SAVE THEM OR SILENCE THEM.

I HAD received my orders direct from the chief. My squad had to bring the head of the  resistance movement and his granddaughter out of Estonia or make sure that he would not talk to the KGB. He had been compromised and everyone eventually talked in Lubyanka. I looked at his photograph and thought that he looked just like everybody’s grandfather. It was easy for the chief to give this order, he did not have to carry it out. I decided not to pass the order to my snipes., but carry it out myself if it proved necessary. It was enough that it would be on my conscience, without my team having to carry the same guilt.

We boarded the submarine at Faslane and travelled to our destination. We landed on the beach in four folbots and one dinghy and advanced to form a defensive line along the riverbank. Brum placed a charge on the bridge.

A ramshackle old car appeared at dawn driving furiously for the bridge. It was pursued by two Zils. This had to be our target, The Russians were closing the distance and I realised that they would be caught on the beach. Their car simply did not have the traction to cross the sand.

The car crossed the bridge and was immediately slowed down by the sand. I tapped Brum on the shoulder as the leading Zil reached the centre of the bridge. He detonated his device and the car flew into the air. There was no other crossing place for 20 miles either way.

Russians poured from the second Zil and opened fire on the fugitives. We returned fire and forced them to stop shooting.

The car finally bellied down in the sand and a sent three men to help the resistance people. The returned almost dragging the old man. He was completely exhausted. His granddaughter walked proudly by his side refusing all offers of help. She was one of the most gorgeous girls that I have ever seen.

Swiftly assessing the situation, I began to give my orders.

            “Jock, piggy-back the old timer down to the boats. Dancer, you escort the young lady. Paddy, go with them. Board the dinghy and paddle out. We will cover you the rest of you form a skirmish line either side of me and move backwards to the boats.

I waited for Jock, Dancer, and Paddy to reach the dinghy and begin to paddle out.

We moved backwards putting down suppressing fire and moved slowly towards the shoreline. We reached the beach and climbed into the four folbots and followed our people.

The submarine surfaced and we boarded it The old man was taken immediately to the skipper’s berth for medical attention. The swarmed lightly aboard, helped by Dancer who had chatted her up. I had sent the wrong man. I had designs on her myself.

We got the boats aboard and sailed for England. I received a message that the old man wanted to see me and went through to the skipper’s berth. The girl was standing next to him and looking worried.

“Young man, You would have had orders to kill me if necessary.”

“Yes sir, I did.”

“Would you have carried those orders out?”

“Yes sir, I never passed the order to my people. It is enough that I would have had your death on my conscience without them having it on theirs.”

“Corporal, you are a good man. If you had to kill me and carried out your orders, I would have died blessing you. I could not be capture, neither could my granddaughter. I know too much about the Estonian Resistance and Everyone talks in Lubyanka. The British have sent their best man. Thank you.”

“We will soon be in Britain.”

I saluted and left. He returned my salute.

He was taken by stretcher straight from Faslane and again saluted me as he left. It was the last time that I ever saw him, but I have never forgotten him.

I only hope that I am as good a man as he was.