In Part Eleven the mission has begun. Chardonnoret and Ferdy have liased with their French counterpart. Word comes that the allied are also due to mount their massive Operation Overlord invasion attempt at liberating France within 24 hours making the mission even more critical.
The team have fake papers to get them into the compound, travelling in by truck with a group of French collaborators as new recruits. Getting ready for their nights work they are overhead by another worker speaking in English – he is dealt with very rapidly by Grive.
Meanwhile Warsaw and Chardonnoret have to use the cover of an air-raid (organised by Gwillim) and which puts the lights out to get the explosives across into the compound. It’s a tense situation, they only have a limited time for Warsaw to use his high wire skills to get in. Having practiced unceasingly for weeks with a crossbow and pulley system Warsaw is unable to get the wire tight enough to carry the explosives across in one trip. But time is running out.
The Germans discover the high wire, they think it may be something to do with a commando attack but don’t really know – taking no chances they sound the alarm…
It’s a superbly tense episode, the drama faced by the team contrasting nicely with the equally tense wait faced by the team back at base.
classic quote
“The job is a possibility, anyone returning would be an unlooked for bonus.”
production details
UK / BBC One / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 18 March 1983 at 8.00pm
Writer: John Brason / Production Design: Tim Dann / Director: Viktors Ritelis
Series: The Fourth Arm Episode 11 (of 12)
cast
Paul Shelley as Major Gallagher
Neil Stacy as Lieutenant-Colonel Squires
Philip Latham as Colonel Gwillim
Susan Kyd as Solange (Chardonneret)
Dean Harris as Macklin (Choucas)
Michael MacKenzie as Cameron (Grive)
Roy Boyd as Lamboit (Ferdy)
Carole Nimmons as Ellen (Merle)
Robert Swales as Macaulay (Mesange)
Stuart Blake as Wilson (Corbeau)
Rob Edwards as Lovell (Hibou)
Boris Isarov as Soltysyk (Warsaw)
Gerald James as Professor Evans
Leonard Fenton as Cpl Moffat (Miff)
Gregory de Polnay as Pierre de Grouchy
Christopher Ravenscroft as Kupper
John Wyman as Kommandant
Terence Brook as Paumer
Lex van Delden as Waechter
Louis Sheldon as Hertel
Terry John as Feldwebel
Ernst Walder as German guard
Russell Kilmister as Batiste
Steve Ubels as Telephone operator
Jasper Jacob as Guard in bunkhouse
