Nexus - 1205 - New Times Magazine-pages

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Nazis had supposedly built their Antarctic base. We had to operate under complete radio silence. We were alone, We sat there stunned, but still the mystery deepened. We were with no back-up and no chance of retreat if our worst fears were told about German activity in the Southern Ocean around confirmed. Antarctica. We were also informed that an inestimable number of We approached the base wary of what was awaiting us, but U-boats were missing and unaccounted for; but worse, some of when we got there the base appeared devoid of life, a ghost town. those that had surrendered months after the War had ended fuelled Instantly, our suspicions were roused, but, just like all the previ- even more speculation. ous campaigns I had fought during the War, we had a job to do British forces had captured three of the biggest names in the and so our personal fears could not shroud our judgement. Nazi party—Hess, Himmler and Dénitz—and with their captures As we split up to search the base, a trip wire was detonated and Britain was given information that was not going to be shared a siren sounded, destroying the silence and startling the whole with Russia or the United States. That information compelled force. A shout was soon heard, demanding us to identify our- Britain to act alone, and we were spearheading that operation. selves, but the voice could not be targeted. With our guns raised We were told in no specific terms what was expected of us and the Major introduced us to the voice, and then, thankfully, the what Britain expected us to find on Antarctica. Britain had more voice was given a body. The voice belonged to a lone survivor, than a strong suspicion that the Germans had and what he divulged made us more anxious built a secret base and had spirited many of and had us wishing that there were more the unaccounted Nazis away from the tur- troops amongst our ranks. moil in Europe. The lone survivor claimed that in Bunker Still, more and more revelations were "We were informed One was the other survivor from the "tunnel" forthcoming. The summer before, we were trip, along with one of the mysterious Polar told, the original scientists and commandos that we were to Men that we had heard on the recorded had found an "ancient tunnel". Under investigate ‘anomalous’ broadcast. Despite obstructions and orders, the force went through the tunnel but g objections from the survivor, Bunker One only two returned before the Antarctic activities around the was ordered to be opened. The survivor had winter set in. During the winter months, the Muhlig-Hoffmann to be held back and his fear and anguish two survivors made absurd claims over the b panicked us instantly, and none of us wanted radio about "Polar Men, ancient tunnels and Mountains from the to be the one to enter the bunker. Nazis". Radio contact was finally lost in British base in Fortunately, I was not selected to enter; that honour was bestowed on the youngest member of our unit. He pro- ceeded inside, hesitating slightly as he struggled with the door. Once inside, a silence descended across the base, fol- lowed moments later by two gunshots. The door was opened and the Polar Man dashed to freedom. None of us was expecting what we saw, and the Polar Man had fled into the surround- ing terrain so quick that only a few token shots were fired. Out of fear and awe at what we had seen, we all decided to go into the July 1945, and ominously for our mission, going into the unknown, the last broadcast brought us all further anxiety as we listened to the fear in the voice: "...the Polar Men have found us!" was screamed before contact was lost. After the radio broadcast was played, we were then given a rousing speech from the Major who would be leading the expedition to investigate what had happened. "We are to go to the base at Maudheim, find the tunnel, investigate the enigma of the Polar Men and the Maudheim. "Antarctica, so we were told, was "Britain's secret war’." Nazis and do what we can to make sure the Nazi threat is bunker. Go in we did, and two bodies were found. The soldier destroyed." who had pulled the short straw was found with his throat ripped When asked for questions, we all had so many, and thankfully out, and, more heinous, the survivor had been stripped to the the answers were honest and direct. We were informed that bones. evasive action was being taken because Britain was well aware of What we had witnessed demanded answers; and with our abject US and USSR intentions in mounting their own expeditions, and _ anger at seeing one of our unit die within hours of our landing on Britain did not want to risk the chance that the US or the USSR the continent, our anger was taken out on the lone survivor who would discover the base and gain further Nazi technology. Both had warned us against opening Bunker One. countries had a technological advantage over Britain because of The whole unit listened categorically to the Major's questions, the scientists, equipment and research both countries had but it was the answers that were to provoke the most intrigue. recovered. Nevertheless, Britain wanted to be the nation to The first question that needed answering was just what had hap- destroy the menace because Britain viewed Antarctica as under pened to the other survivor, and how he had become trapped in the British Empire's jurisdiction, and if the Nazis were there it was the bunker with that Polar Man. However, the lone survivor pre- their duty and their desire to eradicate them first and thus deny ferred to start from the beginning, from when they had first found both the USA and the USSR the propaganda value of fighting the the "tunnel". Whilst he narrated what had happened, the scientist last battle of World War IL. who had accompanied us scribbled down everything divulged. We were flown to the pre-designated drop-off point which was It transpired that the area near the tunnel was one of 20 miles from the Maudheim base; snow tractors had already been Antarctica's unique dry valleys, and that was how they managed despatched and were awaiting our arrival. After parachuting into to find the tunnel with such ease. Every one of the 30 personnel the icy wilderness, full of fear and trepidation, we reached the at the Maudheim base was ordered to investigate and, if possible, snow tractors and from that moment on we were on a war footing. find out exactly where the tunnel led. investigate 'anomalous' activities around the Muhlig-Hoffmann Mountains from the Maudheim. "Antarctica, so we were told, was "Britain's secret war’." NEXUS + 41 "We were informed that we were to British base in AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2005 www.nexusmagazine.com