very welcome."
"You didn't receive our orders?"
"I've been overseas for a month. In fact I've just returned from Bavaria where I visited Prinz Rupprecht then Heinz Guderian. Did you see any orders, John?"
"No I didn't but if they were sent to the Ministry of Defence they could be anywhere."
Sally came back and told us that she has reserved a couple of rooms at the Saffron Hotel.
"Thankyou, Sally. Unfortunately I can't drive you there myself because we have a busy day here but we'll find someone to drive you. Sally, could you please ask at TRADOC if they could send someone in a Hillman to pick up our new colleagues?"
"Of course I can."
"It will be at least 30 minutes before a car arrives. Have you brought any maps with you?"
"We have maps of Russia from 1929. They have been sent by courier to the German Embassy. We also have maps of Poland. the Baltic States, Finland and Romania but they are older."
"That'll be fine for starters, Erich. While we are waiting let's take a look at where your offices will be."
I had to try the spiral staircase but to go to new SOE floor we had to use the stairs outside. The 3rd floor was very much a building site. SSG Hargreaves was there and after introductions I asked to see the plans.
"We shall need one large room for a maps room," I informed him.
"The layout is pretty much like our administration floor so there are two large rooms. May I suggest this room for the maps because there is plumbing access for the other one."
"That makes sense. We'll use it for conferences and a break room."
"This whole floor will be for the Russian Section?" Reinhard asked.
"Yes. You will need the space when more people arrive. A couple of Poles are already in country and will join you soon. They are still working at TRADOC. Russia is a high-priority project for us."
"Just like Germany was earlier?" Erich asked.
"No. Sorry if I disappoint you. We can talk about it later though. Let's go back downstairs. Sally should have your passes by now."
At the MCD there have been a few changes. There is even a spiral staircase up to the next floor! I wasn't surprised to find a stack of documents on my desk so after greeting everyone, looking around and getting some coffee I started reading them. There is a report from the RAE about the R-2600 radial engines which I found particularly interesting after my discussions in Bavaria. I made a note to visit them this week. Also interesting was the report from Shephard and Turpin about the SAW and SMG. The latter will be entering production soon. I need to visit Scammel too. Their tender, the only one so far, for the light utility vehicle looks promising. Their other designs for lorries are also good. I need to look at their expansion plans.
The progress report from de Havilland about tackling the buffeting problem is especially interesting. They are applying the same changes to the Mosquito prototype which hasn't flown yet. I was just about finished when John Gort knocked on my door. I waved him in.
"There are some interesting reports here, John. It looks like we are making progress on several fronts."
"Indeed we are. I've just come from Winston and I've read your memorandums about your talks in Germany. They also appear to have the armour versus cavalry problem."
"They do. It was Guderian and I versus the rest. I met hs son in Würzburg. He's a Lieutenant in the 1st Panzer Regiment. A nice guy and we got on well together."
"Following in his father's footsteps. The second thing is that two German officers have arrived. Are they for TRADOC?"
"Do they have names?." He gave me a document. Their orders in German.
"No, they are for the Russian Section of SOE. Hopefully they have a bunch of maps with them. I recruited them in Berlin after our visit to Hamburg. Where are they?"
"In Sally's office. She knows one of them. Von Manstein?"
"Yes. We met him and his wife the first time I was in Berlin when Adolf was still running things over there." I called Sally and asked her to bring our guests to my office. "Erich, Reinhard. Willkommen in London. Good to see you here. You've met General Gort?"
"Yes we have. We went to the Ministry of Defence first. You have an office there too," Oberst Erich von Manstein answered, "but we shall be working here though, is that right?"
"That's correct but your office space is still being built. Where are you staying?"
"You mentioned an unofficial Officers Club north of London. Are there rooms available there?"
"I'll call and ask," Sally offered.
"Thanks, Sally. Have a seat, gentlemen. Coffee? It's good stuff."
"Gladly. It smells good," Hauptmann Reinhard Gehlen said.
"I wasn't expecting you so early but you are very welcome."
"You didn't receive our orders?"
"I've been overseas for a month. In fact I've just returned from Bavaria where I visited Prinz Rupprecht then Heinz Guderian. Did you see any orders, John?"
"No I didn't but if they were sent to the Ministry of Defence they could be anywhere."
Sally came back and told us that she has reserved a couple of rooms at the Saffron Hotel.
"Thankyou, Sally. Unfortunately I can't drive you there myself because we have a busy day here but we'll find someone to drive you. Sally, could you please ask at TRADOC if they could send someone in a Hillman to pick up our new colleagues?"
"Of course I can."
"It will be at least 30 minutes before a car arrives. Have you brought any maps with you?"
"We have maps of Russia from 1929. They have been sent by courier to the German Embassy. We also have maps of Poland. the Baltic States, Finland and Romania but they are older."
"That'll be fine for starters, Erich. While we are waiting let's take a look at where your offices will be."
I had to try the spiral staircase but to go to new SOE floor we had to use the stairs outside. The 3rd floor was very much a building site. SSG Hargreaves was there and after introductions I asked to see the plans.
"We shall need one large room for a maps room," I informed him.
"The layout is pretty much like our administration floor so there are two large rooms. May I suggest this room for the maps because there is plumbing access for the other one."
"That makes sense. We'll use it for conferences and a break room."
"This whole floor will be for the Russian Section?" Reinhard asked.
"Yes. You will need the space when more people arrive. A couple of Poles are already in country and will join you soon. They are still working at TRADOC. Russia is a high-priority project for us."
"Just like Germany was earlier?" Erich asked.
"No. Sorry if I disappoint you. We can talk about it later though. Let's go back downstairs. Sally should have your passes by now."