Post by Diarist on Oct 27, 2015 12:52:36 GMT 1
Yesterday Admiral Canaris called the hotel to say that the four officers will be arriving at Croydon Aerodrome from Templehof, Berlin on Friday at 13:00. I have reserved four rooms at the Saffron hotel and have reserved two of our Hillmans to collect them. That's tomorrow!
The four officers are:
Oberst Heinz Guderian - CoS, Inspectorate of Motorized Troops,
Oberst Rudolf Veiel - Commander, 18th Cavalry Regiment,
Oberst Ferdinand Schaal - Commander, 16th Cavalry Regiment,
Oberstleutnant Erwin Rommel - Commander, 3rd Jäger Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment.
We have asked the Intelligence guys to give us information about our guests.
I spent this morning with General Gort at the MoD to discuss the Eritrean operation and to receive authorizations/instructions. The plan has been approved by the General Staff and I have received the temporary-rank of Major for the duration of the mission, Our unit is assigned to Combined Operations HQ in Alexandria - that's Commander Mountbatten's HQ! Major Aude Wingate will contact me in Khartoum to arrange a possible joint operation. The 7th Bn, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in Khartoum will provide the reinforcements to be air-transported once we have captured the airfield. Once the remainder of 154th Bde arrives we shall be flown back to Alexandria via Khartoum.
I don't get extra pay for the promotion but I do for being on jump status. Also I am still a captain in England.
I'll be taking Major Collins to London tomorrow because he'll be doing the Lisbon courier service permanently now. I'll also be taking Sally because she speaks fluent German - and it's an excuse to be with her.