War Photographer's Notebook

comet line

Sophie repeated it softly, and then she went on to explain that when she was alive, my mother was a helper of the Comet Line-after she felt that the White Rose Organization was too idealistic, she returned to Belgium to join Comet line.

Back to your mom being Belgian?
Wei Ran asked in a low voice in surprise, the helper just mentioned by the other party is not a simple word. For the organization of Comet Line, helper is almost the exclusive name of its members.

Strictly speaking, our family is actually Belgian, just living in German land.

No wonder the fief is so close to the border...

Wei Ran muttered to himself, and then heard Sophie continue to say, in fact, before I hid here, I used to work for G Group.

G Group?! That G Group in Belgium? Wei Ran looked at the girl in front of him in more surprise.

If the White Rose Organization is just a futile effort of a group of passionate students in Germany.So whether it is the comet line or the G group that this girl just mentioned, they are all well-known underground resistance organizations in the European battlefield during World War II.

The Comet Line, an organization that advocates fighting without weapons, its main goal is not to confront the German Nazis with hard steel, but to rescue the fallen Allied pilots and help them escape back to the Allied territory.

But don't underestimate this resistance organization whose members are more than 70% female. The Comet Line is the largest of the few escape networks on the European battlefield in the area occupied by Germany.

Not only that, during the entire World War II, even the Yin Guoyou's MI[-] coveted this organization, and always wanted to control them in their own hands.

However, these brave women who rescued the Allied pilots by relying on their attics, cellars and carriages didn't even pay attention to the Belgian government in exile, so how could they let the gay men who also wore skirts control them?
But even so, in order for their pilots to come back alive, MI1944 still acted like a shameless licking dog, investing a large sum of money in the Comet line, and cooperated until the end of World War II in the fall of [-]!
As for the G Group mentioned by Sophie later, it is also not to be underestimated. This group founded by a group of students in 1942 can be regarded as the most effective resistance organization in Belgium.

Or to put it more bluntly, this student group specializing in sabotage can almost be regarded as the Belgian railway guerrillas!
Throughout World War II, not to mention the countless railway lines destroyed by these societies, the communication and power transmission lines alone cost the German army occupying Belgium tens of millions of man-hours.

But compared to these two resistance organizations with great military exploits, Wei Ran is more and more curious about Sophie and her family.

Seemingly seeing Wei Ran's doubts, Sophie beckoned him to sit down on the stone steps, lit a cigarette slowly and explained, at the earliest time, my mother, Dominic's parents, me and Qiqi and Heike, we have joined White Rose successively.That's what I told you, it's kind of an initiation group for almost all of us against the consciousness.

and after?Wei Ran asked subconsciously.

Later...

Looking up at the roof, Sophie recalled puffing and puffing. Later, we realized that the effect of those leaflets was limited. We had to admit that compared with Mr. Adolf’s speech, our leaflets were actually not too much. Great appeal.So instead of taking the same risk to distribute those leaflets, why not do something more worthwhile?
...

So you went to Belgium?Wei Ran asked curiously.

Sophie nodded, hugging her knees and recalling almost ramblingly, at that time, my father was wounded at the front line, and my mother and I simply left some clues at home, and then fled to my grandmother's house in Belgium.

After my mother became the official helper of Comet Line, I also became the messenger of Comet Line.We were there to help Allied pilots, making fake passports for them, and assisting them to evade the raids of Knack and escape to England.

Later, my mother
Mom was exposed. In order to avoid being caught by the Germans and implicating my father and me, she chose to commit suicide by jumping into the sea.Shortly after that, I quit the Comet Line and joined the G Group.

Why do you want to come back?Wei Ran asked abruptly, isn't Belgium now the territory of the Allied Forces? Even in July, there is more...

Because of Qiqi and Heike, I grew up with them as good friends.In the summer, they were wanted as members of the White Rose and had nowhere to go to find my dad.My dad rescued them, brought them here, and then contacted me.

Sophie showed a look of exhaustion that didn't match her age. At first, I just planned to take them to Belgium. The friends who passed the comet line helped them hide until the end of the war. But before I could arrange the route, my father Sent some orphans he found in town to take with me.

