The first two months in the SS provided us with some of our happiest moments. The food was good, so good, in fact, as if the war was over. We had Chinese the other night and that was a truly unbelievable meal! With a lot of supplies and new equipment, Wolf Von Lunch Boxes was the coolest company within the ranks of SS Panzer Division One. The standard outfit of my men was a long trench coat with a Wolf Von Lunch Boxes symbol and, of course, three lunch boxes on the belt.

“Otto, are we having Chinese tonight?” asked Erwin.

“Well, I have some bad news for you, Erwin.” I soothed him.

“What is it?” Erwin now had a pleading look on his face.

“The bloody war isn't over yet,” I informed him. “And we are moving out tonight to join the offensive at Stalingrad.”

“Does that mean no Chinese tonight?” Erwin pleaded, on the verge of tears.

“Yes, but don't cry, little boy. I'll give you a candy if you tell everybody that we are moving out at 0002 hours.”

The Companies of SS Panzer Division One had come together for the first time. There were Silver Fox, the First Company, Greyhound, the Second, Blue Wolf the Third, Candy Store and Meteor Strike. SS Panzer Division One had 17 654 men, including the officers.

Operation Candy Bar will began at 0137 hours, the objective being to capture Stalingrad. Silver Fox had to parachute out of planes to capture a bridge ten kilometres away from the centre of Stalingrad. After Silver Fox had taken control of the bridge and secured it, Greyhound and Blue Wolf would then make sure the path was cleaned before Candy Store and Wolf Von Lunch Boxes attack Stalingrad. Meteor Strike was to provide all air and land cover for the attacking companies.

“This looks like a big one, Otto.” said Westphal, another superstar of my company. He is an expert in transport - both tanks to aeroplanes. He knew it all.

“Westphal: you go to headquarters now and ask for two more empty trucks, okay?”

“What for?”

“I have to fill it up with Chinese food and candies.” I answered.

“Candies?!” Westphal exclaimed, with a somewhat bemused expression on his face.

“Well, Kesselring from Candy Store asked me to do a favour for her.” I answered, “I am just doing a good deed.”

There was a full moon in the sky to shed light on the otherwise shady ground. The moon light shone through the windscreen of the truck and was reflected by my helmet, sitting on the dash, into my eyes. I could hear dogs barking in a farmyard. What a peaceful night, I thought to myself. Oh, I nearly forgot the chopsticks. Erwin had always informed me that “You can't eat Chinese without chopsticks!” I quickly took out a pair of chopsticks, which were made in Japan. A bridge too far? I thought to myself again while I was passing over the bridge.

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