Opening Moves (The Red Gambit Series) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Opening Moves

  Overview by Author Colin Gee

  Author’s note.

  Book Dedication

  Chapter & Sub-Chapter list

  The Foreword

  Chapter 1 - ‘THE DECISION’

  Chapter 2 – THE SPY.

  Chapter 3 –THE FRENZY

  Chapter 4 –THE INFORMATION

  Chapter 5 – THE LEGIONNAIRE

  Chapter 6 – THE LEGEND

  Chapter 7 – THE MEETING

  Chapter 8 – THE BOMBSHELLS

  Chapter 9 – THE RELOCATION

  Chapter 10 – THE KAMERADEN

  Chapter 11 – THE SYMPOSIUM

  Chapter 12 – THE PROVOCATIONS

  Chapter 13 – THE MISTAKE

  Chapter 14 – THE REPORT

  Chapter 15 – THE GERMAN

  Chapter 16 – THE UNDERSTANDING

  Chapter 17 – THE CANARY

  Chapter 18 – THE INTRODUCTION

  Chapter 19 – THE ERRORS

  Chapter 22 – THE BROTHERHOOD

  Chapter 23 – THE REPORTS

  Chapter 24 – THE EXECUTIONS

  Chapter 25 – THE BOY

  Chapter 26 – THE PARATROOPER

  Chapter 27 – THE CHANCE

  Chapter 28 – THE DATE

  Chapter 29 – THE CAMP

  Chapter 30 – THE AIRCRAFT

  Chapter 31 – THE OPPORTUNITY

  Chapter 32 – THE RAILWAY

  Chapter 33 – THE RAILYARD

  Chapter 34 – THE DANUBE

  Chapter 35 – THE PEACE

  Chapter 36 – THE GENERAL

  Chapter 37 – THE ZILANTS

  Chapter 38 – THE CHTEAU

  Chapter 39 – THE BALTIC

  Chapter 40 – THE ATTACK

  CHAPTER 41 – THE PILOT

  CHAPTER 42 – THE COMMANDERS

  CHAPTER 43 – THE BETRAYAL

  CHAPTER 44 – THE COUNCIL

  CHAPTER 45 – THE ANNOUNCEMENT

  CHAPTER 46 – THE GENERALISSIMO

  CHAPTER 47 – THE NIGHT

  CHAPTER 48 – THE RIPOSTES

  CHAPTER 49 – THE WEAKNESS?

  CHAPTER 50 – THE PLAN

  CHAPTER 51 – THE HORRORS

  CHAPTER 52 – THE FRENCH

  CHAPTER 53 – THE RATHAUS

  CHAPTER 54 – THE STORM

  List of figures.

  Bibliography

  Glossary

  About the Author.

  ‘Stalemate’ - the story continues.

  Chapter 55 – The Wave.

  Opening Moves

  The First book in the ‘Red Gambit’ series

  12th JUNE TO 13th AUGUST 1945

  WRITTEN BY COLIN GEE

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher and copyright holder. The author has asserted the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

  Series Dedication

  The Red Gambit series of five books is dedicated to my grandfather, the boss-fellah, Jack ‘Chalky’ White, Chief Petty Officer [Engine Room] RN, my de facto father until his untimely death from cancer in 1983 and a man who, along with many millions of others, participated in the epic of history that we know as World War Two. Their efforts and sacrifices made it possible for us to read of it, in freedom, today.

  Thank you, for everything.

  Overview by Author Colin Gee

  The general concept of these books addresses the fears of war-weary nations in 1945.

  The World War was drawing to a close, with solely the Empire of Japan to vanquish and yet, in the hour of triumph, the European victors stood facing each other across the ravaged terrain of their former German foe, not in friendship, but in worry and suspicion.

  There was a genuine fear amongst some allied servicemen and public alike that the communist Red Army, much vaunted during the years of the struggle against Nazism, and so very obviously capable and professional, would continue its crushing advance to the shores of the Atlantic itself.

