Espionage

**Espionage** is the fourth episode of Stories of War and the thirty-fourth episode overall.

Espionage/Transcript

## Plot

The episode begins with some shots in Russia and the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, delivering a short speech. His speech had declared that the Germans' intent to fight a war of annihilation would be met by a similar campaign from the Motherland. Many intense battles had been fought between the Nazis and Soviets, culminating in the massive battle of Stalingrad. About a month before, the Germans had suffered an equally devastating defeat at El Alamein. This put Rommel's forces on the run and throughout the beginning of 1943, the British pursued them west across North Africa. This was truly the beginning of the end for the Nazi regime. However, they still had plenty of fight left and more than a few tricks to play…

When it comes to war, there is an unwritten rule: Win by any means necessary, no matter how disreputable. Victory through strength of arms is often seen as the more honourable tactic, while espionage is seen as vile and schemy. A well-placed spy has the potential to cause as much, if not more damage than an entire army. Also, an operative talented enough to blend into enemy force or society is a very subtle enemy, which often leads to paranoia and suspicion, sometimes unjustified in some cases.

One day, two soldiers get into a quarrel when one refuses to give a letter back to the other one, whose letter is to his grandfather, and in Welsh. The soldier who had taken the letter isn't too bright and assumed it was German. They get into a fight, and their general stops them and confines them to quarters pending court marshal proceedings. The general orders a Sargent to take the men away and orders the other soldiers to get back to work.

Thomas, Gordon and Peter had been observing the whole affair and are relieved that it ended quickly. Gordon then brings up the time when last month, Corporal Wallace had received a letter from his uncle and Wallace hasn't been seen since. Peter recalls the day after MI6 questioned him, he was gone and no one knows what happened to him. Gordon also brings up what happened to the yardmaster at Elsbridge, as just before they left for Africa, the police questioned him because he apparently spent some time in Germany in the thirties and the police wanted to know how much time and what he did. Thomas resents the idea, though Gordon points out that they can't do much about the ordeal. Peter then heads off to the front to deliver his oil tankers so the Germans will be forced out of Africa.

Peter as he is making his way, at the bottom of a bridge down the line, two Germans place a set of dynamite at the bottom of the bridge and hurry away when they hear Peter coming. Peter continues towards the bridge, unaware of the danger when without warning, a coupling snaps and the last eight tankers are left behind. Peter stops and his crew are about to see what happened when an explosion destroys the bridge. They quickly realise the delay unintentionally saved their lives.

Later, Peter meets up with Edward, Adam and Douglas and told them about his close call. Peter reveals they had found something on his brake van… the Lucky Lamp! Everyone is confused as to how the Lamp made it to Africa. Edward assumes that the lamp could have been picked up along with the plethora of supplies that came to Africa with them. Douglas objects to Edward's claim as they would've noticed the lamp earlier. Edward then guesses from its record of spontaneous travel, that the lamp has made numerous rounds across the entire theatre.

That night, outside of Barrow, two men meet on Private Property. A railwayman new to Sodor, Gus talks with Mike before going in the building which is full of BUF flags and former members. Tom had wanted to see him and asks him how he's getting used to life on Sodor. Gus has been content, aside from their complaints about fascism, and Tom has decided to teach them a lesson. Tom tells Gus he had been told that a large supply shipment will be delivered to Africa and he plans to sabotage the operation. Gus admits one member hasn't been much help recently due to the stationmaster at Elsbridge, but Tom is confident they can continue once he is out of the way.

Since half of the Midis and Nor'Easters were abroad, the rest of Sodor's engines were overwhelmed with the ever-increasing workload until a number of others came in across the UK to take the place of those in Africa.

At Elsbridge, Toby is pleased to have Winston back as they were struggling to keep up with the heavy goods work since Henry had left. Winston feels happy to be back but wishes to have arrived sooner to say goodbye to Edward in case he doesn't return, though Eric still feels optimistic about Edward and the others. Toby asks Eric if he's taking the first troop train and Eric confirms. Toby asks him to be careful with it, and he explains that they had an accident with a troop train on Sodor during the First World War. Toby remembers there were a couple of deaths and says he's always been cautious in handling troop trains ever since the incident, but before he could say more, Jeffries arrives and shouts at them: "GET BACK TO WORK YOU SLACKERS!" The four engines are enraged by Jeffries' presence, and protest he has no authority over their right to speak, and Jeffries rambles about the passengers being reminded of the atrocities. He and Toby then start throwing insults until he suddenly collapses.

