Henderson's Boys: The Escape (28 page)

‘I do beg your pardon, but young Marc here needs a passport. We did a bit of damage to your landing window but it’s easily fixed …’

‘Forgive me,’ the woman said, making a quick glance back at Marc before cutting Henderson dead with a raised hand. ‘My name is Maxine Clere, clerical assistant to the consul. Please make use of our facilities … It looks like you’ve found the blank passports already. I know your work is important, but I have to make immediate contact with London on the scrambled telephone. We’ve lost the
Cardiff Bay
on the River Garonne, less than thirty kilometres out of Bordeaux – and many are dead.’

¹U-boat – a German submarine.

²Gendarmes – French police officers.

³Gestapo – German secret police.