(Story) U-46 puts to sea again [Archive] - Page 3

Laughing Swordfish

12-10-06, 09:10 PM

Hard to northwest, and the other one isn't hard to find.

Chugging great plumes of black smoke, she too is doing her best to break for some friendly port.

"Deck Gun, Load! Make Ready! Straight into the waterline."

Frantic activity on the deck below. Ever since Joachim threw his steel helmet in the sea that time, none of his crew bother with theirs, but they are all either bareheaded, with the badge on their chest or still, daringly sporting it on the forage cap they still wear at a jaunty angle.

"After all, an aerial cannon from a jabo, or one of those Browning machine guns are going to blow it off anyway!"

So speaks Dieter, who lives for the moment, and as if he doesn't have a head sometimes anyway, and is pressed up onto the bridge to search the skies. Ok, which he's good at.

"Never mind a helmet! Dieter can't even even keep his trousers on every time we're in port", shouts Heins.

"Let's use his big fat bare arse as a buffer against bombs?" says Kals

"Lets use it for in port when we......."

"Lets all shut up, Third Watch; shall we..! Sir, your orders?"

Willi puts a stop to the nonsense on his watch before I do.

"Steer us absolutely straight out of the waves now; give it to Reuben, I shout below to the control room, give me a steady platform"

Oscar is still up on the bridge, and so is the sun looming up on our starboard.

"I'm sorry Doc, there won't be any warning shots this time. They've had plenty of time to get out. More than we ever would if they had the chance."

Joachim is calling the range, elevation and bearing.

"You don't have to explain it to me, Rollie, its just...

"Fire!"

"Blink the lamp for them to abandon ship, Willi"

The first one was short but a good ranging shot. They can see us they can see the danger, and they can see the futiltility of escape.

The next one hit. Forward of the bridge, but enough for the 88mm anti-ship shell to send a shudder through the stricken vessel.

("Come one Captain, you must know the game is up, neither of us can afford to hang around)

The next one into the waterline.

"Great shot Joachim. Repeat!

The freighter, I'm sure it's that big size one we hit earlier, is now also listing badly to starboard. the second one confirms it. She won't recover from that.

The light is upon us as Willi, is looking her up in Janes. to find out or guess it is the SS Queensbridge of approximately 8,000 tons. But he knows his ships better than me so who am I to...

"ALARM!!"

I am searching and scanning, Willi has already hit the crash button and we can feel the panic, those of us on the bridge, who want to get on the bus before it leaves.

"Who called it? Where away?"

"There, Sir, there!" a frightened young hand who'd probably just come up for a smoke and also to see our deck gun go and hit something.

"I see them Junge, good call, get below now to your action stations. But give me a drag of that cigarette before you go."

He smiled broadly, and went down.

A simple trick to display calm and confidence. Christ, I wish it was that simple.

Everyone else is already racing down and me and Willi are the last.

"Liberators, Willi! Three astern. Don't look, just get downstairs! I'll close the hatches"

The boat is heading down, as it's Kapitan tumbles down in a medley of curses into the control room.

"Don't you just hate that, men? When it always happens like that, right at the end?

"What?..."

"What Sir?..."

"Are we done for Sir?..."

"No, no, lads I'm talking about that last cold trickle of water you always get down the back of your neck, when you come down the ladder."

"Now full to port!"

"The only water we want is a hot bath, with fond attention back in Saint Nazairre, don't we boys!

(How deep Chief? Is that guage reading right?)

(15 metres and sinking, Kap)

(Get us deeper, much deeper, and open up everything on the electric motors, Reuben)

(Yes Sir)

It's hard to whisper in the control room, without raising alarm.

"Aircraft, men!" I say jauntily. "Apart from our other patrols this has been easy up to now.... so it may get bumpy again"

If we can get out of the pattern of three bombers that have seen us on the surface, if I have made the right decision to dive.

If I have got deep enough and moved far enough away, and in the right direction.

LS

Morts

12-14-06, 09:11 AM

more more more:rock:

Laughing Swordfish

12-14-06, 11:22 AM

A few of third watch are still lingering around Hans's sonar room

So every one can see when he wrenches off his headphones to protect his eardrums, and flings them aside.

"Wasserbomben!"

That get's them moving.

"Not in here, you idiots!"

Cox shoos them out of the Control Room.

"We're busy here. Get forward you apes!"

And the soaking wet remnants of Third Watch add their weight to the bow, as the U-46 dives for her life.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-14-06, 12:03 PM

"Hang on Men, they'll be set for shallow and...

Kaboom, Kabomm kaboom, kaboom, KABOOM KABOOM, kaboom kabomm, BANG BANG.

The boat is rocked violently

"... and we can expect them any time now...."

It bought a wry laugh from Willi.

"Now we're all getting a little cold trickle down our collars", says Otto without taking his eyes off the gauges and dials.

"Level up helmsmen!"

"Forty metres, Sir

Joachim suddenly bursts through the hatch like a soaked and startled hare.

"Taking water in the fore-ends, Sir! It's pissing through!"

"Fifty metres, Sir"

"Cox get all hands aft, get the weight back off the bow.

"Damage crew forward! Let them get by, you idiots!"

"Seventy metres, Sir"

LS

bookworm_020

12-14-06, 05:14 PM

Time to see how deep she can go!!!:hmm:

ECV56_PolTen

12-18-06, 12:55 PM

Oh boy :o

Level up, please, level up

Jimbuna

12-18-06, 04:16 PM

The shipyard certificate says 90 metres, but of course, we can go deeper :D :yep: :up:

Laughing Swordfish

12-18-06, 09:09 PM

"Reuben, send your motors hard astern. Bring those bow planes up lads."

"95 metres, Sir" , says a control hand bleakly.

I dive towards the fore-ends where the blokes there are soaked and exhausted.

"Leaks stopped, Sir!"

"Well played, Kurt!"

I rush back.

"Blow tanks!"

The rest of them are wrestling with the jammed fore plane wheel. In the end they hit it with a hammer.

"120 metres!"

"Boys, we've been deeper than this. Pump everything aft Otto, and then get the bilge out of the boat, I don't care what noise you make. We'll get out of this"

"130 metres, Sir" The tensile groans and creaks are now obvious.

"You always were a kidder, Sir" murmurs Willi.

A wry smile from Otto across the Control Room.

"Get your lucky blue mug out, Willi"

He did. Nurturing it carefully. There was nothing else to do.

It took a while. I suppose we find it harder to be gently sinking than under the constant threat of death from a destroyer.

"130 metres, again, Sir."

That was the same as last time, that mean's roughly neutral bouyancy. That's a good thing. It means we're not sinking for the moment.

"Otto, use our last compressed air. It's hard to pump out at this depth with the water pressure, so now's the time!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-18-06, 10:27 PM

"All your juice to the forward gears, Reuben, and let's see!"

LS

bookworm_020

12-18-06, 10:52 PM

Keep pumping out the story, I want to have something to look forward to when I return to work!!!!:up::up:

Merry Christmas LS, and thanks for the story!:rock:

Jimbuna

12-19-06, 02:21 AM

Let's hope the crew and the boat don't turn out to be 'christmas Turkeys' :nope:
All the best for the festive season :up:

Laughing Swordfish

12-19-06, 07:55 PM

These next moments are crucial.

If we can expel enough water..

If the bow planes, or at least the starboard one, behaves itself , and it should given the four sweating men swearing, shouting and resorting to violence with a sledgehammer and a crowbar...

If the good old fish can just stick her sword up towards the surface, then every metre will mean a reduction in water pressure on her hull, less easy for water to get in, and easier to pump the bloody stuff out.

I looked down to see that my ankles were awash, and looked up to see a young rating clutching himself, and on the verge of sobbing. The same boy who had come up for a smoke before.

"Easy, lad; don't forget I owe you a cigarette. It's a bit damp at the moment, but we'll take our next drag back on the Wintergarten"

I gripped his shoulder and he braved a smile.

"Thank you, Sir"

"Now get back to your watch commander..."

I looked up to see the whole control room crew looking at me.

And then down at my boots where the water seemed to be receding and then slowly running aft.

"125 metres!"

A huge yell erupted, which just brought more scared faces looming in from the hatch to the rear of the Control Room.

"120 metres"

"Quiet men! We're going home, but we're not out of it yet. Keep those repairs going. We've upset a few people, and they may still be around.

I sidled up to Otto while the hands were basking in their sudden salvation.

"How does it look, Chief, she's handling like a brick..?

"She'll sink like one unless we're careful. The damage to the starboard dive plane is affecting the boat's trim, I can't do anything about that, Rollie, until we at least get to a safe depth"

"What's a safe depth?"

He looked at me grimly.

"The surface"

"Come off it Otto! It's broad daylight by now, and we've already had half of RAF Coastal Command after us!"

"Rollie", he murmured.

"The batteries are half flat, four of the cells are in danger of seawater contamination, and you know what that means. The boat is going to pitch badly as it is, but I can't tell how badly while we are forcing her upwards. One of our bow planes is wrenched out of true. You know we can't be wrestling and fighting with it in a tight spot, and the air compressors, well they've taken a hammering too but Kurt and his team are on it. But they need air to compress, and diesels to compress the air with. Without anything to blow ballast, we won't be able to dive safely or even maintain depth anymore, if we do. We have to surface and I'll do my best down here to fix things"

"But we'll be cut to pieces..."

"60 metres!" is the cry from Braun, to more joy.

"Better or worse than being back down there...?"

You're right Otto, my friend. It's out of the frying pan and into the fire.."

He smiled.

"You mean, the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea..."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-28-06, 05:25 PM

"Up to 12 metres, Chief. Give me my periscope"

Well the planes are gone, but do they talk to the escorts?

"Anything, Hans?"

"Nichts, Herr Kaleun!"

"Good. Gentlemen..."

The seniors are sitting around the wardroom, even Bruno who could sleep through a depth charge at 20 metres if you let him.

"...we're going back in. Back to St Nazaire, I mean. But we're not as seaworthy as I would like the U-46 to be. In other words, and having discussed it with the Chief, we're going to have to take a chance on the surface, right across the Biscay Bay.

Howls of protest.

"Shut up, men! Emerson just made it out here on the surface, and...

"More by luck than judgement, the young whippersnapper!"

"Well, Willi.... we have both. This is the Laughing Swordfish, your judgement and her luck!

I slapped him on the back.

"Cut us a not so obvious course home, please Willi.

"Bruno take your boys up for this watch, take anyone else you need. I want eyes in the sky. Where are the machine guns, let's have them mounted on the...........what?"

Bruno coughed in embarrassment.

"Those two MG34s with the pivotal mounting sir.."

"..Yes..?"

"We lost them to some guys from U-342, I'm sure that ace came from the bottom of the pack"

"Bruno, I despair. You will take the watch with me, and when the jabos come, feel free to spit at them"

LS

Morts

12-28-06, 09:15 PM

keep it comming:)

Jimbuna

12-29-06, 06:35 AM

Great stuff LS :rock: ...thanks :up:

Laughing Swordfish

12-29-06, 09:49 AM

"Ok, surface!"

I push the periscope away.

"All speed diesels! Get those air compressors running. Pump out, and Bruno why are you still here. I want you and your gang straight up there as soon as the Chief gives us surface. Joachim, get Jurgen and the best gunners in the garden. Bring the 2cm ammo up."

Bruno pops the hatch, and it does fling itself open, as the stale air rushes out and clean Atlantic sea air is sucked in. There's no better sensation for u-boat men than that.

"Up! Up!"

Bruno is first, and I'm second; the rest of the watch scramble up, and Jurgen spills out to man the AA gun with two extra loaders. One of them being Dieter. He's a disciplinary nightmare, but never one to duck out of a fight.

"Keep looking lads!"

"So Bruno..."

"Yes, Sir?"

"Tell me about these machine guns. How long have we been gambling away Kriegsmarine hardware?

"Every now and then, Sir, how else do you think we got that case of American Bourbon, and the crate of pineapples"

"What case of Bourbon?"

"Oh..."

"Never mind, Bruno.." I sighed.

"When we get back" (it's always good to say 'when we get back' and not 'if we get back' in earshot of the crew)..

"...You and the QM will get our machine guns back from them"

"Bit tricky, Sir"

"Why?"

"Because it would be a long swim. They're on the seabed along with all those card sharps that sailed in her. Last month, Konig's boat".

My God, Hans has gone. I need to pay more attention to the blackboard.

"Well ok, Bruno but no more of it. Have Willi draw me up some papers to sign, and we'll requisition two new ones.

"Yes, Sir"

"And Bruno...."

"Yes, Sir?"

"It's chilly up here, is there any of that bourbon left..?"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-29-06, 07:44 PM

So far, so good.

I call for the Cox onto the Bridge,

"Kaleun?"

Fetch young Muller up here, and whoever is his closest friend. Also I'm going to need some dry cigarettes, but I know you can do that.

"Yes, Sir!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-29-06, 08:23 PM

Janni Muller and his best mate Vogel, join me on the bridge.

"Hey Muller, you're not in any trouble. It's ok to be scared when we come under attack. We're all a little bit worried sometimes, but you can take it from me, that you won't die on the U-46, at least not before me.

Vogel, come and sit here too. You're both from Leipzig, nicht wahr?"

"Yes Captain."

"You know, you guys should come up here more often. It's a dangerous stretch of the ocean just now, but it's nice to have a breath of fresh air now and again,"

"I almost forgot! Here's the cigarette that I owe you. Take one too, Vogel."

We lit up, sitting on the 20mm ammo cases, and smoking contentedly.

"When we get back in, you will both come and drink at my table in the Chat Noir. It's the least I can do Muller, for spotting those planes, and Vogel, for keeping the electrics running when we most needed them"

"We're definitely going to make it back, then Sir?"

"Count on it lad!"

LS

ECV56_PolTen

01-03-07, 03:19 PM

Good read as usual :up:

Brag

01-03-07, 10:25 PM

I am yet to finish reading your stuff, but felt compelled to comment now. Very well done, great writing. No echoes, no qualifiers. Something tells me you're a pro! :yep:

fabel

01-04-07, 09:01 AM

Great story:up:. I'm very curious how this will end.

Jimbuna

01-04-07, 09:14 AM

Great story:up:. I'm very curious how this will end.

As are the multitude of avid readers on this forum I should imagine :yep:

ECV56_PolTen

01-04-07, 09:50 AM

As are the multitude of avid readers on this forum I should imagine :yep:
Quoting Star Trek's Mr. Spock: Your logic seems to be flawless :D

Jimbuna

01-04-07, 12:07 PM

What ya tryin to say bud!! I got big ears :x

:rotfl: :rotfl:

Laughing Swordfish

01-06-07, 05:42 PM

Thank you guys, I'm not a pro or anything else, but thank you for thinking so

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-06-07, 06:11 PM

"Look up menschen!"

Tired eyes were drooping

"Captain to Control Room"

"Yes Kaleun!"

"Cox, get Kuki up, get some strong coffee, do what ever you have to get some..

"ALARM..!"

The boys in the wintergarten are scampering in.

"Who called it?" Shouts Otto as the watch rattled down the hatch

LS

azn_132

01-06-07, 06:12 PM

I still need More!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laughing Swordfish

01-07-07, 10:11 AM

"OTTO!" OTTO!!!"

"Yes Sir?"

"Cancel crash dive, if we go down now they'll pick us off like seagulls with breadcrumbs. We're going to have to square up to them on the surface. Gun crew up again! Get the ammo relay going, hurry, they're already coming round to attack. Viktor, get off a quick aerial contact report. Two Liberators. Doc stand by again."

"Cox, send me up our luger, I might as well have something to shoot with

"Willi, just turn the wheel a little. let Jurgen use his gun, but this place is a bullet trap when they come from astern,

Jurgen and George are already pumping out defiance as the first plane makes it's run.

LS

bookworm_020

01-07-07, 05:01 PM

Hold hard!! This is going to be rough!!!:huh:

Laughing Swordfish

01-07-07, 10:54 PM

Jurgen looked that pilot right in the eye and hurled up his flak.

The Brit kept on coming

Two brave men bent on killing each other.

"All Starboard NOW, Otto!

We can actually see her bomb racks opening

"Faster, Chief, faster!"

LS

azn_132

01-07-07, 10:56 PM

Oh, Boy its goin to get tense.

Laughing Swordfish

01-08-07, 11:48 PM

(Balls! I've just lost an entire page.

Back to the drawing board.

PS the website is getting a whole new look (in fact it's a whole new website) so watch this space

LS)

Laughing Swordfish

01-09-07, 12:33 AM

Jurgen is hammering away, and the Liberator is coming on. Neither men flinching.

Finally U-46 starts to swing her bow.

"Gun those engines, Chief!"

We can actually see the bomb bay doors open, and the two anti-submarine bombs ready to go.

Jurgen is scoring some hits, not enough to ditch her, but maybe just enough to put her off.

"Bombs gone!"

"Too early, Jungen!" I shouted as they both dropped into our wake and Jurgen thumped away at her as she passed overhead, and desperately started to climb

"Hold tight!"

The two explosions lifted U-46 arse end up, and sent the boat alarmingly nose down, to great howls of despair from below, who can't see what's going on.

