(Story) U-46 puts to sea again

[donw]

and if it were on only 3 peoples' bookshelves, yours, mine and my mother's that would still be fine by me.

LSWell my good friend, you can rest assured I'll have MY copy in the bookcase! Hell, I already have half of it scattered about between here and the website. Which by the way, is filled to the limit, so I can't bring it up to date, untill I re-write it and shorten the number of chapters.

I did manage to spell check as much as I could when I transcribed it over, but of course your mastery of colorful descriptions and dialog were not always recongnized, so I copied it as you wrote it, to maintain your original intent.

Let me know Mate, if you want me to get the website sorted, so the members here can continue to get a sneak preview before it hits the BEST SELLER List! :rock:

(PS) I trust you still remember how to send an e-mail...)
:p

[Laughing Swordfish]

After that Willi and his Third Watch were known as 'The Green Fingers' amongst the crew, because that paint was really hard to get off with our limited cleaning facilities and the industrial strength of the dockyard paint they used.

So of course Otto's constantly begrimed engineers were nicknamed 'The Black Fingers', and not to be left out, the torpedo men were called 'The Three Fingers' because of the occupational hazard of loading a torpedo in a hurry and leaving your hand in the way at the wrong moment. Which is what happened to Sohn on our last patrol, who is now based on shore.

With their typical humour, they told him that when the eel was fired, at least he gave the good old Winston Churchill two-fingered salute straight back to the Brits.

I would say that they are all just boys at heart. But most of them really are just boys.

The control room lads were labelled 'Quick Fingers' which was more to do with Cox's reputation for 'acquiring' any commodity or resellable kit or goods when in port, which did a lively trade right outside my cabin or on the dockside, and of course which I never saw anything of.

Bruno makes way for me on the bridge.

"Good morning, Sir"

He calls down some steering orders for our patrol pattern, and offers me a square of his American chocolate. He says they call it 'candy' even though it plainly says 'Hershey'.

I raise my binoculars. Another day, another horizon.

LS

[Sailor Steve]

I did manage to spell check as much as I could when I transcribed it over, but of course your mastery of colorful descriptions and dialog were not always recongnized, so I copied it as you wrote it, to maintain your original intent.
I didn't want to clutter up the thread, but since you started it, I actually caught three typos in that post. I sent LS a PM about it even before you posted.

[donw]

I actually caught three typos in that post. I sent LS a PM about it even before you posted.
:rotfl: LMAO...Ohhh Steve...if you only knew how many I had to fix!! :rotfl:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Thanks guys!

I really appreciate the feedback as always. Now I am under such scrutiny, the pressure is really on. I might be kept back after class to write another chapter until I get one right!!

All the best, LS

(Don - It's unlikely to be today because I have to go up into town, but I'll try and re-establish comms by Yahoo IM, so please monitor that frequency, pm London time)

[Laughing Swordfish]

Sanders nearly made it. Apparently he had inched most of the way through the Straits, but got snagged on a net just as he was surfacing, it might even have been an old fishing drift net, and not even an anti-submarine cordon, so he told me.

But he had to thrash his propellors backwards and forwards to get free.

With the inevitable company that invited.

It's even possible that the first depth charges were a huge stroke of luck for Sanders, as his boat was shaken free by the detonations. He immediately turned west and ran for it. U-441 then ran silent and played the slow, slow, quick, quick, slow dance with the British destroyers and escorts, as they lit up the Straits, and pinged everywhere. "Probably killed every fish in the water, the number of depth charges they dropped" a shaken Anders said to me later.

"But not you lad!" I clapped his shoulder, and he gave me a brave smile.

U-441 had escaped to lick it's wounds, and we had rendez-vous'd further out to sea. Structurally she was still sea worthy, all the superstructure was a bit bent, but there were several internal problems that needed our help. Plus the ministrations of Oscar to help their medic. Even between them, I'm afraid they couldn't save the life of one of the petty officers, Straub, badly wounded among others when a depth charge got directly under the boat, the worst place.

We handed over kit and tools and engineers as well as we could at night, but hidden behind the comraderie there was a tense unspoken, and even guilty question just behind everyone's lips.

'Will they now send us there instead.....?"

LS

[Jimbuna]

Better radio Bdu and tell them your out of spares if you get into trouble making an attempt :p

[Laughing Swordfish]

I have called all the officers into the wardroom including the Chief.

"Gentlemen we have to make a decision about this....

There is a commotion forwards, and one of the Control hands pokes his head through the curtain.

"Beg your pardon Herr Kaleun, to report a disturbance in the forward torpedo room!"

"They're always quarrelling. Joachim, they're your lot. Have Cox pipe them down."

Joachim barges past us at the folding table.. "Cox is dealing with the other boat" he mutters.

"I think I'd better take a look myself, gentlemen", and also make my way foward..

When I clamber through, there is something of a stand-off. My weapons officer in the middle with his PO and an array of our lordships on eitherside, most of them with spanners, wrenches, and assorted metal objects to hand.

A big brute of a torpedomaat, his name is Hans but everyone calls him Heinkel, points angrily across the torpedo rails and winches.

"He spilled the coffee jug on me!"

This brought forth a wave of shouting and recrimination from both sides.

"Menschen! Menschen!! We are in a U-boat! Things get spilled all the time! That's why they give us leather trousers; and at least they are easier to wash out when we crap ourselves with every depth charge!"

That at least produced a laugh.

"In any case that last merchant we sank, the S.S. Priorate was carrying one hundred tons of coffee beans, so if anyone spilled the coffee it was all of you!"

"Now come on. The Amis can't live without coffee but we can. Put the tools back, and report to your Weapons Officer and station petty officers for duties."

Of course it was over even before it had started. There are some rough fellows in the crew, particularly at that end of the boat, but they are good men deep down, and I suppose they have all been good men deep down in the literal sense.

"Are they sending us into the Mediterannean, past the Rock, Sir?"

The real question behind all this tension.

"We have no such orders at present, boys. And if we did we'd need everyone on their toes, and our boat in her best condition, so let's get back to work..."

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

"The boys are getting restless"

I tossed my cap on to the ward room table.

It was time to voice what everyone was thinking.

"Of the three boats in the vicinity, and if I was BdU, I would send us. We're a Type VII, we're nimbler, and quicker, certainly over short distances, which is what we live by. Those Type IX's can go farther and carry a heavier load of fuel and eels. Which makes them much more useful operating far out into the West Atlantic. Not here in this.. (I nearly said 'death trap')..part of the ocean "

Christian let out a low whistle.

"Well if anyone can do it, it's us"

Bruno just swore, but still nodded.

Willi followed with "I have the charts ready, Sir"

Otto sipped his apple juice without expression. He has a new born baby.

"Do the Brits know we're a lucky boat, Sir?"

LS



LS

[bookworm_020]

"Do the Brits know we're a lucky boat, Sir?"

Better to ask that question after you've been throught the straits!:yep:

[Laughing Swordfish]

In the end, the decision was taken out of our hands.

Anders sent one short message of gratitude, and then U-441 was gone.

It turns out that we need bigger boats to help with Rommels's campaign, so they say. Not a little Type Seven like ours.

He and his crew went away to try one more time, and we never saw them again.

LS

[Jimbuna]

Like so many others that tried that passage :-?

[Laughing Swordfish]

We resumed patrol pattern to the Southern end of the Straits, off the lights of Casablanca at night and further out to sea to recharge batteries during the day.

Also to air the boat, and get some of the lads up top. It was very hot below, particularly in the stern. Only a few at a time, so that we can get them back in quickly in an emergency. One U-boat captain took things too far not so long ago, and in a similar part of the sea.

He ordered hands to bathe, but to show off he stripped down on the bridge and attempted a magnificent swallow dive off the tower, the boat rolled in a wave and he landed on the ballast tank, breaking his neck. Which, as Reuben said, must have spoiled their cruise.

Now we have strict orders to take things more seriously in warm waters, there's not many on U-46 who have been with us from the beginning, who have any temptation to be sent for a swim, warm or cold.

Back on patrol.

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

It took a day or two but then we were back in business. Two medium sized merchantmen about 6,000 or 7,000 tons each, sailing in line astern together without escort (at least on the sea) towards Gibraltar, but well armed as we found out.

Over-confidence I suppose after our last two kills with the deck gun, but that didn't work this time, not even the warning shot. We were met with a furious volley of Oerlikon, and 40mm shells from both ships,

"The bastards dented our bridge!" shouted Bruno indignantly, seemingly unaware of the bleeding shrapnel wound in his arm as we dropped down the hatch.

This turned into something of a tussle over the next night and morning. We resolved to take them both, but they had whistled up two jabos who hounded us every time we tried to surface.

I had Otto and Reuben push every knot out of the electric motors through the evening, until we were back in a proper ambush position again.

We gave them both an eel each at 800m. Both hit, but it didn't seem to deter them, we pushed ahead again and gave them tubes two and four. This time only the rear ship was hit, and slowed down almost immediately, but the lead ship ran for it zig-zagging wildly.

With our lordships sweating and cursing with the new torpedoes to be loaded, we raced ahead again. By dawn we had her again, but it took a long time to line her up, because although she was hurt, she was still making 6 knots and her guns were manned.

We finally managed to dispatch her with one more eel from periscope depth, and then it was straight back to find her sister ship.

When we found her she was stopped dead on the surface, and opened fire immediately as we approached.

"Stay up, Willi, and have Joachim man the gun!"

A risky decision to say the least particularly with hostile skies, but our blood was up.

"Into the waterline, Joachim! Sink her quick, and don't hit the bridge or deck. Let's give these stubborn bastards a chance to get off"

Crazy really when we could have used a torpedo, but pride was at stake, and Joachim's professional gunnery and the loading skills of his crew made it a short one-sided contest.

"Good work lads, I think we'll go down for a little bit now. Have Reuben dive us, Willi, and head south. Have your watch get their heads down..."

LS

[Sailor Steve]

:rock:

A very nice reminder that you're actually playing the game as you write this. I at leas forget sometimes that it's based on real in-game experiences.:sunny:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Away for 3 weeks guys (Reserve Army training) back writing soon

LS

[Jimbuna]

Away for 3 weeks guys (Reserve Army training) back writing soon

LS

Enjoy.....and take care http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/9026/wolfthumbsuprw5.gif (http://imageshack.us)

[bookworm_020]

Will be geting major withdrawal problems by the time you get back!:doh:

Stay safe LS:up: and we will see you when you get back.

[Sailor Steve]

No, don't get excited. This is just a BUMP to bring it back to the top.:sunny:

[Jimbuna]

Allow me to carry on in his absence:

Once upon a time there was a country with a mentally unstable ruler who wanted to rule the world.....:lol:

[Sailor Steve]

Hey! Are you makin' inciner...incinder...insinu...are you sayin' somethin' about me?

[Jimbuna]

Hey! Are you makin' inciner...incinder...insinu...are you sayin' somethin' about me?

Not unless you consider yourself to be the ruler of a country and you feel you are mentally unstable. :lol:

[Steeltrap]

Allow me to carry on in his absence:

Once upon a time there was a country with a mentally unstable ruler who wanted to rule the world.....:lol:

Could you narrow the field a little? This test would capture quite a few historical figures.....

One might also argue that anyone who wants to rule the world is inherently mentally unstable.

[Sailor Steve]

Hey! Are you makin' inciner...incinder...insinu...are you sayin' somethin' about me?

Not unless you consider yourself to be the ruler of a country and you feel you are mentally unstable. :lol:
Well, harrumph...ahem...well, should I be offended or just have you shot?

One might also argue that anyone who wants to rule the world is inherently mentally unstable.
Yes, one might. Of course the opposite is not true: not everyone who is mentally unstable wants to rule the world. I myself have no more ambition than to someday rule my own bad habits.

[Jimbuna]

Hey! Are you makin' inciner...incinder...insinu...are you sayin' somethin' about me?

Not unless you consider yourself to be the ruler of a country and you feel you are mentally unstable. :lol:
Well, harrumph...ahem...well, should I be offended or just have you shot?

One might also argue that anyone who wants to rule the world is inherently mentally unstable.
Yes, one might. Of course the opposite is not true: not everyone who is mentally unstable wants to rule the world. I myself have no more ambition than to someday rule my own bad habits.

You often remind me of Groucho Marx with some of your one liners :lol:

[Sailor Steve]

You weren't around for the infamous Drebbel Trial. While we were awaiting the release of SH3, several members got brig time for falsely announcing release information. When Drebbel did the same, and got no punishment, some others began clamoring for his incarceration. Neal turned it into a trial, with Hitman as judge, and I somehow ended up being Drebbel's defense attorney. I channeled Groucho as best I could, and at one point had Hitman and myself doing the 'Sanity Clause' routine.

I wish I could resurrect those threads - there was some great stuff there. I do still have the cartoons Torplexed drew for the thing.:rock:

[Jimbuna]

You weren't around for the infamous Drebbel Trial. While we were awaiting the release of SH3, several members got brig time for falsely announcing release information. When Drebbel did the same, and got no punishment, some others began clamoring for his incarceration. Neal turned it into a trial, with Hitman as judge, and I somehow ended up being Drebbel's defense attorney. I channeled Groucho as best I could, and at one point had Hitman and myself doing the 'Sanity Clause' routine.

I wish I could resurrect those threads - there was some great stuff there. I do still have the cartoons Torplexed drew for the thing.:rock:

If you've got the time and inclination to search them, I've certainly got the time and inclination to read them :lol: :up:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Thanks guys back again, for my own fix of the SH3 game, I'd better take the con now - don't know what you're on about!
And thanks for wishing me to stay safe and enjoy myself Jimbuna. One out of two ain't bad!

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

Easing the dripping Cap off my forehead, and in fact eventually casting it unsuccessfully at a hook on my cabin partition, I re-read the signal that Viktor had pencilled and thrust at me.