  On the Soviet side, similar concerns and fears were realised in different ways, as all that could be seen was a relatively unblooded group of capitalist nations posturing and dictating to a Rodina that had spilt so much blood in everyone’s name. As I progressed in my research, I found a number of things that could have given the Soviets reason to doubt the alliance and feel threatened. Much of what is set before you in the lead up to the conflict has a basis in fact.

  Neither side’s soldiers wished for more combat, for most had seen enough to last a thousand lifetimes. Despite that, and somewhat perversely, it seems that it was the Soviet soldier who was more prepared to continue against former allies, despite the immense sacrifices he and his Motherland had already endured. Political indoctrination played a great part in that obviously, as much about Western Europe and America had been criticised and held as false.

  That what developed became known to all as ‘The Cold War’ is an historical fact. However, what could have happened is laid out in these books as if the reader is taking onboard a factual account of those difficult days. Indeed, much of the book, leading up to hostilities is based upon accepted facts, probably more than the reader might care to believe.

  It is not my intention to do anything other than to illustrate that there are no bad peoples, just bad people. It is my hope that the reader will be able to see the strengths and weaknesses of the characters and be able to appreciate the qualities each brings forth, regardless of the nation or group to which the individual belongs.

  We must all give thanks that it never happened but may possibly wonder what might have come to pass had it all gone badly wrong in that hot European summer of 1945.

  I have deliberately written nothing that can be attributed to that greatest of Englishmen, Sir Winston Churchill. I considered myself neither capable nor worthy to attempt to convey what he might have thought or said in my own words.

  My profound thanks to all those who have contributed in whatever way to this project, as every little piece of help brought me closer to my goal.

  This then is my offering to satisfy the ‘what if’s’ of those times.

  [For additional information, progress reports, orders of battle, discussion, freebies, and interaction with the author please find time to visit and register at one of the following:-

  www.redgambitseries.com, www.redgambitseries.co.uk, www.redgambitseries.eu,

  Also, feel free to join Facebook Group ‘Red Gambit’.]

  Thank you.

  I have received a great deal of assistance in researching, translating, advice and support during the two and a half years that this project has run so far. In no particular order, I would like to record my thanks to all of the following for their contributions. Gary Wild, Jason Litchfield, Mario Wildenauer, Pat Walsh, Elena Schuster, Stilla Fendt, Luitpold Krieger, Mark Lambert, Greg Winton, Greg Percival, Brian Proctor, Steve Bailey, Bruce Towers, Victoria Coling, Alexandra Coling, Heather Coling, Isabel Pierce Ward, Ahmed Al-Obeidi, and finally BW-UK Gaming Clan.

  One name is missing on the request of the party involved, who perversely has given me more help and guidance in this project than most, but whose desire to remain in the background on all things means I have to observe his wish not to name him.

  None the less, to you my oldest friend, thank you.

  Wikipedia is a wonderful thing and I have used it as my first port of call for much of the research for the series. Use it and support it.

  My thanks to
the US Army Center of Military History website for providing the out of copyright images.

  All map work is original, save for the Château outline which derives from a public domain handout.

  If I have missed anyone or any agency I apologise and promise to rectify the omission at the earliest opportunity.

  Author’s note.

  The correlation between the Allied and Soviet forces is difficult to assess for a number of reasons.

  Neither side could claim that their units were all at full strength, and information on the relevant strengths over the period this book is set in is limited as far as the Allies are concerned and relatively non-existent for the Soviet forces.

  I have had to use some licence regarding force strengths and I hope that the critics will not be too harsh with me if I get things wrong in that regard. A Soviet Rifle Division could vary in strength from the size of two thousand men to be as high as nine thousand men, and in some special cases could be even more.

  Indeed, the very names used do not help the reader to understand unless they are already knowledgeable.

  A prime example is the Corps. For the British and US forces, a Corps was a collection of Divisions and Brigades directly subservient to an Army. A Soviet Corps, such as the 2nd Guards Tank Corps, bore no relation to a unit such as British XXX Corps. The 2nd G.T.C. was a Tank Division by another name and this difference in ‘naming’ continues to the Soviet Army, which was more akin to the Allied Corps.