Nothing compared to those on the bridge who actually can see

The gun crew are knocked sideways, and hanging on to the rails, Bruno and I are flung into the forward well of the bridge in a painful and clumsy heap. Only Jurgen remains on the trigger, he's strapped himself in, the maniac. But a case of 20mm ammunition disappears over the side.

"Before you say it, Number Two, I haven't got a light for a cigarette, come on get up! Easier said than done in several layers of drenched clothes, and heavy oilskins. I must have knocked one arm more than the other. It won't take my weight like usual.

I get on the pipe.

"It's ok, menschen, one down, one to go. Nothing worse than a bit of a soaking for the bridge watch!"

Dieter and George haul each other to their feet. Swearing at each other all the time, but holding their hand out to the other as they slipped and got back into action.

"Mehr! Mehr!" shouts Jurgen, as George drags up another case, and Dieter kicks it open.

"Here she comes..." says Bruno grimly

This time from the side.

"Hard-a-port, Chief!"

We're going to turn sluggishly I know, but my dockyard thugs (we may call it a Wintergarten, but it's definitely no Kindergarten) are already hauling the gun around in anticipation

And we turn again. The repeated thudding behind me means that Jurgen and the boys are back in business.

And this time we've hurt her. A slim stream of smoke is running out of the nose cowling, she is starting to handle badly, did we actually hit the pilot?

She roars overhead and climbs with her bomb bays still shut. Jurgen is still bashing away at her, and Dieter and George are giving her the two fingers.

I look down at my hand. There's blood dripping down my wrist. My luger is empty. I don't remember firing a single shot.

"Fine work lads, get yourselves below. Report to the Doc for medicinal brandy on my orders"

"Jawohl, Kaleun!"

"Chief, tell the boys the panic is over for now. How are the repairs doing? Can you give me periscope depth for a while?"

"Ok Rollie"

"Good. Come on Willi and Bruno, let's go home..."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-09-07, 04:09 AM

"Damage report, Chief?"

"Some serious crockery breakage, Sir" Otto smiled.

"Other than that we are ship shape and Bristol fashion as the Tommies say. Most repairs done and the air compressors are back to near their best, that's that noise you can hear, as they close down for sub-surface The starboard bow plane isn't perfect but we can get some play out of it. I reckon we can creep along down here at this depth, at least until sunset, and not annoy the RAF anymore."

He looked down.

"You appear to be standing in a puddle of blood, Sir"

"Just a scratch, Otto, we need to send a message to ..."

"OSCAR!! Get in here! The Kapitan has been hit....!

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-09-07, 08:58 AM

"Get his jacket off!" shouts Oscar

"Jesus, and that disgusting old jersey.. and those two shirts. For Christ's sake men, let the dog see the rabbit!"

By now I am dimly aware of being carried through to the Doc's sick bay (otherwise known as his own bunk)

"Swabs! Disinfectant! Forceps! Hurry up Braun!"

"It's just some ricochet or splinter, I murmur."

"No it's not, Rollie"

"But I don't feel anything, and.."

"..and you will in a minute believe me. Rollie, we're about to take a half-inch bullet out of your upper chest. A souvenir from Winston Churchill.

"Is there any of that brandy left, or did those two rogues drink it all?" yells Oscar.

"Here, Sir" says Braun.

Oscar leans over me

"Rollie, you're hit worse than you realise. You lost a lot of blood up there. We need to get some fluids back into you, and most importantly to stop anymore leaking out.

"Take this..."

The brandy bottle is pressed to my lips until I splutter.

"This is going to hurt, Rollie..."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-09-07, 09:39 AM

Oscar wasn't kidding.

I must remind myself to get more brandy for the next patrol.

He had to dig about quite a bit to get the bullet out, It must have been a richochet, it was flattened just short of my collar bone according to Oscar, not fatal, but ruptured enough blood vessels on the way to leave things in the balance. The improvised drip probably swung it my way.

In the meantime, Bruno took us home. I was adamant that it shouldn't be that fool, Friedrich. Bruno and Willi between them managed to get us within reach of St Nazaire without further incident.

"Sir, we have the minesweeper, Bremen, offering us the recognition signal. Will you take it?

"No, Bruno, it's yours. Take us all the way in. I'll be up later. This one is down to you. Call me up the moment you see a pretty blonde on the dock!"

"Bestimmt, Herr Kaleun!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-09-07, 09:55 AM

And there she is. Waving frantically on the Quayside.

The men are proudly hoisting our victory pennants. we really did smash that convoy between us.

"Doc, take this sling off."

"You still need it for another..."

"Just take it off, Doc! I don't want Heidi to see it.."

"Oh, so you're going to pretend you haven't got a great big bullet hole underneath your right shoulder?"

"Come on Doc, I don't want to upset her straight away"

"Ok. You're an idiot Rollie, and she's bound to find out. But just for the moment, I'll do it. Promise me you'll keep it supported though? Without my medical report you won't be taking the U-46 out next time, otherwise.

"Right now, Oscar, I just want to hold Heidi with both my arms......."

LS

mookiemookie

01-09-07, 10:31 AM

You had me worried there! Been said a million times, but I'll say it again....great stuff LS! :up: :rock:

Laughing Swordfish

01-09-07, 10:39 AM

Bruno get's to take the salute and the accolades.

I manage to get past the reception committee with a cursory salute, and then dart along the dock.

Heidi comes running at me, and leaps up into my chest, as I spin her round.

She noticed me wincing.

"What's the matter, darling? Are you hurt?"

"It's nothing, I'll tell you later. Just come here."

Her lips met mine, and everything, the destroyers, the corvettes, the Liberators, the tracer and the depth charges, all were gone in an instant.

"Do you have to go to the Chat Noir tonight, Rollie? I have this new accomodation on Rue Vert and my friend is off visiting her boyfriend in the 276th Division. I thought I could cook you something, maybe open a bottle of wine...

"Maybe the Kaleun is mine tonight, fraulein..."

It's Oscars' heavy hand on my shoulder.

"He has to go to the hospital, right now. Come on Kap, let's get you checked out."

"What?"

"I knew you were hurt, Rollie, why didn't you tell me..?"

"I'm not hurt, it was just... Oscar how can you be doing this to me?"

"Come on Kap, you can't ignore a bullet wound of that size.."

"Bullet wound!" Heidi cries. "That's it. I'm coming with you.!"

So we all pile into the kubelwagen and make our way to the naval hospital while Heidi alternately kisses and punches me (fortunately on my good side) for not telling her that I got shot.

We get out of the vehicle.

Oscar whispers to me:

"This is serious Kap, these guys could take your boat away from you."

LS

Jimbuna

01-09-07, 01:07 PM

Well I'll wager you'll get to keep your command Rollie :up:

bookworm_020

01-09-07, 04:53 PM

The U-46 wouldn't be the same! :cry::cry:Let's hope he can sneek out when the nurses aren't watching!!;);)

Laughing Swordfish

01-09-07, 06:50 PM

"You know you don't have to go back again, Rollie."

"Please Heidi. not now. I do have to take her out again. Who else will?

"But you're hurt, and you've done your bit and, and.....

"....and please don't go out anymore......"

"Don't Heidi; I can't bear to see you cry....

"... just tell me that you'll always come back,"

"I'll always come back to you, Heidi."

Oscar coughed discreetly.

"The Surgeon will see you now , Sir"

LS

donw

01-09-07, 06:53 PM

Let's hope he can sneek out when the nurses aren't watching!!;);)

He'll have no need to sneak out mate. I'm sure a National Hero can swing a private room..and Heidi (working for the Fleet Admiral), will have no problems taking over duties as "head" Nurse....(literally!):rotfl:

Laughing Swordfish

01-09-07, 07:29 PM

The doctor puts me through a series of exercises, some days later.

And he's not stupid.

"Those hurt didn't they?"

"No Herr Doktor"

"Bollocks, man! You've been shot through the shoulder with a heavy calibre machine gun. I can see you're not fit for duty."

"No, I have a boat to run, and...."

"Relax, Kapitan, your U-46 isn't going anywhere either. I understand that she's in for an overhaul after your last patrol.

"So she's still my boat...?"

"Straight from Uncle Karl's mouth; now be a brave sailor, this injection is going to hurt...."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-09-07, 08:00 PM

That's it. U-46 is in dock with mechanics swarming all over her.

As impatient as I am, it's good to see some technicians taking care of her.

I can't be sat in a hospital bed either.

Cox kidnaps me to a waiting car. Next stop, the Black Cat!

Andreas and his crew are lining up at the bar, so is young Emerson, and his motley gang. I see Braun from U-226, and Hansi, from U-114.

"Hey! What kept you?" Andreas comes over with his watch team.

"We were expecting you back alongside us!"

"We had a little aerial trouble, Andreas. Basically we had to do some last minute ducking and diving before we got home.

"Hey! What did they do to your shoulder?"

"Nothing that a beer or two can't fix, Andreas!"

LS

Jimbuna

01-10-07, 07:34 AM

Have a one on me kaleun :()1: :up:

ECV56_PolTen

01-10-07, 04:09 PM

:o Uff! Close call. Good to see the captain is alive and kicking:rock:

galahad

01-10-07, 05:09 PM

Well Done

elite_hunter_sh3

01-12-07, 07:25 PM

bump so LS can have a easier tine finding this thread and posting the next part of the story :P:P whens the book coming out??

elite_hunter_sh3

01-12-07, 07:26 PM

and i got 1 more post till 200 :sunny::p

Morts

01-12-07, 07:34 PM

bump

so you can spot this thread easier when you're on the bridge looking out for new threads.........lol?:rotfl:

Laughing Swordfish

01-16-07, 08:44 PM

(Sorry for breaking out of the story, guys. Just to say that my rudimentary attempts at putting this on a website have been grasped firmly by DONW who has singlehandledly set up a new improved and up to date website at: http://www.freewebs.com/laughingswordfish/postpatrol14page12.htm
Well that's the most recent page. You can navigate around the pages either at sea or in port by what he has brilliantly put together from there. And the idea is to one day put it into a book, maybe when we know what the ending is, or maybe before.

The idea has never been to detract from this fantastic Subsim.com site, so you'll still read it here first. We've just put the actual chapters together as a story on that website.

Save it as a favourite, but only after subsim.com!

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-16-07, 08:47 PM

PS, I really don't know. What does 'Bump' mean? I hope it's something good?

LS

Abd_von_Mumit

01-16-07, 09:04 PM

It means someone posts just to make the thread appear on the first place on thread list again.

bookworm_020

01-16-07, 10:34 PM

It's already part of the stories sticky at the top of the page

Jimbuna

01-17-07, 03:30 AM

It's already part of the stories sticky at the top of the page

:yep: :up:

Sailor Steve

01-17-07, 12:11 PM

I like your site; looks good, easy to read, like the photos.

PS, I really don't know. What does 'Bump' mean? I hope it's something good?

LS
From the old days:
http://www.subsim.com/phpBB_archive1/viewtopic.php?t=23738

From today's headlines:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=92958

Laughing Swordfish

01-19-07, 09:59 PM

The party is in full swing and the emblems are up on the wall. The lucky four leaf clover, and our cheeky little swordfish, of course, the black cat of U-100, the Oinking Pig, the Olympic rings belonging to U-482, the eagle's head; the snorting bull, which is not strictly our flotilla but still shown as a tribute to Prien. The dancing red devil, and the leaping frog. the mermaid, the jester, the shark and the two swallows of Emerson's boat, which I always thought was quite a classy choice for a youngster.

"Hey Leon!"

Emerson and his Chief join me, and champagne is called for.

"I see you've cured your throatache nice and quickly Junge". Congratulations, Leon!"

The Iron Cross sits proudly on Emerson's chest.

"That was a bold move of yours lad, sprinting across the Bay in daylight like that. Fantastic; and we needed you on the scene; but I wouldn't make a habit of it. It's a very dangerous stretch of water; that's why we had to take our time coming back in. They put you down as well, didn't they Leon?"

I like Emerson. He has the vigour and dash of youth, and is a nice lad. His chief, Krepps (a good mate of Otto's) has been about a bit, and clearly keeps the right balance in every sense in the control room. I noticed his eyes rolling involuntarily as Emerson recounted his charge across the Bay in defiance of all logic and safety briefing. When they were pushed below, at the end of the convoy battle, I'm sure it was a combination of the two of them that saw them up safe again and home. They do have three torpedo hands in the hospital, and some work to do in the bows but otherwise, a great first run, and at least three kills, I think.

The next slap on my back is Andreas. More champagne of course, as the skipper and his gang from U-297 crowd around. Andreas is just back from Kerneval, where he has reported in the tonnage, and such was the success of the impromptu wolf pack, that he has been kept busy by Goebbels' news hounds, when all he wanted to do was slip back here and "pop a few".

According to Andreas, and what he was told from our people in England, less than a quarter of that convoy ever made it back to port. the Clover will be out again soon, she did take a little depth charging which bent her nose a bit, but as Andreas says, it's only a scratch, and just needs re-arming , refuelling and re-victualling.

"Go safe, Andreas!"

"Cheers, Rollie!"

The next to bump into me is Max. The pigs of U-213

When I say 'Bump' I mean nearly knocks me over...

"Rollie..!!" he roars

"I can't believe you've still stayed dry! We had to cut and run when we were out of eels, what kept you so long.. did you break your glasses..!!"

"Up yours Max!" .. ok just one more bottle... Listen, You didn't tell me before.. what happened to Freddie...?"

"Oh the U-122?

"Yeah, the Lucky Ace of Spades"

"Not so lucky. We were going down as a three to Gibraltar, us and the U-330. Freddie hit a mine, and just managed to beach in Spain. All the crew ok, I think. And there was some political wrangling about internment, but the Brits never got wind of it, and someone paid a local trawler to haul her back off."

"Freddie's got her into La Rochelle at the moment, for proper repairs. He never thinks he's lucky that boy.." Max shook his head.

"I think he was quite enjoying his sun tan down there. But he was lucky. Konig in U-330, our first convoy contact, lost with all hands..."

And then there is the one comrade that I really want to see.

We both look silly, strapped with almost identical chest wounds.

"Hello, Kaleun."

"Hello Christian!"

LS

Jimbuna

01-20-07, 05:29 AM

:up: :rock: :rock:

Laughing Swordfish

01-20-07, 06:56 PM

We try to embrace, but it's like two old maids.

"Ouch!"

"Ouch!"

We both laughed.

"It's good to see you again Number One..We've missed you"

""You too, Kap. I didn't realise it would be so hard waiting for her to come back, until I wasn't part of it.

LS

Sailor Steve

01-21-07, 04:03 PM

We're glad to see Christian back too.:up:

Laughing Swordfish

01-21-07, 07:53 PM

"I hear it was quite a good patrol, Boss?"

"Yes it went quite well, we managed to put a pack together.."

"...How did my replacement do..?"

"He's not your replacement, Christian! He's a Party Stooge, and not even a small fraction of the sailor you are"

"Well you still sunk quite a lot of ships without me."

"Only because I sent Friedrich back to the engine room and me and Bruno got our hair wet, on your behalf, you skiver!"

"What about Willi?"

"Well he's supervising repairs back in the pen. Him and Bruno got us back, when I got this....

"Is he still doing the whole blue mug thing, Kap..?

"Well it seems to work, Christian"

"Hey! Do you think if we stood the right way into the wind, we could play a tune with the holes in our chests!

Laughing Swordfish

01-21-07, 08:06 PM

"Seriously, Christian. we need you back. But how are you?"

"Better than you, Sir, but I'm not going back to the Fish unless you are too."

"We'll be going back together, Christian, don't you worry about that, now how about another bottle of....."

Christian looked over my shoulder and pressed his finger to his lips, like a good watch officer.

I spun round right on cue.

"Hello Heidi!"

"Time to take you home, Rollie," she smiled firmly.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-30-07, 08:19 PM

We're back in St Nazaire main street, Christian has just been dropped off to much shouted promises of breakfast in the morning,

"Are you sure you should be out, Rollie?"

"Yes of course. It was a fuss about nothing, the bullet hardly grazed the bone, and anyway, if Christian is allowed out, then so am I"

Heidi laughed.

"You two are such little boys!"

"Here's my new place, Rollie. Stop here, driver"

She had two steaks sizzling in the pan, the kartoffeln were already roasting, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes cooking away. And the bottle of red already opened, and demanding a taste.

"You know Heidi..."

"Sit here, darling, let me look at that bandage..."

And just her touch, made me know that I can never...never ..die in the Atlantic.

LS

Jimbuna

01-31-07, 03:06 AM

I wonder what tune they would play ?:hmm:

Laughing Swordfish

01-31-07, 11:25 AM

There have been so many nice comments on this thread, and I appreciate them all, but my current favourite is the one that cared about Christian. He's one of us!

LS

bookworm_020

01-31-07, 05:03 PM

Roll on the next installment LS!!!:rock: Just keep it in the PG rating area, avoid the R rated stuff!:)

Laughing Swordfish

02-01-07, 03:04 PM

"Wake up Rollie, here's your coffee and the bath is running"

Heidi kissed me gently on my head.

You're having some healthy breakfast food for once, and you can forget about going out drinking with your U-46 reprobates as well..."

"What...why...?"

"You're taking me to Paris, like you promised last night!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-01-07, 03:32 PM

Being in a tub of water that wasn't freezing cold, and then eating warm croissants instead of cold sausages, was kind of nice. But I wasn't about to give that information away. Paris? When did I say that?

