The entrance opened directly on to a large , cool room , with tables and chairs scattered haphazardly around it and a bar at the other end .sx The place was deserted .sx Conolly and Douglas approached the bar and the Irishman banged his fist on it several times .sx Presently , a door behind the bar opened and a thin-faced , elderly man with a drooping grey moustache shuffled through .sx He stood there , rubbing his hands on a dirty apron and gazing at the newcomers through watery eyes .sx The expression on his face was sullen .sx Conolly ordered two glasses of wine and some cheese .sx Without a word , the old man placed two glasses on the bar top and produced a bottle of wine , which he placed next to them .sx He shuffled away to bring the cheese , and the two SAS officers wandered over to a table by the window .sx As they sat there , the occasional passer-by stared at them with an expression that was equally as sullen as the old bartender's .sx " Cheerful-looking bastards , aren't they ?sx " Conolly said .sx " Anyone would think they didn't want to be liberated .sx " .sx " Maybe they didn't , " Douglas commented .sx " It doesn't look as though they've had a particularly rough time .sx " .sx The old man brought their cheese , together with a few pieces of bread , and stared in disgust at the 'liberation' currency which Conolly handed to him in payment .sx He was by no means mollified by the Irishman's remark that the newly minted notes could be redeemed for real francs when the French monetary system was stabilized once more .sx Conolly , visibly annoyed by the man's attitude , asked him point-blank what was he matter .sx The barman stared at him for a moment , then said with a shrug :sx " Bah !sx We were all of us here behind le Mar e chal and the National revolution .sx " .sx He referred to Marshal P e tain , the hero of Verdun in the previous war and the French head of state since the armistice of 1940 .sx " We did not want a war , " he continued .sx " We did not want de Gaulle and his dreams of a new France .sx We did not want millions of men and thousands of tanks to invade our beaches and our fields .sx Who knows what will happen now ?sx " .sx Douglas and Conolly stood up , very slowly .sx " Liam , " Douglas said quietly , " You'd better tell him .sx My French isn't up to it .sx " .sx " Ah , what's the use ?sx " Conolly snapped " It would be a waste of breast .sx " He picked up the wine bottle and headed for the door , followed by Douglas .sx Outside , Conolly slammed the palm of his hand furiously down on the jeep's bonnet .sx " Steady on , Liam , " Douglas warned .sx " Don't get upset just because of that old sod .sx " .sx They got back into the jeep and lit cigarettes .sx Conolly inhaled deeply , then said :sx " It isn't just the attitude of people like that .sx It's everything .sx Take London , for example .sx " .sx " I'd rather leave it , " Douglas grunted .sx " But I think I know what you mean .sx " .sx On their earlier return from France they had gone to London for their de-briefing .sx Although they had failed in their planned mission to kill Rommel , they had good reason to be satisfied with their other achievements , which had contributed in no small measure to the successful breakout from the Normandy beach-heads .sx They had found , too , the answer to a question which had been in their minds ; an aerial reconnaissance photograph , taken on the day after the invasion , had shown the bridge at Mantes , collapsed into the Seine in three places .sx A large number of tanks stood nose to tail on the road to the north of the river .sx Olivier , it seemed , had carried out his task admirably .sx Douglas and the others had found London depressing .sx There had been no particular reason , none that any of them could have described , unless it was that England's capital was once again under siege , the target of the German V-1 flying bombs .sx Londoners had withstood the Blitz of 1940 and 1941 with their characteristic courage and humour , but this was something different - something utterly impersonal and sinister .sx Whether London could go on 'taking it' was a matter open to serious doubt .sx Colette had gone off to the headquarters of the Special Operations executive for her own de-briefing , after which she had travelled to Scotland .sx The plan had been for Douglas to join her there , but it had not worked out .sx Instead , he and Conolly had been ordered to join the staff of Montgomery's 21st Army Group as Special Forces' liaison officers , and had spent a month in London , attending numerous briefings and delivering lectures - mainly to US Rangers - before being packed off to Normandy once more .sx The rest of Douglas's SAS detachment had been dispersed among various training establishments , much to their disgust - all except for Olds , who had departed for his home in Norfolk with a heavy bandage around his thigh and a broad smile on his face .sx Douglas and Conolly , having completed their series of briefings , were now on their way to rejoin Montgomery's HQ , which was located in an apple orchard somewhere to the south of Bayeux .sx Both were still feeling rather bilious from the effects of the Channel crossing , which had been made on a fast and very bouncy naval launch .sx They finished their cigarettes and drove on , passing through the outskirts of the town , and after getting lost several times eventually found the HQ , which was carefully concealed and camouflaged .sx They reported directly to Montgomery , who , dressed in his customary khaki slacks , grey pullover and black beret , was poring over a large map with several of his staff officers .sx He looked up as the two SAS officers entered his command post .sx They saluted him and he returned their salute , as punctilious as ever .sx " Wait outside for a moment , " he said crisply .sx " I will join you .sx " .sx Montgomery emerged in due course , and invited them to join him in a stroll through the orchard .sx The morning was fine .sx Somewhere in the distance , artillery rumbled .sx The commander of the 21st Army Group launched into what he had to say without preamble .sx " The assault on Caen begins tonight , " he told them .sx " It will be preceded by a very heavy bombing