Cast No Shadow, Peter Sharp [books to get back into reading txt] 📗

means of communication between Grense and the plant. Radios were useless because of the terrain. Therefore, the element of surprise could be maintained.

Three troop, plus seven of the eight SBS team under Owen, Nash and Taylor, would secure Grense, whilst one and five troops under Foley and Kelly would head for the plant.

There were a number of questions about detail when the briefing was concluded, after which Foley dismissed the team with a shake of Gareth Owen’s hand.

“Well, what do you think, Dan? Is it do-able?” asked Owen.

“Eminently,” answered Kelly. “We will need a bit of luck on our side, but after Dieppe we probably deserve that. What about you Tom? What are your feelings on this?”

“I have total confidence in the team they have assembled for this raid, but it’s the unknowns that bother me. The weather when we get there. The disposition of the Germans between Grense and the plant. They are reported to be at about company strength with one troop in Grense and two at the plant. If that is the case then, with the element of surprise, we should succeed. However, if the Germans get wind of the raid, or if somehow, they can get a message to the plant from Grense when that show begins, we could be up against it.”

Tom Foley pondered for a moment and spoke again, “As you know Dan, without the element of surprise we wouldn’t normally mount an attack against a company with anything less than a full commando unit.” He paused, then shrugged. “Anyway, all of this will soon be academic; we crash out in two weeks’ time.”

Norway Again

The journey out from Devonport had been on a merchantman, as part of an Archangel bound convey. Thankfully it had been uneventful. As always on this run, as Kelly knew well, the tension was almost tangible, but there had been no incidents. The marines had of necessity remained below deck for most of the journey, trying to keep fit and amuse themselves as best they could.

As they had rounded the north of Norway, Kelly had spent some time on the bridge. He’d asked the officer manning the bridge at the time to let him know when they were passing Grense. As they’d turned in starboard to enter Volokovaya Bay, the bridge officer had called, “Grense will be off the starboard bow when we turn to port.”

Kelly had strained to see as the convoy manoeuvred themselves, ready to enter the bay. There were a number of merchantmen and warships between his own ship and the shore, but through the gaps he’d been able to make out the lights of Grense, twinkling in the frost. He’d searched for the first light on the right of the village, the northwest. That would be Sybilla and Gunnar. Would he see Sybilla? He had to!

That had been the night before.

The convoy had anchored in Volokovaya Bay, in Russian waters, and the SBS team had transferred to the submarine for the short journey back to Grense.

Now the moment had come for phase one of the raid. The submarine was within about five hundred yards of the shore, dangerously close, but to minimise the chance of discovery they had decided to swim the shorter distance rather than paddle kayaks from further out.

Kelly and his team climbed out of the submarine hatch and onto the deck, slippery with water and oil.

Sitting on the deck, they adjusted their fins and breathing apparatus, checking each other’s equipment. On Kelly’s signal they slid quietly into the water and swam on the surface for about two hundred yards, keeping their fins submerged to avoid splash. Kelly signalled again and they submerged and swam a further two hundred yards until they reached the reef that had previously saved Kelly’s life.

They surfaced slowly, showing only their heads above the water. Kelly lifted his arm out of the water and indicated that he wanted the teams to disperse. They split into teams of three, and then each team submerged in turn and made for their pre-arranged objective. Delta team, led by Kelly, was the last to go. He and his other two team members, Corporal Allen and Marine Smith, headed for the north west of the town.

They were only submerged for a few minutes when Kelly felt the bottom. Remaining submerged, he stopped and waited for about thirty seconds, then slowly raised his head out of the water. One head was already up, mask off, surveying the shore. After a few seconds the third appeared. Kelly took off his own mask and motioned Smith to do the same. They stayed in position until Kelly felt as certain as he could be that they were not being observed.

Kelly tapped Allen’s shoulder and the corporal immediately, but slowly, moved forward to take up a position at the bottom of the very slip Kelly had climbed onto during his previous ‘visit’.

How long ago was that? It seemed a lifetime.

Allen had removed his fins and was removing his Sten from his waterproof pack. He peered around the slip until he was satisfied before signalling to the others to join him.

Kelly moved to the left-hand side of the slip with Allen, while Smith took up a position on the right-hand side. Kelly waited until he and Smith had removed their fins and armed themselves, then the three crept slowly up the slip, keeping as close as possible to the walls. They reached the cottage of the Thorstaadts and melted into the shadows of the side wall. Kelly’s heart skipped a beat as he touched the wall. So close.

There were no lights on in the building and no sounds from within. Kelly pictured them, asleep in their separate beds. He forced his mind back into focus and, lying full length, peered around the side of the building to observe the crèche, some five hundred yards away. Lights were on, but it was too dark to make out any detail.

There were three houses on the road up to the crèche,