"Come on Rollie!"

I am already being hustled out of the door into Rue Vert.

"I already know what we're going to buy each other!"

I sighed and pulled her close in the car to the station. Shopping is worse than depth charging, but it's hard to argue with someone like Heidi alongside you.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-02-07, 08:23 AM

We took a taxi out of the Gare du Nord.

We went up to the Sacred Heart, which church magnificently overlooks Paris from the north and sat contendedly together, and shared baguettes, fromage and ham.

I suppose it was then that I made my decision.

Then we drove down to the Arc de Triomphe, and sauntered down the Champs Elysee.

Heidi bought me an expensive shirt, and I bought her the perfume that she had wanted.

But I had another present in mind, and left Heidi to browse in a dress shop, while I went in search......

I hope I got the right size, and I know nothing about jewellry, but now I am guiding her to the Eiffel Tower, which is one place she's always wanted to visit.

We climb up to the top breathlessly. And stare out across Paris from the opposite perspective. It really is a fine city.

Now I'm plucking up the nerve.

"Rollie, this has been a fantastic day, thank you so much!"

And then she hugged me, and that was all the courage I needed.

I produced the ring, and braced myself.

"Heidi, will you marry me.....?

LS

baggygreen

02-02-07, 08:38 AM

Way to leave it hanging, you're worse than a soap opera leaving a characters life in the balance until the new season!:rotfl:

wow, I bloody hope she says yes:rock:

RawRecruit

02-02-07, 09:11 AM

LS, your story is just brilliant. I've been following it since I joined the forums and keep checking regularly for more chapters. Can I offer a tiny wee bit of advice/criticism, though? Lately there's been a tendency for your writing to jump from present to past tense and back, sometimes within the same post. I know this is a small issue, but I personally really like your style when you write in present tense. It seems to keep the sense of events happening as we read. Definitely suitable for a story being written as the game is played. Also it would definitely be a consideration if you were to publish...! :yep: :rock:

Laughing Swordfish

02-02-07, 01:45 PM

You're quite right, I need to tighten up my writing.

I'll work harder to keep it in the present sense, but there are moments when I'm looking back on things.

Anyway, there will be a book (properly edited!) one day.

Let's just see what happens with the boat, first..

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-02-07, 02:49 PM

"Yes! Yes!! and Yes!!!"

Heidi spins me round and holds me close.

"Will this fit, or would you like another one, or..."

"This is perfect, Rollie. You could have given me anything. Of course I will marry you! Do you know how long I've been waiting for a moment like this, you idiot!"

The French don't really like us Germans much, but they are incurable romantics. As soon as they saw my proposal, they came out from the small cafe bar dancing with delight. I had my hand shaken vigorously, and Heidi was kissed endlessly on both cheeks. A bottle of champagne was produced, and a boy was sent racing all the way down to fetch some roses. He brought his Mama all the way up, and she was in tears as she embraced Heidi, as if she was her own daughter. Heidi was shooed away to discuss such important things as dresses and cakes and so on. Emille, the bar owner, sat me down with his best brandy.

"She's a lovely girl. You are very lucky, my friend"

"Yes I am very lucky Emille."

Meanwhile his wife is talking ernestly to Heidi, with lots of wild hand movements. I'm guessing she is getting the last word in how to keep me under control.

"How long do you think this will go on for Captain?"

"The marriage? Forever, I hope"

"I meant the War"

"Untill someone runs out of steam, I suppose. Regardless of what other people have told you, I'd like to come and meet you as a visitor, not as an invader.

We shook on that.

"Look after her..."

And then we are walking back down the iron stairs and making our way back to the hotel. The War is still on, and I have to go back to sea, but for now we are together, and engaged to be married.

It's the hardest, but the best thing I have ever done.

LS

Jimbuna

02-02-07, 06:03 PM

Better than Mills and Boon :lol: :up:

Laughing Swordfish

02-06-07, 07:52 PM

In the morning, Heidi's arm flopped over to my side of the mattress, now empty.

We U-boot men are up early, and I am standing there with a tray of hot real french coffee, some juice, warm croissants, and some brioche just waiting to be filled with the ham, and cheese and butter

"You did this for me, Rollie..?"

"No, because I was hungry. Now get in that bath tub, hurry up the croissants are getting cold"

The croissants were still warm and the butter melting as she came back in her bathrobe.

I popped the champagne and added some to our orange juice. "This is what they call 'Bucks Fizz' "
"What do you mean by 'They', darling"
"Well the Brits and their colonies and the Amis mainly, the Russkies , well maybe not them so much and....I tailed away lamely

"Pretty much everyone, Rollie"

"Yes, but they don't have what we have. We pretty much massacred that convoy, and with a few more boats...."

"..'with a few more boats', Rollie? Those people are even now churning out ships, quicker than the next u-boat"

I took a long pull of the champagne

"Well they still have to get them across the Atlantic Ocean, and that's the flaw in their plan, Heidi. Because we'll be waiting!"

LS

bookworm_020

02-06-07, 08:31 PM

Heidi's going to go to sea as well? I'm sure she will be popular in the U-46!:D

Jimbuna

02-07-07, 05:05 AM

Rollie sounded like a good 'Party' member for a second there :hmm:

Morts

02-13-07, 12:20 PM

bump for awesomeness:rotfl:

Laughing Swordfish

02-13-07, 12:21 PM

With the breakfast cleared away, the next stop must be Haussmann Boulevard.
"Neither of us want to be wandering around in uniform, and 'look at this perfect jumper, Darling for you'! Basically this is Paris, so I have been kidnapped into a shopping trip. But I don't mind. It's good to be away, and definitely good to be with Heidi, and she does look great in those dresses. The red or the blue, the green or the white, long or short? Don't expect a man to know! Heidi would have looked sensational in a potato sack, as far I was concerned.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-13-07, 12:33 PM

From there we followed it down towards the Cathedral of Our Lady.

Going, Heidi was strangely silent. She went straight to the candles.

We lit many candles for lost comrades, I was thinking of Ernst and there were many amongst a huge parade of candles fluttering out or still burning for this war.

We had many candles to light, and I guess so did the french, but I stopped Heidi's hand.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-13-07, 12:51 PM

"What are you doing with that one , Heidi"

"This one's for you, Rollie"

"But I'm not dead yet , the crew aren't dead yet, and U-46 is almost ready for sea again, and.....

"....That's what I mean, Rollie! Don't you see! I push the little u-boat flags around. I never get wet or cold, but all the time we are taking markers on and off the map. I hate it whenever we lose any u-boot. But when it was U-46, when we were supposed to report you gone....

....and then you were all dead........and.............and.....

...then you all made it back alive. You made it back alive

Laughing Swordfish

02-13-07, 01:18 PM

..and we weren't sure to the last minute because they already wanted to write your Number off; and.. and.." and then she was crying.

"Rollie, I see the reports and the statistics, don't tell me it's safe out there!"

"It's not that bad, Heidi, we do have to be careful, but I have a good boat and a good crew. I'll come back if I have to swim back"

She reached for my hand across the restaurant table

"Now what are you going to eat, the poulet en tomat, maybe?"

"That sounds lovely, Rollie; what about you.

"I might have the moulles avec aioul; you know, they survive at the bottom of the sea as well!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-19-07, 04:49 PM

Sitting on a bench outside Notre Dame. A ferry goes past full of beery, singing infantrymen. A frenchman discreetly spits into the water.

I look up at the ramparts of the Cathedral.

"You know, that gargoyle reminds me of my Dieter"

"No, too handsome!" she laughed.

We strolled across the bridge into the Latin Quarter, and where the students still hang out. There's a lively street market there, which girls love; and soon we are haggling over a piece of white silk.

"Oh please just pay him Rollie, we have to have it!"

Bemused, I do so. But now she gives it to me.

"Who'se the man who painted the Laughing Swordfish on your conning tower, Rollie?"

"Bittrich, I think. Willi would know for sure, but.."

"Get him to draw the same swordfish on this. And sign it yourself". She looked at me urgently. "And get the boys to sign it or write or draw something on it. All fifty of them! I shall keep it always, and wave it on the dockside when you are due in, so that you can pick me out. You will always come back in, won't you?"

"I have to now!"

And so we cadged a staff car back to the Coast, where the U-46 was waiting.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-21-07, 06:45 PM

"When can I tell BdU we can go back out, Willi?"

"Two days, three at the most, Sir. The Chief is due back from leave tomorrow. We can't sail the boat without his approval!"

"Quite right, Willi." I smiled.

I am sitting around the table with Willi, Oscar and Bruno.

"And she's provisioned, refuelled and rearmed?"

"Yes, Kaleun, and we haven't traded off any of our hardware this time!"

"Now, lads. Our guest from the last patrol, won't be joining us on the next trip, a vital desk job has come up in Kerneval, which only he can fill". Beer glasses were chinked to that.

"That means I'm bringing Christian back out".

I looked at my Number Two.

"Bruno, you did an amazing job last time out. I'll understand if you want to..."

"Are you kidding, Sir! It's the team back again! Proust!"

Oscar is shaking his head.

"Neither of you idiots should be back on active service in my opinion. But who listens to the boat's doctor these days? Proust!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-02-07, 12:12 PM

Muller and Vogel are beckoned over to our table, They are close shipmates, and Muller had a hard time of it during one of the last attacks we endured.
"Here's to home in Leipzig, boys, take these cigarettes, and I'd like to have one with you like I promised."

"Jawohl, Herr Kaleun!"

So we sat and smoked, and heard about life in Eastern Germany, and the boys were kept topped up. Willi, catching the mood, says to the boys:

"You know this is a lucky boat, lads?"

"Yes, Sir..."

It has survived everything so far. Every attack, because of..."

"The Lucky Swordfish, Sir!"

"Yes that as well men, but also the crew on her. Muller you spotted those Liberators, Vogel you kicked in the electric motors in quiet mode as we crashed and had to stay down. Boys, we are all making decisions fore and aft which effect each others lives. Mine are crucial, but I utterly depend and totally rely on you boys to carry it out.

LS

High Voltage

03-02-07, 01:20 PM

Aaaaahh, thank you for my dose, Laughing swordfish...:up::up:

donw

03-02-07, 03:24 PM

Aaaaahh, thank you for my dose, Laughing swordfish...:up::up:

:up: Could not have said it any better!!

Laughing Swordfish

03-08-07, 05:28 PM

Otto's back! And he's like a new man. He pops into the Chat Noir for a quick beer, eyes ablaze,
"It's due so soon, Rollie!"
"A few months at least, Otto, come on take a beer...."
"No time! I need to get to the boat. What have those incompetent dockhands and saboteurs done to her in my absence? I need to check every gauge, every pipe, tube and dial, every seal, every hatch; the batteries? whose been looking after the diesels? They need new lubricant and to be run for an hour every day...."

And so on. U-46 is just as much Otto's boat as it is mine. We have both had to utterly trust each other since training at Kiel.

"Well I'd better come with you, Otto!"

Another boat was put in alongside us in the pen.

It looked sea-scarred as all good front boats do, and it looked like it was the U-666

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-08-07, 05:57 PM

"My God is that Alfie?"

Yes it was, Alfred Kiefer, he has already been promoted, and taken some ships and given a Type IXC.

There is some minor welding to be done, but when you see the U-666 provisioning with fresh vegetables, you can be sure she's pretty ready for sea already.

"They're bigger, Rollie." Otto mutters. "More torpedoes, and maybe more guns up top..."

"And longer range"

"But we can duck and dive quicker, Kap!"

"That we can, Chief! Always a good thing! Come on, let's take a look below..."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-08-07, 06:43 PM

Walking astern was a hazardous business. The boys had some of the deck plates up, sparks were fizzing and spitting from a couple of joints, and extra rivets produced and replaced for those places where the enemy last dared to intrude.

"Engines, Otto?"

"Listen, Sir!" The pistons murmered then rumbled and then pounded into life with the engine set to neutral.

"Electric mot..."

"Ahead of you, Sir, all the sea water is out and we've got a whole pallet of new batteries that noone signed for. Shame not to re-fit the U-46 with them.

The electric motor has been rewired and conditioned. The boys have tested it under all stress conditions. Here's the paperwork for BdU and the dockyard, Sir.

"Joachim has signed off his weapon systems. The boys have done a lot of work with the forward tubes and the 88. He's back from leave tomorrow, but I have his certificate"

"OK, what about the Control Room?

"Oh that, well there were some minor dials out of true like depth and speed, and some of the.....

"..What..!"

"Ok, also the whole sonar room has had to be.....

There is a tiny laugh. And then another. And then a huge roar at the kapitan's expense

Otto leads it.

"We've fixed everything, Kap! U-46 is as good as new, tomorrow is the last of the new torpedoes, the fresh water and the provisions, and then we will need to find a bit of water before we go out into the Bay, just to trim the boat"

"Can you and Willi and Cox do all that, apart from the trimming, in twenty four hours, Chief? I want as many of the crew around to hear me before the boat sets sail.

LS

Der Kolkrabe

03-13-07, 07:32 AM

Sir!

I must say that this story is amazing, thank you. :up:
I'm page 17 now and keep reading. By reading I can see in my mind those actions and feelings.

I'm new Kaleun here, bought SH3 when it's popped out but been flyboy long time. Now playing again SH3 with GWX & SH3cmr... transfer myself East Front to North Atlantic :yep:

Laughing Swordfish

03-17-07, 05:24 AM

Thanks Der Kolkrabe and everyone else who has posted on this thread. I read every one, and am greatly encouraged to write more every time I get feedback. Can I just use this moment out of the story, to say thank you to Neal and his team. I have just bought one of the first copies of the Submariners' Almanack 2007, which he has published which is a great read with stories, cartoons, reviews, discussion articles, historical notes and much more. I also want to thank DonW who has been a constant companion and who set up the whole U-46 story on the website link you see below.
Also Brag, your U-551 stories are excellent and beyond compare. I love reading everyone's patrol accounts, but yours are great, I'm in the boat or on the bridge with you. Thanks

LS

bookworm_020

03-18-07, 09:56 PM

Great work LS,

I hop you continue the story, even after SH4 is released. I will be keeping a weather eye open for it.

:up:

Jimbuna

03-19-07, 05:21 AM

Long may U-46 remain an integral part of the SH3 forum :up: :arrgh!:

Laughing Swordfish

03-21-07, 08:04 PM

"Put your shirt back on, Sir."

Oscar tossed his stethoscope onto the desk. He had insisted on examining us personally.

"Well you're borderline, but I'm not going to convince you to rest, am I?

"The boat is ready to sail, Doc, who else is going to take her out?"

"Kap, you are going on patrol, in a boat with the Captain and First Officer with barely healed holes in their chests. I've seen you wince just going up and down the ladder"

"People have carried on with much worse, Oscar, and we don't have time. Now Christians's waiting outside, are you going to sign us back to active service or not?

Oscar sighed, and then dashed his signature across the bottom of a couple of forms, and then fiercely rubber stamped them. "I suppose if we are going out again, then it would be good to have some people who vaguely know what they're doing. But why don't I take one of the watches? I'm not a sailor like Christian, but I haven't had a bullet prised away from my lung either".

"Doc, you know he won't give up his First Watch. But let's say we talk to him and somehow share the load on the next patrol. Spend some time up there with Willi or Bruno, they'll soon show you the ropes, but I do need Christian back in the crew, and even you can see that would be good for him too".

"Yes, it would be good to have him back."

Oscar dumped the paperwork into his out tray and threw the Flotilla surgery door open.

"Well what are you still doing here, Christian? Don't you have a boat to run?"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-26-07, 02:57 PM

I met him further down. Staring out at the water.

"Christian?"

"Yes Rollie."

"Are you ok? "

"Yes of course, Kap, it can get so dull around here with all the beer and nurses..."

"Come on Number One. Noone would blame you if you sat another one out."

"Does Bruno want my spot?"

"No! No!! Christian, he wants you back as much as I do. I've effectively sacked that last jerk they gave us, he was no seaman, and a Nazi Pigeon. I want you back as my my First Officer, and so does Otto, Willi, and your whole watch. Even Dieter asks after you when he's sober enough".

"More importantly, Christian we are stretched to keep turning boats around, and more and more inexperienced crew at all levels of seniority are being fed straight into patrol boats. I'd rather have half of you than six of them, but I don't want you to die on me, we've got a boat and fifty men to look after, after all. And don't just say it because we've been together on a lot of patrols. We have to

Laughing Swordfish

03-26-07, 03:41 PM

"What is it Kap?"

"Nothing, Christian. Just a twinge. So are you up for it or not, we've both got the documents from the hospital stamped?.....lets go to the Maillot and have a beer there"

Despite his protestations me and Christian found a kubelwagen going that way, but we had a bottle of brandy to take the chill off which we later gave to the driver. And I led to the Maillot a couple of streets down.

"Why here Rollie?" I flung the door open.

"Because all the off-watch crew are here to greet you!

Huurah! Hurrah!!

And the men flock around him now that he is out of his hospital gear and into his naval blues. It's an exclusively U-46 bunch that surround him in this backroom

"Don't crowd him men!" And I hear Cox taking control.

"Gentlemen of the U-46! Two pieces of news. The first is that when the Chief Engineer screws the last nut and tells me so, we shall be out again and taking the war to the enemy!

