With this done, Paulo re-joined them, to the sound of gunfire splitting the night air. Arnie shouted more orders. ‘There sound like too many for us to stand and fight, so run for all your worth back to camp. Keep your weapons at the ready, in case the Germans break through the spotters.’

As they set off, Marjie prayed that the spotters would win through and get away.

Panting for breath, they ran, until a shot rang out that told them the Germans were close. ‘Bed in and keep quiet.’

At this command from Arnie, they scattered into the brush. Marjie lay down, her body shivering with cold and fear. Silence fell. She strained her eyes to try to see where the others were. A whispered ‘Is everyone all right?’ came from her left.

‘Yes, Paulo,’ came from Arnie.

Then Paulo addressed her. ‘Sibbie’s with me. Are you all right, Marjie?’

‘Yes, Paulo. I’m over to your right.’

‘Everyone, keep down and stay quiet.’ Arnie’s voice always reassured, but at this moment nothing could take away Marjie’s extreme fear.

Torches approached from behind Sibbie and Paulo, but before Marjie could warn them, a shout in French, with a German accent, echoed around her: ‘Don’t move.’

Terror deeper than any she’d ever felt overcame Marjie. From her vantage point she could see that the soldier had been joined by another, and that both had their guns trained on Sibbie and Paulo. The voice she’d heard previously cut through her, as he addressed them once more.

‘Stand up, dogs!’

A silent scream pierced Marjie’s head, as she saw Sibbie and Paulo stand with their hands held high above their shoulders. Her instinct made her wish to give vent to the scream, but her training officer’s voice echoed through her: You can hear your comrade screaming, you are near, the Germans have her: what do you do, eh? Tell me! . . . You remain totally silent, that’s what you do! No heroics. YOU MUST NOT BE CAPTURED, TOO. You must survive, to report back and continue the work your comrade cannot now do. It will be decided later whether a rescue can be attempted. And even though she had her gun at the ready and could clearly see the German, Marjie knew that to shoot would mean that she would give away the fact that there were more of them. She had to remain still.

The German soldier barked out, ‘Where are the others? You are not alone. We know that. It takes many of you to set up the facility for a plane to land. We have killed your filthy comrades, but we know there are more.’

Sibbie answered him. Her voice sounded strong, and this reassured Marjie a little. ‘We are the only two who ran this way; the others ran the other way.’