Anselm Bernhard descended the Murge and rejoined his troops by the trucks at the base of the plateau. Only Hilgendorf had gone up into the caves with him. The colonel didn"t fear his men, but knew that if he found what he was looking for, he wouldn"t want too many people to know about it.
But when he approached the troops milling about the trucks, he could tell that their mood had changed. He sensed an undercurrent of anger which he disregarded, knowing that German soldiers were conditioned to obey their commander, no matter what the circumstances. He counted on this training now.
Bernhard intended to find the hidden cache before the Allied advance reached Altamura, although reports from the front and the battle sounds all around reminded him of the danger he and his men faced. It also s