He knows the prosigns, priorities and preliminaries, he's one of the best signallers in the Flotilla. He knows this comes, not from another boat, but from BdU.

It's an operational order to go to a different quadrant.....

There is muttering and shuffling outside in the gangway as too many people find things to do just outside the Captains and radio and sonar cabins.

I know what they're thinking... the Mediterranean, and the dreaded Straits of Gibraltar.

"Back to work menschen! You'll know soon enough! Cox, get these idlers out of the way and then have the officers convened in the usual place in five minutes"

I was tired that was for sure. I looked at the text and the decryption again to be certain.

Well, that's what it says.

I pulled off my sodden Bridge jacket, and put on a mildewy woolen jersey that was less damp, retrieved my wet white cap from the floor, and with a sigh, looked up at Heidi's photo pinned above my head. However much I wiped and cleaned it, it was starting to curl up at the edges. When we get back, I'll have Josie take more pictures of us. Many more....when we get back.....

LS

[Jimbuna]

Your welcome....and welcome back http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Laughing Swordfish]

I poked my head through the flimsy green cloth that was my only privacy, damned if it was much more than any of the crew got...

"Reuben! Call First Watch down! Deliberate dive to 20 metres, or wherever you can maintain. 160 degrees port to new south heading. Get the Chief out of his oily pit (us both knowing that Otto hardly ever slept and would even now be prowling around the Control Room checking dials and chivvying the hands at the depth wheels).

"You have the helm Reuben, bring her around steady and level at your depth".

U-46 took a more leisurely descent and turn than in previous times of emergency, and I could still appreciate the graceful way she did it.

Joachim was passing aft from his torpedo room, and cast me a glance.

Even My Number One with red-rimmed eyes and salt encrusted beard, straight off watch popped his head round inquisitively.

"There should be some coffee laid on, Christian. Make sure the lads get some and for god's sake grab a cup yourself. Tell Willi to bring his charts; I'll be along in a minute".

He nodded wordlessly and his head disappeared.

A good man, my Number One.

Soon I followed him past the Control Room into the Ward Room where everyone was jammed in and waiting.

LS

[Sailor Steve]

WOOHOO, underway again!

Good to have you back, LS.:rock:

[Subtype Zero]

Soon I followed him past the Control Room into the Ward Room where everyone was jammed in and waiting.

AND???? Don't keep us hanging! I don't know if I can take any more waiting! :cry:
Seriously, welcome back, LS!

[Laughing Swordfish]

Christian, Bruno, Willi, Otto and Oscar were there. It's not strictly necessary to have the Doc along for an operational briefing, but he comes anyway. He's an officer, and we like to have him.

I looked down again at the message, Viktor had written faithfully verbatim. It had an odd non-naval line of characters after the main message.

ILD-H-V-X

From that I knew that Heidi had at least seen our latest mission, and had somehow sneaked her own line onto our message.

Ich Liebe Dich - Heidi - Vorsicht - Ein Kuss

I will take care, Heidi, I will. I promise I will.

"Right Gentlemen! Who is going to ask me first?"

LS

[nikbear]

And,andandand:o:huh:Its the Med isn't it:oI'm on the edge of me seat here:up:good to have you back LS;)

[bookworm_020]

Geat to have you back:up:, but I'm hanging out to know what is going to happen!:doh:

[Laughing Swordfish]

I knew it would be Bruno.

Even as my Number Two, he is the youngest and most impetuous.

"Are we going in, Sir?"

"No we are not, Bruno. Anders will be creeping through as we speak, and I'm sure he will be fine this time. There's not room for two."

"You may have noticed that the boat has turned about, and is heading South-South West."

I was met with a tired silence. It was either a sense of relief on the most part, that they dare not express. or for Christian, who would go anywhere with U-46; just sheer tiredness.

"Out to the Canary Islands, gentlemen. Box DH61 to begin with, here; Willi we'll go over that on the charts later. We are not to engage the enemy en route or to be seen or detected by any other means. We are to await further instructions at that RV, and be prepared to take on a 'special cargo' ".

There were a couple of low whistles all around. We weren't being sent through the Straits, which was good, and we all knew that Franco's Spain was neutral in a German sort of way, but she wouldn't dare risk any overt protection out into these island outcrops. Closely patrolled by the Allies as a result, and the treacherous shallow waters and razor sharp volcanic sea bed lay in wait for any but the most cautious Kapitan.

We would know more later, but there was little doubt about what the 'special cargo' was to be.

A friendly agent with some information, or who needs to be repatriated. Who knows?

"Ok Gentlemen that's it. Willi stay behind, Christian get your head down, and the word to the boys is just that we're not going into the Med, just another convoy sweep. And tell them that we would have got through anyway, if they'd asked us to!"

"Away you go gentlemen, and thank you."

LS

[Jimbuna]

Enjoy the dolphins in that area http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Laughing Swordfish]

Dolphins, Jimbuna? The whole boat is aqua-planing!!

LS

[Bosje]

good to see you back, LS :up:
sink em all!

[Laughing Swordfish]

Turning south west towards the Canaries, put us right in the teeth of a gale. Gaining force 9 from a swirling depression in the Azores.

On the second afternoon Bruno dropped down the ladder with the rest of his drenched shivering and utterly exhausted crew from Second Watch.

"Ok, Bruno?"

He looked at me sourly and with out his usual cheeky humour.

"Hard to keep a cigar alight up there, Kaleun"

We almost lost Willi's 3rd Watch altogether straight after. They had just had time to buckle on to their hooks on the bridge, when a freak 20 metre wave deluged the boat. U-46 like all German Type VIIs is designed to ride out or under such waves, we are a u-boat after all. But tell that to Willi and his gang buffeted almost senseless and holding their breath for long seconds before the boat pierced back through the back of the wave.

All naval protocol gone, "Get us back in, Rollie!" Willi gasped down the tube once he had caught his breath, and the speaking tube had deposited several litres of sea water over the Control Room deck to emphasise his words.

"Bring them down, Willi. Reuben, set depth for 30 metres when the last man is reported in."

LS

LS

[HansVonBeehan]

Hello Sir. *Salutes*

I really have enjoyed reading your "book".
I Have currently read up to page 6, and have really ENJOYED it.

One thing I have noticed, is a few spelling mistakes. Bah! I'm dyslexic so I cannot complain.

Please keep up the good writing.

Also the U-46 was a VIIB
http://www.uboat.net/boats/u46.htm



:rock:

Hans Von Beehan
Commander U-48, Your sister ship.

[Laughing Swordfish]

Thanks Hans, and welcome to SH3!

I shall certainly look out for the fortunes of U-48, good hunting my friend.

And you're right about the spelling, I blame it on the lurching of the boat!!

LS

[HansVonBeehan]

Not a Problem!
Keep up the good hunting.

[Laughing Swordfish]

As Willi gasped as he came last down the ladder, his sou'wester knocked skew-whiff over his right ear, and his and Third Watch'es oilskins' drips adding to the sea water that was now draining forward as our U-46 sought calmer and deeper waters.

His boys were understandably shaken. They had been knocked flat and submersed under water for many long seconds before the wave passed over. Oscar is now tending to the Watch for their cuts and bruises, but the main effect is the medicinal swig from his brandy supply. First Watch are up on boat routine. Second and Third are ordered to rest. Soon there are the usual mutterings and comings and goings and snorings of submerged u-boat life.

The Navigation Officer and I are at the chart table, and Willi has a point when he says that we're not making much less headway submerged than we are trying to hold the boat on course in the teeth of a surface gale.

Also there's nothing to see up there beyond the nearest wave, and we are rolling too much for any sensible observation.

Besides which, as Willi, and only a few of us know, we are not to attack anything anyway. Fat chance in this sea.

We will only surface now at night, to give Willi a star fix, and get off our daily reports, and recharge the batteries, and get some air in the Boat.

A slightly cushier routine, but Cox soon has them busy around the boat once they are fed and rested, and anyway it's always a risky business relying on being underwater too long. If you do get pinged by chance by a destroyer, you have to go deeper with whatever you've got in your batteries.

Hans and Viktor between them are maintaining a vigilant watch on the sonar phones.

What are we getting ourselves into this time..?

LS

[Jimbuna]

The voyage continues http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Laughing Swordfish]

Night. 2200.

Willi is cursing as he tries to hold the sextant steady in the rolling swell.

In the end, I strap him in tightly with the very same cordage that sved his life in the storm before. Even then he is buffeted, so I brace him in place.

Willi is too proud to call his 3rd Watch up to hold him in place.

"We can't keep meeting like this, Kaleun; what would Heidi say?"

"Just get your star fix, you idiot!" I laughed. "This is my last dry shirt!"

Later and below, with a warming cup of broth, Willi pores over his charts.

Well we are not far from the Canaries now Rollie, but my sun and star fixes aren't as accurate as I would like. What do you say I set a course to give us a landfall, And take it again from there? This filthy weather can't hold out for ever"

And so we turn south west towards towards the Dog Island; Gran Canaria.

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

Of course we came across two ships. Pretty fat merchants. At least 4,000 tons each and not armed or escorted.

"Viktor get us through....'Immediate to FDU. Two medium size cargos, red flag, north across our bow. Perfect range of 900 metres. Permission to engage now'

Send it Victor!"

[bookworm_020]

Quick! Have Bernard press the firing button for the forward tubes!:D


That, or just say you were creating more room for the new passenger!

[Laughing Swordfish]

We tracked them. Steadily losing our perfect solution, and in the end it didn't matter.

'U-46. Engagement denied. Boats north of you will pick them up. Resume as ordered. BdU'

'They'll be lucky" Christian grumbled. 'That was a chance of a lifetime shot in this sea'

"Never mind Christian, we'll soon be at our RV, if Willi can get one more fix, and then we'll know more when we come up tomorrow night".

LS

[Kpt. Lehmann]

AHHhhhh.

I've missed this thread.

Great stuff as always RdB! :up: :up: :up:

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Gran Canaria, Kap. It must be...."

Willi takes one more fix with his sextant.

The Great Island of Dogs, lights are still twinkling here and there. Up to now the War has passed this Island by.

"Signals..?"

Viktor has been furiously summoning BdU by morse ever since U-46 broached he surface.

Gran Canaria is Spanish, and should be neutral, but with English leanings. Christian has had Otto trim the boat down as low as she will ride, and here on the eastward lee of the coast, we at last have some peaceful weather and water.

Finally... "message from BdU, Sir!"

And I am back inside.

LS

[bookworm_020]

Don't leave us in suspense!

[Laughing Swordfish]

Bruno is leading the boat party.

I knew he would volunteer, because he is the youngest and most adventurous of my officers.

Also, and I hate to admit it, I would have chosen him anyway. I could not have risked my First Officer or my Navigational Officer, Christian and Willi, in this madcap scheme.

We got the message soon after we surfaced east of Gran Canaria.

A passenger will be waiting for us on the beach, codename Frederick. We are to collect him, or at least his attache case if it comes to it, and put in at La Rochelle, where we will be met by certain 'Department Officials'.

"Better take this, Bruno". And I press our highly oiled luger, and the only small arms we now own, into his hand.

"Thanks Kap" He grins, and checks the cocking action.

He's taken his whole second watch with him, who volunteered to a man, and also a couple of the biggest and toughest Berlin thugs from the torpedo room, including Dieter.

"Bruno....."

"Yes Kap?"

"Don't take any chances. I want you all back, with or without the cargo. You know I can't wait for you or risk the boat or the rest of the men, if things go wrong..."

"I know Sir. Don't worry. We'll be back in a moment".

And with a wink and a smile he was gone over the side, into the inflatable, giving quiet orders for his men to push off.

LS

[Kpt. Hans Specht]

Kpt. Hans Specht of the U124 pleased to meet. I must say absolutly grand writing I've only got to the aftermath of the Campbelltown but best sub story I've read yet.

[Jimbuna]

Kpt. Hans Specht of the U124 pleased to meet. I must say absolutly grand writing I've only got to the aftermath of the Campbelltown but best sub story I've read yet.


Welcome aboard Kaleun http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/welcome.gif

Read it all from the link above your post and enjoy a truly mind blowing experience http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[bookworm_020]

You still got plenty more to go yet! Soon you will be like the rest of us hanging out for the next chapter!:yep: Welcome aboard!:up:

[Kpt. Hans Specht]

I've been reading on this for a while but got side tracked, just got back to it and started from the beginning.

[Laughing Swordfish]

'Never mind what I said to Bruno, Number One..' I murmured.

'There's no way we're leaving them behind if we can help it'

'Christian, have us turn gently to show our arse to the beach. Slimmer silhouette, and a quicker get away, and all that; and get your duty Flak crew to man the Wintergarten. Have the barrel trained on the beach and cliffs'

Have a crewman with a concealed lamp in the stern, when that's done. We're not going to be sending great Christmas lights from up here, just enough to make contact and guide our Bruno's boys back in.

Willi and even Oscar have joined on deck, the more binoculars the better, and not just towards the shore.

'Depth under keel, Willi?'

"Twenty metres, Kaleun", he whispered in concern, and for good reason. We can't crash dive in these shallows. It is all undulated volcanic rock on the sea bed around these islands. We would rip our bottom open long before even Otto and Reuben with all their skill had a chance to pull her up.

No. We have to be in and out as soon as possible or we are sitting ducks.

We slowly and precariously turn on electric motors, and ease U-46 round

A faint light flickers from the shore.

..-.

Two short blinks, a long, and another short.

..-.

There it is again

F for Frederick, surely.

Bruno and his crew are already rowing steadily and silently towards the intermittent light.

LS

[Sailor Steve]

Grinding teeth, holding breath, anguishing along with the rest of the crew...

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Acknowledge, Christian"

He passes the word down to Viktor who has a covered lamp at the stern.

Our code name apparently is Oberon.

Three long dashes, - - - spelling O. Easiest to send, and recognise.

Doc is a scholar, and forces a wry smile.

"What is it Oscar?"