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-26-07, 07:07 PM

"But the second thing is, men, that there is a....

"She's already here, and Heidi is produced more tipsy than I have ever seen her.

"We brought her along early Kap, in case you were delayed,"
says Bruno

"Anyway not only have we our 1st Officer back, but this young lady who you all know from BdU.. at Lorient..now" there was some whispering

"...pretend you don't know Johann.."

"..shut up Dieter and look surprised....."

and then a lot giggling and shussing, as I looked at Heidi.

"I'm sorry Rollie, they got it out of me, they couldn't wait" Clinging tightly to me she turned to the boys of U-46 and shouted

"We are to be Married!"

Drained her glass like a proper sailor and smashed it like one.
Cheers and beers, and then we are carried up the street to the Black Cat, and there are more speeches and jokes, most of the Kapitans are there, but U-666 has already sailed, which reminds me through my haze, our berth is clear.

"Where's the Number One, Cox, already down at the Pen, Kaleun, he wanted to get back to the boat".

Christ so should I.

"Cox, start getting the men back, bit by bit, I don't want to break up the party, but we sail on tomorrow's afternoon tide. Just have them all on deck ready to go by 1200.

"Heidi, you of all people know it's time for us to go again. Let me walk you home"

"A funny sort of engagement party, you announcing it and spending it with a bunch of drunken sailors."

"You know we'll come back, Heidi"

"Ja liebe Rollie. Auf Wiedersehen und Zuruck"

And then I was back with the boat.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-26-07, 09:39 PM

Off we go again. And about time too, although my mind is still in a turmoil, and half the crew are half drunk still, They can't all be sober to go out again, but now that we are, they can snap out of it because Cox will be beasting them around the boat doing a few and minor imaginary jobs, until he's tired, not them.
There is little ceremony this time. The idea is to get down the Loire estuary and be putting out into the Bay at dusk. Heidi isn't here, she's back at LOrient. But she will always be here in a sense, apparently, she has pulled strings to get two extra letters stencilled on our conning tower, only the size of a saucer. An A on the starboard side and a Z on the port side.

The men seem to be mildly curious as was I until Cox told where the paint job came from, and when they heard a rumour it had been done because of Heidi, they loved it whatever it was. I'm going to have to stop her going to the Black Cat.
Otto just shrugged as if to say 'usual stupid seamen' and then disappeared aft with a wrench and a rag and a job for two of his stokers.

But it was a riddle that Willi was really taking to heart. He takes any superstitions seriously

"You must know Kap, why did Heidi have those small letters, painted on our Bridge?"

"I don't know Willi, it's a surprise to me. But I'll guarantee this it'll bring us good luck if it comes from Heidi?" A on the starboard side, and Z on the port? It's a riddle, but it's lucky, I'm sure, now lets go over these charts again"

My orders said to go to a nondescript patch of the Atlantic. Basically well out from the Western Coast of Ireland, slightly in reach of either the Clyde or the Bristol Channel, but now as I read it we are to form an advanced picket line to see which way they come, Liverpool or Bristol. In the meantime making boring weather reports.

After a few days of this I overheard a member of 3rd watch whispering too loudly that we'd got an easy, a cushy sector because of the Kapitan's new connections.

"Get this man below! First watch stand by!" As the answering pipe was called , and Christian's watch strarted grumbling into their oil skins too early by over an hour, and what's the Old Man up to now, etc

I handed over to Christian, "Let the young hares up first my friend, I always do!, but not on the way down!"

Well we know that's not true, Kap, he coughed and spit some phlegm over the side.

"Chief?..thanks ....send the Doc to Bridge"

"What are you doing Sir, it was just a cough!"

"Get the rest of your boys into the Wintergarten, Number One!

"Christian, don't you see, he' s not up here in the rain to look at you. I've always wanted him to be better qualified on the handling of the boat. He 's up here to learn some Bridge training, please look after him Chrstian, and call your boys back in to their positions. You must look after our Doc, Number One, alles?

Oscar shins up the ladder (noone can serve on a good boat unless they can do the 'Circuit' in under a minute. Which is hell but a lifesaver)

"Ok, too many officers on the bridge, we could topple the boat over with all our big thoughts. I'm going below, Christian we should be heading Northwest towards AL51. Ask Willi for your steering pattern, give Oscar some spare binoculars.

I was down the ladder and checking with the Control room shift, and then gratefully flick the green curtain aside and just sprawl. Maybe 20 minutes later, but it felt like 20 seconds....

"Ship sighted!"

LS

Jimbuna

03-27-07, 02:28 AM

Awesome LS!! :rock:

perincurium

03-27-07, 03:54 AM

I don't know why, but I've got a bad feeling about this patrol.

Laughing Swordfish

03-27-07, 08:27 AM

Oh, those of little faith.

Not yet Kameraden! Not yet!

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-27-07, 10:00 AM

Peering into the rain, I can only just make her out.

Riding the waves badly, either old or unladen by the way she's rolling, I suppose about 2,000 tons, if we're lucky and she isn't

"Good eyes, Christian!"

"It wasn't me, Kap" he smiled and jerked his thumb towards Oscar who was still glued to the target by his binos.

"Let's let him take the attack, Christian, get your boys back in and tell Reuben to come hard starboard to 060 degrees, full engines. Now this is to be the Doc's ship so lets help him get it"

"Hey Oscar, great sighting! As it happens we seem to be turning into an interception path. What luck! Now what do you see from the ZBO?"

Christian crouched with him and talked him through judging the size of the ship and it's speed and course and range. The Doc was very excited when he got to call battle stations, and the data he was saying was only slightly altered by Christian's relay, as we passed down the information.

"Now Oscar," said Christian, "You need to tell Joachim which tube to select. I'd say given the size of the target, shallow and an impact pistol."

"That's exactly what I would have diagnosed!" replied Oscar, now thoroughly enjoying himself.

I could just stand by and watch.

"Tell them to open Tube One, Doc"

"Open Tube One"

"Into the voice pipe, please, Doc"

"Oh, sorry..."OPEN TUBE ONE!"

"Now Joachim is waiting with his finger on the trigger so keep feeding him any new information, and watch the range decrease and the angle of her bow we want to be almost perpendicular to her but slightly forward as she's coming across our path.

"When she gets to around to anything under 1,000m, and the right angle looks good, let her have it, Doc!"

Minutes pass, as the distance closes. I click my fingers from the back, and Christian gives Oscar a nudge. "Now would be a good time, Doc. Shout Eins Los"

"Nummer Eins, Los!"

The great hiss of the torpedo and soon the wake, "Don't be distracted by the last torpedo you've fired Doc, you can't do anything about that now, you need to be already thinking about your next move. Do we need to align for another shot? Do we need to beat it out of here, do we submerge, who else is likely to be about?"

As Oscar was nodding there was the dull boom and white spray, as Doc's eel took her just forward of the bridge, but enough to know that she was going already.

Christian is already giving orders to return to course on high speed. Oscar turns, there's men getting into lifeboats.

"Aren't we going to help them?"

"You're asking the wrong person, Doc", says Christian grimly

"They're almost within sight of land, Oscar, the Irish coast is just away there" I swept my hand away to starboard, if we hang around here we'll join them. Good shot though, Doc, let's get you below and the rest of First Watch up"

I winked at Christian (he had lost none of his sharpness) as me and Oscar went below.

"Do you know, Rollie, I think I really am helping Christian get back to his best, did you see the way I guided him through that attack...."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-28-07, 08:06 AM

Willi is in the ward room as I flop down, and flip my cap onto the table.

"About earlier with Third Watch, Sir. Hessler was out of order. He's peeling potatoes with Kuki now, while the other three are sleeping."

"It's ok, Willi, but is that what the men think, that we're going to be sent to easy sectors because a woman corporal has some influence with Uncle Karl?"

"No Kaleun, but it's a pride thing, they don't want to be weathermen, when there's ships to be sunk"

"Well Willi, there really are very few quiet sectors anymore, certainly not even here. You can guarantee to the boys that we'll have our fair share of action, as if they haven't had enough already. Come on let's take a quick look at the charts, and then you should turn in. Hessler too."

To prove my point in the next couple of hours we dived three times because of air alarm, each time spotted well in time by Christian's gang and with no follow up from above.

It really is good to have him back.

LS

Jimbuna

03-28-07, 09:32 AM

To prove my point in the next couple of hours we dived three times because of air alarm, each time spotted well in time by Christian's gang and with no follow up from above.

It really is good to have him back.

There's times when I wouldn't mind him in my crew :lol:

Laughing Swordfish

03-28-07, 07:37 PM

"What are you getting Hans?"

It is days later, and we have gone to 25 metres to ride out the storm, and have a listen. We are crowding around the sonar cabin.

"Shush, please Sir" he whispered as he rotated and finessed his wheel. Finally narrowing it down....

"Fast, must be a warship, long range but becoming more distinct. Nor'westerly, and gaining."

"Destroyer, Hans?"

"I'd say so, Sir, but listen...."

He gave me the ear phones, with a grin. It took me a while to pick it up. The dull background throb against the escort's faster signature.

Hans is nodding and smiling at me.

"Convoy, Sir!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-29-07, 08:35 PM

It's obvious when we have the sniff of a convoy. The whole tempo of the boat picks up. People are dashing around more. Stuff is being stowed away, In every department there is checking and re-checking, and there is more crowding around the Control Room.

Willi's watch have dropped back through the hatch, and clanged them shut on my orders.

"Can't see a thing in this sea, Sir"

"Ok Willi, get out of that wet gear and join me at the chart table. First Watch, stand down, but have them ready Christian. Otto take us lower and cut the engines. Slow both on electric. Twenty metres, if you please"

We slip under, and begin eavesdropping.

"They're booming through, Sir!"

Hans passes me the ear phone, and now the steady thud of the screws is unmistakeable. It may be easier to hear them than to see them, but we are right in their way.

LS

gord96

03-30-07, 12:34 PM

..................

Laughing Swordfish

04-01-07, 04:42 PM

Good luck, Gord, We're off the WSW coast of Ireland. (AM74)
LS

Laughing Swordfish

04-01-07, 05:11 PM

"Surface!"
"Willi plot us ahead of them, so that we arrive just in time to take them out for the evening!"

Battle stations, but as we raced up the ladder, I couldnt help but notice that Christian was wheezing a little.

"What do you see Number One?"

A quick scan then back again, then a moment's concentration.

"There, Sir! Silhouettes against the Moon! You'll see their smoke soon, after the next sea swell!"

"Nice call, Christian!" And soon we are pounding away on full diesels. "Get Viktor to send a contact report off. Let's get some other boats in. I'm sure I can see a couple of tankers in there.

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

04-01-07, 07:14 PM

Oh COOL!!! I have some catching up to do.

robbo180265

04-02-07, 02:09 AM

Just wanted to say again what a fantastic read this is:up:

Good luck Kaluen,don't do anything too risky:up:

Laughing Swordfish

04-02-07, 10:12 AM

The convoy is starting to take shape now even without our binoculars.

Christian is still calling even the smallest changes down to the Control Room.

"That destroyer hasn't seen us, Sir, but she'll be coming around at the first loud bang. Those two tankers are obscured by smaller fry. We can't get a clear shot. We could get rid of them, and run ahead again?"

"They'll probably only close up again, Christian, that's what I would do, but not so easy with nearly 30 ships to look after...or we just charge right in. It's the tankers we want most of all. Ease us around to starboard and come back to course at my command. Have Otto trim the boat right down, tell him we want the water up to our chin, he'll know."

Soon the U-46 is sailing so low in the water that the lowest exposed part of the vessel is the diesel intakes and exhausts, and that is a hazardous and expert job from my Chief, which I know he will take me to task over later.

But it now means we have crept in, and Christian is already reading the target data downstairs. Two for the big tanker, a T2, I'd say, one for that big fat C3 merchant ship with tanks and containers on it's upper deck, and another for that smaller tanker in the middle.

A complex firing solution. But all handed down, efficiently and....

SPLASH! SPLASH!

Shells are landing around our starboard stern side. He's overshooting for the moment.

"Escort! Port left astern, Sir!

"Alles Los!! ................Alarm!!!!"

Christian has already hit our crash button, and the shrill of the bell is coming up to us. Like the good watch officer he is, he pushes his men down the hatch and then turns one last time to face the danger, just as I am.

"Two of them Cap! Straight out of the fog!"

"Downstairs, Christian. Now!"

We had to hit the deck running, but Christian was doubled over and coughing, not helped by the upheaval as Cox swore and shouted and urged the men forward to tilt the boat down.

"Oscar! See to the Number One. He's had the wind knocked out of his sails, for a minute. Otto how are we doing? Get us deeper, and steer hard to port. We'll try to duck under them, and then veer off, standby on the wheels Lads, we need you now. Any Damage Kurt? Good, well I'm sure I'll find you some. Get anyone you need up to help on my orders. We're about to get the good old bone-rattling; but the good news is we got our torpedoes off (any chance of them hitting, Joachim?)"

"Yes, Sir. they're all running true......"

But really he was thinking and even looking up, as I know we all do, to the sound of fast screws and the death they bring coming ever closer.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

04-02-07, 11:43 AM

The loss of weight from our bows by firing that hurried salvo has slowed our descent, despite having every available man crammed in there.

Only 25 metres when we get it from Hans.

"Wasserbomben!"

"Hold tight menschen!"

Boom, Bang BOOM, BOOM, BANG!

That last one was close.

We are hurtled from one side to the other, and water spurts from a dozen pipes. Valves are tightened. "Fifty metres, Sir" says Otto and all eyes are on me again.

"Silent Running, Chief. Hey lads, have you forgotten they're getting their own payback? We've got four eels running, and any time now....."

We heard three explosions out of the four, and we can't see but I'm guessing they went into the two big ships, I'm guessing from the underwater noises, that we've sunk at least one, and that would be the big tanker that we were most sure of aiming for.

"Shut up men! We're not out of it yet". I poke my head into the fore-ends.

"Ok we've got the angle of descent and we're going down to somewhere even safer boys. Get back to your stations or report to the damage control staff, we've just given them a whack or two, and now they want to chase us for a bit.

I slapped everyone on the shoulder as they passed back to their jobs or bunks, and an extra hard slap for Hessler. "Seeing enough action now, Junge?"

Here they come again, damn them. The destroyer's engines are thrashing ever more noisily.

"Full speed Otto! Forty Five starboard, and dive planes down. Hold on!

Crash Boom Smash, SMASH!

"Deeper Otto! Cut speed until their next run, and then drop her and speed her up. We'll dart down and under, and bit by bit creep away."

Kurt comes forward breathlessly and soaked in water and oil. "A small leak to the pressure hull, contained and not serious Sir, But there was a hell of a bang above our stern."

"That's great, thanks Kurt"

"But Sir, I think you should look in on the Medical Officer." He glanced down at his bloodied hands, "I tried to help but..."

"Thanks Kurt, get back looking after your team, they'll try another set of depth charges soon."

As soon as he had tunnelled his way back through the hatches, I followed him to the Doc's Med Bay. There was Oscar with his back to me, ministrating to Christian sitting up straight and who had blood seeping from his nose and mouth, and staring vacantly ahead.

"How is he Doc?"

"Concussion, Kap, not helped by you allowing him back out to sea after a serious chest wound, or by you knocking the boat around like this."

"We're under attack, Oscar!"

"Yes, well can you just stop it, Herr Kaleun?"

"Just stop it?"

"Yes just stop it. He can't even see you. Just stop them or I can't treat him.

All eyes were on me as I clambered back through to the Control Room. The last set of depth charges were well off the mark, relatively speaking just chalk marks for Willi. Who now voiced the question of them all.

"What now, Sir?"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

04-02-07, 02:24 PM

"Joachim, if we secure from silent running, how fast can you reload?"

Even Bruno, crazy as he sometimes is, said:

"That's quite a risk, Sir...."

"I can give you two in twenty minutes, Sir." said Joachim watching me intently.

"Do it Joachim, take all the hands you need. I can't expect you to be totally quiet, but try to keep it down. I'm going to keep them off our backs while you get on with it. Try and do anything noisy right after an attack; they won't hear us then. Go, go now!"

With a few whispered commands my Weapons Officer took his men and chose some others and rose to the challenge.

Above, we could hear them circling round again.....

LS

Jimbuna

04-02-07, 02:30 PM

AWESOME!! LS :rock:

Laughing Swordfish

04-02-07, 04:13 PM

The next time, the charges fell behind us in a line, four dull crumps to our stern, which even there pushed us forward through the water and caused a fuss among the younger ones.

Immediately the charges had gone off and the destroyer was turning away (and so were we) Joachim had his men hard at it, working the pulleys in the torpedo room isn't exactly a stop-start job, but they forced that first torpedo home, well, as if their lives depended on it.

Of course the destroyer can hear us loud and clear, it's hardly even bothering to ping us. But the brief respite of being astern of her was shortlived, as she came around again, despite Joachim's efforts we're making more noise than a pod of whales.

"Keep going Joachim, we'll buy you some time...Otto steady, but drop the boat when they come again. Listening for the engines thrash again, second guessing...

"Hard port rudder, down 50 to 120metres!"

We can't allow them to put one under us. Even every animal knows about having a soft underbelly. Instead if we can trick them through three dimensions we can make it. And the deeper we go, the longer it takes for the depth charge to explode, and so longer we have to evade it as it sinks, and also the water pressure is greater and helps to nullify the effect of the explosion. But it also helps to crush a U-boat like an egg shell if the time comes.

