Friedrichsruh

Reveille at 02:30. Thirty-six buses, twenty trucks, along with staff and supply units. It’s a long convoy leaving Odense, driving over Middelfart and Kolding into Germany via Flensburg-Schleswig and beyond. We see blue-and-yellow pennants displayed on trees and buildings along the roadside. Are they honoring us? Later we learn that the blue-and-yellow pennants are actually warnings of air raids.

The city of Kiel has been heavily bombed, but the bridge has survived. When we reach Lübeck, it’s getting dark, and suddenly we lose contact with the vehicles ahead. I take command and drive along dark roads toward our destination, the quarters at Friedrichsruh. There are no road signs. The map the Danes gave us looks like a school atlas, yet somehow we manage to find our way.

Upon arrival, I report to Folke Bernadotte:
"Sorry we’re so late."
Folke Bernadotte pats me on the shoulder:
"You needn’t worry about that; the others haven’t arrived yet."
Sleep comes hard on the floor after a long day and a journey of roughly 40 miles.