Post by Diarist on Jun 21, 2016 14:53:27 GMT 1
We embarked on HMS Ajax a good hour before it left Portsmouth. We had lots of time to discuss Keynes' document as well as our plans for the FTX. The original plan was to capture the divisional HQ but now we are thinking about capturing 5th Brigade's HQ as well. We have twelve Valentia's available and we need two aircraft per platoon. We have four parachute platoons so that leaves four aircraft for other missions. We still have two weeks to locate lucrative targets.
We arrived in Lisbon at 08:30 local time and were transferred to the hotel by Embassy security personnel. General Gort went to his room while I asked the manager if there was anybody here from Germany. He showed me the sign-in register and I was surprised at what I saw. I asked if they are in the hotel and was told to try the breakfast room. Erwin Rommel was sitting with presumably his wife and children. I walked to the table and sat next to Erwin. He introduced me to his wife Lucie, his daughter Gertrude and his son Manfred.
"I was expecting Admiral Canaris."
"He sends his greetings. We're here because we want to go to England," Rommel said. Just like that.
"Canaris knows?"
"Yes."
"So what's your story?"
"We're on vacation for three weeks before I start my new assignment. I won't have time for a vacation then."
"I see. You'll have to disappear." They had finished their breakfast so I took Erwin to General Gort's room and asked his family to stay in their room(s). I had signalled one of the security personnel to join us.
"Look who is here, complete with wife and children," I said in German.
"I also have the money from selling my house," Erwin added.
"And you want to smuggle that into England, Erwin?"
That would be a great start. To be honest I don't know the rules. So I called my father in London and asked which bank do we do business with in Lisbon and he named the Banco Nacional Ultramarino. They have a subsiduary in London and we own half of it. He said he would call the manager in Lisbon to warn him of my visit. I asked the man from the Embassy how easy would it be to get British travel documents so that they can legally enter Britain. Apparently they can get emergency passports because their current ones were stolen.
First they had their photos taken then Erwin and I went to the Portuguese bank. Erwin had no passport so I opened an account in Lisbon and an account in the Anglo-Portuguese Bank and transferred the money.
We had our meals brought to our rooms during the day. As soon as it started getting dark we were brought to the port then transferred to the Ajax. So ended a day full of surprises.
We arrived in Lisbon at 08:30 local time and were transferred to the hotel by Embassy security personnel. General Gort went to his room while I asked the manager if there was anybody here from Germany. He showed me the sign-in register and I was surprised at what I saw. I asked if they are in the hotel and was told to try the breakfast room. Erwin Rommel was sitting with presumably his wife and children. I walked to the table and sat next to Erwin. He introduced me to his wife Lucie, his daughter Gertrude and his son Manfred.
"I was expecting Admiral Canaris."
"He sends his greetings. We're here because we want to go to England," Rommel said. Just like that.
"Canaris knows?"
"Yes."
"So what's your story?"
"We're on vacation for three weeks before I start my new assignment. I won't have time for a vacation then."
"I see. You'll have to disappear." They had finished their breakfast so I took Erwin to General Gort's room and asked his family to stay in their room(s). I had signalled one of the security personnel to join us.
"Look who is here, complete with wife and children," I said in German.
"I also have the money from selling my house," Erwin added.
"And you want to smuggle that into England, Erwin?"
That would be a great start. To be honest I don't know the rules. So I called my father in London and asked which bank do we do business with in Lisbon and he named the Banco Nacional Ultramarino. They have a subsiduary in London and we own half of it. He said he would call the manager in Lisbon to warn him of my visit. I asked the man from the Embassy how easy would it be to get British travel documents so that they can legally enter Britain. Apparently they can get emergency passports because their current ones were stolen.
First they had their photos taken then Erwin and I went to the Portuguese bank. Erwin had no passport so I opened an account in Lisbon and an account in the Anglo-Portuguese Bank and transferred the money.
We had our meals brought to our rooms during the day. As soon as it started getting dark we were brought to the port then transferred to the Ajax. So ended a day full of surprises.