Later, the war suddenly broke out in this forest. As I told you before, Dominique’s classmates appeared on my father’s call list. In order to bring these children to Belgium, we The time to escape has been delayed, and the list of people in need of rescue is getting longer and longer.

How many people are there now?Wei Ran asked the most core question.

My father and his three pupils, Mr. Jens and Mr. Otto, who was dead, Dominique's parents and his brother, were all that remained.

Sophie stubbed out the cigarette butt and said worriedly, if there hadn't been this war, they should have been the last group to evacuate.

White Rose, Comet Line, and G Group Wei Ran sighed in admiration, you have so many secrets.

Dad says you're someone you can trust
Sophie crushed the cigarette butt, and walked back to the small space behind the stairs. Although I have many secrets, I am not hiding them from you. Brother Victor, I need your help. I want everyone here to survive. .

I know, I know, and I'll keep it a secret for you.Wei Ran repeatedly promised that he would do his best to help everyone here survive.

What about the two Americans? Especially Mr. Timov, who is free to move around. Sophie asked in a low voice, changing the subject. Do you think he should be given weapons?

Forget it. After a moment of consideration, Wei Ran replied, let him and Dominic be responsible for carrying Mr. Barker.

I think so too

Sophie nodded, picked up a pile of helmets and walked up and said, I will distribute the helmets to everyone first, Brother Victor, how about you to be responsible for distributing weapons after dinner? Also, that camera and those films It's all hidden in the weapon box. It's not sure whether I can escape to Belgium alive this time. It's better to wait for the war to end before taking out those photos.

...

Leave it to me. Wei Ran also picked up a stack of steel helmets and made another promise.

Under the busyness of the two of them, everyone including Timov and Buck distributed a steel helmet of the Labor Corps.

In addition, under Sophie's organization, Wei Ran and Dominique also carried some storage-resistant materials into the stairwell where the medicines were originally stored.Then it was covered with canvas and a layer of dried pine needles and reeds collected from the forest was piled on top.

Finally the floor was nailed down and the wooden bed was moved to its original position by noon.

They were not the only ones who were busy this morning. On the other side, Qiqi, Heike, Horst, and the rest of the friends moved all the materials hidden in the ruins into the basement and packed them all. Into the empty oil drums one by one.

Even the stone house on the other side of the moat, which was originally used to store oil drums, was fully camouflaged with pine branches and fallen leaves and large mosses that can be seen everywhere under the concerted efforts of everyone.

Before the sun went down, all the chickens and goats that Sophie and the others raised here were driven out, and they were allowed to move freely.
In the basement full of supplies, everyone except the wounded Buck sat or stood around the long table and had a hearty meal.

On one side of the messy dining table, wearing a labor union uniform

Sophie ate the last bite of food in the lunch box, looked at the crowd under the light of the kerosene lamp and said, at 11:[-] tonight, we will set off for Belgium through the forest.Horst, wait a moment, take the chosen person and follow Victor to get the weapon.

Yes! Horst, also wearing the uniform of the Labor Corps and a steel helmet, stood up and gave a confident and contented response.

Heike, Qiqi and Nadia stayed behind to help me prepare food for everyone to replenish their strength on the road, and the rest of the partners finally checked their backpacks.

After speaking, Sophie winked at Wei Ran.

come with me
Wei Ran hooked Horst, and the latter immediately took the selected young men, followed Wei Ran out of the basement, and sneaked into Sophie's room in the dark.

Now, all that can be seen in this room are the working American oil stove on the broken table and the red-burning radiator, the weapons on the bare bed, and the wooden pile of old clothes under the bed. box.

Signaling everyone to enter the small room, Wei Ran locked the door, then picked up the five MP40 submachine guns placed on the bed and handed them to the boys who came in with Horst.

Among these people were Okan and Dominic, as well as two other furry kids who were the same age as Dominic. According to the two boys, they were still in the same class as Dominic and Nadia.

Hear me out

Before distributing the ammunition bags to these young people, Wei Ran reminded that our main purpose this time is to take everyone to escape to Belgium quietly, so without my order, no one is allowed to load the ammunition, let alone open the gun. gun.

Once we make a move on impulse, whether it attracts Americans or Germans, none of us can survive.

In this case, why don't we carry weapons?" Dominic asked subconsciously.

