While David loitered at the base of the tower, I lay on the uncovered platform – flat on my stomach to avoid being seen – and observed the road. I knew that, for obvious reasons, Captain Mengele could not let us go so easily – and I could not be entirely sure that the Sergeant, upon returning to the base, would not have been forced to divulge what he knew about where he had taken us. After all, he had risked a great deal simply to free us and could not be expected to put his very life on the line for us. (“Aiding the enemy during time of war” was still a capital offence at that time. It was still the firing squad for that sort of thing.) In any event, with about an hour of daylight left, I observed a convoy of, maybe, fifteen vehicles streaming out of the base and coming along the road to Scrub Hill. It must have taken all day to organise such a large search party and this, to my mind, confirmed that Captain Mengele did indeed want us back – or maybe just destroyed. So, the search was on. No problem. We could retreat to our bunker (our own personal ‘Helm’s Deep’?) whenever we chose – there was no rush. I continued to observe the convoy for a time. As it got closer, and I could observe the individual vehicles, I saw the entire convoy slow at a point in the road which was not far away. The leading jeep had broken down and the driver had simply waved the rest of the convoy on. So, it continued to pass him as he lifted the hood of his jeep. A cloud of steam rose immediately. Radiator problems, I guessed. If so, the driver would merely have to wait until the engine cooled sufficiently – and then refill the radiator with water from the jerry can that hung from the back of the vehicle. (One never refills a boiled-dry radiator straight away in case the red-hot engine-head cracks from the sudden change in temperature. Thermal shock, it’s called. That sort of damage cannot be fixed while the vehicle is still on the road. It’s a tow-away – and expensive – job when it happens. Does this sound like the voice of experience? Pass.) So, it was simple – just wait half an hour or so and the vehicle could limp back to base for repairs or catch up with the search convoy (assuming, as I did, that it was not going much further anyway.)
Ha Davydh gwandrys oll a-dro dhe ven an tour, yth esen a’m gorwedh war an vynk – plattyes war ow kloes-diwvronn rag avoydya ow bos gwelys. Yth esen ow mires orth an fordh heb hedhi. Drefenn resons apert, my a wodhya na allsa Kapten Mengele agan gasa mos mar es – ha, dres henna, ny yllyn bos sertan yn tien, hag ev dehwelys dhe’n selva, nag o an Serjont konstrynyes dhe dhisklosya an pyth a wodhya a-dro dhe’n le may fien lywyes. Wosa all, peryllus dres eghenn re via y wriansow pan wrussa agan livra. Ny yllys y waytya ri dhyn ynwedh y veri bywnans. (“Gweres an eskar dres termyn a vresel” o hwath trespas kapytal y’n dydhyow na. Mernans dre vaghas sether rag trespas a’n par na.) Yn neb kas, y remaynya ogas dhe’n our kyns gorthugher pan verkyis rew kertys hag ynno pymthek karr oll anedha ow tos yn-mes an selva a-hys an fordh dhe Vre an Krann. Yn apert, res via oll an jydh rag kuntell warbarth bagas- hwithrans a’n par na ha braster an bagas ma a gonfirmyas dhymm Kapten Mengele dhe vynnes yn feur agan dasgemmeres. Po, martesen, ev a vynna yn sempel agan distruyans. Yndellna, y tallathsa an hwithrans. Kudynnyow vytholl. Y hyllyn kildenna dh’agan dorgell (agan ‘Downder Helm’?) byth pan dhewissen y wul – nyns esa fysk vyth. My a besya observya an rew kertys dres termyn hir lowr. Hag ev neshes, hag ytho y hyllyn gweles yn kler pub karr, an rew dien a dhallathas lenthe war le an fordh nag esa pell a-ves. An kynsa jip re dorrsa hag ytho an lywyer anodho a wevyas dhe oll an re erell dhe besya mos y’n fordh. Yn hwir, an kerri erell a’n tremenas hag ev drehevys kogh an karr. Kommolenn a ethenn a sevis a-dhistowgh. Kudynnyow gans an dhewynnell, dell grysis. Mars o henna yndella, nyns o res dhe’n lywyer marnas y waytyans bys pan vyg’sa lowr an jynn – hag ena daslenwel an dhewynnell gans dowr dhiworth kanna meur esa ow kregi a-dhelergh an jip. Ny yllir lenwel dewynnell sygh a-dhesempis rag own dhe derri an penn-jynn der chanj tynn dh’y dempredh. Jag thermal yw henwys. Ny yllir ewnhe damaj a’n par ma ha’n karr hwath war fordh. Res yw y gemmeres dhe-ves – oberenn ker yw pan hwyrvydh. Yw henna lev-berthyans? Ny lavarav travyth.) Ytho, sempel o – res o gortos ogas dhe hanter-our ha, wosa henna, an karr a allsa dehweles dhe’n selva yn unn gloppya po mos rag drehehdhes an rew kertys. (Yth esen ow tesevos na alsa nameur pella a-hys an fordh, yn neb kas.)langbot langbot