"This is Shakespeare, Rollie. A subtle joke. 'Midsummer's Night Dream' Oberon was proud king of the elves, rival to Titania, Queen of the fairies"

"So ...?"

"Oberon's first four words in the play are..."

"yes..."

"Ill met by moonlight"

LS

[nikbear]

Ill Met By Moonlight:o......Oh this doesn't sound good:huh:things are going to turn out bad,I'm a bag of nerves here,...great writing as always LS:up:

[Kpt. Lehmann]

:up: :up: :up:

[Laughing Swordfish]

There comes a point where it's hard to make out Bruno's boat, over the rolling surf.
But then Christian's eagle eye points out the dark blob of the dinghy and two black figures waist deep in water pulling it to shore.

Through the binoculars, I see see one of the figures, it must be be Bruno, give the Oberon signal, discreetly on the beach.

We wait.

LS

[bookworm_020]

Talk about drawing out the suspense!:roll:

[Laughing Swordfish]

"I don't like this, Kap.."

"Nor me, Christian, can you still see Bruno and his men....?

"They'e in and out of sight Sir...."

Joachim has come up. He is the best deck gunner officer in 7th Fflotilla.

[Laughing Swordfish]

As time ticked by, and we stared without seeing...

There was a faint 'Pock' and 'Pock' travelling across the sea that carries so well,

That was a pistol round...A luger...Bruno!

Automatic fire breaks out across the beach, and all hell breaks loose.

"Ambush!" screams Christian "Fire into those gunflashes, kick up some shingle, don't stop till I tell you!"

Our AA gun immediately hammered away.

We laced the shore and cliffs with all but our last case of 20mm flak ammunition, only hoping to cover our Bruno and his people.

"Get under way Otto!, Get the boat running. Now!!

"Wait, Number One. keep her moving slowly up to speed Chief, Not everyone is on board the bus just yet...."

We can see our boys working their way back, and rowing like hell.

"Fire!"

"Sir, we should get out into deeper water......."

[Laughing Swordfish]

We peppered the shore with the 2Omm gun, just to keep their heads down, whilst Otto had the engine cranked up but idling as soon as he heard the word.

"Get them in!"

Even Bruno is exhausted, it took two attempts for a seaman like him to catch the rope.

"Get everyone downstairs! Cut the dinghy loose! We're leaving!

"Oscar! Blood on the deck!"

Otto, run away, flank speed"

I'm yelling unneccesarily. The Doc has always been there and bearing the seaman away. It's Gerhardt, one of Bruno's guys; from Second Watch; and U-46 is already picking up speed as her trusty diesels kick in.

"Willi... Navigation Officer....! ...Willi find us a safe depth to drop in to.

LS

[Jimbuna]

Riveting stuff http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Hondo314]

Que the chase music!

[xxx]

Been reading this constantly over the last week and I am addicted! Just waiting for the next installment.

[A Very Super Market]

Just read the whole thing. 3 hours straight. But I still want more!

[Silverleaf]

LS,

I've just read the entire 54 page collection, and would like to add my congratulations on such a well written compilation. I too join the hundreds, if not thousands of members whom are holding their collective breath with each transmission from U-46.

You've been able to capture the dynamic that great storytelling entails, and in the process bring characters to life that are as real as the historic missions some 60+ years ago that Silent Hunter 3 recreates.

Bravo.

KptLt Barker U-8008

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Flank speed LS! :huh:

[si888]

Great story ! Keep up the good work LS .

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Run, Otto, Make her run! ..Reuben go aft and get every pfennig out of those pistons, Go!"

"Willi!" He turns from bending over Hans' shoulder in the sonar cabin.

"Any depth yet?"

"Still undulating around 30 metres, Kaleun"

I turn to my Number One.

"Christian, if they knew we were going in, then they must now know we have to come out. Maybe some double ambush, to get us as well"

"Dirty trick, Kap!"

"Yes, but let's face it, Christian .. we do it all the time. Now you and me upstairs and keep watch, have the whole damage management crew stood to, and let's get the hell out of here.

"Thirty metres and depth increasing under keel; we may be in a deeper channel"

"Good Willi"

Me and Christian are staring at the silhouette of a warship, no bigger (but also therefore no slower) than a destroyer. We can see it, because it has lit up a searchlight, which it is playing across the part of the sea and beach we have just left.

"Willi, keep us with as much under keel as you can, the more the better and get us out into open sea, and tell Otto that he needs to screw one or two more knots out of the diesels, unless he wants to get up here and help us paddle"

"Sir?"

"We've got the worst kind of company, Willi. Maybe it was a trap. We don't have time for that. Give me a consistent 50 metres depth at least, and we have a chance. Otherwise it's a straight race from whenever she latches on to us.

"Steer 081. Flank speed, send constant depth soundings"

"Willi, we just need to make some distance, before we can hide somewhere."

The searchlight from the escort was playing back across us again.

And even though we held our breath and hoped our low silhouette would conceal us again, this time the beam paused in it's sweep, and came back...

LS

[bookworm_020]

ALAM!!!!

Time to duck!

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Jesus" muttered Christian

The beam passed lingeringly over us, and then moved on,

We dare not breath.

But then it comes back, and this time, Christian and I are caught squinting into the full glare of an escort's searchlight.

"Wave back, Christian. Stick your thumbs up. Maybe they'll think we're one of theirs."

"You see that orange flash just then, Rollie?....That would be their forward gun firing at us"

The shell splashed short of our stern, but not by that much for a first shot. We can hear another whistling through the air.

.."Faster Otto, faster!"

Christian, ever the professional, is staring intently through his binoculars.

"One forward turret, hard to tell but I think one stack. If she's a destroyer, she would be all over us by now. I think she's a corvette. Even she will catch us eventually"

"Well, she's not going to find U-46 in this rock pool if we can help it. Willi, what have you got for me?"

"Forty metres at best, Kap"

"Descending?"

"Yes"

"Any hope of getting or keeping us deeper, Willi?"

"Yes Sir, we'll maybe hit a deeper rift."

"Ok, the game is up. Sharp course to 280, and controlled dive to periscope depth, twelve metres should do it. Make sure we go down slow enough for them to see which way we are turning"

"Double back, Kaleun?"

Just a trick, to buy some time. Apparently they do this in Rugby all the time. Feint left, and swerve right, and out of sight.

We come down the ladder calmly, for all the world as if there was no crisis, but this is mostly a veteran crew, they've been chased and put under attack before, physcology is great, everyone needs to believe that it will be all right, but there are few illusions about what lies ahead.

"Cut all the noise, lads. You'll hear noise soon enough"

"Now Christian, ease her round to 80 degrees, you can probably drop her another couple of metres

We can both recognise the distant throb of an escort's engines growing louder.

"Hold your nerve, Christian"

He turned round and grinned.

"I've got it here Rollie. Go and see Bruno.."

LS

[Silverleaf]

This is the only thread that when I see a reply has been made, and by LS himself, I drop everything and come running..Excellent!

[Jimbuna]

Those webbed feet should soon be paddling like crazy beneath the surface http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Laughing Swordfish]

Happy New Year Kameraden, and I hope you had a great Christmas too!

Back soon,

LS

[Silverleaf]

And to you LS, the same...:up:

[nikbear]

And to you LS,all the best for you and yours for the new year:up::up::up:

[Jimbuna]

Happy New Year Kameraden, and I hope you had a great Christmas too!

Back soon,

LS

All the best matey

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/pasquarade/drunkcob.gif

[Bosje]

Oohh I should have never left the SH3 forum section :)
But then again, reading it all from where I left, it was a great thing
Keep it going and a happy new year :up:

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Ok now cut hard to starboard. On my command, close to silent speed!"

Christian is doing the classic feint, duck one way, and then run the other, leaving a nice juicy wake to follow, and give us time at our submerged speed to gain some distance, and in this case, always looking for some deeper water. We can hear the enemy vessel 's engines throbbing ever closer.

"Number One" I proclaim loudly, "Have Joachim make ready the aft torpedo tube, we'll give them a dose of Medicine No.5 if they get too close, eh boys!"

Sheer bravado, but the lads like it and set to agaiin wth renewed vigour, or at least offer a confident smile. The good old Swordfish can still fight back.

The U-46 is always safe in his hands. So I make my way through the round hatch to Oscar's makeshift surgery. There's a lot of blood as Oscar with Bruno and one of his POs in attendance help to restrain Gerhardt, while the Doc presses in against the screams to remove one of the bullets...

LS

[bookworm_020]

I'm seeing the sences of "Das Boot" as they are trying to go throught the straights!

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Hey Gerhardt, what's all this fuss over a few tracer bullets?"

Oscar gave me an exasperated stare, as he dropped one flattened round into his cup.

"We've got one of them out, Gerhardt, what the Kaleun is saying is that the people who did this to you are coming back for another turn. So I need you to be quiet now. Not a peep. This is going to hurt, lad; but don't make a noise....

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

Happy New Year Guys,

And let's be safe out there.

All the best,

LS

[donw]

And a very Happy New Year to you Rollie! May the new year bring all your faithful fans (myself being one of the biggest!) plenty of new installments on this fantastic story and the crew of U-46 home safely after every patrol! Is Heidi showing yet? :-)

[Robert Fulton]

Happy New Year and thanks to the talented chronicler of the exploits of U-46.

[Laughing Swordfish]

Gerhardt grimaced in acknowledgement, and bit down hard on the wooden chess piece that Oscar had placed in his mouth.

"Easy, now Gerhardt.... nearly there. ..."

I could see the anguish in Doc's eyes as he was forced to cause pain to one of his young charges.

"..Almost done, lad..... There!"

The last bullet, again flattened against his rib cage, but thankfully did not go further, is dropped into a tray.

Quite a crowd is gathering, and I have Cox shoo them away.

"Ok, Gerhardt, the worst is over. But this is going to sting a bit, so bite down hard".

And the young seaman's body arched upwards in shock as Oscar swabbed his wounds with neat antiseptic.

"Don't just stand there, Rollie! Hand me a couple of those wound dressings. Well break them open for me, but don't get your dirty fingers on the swab itself, can't you see I've got my hands full here?" He muttered impatiently, whilst he felt around Gerhardt's upright body for any other entry or exit wounds or any other signs of trauma.

Even while he was binding Gerhardt up, Oscar was yelling for Cox.

"Cox! Kick one of the CPO's out of their berth for the rest of this trip! Ehrlich won't mind. I need a bunk in the middle of the boat, somewhere remotely stable; and some clean, or at least as dry as you can find, bedding. Ehrlich can hot bunk with me"

I want his temperature and pulse taken, and his dressings inspected every four hours at least, if I'm not there to do it myself, and write down and report everything to me, can you do that Cox?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Good man; and strap him in."

Under his breath, he murmured "I think I may be more busy before too long..."

"This is for you Gerhardt, brandy later, when you feel a little better. Now can I have my Queen back?"

Oscar gently removed the beautifully carved chess piece from Gerhardt's teeth, as he slipped a couple of tablets under his tongue. I could see the bite marks on one of Doc's prize possessions from here, but he cast it aside without a glance..

"You'll be fine, Junge, get some rest now, and we'll soon have you home..."

"And he turned to me, with a wry smile..."

"...Won't we, Kaleun...?"

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

That familiar throb of surface engines is growing louder, our boat is veering hard to starboard. I can hear through the gangway with a pang, Christian, instead of me, giving the order to cut to silent speed.

"What happened Bruno?"

Tired and quietly, he passed over my luger.

"No rounds left, Sir"

"What about codename Frederick, or whoever he was, Bruno?"

"The pistol is empty, Sir..."

LS

[Jimbuna]

Nice touch :up: ....doesn't sound like Frederick will be of use to anyone :hmm:

[Laughing Swordfish]

I looked at Bruno. He'd clearly been through enough already, but if I knew my Number Two, I doubted if he was ready to take a rest just now.

"We'll talk about it later, Bruno, what do you say, we make like the Amis, and get the hell out of Dodge City, first!"

I clapped him on the back and Bruno grinned, and we ducked back through into the Central Control Room, where once again our Swordfish was running for her life.

LS

[Friedrich Schulz]

Oberleutnant Friedrich Schulz of U79 pleased to make your acquaintance!

I've recently discovered this game (and this thread) and have been thrilled to catch up on everything previous. Truly top notch work LS, look forward to more as it comes!

Cheers!

[rome8800]

LS, I have been reading your novel for quite some time now, and I loved it!
Took me a hell of a time to reach to page 55!


New message:

From: BdU
To: U-46

Captain RdB, U-47 is being sent towards your last known location to escort you out of the area.

BdU.




Greetings from Captain Otto von Wolff, U-47

(PS, I'd love to be a part in your novel ^^')

[A Very Super Market]

An impostor! U-47 was lost some time ago! Lies!

[rome8800]

Oh no, this is another U-47 ^^
To make the allied forces think she hasnt been sunk yet ;)

[Laughing Swordfish]

Christian glanced across at me and Bruno, as we ducked back through into the Control Room.

"How's Gerhardt, Kap?"

"He'll live, Number One. How's our boat?"

"She'll live.." he grinned.

"Listen..."

The crump of the depth charges were as noisy as ever but more distant, and hardly rocked the boat, they were way off our beam, and Christian has already got us steering arse-end away from the circling corvette.

"She has to be careful herself with those depth charges in these seas. These reefs make for shallow waters very suddenly. She could sink herself. That's why we have Willi of course.."

He winks and I follow his cocked thumb,

Our Navigation officer is crammed into the sonar cabin until barely his leather-clad arse is showing through the partition screen, sending a constant stream of depth soundings, and directions back.

"We're finding water, Rollie, and dropping down all the time" Christian smiled.

"When they do come back, you'll have a deep enough cellar to play in...!"

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

And so it was.

They came around four times more, sometimes far away, sometimes not so far, but there where smiles starting to appear round the boat as we rode and switched each one out. They'd hoped to catch us on the surface, the bastards. We are a U-Boat!

