Post by Diarist on Sept 9, 2016 8:38:30 GMT 1
When we arrived at the Saffron Hotel nobody from TRADOC was there. We were a little early. We decided to go the HQ where we were heartily greeted by LG Gort. Edward now had my office and he looked very comfortable at my old desk. "Is the boss keeping you busy, Edward?"
"Very. I've received a message from Basil at Vickers. They are producing three tank prototypes with the 2-pdr gun and two ISV's with the 25-pdr gun."
"That's good news. Sending Basil there was the right decision. Do you have any correspondence for me?"
"You already have the armoured brigade information from Colchester, correct?"
"Not in writing," I answered.
"I'll have information for all four brigades tomorrow morning. I'm still missing the letter from 3rd Brigade."
John Gort came into the office. "There you are, Bob. Come on in. What's this about you going to Germany next month?"
"I'm just toying with the idea. I haven't mentioned anything to Sally or Winston yet. It would be a private visit and I'm not asking to meet anyone apart from Wilhelm and Heinz."
"You do know that you'll meet more people, don't you?"
"Of course. I haven't decided anything yet. I was asking if it would be possible. I'm travelling to Europe and the Middle East soon and I was thinking about visiting our friends on my way home."
"I see. Do you have anything planned this evening?"
"No. I suspect we'll end up in the hotel."
There was a knock on the door and Sally walked in. "So this is where you are hiding. I have a letter for Admiral Canaris."
"He's sitting there. Do you know what's in it?"
"I have a transcript, in German," giving it to me.
"Pretty much the same as our conversation last Friday evening. I do like the comment about Sudetenland. Shouldn't Austria have a greater claim there than Germany?"
"An interesting argument," Wilhelm commented.
"Darling, would you like to go to Berlin next month? We are invited."
"Would it be safe?"
"We're not at war with Germany and I believe that officially we have good relations at the moment."
"That's correct," Wilhelm said. "You would also be my guests."
"I'd like to go there but I can imagine that things have changed a lot in the last five years."
"They have indeed."
"I need to talk with Winston and the Foreign Office first though."
Edward told our guests that he has Croydon Airport on the telephone. "The weather report for tomorrow is satisfactory. Do you want to confirm your flight with Lufthansa, Admiral?"
"Yes, please," and left the office.
He returned a few minutes later. "The hotel this evening for a farewell drink?"
There was general agreement.
"Very. I've received a message from Basil at Vickers. They are producing three tank prototypes with the 2-pdr gun and two ISV's with the 25-pdr gun."
"That's good news. Sending Basil there was the right decision. Do you have any correspondence for me?"
"You already have the armoured brigade information from Colchester, correct?"
"Not in writing," I answered.
"I'll have information for all four brigades tomorrow morning. I'm still missing the letter from 3rd Brigade."
John Gort came into the office. "There you are, Bob. Come on in. What's this about you going to Germany next month?"
"I'm just toying with the idea. I haven't mentioned anything to Sally or Winston yet. It would be a private visit and I'm not asking to meet anyone apart from Wilhelm and Heinz."
"You do know that you'll meet more people, don't you?"
"Of course. I haven't decided anything yet. I was asking if it would be possible. I'm travelling to Europe and the Middle East soon and I was thinking about visiting our friends on my way home."
"I see. Do you have anything planned this evening?"
"No. I suspect we'll end up in the hotel."
There was a knock on the door and Sally walked in. "So this is where you are hiding. I have a letter for Admiral Canaris."
"He's sitting there. Do you know what's in it?"
"I have a transcript, in German," giving it to me.
"Pretty much the same as our conversation last Friday evening. I do like the comment about Sudetenland. Shouldn't Austria have a greater claim there than Germany?"
"An interesting argument," Wilhelm commented.
"Darling, would you like to go to Berlin next month? We are invited."
"Would it be safe?"
"We're not at war with Germany and I believe that officially we have good relations at the moment."
"That's correct," Wilhelm said. "You would also be my guests."
"I'd like to go there but I can imagine that things have changed a lot in the last five years."
"They have indeed."
"I need to talk with Winston and the Foreign Office first though."
Edward told our guests that he has Croydon Airport on the telephone. "The weather report for tomorrow is satisfactory. Do you want to confirm your flight with Lufthansa, Admiral?"
"Yes, please," and left the office.
He returned a few minutes later. "The hotel this evening for a farewell drink?"
There was general agreement.