“These guys are probably better” said Yatom “but we are better still. And we cannot let this town fall. You know what will happen.” The soldiers nodded soberly. Looking at Roskovsky Yatom said “Tonight put out the EFPs, your claymores and the rest of the mines. We expect they will have armor.” Roskovsky nodded.
“Rafi you still have two rounds for the B-300?” asked Yatom.
“Yes.”
“You’ll carry Dr. Feldhandler’s Galil tomorrow. It has four anti-armor grenades. If you expend your B-300 rockets, switch to that.”
“What about the mortars?” Rafi had worked with the two mortar teams.
“Help the teams set handle the fire missions.”
“I’ll take Rafi’s Tavor,” said Feldhandler “since you’ve given away my rifle—or give me Itzak’s.”
“I have Iztak’s,” snapped Mofaz. “I’m not wasting a 40mm in your hands.”
“Okay then,” said Feldhandler “give me yours.”
“Enough!” growled Yatom. “Doctor, you’ll man the MG42 we picked up today from the main bunker on the hillock. You’ll support Ilan and Mike who will be in their sniper nest nearby. Use your pistol for backup. Now give Rafi the Galil.”
Feldhandler turned over the big rifle and his sack of grenades.
“We’ll keep your Tavor with the mortar crew,” Yatorn told Rafi.
To avoid another surprise Yatorn ordered Bolander to ride the captured BMW to the end of the Lubin road and watch for enemy movement. Bolander was to report any contact, then ride like hell back to a carefully camouflaged bunker where he would join Ilan. There the two snipers would pursue their grim work, focusing on the SS leadership. The four newly trained Jewish sniper teams would be spread both the main ridge and the hillock and try to do the same.
Roi was annoyed by all this, as he considered the motorcycle personal property, but was now bereft of his bike and relegated to duty in the main bunker on the central ridge, where he could best employ his Negev, and a backup MG-34. Yatom told Ido to fight in the line with the rest of the sayeret leaving medical care to Biali’s capable teams of doctors and nurses. When he was done Yatom told the men to gather their equipment and move out. After the men were away Yatom and Mofaz turned to Feldhandler.
“What is the status of the Device?” asked Yatom. “Perchansky is working on it now. We are making progress.”
“How do we know that?” snarled Mofaz. “Ask her yourself” said Feldhandler. “She wants to get away as much as you do—maybe more. Besides, we’re not going anywhere until Shapira and Chaim return—right colonel?”
“Until they return,” said Yatorn carefully “or we know that they cannot.”
“Fair enough,” said Mofaz. “We are going to fight this battle one way or the other. From a professional standpoint, it should be interesting.”
“You sound like you’re beginning to enjoy this,” said Feldhandler hopefully.
“Not a chance doctor—I want to go home. But it’s nice to work without having to worry about rules of engagement.” Mofaz paused and looked at Yatom. “I’m going to join the men” he said leaving them, cradling Itzak’s old rifle.
“Mofaz is best off when he’s fighting, or planning a fight,” said Yatom. “He just doesn’t like to acknowledge it.”
Chapter 37
Globocnik posted Der Fuehrer’s headquarters group to an old Polish army base just outside of Lubin. Eager to get out of his own office on a fine summer morning, the SS General agreed to meet Kumm and his staff at the junior officer’s HQ for a briefing. Globocnik’s motorcade included his own chauffeured staff car, and another that carried Major Reder and Sergeant Mueller. Both cars were escorted by motorcyclists and a dozen Ordnungspolizei in a truck. Globocnik wasn’t taking any chances, even in Lubin.
Kumm and his staff greeted Globocnik respectfully in the regimental commander’s conference room. Kumm had already neatly organized and covered the place in maps. With Kumm were his own operations and intelligence officers, as well as the tough looking 2nd Battalion commander Stadler, and Lieutenant Kaiser from the reconnaissance unit. Globocnik took a seat at the table and Kumm got down to business.
“Yesterday, Herr General, a reconnaissance patrol led by Untersturmfuhrer Kaiser, ran into a rather large partisan concentration, here.” Kumm pointed on the map to an area northeast of Lubin, not very far from Sobibor.
“Was there any indication that the British commandos were with this partisan unit?” asked Reder.
“No Major,” said Kumm. “But resistance was heavy. We lost men and vehicles. I would like to move against this partisan concentration as soon as possible—preferably tomorrow—with everything I have available.”
“Everything?” asked Globocnik dubiously. “You mean the units in Siedice and Belzec too? That’s out of the question.”
“Well then Herr General, the 2nd infantry battalion based here in Lubin, along with my headquarters assets, armor, and such” responded Kumm, his voice urgent.
“The Waffen SS is up for a fight eh?” chirped Globocnik with a smirk. Kumm glared at Globocnik but held his tongue. “No Kumm” continued the SS General. “I don’t want to risk the entire battalion and leave Lubin stripped. You must leave some companies behind.” Globocnik had come to like the idea of having the SS around—it made him feel safer.
Kumm wanted to complain. Globocnik had already spread his regiment across the wastes of eastern Poland and now was preventing the concentration of his single available battalion. But he was an SS officer and the enemy Jewish partisans—it it would be unseemly to argue about it further.
“As you wish Herr General. I’ll leave behind two infantry companies, but take the rest.” Kumm made it sound like a final offer.
“Fine Colonel” said Globocnik pleasantly. “Now, for the issue of how to handle matters at the scene—I assume you will be successful, and that means prisoners.”
“The Wajfen SS does not take prisoners.”
“Oh I know. I don’t expect you to take any partisans prisoner, and that includes all the partisans—without regard to sex or age…” said Globocnik conspiratorially.
“I know the drill Herr General,” said Kumm impatiently.
“Not this time,” hissed Globocnik, fixing Kumm with his policeman’s stark stare. “You will not execute any captured adult male partisans until Sergeant Mueller here has had a chance to identify them.” Globocnik pointed to policeman, who, like Kumm, looked very unhappy. “Mueller is the only man, still alive, to have seen these foreign commandos, and it is my desire, and I should say General Heydrich’s desire that they be take alive, if possible.”
“So I’m to transport the prisoners back here for…”
“No, no, no,” interrupted Globocnik. “Sergeant Mueller will travel with you. He will identify the commandos at the scene—if you seize any—and you will return them to Lubin. Everybody else—” Globocnik waved his hand idly, “—pfft!”
“Also” broke in Reder “any captured arms or ammunition.”
“Very good Herr General,” said Kumm. “Sergeant Mueller can ride with me.” Kumm looked coldly at Mueller who turned away from the glaring SS commander. “Would you like to hear my operational plans?”
“No,” said Globocnik, to Kumm’s relief. “I’ll leave the details—and Sergeant Mueller—to you.” Globocnik rose to go. “You move out tomorrow morning?”