When Hans gave us the final all clear, we were in 90 metres of water and plenty more under the keel.

Officers to the Wardroom, for a debriefing on the whole debacle that was Operation Oberon.

"We paddled in on the surf as planned, " Bruno started.

The light was winking at us from a beach with a rocky outcrop, we could still see the silhouette of the Swordfish showing a dim green from the bridge"

That was our signal to go.

"So I took Dieter and Gerhardt with me when we beached and left the rest of the men in the dinghy ready to push off at a moments notice.

This guy in a long green coat, and a wide hat obscuring his face came towards me and Dieter. He had that briefcase, and was holding it out to me which was strange, since I thought we were taking him with us. He started looking nervously behind him to right and left. That's when I noticed some movement or shadows amongst the rocks, Seaman Dieter shouted a warning, just as this man threw himself to one side.

I don't know who they where, Sir. Maybe British agents, or their collaborators most likely, bloody poor shots anyway, since they had us as sitting ducks.

I returned fire, with the clip I had and saved a couple for our friend 'Frederick' who produced a Browning 9 mil from his coat pocket. I can't say I hit any of the others as we retreated to the dinghy, but two of them broke out from the rocks and put a couple of holes in Gerhardt. Dieter charged them both with his oar, and the rest of the crew got Gerhardt back in, and rowed like hell.

If it wasn't for that flak you put down, we'd never have made it back."

"Well done, Bruno."

"What about the boys, especially Gerhardt and Dieter, Sir? They should be put up for a medal."

"So they will, Bruno, but I feel sure it will not be in recognition of this adventure, which probably will never be recognised as having ever existed. Their reward will be in heaven, no that's far too optimistic in Dieter's case, instead they shall have rum for themselves and their mates."

"But we don't have any rum on board, Kap?"

"Ask the Doc. Now what about this briefcase...?"

And we stared at this sandy sodden, and bloodstained leather satchel locked with two seals on the table before us all....

LS

[Kpt. Lehmann]

You are gonna make us wait a week to see what's in the briefcase aren't ya!?!:ahoy:

[rome8800]

Oh LS, you really know the best moments to make us wait :P
Love it :rock:

[Jimbuna]

And we stared at this sandy sodden, and bloodstained leather satchel locked with two seals on the table before us all....

LS

Probably the draft proposals for the first McDonalds outlet in Berlin http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/scream.gif

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/4986/hitlersmileythumbnailiz3.jpg

[bookworm_020]

Probably the draft proposals for the first McDonalds outlet in Berlin http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/scream.gif

:har::har:

Or Hedi kissing Churchill????:hmmm:

[rome8800]

Probably the draft proposals for the first McDonalds outlet in Berlin http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/scream.gif
:har::har:

Or Hedi kissing Churchill????:hmmm:

I hope not :shifty: :ping:

[Laughing Swordfish]

"So what do you think is in it?" Christian whispered.

Reuben had the boat up for a quick breath of fresh air and to get our signals off; while the usual gang of seniors were around the Ward Room table staring at this satchel. The only one missing is Oscar, who's not strictly operational, but we often value his wisdom. He's looking after Gerhardt and as a result hasn't slept for many hours.

Bruno and myself had compiled and sent a full report to BdU, about the whole disastrous episode. It didn't make sense. Did they want to capture a U-boat intact? Was it some sort of counter intelligence bluff, was Frederick a double agent or just coerced into luring us in? A moot point since Bruno nailed him into the sand, and the boys are now calling him Wyatt Earp, which he pretends to be annoyed about. In any case the U-46 luger is oiled to perfection and back in my locker.

It's a certainty in my mind that what's in that briefcase is a fake. Or a double fake? Maybe something to do with North Africa, or Malta, or Italy? I don't know, I have enough on my mind second guessing the destroyer captains without all this sleuthing.

PO Weiss thusts the curtain aside. "Urgent message, BdU, Sir"

I lurched back through, and took the long message from Viktor's outstretched hand.

LS

[rome8800]

Oh man.. I really really really can't wait untill the next part :oops:

[bookworm_020]

LS is a master at stretching out the suspense!:doh:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Sorry Guys, I didn't mean to drag this out. In fact I wrote a long episode recently, but somehow lost the whole lot when I was trying to post it. Don't you just hate it when that happens? Anyway, back soon with some more. LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

It was from BdU alright, and reading in between the lines Viktor decoded, I could sense that this had come from Onkel Karl himself, and he wasn't best pleased.

Since our report the Flotilla and BdU must have been working overtime.

With a pang I worried about Heidi worrying about me.

At least she knows the Swordfish is still up now.

Our people want the satchel back, and on no account are we to peek at it beforehand. The temptation of which was so great that in the end, I had to lock it away.

Along with 'Bruno's Luger' as they are now calling it. I think he secretly likes the whole gunslinger image, and he deserves it. He's the youngest of my watch officers and I sent him into an ambush.

But we are not to return with it, oh no. We still have torpedoes left and are not far from the Gibraltar station.

We are to stay out to do our proper job. And it was that line on the message, which explained Doenitz's terse tone even by morse. No more messing about with spies, we're in the shipping business.

My main concern was not the bloody satchel, but Gerhardt. Oscar is doing his best, but we need to get him to shore and into safe hands soon.

Well, that's being taken care of.

Two boats, both known to us, and from our flotilla are heading back from patrols further out to sea. America to be exact.

I smiled when I read the first one. U-82.

U-82 is Taub's boat. Slightly maverick and individual as all good U-boat commanders must be, he has the skull and cross-bones emblem of the Jolly Roger on his tower, and hoists the same flag even in the attack. They say Eberhardt's crew are enjoined only to drink rum, and make their victims walk the plank.

That's nonsense of course, But U-82 is one of a growing trend of Type VIICs who have broken every rule and crammed every space, even the fresh water tanks to push more diesel reserves into the boat to get to the New York coast and back.

Doenitz is always outwardly angry, but we think he's secretly pleased with the spirit of his ubootwaffe.

Anyway Taub is coming back empty in tubes and almost in tanks. He'll have some white pennants to raise at St Nazaire, but now he is being redirected to RV with us on his way. Take the satchel, and more importantly in our case to get Gerhardt back.

To be sure, because pushing u-boat models around on a map at Kerneval is always risky, another returning boat, also from the Americas, and apparently also out of eels is heading to us too.

They must really want this satchel.

The second boat is a newer Type IX, U-777, We know him too, and Joachim went through gunnery school with ther opposite number. Georg Harmann runs it and is already putting up an impressive tally on the unprotected Amis shipping lanes, where they are still showing lights, and apparently you can watch the girls sunbathing through the periscope, you can get so close.

Anyway we never get those cushy jobs. Georg's U-777, with it's Olympic Circles on his Tower, is also out of torpedoes, and also reckoning on our forecast position.

"Whoever get's here first, Rollie, go out to meet them" Oscar says grimly. "Gerhardt has to get to a proper hospital..."

LS

[A Very Super Market]

Whoopee!

I also hate it when my backspace suddenly makes my whole post dissapear, but no hijacking for me. Good update!

[Steeltrap]

Surely you write these in notepad or Word then copy and paste????

Lose the post, sure; lose the content, wtf????

[Laughing Swordfish]

Hey, that's a plan!

Mind you it would require preparation and forethought, and I was last in the line for those!

LS

[Jimbuna]

Great to see we are back in business LS http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Laughing Swordfish]

Another chapter wasted. I forgot to write it offline first

You see Steeltrap, we English are incapable of learning by our own mistakes.

Pretty much like every other nation, come to think of it.

Can't bring myself to type it all again, so I'm off to the pub to calm down. I can do that, because it's night time here, and you blokes are probably just having cereal and coffee!

Being English has it's moments, guys!

LS

[Sailor Steve]

Seen on a T-shirt: "Learn from the mistakes of others. You'll never have time to make them all yourself."

[Steeltrap]

Another chapter wasted. I forgot to write it offline first

You see Steeltrap, we English are incapable of learning by our own mistakes.

LS

You mean like the mistake of sending all your best cricket players to a far-off island a few hundred years ago??

:haha:

[Laughing Swordfish]

You got me there Steeltrap, but we can still whip you at a proper sport like football!

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

We've been running a slow pattern in the RV area and listening out on the radio for a day and a night now, and then it's Willi who calls it down.

"Kapitan to bridge!"

It was a good spot from Oppenheim, one of his lookouts, I could just see the dark shape of a submarine through my binos.

We watched her for a little while, to be quite sure.

"She's one of ours, Willi. Flash the lamp, and steer us in".

"Otto rev it up down there, we've got a date"

"All yours Willi, I'm going in for a moment"

I clambered through to the middle of the boat.

Oscar was busy applying the last of our clean dressings to Gerhardt's chest.

"Hey Gerhardt"

He smiled weakly

"Better spruce yourself up, your taxi is arriving. You'll be home before you know it, and we want you looking your best for all those pretty girls in Dusseldorf"

Doc's face lit up, and was already unpacking the fold-up stretcher.

"Can you get a bearer party, please, Rollie?"

"They're already here, Oscar"

Dieter and three other men from the dinghy that took part in that ill-fated expedition have come back from the fore-ends, four huge brutes, but who now tenderly lower Gerhardt out of the PO's bunk and onto the stretcher and gently strap him in.

"Ok boys, stand by; let's see where we are"

Back on the bridge, Willi has the lamp blinking away, and the flak gun manned and scanning the sky.

The other boat is much closer now, and I can see her own light flashing back.

A flag appears on the periscope mast. Black with the skull and crossbones, the Jolly Roger.

"Hey, it's Taub alright!"

Coming alongside another boat requires considerable skill from both boats, but Willi is on the ball, and before too long we are both making about 2 knots and sidling up together. Both watches scanning the skies.

"Good hunting, Taubie?" I hailed.

He grinned and gave me the thumbs up. Although he and his crew did look very tired.

"It's a piece of cake over there; we've run out of white pennants, can we borrow some of yours?"

"Cheeky monkey!"

"I hear you've had a bit of an adventure yourself?"

"You could say that, we've got an important passenger for you"

And then I ducked below again

"Come on then Gerhardt, it's time for you to leave the party"

The boys then did the difficult task of easing the stretcher through the hatchways of the boat and up the ladder, and then across to U-82 with safety ropes. Carefully taken below in the same fashion.

"Give our love to Germany"

Out came the satchel, carefully handed over, and good riddance.

"No peeking, Taubie!"

In return he passed over a case of Bourbon, several cartons of Lucky Strikes (the man really is a pirate) and also some slightly damp copies of the New York Times, and Hollywood News. They went round the boat in no time. The lads couldn't read the words, but they loved the pictures.

With a last wave of good luck, we parted. U-82 heading for home, and U-46 back to work.

I composed a confirmatory message for Viktor to send to BdU and then dived and headed away from the RV until nightfall.

One quick inspection of the boat before I write up the log.

Engineer Sammels has knocked his head on a piston.

"Live with it for a bit, Sammels, the Doc is sleeping now.."

LS

[bookworm_020]

Hooray! He's Back!:D

[Jimbuna]

More fuel http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[nikbear]

Excellent,reading this always gets me in the mood to fire up SH3/GWX,Top stuff:yeah:

[kbak303]

it took me over a week of trying to read a lil bit every day to get through your posts and I must say excellent...

I would hope my patrol reports are even 1/10th as good as what you are writing...can see the mental image when reading most excellent!

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Over to you Bruno, I'm going below, even you can sink those two..."

We have two small merchants not more than 2,000 each working their way across our bow. After the escapade off the Lanzarote coast, I need to get my young lieutenant's mind back on the game. They should be easy shots.

"Report to me when they're down, not before"

He fixed my gaze.

"Yes, Sir"

He got us in to 700 metres without any reaction from the merchants. A nice stealthy stalk. A steady chant of target data is going down the voice tube

My number Two turns and smiles at me.

"Going for it Sir!"

"Damn right! Let them go Bruno!"

"Los!"

He had the confidence to only use two torpedoes. Other boats have used the full salvo in their first run.

Otto has already had the sense to turn the boat out of the attack, in case there is any escort, and we are driving hard away from those two ships, but we can still see the surface trails that the bubbles make, and in my judgement, at least one of them will find it's mark.

We watch them stream and hiss towards their targets.....

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

I stayed up to watch.

The leading ship was hit plum amidships with a terrific bang and shower of spray, and was already breaking in half as our second eel struck home on the following merchant, towards the stern, and it must have wrecked their steering gear because she ploughed on erratically right into the sinking wreck of the first ship. Rearing up over her with a great crash.pushing the crippled stern deeper into the water, and mortally flooding her engine rooms.

Reuben has come up to see. He clenched the Wintergarten rail, and murmured "Come on Tommies, get out"

We can already see boats hastily dropped and swimmers in the sea, more sailors are diving off the hulks of both ships, but they are in a reasonably frequent shipping lane, so stand a chance of being picked up. That's why we are here.

Bruno turns to me with that irrepressable grin.

"Well I have to say, Sir, that being shot at was quite exciting; but nothing quite beats shooting back!"

LS

[Sailor Steve]

...she ploughed on erratically right into the sinking wreck of the first ship. Rearing up over her with a great crash.pushing the crippled stern deeper into the water, and mortally flooding her engine rooms.
That one must have been fun to watch happen.

[bookworm_020]

That one must have been fun to watch happen.

Shame there are no pictures!:arrgh!:

[Sailor Steve]

Shame there are no pictures!:arrgh!:
True, but screenshots actually detract from a story like this, I think.

[Laughing Swordfish]

Sadly noone had a camera to picture the spectacle. In any case I would probably have forbade it. Sinking ships is one thing; it's all we're supposed to do. But recording the demise of sometimes beautifully crafted ships, and always with sailors like us in them, unless for military or probably propaganda purposes, isn't something I encourage.