  The Army Group was mirrored by the Soviet Front.

  Going down from the Corps, the differences continue, where a Russian rifle division should probably be more looked at as the equivalent of a US Infantry regiment or British Infantry Brigade, although this was not always the case. The decision to leave the correct nomenclature in place was made early on. In that, I felt that those who already possess knowledge would not become disillusioned, and that those who were new to the concept could acquire knowledge that would stand them in good stead when reading factual accounts of WW2.

  There are also some difficulties encountered with ranks. Some readers may feel that a certain battle would have been left in the command of a more senior rank, and the reverse case where Seniors seem to have few forces under their authority. Casualties will have played their part but, particularly in the Soviet Army, seniority and rank was a complicated affair, sometimes with Colonels in charge of Divisions larger than those commanded by a General.

  It is easier for me to attach a chart to give the reader a rough guide of how the ranks equate.

  Fig#1

  Title

  Book Dedication

  ‘Opening Moves’ is dedicated to a man who exhibited the very highest level of courage and bravery under fire in one of the truly exceptional stories of World War Two.

  I cannot begin to comprehend the metal of a man who exposes himself to enemy fire holding nothing more than a set of bagpipes. So to you, Piper Bill Millin, my humble admiration and thanks for your service. May you rest as peacefully as your love of the Pipes will permit.

  Although I never served in the Armed forces, I wore a uniform with pride and carry my own long term injuries from the demands of my service. My admiration for our young servicemen and women serving in all our names in dangerous areas throughout the world is limitless.

  As a result, ‘Help for Heroes’ is a charity that is extremely close to my heart. My fictitious characters carry no real-life heartache with them, whereas every news bulletin from the military stations abroad brings a terrible reality with its own impact, angst and personal challenges for those who wear our country’s uniform.

  Therefore, I make regular donations to ‘Help for Heroes’ and would encourage you to do so too.

  Chapter & Sub-Chapter list

  Opening Moves. 1

  Overview by Author Colin Gee. 4

  Author’s note. 7

  Book Dedication. 10

  Chapter & Sub-Chapter list 11

  The Foreword. 22

  Chapter 1 - ‘THE DECISION’ 27

  0748 hrs Tuesday, 12th June 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 27

  1542 hrs, Tuesday, 12th June 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 38

  Chapter 2 – THE SPY. 39

  2241 hrs Saturday, 16th June 1945, Scientist’s Residential Block, Los Alamos, New Mexico. 39

  Chapter 3 –THE FRENZY.. 41

  1100 hrs, Monday, 18th June 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 41

  1724 hrs Monday, 18th June 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 47

  Chapter 4 –THE INFORMATION.. 51

  2350 hrs, Thursday, 28th June 1945, Scientist’s Residential Block, Los Alamos, New Mexico. 51

  Chapter 5 – THE LEGIONNAIRE.. 60

  0712 hrs, Sunday, 1st July 1945, Bad Kreuznach, Occupied Germany. 60

  Chapter 6 – THE LEGEND.. 66

  0917 hrs Sunday, 1st July 1945, Winzenheim Camp [Rheinwiesenlager], Occupied Germany. 66

  Chapter 7 – THE MEETING.. 69

  0925 hrs Sunday, 1st July 1945, Winzenheim Camp [Rheinwiesenlager], Occupied Germany. 69

  Chapter 8 – THE BOMBSHELLS. 78

  0755 hrs Monday, 2nd July 1945, The Lubyanka, NKVD Headquarters, Moscow, USSR. 78

  0840 hrs, Monday, 2nd July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 80

  1100 hrs, Monday, 2nd July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 81

  1545 hrs, Monday, 2nd July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 90

  Chapter 9 – THE RELOCATION.. 95

  0235 hrs Friday, 6th July 1945, The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace. 95

