Dantine ordered the column to start moving. There were twenty-five of them now and they strung one behind the other, staying close to remain in contact. Dantine led the way after checking his compass. The weather was very cold, but they felt better for their rest and the food they had eaten. Snow was still swirling around, but most of it was wind-driven, blown up from the steppe where it had already lain. The sky began to turn blue, and Eckhardt fancied that they could not travel long under such conditions before being spotted by the enemy.

  They reached a slope and flattened out while scouts went to check the area. Leun came back to report that there was a wood ahead, and Dantine thought it would be a good idea to seek its cover.

  ‘Did you see signs of any enemy troops around, Sergeant Major?’ Dantine asked.

  ‘I’ve checked very carefully, sir, and couldn’t spot any. But if you want me to take a patrol down there I’ll leave immediately.’

  ‘I think we can push on.’ Dantine sounded anxious. ‘We must get under cover as quickly as possible.’

  They descended the slope and entered the trees. There was a lot of undergrowth and bushes, and they had barely settled down when snow began to fall again, quite heavily.

  ‘I wish this damned weather would make up its mind,’ Dantine said testily. ‘But at least it will blot our tracks. I’ve got a nasty feeling in the back of my mind that there might be some of the enemy following us.’

  Eckhardt glanced around, trying to use his instincts, but he picked up no sense of danger. He had given himself up for lost before they left Stalingrad and did not expect to get back to the safety of their own lines without some mishap befalling them.

  A patrol led by Sergeant Meyer went deeper into the wood. It was gone more than an hour before returning, and Meyer seemed excited about something.

  ‘We got right through to the far side,’ he reported. ‘You can see a large village, or a town, at a distance of about two miles. There’s a road running from right to left and heavy traffic is using it.’

  ‘Good.’ Dantine nodded as if he had expected the news. ‘That could mean we are exactly where I planned to be. But I’ll need to check out the road myself and take a look at the town. When we go on we’ll have to make a detour. That will be tonight, and it could be the most crucial part of our trip. Oberleutnant, take command here while I’m away. Sergeant Meyer and two men will go with me.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ Eckhardt saluted, and the men lay in the snow while Dantine and the patrol departed.

  The silence was oppressive, and Eckhardt ordered that the men should not make any movement. It was cold under the trees despite the fact that they were sheltered from the wind, and time seemed to stand still, but eventually Dantine returned, smiling grimly.

  ‘I think we have made good progress,’ he commented to Eckhardt as he produced his maps. ‘This is where I think we are.’ His gloved finger jabbed at the paper. ‘This road was the one I was using as my objective. Once we cross it we push west. All the traffic is moving in the same direction. It’s a pity we can’t commandeer some transport. It would save us a lot of walking. But we can’t move out until dark. There’s too much traffic on the road. I’ve left Sergeant Meyer in position to act as an observer, and the rest of us will remain here until it is time to go. See that the men are alert, Eckhardt. We don’t need trouble at this late stage.’

  ‘How much farther do you think we have to go to reach our own lines, sir?’ Eckhardt asked.

  ‘Hard to say. I listened intently on the outskirts of the wood but could not hear artillery fire. We’re not out of this yet, I’m afraid.’

  Before Eckhardt could say anything more a snowball struck his arm and he looked to the right to see Corporal Steine beckoning him. When he moved in Steine’s direction the corporal motioned for him to stay low. Crawling forward, Eckhardt paused at the NCO’s side.

  ‘I thought I saw something move on the top of the slope where we crossed it, sir,’ Steine reported.

  Eckhardt firmed his lips as he peered up the slope. The snow was swirling in gusts, but the slope was plainly visible when all was still. He saw nothing and looked into Steine’s stubbled face.

  ‘Are you certain?’ he demanded. ‘You’re not letting your nerves get the better of you, Steine?’

  ‘You know me better than that, sir,’ came the growled reply.

  Eckhardt moved back and reported to Dantine, who turned his glasses upon the spot. For a long time the Major remained still. Then he uttered an imprecation.