Some people on the bridge always do take pictures of course, and some of them are up in the photo gallery of the Chat Noir.

Of course Heidi knows what we do for a living, but I don't really want her to see them.

There's also a load of pictures taken in the fore-ends and the engine room, mostly half naked, oily grubby men larking about for the camera showing pennants, writing war-like joke messages on torpedoes, wearing silly hats, or just showing their arse; which makes the girls laugh and I am sure are shared around BdU and FdU where they both work. According to Dieter the Nurses ward too. The girls keep teasing me for a a picture of myself posing by the periscope.

I always smile and say no, and the last time I saw her I said "You can have the real picture when I come home".

That made Heidi cry.

And I'm starting to understand that war is harder on those who wait.

Now though we still have a patrol to complete, ships to sink, people inevitably to kill, and to avoid the same happening to ourselves.

We head back north-northeast towards the killing grounds of the Gibraltar Straits

LS

[Jimbuna]

True, but screenshots actually detract from a story like this, I think.

Especially if they turn out to be of bare backsides http://www.techzonez.com/forums/images/smilies/assshake.gif :har:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Of course the way was still fraught with danger. I suppose the Brits knew we were in the area after that agent fiasco, and didn't want to let us go.

After the second crash dive, and being rocked again by a Sunderland's bombs, good call by Lehmann of Third Watch, Willi's gang who had us scurrying down that ladder like squirrels, and the boat already tipping down just in time, we're going to keep out of the way down here until nightfall.

It's slow but safer, and Hans is listening out for any contacts.

To while away the time, our coxswain "Cox" is entertaining us in the wardroom with some magic tricks from whatever he can find to hand.

He produces a string of white victory pennants from his sleeve, a mouldy orange from his side cap, an array of card tricks, and finally he makes some coins vanish.

"Excellent Cox! Especially that last trick with the disappearing money"

"Interestingly enough I received a memo from Flotilla Headquarters last time we were in, questioning our boat's requisition budget. We seem to have put in for a lot of things that wouldn't actually fit in the boat.

"Like what, Sir?"

"Like a Mercedes"

"Sir, I...."

"It's ok Cox, I performed a little magic trick of my own and made the memo vanish into thin air"

"Just take the car, give some of the boys a joy ride, and then use it to get yourself home to your family when we dock back in France."

"You think we'll still get back, Kaleun?"

"You can count on it, you rascal!"

LS

[Robert Fulton]

I especially enjoyed seeing in the mind's eye two merchants making like tractors at a monster truck show in Arkansas.

And good news about Gerhard, of course.

[Shantyman]

Great posts keep em coming!

[bookworm_020]

Great way to answer a question by including it in the story!:up: Bravo!:03:

[Rhodes]

"Excellent Cox! Especially that last trick with the disappearing money"

"Interestingly enough I received a memo from Flotilla Headquarters last time we were in, questioning our boat's requisition budget. We seem to have put in for a lot of things that wouldn't actually fit in the boat.

"Like what, Sir?"

"Like a Mercedes"

LS

:haha::haha::har::yeah:

[Sailor Steve]

Great way to answer a question by including it in the story!:up: Bravo!:03:
:yep::rock::salute:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Well there are enough 'Golden Pheasants' driving around in plush cars who do a damn sight less towards the war effort than Cox and his like does.

Also I know he takes Reuben back to Hamburg every time we get home, with as much rations and other goods he can scrounge to a poor family hiding in an attic in my own home town.

Hiding from fellow Germans like me. Or at least I thought we were all fellow Germans. I can't understand it. In any case, Cox can have a Rolls Royce and a Bentley and an Alfa Romeo and a whole fleet of Wehrmacht trucks for all I care (he probably does). He's basically a decent man doing a good thing. And he certainly takes care of us.

Cox's magic isn't so bad either. The last time we got back he begged me to stop short at the town at the mouth of the river. I indulged him and he ran ashore with some ship mates and returned carrying their booty with them.

So when we sailed into Saint Nazaire and the waiting band, we had a full barbecue going on the deck, with Kuki turning the bratwurst, and Cox handing out the french beers underneath a string of white pennants.

As Christian and I saluted the astonished Senior Flotilla officers, with our papers and log book in hand, a stream of nurses and other female staff orderlies were being invited down the gangplank for a party around the deck gun.

My First Officer got to do all the paperwork and reports that day. Heidi was waiting too.

LS

[bookworm_020]

Lady sighted! Full Speed Ahead!!!:arrgh!:

[Sailor Steve]

Lady sighted! Full Speed Ahead!!!:arrgh!:
:yep:

As I was a walking down Paradise Street
To my way, aye! blow the man down,
A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet.
Give me some time to blow the man down!

She was round in the counter and bluff in the bow,
To my way, aye! blow the man down
So I took in all sail and cried, "Way enough now."
Give me some time to blow the man down!

[Laughing Swordfish]

Cool Steve.

At Flores in the Azores, Sir Richard Grenville lay

And a Pinnace like a fluttered bird came flying from far away

"Spanish ships of war at sea, we have sighted fifty three!"

Then spake Sir Thomas Howard:

"Fore God I am no coward!"

"But I cannot meet them here; for my ships are out of gear,and half my men are sick,

I must fly, but follow quick!

We are six ships of the line, can we fight with fifty three?"

Then spake Sir Richard Grenville:

"I know you are no coward.

But I have fifty men and more who are lying sick ashore.

I would count myself the coward, if I left them, my Lord Howard, to those Inquisition Dogs and the devildoms of Spain!"

So Sir Howard sailed away with five ships of war that day

Their sails disappearred into the summers heaven

And Sir Richard bore in hand all the sick men from the land, men of Bideford in Devon.

And they blessed him in their pain

That they'd not been left to Spain, to the Thumbscrew and the Rack, for the glory of the Lord.

That's me coming out of the story for a moment and attempting to quote a poem by Tennyson.

Fighting and beating the French and the Spanish is kind of in our genes now, we just need Calais back again, which was ours and most of France up to the reign of Bloody Mary; and even then there'll be an uneasy peace!

We're hated by the french, but the feelings mutual; we hammer them at every military event, and nowadays they don't even turn up. The scots and the welsh and certain of the Irish who have started murdering us again, we've fought them, and beat them, again and again through our history. Maybe that's why they don't like us? Can't they let it go?

Enough with the politics, I'm supposed to be running a boat....

RdB (LS)

[bookworm_020]

Is the U-46 lost at sea?? No contact has been heard!:wah:

[Laughing Swordfish]

U-46 and all hands still very much alive

It was my computer that died, and the new one is making me tear my hair out. Does anyone have a good thing to say about Vista?

More soon Kameraden.

LS

[Jimbuna]

U-46 and all hands still very much alive

It was my computer that died, and the new one is making me tear my hair out. Does anyone have a good thing to say about Vista?

More soon Kameraden.

LS

How about...."It's a good alternative to Windows 3.10" :DL

[Rhodes]

How about...."It's a good alternative to Windows 3.10" :DL

I think that is an insult to windows 3.10, dear sir!

The laptop of my girlfriend is also suffering for having vista! Oh the sweet times of windows 98!

[bookworm_020]

Lets hope Windows 7 is better than Vista!:yawn:

[Jimbuna]

Lets hope Windows 7 is better than Vista!:yawn:

I certainly hope so...my XP Pro is getting a little tired :zzz:

[Laughing Swordfish]

I'm always fascinated to watch them.

Directly across from my cabin, they are locked in combat again.

Oscar and Viktor are hunched over a chess board in the radio room.

I play the Doc occasionally but he is too good for me. Viktor on the other hand is intelligent in his own way, as you would expect from a 20 words a minute morse man, and he has a streak of cunning which you might also expect from an ex convicted criminal, now reformed of course.

So they make a good match.

Viktor with a flourish, makes a bold move with his Queen. Oscar nods and smiles appreciatively, "Good move, Viktor" and stares at the board for the longest time.

He looks as if he is about to counter with his knight, when...

"ALARM!!!"

Willi is jumping straight down the ladder, with the shrill bell ringing, amid a shower of spray, and the rest of his watch dropping down in quick order.

We have been bumped many times before, but while you have to stay composed, or at least look composed, the heart always beats faster. Each one could be our last one.

Reuben already has the boat canting downwards, and Christian is rattling out steering orders even before I poke my head into the Control Room. We have to break track either port or starboard, so we're not in the same line as our wake.

Oscar's action station is basically back by his bunk, with his medical kit. But he knows better than to venture out into the gangway when we're crash diving. Here they come now. All available hands running , scrambling and tumbling through the hatches to lend weight to our bows, and get us deeper, quicker.

Willi is still panting and gasping.

"Sunderland, Kap. Right out of the clouds. We shouldn't have long to wait."

I'm looking at the depth guage as it sweeps more quickly now to 30 metres. Reuben and Christian have got us hard to starboard, and full speed on the electric motors.

"Wasserbomben! Zwei!"

Hans yells from under his earphones.

"Brace menschen! Hold tight!"

The bang and crash of the two charges went off to our port side. Close enough to knock us a little sideways, a bulb has blown, there's a slight spurt of water from one of the valves, and Christian has cut his forehead against a dial on the control room bulkhead, and he is swearing like a panzer grenadier.

In the meantime I notice Viktor and Oscar staring forlornly at their empty chess board. All the pieces have been scattered on the radio room floor.

"I suppose that makes it a stalemate, Sir" says Viktor ruefully.

"Not at all, Viktor." says Oscar, picking up the pieces.

"I can remember exactly where we left off"

And he proceeded to reposition the pieces on the board just as they were. Except that his vital knight was now strangely missing.

"I believe you are close to checkmate, Viktor...."

LS

[Hondo314]

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE'S BACK!!! Good to hear from you, LS.:woot:

[bookworm_020]

Fear the chess board, more than the planes!

Welcome back LS!:up:

[Laughing Swordfish]

So Oscar let Viktor win.

As he passed me with a swab and some antiseptic for Christian, murmuring "That boy is always in the wars..come to think of it, we're all in one"

"Doc, you have an extraordinary mind"

"Thank you Rollie, but these are extraordinary times."

Willi, still dripping wet is pressing his fingers to his lips in a kiss and touching the small Laughing Swordfish emblem we have painted near the ladder. He does this regularly, especially after an attack. Totally supersticious. I would say hopelessly so, but in fact that adjective is quite the opposite.

Otto has just woken up after a twelve hour shift in the engine room, and is clambering through to the control room demanding to know what all the fuss is about.

Kuki is complaining that his stew and dumplings have been spilled all over the deck, and lunch will now be delayed until dinner. So Cox is sending two of our lordships from the forward torpedo compartment to help mop up.

Bruno is up, rousing his boys who are complaining like hell. Third Watch are resting, and it should be back to Christian's First Watch next up, but he has blood dripping off the end of his nose, and Oscar confirms that the cut is deeper than it first looked.

Kurt is going around checking and tightening the valves, and Muller trying to replace the bulb in it's cage, slips on his arse on the wet deck to a huge round of applause from everyone in the Control Room.

Reuben is bringing us back up to periscope depth, and calling for some apple juice. Apparently he took a mouthful of sea water after that last alarm when Willi dropped down the hatch.

Dieter and Lenz are arguing over one of Viktor's paperback novels in the foreends, so Joachim has to steam in and end it.

Liebowitz, one of the plane control hands starts humming the Marlene Dietrich song, and before long the whole control room is singing along.

"Underneath the lamp post, by the barracks gate....."

I turn to look at Oscar, now applying a bandage to Christian's forehead.

Extraordinary times indeed, Doc.

But another ordinary day on U-46.

LS

[Jimbuna]

Perfect http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Come on Christian, we have to go"

"One more minute, Kap, and we'll have her"

He is squinting through the ZBO, the sighting bridge binoculars, and giving a constant stream of instructions down the pipe.

To our front is a large oil tanker, looks American built, part of a small but heavily escorted convoy clearly heading for the Straits and on to Malta, but still at least 1500 metres away

But I am anxiously looking to our stern. There is the unmistakeable silhouette of a destroyer, and her speed creates a bow wave that we call having a bone between her teeth. She's some way off yet, but I'm sure she's on to us, she is making a direct line towards our boat, like an angry dog that has discovered a wolf between him and his sheep. With at least 30 knots, we'll hear the barking and growling soon enough.

Which is where we are. It took a lot of stalking to get in behind the screen since this morning's sighting, a risky business just before dusk, and now we just need a little more time.

"We don't have a minute, Christian. It's now or never"

I looked back. I have already sent the rest of First Watch below. That destroyer is looking much bigger.

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Come on Kap, we're pirates, risk is our game"

I had to smile as Christian grinned back to me. With the bandage around his head, some blood triclking over one eye, and his cap skewed backwards to look through the sight, he did look like a pirate.

"Let's do it. Also call for Viktor onto the bridge with the signalling lamp"

"OK.... Signaller to bridge, bring the lamp!" he bellowed"

He looks at me bemused.

"Eyes on the target Number One"

We think she's the Ohio, a massive tanker full of fuel for Montgomery's tanks, and worse for us their fighters and bombers.

Now down to 1300 metres. We are closing but so is the destroyer.

Viktor comes up blinking into the late afternoon sunlight with his morse lamp clutched tightly to his chest.

"Ein und zwei Los!" yells my Number One and the boat jerks back a little as the two eels hiss away on their deadly journey. At this range and this sea about 50/50 is all we can hope for.

Viktor is staring at me nervously.

"Viktor, do you see that shape in the distance?" I pointed back over the wintergarten. That's a British destroyer gaining on us.

He nodded

Well let's say hello, and goodbye. Something like "Hello Tommies, we have to go, see you later"

Viktor laughed and began flashing to the ship that could be our death.

When he finished, the lamp was passed down.

"I'll close the hatch lads, but before we go....

Silly bravado

We three stood on the Flak deck and raised a Churchill two-fingered salute to our pursuer. They must have seen it through their binos.