  Chapter 10 – THE KAMERADEN.. 97

  0720 hrs Saturday, 7th July 1945, The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace. 97

  0857 hrs, Saturday, 7th July 1945, Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace. 101

  1520 hrs, Saturday, 7th July 1945, Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace. 112

  Chapter 11 – THE SYMPOSIUM... 114

  2000 hrs Saturday, 7th July 1945, The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace. 114

  Chapter 12 – THE PROVOCATIONS. 122

  1250 hrs Monday, 9th July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 122

  1600 hrs Monday, 9th July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 125

  Chapter 13 – THE MISTAKE.. 128

  1140 hrs Tuesday, 10th July 1945, The Khavane Erbil, Istanbul, Turkey. 128

  Chapter 14 – THE REPORT.. 131

  1035 hrs Friday, 13th July 1945, Department of Justice Building, F.B.I. Office, Washington D.C. 131

  Chapter 15 – THE GERMAN.. 134

  1230 hrs Sunday, 15th July 1945, Soviet POW Camp, Ex- OFLAG XVIIa, Edelbach, Austria. 134

  Chapter 16 – THE UNDERSTANDING.. 139

  1620 hrs Sunday, 15th July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 139

  Chapter 17 – THE CANARY.. 141

  0529 hrs Monday, 16th July 1945, White Sands Bombing Range, New Mexico, USA. 141

  2013 hrs Monday, 16th July 1945, Scientists Accomodation Block, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA. 143

  Chapter 18 – THE INTRODUCTION.. 146

  0700 hrs Monday, 16th July 1945, The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace. 146

  0957 hrs Monday, 16th July 1945, The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace. 151

  Chapter 19 – THE ERRORS. 159

  1103 hrs Saturday, 21st July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 159

  1400 hrs Saturday, 21st July 1945, The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace. 161

  0655 hrs Monday, 23rd July 1945, Hotel Neese, B.O.Q. Building, Div HQ, ‘15th’ US Armored Division, Schlangen, US Occupied Germany. 163

  0655 hrs Monday, 23rd July 1945, Former SS Panzer Training Centre, Paderborn, US Occupied Germany. 168

  Chapter 22 – THE BROTHERHOOD.. 171

  1430 hrs Monday, 23rd July 1945, Former SS Panzer Training grounds, Paderborn, British Occupied Germany. 171

  1602 hrs Monday, 23rd July 1945, Former SS Panzer Training grounds, Paderborn, British Occupied Germany. 182

&
nbsp; Chapter 23 – THE REPORTS. 184

  1430 hrs Wednesday, 25th July 1945, Soviet Military Intelligence Headquarters, Schloss Gundorf, Leipzig, Soviet Occupied Germany. 184

  Chapter 24 – THE EXECUTIONS. 188

  1210 hrs Friday, 27th July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 188

  Chapter 25 – THE BOY.. 195

  1210 hrs Friday, 27th July 1945, Tank Laager, Stendal, Soviet Occupied Germany. 195

  Chapter 26 – THE PARATROOPER.. 198

  0705 hrs Monday, 30th July 1945, Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, French Alsace. 198

  Chapter 27 – THE CHANCE.. 202

  1659 hrs Monday, 30th July 1945, Bossong’s, Quai de Pêcheurs, Selestat, French Alsace. 202

  Chapter 28 – THE DATE.. 206

  1410 hrs Wednesday, 1st August 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. 206

  Chapter 29 – THE CAMP. 212

  2154 hrs Friday, 3rd August 1945, Soviet POW Camp, Ex- OFLAG XVIIa, Edelbach, Soviet Occupied Lower Austria. 212

  Chapter 30 – THE AIRCRAFT.. 214

  2155 hrs Friday, 3rd August 1945, Airborne approx 400 ft above Soviet Occupied Lower Austria. 214

  Chapter 31 – THE OPPORTUNITY.. 216

  2155 hrs Friday, 3rd August 1945, Soviet POW Camp, Ex- OFLAG XVIIa, Edelbach, Soviet Occupied Lower Austria. 216