...

good question

Wei Ran helped these boys put on their ammunition bags while explaining that the purpose of these weapons is to have the ability to fight back in case they are accidentally exposed for other reasons, and secondly, it is also for camouflage, so as not to be unlucky So when they bumped into the chain dog, they were suspicious.

Having said that, Wei Ran pulled out another box, took out the torn clothes inside and asked, Okan, are you sure you will still know the way after dark?

sure know
While speaking, Okan reached out from the box and took a standard German engineer shovel and hung it skillfully on his body. Then he took a pair of American wire cutters and said, I just patrolled the border with Uncle Otto a week ago. , know how to go.I know where every piece of barbed wire is, where every American position is, and every minefield is.

That's good

Wei Ran waited until Horst also took an engineering shovel and a pair of American wire cutters from the box, and then hung the only pair of German wire cutters left in the box on his waist. The eagle-mouthed pliers are larger than those held by Okan and Horst, and the grip is also made of Bakelite, but it is just like the MP40 submachine gun and the Bobosha submachine gun.Basically, German engineers want American pliers, and American soldiers like German pliers.To put it bluntly, it is all foreign monks who can chant sutras.

Finally, Wei Ran took out a box, took out a US military medical bag from his old clothes and fixed it on his waist, and then gave Okan and Horst an extra box flashlight and a pair of leather gloves, and then put the bed on the bed. I put my old clothes back into the wooden box and pushed them under the bed again.

Dominic
Wei Ran said in a low voice while arranging the objects hanging on his body, later you and your two classmates will take turns to carry the stretcher with Timov.

I want, too…

You don't know the way, you three don't know the way.

Wei Ran reminded without waiting for the other party to finish speaking, in addition, when you are carrying the stretcher, no matter who cooperates with Timov, you must remember to let Timov walk in front at all times.

We remembered Dominique and his other two classmates answering in unison.

Next

You guys just rest here
Wei Ran walked to the door and finally reminded, Horst, you come to supervise everyone, whoever dares to load a submachine gun will immediately confiscate his weapon.

After finishing speaking, Wei Ran opened the door and walked out of the room, closed the door and listened for a while, then went to the next room.

After such a short time, Timov, who was wearing the uniform of the Labor Corps and a German-style steel helmet, had already returned. He even had the 1911 pistol that Wei Ran seized from him hanging on his waist.

After glancing at the .45 caliber bullets on the table, Wei Ran sat on his bare board bed and took out from under his pillow the three-piece pilot suit that Captain Wrights had given him as a gift.

Victor, have you ever shot down our pilot? Buck, the wounded lying on the bed, asked curiously.

A welcome gift from Sophie's father, Mr. Letts

Wei Ran hung the goggles around his neck and explained that Mr. Letts is a quartermaster, so it is easy to get these spoils.Not only that, but all the things we eat and use here are what the quartermaster tried his best to embezzle and transport them here.

...

as bold as our quartermaster

Timov said while wiping his weapons, our bastard quartermasters always skimped on things. When we first came here, we didn’t even have enough tents, but that bastard was already driving a Willis, and he was pulling something that should have been issued to us. Cans of Coca-Cola and C-rations went to sleep with French women.

The quartermaster was a fat man. Wei Ran buttoned up his leather flight cap, and put his helmet back on while responding.

It was indeed a fat man Timov nodded in agreement, and the room suddenly became quiet.

Victor, have you discussed where to go after arriving in Belgium?
Buck was the first to break the silence, maybe you can go to France with us, we're sure...

Let's wait until Belgium
Wei Ran didn't wait for the other party to finish, he stuffed the gloves into his pocket, then picked up the medicine box next to the bed, and said while changing Buck's medicine, Timov, Buck, we will make a decision after we arrive safely in Belgium Everyone go where.

Fortunately, Timov nodded, wisely ending this currently controversial topic.

After carefully dressing Buck's wound again, Wei Ran went into the basement with the medicine box in hand, and continued to change the medicines for the other injured children.

While he was busy, Sophie, who was supposed to prepare dry food for herself, walked alone into the forest next to the sluice, took out the phone hidden in the canopy of the tree again, and connected it to the phone line.Sitting on the cold stone with legs crossed, quietly waiting for the phone to ring.