Jumping down the ladder, Otto already has the boat going down, even as I tighten the last hatch ring. Joachim has his stop watch in hand, the eels are running.

"20 port, Chief. level us off at 40metres. All ahead. We won't go quiet just yet. We're going to join the convoy."

"And hide underneath it" Christian smiled

LS

[Lagger123987]

More to the story, but seems RL stuff is taking a toll on you LS.

[bookworm_020]

:rock::rock::rock::rock:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Joachim comes back through from the forward torpedo compartment. He still has the slim american paperback that Dieter and Lenz were fighting over, stuffed in his breast pocket.

More importantly, as Weapons Officer, he has his gaze firmly fixed on the stop watch in his hand.

"A minute or more yet, Kaleun, they were were still a long way off."

It's not like us in U-46 (or I should say me) to not take chances and close with the enemy, but we have a destroyer closing even now, two eels running neither with anything more than a dubious chance of hitting at this range. and fifty brave but sea-weary young men that deserve another chance.

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Needs to hit in fifteen seconds, Kap...."

....nothing....

Christian swore and spat on the deck, some blood came with it.

"That eel will end up having a beach holiday in Portugal"

"Quiet! Second one still running...." Joachim is still looking at Willi's stop watch.

It took longer, but not much.

The distant sound of an explosion was greeted by a roar within the boat.

"Ruhe menschen!" "Quiet Boys!"

Turning to Christian, my trusted Number Two, I couldn't be sure that we'd hit the Ohio, or if we had, whether we'd put her down. We'd certainly hit something, and I'd like to think it was her, but we couldn't hear any of the usual sounds on Hans's phones or through the boat of a ship breaking up, or sinking. And we can't take a peek at our depth.

"Maybe we clipped her" says Otto, looking to the job in hand.

The job in hand is to survive the aftermath. I have one ear in Hans's cabin and get some good news.

"Whatever we did hit lads, it's caused the convoy to zig in our direction!"

Our plan is to duck under the convoy and to confuse our noise with the ships above, and restrict the escorts movements whilst they are hunting us amongst the lanes, although it's not a big convoy, just big ships, and if we managed to cripple one so much the better for our evasion.

Now, with the torpedo strike we are definitely not on the guest list, the race is on.

Murmuring to Otto, the U-46 sinks lower, and cuts her electric engines to the minimum, pointing slightly again to port.

We want to hear the slow steady throb of merchants overhead, not that angry thrash of escort propellors, and what always comes next..

LS

[Jimbuna]

Wasserbomben!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

[U-46 Commander]

ALARM!!!!!! :o

[Laughing Swordfish]

We can hear the thunder of the first merchants overhead, and I give orders to follow their direction underneath

Of course the problem is that we can't keep up even with these lumbering giants. Even at their slow speed they have three or four knots on us while we are underwater. The destroyers will have an advantage of about twenty six.

So eventually we will fall back out of the rear of the convoy.

Will the escorts be waiting there? That's a fair bet.

"Willi, what sort of depth do we have on the eastern side of the convoy? Enough to play with?"

"Just enough for the draught of these big lads, Kap. But there's plenty of shoals and uncharted sandbars here. It would be sheer luck to find a cellar to hide and manouevre in."

So we could be well and truly trapped by trying to sneak out the landward side.

The destroyers are ploughing up the convoy lanes, angrily trying to get a fix, but even we are finding it difficult to recognise one ship from another from Han's sonar phones. I don't think they dare drop any depth charges so close to a neutral country's waters, but that's no real belief. More importantly so close to the keel of their own ships at such a relatively shallow setting, they could damage their own convoy, at least I hope so. And we can now pick out the labouring of the merchant we hit; whichever one it was it'll be a distraction.

"Have we got anything left still usable, Joachim?"

My Weapons Officer shook his head ruefully.

"Only those last ones that are damaged and disarmed, Sir"

"Well we could always come up and let Bruno have a go with the luger!"

That at least brought a ripple of laughter and the pause I needed to make my decision...

LS

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Great stuff LS! Very good to see you still in action!:rock:

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Ok lads here's the plan. We're going to swing right and go out the way we came in. Then do a massive dog leg around to the North. I think the Tommies will still be dashing around looking for us, but they may not expect us to go back on ourselves, besides the landward side is out, and if we try to keep up with the convoy we'll only give them time to reform their screen which we will have to get through again. So we need to go now. Then we hook wide west and then north from any escorts. We haven't got anything left to hit them with unless we can pick off that ship we hit with the deck gun if it gets left behind.

It's probable that there will still be an escort or two even if we go this way. There was a lot of them when we got past them in the first place. So stay on your toes.

We haven't got any eels to shoot back with, but you know what that means, gentlemen?"

Smiles started to break out around the Control Room.

"Yes menschen, we're going home!"

LS

[Jimbuna]

SINK EM ALL!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

[bookworm_020]

Time to launch Bernard from the torpedo tubes!:arrgh!:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Quite a tricky time after that. we had to bow out and do it soon. as we veered away to the west, we were suddenly stunned and thrown over by a series of heavy explosions.

"Are they on to us already" murmurs my Number Two.

"You know what, Bruno, I think they are our own bombers. We never see a Luftwaffe plane for months, and now they drop them on top of us as well. Doesn't anyone talk to each other back at the desks in BdU?

By now at least the escorts are looking upwards and not downwards, so this is where U-46 says goodbye untill next time.

We fairly skipped through past the last destroyer who didn't even know we were there, oh for one last working torpedo. In the background was more naval bangs and crashes as the fly boys swooped in. The tail ender went down, and so did another

Get to a safe distance, but urgently to get a contact report in on the surface.

Reuben has come up on the Bridge to join me and Willi, after we finally surfaced. We've got a full contact report away, and there should be other boats diverted to it.

The ship we clipped and that was straggling was the SS Lochmaglen. The Dorniers and Stukas put her down eventually, no consolation to the U-46 boys who did all the work, and steered them onto the convoy route without a pennant and tonnage score; and still a long and dangerous way home while the pilots are already in the officers mess in Italy, or Southern France, we don't know, somewhere where they can take off from that also has a quality vinyard. (You should try the local stuff in St Nazairre, Sir)

The Luftwaffe reminds me of my first few encounters with Heidi, and the terrible pangs of jealousy and inferiority I felt when she was on that dashing arm. This fighter pilot who got shot down. Young like us all. He could not explain to me the hell of being in a flaming cockpit high above the earth, anymore than I could describe the terror of being in a metal can far beyond recovery under the water with many people able and determined to drown you.

I met him once again, Rudi I think, and the bandages were off, he had the use of one eye, and he was nearly out of his wheel chair.

And he said a strange thing for a man shot down, burnt crippled and defeated over the Channel and fields and towns of Southern England, as he gripped me by the arm.

"Mark my words Rollie, for every ship you sink, eventually they will build two more. What do you tell every new young seaman on his first watch? Yes, 'Look to the skies' because that is where the danger is, and that is where the war will be won or lost..."

Well we have our fair share of scares and alarms from aircraft, but we are the ones controlling the trade routes and making England see sense, aren't we?

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

"All sent, Sir"

"Thank you Viktor"

That convoy is going to get hammered by our planes and two other boats who are just close enough to join in before they reach the Straits, and then again by whatever boat that has been lucky enough to squeeze through before and can give them a reception in the waters between Sicily and Tunisia where we are sure they must go. Maybe the Italians will actually come out of port and join in. I'm sure their u-boat crews are brave enough, if not a patch on our lads, but I hear that their boats are designed more for comfort than combat.

"Viktor.."

"Yes Sir?"

"Did you add that last bit of essential code?

"Yes Sir" He gave me a knowing half smile. A shrewd man, is our Viktor. He knows who that is meant for.

H.AG.RM.ILD.R

All well, coming home.

"Men, it looks like we've given them the slip again this time, and there's no point in hanging around. Let's burn some of the Chief's diesel, and get the hell out of Dodge City as the Amis say. White teeth broke out into broad grins on weather beaten and oil blackened and bearded faces".

"That's right lads, RuckMarsch!"

I had to quell the cheers.

"Men, we're not out of the woods yet, the Bay of Biscay lies ahead and many a boat has gone through what we've been through only to be sunk almost within sight of the Chat Noir. So concentrate right up until we're docked.

And aside to Cox, "Get this boat cleaned up, and take me round to inspect in two hours. Tell Kuki I'll skip lunch and have sandwiches sent up to the bridge for me and the Navigation Officer. Also allow the boys to come up two at a time for a smoke in the Wintergarten. Man the 20. Have we got any beers left? Good, break them out after we have inspected the boat"

"Yes Sir"

I clambered back through the control room hatch until I got to Oscar's bunk.

"How is this slacker, Doc?"

Christian tried to sit up. "Absolutely fine Sir, just a bit dizzy, when's my next watch?"

"Delayed concussion, Rollie. He'll be fine, he just needs some rest"

"Good. Reuben is taking over First Watch until you say he's ready. There's no rush.

"I'm ready now, Rollie" mumbles Christian.

"No you're not, my friend, I'll tell you what you are good for and that's a promotion and command of your own boat once we get back safe. I can't keep holding you back.

"No Rollie you can't do that, look how accident prone I am, I'd lose the whole lot straight out of the Loire estuary"

"No you wouldn't, Christian. You've commanded this boat many times and for many hours when I've got my head down."

"That's it Sir, the U-46, this boat of ours, not something fresh out of the dockyards wirh a whole new crew. For better or worse I belong here, so please don't promote me"

"Ok Christian, I'll see what I can do when we get back. Now rest and get well. I want you with your best drinking boots on when we moor up in France!"

Oscar gave me a half wink and a smile as I left the bunk. He knows that I'd torn up the Flotilla's officer transfer paperwork long ago.

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

We are pushed down by aircraft plenty of times on the way home. Normally we duck down if we have time, but on two occasions we had to open up with the flak. I'd like to say we shot the bastards down but it's only fair to say we shooed them off.

We are copying the circular route first devised by Pienning and hug the Biscay coast. Even then they are at us almost every time we surface.

But to hell with them. There is a sense of urgency in the Boat. U-46 is coming home!

LS

[Spadefish]

To Hell w/the "Bees"! All ahead flank, Heidi is waiting!!!

(And welcome back!)

[bookworm_020]

To Hell w/the "Bees"! All ahead flank, Heidi is waiting!!!

(And welcome back!)

:yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah:

[Kpt. Lehmann]

SHAMELESS BUMP!!!

Looking forward to your return RdB! :yep:

[Bosje]

ILD :)

brilliant stuff, LS :salute:

[HundertzehnGustav]

Damn does LSF still write?
Amazing feat!

[Jimbuna]

Awaiting more fuel http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

[Laughing Swordfish]

"How much longer?" Bruno tutting impatiently again on the Bridge.

And who could blame him with the Loire estuary in plain sight, which means home to France, or at least the safety of France and surely home leave to Germany.

Christian is up with us of course, completely recovered by now, but we were still playing the 'injured officer' card until we heard that all escorts were being diverted to another boat, U-412 also coming in to Saint Nazaire at about the same time.

FdU didn't say why, so naturally we were curious and would have lined the decks to cheer them in if this wasn't such a dangerous place.

When I saw the first of the tugs, with their hawsers stretched, and the badly scarred conning tower, the bad list of the hull propped up with a third tug and twisted deck plating, and only two white caps alone on the bridge, the Kaleun and the Chief, that I knew that all non-essential crew must have been taken off already. Looking at the emblem, I'd have to say that was one Olympic Ring too many for Gunther and his lads on that trip. It's a miracle they made it back

And that's why I sent our boys below and submerged the U-46 to eat all the last decent food. They don't need to see that going in.

They do need to see dry land though, and their loved ones; and so do I.

LS

[Sailor Steve]

WOOHOO! Home again!:rock:

[Spadefish]

Ain't home till she's in the pen....

[bookworm_020]

and the crew in the bar......:03:

[Jimbuna]

Next instalment could well be the kissing and cuddling part :DL

[bookworm_020]

Next instalment could well be the kissing and cuddling part :DL

or wedding bells!:D

[Laughing Swordfish]

Coming up at dusk, so that Viktor can get comms. U-46 bubbles serenely to the surface.

Most of the boys are trying to spruce themselves up (a hopeless task for a u-boat crew at sea for so many weeks) and chattering excitedly. Bruno's lads are already pushing and shoving to get up the ladder.

"Keep alert boys!" I call after them "We're still sitting ducks here"

"Chief give us quarter ahead both as soon as your diesels are clear"

Joachim and his gun crew are hot on the heels of Second Watch up the ladder to man the 20 mill. Not strictly speaking necessary, but I couldn't stop him if I tried. And also he has to stay on the boat when we dock, get out the dud torpedoes we couldn't fire, and generally look after the boat and keep harbour watch while we all go off and do our thing. So at least let him have some quality deck time.

I had to nominate Joachim. Doc is out on his feet, so is Otto although neither would ever admit it, and Christian despite his protestations needs to be looked at by the naval hospital. The best I could ellicit from him was a promise to see a nurse as soon as he stepped ashore.

Bruno and I however may face the ride up to FdU and on to BdU after this last little caper, I already have my logs bundled up with Bruno's statement and what we could get out of the shore party after that fiasco.

Reuben and Cox are working forward with a couple of seamen pushing old potato sacks of tinned food and stuff towards Kuki's galley hatch.

Viktor is tapping away in his radio cabin, waiting to hear for clearance or an escort.

'Come on, come on.." he murmured. Even Viktor's legendary patience even with me badgering him a thousand times on each patrol, is now wearing thin.

Come on.

The diesels sputter then rumble into life and we make small headway. We're not supposed to leave our position to much, but even the forward movement slow as it is towards the estuary eases the tension around the boat.

Come on....

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

We get the excited word from Viktor's radio cabin, and soon we can see it for ourselves. A five-gun destroyer no less; sending and replying eagerly to our lamp.

