Page Title

Synopsis:

On February 1945 the Reichsbank in Berlin was bombed exposing to the skies its immense wealth. As the end of the war neared the Nazis decided to hide their enormous treasure which included a massive fortune in gold, art and all currencies. They chose to stash it away, as far as possible from the advancing Russians, down a potassium mine, two miles deep, in a small, remote place called Merkers in southern Germany.

My story, 'The Golden Road to Merkers' begins with four soldiers and an officer all in the Observation Corps, attached to British Intelligence, getting wind of the horde a few days before the advancing Seventh U.S.A. army. They hear of it from their friend, a twenty year old private in the Royal Army Pay Corps. Not only does he dispense wages but does all the clerical work for the Intelligence men. His little nosy ears picks -up this information from a hush - hush meeting by the intelligence men. He informs his barrack room buddies. As observation men they find it easy to obtain finders - keepers permission from their officer.

The four soldiers set off in their jeep for a two hundred mile trip beyond the British lines on finding the exact map location of Merkers.

After a few narrow escapes the men locate and enter the mine only to find a renegade group of American solders pillaging the place. They join forces hunting for dollars and pounds in the vast Aladins cave. The four British soldiers leave with six sacks packed with fivers and pound notes. When they get back to base and divide it equally, including the officer and Pay Corp private, they find they have £25,000 each. A fortune in 1945.

A few days later the four observation men, on patrol, are killed when a shell hits their jeep and is up to the Pay Corp private to get their share of the money to their families in Blighty. This he cleverly does. The main protagonists are; Captain Rupert Nicholson from Trowbridge, Wiltshire. Sergeant (Spider) Webb from Jarrow, Tyneside. L/Cpl Evan (Hillside) Evans from Cumwithstan, N. Wales, Pte Charlie (Dem Bells) Hines from Wapping, London. Wally (Watering Hole) Wells from Leicester Alex (Sheepdog) Drummond from Dornoch in Scotland. The dispenser of the nicknames, the cockney Hines, refused to call him bulldog because Drummond is in the Pay Corp. These are the characters plus their kin; most working class families who are beset with all sorts of problems and dreams all cured and realised when they receive a trunk full of pounds and fivers… and their stunned reaction.

Sample Chapter

1945 - The Allies about to invade Germany

"Pay parade at eleven Sergeant Webb," captain Nicholson snapped in his pure public school accent, "War or no war it will be implemented and I want my usual cup of tea afterwards. Guns are more noisy this morning?. Trust the Gerry to stand and fight like a fiend even though he is about to be overwhelmed."

"Yes sir," sergeant Jack Webb snapped back saluting smartly then strode away through the soggy field, slightly ashamed of his dusty, dirty uniform and mud spattered boots. A British soldier was meant to shine like the star he is. He and the others had slept rough for weeks now. The journey to the borders of Germany was coated in dirt and death. Yes!, the Captain was right, the Gerry wasn't going to give in easily. He was almost as good as the British Tommy. And the din of gunfire was not too far off. At first when he heard it's blaring noise months ago in the great push forward from the shores of Normandy it frightened him, the sweat constantly dampening his brow his throat as dry as an Arabs armpit. Gunfire and death went hand in hand. But the nearer he got to the front his mind became more alert dispelling the sweat and dry throat. As one of the five special reconnaissance force which included the captain they were in what was called a 'live zone'. That is it was a kind of no--man's land so they had to keep their wits about them and their weapons at the ready as the enemy were not too distant. The men were always happy at a pay parade. It temporary kept their minds away from the war and diverted their thoughts to the good things in life that money could buy. Captain Nicholson was a real gentleman aware of the frailties and sturdiness of men. An amateur head doctor. He knew the feel of the coins, the shillings, the sixpence pieces and pennies would enliven the men although there was no place to spend the payments. But private cocker Charlie Hines known as Dem (them) Bells swore the NAFFI had travelling canteens and they would be at the front in no time. This utter bilge was aided and abetted by his partner in nonsense private Wally Wells nicknamed Watering Hole, and that fags and booze would soon be ready available. This prognosis cheered everyone who came in contact with the parodying pals except lance corporal Evan Edwards nicknamed Hillside who was a non smoker and teetotaller as well as a Chapel man. He was heard saying his prayers one dark night and only got to, 'Our Father which art in heaven," when the army boots came showering on him with cries from his foul mouth fellows, "God's killing our young comrades out there!"... "Turning a blind eye to everything is he?" or is he too busy spreading leprosy and lumbago? "This lampooning was always followed by laughter and Hillside took it in good stead showing no rancour as he finished his prayers in silence. The sergeant smiled as he recalled all this, and Evan Edwards was a far cry from the soft rolling hills and verdant grasslands, that surrounded his village home in Cumwithstan in northern Wales. The conscripts in the sergeants charge were good men specially picked from the regiments ranks for their snooping and hushed feet abilities. Wells boasted he could walk on eggs with a fat lady on his shoulders, without cracking a single one; while Hines could sneak up on a ferocious tiger stalking its prey and holler in his ear for a lark, at least so he had said. Their missions were to penetrate the enemies lines and report back to headquarters with the information...