"Wasserbomben!"

"Quick now Otto! Everything hard to starboard. Let's scoot away, and hold us south east for a moment".

I looked at the young sailors staring at me, and realised that hardly any of them had any idea of what was going on, in these elaborate mind games, or where we were in relation to the enemy ship. So I fixed my white cap at a jaunty angle and pretended I did.

The six distant booms that followed were also well astern.

"That hardly rattled a cup, boys!"

Joachim's sweaty and grimy face comes through the forward hatch.

"Five more minutes, Kap."

"Hurry up Joachim!" I whispered through gritted teeth. "And tell them not to drop another spanner!"

"Up 50, Chief!"

The next pattern would have been right under our stern but we weren't there any more. And if anything it up-ended the boat, and helped the second torpedo into it's tube without much more effort from the exhausted lordships in the bow compartment.

"Tubes One, Two and Five loaded and ready Sir!"

Joachim reported, and then threw himself and his cap down in a tired heap on the chart table.

"Don't get too comfortable, Joachim, I haven't had you loading those tubes for nothing. She's turning away and is still making the same sweep. Periscope depth, Chief, and let's see how she likes it....

LS

Stormshado

04-03-07, 03:05 AM

Oh no!

After reading to a climax on the site (got the link from another thread on these forums), i went searching for another. Found this thread, read the rest today, and can't wait for the next installment.

Best story I've read since Red October. Re-watched the movie afterwards, and was appauled at how much they left out, I suppose a 10 hour sub movie would have been too much though.

Jimbuna

04-03-07, 07:16 AM

Quite a story don't you think :rock:
Welcome aboard kaleun Stormshado :arrgh!:

Laughing Swordfish

04-03-07, 04:10 PM

Where is she, the bitch? I hurriedly scan our immediate view, nothing. I turn the periscope in a more measured circle....

"My God!.....Open Tube Five! Now men, Hurry!"

I can't believe it, she is sitting square across our stern, I can't believe she's stopped, but she's certainly slowed right down. She's listening for us, while we are now watching her.

"Ready Sir!"

A perfect 180 Joachim, 500 meters and 87 degrees off her bow, making maybe 2 knots.

"That's a sitting duck, Sir!"

"Yes, well bloody well shoot it Joachim! Nummer Funf.."

".....Funf fertig!"

"...........Funf los!"

LS

gord96

04-03-07, 04:34 PM

haha. gotta love it when you come upon a ship and find them perfectly lined up for your shot :up:

azn_132

04-03-07, 04:40 PM

Where's my boat? Im in the same convoy.:hmm:

Laughing Swordfish

04-10-07, 08:03 AM

Everyone could hear the explosion, destroyers are lightweight compared to most merchants, and have a relatively thin hull. Which is what makes them so fast and predatory, but also so vulnerable, when the tables are turned.

"Bruno, take the Control, let the boys take a quick peek in the scope before she goes down, they'd all like to see a destroyer getting theirs; well done everyone, Joachim reload tubes Five, Three and Four, I know they're tired but we have a way in now!"

"Viktor, standby new contact report at this grid: 'One large tanker and hunter class destroyer sunk, further explosion heard, believed to be against a large cargo, sinking not yet confirmed. Am remaining in contact and preparing to re-engage. Request converge all boats in vicinity AM74. U-46' Send it as soon as we surface"

"Hans....?"

"There's explosions to the north of the convoy, Sir, another U-boat must have already latched on"

"Fantastic! I'll bet that's the U-666!

"Bruno and Otto! Prepare for surfacing. Bruno make sure you take a proper sweep on the periscope once the boys have given you your scope back!"

The whooping and cheers are still audible as I go further back to see Oscar.

"How is he this time Doc?"

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

04-11-07, 06:16 AM

I think I've got a bad feeling about this too.:-?

azn_132

04-11-07, 10:35 AM

From:U-666
To:U-46

Sunk a Medium merchant, two Tramp Steamers and a Large Tanker.
Goin deep and silent runnin, also do u mind if u can help us get this River off of me?

END TRANSMISSION

Laughing Swordfish

04-11-07, 07:47 PM

Hi, thanks for your input, I'm sure you've sunk a lot of ships, and your boat is working the same convoy as ours but would you mind sending me your messages via PM as opposed to the story thread please?

Regards, LS

donw

04-11-07, 08:32 PM

I also want to thank DonW who has been a constant companion and who set up the whole U-46 story on the website link you see below.

Garsh...

http://www.geocities.com/donw_43/blush.jpg

Laughing Swordfish

04-11-07, 08:38 PM

"He's actually much better Rollie. He took a knock coming down the ladder, and it brought on some slight concussion, not helped by that just healed chest wound. Give me twenty four hours and I'll give Christian back to you. Now he needs rest.

I have a list of minor sores, abrasions, cuts and bruises, constipation, headaches, those are daily routine. I can take fragments out of an eye, I can even set a broken limb, minor surgery too, if we have to. But Rollie, the entire hospital for 51 men is my bunk, this locker, and this medical box."

"It's already got blood on it, Doc"

He just nodded tiredly

"You do know that people might be thrown against hard objects during a counter attack?"

"Yes"

"Well please look after them, Christian first. We're going up soon, there'll be no time for cuts and scrapes for a while

LS

Telgriff

04-11-07, 08:49 PM

Fantastic story, really looking forward to the next installment.

Laughing Swordfish

04-12-07, 06:20 AM

"What have you got for me Hans?"

"We have good contact with the convoy, running parallel with us westnorthwest,
Lots of fuss going on further North, the other side of the convoy, those large explosions could only be torpedo strikes, I counted four. We must have another boat in the gang, Sir. But these..."

He handed me his phones, and I could hear the dull crumps even at this distance.

"Depth charges, Sir"

"Do you think it's U-666, Sir? I have a friend on that boat...."

"Yes I do, Hans, but his Kapitan will look after him, just as well as I look after you.

We break surface, and Bruno's crew are running up the ladder. Viktor is tapping away on the morse key, as Willi and I give him our best guess as to our position.

We wait impatiently as Viktor punches the reply back through the enigma machine....

"BDU to U46. Good. U666 also in contact, also sending U645. Attack"

"Well that's pretty clear. Reuben, I need you to take over First watch duties until Christian is on his feet. Come up and get some fresh air. Let's see what's going on..."

LS

"Contact Report acknowledged, Sir

Jimbuna

04-12-07, 06:27 AM

The hunt is well and truly on :rock:

Kpt. Lehmann

04-12-07, 09:26 PM

Lordy, I'm glad I was wrong. I thought Christian's number was up for a minute there.:huh:

LS, thank you for staying with this story, mate. It is such good fuel.

Laughing Swordfish

04-21-07, 08:03 PM

"Kapitan to bridge!"

Bruno's loud voice.

"You'd better come and see this, Kaleun..."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

04-22-07, 07:47 AM

"Christ, Bruno, they really did prang us that time."

We are staring aft at the tangled wreckage of the AA gun.

"Jurgen's not going to like this Kap. It's the second time his gun has been trashed"

"I'll buy him a new one, Bruno" I said grimly, "But what's that?" My gaze had taken me beyond the tangled mess of our Wintergarten to what I thought was a small dark blob on the horizon to our stern.

Instantly Bruno and one of his stern look-outs have their binoculars trained astern.

"Dark shape, there Sir, in and out of the waves!" Kerner straight-armed towards the sighting, and Bruno was on it as quick as a flash.

Alternately against the roll of the sea, I can pick it up again too. Bruno is murmuring, as much to himself as to me: "
"Can it be that big merchant we aimed at? No. it would be bigger and more nearer..."

"I think it's getting nearer, Bruno", as we studied it again. I scanned around. The convoy was still there if only distant specks as they zigged, but there was smoke from our work, and a gratifyingly orange glow on the horizon. U-666 has set something alight on the other side of the convoy. But still we must make a concerted attack and take the pressure off her. Between us and if the other boat arrives we can carve this convoy up.

"It has to be an escort, but maybe a small one Sir, it's getting bigger and heading right towards us"

I look at it again. Yes there's no doubt as to it's intent, but it's no destroyer, or it would be here by now....

"Navigator to Bridge!"

Willi comes up breathlessly, he's our expert.

"Take a look at that, Willi; I think it's something like an armed trawler, what do you think?"

I'd say you're right, Kap, and by the flash of her forward gun just then, I'd say she knows we're here"

Sure enough a shell splash landed well away to our port side.

"Remind me, Willi, do those guys have depth charges and asdic?"

"I doubt it, but I can't say for sure Kap, she could be anything"

I turn back to Bruno.

"How many knots do you reckon, Number Two?"

"I'd say she's panting at twelve knots, Kap"

"Well we can outrun that, if we run strictly ahead of her, we're not losing sight of that convoy. Bruno hold the bridge for a minute, while Willi and I go below, give a straight course to Otto to keep that ship directly astern of us."

Another shell splashes, this time closer. Some ranging tracer from a Bofors gun arcs overhead.

"Thanks Willi, you and I will go below for a minute, Bruno I'll be back but send your crew down when I get back in case this gets messy. We're not going to be shrugged off this convoy now".

"But Sir, we have no torpedoes left for the rear tube, and the 20mm gun has had it"

"Trust in Herr Spandau, Bruno, he will provide"

Down in the Control Room..

"Otto! Reuben! Pile everything onto those diesels, I want the maximum 16 knots out of her, we have an escort up our arse!

"But can't we just submerge and evade or ambush him" says Reuben

"No because he's small enough but fast enough for us to waste all our torpedoes on, when we have a convoy to attack, and another boat to help. Now listen to the helm instructions from the bridge, Bruno will keep him directly behind us and we'll simply out pace him. Now get on with it! Jurgen! Break out those two MG34s that it cost me a lot of favours to replace, and get up top. I'm sorry to say that the flak gun has got a bit dented, but these are much more fun. MOVE!"

Jurgen is yelling at Dieter and George to get up the ladder without snaking trails of links of 7.62 ammunition belts everywhere, Reuben has gone back to the engine room to get every ounce out of the diesels, while Otto is reacting intently through our wheel hands to every direction that the Number Two sends down from the bridge, to keep the enemy ship always at our 180.

Bruno is sending down his watchmen, it's getting hot up here, that escort is finding the range, no direct hits yet, of course, or shell splinters, but the bastards are making us even more wet with the spray from the near misses.

The cursing on the wintergarten is even worse and would make, well, a sailor blush, Jurgen supervises Dieter and George to mount their MG34s on the buckled rail of the Wintergarten. He feeds the belts in, and they both slam the top covers shut and pull back the cocking handle, and ram it back home fiercely..

"Aim at the gun mountings, that open three incher on the foredeck for you George, Dieter, can you see where they've mounted that Bofors gun? Pepper it. When you're tired of that, give their bridge watch a little discouragement"

Thanks Jurgen!" I yelled as Bruno and I braced ourselves against the incoming rounds.

"Let them have it!"

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

04-25-07, 06:26 PM

Kerrr BUMP!!!:arrgh!:

Laughing Swordfish

04-25-07, 06:43 PM

And now the chase is on.

"Short bursts men, cries Jurgen "Aim at her bow and work onto your target from the splashes, you're both way too high. Find a point where you can see the strike of your rounds, in the air is no good"

And so we got those two impetuous gunners George and Dieter, to actually walk their bursts on to the enemy, (maybe one in twenty rounds actually came close), but there was enough of a determined riposte, and a vivid and angry display of tracer that I wanted. Enough for those half-trained seamen to either duck from their post or to at least put them off their aim..

And every moment the distance between us grew longer.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

04-29-07, 04:03 PM

Shooting at each other in this sea is a bit of a lottery, but they have a 3-inch gun and at least one Bofors (equivalent to our own wrecked 20mm).

Tracer rounds and the odd shell splash are now ragged.

So as the sea pitches and sways us and draws us ever further apart, so boat and escort become like two drunken brawlers flailing away at each other. The precision weapons owned by both sides, denied to both.

But if it's brawlers you want, Dieter is thoroughly enjoying himself.

Neither he or George or Jurgen ever duck once, as me and Bruno do on the Bridge.

"Christ, that was close!" as a round ricochetted off the bridge cowling.

Dieter is however hammering away, the spent brass tumbling at his feet, as he finds the range.

George (who is Dieter's closest shipmate) is a little more sea-wise. Under Jurgen's spotting, I can see the short bursts arcing toward their bridge, and their return fire and bearing slacken.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

05-02-07, 07:39 PM

I think we may have pattered enough rounds onto her foredeck to make her think twice. In any case she is losing us, and her own fire has abated.

"She's starting to swing North, Sir," says Bruno.

Rejoining the convoy that we can still see by the smoke on the horizon to our port.

"Cease fire Jurgen, well done gun crew. Is everyone all right?" They turned to face me and Bruno, and all three of their faces were streaked red or pink where the seawater had diluted it. "Lads you're bleeding, don't just stand there!"

"So are you, Sirs."

And for the first time I looked at Bruno, and he looked at me. There was blood running from a cut by his nose, and another up on his cheek. He reached to my left ear and his fingers came away red.

"Christ boys, it looks like in all that excitement we all got a British souvenir!"

"Jurgen, have those guns unloaded, properly cleared, and if you have any ammunition belts left after that Dodge City display, get them below and have Cox clean, oil and stow them for you. Then get yourselves into the Doc, We've all taken a scratch here and there. Then I want the three of you to join us in the ward room in one hour, verstehen?

"Yes, Sir!"

"Ok Bruno, how are you?" as the gunners drop below.

"Fine, Kap, just a scratch or two, but you've got red on your cap cover, should we stop the War?" he grinned.

"My God, I think we should if it's that serious!" I laughed

"That little chase has actually pushed us ahead of the convoy, Bruno, we can still see them chugging away, but now we can run back to them and lie in ambush. I reckon that escort will be whistling up it's coastal bomber friends anytime now. Tell Otto to submerge to periscope depth, and cut to slow speed; get Oscar to take a look at you, I think we probably both just need a little touch of iodine. I'll be with Willi at the chart table, make sure those three lunatics are looked after and when Oscar has seen them, get them into the Wardroom and dig out a bottle of schnapps. That was some ballsy performance."

Bruno smiled.

"I'm glad they're on our side , Sir"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

05-02-07, 07:58 PM

As the boat tilts down and the last hatch clangs shut, me and Bruno make our way through the quietly murmuring control room to Oscar's Med bay, where Christian is already resting, and the other three seamen are perched on a PO's bunk while the Doc busies around with scissors and bandages and ointment.

When he sees me and Bruno come through, he stands with his hands on his hips and adopts a matronly voice.

"Well! Have you boys been fighting again...?"

LS

Telgriff

05-02-07, 10:31 PM

MG34's on the deck of a U-Boat... I love it :up:

Looking forward to the next installment when the convoy gets their surprise.

Lagger123987

05-03-07, 04:03 PM

Nice!!! I love this story so much! Add more!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kaleun Volk

05-03-07, 08:37 PM

Outstanding!!! I Read this poast and then went back to reed all of your others.:rock:

All of it First Class writing all the way!!

Kpt. Lehmann

05-03-07, 10:30 PM

MG34's on the deck of a U-Boat... I love it :up:

Looking forward to the next installment when the convoy gets their surprise.

@Telgriff, next time you are in your conning tower... have a look around. There's two MG34's in there.;)

@LS... unexpected escapade there. Quite original!!! Can't wait to see what happens next.

Laughing Swordfish

05-07-07, 04:59 PM

".....Ok Otto, steer us back North, and stand by to surface", (my watch says it should be dusk soon) I reckon we're ahead of them, Hans can hear them, and now as they said over and over at U-Boot Schule, we must regain.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

05-19-07, 07:15 AM

Bruno, Jurgen, George and Dieter all duck into the Wardroom.

There are a number of small glasses on the table, and a bottle of the best SchwarzWald Schnapps.

"Sit, lads"

"I've never been in the Wardroom before, Sir!" beams Dieter.

"It's nothing to write home about Lad, you've been in roomier cells than this!"

"Let's fill these glasses, Bruno"

"Menschen, that was quite a stunt we pulled today.."

I looked around at the bandages or plasters on every face.

"...I want you to know that I am proud of the way you stuck to your guns and beat off that escort. It won't go unrewarded. Proust!"

"PROUST!"

The schnapps was tossed back with great relish, and Dieter smacked his lips and eyed the open bottle.

"Yes, one more, boys but then we're going back to work. We've already turned to head off the convoy, and will be coming to periscope depth shortly. We can still count on U-666 who is working the convoy to the north, and there may be another boat joining us, but she'd better be quick, lads, because when our last torpedo has gone, there won't be much left!"

A familiar, if slightly tired, face peeks through the wardroom curtain.

"Did I hear the word 'Proust'"

"Yes you did, Christian. Come in. Ok one more round gentlemen!

LS

Jimbuna

05-19-07, 07:32 AM

Started to think someone was missing at sea :rock:

DanBiddle

05-19-07, 07:36 AM

Great stuff!!! Love reading your installments, keep them coming!!

