Opening Moves

Anne-Marie, publically his personal secretary and privately de facto bodyguard, had similarly finished, but repeated the exercise until six originals and twelve carbon copies lay in a neat pile ready for their respective destinations. As she worked, De Walle speedily typed out his own letter on an adjacent table’s machine, matching the woman for speed and accuracy.

When both had finished the room was suddenly silent.

Valois arranged her copies and placed them on De Walle’s desk.

“Impressive.”

 She patted them gently, and moved to the stand where she poured a Perrier for herself and her boss.

De Walle could not help but agree with Valois’ simple assessment.

“Very much so. However, on another matter, Rettlinger may not be as committed as the others. Let everyone know please Anne-Marie.”

“Yes Chef.”

Four originals and eight carbons respectively were placed in an envelope, complete with the hand-written original, ready for delivery to the armoury. One triplicate set was then given its own envelope and also included was De Walle’s letter, all then handed to a dispatch rider summoned specifically for the purpose. He knew his destination and so immediately left the Château safe in the knowledge that, his Sergeant permitting, he would enjoy his girlfriend in Baden-Baden later that evening.

The final set of documents went into a small but impressively secure safe that had recently been fitted in the same office.

With the carbons in his hand, De Walle strode down the Hexagonal Stairs into the inner courtyard area and approached a small brazier lazily burning adjacent to the stone water cistern. Within a second, they were alight and would never give up the secrets they contained.

Chapter 11 – THE SYMPOSIUM

Great ability develops and reveals itself increasingly with every new assignment.

Balthasar Gracian

2000 hrs Saturday, 7th July 1945, The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace.

Dinner was excellent and the symposium members had eaten heartily, as well as availing themselves of a pleasant bottle of Edelzwicker. More than a bottle if the truth was known, although Knocke had but one glass. As the dining room was cleared around them, the party moved downstairs into the armoury and eased into the comfortable chairs arranged there. Around them was the paraphernalia of wars past, from halberds and pikes, swords and crossbows through to uniforms and armour.

De Walle took his allotted place, sitting at the front and Knocke stood, as always imposing in his black panzer uniform, and waited for everyone to settle. The evening sunlight softly illuminated the stained-glass window at his back, its armour-clad figure overseeing proceedings.

“Meine Herren, you may smoke if you wish.” A suitable pause later, he launched into his delivery from memory. “I will begin. Colloque Biarritz is a programme devised to provide experienced input on Red Army tactics across a range of disciplines to officers of the Allied armies up to and including Brigadier-General rank. The brief stated that the requirement was to deliver as much knowledge on Soviet tactics, specifically relating to ground combat and Soviet response and behaviour in combat as is possible in five days to a group of allied officers not exceeding eighteen. To do that successfully we are expected to deliver lectures.” Knocke’s voice took on the slightest of edges. “This is most unsatisfactory as a standalone method of learning and in our view must be accompanied by practical exercises or Kriegspiels. In order to focus the candidates on the task to hand it is proposed to clarify their learning needs and overcome their natural reluctance to accept input from such as us by conducting a gaming exercise. This will make each candidate more open to the concept that he has something to learn here. That is important.”

And for the first time Knocke displayed a small element of humour, albeit laced with the certainty that comes with absolute confidence in your own and others ability, “We are assuming our victory in the first round of Kriegspiel obviously”.

De Walle suddenly felt everyone focus on him but controlled himself to an acknowledging raised eyebrow and no more reaction than that.

“The specifications of four different all-arms scenarios will be available as soon as we are in possession of military maps of any area you choose. We suggest that we are given maps relative to the regions of origin of the candidates attending, again to help focus their minds on the task in hand.”

“We recommend that attending officers have a balanced skill and qualification range and definitely come from a good balance of arms. For example, it would not be advisable to have fourteen artillery officers and four from supply attend this course on the same cycle.”

A gentle nodding of De Walle’s head indicated that had already been considered but he logged the thought as it would not hurt to confirm that.