  ‘Steine is right. There’s someone up there watching this area. It must be the Russians. Warn the men to remain very still. We’ll see what develops.’

  Eckhardt was thankful they were in the shelter of the wood and that no one was moving around. The men lay with their weapons ready, having scraped depressions in the snow. Minutes passed, then Dantine grasped Eckhardt’s arm, for six skiers suddenly came over the crest of the slope and were speeding towards their position.

  ‘What do we do, sir?’ Eckhardt demanded.

  ‘Let them get well within range then shoot them down,’ Dantine rapped. ‘We can’t help about the noise.’

  Eckhardt crawled forward and spoke to Steine. He could see the skiers following the tracks that had been left in the snow, and he wondered how many more of them were still up there beyond the crest. This was where their luck ran out, he surmised, and cocked the Bergmann.

  ‘Let them get right down to the tree line before you fire,’ he ordered. ‘We want them dead by using as few shots as possible. Pick a man each and fire one shot on my order.’

  Riflemen lifted their weapons, and Eckhardt watched the skiers coming faster and faster down the slope. They almost reached the trees before he gave the order to fire. Then the rifles volleyed and the skiers were knocked down like clay pigeons. The crash of the shots echoed many times across the empty steppe. Eckhardt was thin-lipped as he wondered what the consequences would be. But he ordered the men to go out and check the fallen Russians, and knives were used to finish off the wounded. He watched the crest of the slope, expecting to see more skiers appear, and Dantine approached, using his glasses. After what seemed a long time the Major intimated that he was satisfied, and motioned for Eckhardt and Leutnant Weber to join him.

  ‘Now we’ve got to move out fast,’ he said harshly. We can’t risk being caught on the ground. Someone will have heard the shooting and may come to check. Let’s get close to the road and be ready to make a break across it as soon as possible.’

  They moved swiftly through the wood. Then Eckhardt saw the traffic moving along the road from east to west.

  There were lines of supply trucks, and they boded ill for the near future. Somewhere ahead of the trucks were Russian armies awaiting the supplies, and those Russians were between the survivors of SS Division Vaterland and safety.

  A rearguard was left in the wood with instructions to follow when the scouts reached the near side of the road. At a distance they could be taken for Russians, so there was no danger of being readily identified by anyone using the road. Dantine kept well up with his scouts and Eckhardt remained about halfway along the length of the small column. They trudged through the snow like a Russian patrol.

  There was a ravine near the road. Dantine led them into it and they took up defensive positions and waited. The rearguard came in and reported no activity behind them. Eckhardt began to breathe more easily. They could hear the never-ending sound of traffic passing along the road, and time seemed to stand still as darkness slowly closed in.

  Once or twice Eckhardt fancied he heard the sound of artillery in the distance, but the wind was blowing from east to west and would be carrying any sounds away from them. Snow fell intermittently, partially covering their tracks, and two more of the men complained of exhaustion and claimed that they would not be able to continue when they moved forward once more. Leun talked to them, aware of what would happen if they could not make it.

  Suddenly Dantine was motioning for their attention, and Eckhardt slithered forward to the Major’s side. Dantine did not speak but pointed towards the road, and Eckhardt raised up slightly and saw three trucks turning off the road, halting about sixty yards away. It was evident that they were going to halt for a rest, and the two men who alighted from the third truck stood urinating against one of the wheels. There were six men altogether two to a truck.

  ‘This could be a godsend,’ Dantine commented stiffly. ‘If we took those trucks and drove along the road we’d make faster time.’

  ‘We’d also run into road blocks and patrols,’ Eckhardt said.

  ‘Anything we do now is a risk, and I don’t think we can march the rest of the way. Night is coming on and we could cover a lot of ground in those trucks. There are about two dozen of us. I think it’s worth a try. Several times I’ve fancied I’ve heard the sound of artillery in the distance, but it could be wishful thinking or imagination.’

  ‘I thought I heard it too, sir. Perhaps you’re right. But we’re very close to the road. It could be dangerous trying to take those men.’

