caps and not helmets. German field caps look much the same as ours. Why would they suspect anything?'
'You don't think the word would be out?'
'Maybe. But it's a bit embarrassing for whoever's in charge. If I'd had four trucks nicked from under my nose, I know what I'd do. I'd keep quiet about it.' He pointed at the pencil markings on the map. 'If these are correct, sir, then Jerry's not at Valenciennes yet. He was just using this road as a means of getting near the front, which from this map seems to be further south. I reckon we can get through Valenciennes, then push on through this place - Denain - on to Douai and then to Arras.' He measured the distance with his finger and thumb. 'About sixty or so kilometres - what's that? Forty-odd miles. With clear roads we'll do it in a couple of hours.' He glanced at his watch. It was now just after two in the morning. 'We could be in Arras before the war starts again, sir.'
'All right, Tanner,' said Peploe, as Tanner took off his pack and set it beside him on the seat. 'You've convinced me. I'll suggest it to the OC.'
A moment later, Captain Barclay joined them. 'Damn me, Tanner, I take my hat off to you,' he muttered, shaking his head in wonderment.
'Sir, the previous owners very decently left us their map,' said Peploe. He held it open on his lap. 'I'd like to suggest this route - here.'
Barclay peered over as Peploe explained the plan, fingers tracing lines on the map. The captain followed, wearing a glazed expression.
'Good,' he said. 'Carry on, then.'
Peploe leaned behind him and said to the men in the back, 'Make sure you keep watching the truck behind, all right?'
'Well said, Peploe,' muttered Captain Barclay.
Tanner put his foot on the clutch, shoved the stick into first gear, took his other foot off the brake and the truck rumbled on into the Belgian night.
It soon began to rain, only lightly at first, then rather more heavily. Those in the Opels were under cover, but Tanner's Krupp had no covered cab or canvas tarpaulin to strap over the back. There was a single wiper on the driver's side of the windscreen, which Tanner soon discovered how to switch on, but although it worked well enough, it hardly helped make driving along dark, narrow roads any easier; as it was, the narrow slits of light from the blinkered headlamps cast only a small amount of light on the road ahead.
Tanner lifted his collar and temporarily swapped his field cap for his rimmed helmet, and then asked Peploe to take out his leather jerkin.
'Damn this rain,' muttered Captain Barclay.
'I reckon it's doing us a favour, sir,' said Tanner, as Peploe handed him the serge-lined jerkin. 'Even more likely to keep the Germans indoors.'
'Let's hope you're right, Sergeant.' The captain had been so quiet that Peploe had asked if he was feeling all right. Barclay had snapped that he was fine, then fallen back into deep thought. Now, however, he seemed to be rediscovering his voice. 'Where are we now, Peploe?' he asked. 'I can see something ahead.'
'Here, sir,' said Peploe. He switched on his torch directly over the map and pointed. 'That's the village of
Montroeul-sur-Haine. In a few miles we join the main road.'
'Should be easier driving then, sir,' said Tanner.
'All right. I'll take the map from now on,' said the captain, snatching it.
'Of course, sir,' said Peploe.
'And, Tanner, grateful though I am, I don't want you going off on your own again. Is that clear?'
'Yes, sir,' said Tanner.
'Actually, I gave them permission, sir,' said Peploe.
'Yes, well, even so,' said Barclay. 'Remember that I'm in charge, not either of you. I don't like being kept in the dark. Makes me look foolish in front of the men.'
'Yes, sir. Sorry, sir,' said Tanner, mechanically, then cleared his throat. 'They were SS, sir.'
'SS? Are you sure?'
'Yes, sir. There are SS symbols on the numberplate and the men had a skull and crossbones on their collar.'
'Typical bloody Nazis,' muttered Barclay. 'Christ, that's all we need.'
'They didn't seem much to worry about, sir. We got in and out of there with barely a fight. They had good kit, mind you. The two I saw wore a kind of speckled camouflage smock and helmet liner. And I took this off one of them too.' He unslung the stubby firearm and passed it across Peploe to Captain Barclay.
'What is it?' said Barclay, handling it.
'It's a sub-machine-gun, sir,' said Tanner. 'It's got a perforated air-cooled barrel, like the other MGs, and a magazine that must take thirty rounds or so.'
'Did you get any ammunition?' asked Peploe.
'I took what was on him.'
'Good,' said Barclay. 'I'll hang on to it. Might come in useful.'
'You don't think Tanner should keep it, sir?' said Peploe. 'Spoils of war and all that?'
'No, I don't,' said Barclay. 'Really, I hope you're not questioning my authority, Peploe.'