Cheers,

Dan

Lagger123987

05-19-07, 12:18 PM

More!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and, MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bookworm_020

05-20-07, 08:05 PM

Keep it up and don't stop! Some people may be heading for the pacific and their glamor barges, but for the rest of us stuck in the cigar tube, keep the story going!:rock:

Laughing Swordfish

05-22-07, 02:46 PM

Now it was just me and Christian alone in the Wardroom.

"Are you ok, Christian?"

"Never better, Sir, and if we're in contact with a convoy, then I'd better get..."

"We are in close with them, Number One, and we've already taken a fat one, a smaller tanker and pushed a merchant out of the herd, even a destroyer!
We've just had fun and games with some small escort which we shot our way out of, and now we're turning back into the nose of the convoy. We have U-666 in contact on the northern side, my guess is that we're both underwater at the moment, but we must both attack soon while the convoy is relatively unprotected, and certainly before daybreak. There's also the U-645 making it's way into the vicinity, I will have Viktor listening out for both of them.

"Great Kap! let me get my things together and..."

"Steady Christian! It's now Third Watch. Willi's boys are going up."

I noticed his crestfallen expression, and Doc Oscar had appeared in the gangway, with a shrug and half nod behind Christian's shoulder....

"..But I'm going to need you in the Control Room you idle man! We need to make every torpedo count, and in any case Willi is good at picking out the good ones to go for, but not so much with judging distance and speed and course, maybe at some point we could both get some fresh air and see how he's getting on, hein?

"Yes Kap!"

"Now put your Cap on and tell Otto to bring us to 12 metres. You have first look through the periscope, I value your judgement. Let's have three or four high pay-off targets while the going's good, Christian."

"Jawohl, Herr Kaleun!" He beamed and bounced into the Control Room like the Number One of Old.

A few crisp orders later and I could feel U-46 tilt up slightly to use the attack periscope.

One last pull from the remainder of the Schnapps, a smile and a sigh, and I too, am rejoining the War.

LS

Jimbuna

05-22-07, 03:28 PM

SINK EM ALL!! :arrgh!:

Laughing Swordfish

05-22-07, 03:33 PM

Soon the Boat is slipping through the waves on half-speed heading due North, the setting sun offering the perfect silhouette for the ships we have come to sink, and the darkness from which to do it.

Willi and Christian are upstairs. Christian back in his element, quietly murmuring about the dark shapes heading across our bow, and keeping the lads alert to every other point of the compass.

I have been below with Viktor checking on our other boats and also BdU.

Nothing from U-666 for a while, I ask Viktor to check again. Nothing yet. There was a lot of noise happening on his side of the convoy, I wouldn't be surprised if he's laying low, and licking a wound or two, but I bet he's still there somewhere, and even now thinking about his next attack.

Well we are anyway, and we have heard from U-645, Brentsche's boat. They are rushing back here from the mid-Atlantic with only two torpedoes left, and under constant harassment from the air. He is still a few hours away

That's our wolf pack, maybe one, two or three u-boats.

Well there's no time like the present....

LS

Laughing Swordfish

05-22-07, 03:57 PM

"That's our first one, Willi!"

Christian points animatedly at the long low hull and high stern superstructure of a large tanker. We have to be careful it doesn't get masked by something smaller when we make our run.

"Range 3,000 and closing, Sir"

"She's certainly big, boys. What do you reckon Willi?"

"At least 9,000 tons laden, Sir, just by the length"

And here was the dilemma. A big full tanker. Maybe one torpedo would do it, but I doubt it, even if it wasn't a dud, or missed or porpoised and misfired. So do we concentrate on sinking that big fish, or aim at four different ships all of smaller sizes but all proceeding like ducks in a row?

LS

Laughing Swordfish

05-22-07, 04:13 PM

"Let's blow the Reich's money, Willi, have Joachim give me One , Two and Three at the big tanker, we don't want to come away having that slipped through our sights"

There is a distant boom across the black grid of ships.

"I see U-666 has clocked on again!"

"Our turn. Have we got a solution for the tanker yet Christian? Willi, take that merchant just behind her in column, we should get her with one.

The target data is relayed downstairs.

"Eins, Zwei, Drei, Fier...Los!

"Alles Los......!"

LS

Lagger123987

05-22-07, 08:26 PM

Must Need More To Power Up My Uboot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bookworm_020

05-22-07, 09:33 PM

Here comes the boom!!!:lol:

Laughing Swordfish

05-23-07, 01:58 AM

"Right full rudder! Steer 90!"

U-46 sheers around to the East beautifully at full speed; we're now running ahead of them again.

"Joachim, do what you have to do to get those tubes loaded, double fast!"

"Last four already going in Sir!"

"Good man!"

Of course we are now looking backwards off our port beam to see the torpedoes strike. An almost unbearable temptation for three of the lookouts who must continue scanning their quadrant.

KABOOM KABOOM!

Great flashes and plumes of water rise up on the tanker's starboard hull, one just under the bridge, and the other just down from the bow. I think the third eel has ran on ahead of her. I hope those two have got to her oil bunkers..

"Yes!" cry Willi and Christian.

For a moment, she carries on as if nothing has happened, and then

BANG!

A blinding flash, as she explodes, and even Lipmann, Horst and Bacher can't resist rushing over to take a look. Even from a kilometre and a half away, we can feel the heat of the explosion on our faces.

"Poor sods" whispers Horst

That oil would have been used to fuel tanks and bombers against Germany, but in that awful spectacle it was hard not to argue.

"It must have been quick for them" is all I can say.

There is another detonation as our fourth torpedo hits the merchant behind her. She is immediately listing, and in desperation her Master has pulled hard to starboard to avoid the carnage and burning oil on the water that lies ahead, soon several other ships are consequently forced out of column. There is another explosion on the far side of the Convoy, U-666 again. But then another somewhere in the middle. Was that a lucky hit from our free running tube three? It's hard to tell. In any case the convoy is in disarray, we must get in again.

Shinning down the ladder I am already dictating a report to BdU for Viktor to send.

Big tanker and a 5,000 tonner boys, one other unconfirmed hit, I yell happily to great cheers from the Control Room.

"How is that reloading coming, Joachim, come on I'll give you a hand myself. We've got them by the knackers!"

LS

DanBiddle

05-23-07, 02:28 AM

Great stuff!!! Keep it coming :D

Cheers,

Dan

Jimbuna

05-23-07, 04:13 AM

Now we're cooking :rock: :up:

Sailor Steve

05-23-07, 11:01 AM

Now we're cooking :rock: :up:
Well, somebody is!:rotfl:

Oops, I mean "Poor sods". :yep:

Kpt. Lehmann

05-23-07, 06:02 PM

:rock: :rock: :rock:

Lagger123987

05-23-07, 10:52 PM

:up: :up: :up: Wating for the next excert.

nikbear

05-23-07, 11:09 PM

Utterly mesmerising read:up: Excellent.

Laughing Swordfish

05-25-07, 08:48 AM

"Where are we with those torpedoes, Joachim?"

"One and Two loaded, Sir.....more grease on Number Three, boys!......Then she'll slide in, mind that warhead!..... And Number Four on the hoist and pulleys. Ten more minutes, Kap".

"Excellent Joachim, I'll have some apfelsaft sent forward; it's thirsty work, nicht wahr?"

I slap him on the back and get up the ladder.

"Get Kuki forward with some apple juice and water!"

When that tanker went up the whole convoy was lit like a Christmas tree, and with the odd panicky star shell, we could get a good picture of the whole convoy.

Now there is nothing left but a thick column of black smoke, and the low glow of burning oil on the water. The sea is eerily quiet, noone on that tanker could have survived, but there are still cries wafting across the water, from the other merchant that went down, and the odd searchlight playing frantically across the surface despite the risk.

Most of the convoy has zigged northerly, but several have become dispersed, and lie behind us. Willi has dogged the convoy and now we are pounding ahead to the North East. Leaving a small scatter of freighters behind us in confusion.

Kurt and his gang come through from the Wintergarten, there's nothing to be done with the Flak gun, in the circumstances, he can't even wrench it over the side.

"Any escorts, lads?"

"Nothing yet," murmurs Willi, "But there was at least another destroyer as well as that armed trawler. Maybe more arriving, this close to home".

"Somebody in the Royal Navy ordered that manouvre", mused Christian "Maybe they're still concentrating on U-666 who should be somewhere in front of them by now. I don't know....is it too good to be true, Kap?"

"We'll soon know. Let's pick out some more juicy ones. Willi, tell Otto and Reuben to shake the lead out. Begin your attack run!"

LS

DanBiddle

05-25-07, 03:31 PM

Keeping my fingers crossed for the attack!

Keep it coming :D

Cheers,

Dan

Laughing Swordfish

06-02-07, 05:10 PM

"Eyes on, Gentlemen! One last try, and then we can go home. I have the Navigator already plotting us all the way home so that we actually beach at The Black Cat. Right though her front door!" I climb up again, and noone even notices me, which is good as they are studying the dark shapes in broken columns and rows steering back towards us.

Christian is already counting them off as of old, as the Convoy fatally zags back into our path.

He knows this time we can pick them off, but the sun will start to rise again soon and we don't want to be drawn too close into the enemy coast.

"Ok Christian, fire the first one and let's scoot ahead.

Actually a smallish freighter, but worth sinking.

"Drive in now, Christian!"

And my faithful Number One picks out two more choices and even agrees with one of mine.

"Still no escort?"

"Nothing, Sir"

"To hell with them, then. Nach gehen los!

And now we have four running.

The first was bound to hit, because I called it down, and it did in a satisfying explosion. So did the two from Christian's calculations. Three freighters in succession. A wafting boom and eerie orange glow after every strike.

"I bet I got more tonnage with my two than yours, Kap"

"No way! you took the easy shots, and...."

"Stop treating this like a child's game you Idiots!"

The Doc is on the Bridge without permission. But we all look at our sea boots and avoid his gaze; even me the Kapitan.

"I'm sorry Doc, I know we can be insensitive at times....(I wink at Christian who is quietly murmuring into the voice pipe)

The experienced sea hands of the watch, with half a smile, start edging towards the open hatch, and one by one slip down it.

In the meantime, I am talking to the Doc about the beauties and bounty of the Ocean, and a grinning Christian has already edged his way down the hatch.

"Look, Oscar!...............Is that a blue whale over there.................?

By the time he was looking I was smiling and waving from a closing bridge hatch.

It was very irresponsible, and you have to have a damned good man, like Otto, in charge of the control, to trim the boat right down; and give Oscar a soaking with a whole U-Boat. One or two of us have seen it happen in the Baltic training boats

We never locked the top hatch. "Up to surface, Otto,"

The idea was to give Oscar a brief taste of seawater in your face for four hours at a time.

We ran up

"Ha Ha! Got you Doc!................Doc?......Doc..........??

LS

Laughing Swordfish

06-02-07, 05:56 PM

Ok, he won. He was soaking wet, but hiding behind the tangled remains of the 20mm gun.

I'm sorry Doc it was a little u-boot joke, and I was worried when you weren't there, let's promise not to do that to each other again.

Oscar shook and smiled and went below.

Otto is reporting all engines running well.

Reuben supervises the regular electric report. That's good

Joachim reports that last malfunctioning torpedo has been disarmed and stowed (as will those arses who sent it to us, he murmurs) He is busy writing the paperwork

U-666 has broken off, quite understandably, but with no torpedoes left, my guess he's swimming back under the convoy to reach a French Port.

We are submerging too. The RAF are bound to be annoyed at what we have just done.

Also it's a relief for the crew. A steady place but of course now standing room only for bed spaces such as we have

Christian who is back to his normal self, obviously looks tired. As the plates of sausage and sauerkraut arrive.

"He can have mine first, Kuki (keep feeding him)"

"I didn't mean all of it Christian, you Fresser! Kuki have we got any tins left?"

Laughing Swordfish

06-02-07, 07:13 PM

So we mind our own business back through the top of the Bay. We drop South, and wait to be picked up, by an escort. It's madness; this estuary is overflown daily, and still no properly armed escort. We're going to rest on the bottom until the RV

When one does arrive it's like some converted trawler like the one who chased us. She has a two or three 20mm guns rotating enthusiastically up to the sky

"We're better armed ourselves!"

"No Rollie, 'we haven't got a dime' as the Amis would say".

And the bombers had to be elsewhere that day, and we came back in, pennants flying, but the 20 is a bit of a mess. I wouldn't care if we had to row the old girl back in, we need to get back. I mean I'm sure the men want to get back....

Otto looked at me knowingly.

"She's there you know"

"Let's just dock U-46 properly, gentlemen, any damn fool can sidle up at 1 knot on electric"

"And any damned fool can see why we should be in that berth ahead of those fatbellies in U-343, haven't been to sea in a month"

"Bruno, Christian, do what you have to do to dock us now!...............

Soon U-46 is tied up in the berth opposite her usual one.

"Shut down engines, back to maintenance lights and circuits.

All hands on deck"

"She's there, Kap"

"What?"

"Heidi! She's over there, waving at you"

I'm sorry for the nurses and soldiers that I rudely forced past that day, but then:

Heidi

LS

Lagger123987

06-02-07, 08:09 PM

:up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up:

Jimbuna

06-03-07, 06:44 AM

More fuel for my crew LS :rock: :up:

Kpt. Lehmann

06-03-07, 07:10 PM

Yeahhhh... Thats the stuff. :D :D :D

bookworm_020

06-03-07, 07:24 PM

No one get's in the way of his girl!:up:

Laughing Swordfish

06-05-07, 07:40 AM

"My God, what happened to your face, Rollie?"

"Nothing.."

"That's not nothing! You've got a scar running from your ear down to.. come here, let me clean it up.."

"Not now, please Heidi", I murmured urgently.

Alfie Kiefer has purred into the dock. Hard to say, but maybe eight or nine white pennants flying, and also one red one. Well done U-666! That's what happened to that other destroyer. According to my signals there is now to be a medals ceremony on the dock. Onkel Karl is arriving any minute.

Alfie is getting the RitterKreuz, and well deserved, and he has designated some of his crew for lesser honours.

As have I. Jurgen, George and Dieter are all to receive the Iron Cross First Class for their brave surface action. I shall also be recommending Jurgen for promotion. George maybe in time, Dieter probably never. For now, Cox is already arranging cases of beer in their honour.

"Honestly Heidi, it was ok, and we got a great haul."

She looked at me.

"Honestly, it was all ok . We're back again."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

06-06-07, 05:20 PM

"I did that," says Oscar in passing.

"Trying to open a tin of sardines. Didn't know my own strength. Caught Rollie quite by accident with the jagged edge. He chased me all through the boat and..."

"...and you don't have to lie to me, Oscar. There's wound ribbons and iron crosses about to be given out. I know U-46 has been in the thick of it, we push the flags around, and take them off the table for God's sake!" Heidi's voice was trembling..

And then she is in Doc's arms instead of mine. Her head buried into his chest as his startled eyes meet mine. Her voice racked with sobs

"..Don't let him....."

'I won't'

".....be sure to...."

'I will'

"...he needs..."

'I know'

Oscar patted her tenderly. They have always been close.

"Heidi, you and Rollie are to be married. No stupid war can come between you"

She brushed away her tears and kissed Doc affectionately on the cheek.

"You will look after him?"

"He looks after us most of the time, Heidi"

"Thank you, Oscar; none of you are allowed to die or get hurt from now on!"

LS

Lagger123987

06-08-07, 12:33 AM

More!!!!!!!!!:up: :up: :up: :rock: :rock: :rock:

Laughing Swordfish

06-08-07, 11:07 AM

"I love you Heidi. I'll always come back to you. Now come on. Alfie Kiefer has just pulled in, and Brentsche can't be far behind. There's going to be tea and medals!"

"You mean beer and medals, Rollie" she smiled and true enough, the crew had already broken open the first two cases, spraying beer at each other and flirting with the nurses, but most importantly wetting some very dry whistles.

Cox is fretting over Jurgen and the boys, making sure they are as smart as they can be after a month at sea. Frankly Dieter always looks like he's been two months at sea.

They are pleased as punch, and there is a proud swagger to them, which they have deserved, as they wait for the ceremony to commence. U-666 are in fine form too. Their boss is getting the Knight's Cross, and there are also medals for his First Watch Officer, his Medic, and Chief Engineer. They had quite a patrol by all accounts. Took something like 90,000 tons, and sank that destroyer so between us we could carve up the convoy. They were forced down more than once and took a bit of a kicking, as did we. I can see the strain etched into their faces, as they gulp down their beer and look at the sky again.

Brentsche with his last two torpedoes added to his own Mid-Atlantic count by picking off a couple of the stragglers in our wake. He's still a day out.

"I should have put you up for something, Bruno. You were there on the bridge too."

He tapped his Iron Cross ribbon and smiled.

"I've already had my throatache cured Kap, and I'd swap any medal on earth for this cold beer right now!"

LS

Lagger123987

06-09-07, 08:13 PM

I still want MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laughing Swordfish

06-10-07, 04:31 PM

Later after the medals and the debriefing, not forgetting the beers; Oscar and I found ourselves alone in a cafe near to the officers' quarters.

I've always liked Oscar. He's always been the most thoughtful and intellectual member of the crew. Even if just maybe his heart isn't totally behind Germany's war, there is nothing he wouldn't do to save the life of one of us, he pulled Christian through, and to a lesser extent me, and many more of the boys, through one scrape or injury or another, in ridiculously inadequate conditions.