  ‘We’ll see what their intentions are. As soon as it’s dark enough, if they don’t pull away, we’ll go in and deal with them. Warn the men to remain still and silent.’

  Eckhardt went back along the line of exhausted men, explaining the situation and what they planned to do. There was no reply from the men and he took their silence as tacit agreement to the desperate measures expounded by Dantine.

  Night drew on slowly, and as darkness closed in Eckhardt spotted flashes in the sky to the west. He went to Dantine, pointing out the flashes, and the Major nodded.

  ‘We’re not far from the front here, but the wind is in the wrong direction for us to hear the sounds. I think we’ve got to move in now and take those trucks before they leave.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ Eckhardt nodded. He looked at the motionless trucks and the six men gathered around a blazing fire which they had lit in a small oil drum. Traffic was still passing along the road although its volume had dwindled since darkness set in. ‘They don’t appear to have put out guards, sir. I suggest we form up and march towards them. They’ll think we are a Russian patrol. We have one man who can speak some Russian. He could lead us.’

  ‘That’s how I plan to handle it,’ Dantine retorted. ‘Get the men formed up. I want nothing furtive about our approach. We’ve got to appear to have every right to be here. Let’s move in two ranks, and there’s to be no shooting.’

  Eckhardt signalled to Leun and passed on the information. The men were quickly formed up and Dantine and the soldier who could speak some Russian headed the ranks. They left the ravine smartly and went forward, marching through knee-deep snow towards the six men around the fire by the trucks. The fire had been lit on the sheltered side of the vehicles and was screened from the road.

  One of the Russians looked up as they approached, but their man replied, then spoke in an undertone to Dantine. They continued until they reached the group, who did not move from the fire, and Eckhardt noted that none of them bothered to reach for their pistols.

  Almost casually the Germans surrounded the six Russians, their weapons lifted, and the interpreter spoke sharply in Russian. Eckhardt did not know what was said, but the lounging Russians stiffened and sat very still, peering at the menacing, hooded figures that surrounded them with levelled weapons.

  Dantine snapped an order and the six Russians were disarmed. The major spoke to the interpreter.

  ‘Find out which of these are the drivers. We’ll need them. The other three will be killed.’

  The interpreter spoke rapidly in Russian and three of the prisoners raised their hands. The other three were seized and bundled away to the ravine.

  ‘Search them when they’re dead and bring me any papers you find on them,’ Dantine said.

  Leun went with the party, and they returned within a few moments. Guards were posted by the trucks. The interpreter was talking to the three surviving Russians, who looked scared, and Eckhardt remained ready with his Bergmann in case any of them tried to make a run for it.

  ‘They say we’re about fifteen miles behind the front, sir,’ the interpreter reported. ‘They were on their way to drop off supplies in the rear. They say there are roadblocks which are merely a formality. The Russian guards rarely bother to check papers.’

  ‘We can all travel in one truck,’ Dantine decided. ‘It will be safer to remain together. Ask which of them will drive us through the roadblocks and help us get through to our own lines. The other two will die, and be sure you tell them that.’

  The interpreter spoke to the prisoners, and Eckhardt saw their fear when they learned the news. The three began to chatter one against another and the interpreter had to shout to silence them. He indicated one of them.

  ‘This one is a sergeant, sir,’ he reported. ‘He says if you will take him as a prisoner of war when we cross the lines then he will make sure we get through any roadblocks on the way.’

  ‘Tell him he can consider himself a prisoner of war,’ Dantine said. ‘Leun, take the other two into the ravine and kill them. Make sure all the bodies are covered with snow.’

  Half a dozen men dragged away the two protesting drivers, and when one of them began to shout he was clubbed with a rifle butt.

  ‘We’ll take the first truck,’ Dantine said. ‘Get it unloaded so there’s room for everyone. Make it quick. We’ve got to be on our way.’

