Down at Malachi's Cove ....

continued form the previous post ....

Cynthia, Falconer and the german air men had arrived at Sopley farm, not far from their pick-up point at Malachi's cove. Cynthia and the Falconer considered their options. Across the moor by foot to the cove or down the road by van and smash through the road block perhaps? Would their pick-up be there on time ? Plans made they set off, it was still dark .....

Cynthia took the air men and set off across the moor, a roving patrol passed them by some distance away

Cynthia and the air men had made it across the moor; meanwhile Falconer was driving the lorry across the moor towards the coastal road...

They crossed a field as the lorry approached the check-point near the junction with the coastal road ...

Falconer got out of the lorry, leaving the engine running (to create distraction noise); while he talked to the home guard men manning the road block...

While Falconer was at the road block, Cynthia and the air men crossed the road (after a motorbike/sidecar passed by)

They were soon across the next field and getting near the coast; Cynthia waited by the fence as a two man patrol passed by ....

Falconer, once through the road block headed off to safety down the coast road. As Cynthia got ready to make the signal, the patrol came back - she ducked down behind the tank trap; the patrol stopped looked around then carried on .....

As the home guard patrol moved on, Cynthia signalled out to sea

The inflatables from the waiting U-boat headed towards the signal ...

With the inflatables on their way in, Cynthia headed back inland; as she crossed the fence she fell and let out a cry. A roving patrol nearby came over to investigate....

The wire had been cut by a couple of the U-boat crew and the air men starting making their way through. Cynthia got up but the patrol had reached her - Halt ! she didn't, shots were fired ...they soon captured her.

The shooting attracted another roving patrol, they could just see men moving by the barbed wire...

One of the airmen fired at them, the patrol returned fire and the air man went down; the patrol then opened fire on the rest of the airmen and the U-boat crewmen as they were getting into the inflatables..

Another german airman was hit and dropped to the ground; however the inflatables made their way out to sea paddling furiously; the patrol was on the beach firing at them, but missed .....

After what seemed an age the inflatables reached the waiting U-boat - they had got there (with the critical air recon photos).  Once on board the captain issued the order Dive ! Dive ! Dive !...

Just in time the U-boat slipped under the waves, as a coastal patrol boat approached ....

the patrol boat didn't see them; the U-boat set course for France....

The search is on ...

Patrols have been doubled near the coast...

Calling HQ: all clear on coast road ....

A few scouts help in the search ....

Calling HQ: Sopley farm checked, nothing seen so far on Sorbiton Heath.....

Down at Malachi's cove the home guard patrol the low cliff ....

On the move ....

With daylight starting to go, it is nearly dusk and the search is still on... so far no luck in finding the black car. The officer discusses the next move with a plain clothes intelligence man.  "We'll double coastal and harbour patrols and see if we can cover possible landing strips, otherwise we'll just have to trust to luck ..."

The intelligence man had a hunch, he would make a call to HQ for some information ....

---oXo---

Cynthia and the Falconer had a change of clothing and also found some suitable items for the airmen as well. Following a quick meal, after dark they got out the van. The airmen would ride in the back, the other two would take turns to drive ...

They were soon off on their journey to the pickup point ....

To the Castle ...

continued from previous post....

The back car went at break neck speed east down the road from Corley wood for 3 miles then took a sharp right for a couple of miles where it whizzed past a couple of scouts, nearly knocking them over; one of the scouts took the number of the car (something odd was going on he thought)...

Another mile down the road and the car pulled into a yard of Castle Farm....

Cynthia popped out of the house to see who had arrived and had a heated conversation with the 'Falconer' (it had been a big risk to come in day-light). Once she'd calmed down she said "OK then we'll put them in the barn for now - I'll arrange a change of clothes for them; we'll send a signal later...'

Once they were in the barn the black car was hidden round the back of the house under a tarpaulin.

---oXo---

Signal sent to german intelligence by Cynthia later ...

Castle calling: Falconer and Hatchlings in the nest, request collection ...

Response: Received and understood,  at 0600hrs tomorrow, location at rendezvous alpha-2

to be continued ...

Searching Chorley Wood .....

German aircraft radios their base: 

Hawk calling - mission completed, photos taken, aircraft hit on return leg - losing fuel, will bail out - urgent arrange pickup location Z .

Response: Message received Hawk - the Falconer will collect you - if you do not meet go to the Castle and ask for Cynthia.

Some time later: 

HQ phone call to home guard Freezingham: Parachutists seen in your area, location environs of Chorley Wood; plane down nearby - investigate.

---oXo---

Chorley Wood....

The home guard have arrived and are about to enter the wood...  four parachutists are down - the air crew ( position of air crew initially show my green circular tokens)

The air crew move slowly through the woods trying to evade the home guard patrols (and reach their rendez-vous point - a rocky outcrop) ..

One of the air crew disturbs some birds, attracting the attention of a couple of nearby home guard ...

The air crew reach their rendezvous point - the rocky outcrop;  two of the home guard are now nearby...

the air crew plan their next move ..(at this point changed over from tokens to figures, as now in a group)

as they headed towards the road, a motorcyle with side car toddled past;  one of the home guard was closing in ...

'Halt who goes there' shouted the home guard, as the air crew came into view - he fired a shot at them but missed...

Two of the aircrew went for him, pushing him over and knocking him out... (fisticuffs with rock paper scissors dice - rock looses to two paper !)...

As the air crew reached the road, two more home guard had come up moving to the sound of the gun fire...

The german officer turned and shot one of them; as they crossed the road ... two home guard were coming up - down the road in the distance they could see a motorcyle with side car moving their way ...

As they moved into the field, a man in a black trench coat stepped out and identified himself as the Falconer and ushered them into a waiting black car...

The Falconer drove like a man possessed along the field and then back through a gap in the hedge onto the road at off along at breakneck speed...

---oXo---

Home Guard to HQ: German aircrew escaped ...assisted by man in black car .. heading east towards Freezingham....  German recon plane found crashed two miles east of Chorley Wood - camera film canister not located.

---oXo---

Will the german air crew make good their escape and get the recon film back across the channel ?

Where sparrows fly ....

continued from previous post.. 

---oXo---

They had been waiting for 10 minutes now,  glancing nervously down the road.  Just after 6.30am they heard the whine of an aircraft engine, Mrs Robinson looked out of the window and could see an ME109 coming in low over the fields heading towards Sarum airfield...

Thats what we're waiting for said Smith, who revved up the bus engine up and headed off down the road......

---oXo---

At Sarum airfield they were just getting ready for the day, bringing out and preparing a couple of fighters for pilot training ... 

The AA defence spots a ME109 in the distance and opens fire ....

The ME109 starts its strafing run .... 

firing across the concrete apron and targeting the line up planes and fuel trucks 

meanwhile Smith drove the bus up towards the airfield ...... 

The ME109 had turned and started another strafing run, as it came in a Lysander started to land .....

Smith accelerated and turned the bus, crashing through the permitter fencing ....... 

Smith headed towards where the Lysander was pulling up .... 

The jumped out of the bus and made for the waiting Lysander, Smith stopped by the front of the bus exchanging fire with an armed RAF sentry.... 

Smith made his way to the plane, emptying his last clip at the sentry 

....the sentry stumbled and went down... Smith jumped into the plane and it started to take off.....

in no time they were in the air ..... 

Soon they were joined by the ME109 as they flew low over the country-side southwards towards the coast .......