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sand bagged positions guarded by paratroopers. It looked as if the British defenders of the Town Hall, if there had been any, had given in without putting up much of a fight. Certainly the Town Hall and the Square showed no obvious signs of damage. The paratrooper guards seemed to have the situation well in hand and looked confident, but vigilant at the same time. Von Schnakenberg stopped at the top of the stairs and turned around to look over the Square. Hereward appeared to be safe, secure and under control. A huge Swastika flag already fluttered from the flagpole above the Town Hall.
    Von Schnakenberg climbed up the stairs to the fourth floor and walked along the corridor to what he knew was the mayor’s office. He stopped and knocked on the door. He was not looking forward to the meeting. The Town Hall was now the headquarters of Task Force Schuster and the mayor’s office was now Schuster’s personal office.
    Schuster was leaning over a map on the Mayor’s desk with a group of senior S.S. officers and some paratrooper officers.
    “BrigadeFuhrer…” von Schnakenberg started.
    Schuster raised a finger in the air and cut von Schnakenberg dead. He hadn’t even lifted his eyes from the map.
    Lindau looked like he was about to explode. Von Schnakenberg grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the balcony windows. He hoped that the cold September air would cool them both down. Von Schnakenberg opened the French windows that led out to the balcony. He smiled with satisfaction at the sight that greeted him. The Town Square was full of lorries as far as the eye could see. Soldiers milled about on the cobblestones like so many ants. They almost hid from view the First World War cenotaph in the centre. Surrounding the Square on three sides were handsome medieval buildings made of a mixture of brick and stone. They served as a mix of government offices, banks, shops, restaurants and cafes. Dominating the entire east side of the Square was Hereward Cathedral. Although he had seen photos of the building, von Schnakenberg was amazed by how magnificent it looked and how massive it was. The Cathedral had been built during the reign of William the Conqueror nearly nine hundred years before.
    “Oberstleutnant von Schnakenberg,” Schuster beckoned. He turned to one of the paratrooper officers standing beside him. “Generalmajor Wurth, may I introduce Oberstleutnant von Schnakenberg of the First Battalion the Potsdam Grenadiers and his Second-in Command, Major Lindau.” Schuster introduced the two men graciously.
    Von Schnakenberg and Lindau snapped to attention and gave a parade ground salute.
    Wurth returned the salute. Von Schnakenberg and Lindau both noticed that it was a textbook German Army salute and not a Nazi Party salute. They wondered if this distinction was significant. Wurth stretched out his hand. “I’m delighted to meet you, Oberstleutnant von Schnakenberg and you, Major Lindau. And tell me, Oberstleutnant, how is your father these days?” Wurth asked.
    “My father, sir?” Von Schnakenberg’s face showed his surprise.
    “Yes, Oberstleutnant. Your father, Major-General Karl von Schnakenberg,” Wurth asked with a raised eyebrow. He was clearly amused by the obvious confusion that he had caused.
    “The General is very well, sir.” Von Schnakenberg was curious. “If you don’t mind me asking, sir, how do you know my father?”
    “I served as a young Oberleutnant in the Potsdam Grenadiers under your father’s command during the last War.”
    “But you were not in the regiment when I joined, sir.” Von Schnakenberg was clearly puzzled.
    “That’s right. I was in the Grenadiers but then I transferred across to the Luftwaffe where I flew with von Richthofen. I was an airline pilot between the wars but I rejoined the Luftwaffe when Goering got it up and running again. I was too old to fly in combat so he asked to help set up the Parachute Regiment. And here I am.”
    Schuster coughed. “Sorry to break up