  Willing hands unlashed the canvas covering, and boxes of ammunition were quickly dragged off the big truck. Eckhardt stood watching and realized the truck was large enough to take them all. Dantine stood with the Russian driver and the interpreter and there was a silence while the vehicle was unloaded.

  ‘Check the petrol. If the tank is not full then take petrol out of the other trucks.’ Dantine spoke quickly, his mind working efficiently. ‘Hurry. We’ve got to be on our way.’ He motioned to Eckhardt. ‘I’ll travel in the cab with the driver and the interpreter. The rest of you will be in the back. You’re to remain silent no matter what happens. But be ready to start fighting if we should run into trouble. We’ll leave the canvas down to conceal you, but it won’t be lashed so you can get out if necessary. Is that clear?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ Eckhardt nodded. He saw that the truck was now empty and ordered the men to board it. He was the last one to get into the back. Dantine and the interpreter ushered the Russian driver into the cab. When the engine was started and the vehicle lurched forward there was a muted cheer from the men. ‘Keep it quiet,’ Eckhardt snapped. ‘Save your cheers for when we are through the lines.’

  The truck bounced and jolted on to the road and they began to pick up speed. It was warmer in the back of the vehicle because the cover kept the wind off them. Eckhardt raised the flap at the back and saw the dim lights of a truck following them at a distance, and behind it were the lights of another truck. He called for Sieber to come to the tailboard and ordered the machine gunner to be ready for action.

  It was completely dark in the back of the truck, but it seemed like heaven after the previous days and nights. The vehicle skidded at times, lurching perilously, but they were moving at a brisk speed and Eckhardt felt his cares falling away. Even if they ran into trouble at the last moment it would not matter. The interminable marching through enemy-held territory was over.

  Presently the truck slowed and Eckhardt, peering out of the back, saw the trucks behind beginning to catch up. He warned the men to remain silent and they sat in the darkness, tense, alert, their weapons ready. The truck stopped and a moment later a Russian called out, his voice ringing sharply through the freezing night air. The driver replied, and Eckhardt could imagine the scene in the cab. The interpreter would be sitting next to the driver, probably with Dantine’s pistol stuck in the man’s ribs, and Dantine would be ready to bluff their way through if necessary.

  After what seemed an eternity the truck moved forward, and Eckhardt listened to the gear changes. He risked a peep from the back and saw a checkpoint dropping back into the night. Relief spread through them and there were loud sighs, The truck continued steadily, and Eckhardt fancied he could hear the sound of guns. They were approaching the front.

  When the truck suddenly slewed and left the road Eckhardt peered out. The nearest truck behind them was several hundred yards behind, and when he glanced down at the rear lights of their vehicle he saw that they were not on. The truck stopped, sliding into a snowdrift, and a moment later Dantine was calling to them.

  They alighted fast, spreading out into, all-round defence. Dantine was standing between the interpreter and the Russian, and the interpreter was talking to the driver. Eckhardt approached and stood awaiting orders.

  ‘We’re only a couple of miles from the front line here, sir,’ the interpreter said. ‘The driver says that he turned off the road because there’s a big supply dump only a mile ahead, and he would have to drive into it if we continued. This is a side road that leads to the front. We can continue along it in the truck for about another mile or we can go on foot the rest of the way. This part of the line is only lightly held, but there will be patrols about.’

  We’ll move on foot,’ Dantine said, and as he turned to speak to Eckhardt a salvo of shells exploded about one hundred yards from them, the flashes piercing the gloom. The next instant a heavy barrage erupted and the ground shook as it was torn asunder by explosives.

  Dantine resorted to hand signals and they went forward in single file. The barrage would cause the Russians to keep their heads down, and they would have to risk the dangers of their own barrage to try and sneak through.

  The shelling continued, with big shells bursting very close as they made progress. Then a shell exploded just to the rear of the file and four men were snatched up and torn apart. Eckhardt hurried back to check, fearing that Leun had been bringing up the rear, but he found the sergeant major checking for casualties.

  ‘Four men got it, sir,’ Leun reported. ‘We’d better keep moving.’