Soon, the police arrive to investigate. They eventually finish and Joey tells Toby he can go and will contact Mr. Star if he needs Toby for anything else. Presently, Diesel arrives and Donald tells him Jeffries had died and Winston tells him what happened. Diesel then cheers Toby for doing so, only for both Toby and Donald to quickly tell him off.

That night, Gus meets up with Bobby who talk about what happened to Jeffries earlier that day. Now that Jeffries is out of the way, their plan will be put into action tomorrow. Bobby tells them that the crate he's standing next to will be put onto Gus' brake van and the train will be taken to Knapford. He also instructs Gus to set the timer for half an hour and leave the vicinity with more than enough time to spare. Bobby then tells him they will meet at his house tomorrow night and leave Sodor.

The next morning, at Knapford sheds, the engines discuss how Toby is fairing after what happened with Jeffries. Alfred and Geoffrey then get into an argument, until Mr. Star arrives and tells the six engines that they will have to make up for lost time to prepare the shipment to leave. He instructs Donald and Percy to be shunting trucks at the harbour, Winston and Geoffrey to deliver trains from Elsbridge to the quays, Alfred to take the express as normal and to help with shunting at the harbour once he's finished. He then tells James to pick up a goods train from Arlesburgh and bring it to the harbour, and tells him he will go with his train as he has a meeting with the manager of the Mid Sodor Railway.

Throughout the day, the engines work like clockwork. Meanwhile, in one of the brake vans of a train, Gus has set the timer for half an hour and gets onto a bus which departs. A short while later, Alfred meets up with Toby, who is feeling better than the day before. Toby tells Alfred that the train on Track 5 has been emptied and asks him to shunt it out of the way. Since most of the sidings are full, Toby instructs Alfred to put it on Pier 1. Alfred couples up to the train, and he and Geoffrey exchange insults. A workman tells Alfred to wait in moving the train as the manifest is missing a page and wants to look inside the brake van to see if it's there. Suddenly, the workman exclaims in horror, having discovered a bomb on the train and that the timer reads under two minutes. Alfred pushes the train away as fast as he can. Toby arrives and has learned what had happened. Meanwhile, James had been approaching Knapford Harbour when Alfred sped by with the train and was at the back part of James' train when the bomb exploded, fortunately only taking out the back part of James' train.

However, the explosion killed his guard, Alfred… and Mr. Star. The Nor'Easters, both on Sodor and abroad were devastated to hear about their director's death, and a memorial. A memorial was held for the great man. Thankfully, his death was only the avenged. After Jeffries' death, an autopsy revealed that the stationmaster was poisoned. The police searched his workplace and found the poison in the office of the yardmaster, Robert Carrigan. He quickly sold out his partner, Angus Sullivan, a new railwayman who had been transferred to Sodor. He also gave up the name and location of the group he was associated with which was revealed to be a splinter group of the supposedly disbanded British Union Party. After searching through the group's files, it was revealed that the German SS was supporting them. This added further charges to the ever-growing list of felonies against the group. Its members were executed for treason and espionage or sentenced to life in prison. Just like Mr. Star's death, their crimes were only the avenged, and the Nazis were soon to pay for theirs. In May 1943, the Axis forces surrendered in North Africa, and by June of 1944, the end of the war was in sight…

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* Gordon
* James
* Percy
* Toby
* Donald and Douglas
* Eric
* Diesel
* Peter
* Adam
* Winston
* Joey
* Geoffrey
* Alfred *(death)*
* Mr. Star *(death)*
* Station Master Jeffries *(death)*
* Mike
* Gus
* Tom
* Henry *(cameo)*
* Duck *(cameo)*
* Reginald *(cameo)*
* Lily *(cameo)*
* William *(cameo)*
* Falcon *(cameo)*
* Stanley (No. 2) *(cameo)*
* Mr. Zorro *(cameo)*
* Mrs. Star *(cameo)*
* Basil Corbett *(cameo)*

## Trivia

* This episode marks the last appearances of Mr. Star and Station Master Jeffies.
* The first appearance of Gus.
* The events of this episode take place in the former half of 1943.