Post by Diarist on Jun 28, 2016 11:45:19 GMT 1
Since I am the only one not expecting troops to arrive I've been volunteered to receive our guests and bring them to the former forward HQ, or as it is now called, the Visitors Centre. After the Valentia had taxied to its assigned space Gp Capt Blount and I greeted our guests. Gp Capt Blount is the Commandant, School of Army Co-operation, which is located here. After a few introductions Winston Churchill told GEN Craig that I'm the young man who heads his TRADOC Annex at the MoD. I saluted crisply, "MAJ Bob Carter, Sir."
He returned the salute, "Malin Craig, U.S. Army Chief of Staff. Winston Churchill has told me a lot about you."
"Then you have an advantage over me, Sir. When he told me he would be bringing Malin Craig I had no idea who he was talking about. Have you been keeping a low profile, Sir?"
"I was in Panama then at the Army War College before my current assignment. That's rarely in the headlines. I hear you have some of my officers here."
"That's correct, Sir. COL van Voorhis was the forward commander here during the preparation phase but since the weekend he has assumed command of a combat brigade. Then there is LTC Patton who is commanding the Heavy Brigade. The other U.S. personnel are at TRADOC HQ north of London."
"What do you have planned, Bob?" General Gort asked.
"Gp Capt Blount would like to introduce you to a couple of squadron leaders who are assigned to Blue forces. After that we have a bus to take you to our Visitor Centre, the former forward HQ. It's a comfortable country hotel-restaurant. We have rooms reserved for you."
Sqn Ldr's West and Musgrave-Whitman from the 4th and 16th Squadrons were introduced and they in turn presented their Hawker Audax aircraft, one from each squadron. I then introduced Wing Commander Bill Sowrey, 70th Squadron, Commanding. The third Blue forces squadron. LG Gort explained the composition of both forces. I motioned Bill to join us. On the bus I was sitting near to Winston Churchill.
"I glad you decided to visit the Good Guys. We're not quite sure who the Red forces are, Bolsheviks maybe. We've heard rumours that Stalin is visiting them."
"Let's call them Opposing Forces, Bob. Is everything prepared?"
"As good as we can be, Mr. Secretary. Most of our manoeuvre forces are just arriving and will be deployed under cover of darkness this evening."
"You are deploying straight from the barracks?" GEN Craig asked.
"The personnel, yes. The heavy equipment arrived over the weekend at Salisbury and has been reorganized so that they can be turned over to the troops as they arrive. We do have pre-positioned stocks of supplies at their starting locations. This way the opposing forces have no way of deducing our plan by analysing our dispositions."
"Interesting, but it does sound complicated."
"Not at all, General. We rehearsed it in NW Italy last month." Laughter followed.
Thirty minutes later we arrived at the hotel and our guests who would be staying overnight were shown their rooms.
"It looks like we'll have good weather tonight?" I said to Bill.
"Clear skies with light winds from the SW." We'd entered the map room.
"This is your first bombing target unless something else crops up." I pointed to the HQ of 4th Bde and the vehicle park with a lot of their artillery ready to move. "These are from yesterday but we should have today's photos before we leave Duxford tonight."
GEN Craig approached and asked what my role is in this exercise.
"I'm commanding an airborne force and our mission is to neutralize the 2nd Infantry Division's HQ at Maiden Bradly, here. Five of Bill's aircraft are transporting us. COL van Voorhis is here with his Combat Command, LTC Patton's brigade will deployed here and will attack along this route and will hopefully link up with my force. The third brigade covers his right flank advancing along this axis. We have to go back to RAF Duxford to pick up my parachute unit. That's LTC Patton. George, a moment of your precious time, please. May I introduce GEN Malin Craig, your new Army CoS on the other side of the pond."
"So you are LG Smith? I've heard about you and your antics."
"Benito Mussolini has heard of me too, General."
"You satisfied with the plan?"
"Very much, Sir. The 2nd ID will get its butt kicked, General."
I saw Churchill at the bar. I excused myself.
"Mr. Secretary, Henry here says that this is good champagne, would you agree?"
"Indeed it is."
"I've asked him to reserve a case for tomorrow evening. Are you interested in a wager, Sir?"
"Let me here it."
"If General Wavell has surrendered before midday then you pay for it. If he surrenders afterwards then I pay. What say you, Sir?"
"Midday not tea-time, Bob?" General Gort enquired.
"Midday, Sir. That right, George? It'll be over before lunch?"
"Third grade!"
"I admire your confidence, Bob and I accept the wager."
"You are not allowed to talk to General Wavell or his staff."
"Of course not."