So I value his opinion. And I'm getting it now.

"I know we're under a lot of pressure and fear at all times. You most of all. Retribution and death is just around the corner for all of us, every time we go out, Rollie"

"It goes with the job, Doc..."

"I know! I know, Rollie, and we must keep on, and we must keep on until we can fight our way to peace."

He allowed himself a tiny smile at his own irony.

"But it's not just the 49 men, Christ, they're young boys, and you and me who get scared. And don't tell me you're not; because I'm petrified when the depth charges come, and so are you, or you should be if you're human. But you won't ever show it. And thank God you don't, or we would have been in such a panic, we'd have been sunk and drowned long before now. I'm talking about Heidi. She goes days without knowing, fearing only the worst. What about that time our radio antenna was shot away, and we couldn't report in?"

"We were presumed lost, but she didn't ....." I said helplessly

"....yes she did, she cared more than anything you idiot!"

I remember now at Kerneval how Doenitz had shown me the U-46 flag, taken off the map of the Atlantic, but never quite thrown away with the others, but cherished in a desk drawer, by one of his staff.

"But Doc, there are thousands of people right now worrying about their loved ones on either side of the fence."

"Yes Rollie, but only one is yours! Hold her, hug her, tell her you will never take risks at sea even though you must and will. Make her believe that this will all have a happy ending."

"I will, Oscar"

"Oh and can you make me believe it too, Rollie".

LS

Lagger123987

06-10-07, 04:41 PM

I love this story, keep writing more, hope to be release to the subsim commutity and buy them from subsim store.

bookworm_020

06-11-07, 07:46 PM

Join the line for the book and fill in your application form for joining the fan club, there is already quite a following!:up:

Laughing Swordfish

06-17-07, 05:15 PM

Otto has leave and dashes away to his pregnant wife in Frankfurt, running to the station with his kit bag bouncing on his back.

It's high time young Bruno got away too. And I have sent him packing for 2 weeks. He'll let off steam for sure, but I think I know where else he'll go.

Christian, me, Doc and Heidi are all standing looking at her before going to lunch, up in town.

"So they just saw off the awkward bits, and unbolt the mountings?"

"Apparently so, Kap. They tell me we're getting a better version of flak gun this time, more rapid, more accurate and...."

"Don't tell me Christian, we are forbidden to bend Kriegsmarine property for a third time!"

"That was mentioned at the gun shop certification, and also at the Flotilla Quartermaster's enquiry board Sir"

"Some of 7th Flotilla aren't around to get a reprimand for even the first time", Oscar whispered.

We all watched silently as cranes, pulleys and blowtorches did their work amid a flurry of sparks, bangs and echoes from the loud and colourful bellows of the dock hands and engineers. Each of us, I suppose, nuturing our own thoughts about U-46.

LS

Lagger123987

06-17-07, 05:27 PM

This is always going to be the best story I ever read in my 13 years of life, keep up the work!

Laughing Swordfish

06-18-07, 07:19 AM

I look across the rail we're all leaning on.

Christian, Doc, Heidi and me.

I suppose we all have the same love/hate relationship with her.

Christian is an excellent seaman and my First Watch Officer for that reason. He's great at everything, but notoriously clumsy because of his height when it comes to moving around the inside of the boat. The POs amidships have even started a sweep game to count how many loud thumps and consequent oaths are shouted through the boat every time Christian needs to climb through and inspect the engine room. He hates being confined down there, just as he hated being confined in hospital. Christian is best with the sea and wind in his face. That's the part of U-46 he loves best. The Bridge.

Oscar is one of the bravest men I have had the privilege to know. He's technically a non-combattant, but there's no such thing on a u-boat, and certainly the depth charges don't make any such choices between a cook a Medic or a torpedo man. Covered in spurting blood, he looked after our first Flak gunner, Kurt, right up to the end. And he saved Christian, when he was shot that time. He's a great thinker, and no Nazi, neither is anyone on the boat as far as I know, after we got rid of that last Party-Sponsored arse, and managed to get Christian back, fit or not. His bunk is his operating and inspecting table. He is one of the few who have a bedspace to themselves, and regularly sleeps on the same blood-stained mattress covers.

He thinks about things. He questions what our country is really doing or trying to do. He's never said what brought him to the sea. I'm guessing it wasn't the promise of a 3 metre by 1 metre operating theatre as about hygenic as a Berlin dustbin. Sometimes I'm not even sure he remembers what number we are. It's his job to keep us alive within his power, and he deals with the job in front of him. He won't be the first Doc to get all excited at being allowed to fire a torpedo though. What does he see when he comes onto the Bridge (apart from the time when we let him think he was firing a torpedo, that is).

The horizon, I'd say. Particularly the Sun rising.

Now I look left to Heidi at my shoulder...

LS

Canovaro

06-18-07, 07:41 AM

Is it possible to download the story as a pdf so far?
Want to print it to read on holiday...:cool:

Laughing Swordfish

06-18-07, 08:31 AM

Best talk to DonW, compared to him I am a complete computer Biff!

But thanks for reading!

LS

donw

06-18-07, 11:11 AM

Is it possible to download the story as a pdf so far?

Sorry mate...I don't have the software to make a PDF. The best I can offer is the website shown on LS and my signatures. At least there you can skip the running dialog between all the story posts. We're up to 11 pages there, that you could copy and paste to a Word document to print. :up:

Just don't try to sell it because I plan on making LS a very rich man someday :know:

Laughing Swordfish

06-19-07, 03:33 AM

Heidi watches as there is a fresh shower of sparks and the old 20mm gun is pried free. The new one, oiled and uncased is already being rigged up on the pulleys.

The foreman is roaring obsceneties as he chivvies up the dockers dragging up all the kit and bedding. Cox is down there with Reuben, they both have bulging kit bags, and I know what's in them.

Heidi turns to me. "They're turning the boat around so fast, Rollie".

"Well we still have to fit and calibrate the new Flak gun, and then take her down the Estuary and test fire it at the seagulls. It'll be a while yet before we get our next patrol orders."

She turned to me. "I know I should be braver Rollie, but now that we're together, I feel so afraid everytime you are gone."

"We all know fear, darling, and..." (carefully worded) "...I'm not taking any unnecessary risks out there" (of course all risks are necessary). "We must be doing something right, because we keep on coming back"

But your face, and those other boys, I worry, and...."

"Shush, now Heidi, they are just scratches" I held her close, as Christian and Doc particularly, looked studiously the other way.

"We'll always come back, you know that"

I watched Reuben and Cochsens, over Heidi's shoulder, commandeering a kubelwagen and hoisting their kit bags of food into the back. On their way to the station.

"Come on Heidi, you have a few days leave, let's go."

"Where to, Rollie?"

"To my home City, Hamburg. I'm going to show you fear and worry.."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

06-20-07, 05:41 PM

I'd phoned ahead from the Gare de Nord.

There is a train that goes though to Hamburg with one change "Wear your uniform". Reuben had picked up the phone, and said it was ok.

"Wear your Navy uniform, Heidi. It will help them not to be inspected, if they see German military staff coming and going. The owner of the house is Isaac. He is Reuben's uncle. He has a gathering beyond his own family, up in the loft. They are all Jews.

And if you want to know about fear and worry, look no further."

I knocked on Uncle Issacc's door.

LS

Lagger123987

06-20-07, 11:23 PM

Nice little part of the story, but expecting more from you!:up:

bookworm_020

06-21-07, 06:03 PM

Nice little part of the story, but expecting more from you!:up:

More! You want some More?!!

Join the qeue!:up:

azn_132

06-21-07, 06:04 PM

Nice little part of the story, but expecting more from you!:up:

More! You want some More?!!

Join the qeue!:up:

Im waitin also too u kno.

Kpt. Lehmann

06-22-07, 01:19 AM

Patience young grasshoppers. The Laughing Swordfish has been a faithful thread for nearly two years now.

It will come....:yep: when it is ready.

Laughing Swordfish

06-22-07, 02:06 AM

Wow, has it been 2 years already?

Time flies when you're having fun!

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

06-22-07, 02:09 AM

Yessir. You made your first post on this thread in August 2005.

In just two months it will have been two years.

Thanks for entertaining us for so long, mate. :up: :up: :up:

Here's hoping your inkwell never dries up!

Laughing Swordfish

06-22-07, 03:09 AM

Reuben opens the door, and ushers us in.

"Thank you for coming Kap"

The five children are seated around the table, along with the other older relatives. Reuben locks the door behind us.

Uncle Isaac embraces us with his broad arms, and Heidi receives special attention from the womenfolk.

She has dolls for the three girls, and a train set for the two boys; and is instantly elevated to film star status. The boys are already assembling the track, while all three girls want to sit on Heidi's lap at the same time.

For Isaac, I have a big joint of beef and two chickens, some potatoes and carrots and cabbages. Also a bottle of good Hamburg schnapps, and some fortified wine to go with the meal.

"Can the kids have a small drop, just this once? I have some extra juice for them."

I also have one last present for Isaac. Seven candles.

"Light them every day, Isaac"

"But not near the window, these days," he winked.

Again I feel ashamed.

He presses a glass of wine into my hand. Heidi is reading a story to the three young girls, whilst the beef goes into the oven.

"Thanks again for coming, Kap, it means so much to my Uncle and his people"

"Don't mention it Reuben. Look at Heidi with the children. I hope she's not getting broody already!"

"Maybe not such a bad thing, Kap, you don't have much of a family, Otto tells me"

"No, just a brother somewhere. Haven't spoken for years. Perhaps I should......"

"Anyway where's Cox, you 've put all the food in the loft already?"

The call of the Reeperbahn was too strong, Sir. He's a sailor ashore in Hamburg after all, and wild horses couldn't stop him! We can go and fetch him tomorrow at the Dancing Fox, down in the red light district. We can leave Heidi in the cab and..."

"Shush Reuben!"

I can hear the distinctive sound of jackboots clattering across the pavement, and stopping at our door.

The women and children have magically disappearred. This is a drill that they are tragically used to.

I open the door before they can knock or kick. A young brash Gestapo officer by the looks of him, and two SS goons by his side.

"Can I help you, Gentlemen?"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

06-22-07, 04:19 AM

He wasn't expecting this.

Instead of some 'unter-mensch' that he could bully or drag away, he was confronted by a decorated u-boat commander, demanding to know the meaning of this intrusion.

He faltered.

"It has been reported that this house is harbouring Jews..."

"You will call me 'Sir' !"

"Yes, Sir!"

Heidi joins me at the doorstep.

"I am Kapitan-Leutnant de Bunsen, commander of the U-46, in the 7th Flotilla at St Nazaire, sinker of more english ships than I can count, and awarded the Knights Cross personally by the Fuhrer himself. This is my wife to be, Heidi, she reports directly to Gross-Admiral Doenitz. I do not imagine that you would want your name going forward in any complaint of mine in any of those circles?

"This is our retreat when we come back from patrol, and where myself and my fiancee are planning our wedding. Come in, take a glass of wine. This is my faithful retainer, Braun, perfectly Aryan as you can see".

Isaac dutifully pours into the glasses.

"Proust, Leutnant"

"This is our home, which Braun looks after for us. I would be very upset, and so would my Masters, if I were to find that you or any of your men had intruded on our privacy. Do I have your assurance that this house will be left in peace? Or do I need to talk to the local Gauleiter and have him report to Berlin, with your name?

"No! No Sir, that won't be neccesary. We'll leave this whole street alone. Your house in particular. It's just that we had this information..."

"Yes, about that. If you must arrest anyone I would start with your informant. He or she is clearly spreading subversive rumours and undermining our war effort."

"Yes Sir, we'll see about that"

"And one last thing. Since the War started I have been pretty much at sea full time. I didn't get round to filling in the paperwork for my ration card, not that I need it much, U-boat food is the best, hein! But I need my retainer, here, Otto Braun to be able to draw food on my behalf, for when we get back after sinking the Tommies. I'm sure you can make that happen for me; more wine?"

"Yes, Sir!" as Isaac refills his glass and we invite the two stormtroopers in to take a glass as well.

When we finally get rid of them, Isaac hugs me tight.

"It's like a dark cloud has been lifted from us!"

Then he is kissing Heidi again and again.

"Still be careful, Isaac, or should I say 'Otto Braun' but things should be easier now for yourselves and the little ones"

"You know, my heart was thumping, then"

"Mine too, Isaac"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

06-22-07, 05:36 AM

The beef was fantastic. It was good to see the youngsters enjoying a hot square meal. The chickens will go into a big pot, and with the rest of the vegetables, that will keep everyone going for some time.

Reuben has gone out for extra provisions, and Heidi has sneaked out to rustle up some sweets or chocolate for the children.

"You know, Isaac, it's a strange world; here we are bearing gifts of food, and out there on the high seas, we're trying to starve an entire nation into submission".

He patted me on the shoulder. "One day all this madness must end, Rollie. Thank you for everything".

We're now sitting in the car, opposite the Dancing Fox, Heidi and me, Reuben has been sent to fetch or carry Cox back from the bar or back rooms. Heidi turns to me.

"You were right Rollie, I know nothing about fear and worry, compared to what's happening in our own country."

"These are uncertain times, darling. That's why we have to live for the moment, like our lads are probably doing about this time at the Chat Noir. There are thousands and thousands of seamen, pilots and soldiers all round the world right now, who don't know what tomorrow will bring, and nor do their families.

"I know we've had our losses, but I'm still going to do everything I can to not be one of them. You'll still see our naughty little green swordfish having the last laugh, as we pull in to dock, and my white cap"

"I promise you that, if you'll promise you'll always wait for me. I don't know if I could bear it without knowing you would always be there"

She hugged me and then clasped my hands.

"I promise, Rollie".

LS

Lagger123987

06-22-07, 01:35 PM

Getting better, you know what I'm going to say anyway, no need to tell you guys.

Jimbuna

06-23-07, 02:40 PM

bookworm_020

06-24-07, 07:11 PM

Excellent work!:up: It's always a pleasure to come to work on a Monday and find a new installment wait for me to read!:up::rock::rock::D

Laughing Swordfish

06-26-07, 07:16 AM

"Come on Cox! Time to go!" As Reuben half-carries him back to the car.

"And do your flies up man! There's a lady present I shout in mock anger as Heidi turns away and giggles, and Cochsens fumbles in embarrassment.

"You get in the front, Francks can drive. Heidi and I will take the back seat."

"Sorry Sir"

"What for Cox? We want to thank you, you silly fool. Now come on, I'm thirsty already and it's a long drive back to the Black Cat!

"I can help with that, Sir",

Cox, ever the boat 'organiser', produces really quite a nice bottle of Riesling and one of Schnapps from the long (and illegally customised) inside pockets of his leather sea jacket. He thinks I don't know.

"Ok, but keep a clear head into France, and mind the sky, Spitfires are raiding more and more now.

"Jawohl, Herr Kaleun!"

And so we're off back to the U-46 again.

LS

ECV56_PolTen

06-26-07, 09:34 AM

"You know, my heart was thumping, then"

"Mine too, Isaac"
So was mine; that was close. Fast thinking, Rollie :up:

CapZap1970

06-26-07, 09:47 AM

Laughing Swordfish:
I have to say that your stories are really great!!!. I like very much your style and it's a real pleasure to read every chapter you write.
Congratulations Kaleun... :up: :up:
Just one more question: In this page http://www.freewebs.com/laughingswordfish/index.htm I can't find other chapters prior to patorl 9. Is there a place where I can find them? Thanks.
CapZap

donw

06-26-07, 10:17 AM

The story here at Subsim starts at patrol 9...so thats where it starts at the website. Maybe, as a sequel, we can get LS to write the details of patrols 1- 8.:rock:

Jimbuna

06-26-07, 10:42 AM

Never actually noticed :nope: Exellent idea though :rock: :up:

Laughing Swordfish

06-28-07, 06:31 PM

I'd be glad to kameraden, but as it has been pointed out earlier it was already 2 years ago in our time! Most of those patrols, like for all of us were short darts out into the North Sea in a Type-2 Canoe, and no great convoy actions. But there is a story or two there.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

06-28-07, 07:04 PM

We're halfway towards Paris now, Cox our Air sentry, is fast asleep. So is Heidi, snuggling up with my jacket over her.

"How are you doing Reuben, it's a long drive without a break.We can pull in somewhere if you want to?"

"I'm ok, Kap"

We drove on into the night in silence.....

"Sir?"

"Yes, Reuben?"

"Well, it's just that we were a new boat when we were sunk, the crew hardly knew each other, other than through cursing at sea trials, and well I'm glad you fished us out, and even more glad to be posted to you on the U-46, but I notice you don't have a big change round of crew like some others in the Flotilla. Injuries and jailings perhaps, but the Control Room and a lot of the key positions, they could have moved up by now, and they never do. They stay with the boat. Willi and Bruno, Christian even coming back so early, Joachim, and Otto..."

"Ah Otto! He was my best friend in training. You know Reuben, he was worried that I was kicking him out to bring you in. In fact I offered it to him, a nice safe shore job, and he was furious. I'm glad it's worked out this way. With a bit of paperwork, I've got two of the best u-boat engineers on the West Coast of France let alone the Flotilla. Both of you can run the diesels, the electric motors and keep depth for me when I need you.

Pass me that schnapps."

