Opening Moves

On arrival, they landed carefully and went about the business of finding their friends, dead or alive and preparing for the grim work that inevitably now lay ahead.

Operation Kurgan had enjoyed large-scale success and the allied air forces had been dealt crippling blows.

Chapter 42 – THE COMMANDERS

“A good run is better than a bad stand”

Irish proverb

0545 hrs Monday, 6th August 1945, Headquarters, US Forces in Europe. I.G.Farben, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany.

In the huge building, pandemonium broke out on receipt of Clark’s message. Staff and intelligence officers were noisily awoken by subordinates needing orders and as the time elapsed the higher was the rank of those whose rude awakening kick started the day from hell. Indecision piled on indecision until someone decided to rouse Eisenhower from his slumbers, which decision was given impetus by the sound of explosions when a Soviet air attack hammered one of the Frankfurt airbases.

Shaking the sleep from his eyes, the chain-smoking General of the Army lit the first cigarette of the day and started to organise the chaos around him, sending out the warning orders to his and allied commands. Even though he was now technically only responsible for the American zone in Germany, a contingency plan was in place for a reversion to the previous tried and successful SHAEF structure in an emergency, which Eisenhower reasoned this was. He initiated the reversion process immediately.

Visiting his headquarters at the time was Lieutenant-General Sir Richard McCreery. Presently commander of the British Forces in Austria, he and a number of senior Allied officers were staying in Frankfurt overnight, ready for a round of conferences and steering groups that week. Business in a peacetime army is conducted at a different pace and in a different style, which explained why Army and Corps commanders from all the allied nations started to arrive in the main headquarters to receive that most vital of military requirements; information.

The staff officers started to assimilate reports coming through from commands all over Europe and information started to flow through channels all the way up to the Supreme Commander.

Maps were annotated with information and the observing generals started to appreciate what was going on through the length and breadth of occupied Europe.

Some Army commanders saw what was happening, turned to their subordinates firing off a few quick orders, and sent their corps commanders packing immediately.

Intelligence officers briefed and re-briefed Eisenhower and the Senior Commanders repeatedly, changing estimates and intents as more facts and reports came in.

It was certainly apparent that this was a designed general assault stretching from Denmark to the Alps, with widespread attacks on headquarters, air force and intelligence facilities throughout the occupied lands.

Losses in men and equipment appeared severe and control had, to all intents and purposes, been lost.

It was this that posed Eisenhower his biggest problem, especially as he started to wrestle with it at the same time as the shocking report about Montgomery came in from Bad Oeynhausen.

Eisenhower beckoned McCreery to a quieter corner and the British Cavalry Officer moved to the Americans side, displaying the limp he had acquired during his Great War service, when he had lost toes from his right foot, gained a hole in his leg and the MC on his breast.

“Monty is down Dick. Not dead but he’s very bad.”

McCreery was a professional soldier with an excellent reputation for steadfastness and command ability. He was also a quiet man and mainly he kept his thoughts to himself. He merely breathed deeply and pursed his lips by way of response.

“Can General Winterton handle Austria for us?”

The query was accompanied by eyes probing for truth in the reply.

“Indeed he is capable Sir. Most competent.”

Eisenhower nodded and tossed himself a cigarette from his pack.

“In which case tell him he has Austria under Clarke. Priority is to preserve his forces intact until we can organise and stop the reds. Keep tied in on his flanks and no holes. Take out his bridges as he goes. Give up nothing he doesn’t have to but keep casualties to a minimum. I stress, preserve his force.”

A moment’s thought.

“Better tell him we have lost most of our air for now.”

Such a simple statement held so much meaning that was bad for the allies.

“I want you to take 21st.”

McCreery started to speak, on his way to registering the fact that 21st Army Group was an appointment within the purview of His Majesty’s Government.

Eisenhower smiled and stopped him short.

“We will sort out the niceties later. Now we need a commander in place.”

McCreery could not object to that reasoning.

“Same brief for you too.”

Turning back to face the hive of activity Ike gesticulated at the large situation map, already changed since they had moved away from it.