Brag
06-02-07, 03:59 PM
Vortex
Previous installments are posted at:http://www.freewebs.com/kielman/ (http://www.freewebs.com/kielman/)
Instructed by the receptionist, Goss had no trouble finding the Operations Room. The door was open. Doenitz and a couple of four-stripers hovered over a large table covered with charts. Goss stood by the doorway and watched the BDU leadership discuss the previous day's events, messages from U-boats and intelligence information. It seemed amazing that only three men where at the center of a gigantic struggle covering a great swath of ocean.
Doenitz looked up. "Goss?"
Goss came to attention and bowed slightly. "Jawhol, Herr Admiral."
"Come in." He turned to his captains. "Leutnant Goss has traveled far to be part of the U-bootwaffe." He made a sweeping gesture over a chart that covered all the Britsh Isles and surrounding waters. "Right now, we have four boats west of the Greenwich Meridian. Four boats trying to strangle the British Empire. " He shook his head. "Nevertheless, the British are worried. By just having one boat out there, doing nothing but collecting barnacles, we reduce the supplies reaching England by fifteen percent. Convoys cause delays. Ships must travel as the slowest rust-bucket in their formation. When the convoy arrives, there isn't enough docking space. I achieve this by just making a statement to the press. We are getting more U-Boats, we're increasing the capacity of the training flotillas . . ." Doenitz pressed his nose with his fingers as if thiking. "Meine Herren, continue. I need to get acquainted with the new batch of officers." Tilting his head sideways, he indicated for Goss to follow him and went into an adjoining office.
"Have a seat and you may smoke if you wish. "What do you think of German U-boats? Although curious, I didn't want to waste your time until you were familiar with our boats."
"I'm impressed by the type XII. In particular with the periscope seat and it dives deeper than I thought possible."
Donitz smiled. "We certainly don't want the enemy to know how deep we can dive. And I'm glad to hear British submarine commanders must suffer squatting while trying to aim." He opened a folder and glanced at it. "I'm glad the Admiralty has seen fit to give you seniority in the class of 1934. We're terribly short of experienced officers. With the service time you have, no one will complain. I'm placing you as first officer with Lutz, U-56. Consider yourself as a commander in training. Don't mess up and you will have your own boat soon."
For a second or two the room seemed to rock. Goss steadied himself. The best he had hoped for was a berth as junior watch officer. "Danke, Herr Admiral."
Doenitz chuckled. "And don't go looking for fights, we also frown on such activity ashore."
Goss' cheeks seemed to be aflame. "I understand, Herr Admiral."
"That was a lucky punch. Had it not happened, I doubt you would have been here."
#
To be continued.
Previous installments are posted at:http://www.freewebs.com/kielman/ (http://www.freewebs.com/kielman/)
Instructed by the receptionist, Goss had no trouble finding the Operations Room. The door was open. Doenitz and a couple of four-stripers hovered over a large table covered with charts. Goss stood by the doorway and watched the BDU leadership discuss the previous day's events, messages from U-boats and intelligence information. It seemed amazing that only three men where at the center of a gigantic struggle covering a great swath of ocean.
Doenitz looked up. "Goss?"
Goss came to attention and bowed slightly. "Jawhol, Herr Admiral."
"Come in." He turned to his captains. "Leutnant Goss has traveled far to be part of the U-bootwaffe." He made a sweeping gesture over a chart that covered all the Britsh Isles and surrounding waters. "Right now, we have four boats west of the Greenwich Meridian. Four boats trying to strangle the British Empire. " He shook his head. "Nevertheless, the British are worried. By just having one boat out there, doing nothing but collecting barnacles, we reduce the supplies reaching England by fifteen percent. Convoys cause delays. Ships must travel as the slowest rust-bucket in their formation. When the convoy arrives, there isn't enough docking space. I achieve this by just making a statement to the press. We are getting more U-Boats, we're increasing the capacity of the training flotillas . . ." Doenitz pressed his nose with his fingers as if thiking. "Meine Herren, continue. I need to get acquainted with the new batch of officers." Tilting his head sideways, he indicated for Goss to follow him and went into an adjoining office.
"Have a seat and you may smoke if you wish. "What do you think of German U-boats? Although curious, I didn't want to waste your time until you were familiar with our boats."
"I'm impressed by the type XII. In particular with the periscope seat and it dives deeper than I thought possible."
Donitz smiled. "We certainly don't want the enemy to know how deep we can dive. And I'm glad to hear British submarine commanders must suffer squatting while trying to aim." He opened a folder and glanced at it. "I'm glad the Admiralty has seen fit to give you seniority in the class of 1934. We're terribly short of experienced officers. With the service time you have, no one will complain. I'm placing you as first officer with Lutz, U-56. Consider yourself as a commander in training. Don't mess up and you will have your own boat soon."
For a second or two the room seemed to rock. Goss steadied himself. The best he had hoped for was a berth as junior watch officer. "Danke, Herr Admiral."
Doenitz chuckled. "And don't go looking for fights, we also frown on such activity ashore."
Goss' cheeks seemed to be aflame. "I understand, Herr Admiral."
"That was a lucky punch. Had it not happened, I doubt you would have been here."
#
To be continued.