"Well that's one we don't want to sink". murmurs Doc drawn to the bridge by the excitement.

Their lads that can be spared are lining their starboard rail to wave and cheer, and we return the compliment, and our tally of pennants is run out from the scope to the gun and to great hurrahs.

It's worth it all for moments like this, but I'm glad to see both ours and theirs (the Hans Messner) have our flak crews on full alert. Still watching the skies when everyone else is whooping and yelling takes an iron resolve. Although the seasoned officers on the bridge are also casting the odd anxious glance skywards.

This is it, we're coming home!

LS

[bookworm_020]

Full speed to the bar and Hedi!

[Laughing Swordfish]

And now we're nearly back. Our own designated pen is in sight, and alongside the dock is a mass of people, nurses, clerks, musicians, soldiers and I'm afraid to say naval officials.

"Bowlines!" Christian shouts as the securing ropes snake out to the men standing at the davits on shore.

With her engines cut, U-46 glides gently home to roost, in a text book docking.

But we are all frantically searching the quayside, impatiently waiting for the gangplank to be put across.

And then I see her. Heidi is there hopping up and down and waving frantically, her best friend Josie beside her but not so nimble nowadays.
Heidi, as beautiful as I have always remembered and now even more achingly so.

With all the patience I can muster I take the harbour salute, and in U-46 tradition allow the officers and men to file off the boat first.

They're supposed to form up at attention on the dockside, but any semblance of a parade quickly dissolves because there is no officer there to manage it. I can see that Christian has taken my and Oscar's advice to see a nurse as soon as we stepped ashore. In fact he is seeing two; one on each arm and already heading in the general direction of the Chat Noir.

But now I am striding down the ramp with Bruno, brushing past two party officials and a senior 7th flotilla officer on the way, I'm afraid; because I can see Heidi fighting through the throng too.

She nearly knocks me backwards, but I catch her and hold her and spin her round, and I don't remember what we said to each other just then, but there was some more salty water on the shoulder of my sea jacket, but the nice kind.

Then there was a handkerchief dabbing gently at my eyes from behind Heidi's back.

Josie.

"U-boat commanders are forbidden to cry....", she whispered. She wiped her own eyes.

"With all this waiting, we're allowed to, not you...!"

LS

[Kpt. Lehmann]

That's the stuff RdB... That's the stuff!

Thanks again for the boost, matey! :up::up::up:

[Laughing Swordfish]

"We thought..." "We'd lost....." "Something..." "Hold me.."

Heidi was talking in great gulps in between me kissing her and expressing her fears.

"Heidi I'm back, you always look out for our reports, we just had a little detour that's all".

Over the blonde hair falling just to her shoulder, I saw two 7th flotilla officers starting to step in. Never get their feet wet but can't resist the chance to spoil a moment.

'Herr Kaleun, welcome home. You will please accompany us for debriefing along with your Second Watch Officer."

I suppose we knew it was coming, so me and Bruno were escorted to 7th Flotilla Headquarters. Normally it's just me making a report and tallying up what we think we've sunk with what they think. Torpedo performance, engines, seaworthiness, enemy tactics, and devices, crew changes, it can go on. And early in my career it did lead me to Onkel Karl himself. Also the Fuhrer once, but I don't count that.

So Bruno and I trooped dutifully in but as seems to be usual under the new Flottilla Commander, made to sit at a distance from the FdU desk with three officers presiding. Incoming U-boat men straight into the office are less than fragrant you see.

We know why we're here of course. The fiasco that was Operation Oberon.

LS

[Jimbuna]

Nice one LS http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[bookworm_020]

Time to break out the tar and feathers!

[Laughing Swordfish]

Friends and comrades, sorry I have been quiet so long, British Army and other stuff have kept me away, but I promise to be back raring to go in the New Year.

Thanks as always for reading, and get that improvised Weinachtsbaum up in the Control Room, and have some cake and wine on the day if you are still at sea, then come home safe, and join me and the rest of the boys in the Chat Noir.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, one and all!

Raoul (LS)

[Jimbuna]

All the very best for the festive season Raoul http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/santa.gif

[Sailor Steve]

Thanks for letting us know how things are going.:sunny:

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Great to hear from you RdB!!! Merry Christmas to you and yours! Stay safe mate!:up::up::up:

[Jurgen Prochnow]

Hätte nicht gedacht das die geschichte imernoch weiter geschrieben wird.
Gute Arbeint Männer!

Had not thought of that the story is still written on.
Good work men!

[Laughing Swordfish]

Ja, der gesichte fur U-46 ist verkommen..

Endschuldiigung, mein shrecklich deutsch.

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

The Major sniffs importantly and flicks througjh our dog-eared reports.

"It seems that you failed in the mission assigned to you Kapitan"

"We did as we were ordered, Sir, without any intelligence before or since."

'Your junior officer shot and killed one of our agents.."

"Sir, your so called agent led us into a trap. My second officer took what action was necessary to protect himself and the other members of the crew under his command. You will see from my report that my first duty was to the safety of the boat and it's crew. He fired in self defence, and we did too in order to cover their withdrawal from the beach to the safety of the U-46. If I had the chance again, I would not change those orders"

'You think because you've sunk a few ships, you're better than me? Damn you, you Atlantic puddle flounderer...I could have you shot!.....

The door to our right swung open.

A familiar figure loomed in it's place.

The officers behind the desk snapped to attention. To be honest me and Bruno where already too tired to care.

It was Uncle Karl Doenitz, with two guards, who spoke next.

"I'll be the judge of who get's shot around here.."

He peeled off his leather gloves and handed them to the soldier to his right, who took them and then loudly cocked his MP40.

"I think you'll find that, as an Admiral, I take care of the shooting around here. So tell me, why are you mesing about with one of my U-boat commanders? And you? And you? The whole panel of three officers were now crouching in abject terror.

"Perhaps you are not saboteurs or traitors after all, perhaps that dossier should just be torn up"

The soldier to his left siezed it and did just that.

"I admire your naval zeal gentlemen; which is why you will all be promoted to your next post in Danzig. Don't worry, Ivan is still some miles away."

As they trooped out, Uncle Karl turned to us both with a twinkle in his eye.

"Get lost the pair of you..!"

LS

[Sailor Steve]

And poof! Like smoke, they were gone.

I know I would be.

Wowie zowie, the gang is back!:rock:

[Jimbuna]

A grand entrance....by both of you http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/headbanger.gif

[Laughing Swordfish]

Before we had got a few yards out of the door, we both stopped and spun round, and burst back through the doors.

Uncle Karl was sitting on the oak operations table in the main office. He had cognacs for me and Bruno already poured by one of the staff who scurried away.

"You had a question for me, menschen?"

"Yes Sir!" we both blurted.

"And I'm guessing it's not about the strategic implications of Operation Oberon, which never could have existed?"

"No, Sir"

"It's your Gerhardt, isn't it? You want to know if he made it? Drink your brandies gentlemen."

We gulped.

LS

[psykopatsak]

Finally Read through the whole story! man that was a good read!

really loves the weird stuff going on aboard the boats. like the pig! it made me remember a story i heard, about the swedish navy during the war. one of the coastal defence ships (by some called pocket battleships) had a dog enlisted as a crew member, officially with all papers and such. they even managed to promote him, when he had done something good. however, he did have a few remarks because he was not always home on time. and his last promotion dissapeared when he pooped on the admiral's cabin door!

[Kpt. Lehmann]

LawL!!!!! :D:D:D

Great stuff RdB!!!! Great stuff!!!

I love it when jerks get what's comin' to 'em! (sp?)

[Oberon]

It was the name, it doomed the op ;) :salute:

Great reading as always LS :shucks:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Uncle Karl led us back down the corridor and to where his huge mercedes was parked.

His driver snapped to attention and opened the doors.

"Kapitan your swordfishes are hard men to kill...." he gestured inside.

There was a huge roar from the back seat.

"KALEUN!!"

Gerhardt was bobbing up and down on the back seat in drunken excitement. A half empty bottle of brandy waving and sloshing in one hand.

Bruno and I roared in delight. I let Bruno clamber in first, they were Second Watch comrades after all, who have been through much together, particularly on the last trip.

The driver allowed his boss in and with one last rearwards glance of distaste at another of the Admirals whims, and a certain wrinkling of the nose in our direction put the staff car in gear and it purred into life across the French cobblestones.

All rank forgotten for the moment, Bruno and Gerhardt were chatting away like a couple of Berlin housewives, alternatively swigging from the bottle and demanding to know about the subsequent fortunes of U-46 and the crew after Gerhardt got shot and transferred back on another boat; and then once it had been established we'd all made it back more or less in one piece not a couple of hours ago, an animated discussion on the merits of life in 'neutral' Portugal and Spain compared to rainy Germany, and more importantly the particular attributes and other skills of the nurses Gerhardt had encountered on his adventures.

Uncle Karl turned backwards and smiled ruefully.

"That was very expensive cognac...my private stock. Anyway we're going back to 7th Flotilla officers quarters. Get yourself washed and shaved and dressed in twenty minutes and take him with you. Then all of you back in the car".

"Back in the car, Sir?"

"Why yes, I assume you'll want to hit the Chat Noir tonight?"

"Yes Sir!" we all exclaimed.

"And also, you won't object if I come in as your guest?"

"No Sir!" We were dumbfounded.

Besides Kapitan, there's something I want to discuss with you...."

LS

[Jimbuna]

Besides Kapitan, there's something I want to discuss with you...."

LS

Don't go making arrangements to share Heidi with the dirty old bugga whilst your away on your next patrol :o

:03:

Great stuff LS http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[bookworm_020]

Don't go making arrangements to share Heidi with the dirty old bugga whilst your away on your next patrol :o

:03:

Great stuff LS http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

I think that would be the lesser of two evils! When words like that are said, you look for the falling anvil that comming toward you from a great height!:oops:

[Laughing Swordfish]

As we shower and shave, and keep Gerhardt sober enough to find our naval blues and lay them out, Bruno is putting on his shoes from a locker he thought he may never see again, and asks:

"Apart from ours, which other boats and commanders are back in at the Black Cat tonight.......?"

LS

[Oberon]

I don't think Alfons Elrich of U35 leaves there unless they carry him out to the boat and kick him out to sea :03: The Black Cat is where it is at, as they say. :salute:

[Laughing Swordfish]

It certainly is Alfons! What's your conning tower emblem, and what has your boat been up to lately?

Looking forward to clinking glasses very shortly!

LS

[Frank0001]

Great to read another thread, and cheers to the U-46!
The boys of U-104 sure enjoy your adventures while at sea, it's keeping morale high.

Good hunting and bring her back safely.

[Oberon]

It certainly is Alfons! What's your conning tower emblem, and what has your boat been up to lately?

Looking forward to clinking glasses very shortly!

LS

It's the Schwarze Wyrm and here's his record:



http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/5254/79071853.jpg

OBERLEUTNANT Z. S. ALFONS ELRIC
Date of Birth: 08JAN13
Place of Birth: ARYS/OSTPREUSSEN
Date of Intake: 01APR34 (CREW 34)

1 (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Jamie/My%20Documents/Personnel%20Files/SH3/Alfons%20Elric/Log_0.html) 01SEP39 - 21SEP39 (21 days)5 (5/0)21337 (21337/0)U-Boat damaged (H.I. 99.98%)
2 (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Jamie/My%20Documents/Personnel%20Files/SH3/Alfons%20Elric/Log_1.html) 16OCT39 - 10NOV39 (26 days)6 (6/0)20374 (20374/0)
3 (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Jamie/My%20Documents/Personnel%20Files/SH3/Alfons%20Elric/Log_2.html) 26NOV39 - 13DEC39 (18 days)4 (4/0)29798 (29798/0)U-Boat damaged (H.I. 71.68%)
4 (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Jamie/My%20Documents/Personnel%20Files/SH3/Alfons%20Elric/Log_3.html) 19JAN40 - 03FEB40 (16 days)6 (6/0)28637 (28637/0)U-Boat damaged (H.I. 99.47%)
5 (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Jamie/My%20Documents/Personnel%20Files/SH3/Alfons%20Elric/Log_4.html) 22FEB40 - 18MAR40 (26 days)10 (10/0)48858 (48858/0)U-Boat damaged (H.I. 56.81%)
6 (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Jamie/My%20Documents/Personnel%20Files/SH3/Alfons%20Elric/Log_5.html) 06MAY40 - 18MAY40 (13 days)2 (1/1)15098 (13723/1375)U-Boat damaged (H.I. 50.65%)

Medals
10NOV39 IRON CROSS, SECOND CLASS
03FEB40 IRON CROSS, FIRST CLASS
18MAR40 KNIGHT'S CROSS
18MAY40 KNIGHT'S CROSS WITH OAK LEAVES

Badges
03FEB40 U-BOAT BADGE


The last patrol was only 13 days due to a run in with HMCS Assiniboine. She was hiding behind a merchant and steamed out firing all guns much to our horror, we fired a T2 from our stern tube and prepared to dive for our lives and then blam, the torpedo hit just under the forward gun of the destroyer and down she went! Having taken a pounding we judged it better to return to port than risk having something come off during patrol. :salute:

[psykopatsak]

Oh my, i feel so rash when i look at yours. my trusty U-103 has been down to 2-7% HI a few times! (something that might become a good story in the chat noir ;) )

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Go in first, Kapitan, with your shipmates, I'll be along. Perhaps I need to finish what's left of my best brandy first before hitting the bar with you pirates!"

I knew Onkel Karl didn't mean it. He's so close to all the crews but he had never made a personal appearance at the Chat Noir before. And never one for a grand entrance, I appreciated that we should dive in to the bar first.

And so we did.

As soon as a homecoming boat crew throws their cap into the Chat Noir, there is a massive Hurrah! and they are carried to the bar amid great exhortations, which is what happened when the last of the U-46 officially stepped ashore that night, and certainly why our Uncle gave it a while before stepping in.

