The Odin Mission by James Holland Page B

was
a gaunt-faced, middle-aged man doing with these troops of the King's Guard? A
politician or diplomat perhaps? He wanted to ask, but reminded himself that it
was not his concern why these men were here or what they were doing; after all,
he hated people nosing into his own business and saw no need to pry into
theirs.
    The man eyed him, then leaned over and dabbed the colonel's brow. 'It's
not good,' he said. 'He's getting a fever.'
    'That probably means his blood's infected.' Tanner opened Gulbrand's
greatcoat once more.
    The colonel stirred. 'Ah, you're back, Sergeant.'
    Tanner continued to peel back his clothing. The smell as he lifted the
tunic was overpowering. Gangrene was setting in. Probably septicaemia too. The
antiseptic hadn't worked; Tanner had never really thought it would. That shard
had probably taken soiled cotton and serge with it into Gulbrand's side and
liver. A bit of gentian violet couldn't have performed the miracle the colonel
needed.
    'It's all right,' said Gulbrand. 'I know I'm going to die.' His voice
was low and hoarse.
    'I'm sorry, sir. If you'd let us take you down the mountain .. .'
    'It would have made no difference. But that's not the point.' He
gripped Tanner's arm. 'Tell me, Sergeant, can I depend on you?'
    'To get your men to safety? I don't know, sir. We've a few problems
just at the minute. But you can depend on me to do my damnedest. I've no
intention of getting myself killed or spending the rest of my life in some
Jerry prison camp.'
    Gulbrand released him, then turned to the civilian. 'Sandvold? Will you
leave us alone a moment?' The man got up and walked to Nielssen. Gulbrand
watched him, then said, 'We should be with the King. We are, after all, his
bodyguard. I have been in His Majesty the King's Guard for nearly twenty years.
My loyalty is total. The King knows that. It's why he chose me for this task.'
Tanner listened without saying a word. 'The ninth of April was a terrible day,'
Gulbrand said. 'A terrible day..
    The Germans had attacked Oslo. Everyone had been completely unprepared
and it quickly became clear that the capital would fall. Prime Minister
Nygaardsvold was persuaded by his government that they should leave Oslo and
head north where they could continue to govern and manage the crisis away from
German guns. The King was informed of the decision and immediately agreed that
he and his son, Crown Prince Olav, should go with them. Shortly after, he
called for Gulbrand. King Hakon wanted a dozen men to act as his bodyguard and
for the rest of the Guard to follow to Hamar as quickly as possible. Gulbrand
was to remain with the King, who entrusted to him a number of documents and
jewels for safe-keeping. The King had made him swear to keep them about his
person at all times.
    The train for Hamar had left at seven that morning. 'Imagine what that
was like,' said Gulbrand. 'To leave the capital. It felt as though we were
running away. It was hard to bear.' But, in truth, they had had little choice.
Norway was a peaceful country - a neutral country - and her armed forces were
ill-equipped to deal with such an invasion. 'A mobilization order was announced
that same morning,' Gulbrand told him, 'but it was too late. Far too late. Most
of the men fighting in the valley here have had no training whatsoever. They've
been given a uniform and a rifle and sent off to fight. Those serving in the
standing Army will have had just eighty-four days' training. That's not even
three months. We in the Guards, of course, train all the time, but even so, our
equipment is poor so our training has been limited. All my men, Sergeant, can
fire a rifle as well as anyone, but that's not enough to stop these bastards.
We've got no tanks, no anti-tank weapons, no mines. We don't even have any hand
grenades. Our field guns are old. We've got some machine-guns but few men have
had any training on them. My God, there haven't even been enough uniforms. Half
the men have been issued with 1914- pattern. So,