attack , followed by an artillery bombardment .sx It is hoped that this concentration of firepower will destroy the enemy's will to resist .sx " .sx Montgomery looked at Douglas and Conolly in turn , then said :sx " You will remember Major Fitzroy .sx " Both men nodded .sx " I have received reports from French agents that he is still alive , " Montgomery said .sx " It appears that he was taken to Bayeux for interrogation , then removed to a German military hospital in Caen .sx I want you to go into Caen with the infantry assault , locate him and bring him out .sx The Germans must now be allowed to evacuate him .sx Major Fitzroy has certain knowledge that would be very valuable to them , knowledge of matters which have far greater military significance even than the recent invasion .sx With hindsight , he should never have been sent to France in the first place , but that is another matter .sx " .sx He paused , then went on :sx " The assault goes in at dawn tomorrow .sx Use whatever methods you think best to carry out this mission .sx You have a completely free hand .sx I have signed the necessary authority for you both .sx That is all .sx Good luck .sx " .sx He handed them each a piece of paper , then turned and strode back to his command post .sx They looked at what he had given them , and Conolly let out a low whistle .sx The document , instructing all ranks of the British and US Armies to give all possible assistance to the SAS officers , was not merely signed by Montgomery ; it also bore the signature of General Dwight D. Eisenhower , the Supreme Allied commander .sx " This is powerful stuff , " Conolly said .sx " We could go a long way on this .sx I didn't know Major Fitzroy was such a VIP .sx Wonder what he's been up to ?sx " .sx " It's not our business to wonder , Liam , " Douglas said firmly .sx " It's good to know that Fitzroy made it , though , even if he is a prisoner .sx Come on - we've got a lot of planning to do .sx " .sx It was late afternoon when Douglas and Conolly arrived at the front line and reported to the headquarters of an armoured brigade which was to take part in the initial assault .sx The brigadier inspected their written authority with considerable surprise .sx " Well , " he said , " I'll be happy to have you tag along with us , and of course I'll give you all the help I can .sx Your objective is quite close to our line of attack , in fact .sx I assume you've studied a map of the city ?sx " .sx Douglas said that they had .sx " But I've a feeling it might not be of much use after the air force has done with the place , " he commented .sx " We might need one of your tanks to force a way through the rubble .sx I know it's a lot to ask , but this mission is extremely important .sx " .sx " Obviously , " the brigadier said , glancing again at the signatures in front of him .sx He handed the papers back to the SAS officers .sx " Douglas , " he said musingly .sx " Weren't you once a tank man yourself ?sx " .sx " That's right , sir , " Douglas told him .sx " Twentieth Hussars , in the desert .sx " .sx " Thought I'd come across the name somewhere , " the brigadier said .sx " Those were the days .sx None of this bloody bocage to contend with then .sx " .sx They reminisced for a while , then Douglas and Conolly went off to get some food , the brigadier giving them a warning to be on the lookout for snipers .sx " Lots of them about .sx We practically live in our tanks because of them .sx One of our chaps got out to relieve himself in a shell-hole this very morning and got shot in the arse .sx Luckily , the bullet only went through the fleshy part .sx But don't go wandering off , whatever you do .sx " .sx Later , after they had eaten , Douglas and Conolly surveyed the ground that lay between the tanks' position and Caen through a periscope .sx It was a nightmare vista of death and destruction , for terrible battles had been fought over this ten square miles of Normandy during the past fortnight .sx The ground was torn , scarred and slashed by shellfire and tank tracks ; Panther and Tiger tanks lay drunkenly across ditches where the anti-tank guns had caught them , their plates already rusting from the effects of the sharp summer showers .sx Clouds of flies buzzed around their open turrets , a grim reminder that the remains of the crews were still inside .sx An overpowering stench of death and decay , aggravated by the hot sun , lay over everything .sx The British tank men called this terrible wasteland Epsom Downs .sx The evening drew on , and by ten o'clock dusk was falling .sx Douglas and Conolly had been dozing when the thunder of massed aero-engines roused them .sx They looked to the north , into a cloudless , electric blue sky .sx As far as they could see , a stream of bombers stretched back towards England .sx The aircraft were still above the earth's shadow , the evening sun shining golden on the metal of their wings and fuselages .sx Ahead of the main stream came the pathfinders , passing over the heads of the watching troops .sx The leading files turned away to the right , back towards the coast .sx Flares showered down over Caen in a golden rain , dropping in spiralling cascades towards the doomed city .sx Flak began to blossom around the main bomber stream until the sky was covered with black puffs .sx The bombers flew on , seemingly unconcerned , although in reality they must have been buffeted by the thousands of explosions and torn by millions of splinters .sx Only one dropped away , falling slowly into the shadows , livid flames flaring from its ruptured fuel tanks .sx It vanished beyond the town .sx The deep thud of explosions merged into a single , continuous thunderclap of sound .sx Smoke rose slowly into the sky over Caen , rising to meet the last of the marker flares as they drifted down .sx Rank after rank of the bombers dropped their loads and wheeled away , racing the approaching night as they headed back to their English bases .sx The onslaught lasted forty-five minutes .sx In that time , little more than the blink of an eye when viewed in the context of a war that had already dragged on for almost five years , nearly a thousand heavy bombers unloaded three thousand tons of bombs smashed Caen to rubble from end to end .sx