However, until Wei Ran changed the medicines for all the wounded, until Qiqi and others prepared dry food for everyone on the road, until everyone worked together to block the access to the basement with various logs, soil and stones prepared during the day. Entrance.

Until [-]:[-] in the middle of the night, in the forest by the sluice, it was still as quiet as last night, making people feel desperate.

Rubbing her face vigorously and wiping off the cold tears, Sophie hid the phone in the tree trunk again, covered the phone wire with stones and moss, put her hands in her pockets, and walked to the corner across the moat with her head down. Before the broken bridge.

this is yours
Qiqi said, and handed Sophie a lunch box with food, a kettle with hot coffee, and a gray blanket that could be worn as a cloak.

Hanging the water bottle and lunch box on the belt, Sophie wrapped the blanket tightly, and let Qiqi help her fasten the buttons that she had sewn temporarily, and then took the submachine gun that Wei Ran handed her, then said in a hoarse voice, let's go Bar!
Before Sophie finished speaking, everyone subconsciously looked at Wei Ran and the boys behind Wei Ran with submachine guns on their backs.Set off

At the same time that Wei Ran gave the order, Dominic and Timov also worked together to lift Buck lying on the stretcher.

Amidst the creaking noise, Horst and Okan, who had rushed to the sluice ahead of time, turned the wheel together to open the sluice gate.

Under the leadership of Wei Ran, a group of people lined up through the cold and damp waterway, and then opened the floor of the mill in the dark and climbed up.

After some observation, Wei Ran carefully walked out of the mill with Horst and Okan who were following behind, followed by Sophie and Qiqi who were also holding submachine guns, and then Timov and Dominique, and the children who followed on both sides of the stretcher.

...

At the end of the line were Heike, Nadia, and two other boys with submachine guns.

In the dark night, Okan looked around, then took out the compass he gave to his younger brother as a birthday present from his arms, glanced at it, then patted Wei Ran on the shoulder, raised his finger and pointed direction.

Under the guidance of this young man, Wei Ran led the long team, supported each other in the silent coniferous forest under the cover of night, and moved forward quickly holding hands.

Perhaps the only benefit of the war that has lasted for several months is that even at night, they don't have to worry about any wild animals that can hurt people in this forest.

But compared to this small advantage, the landmines that the ghosts know where they are buried, and the Germans or Americans who the ghosts know where they are ambushing, are the more frightening sources of fear.

After sneaking in the forest so cautiously for almost half an hour, Wei Ran and Horst, who were walking in the front, stopped in no particular order and raised their fists.

Almost at the same time as the two of them gave the signal, Okan who was walking behind them immediately turned around, shaking the luminous dial of the pocket watch-style compass in his hand, signaling to everyone to stop and lie on the ground.

It wasn't until the footsteps that weren't too big at all disappeared that everyone heard crying, screaming, pleading, wanton laughter interspersed with it, and a faint light faintly visible from the front right.

Before Wei Ran and Horst, who were walking in the front, could see the situation clearly, the faint light in the distance suddenly became brighter. Immediately afterwards, the two of them noticed one after another that a figure seemed to emerge from the light. He ran in the direction of their advancing route.

Immediately afterwards, the light became stronger again, and when the light weakened, another figure held a flashlight and chased after him cursingly.

What's the matter, Sophie leaned forward and asked.

I don't know what Wei Ran said in a low voice, but it seems that there is a girl who ran on our only way.

Victor...

Keep an eye on Timov, keep quiet, I'll go over and have a look.

Wei Ran didn't wait for the other party's request to be fully uttered, he had already put down the submachine gun in his hand, and groped towards it.

After such a short time, the figure holding the flashlight has caught up with the figure who ran out first, and threw him to the ground.

However, the figure holding the flashlight was not in a hurry to go back. Instead, he dragged the figure and pressed her against a lying pine tree.

Seeing that the other party turned his back to him, Wei Ran immediately ran over at a faster pace.

As the distance got closer, he finally saw clearly that lying on the pine tree was a naked blond girl with her mouth covered.But behind her, there was a chain dog covering the girl's mouth with one hand and the head of the flashlight with the other, with his trousers down below his knees, constantly shaking his body!