"You want to know how me and Otto and the immediate crew have stuck together so long?"

Yes Kap, I do....."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

06-28-07, 07:31 PM

It all came back to me as I took another long pull of the schnapps, and cinched my jacket warmer around Heidi, as she murmured in her sleep and cuddled closer.

And now I am telling Reuben about those training days, as if I am back there myself.......

......"I can't do this..." Otto muttered. "...I really don't think I can do this..."

We kadets are standing in rows, in our underpants, shivering and not just because of the cold.I looked up again at the tower. Twenty metres high and filled with icy Baltic sea water. There is a small chamber underneath, into which we each must go. Up the side of the tower and the lower chamber is a thickened glass panel.

"Of course you can, Otto. You know how to breathe, and you know how to swim upwards, right?" I tried to sound breezy and confident, but it wasn't helped by the chattering of my teeth. I looked again at the tower and that small chamber soon to be filled with water. I wasn't that sure I could do it either.

Not everyone, indeed not many, passed their commission at U-Boot Schule. In fact not everyone even survived it. Otto was from Frankfurt, we had hit it off as friends ever since we were roomed together at the beginning of this course. He is second in line, I am third. Next is Kochsens, a former merchant deckhand like me. Unfallibly cheerful and always full of wheezes and scams, Otto was much better with his hands. He helped me scratch through my intermediate engineering test, because he was such a genius with tools and machinery. Kochsens was a a bit of a jack of all trades, who people warmed to instantly, particularly the Gunnery Instructors wife, which is how he passed that one.

Everyone, including the guy we call Bruno, normally cracking jokes in the rear ranks had fallen silent. We were all looking up at the water tower and down to the chamber that was the only way up through it.

The U-Boot Lehrer was still speaking..

"This, Gentlemen, is the Drager Breathing Apparatus. It goes over your head and onto your chest like so. It looks like a life vest but it won't keep you fat kids afloat, if that's what you're thinking. But it may just keep you alive. Put yours on now, The petty officer will come past you and check you have fitted it correctly."

We gingerly put the Dragers on, obsessively concerned about every meaningless strap, until the PO makes an adjustment here and fiddles there, slaps you on the shoulder, "Gut!" and passes on.

"Now this kit has it's limitations. What is the official crush depth of a Type VII U-boat?..... You, Krepps?"
"Ninety metres Sir, but.."
And we all joined in with the mantra that had been imbued into us from Day One, and repeated every day since..
"WE CAN GO DEEPER, SIR!"

"Exactly, men. These things have been tested to forty three metres. So this tower should be simple. But unless you've found yourselves in something as shallow as the British Admiralty's duckpond, as opposed to the Atlantic Ocean (and make no mistake, boys, that's where you're going) which in places is two miles straight down, then this thing is just kinky fancy dress. But everyone must keep and maintain his own at all times and they are to be inspected at least weekly by a CPO or above, as part of your routine boat checks".

I gulped, trying to imagine a tower of water at least five times the height of this one above my head and all around.

"Now here is the face piece, and here obviously,is the breathing tube. On your chest you will see a valve. No, don't touch it Lenge! That's to expel any excess air. The control you want is to your right hand side, I said don't touch, Lenge! That regulates the amount of oxygen you receive. Use it wisely. The only supply you have is in that small bottle you can feel in the bottom of your vest.
"Now, within the breathing system, there is this canister you can feel? This absorbs the carbon monoxide, so in theory you can rebreathe your own air. Again it's not perfect, the only real air is on the surface, but useful to know if you're forced underwater for any length of time."

"I knew I should have tried for a capital ship," Frenze murmurs behind us.. "Something safe like the Bismarck or the Scharnhorst"

"Sir...?"
"Yes, von Andreas?"
"Sir, with that much weight of water, how are we to even open the hatch?"
"A good question.."
"I knew it.." Otto groaned
"Gentlemen it would take a superhuman effort to raise the hatch, against that weight of water in anything other than shallow depths."
"I knew it, I knew it", Otto repeated
"On the other side, such air as you have left will be so compressed that it will help get you out. In otherwords you will either be knocked down the ladder by a surge of seawater and drowned, or pop out like a champagne cork and suffer the bends"
"I bloody knew it!" says Otto.
"So to counter this, we must counter the water pressure inside and outside the boat".

"Oh Christ!" Otto sighed loudly.
"What Otto?"
"The optimum conditions for using this escape apparatus, is when the boat is near to fully flooded. I can't do this, Rollie"

"But for the purposes of this exercise, if you can't open the hatch above you, we will do it hydraulically
"First Offizier Kadet forward!" yells the PO.
It is Schmeff. To the left of Otto, and first in line.
It's no coincidence, that he is first. A pale, shy and thin lad, clever and determined, I kind of liked him on the very few times that we talked. But in all such places, easily bullied. Konrad and his goons pushed him forward laughing when we formed up for escape training. Noone else would take his side, which is now why Otto me and Kochsens, are standing next to him, and cursing the day.

"Take it easy, Willhelm, you'll be okay. See you at the top."
He just stared at me with glassy fear-filled eyes.
Otto and even Kochsens couldn't say anything, with the kind of admiration mixed with guilt that kids have when they send the youngest and most vulnerable off on a dangerous dare.
In all the times since, I have seen great bravery, heroism even. But that moment when the instructor fitted the face piece on, and you could only see his eyes, Schmeff has stayed with me. Through that natural fear I could see an exceptional acceptance and courage. And loneliness. I suppose that's what makes a good u-boat man.
Schmeff is now standing in the chamber, his eyes are wide and blinking rapidly. All the students are silent.

"Now breathe normally Junge, I'm opening up the oxygen tap. And wait until I have made these final adjustments. When I seal the door behind me, you will be in a sunken u-boat that you must escape from. When I leave, this chamber will start to fill with water. Your test is simply to open the hatch. Wait until the last minute, Lad. You're not wearing anything at the moment, but imagine you still have several layers of sea clothing on, plus your boots, so I want you to kick to the surface; it'll be dark in the Ocean, so you may not know which way is up. Blow a few bubbles out of that valve I showed you, and follow them. They know the way to surface better than anyone".

He clanged the chamber door shut. "Begin!"

Water started streaming into the chamber, both from the floor up, but also some jets set into the wall to simulate valve burst and furthermore disorientate the hapless sinking u-boat man.
He waited longer than I could have before reaching for the lid wheel. The water was up to his chin before, standing on the improvised steps to show a ladder, and to give him purchase, he gripped the wheel.
"Go on, Schmeffie!" shouts Bruno from the back. And then we are all shouting encouragement that he can't hear.
He twisted and struggled, in a desperate world of his own. The hatch wasn't opening. We watched in despair as his efforts became more frantic and yet more weakened.
"Vent the tanks!" roared the Instructor, as Schmeff drifted off the ladder and tried to find his oxygen regulator.

"All Kadet students, Raus!"
We stood outside, trying to listen to the excitied cries and swearing from inside; still practically naked and chatting nervously as Schmeff was carried out. We couldn't see if he was alive or dead.
Before long and with no further word from inside, Kochsens had conjured up an urn of hot coffee, and some salt beef sandwiches. His 'Auxiliary Angels' as he waved them away giggling, and looking back at all these kadets in their underpants.

"They won't make us do this now, will they?"
"I'm afraid they will, and we have to, Otto. Look...."
Across the parade square, a quarter of our number were already making their way back to the accommodation lines. Anyone could quit or be weeded out at any time. The U-bootwaffe was at that time, a special service.

"I can't do it. Not now."
"Yes you can, you big pussy! It's just a long drink of water! Come on, I'll go first, and.." Kochsens carries on in the same vein, partly I suspect to hide his own fear
"No it's ok mate, We're supposed to be next.. Otto.. here's a plan.."
So we are back in the hangar and under the tower hours later and formed up in our original lines, which involved some schoolboy bumping and barging, because noone wanted to go first. So Me and Otto were still at the front of the line.
"Next!"

"Sir, us two, with your permission sir, it would be more beneficial to train with other crewmates, because as captains we would be the last up anyway"
The Instructor mused, "Actually it's not here in the training manual, but it makes sense..."
(I reckon it was because we were so far behind training schedules, and had also lost some students after Schmeff's incident.)
"OK, go in the pair of you. Everything has been checked out. Just open the hatch above your head and breathe in and out regularly, then kick to the surface."
We walk forward together. "Are you ok Otto?"
"No, not entirely, Rollie, what's your plan?"
The water is coming back in up to our knees
"That we at least drown together."
"That's your plan! You maniac! It's at our waists now!"
"Put your mask on Otto....."
"....Christ, help me Otto! Mine won't go on straight Where's the oxygen switch, help, I don't know where to turn it!"
And while he was doing that the cold water was swirling up to our chins. I had hold of the lid wheel and used my legs against the side of the chamber to open the hatch.
"Hang on!"
As soon as it was open a fraction, the water rushed in, but not enough to knock us too far back. We are now fully underwater, and I am trying to climb through the hatch, sucking desperately at my Drager mouthpiece. I could feel a weight on my left ankle, that was Otto. And then he was gone.
Only to clutch me by my right calf and then up by my waist, by which time I have levered myself up through the circle. I leant towards Otto's hand down my leg, give him an encouraging tap. As soon as I can feel his hands He kicks and I pull, and we out of the 'U-Boot' itself.
Now we just hang on to each other and get to the surface. Clambering onto the top platform, panting and laughing in relief.

I needed to give something technical for Otto to focus on, when the water was coming in. There was nothing wrong with my Drager; but there's nothing wrong with Otto either, he's just happier with things to work with.

And if I get a front boat, I want him with me. And I hope vice versa.

"Smile please for the camera!"

It's a really pretty blonde with a lovely smile from the Kiel Base, sent out to take some pictures of our brave new u-boat skippers in training.
"Rollie, there's something you should know.."
He handed me my own underpants. "In the dark I must have dragged them off, sorry"
"Otto!" I looked down horrified. I was naked at the top of the tower while this girl took more pictures without batting an eyelid.
She smiled, and dare I say, winked at me.

That was the first time I saw Heidi.

LS

bookworm_020

06-28-07, 09:16 PM

I wonder if that the photo she keeps in her locker?:hmm::lol::rotfl::rotfl:

Kpt. Lehmann

06-29-07, 12:33 AM

Heheheh!!! Good stuff!:up: :up: :up:

Jimbuna

06-29-07, 06:30 AM

So now we know what the initial attraction was ;)

maillemaker

06-29-07, 07:07 AM

Up Periscope! lol

donw

06-29-07, 09:01 AM

Donw winks at LS ;)
I knew you'd find a way to bring in that sidebar :up:

Laughing Swordfish

07-01-07, 02:02 PM

Called a segue, Don! Waste not, want not! And I can do some more retro stuff if the boys want. Meanwhile I am busy trashing historical dates, I should research more..

LS

Laughing Swordfish

07-01-07, 03:01 PM

Something's going on at Saint Nazaire!

As the kubelwagen speeds down the lanes, we can see explosions and tracer arcing in every direction, near the harbour.

"Wake up Cox! Get us in as soon as you can Franks! What do you make of it Reuben?"

"Commando Raid, or the Resistance.."

There was another crackle of gunfire, and the crump of grenade explosions.

"It's a raid, for sure. They're after the boats and the pens! We have to get back to the boat!"

A quick survey soon found out that we were limited to one luger and 10 rounds.

"Here's what we do. Cox, pull us in at the nearest Army base, the 279th should be nearby"

"I know the Quartermaster there, Kap"

"Beg, borrow or steal any weapons they have in the rack, by any means, Cox. MP40's if you can. We need magazines too; take them off a landser if you have to. Just pull rank.

"I haven't got any", he grumbled, but went away into the night, talked to an officer at the barracks, and soon re-appeared with two SMGs and pockets bulging with charged magazines.

"Well played Cox, now when we get close to the pens, the plan is that you take over the car Cox, and you get yourself and Heidi to safety. Take my luger. And don't argue. I need Reuben to help me get U-46 out of the pen before they try and blow her up.

"Reuben you know roughly how to fire one of these?

"Yes Kap!"

"More than me then!"

"Then we go, Christian and Willi should already be there depending on what's happening. We must get U-46 away into open water!"

"Heidi, you are in Cox's charge. You must promise to stay where he says and do what he does"

"What about not taking risks, Rollie"

"That only officially starts tomorrow, darling"

And with that we are gone. Me and Reuben dashing through the streets.

There was the odd burst of gunfire, but the infantrymen who knew best seemed quite unconcerned, so we took our lead from them. But it looked like the crossroads leading to the boats was held by commandos and a heavy firefight was in progress. Myself and Reuben pitched in enthusiastically with our MP40s to no noticeable effect; until a feldwebel tapped me on the shoulder.

"Would you mind moving over Sir? The Army's here!" As he cheerfully called his men forward to set up two MG34s to pepper the street corner opposite.

"I need to get to the Pens!" I shouted.

"Go over there Sir, Leutnant Gruber, do you see that platoon over there getting ready to go?"

"Yes"

"They're putting in a left flanking counter attack, which should secure the Pens. Make yourself known to him. and tag along behind. That should get you there. I don't know for sure" he shouted "But I think they've managed to get a destroyer and a load of patrol boats right up here.

"Thanks Feldwebel."

"Happy Landings, Kapitan"

We shook.

"Hals und Bein bruch!"

LS

TarJak

07-02-07, 01:31 AM

Great stuff as usual LS!:up:

azn_132

07-02-07, 01:48 AM

Ya, Operation Chariot, bak to my MOHEA days.

Jimbuna

07-02-07, 02:40 AM

:rock: :up:

Oberon

07-02-07, 06:31 AM

Great stuff LS as always!!

Good to see Leutnant Gruber!

Did he bring his 'little tank'? ;)

Rhodes

07-02-07, 09:45 AM

Great stuff LS as always!!

Good to see Leutnant Gruber!

Did he bring his 'little tank'? ;)

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
I was thinking of that.

bookworm_020

07-02-07, 07:24 PM

Great stuff LS as always!!

Good to see Leutnant Gruber!

Did he bring his 'little tank'? ;)

Clarence has driven off with it!

"Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once":doh:

Kpt. Lehmann

07-02-07, 10:53 PM

Great stuff LS as always!!

Good to see Leutnant Gruber!

Did he bring his 'little tank'? ;)

Clarence has driven off with it!

"Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once":doh:

Goode moaning! :D

Laughing Swordfish

07-03-07, 09:52 AM

OK enough with the Gruber, guys! Who knew you were such avid watchers of a slapstick farce. Although there was a huge crush, I confess, going on there with Vicky Michelle, she played Yvette and also my heartstrings. So maybe that caused my freudian slip.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

07-03-07, 11:13 AM

"Leutnant Gruber?"

"Nein, Grun, Ich heisse Grun, was ist los?"

I'm crouched down by this army leutnant, who is impatient to get his counter-attack started. A corporal ducking down behind the wall is unscrewing the caps from two of his stick grenades. Along the wall the others are doing the same.

"I need to get to the Pens, Grun! I have a U-Boot to look after!"

"Ok, Sir, that's where we're heading. Tag along behind and try not to shoot us up the arse; you navy types don't know one end of a weapon from the other.

He grinned.

"Sergeant?"

"Any time now, Sir!"

"Bayonets on lads!"

They were looking across to the crossroads where the two MG34s were opening up with vicious, and relentless bursts.

"They're firing us in". The Sergeant winked. "Paste 'em to the front, and then kick the back doors in. Works every time!"

"These are Commandos though", he looked more serious.

"Stay behind us, Sir, if you want to get to the dock. It's bound to get warm when we jump off."

The machine guns up the rate of fire, and the sergeant gives a hand signal to the 30 men taking cover behind the bakery and fishmongers.

A flurry of stick grenades are hurled forward. The Feldwebel counts off a few seconds. There is a succession of explosions.

"Now! Now boys! Go! Go! Go!" And with a roar the soldiers are at them with Lt Grun and his sergeant by his side. I see him sticking one Tommy again and again in the chest, whilst a landser beside him drops soundlessly clutching his belly, another is blown off his feet by a hand grenade.. Two more men grapple desperately on the ground until a third man, one of ours, intervenes with the repeated use of his rifle butt.

Reuben and I blunder on behind, tripping over the odd dead body and bursting away, in blind panic, with our sub-machine guns. Another fresh platoon leap frogs past us to the left. They are already firing at the retreating raiders.

The Sergeant comes up breathlessly, there is blood on his face and he is still yelling at his boys to sweep up down to the Harbour.

"Commandos, Sir. Hard fighters. They are heading back to their boats, otherwise we'd have been here all night. There's the Pens, below you Sir, I guess you know that. You can see their boats out there. Is there a quick way to cut them off, do you know, Sir?"

"That way...Thanks and Good Luck!"

His name was Auel.

I'm looking at this old destroyer, a four-stacker by the looks of her, rammed hard against the deeper sea docks, the ones we planned to use for our capital ships; the Tommies seem to be making back for their boats. Why would they do that?

"Are you ok, Sir? I have to get back to my men...Let me take those weapons.. before you do anyone else any harm..!"

"Yes. Yes, Feldwebel. I just need to get down to my boat. Come on Reuben!"
We raced down along the dock. Gunfire continues along the other side of the harbour. The army haven't finished yet, but British patrol boats are busy taking their people off and returning fire.

LS