Secret Assignments

ASSASSINATION IN BERGEN November 1942 When Captain Adriana Strand reached the woods, it was only around fifty degrees Fahrenheit but only a slight breezy was in the air. She quickly removed her padded parachute clothing which had covered her Norwegian civilian outfit and buried it along with her parachute. Although there was only a waning crescent moon available, there was enough light to view her map. After looking at her map of the area and orienting it by her compass, she immediately determined her location. When she thought over the situation, she decided it would be best to walk along the gravel path leading over the rocky cliffs and ridges along the north side of Lake Vangsvatnet. She then proceeded in the direction of Bergen which she estimated was about eighty kilometers away. After passing the church noted on the map, she decided she would cross the strong deep flowing Vosso River via the bridge at Bulken and then follow the road on the southside of the lake to the sleepy little village of Voss. Her plan upon arrival at the Voss rail station was to catch the commuter train which terminated at the Bergen main rail station on Strandgaten Street. Adriana knew that the nightly curfew set by the Germans was over at 5:00 a. m. and so kept a careful eye on the time as she picked up her pace. It was 5:53 a. m. when she finally reached the small Voss train station. After securing her ticket at the counter, she walked out to the platform where she boarded the train leaving at 6:10 a. m. It was scheduled to arrive at the main terminal in Bergen at 7:32 a. m. There were no German soldiers nor police around at the time and only a few civilians boarded the train with her. Upon arrival in Bergen, Adriana cautiously proceeded from the main rail station without encountering any police or Gestapo on the platforms nor on Strandgaten Street. Her intentions were to make contact with Gustave Diesen. According to her cover identity, he was the uncle whom she had last contacted two years earlier when she had stayed at his residence near the Bergen Wharf. It was there where she had left her radio and weapons in the hidden passage way with the understanding she might return sometime in the future. Adriana thought, ‘Well, the future is here, so that will be the best bet for now, or at least until I can contact the resistance leader in charge of this shindig’, which the Special Operations Executive (SOE) back in London had named “Operation Black Shepherd.” It was about 8:00 a. m. when Adriana took up a position near the old wooden three-story building where she had previously stayed with Gus. She sat down on an ancient looking wooden bench at the corner of the street nearby but just out of sight from Gus’s front door. Her watch showed it was 8:27 a. m. when she observed Gus depart the building. She followed silently and discretely behind him. He walked down to a small shop which he entered and ordered a small smorbrod (open-faced buttered dense rye bread sandwich) with a cup of hot black coffee. He sat near the front window and slowly finished his sandwich and coffee and then exited the shop and walked casually back to his residence. Adriana discreetly observed that he spoke to no one other than the waitress and then only to order his meal. No one was observed following him but Adriana continued carefully watching him walk back to his building which he entered. Shortly thereafter she knocked the three times on his door and counted to three and then one more knock which had previously been her code when she last had contact with him. Gus opened the door and she identified herself as his niece, Maude. Gus immediately recognized her even with her now short blond hair and invited her to enter. He then said, “I’ve been waiting a long time for you to finally return and have been recently informed by ‘friends’ you may show up any day now. Your room is ready as are certain items you left behind. Now what can I do to help?” Adriana simply responded, “All I would like to do now is go to my room and have a brief rest. Then a nice hot black cup of coffee would be wonderful and I will then explain my situation.” At that point Gus stated, “By all means. You know where everything is, so I will be down in my office when you come back down and we will have that cup of coffee as well as perhaps a bite for you to eat, and then get down to the business at hand.” It was almost 10:00 a. m. when Adriana entered the hidden room and found the Mark II radio/transmitter in the suitcase she left behind in 1940. She immediately attempted to send a brief Morse code message but the vacuum tubes failed and she was unable to communicate. Nevertheless, the MP 40 submachine gun and P-38 she had left behind were operational and ammo was available. She then went downstairs and joined Gus who had prepared for her a hot cup of coffee, a boiled egg and sardines. No one spoke while she consumed the food but when Adriana began to drink her second cup, she spoke up saying, “Gus, I need you to fill me in on the plans to assassinate Reichskommissar Terboven. I need to know the place, time and detailed plans as I have been sent to coordinate the matter but I need specifics to be of any assistance.” Gus paused for a moment while staring into his cup and then said, “Adriana, my knowledge is only limited. I am aware of the day, which is set for this Friday. It is to occur as Terboven enters the Naval compound to meet with Hans Cohausz, the 11th U-boat Flotilla commander, and some other German officials who had been involved with the construction of the sub pens which are referred to as BRUNO. I have not been involved other than to provide the meeting place for those who have planned the operation.”