"I have to fly back to Duxford to join my airborne force. Colonels Patton and Crerar will present the plan here then the bus will take you to Boyton where COL van Voorhis and his Combat Command are located. Until tomorrow, gentlemen."
Before I left I asked General Gort to ensure they go to Boyton, GEN Craig too. Then I whispered, "What Winston Churchill doesn't know is that we are planning a Champagne breakfast."
He returned the salute, "Malin Craig, U.S. Army Chief of Staff. Winston Churchill has told me a lot about you."
"Then you have an advantage over me, Sir. When he told me he would be bringing Malin Craig I had no idea who he was talking about. Have you been keeping a low profile, Sir?"
"I was in Panama then at the Army War College before my current assignment. That's rarely in the headlines. I hear you have some of my officers here."
"That's correct, Sir. COL van Voorhis was the forward commander here during the preparation phase but since the weekend he has assumed command of a combat brigade. Then there is LTC Patton who is commanding the Heavy Brigade. The other U.S. personnel are at TRADOC HQ north of London."
"What do you have planned, Bob?" General Gort asked.
"Gp Capt Blount would like to introduce you to a couple of squadron leaders who are assigned to Blue forces. After that we have a bus to take you to our Visitor Centre, the former forward HQ. It's a comfortable country hotel-restaurant. We have rooms reserved for you."
Sqn Ldr's West and Musgrave-Whitman from the 4th and 16th Squadrons were introduced and they in turn presented their Hawker Audax aircraft, one from each squadron. I then introduced Wing Commander Bill Sowrey, 70th Squadron, Commanding. The third Blue forces squadron. LG Gort explained the composition of both forces. I motioned Bill to join us. On the bus I was sitting near to Winston Churchill.
"I glad you decided to visit the Good Guys. We're not quite sure who the Red forces are, Bolsheviks maybe. We've heard rumours that Stalin is visiting them."
"Let's call them Opposing Forces, Bob. Is everything prepared?"
"As good as we can be, Mr. Secretary. Most of our manoeuvre forces are just arriving and will be deployed under cover of darkness this evening."
"You are deploying straight from the barracks?" GEN Craig asked.
"The personnel, yes. The heavy equipment arrived over the weekend at Salisbury and has been reorganized so that they can be turned over to the troops as they arrive. We do have pre-positioned stocks of supplies at their starting locations. This way the opposing forces have no way of deducing our plan by analysing our dispositions."
"Interesting, but it does sound complicated."
"Not at all, General. We rehearsed it in NW Italy last month." Laughter followed.
Thirty minutes later we arrived at the hotel and our guests who would be staying overnight were shown their rooms.
"It looks like we'll have good weather tonight?" I said to Bill.
"Clear skies with light winds from the SW." We'd entered the map room.
"This is your first bombing target unless something else crops up." I pointed to the HQ of 4th Bde and the vehicle park with a lot of their artillery ready to move. "These are from yesterday but we should have today's photos before we leave Duxford tonight."
GEN Craig approached and asked what my role is in this exercise.
"I'm commanding an airborne force and our mission is to neutralize the 2nd Infantry Division's HQ at Maiden Bradly, here. Five of Bill's aircraft are transporting us. COL van Voorhis is here with his Combat Command, LTC Patton's brigade will deployed here and will attack along this route and will hopefully link up with my force. The third brigade covers his right flank advancing along this axis. We have to go back to RAF Duxford to pick up my parachute unit. That's LTC Patton. George, a moment of your precious time, please. May I introduce GEN Malin Craig, your new Army CoS on the other side of the pond."
"So you are LG Smith? I've heard about you and your antics."
"Benito Mussolini has heard of me too, General."
"You satisfied with the plan?"
"Very much, Sir. The 2nd ID will get its butt kicked, General."
I saw Churchill at the bar. I excused myself.
"Mr. Secretary, Henry here says that this is good champagne, would you agree?"
"Indeed it is."
"I've asked him to reserve a case for tomorrow evening. Are you interested in a wager, Sir?"
"Let me here it."
"If General Wavell has surrendered before midday then you pay for it. If he surrenders afterwards then I pay. What say you, Sir?"
"Midday not tea-time, Bob?" General Gort enquired.
"Midday, Sir. That right, George? It'll be over before lunch?"
"Third grade!"
"I admire your confidence, Bob and I accept the wager."
"You are not allowed to talk to General Wavell or his staff."
"Of course not."
"I have to fly back to Duxford to join my airborne force. Colonels Patton and Crerar will present the plan here then the bus will take you to Boyton where COL van Voorhis and his Combat Command are located. Until tomorrow, gentlemen."
Before I left I asked General Gort to ensure they go to Boyton, GEN Craig too. Then I whispered, "What Winston Churchill doesn't know is that we are planning a Champagne breakfast."