The beer was flowing, and already the questions were being asked.

"Where have you been you slackers...!"

"...messing about on a Spanish holiday..?"

"..Shagging nurses while we do the work...?"

Gerhardt by this time was on the shoulders of the Swordfish crew and already beyond any naval discipline. It'll take me a while to get through the throng to my own crew, let alone the person I really want to see.

And here is Alfons, pressing a glass in my hand, Elrich of U-35. I'm glad to see him back safe. Good patrol too by all accounts, and we both pride ourselves on keeping a low-numbered boat sea-worthy against all odds!
They call his boat the Black Snake, he's a good friend and no stranger to the Chat Noir, but at sea as dark and cunning as his namesake.

Where's Heidi?

Before I know it I am lifted from my feet in a wild bear hug. No wild bear, just good old Max who I haven't seen from that last patrol we were on when he got roughed up pretty badly in U-213.

"I couldn't hang around too long for the old girl to get fixed up, Rollie, so I made them give me a new one. A new Type Nine, the best of the old gang and some youngsters for them to whip into shape. Same number too, and..." He drained his champagne...we keep the same number (it confuses the Tommies!) and also our pig, you really should get one yourself instead of that Type VII you're always mucking about with..."

..and where's Heidi, as the party goes on..

LS

[Oberon]

Drink it down my friend, you've earned it! :salute: We've both outwitted the Tommies and lived to fight another day, and that's more than enough reason for a drink! :up:

Thanks for adding Alfons, LS! :D

[Frank0001]

Hehe I wonder how many of our drunk comrades will be able to snap to attention when Oncle Karl steps in :D
(Or even realize it for that matter!)

[Jimbuna]

"..Shagging nurses while we do the work...?"


I doubt heidi will like that :oops:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Then there's young Walter, home again in one piece with his U-711, for a Berlin boy he is quite shy, as he hugs the wall and sips his champagne, but of course I clasp his hand.

It was him on his first patrol with our small wolf pack that took on the jabo while we rushed down below. He shot it down too, although we did lose a boat and all of those comrades in that attack out in the Bay.

His crew have drawn a huge cartoon image of a bear on the lavatory wall. It's a tribute to the symbol of Berlin, where most of his roughs come from, and also the chosen emblem of Walter's boat.

Now where is Heidi...?

LS

[Frank0001]

Yes where is Heidi? Even Oncle Karl could make it!

[Laughing Swordfish]

I notice amid the jollity that there are more pictures on the wall than last time. Heinrich, Wilhelm and Sigmund won't be coming back this time by the look of it, but in a sense, they are now always here.

But life is for the living and next is Lehmann clapping me on the shoulder in delight, perhaps the boat with the most distinguished service in the flotilla. He was sinking ships when I was just a pup. We embrace warmly and more champagne. Another profitable patrol off Northern Ireland I gather. He wants to hear all about our stupid spy mission, and I have to save it for another time, because I've just spotted a flash of blond hair over his shoulder.

At the back of the room, my uncontrollable torpedo man, Dieter, has hoisted Heidi onto his shoulders and is whirling her around to her mixed cries of fear and delight.

Josie is up on Schillens's back too, rising up and down and pretending to be a periscope.

"The Boss is coming in a minute, my friend. But for now I need to be over there..."

And with that, I brushed past all my other comrades and headed towards the girl I love.

LS

[Kpt. Lehmann]

JUST what the doctor ordered! Thanks RdB. :up::up::up:

(Now back to my own 'Heidi.');)

[Laughing Swordfish]

Gerhardt is swaying about with a bottle in each hand at the bar, a giant of a man.

I whisper in his ear, and he grins from ear to ear.

"Off course Herr Kaleun!"

And so it was that I rode into battle on Gerhardt's injured shoulders straight into the melee of the U-46 home-coming and straight up against Heidi balanced ever more precariously on Dieter's stumbling body.

"Heidi!"

"Rollie!"

We pretended to wrestle and knock each other off for a while, but then Gerhardt closed up to Dieter, our two huge chariots, and up there I seized Heidi, held her head in my hands, and kised her long and hard, in full view of the U-46 crew and the rest of 7th Flotilla to their cheers.

"Rollie are you crying..?"

Heidi was wiping her eyes herself above the swaying bulk of Dieter.

"No of course not, Heidi"

"Because if you were, you could always kiss me again and noone would ever know...."

And so I did. And if any of the U-46 crew did see their Kapitan shed a small tear in a moment of weakness, then let me have that moment again and again and again...

LS

[donw]

...emergency HF radio transmission barely received at HQ.. for U-46 skipper.. requesting assistance

from: Heinrich L. Willenbrock..

[Laughing Swordfish]

(Sorry my good friends, too long away)

LS

[Jimbuna]

Awaiting the next instalment http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

[Laughing Swordfish]

In mid embrace, by chance or design, our Uncle chose to stride into the Chat Noir

[Laughing Swordfish]

What the hell? That wasn't supposed to be it. I wrote a whole chapter about the Black Cat and the U-46 crew, wherever anyone who knows anyone in 7th Flotilla, and get us back out to sea

[Lagger123987]

What the hell? That wasn't supposed to be it. I wrote a whole chapter about the Black Cat and the U-46 crew, wherever anyone who knows anyone in 7th Flotilla, and get us back out to sea

Umm...what???

[Laughing Swordfish]

As he strode into the bar, those who still could, snapped to attention, the rest (and the most) continued swaying but at least fell silent.

His ADC, and 7th Flotilla Commander followed behind at a respectfull and yet watchfull distance.

Heidi, Josie and I were still perched laughing and tussling on U-46 crew shoulders.

He smiled as we froze.

"Please look after my staff Kapitan de Bunsen, they are not quite as insane as the rest of you."

"Gentlemen this has been a good month again". He looked fleetingly at the framed photographs on the wall.

"Not without brave sacrifices, who we mourn..."

Even in my stupor, I think about what it must have been like for those boys in the three boats that did make the brave sacrifice. It doesn't bear thinking about too much other than to make sure it doesn't happen to ours...

Doenitz is still talking.

"But you are coming back with huge tonnage scores, every ship sunk is less tanks or ammunition, or even soldiers to attack us. Every tanker sent to the bottom is so many less airplanes in the air or ships out at sea, or tanks on the ground.

"We and we alone are taking the fight to the enemy now and we must not waver. Our panzer grenadiers, bless them, can't swim; but we can!"

A huge wave of cheers.

"Drinks on the House!"

An even bigger round of applause.

Then with the ice broken, and everyone crowding the long bar, he turned to fix his gaze on me and Heidi.

LS

[donw]

Just a heads up guys.. I FINALLY got around to finding a hosting site that has more space, and therefore have been able to get the "whole" story in one place...

http://home.comcast.net/~donw_430/site/?/home/ (http://home.comcast.net/%7Edonw_430/site/?/home/)

Its not near as cool looking with the parchment paper and such..but at least its all in one piece.

As soon as I can get a hold of LS, we'll get the link fixed on his signature.

Sorry it took so long!:oops:

[ryanglavin]

These are good stories! keep em coming friend!

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Without a doubt. I miss getting my U-46 fix! RdB! Where are ya? Yer pen didn't dry up did it? :arrgh!:

[donw]

He'll be away for a bit Kpt.. Heard he was giving private lessons to England's soccer goalie.. :rotfl2:

[ryanglavin]

He'll be away for a bit Kpt.. Heard he was giving private lessons to England's soccer goalie.. :rotfl2:

:har::haha::har:

[Jimbuna]

He'll be away for a bit Kpt.. Heard he was giving private lessons to England's soccer goalie.. :rotfl2:

He obviously passed him his pen and the numpty dropped it and it broke :DL

Rob Green has trained all morning and in 3 hours he had 4,000 shots fired at him and did not concede a single goal.

This afternoon, he and Heskey will train with the rest of the squad :haha:

[donw]

As my old friend Kermit was so fond of saying...
"It's not easy being Green" :haha:

Problem was.. he had other things on his mind..

"Green's recent breakup with 23-year-old Canadian model Elizabeth Minett may have distracted the goalie in preparing for soccer's showcase event."

Poor heartbroken chap.. :dead:

[Jimbuna]

Poor heartbroken chap.. :dead:

Poor....wealthy young heartbroken chap :yep:

[donw]

LOL! So true Jim.. my use of the word poor was as follows..

poor (pʊr)


Eliciting or deserving pity; pitiable: couldn't rescue the poor fellow.

Although a few other definitions might also apply..
2. Not adequate in quality; inferior: a poor performance.
3. Lacking fertility: poor soil.
4. Humble: a poor spirit.

..(whispers to LS.. sorry mate.. no more Green bashing..I promise!) :arrgh!:

[donw]

Think I have an idea where LS got off to... Have a hunch he took a trip to S Africa.. to bribe the Officials and make sure we (US) didn't win a game!!

[aj906]

Think I have an idea where LS got off to... Have a hunch he took a trip to S Africa.. to bribe the Officials and make sure we (US) didn't win a game!!

Not sure a bribe would be needed on that one... unless of course you were playing us (Australia) again...:hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

Think I have an idea where LS got off to... Have a hunch he took a trip to S Africa.. to bribe the Officials and make sure we (US) didn't win a game!!

I don't know why everyone is criticising Heskey.

I think he's been solid in defence for Algeria.

[donw]

I think.. its time to clear the decks here.. take this to general topics or something.. stop hijacking our master storyteller's home turf, and await the next installment!
:rock:

[Laughing Swordfish]

Well one more. Great ribbing guys and we Limeys deserve it. Good luck today against Ghana; rooting for you. While England alone, and not for the first time when others might choose an easier way, stands against the might of Germany tomorrow.

Enough banter.

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Heidi will you and Josephine come down from there, and perhaps powder your nose for the moment".

Suitably chastened, but still giggling like girls they moved away.

He dispersed my crewmen with a wave of the hand. There were free drinks at the bar after all.

"Sir?"

"Yes, I have something to discuss with you, but it's good that you have let off steam first."

I could still see that they were both peering over from the bar, where our U-46 gang were buying them drinks at an alarming rate.

Doenitz continued. "As you know, I have rid myself of some pen pushers in the 7th Flotilla and will do so again on the other bases. I want actual combat veterans who know the boats in the seat, to run our campaign".

"It would mean giving up your boat, and releasing it to another commander. Your Number One impresses me, but I do have a good group straight out of Kiel and the Baltic training station ready for their first command".

He caught my glance towards Heidi, enjoying herself with our crew at the bar.

"Heidi would like it, too."

I gulped the last of my drink.

"What do you say Kapitan....?"

LS

[Sailor Steve]

And the air pressure drops as the entire Subsim community holds it's collective breath...:o

[donw]

You gotta be kidding me!!
I finally get the whole story caught up and transposed at a new site..
(with more spell check work than I care to mention)..
and he's going to end this thing!!
NOOOOOO!
Somebody start one of those Subsim Forum Vote things
and don't let this happen!:damn:

[Jimbuna]

I reckon he'll decline and continue as normal :smug:

[Laughing Swordfish]

With my mouth gaping open, I glanced out of the corner of my eye, Heidi even in her tipsy state, sneaking a look at me over the top of her glass. The look of hope in her eyes was unmistakeable. She knew what we were talking about.

A promotion, more pay, and a safe desk job, perhaps being able to make a difference for our boats, instead of just complaining about things in the ward room, bridge or bar; being close to Heidi every day (how I yearned for that); and I have done my bit haven't I? No more freezing long watches, no more fierce Atlantic sea in your face, soaking you to the bone. No more the general cramped, exhausting and stinking conditions of living on a U-Boat. No more the terror of depth charges, or planes. No more nervous tension of being deep for hours, and constantly having to be right with every guess. No more killing.

An easy life in France instead.

I looked at the photographs on the wall, always more every time we return. For a moment I saw my own graduation picture alongside them.

Then my gaze crossed to the U-46 gang. Dieter wearing a feathered lady's hat from somewhere, arm wrestling with Panwitz, Hans and Viktor trying to get two pretty nurses more drunk than they both were. Bruno leaping off the upstairs balcony to be caught on trust by his Second Watch, Kuki tucking in to a great plate of fresh French food that he hasn't had to cook himself on two little ring burners. Christian arm in arm with Kapitan Lehman swapping tall stories of the sea and swaggering back to the bar. Gerhardt being slapped on his back by his comrades whilst at the same time pouring beer over his head to remind him to get back on Watch next time. Kurt and Johann trying to waltz together and slipping on the wet floor in a muddled heap, and countless other young happy faces, whilst Oscar smoked his pipe and sipped contentedly at his favourite bordeaux, kept only for him when he comes back, and looking on benignly, knowing full well his medical services are sure to be required before the end of the night.

Reuben and Cox, diligently halfway to Hamburg with supplies for a family in hiding

Then there's Willi left manning the boat with a skeleton crew. Good old supersticious Willi, an eagle eye on Third Watch and a genius navigator. Convinced that any change, or deviation from custom will be the death of us all. Perhaps he's right.

And then there's the boat he is guarding itself. The U-46 has been a part of my life it seems as if forever. Noone, apart from Otto, knows more about the Laughing Swordfish than me, and we have been through so much together.

Uncle Karl is waiting patiently for me to speak.

I give him my answer...........

That night Heidi and I had our first serious argument.

LS

[Jimbuna]

Excellent!....I knew he was a warior and not a pen pusher http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

[donw]

PHEW!!
Spot on as always Jimbo!
:yeah:

[Sailor Steve]

Very well written last line, LS. :sunny:

[Laughing Swordfish]

"Why, Rollie? Why? Why?...."

It broke my heart, as she wept and pummelled my chest with her gentle fists as I held her to me.

"You could have been safe, and we could have been together; don't you want that?"

"Of course I do Heidi.."

"Then why? Why won't you just stop when you are given the chance?"

"Because if I gave up the boat to a green crew and commander, she might well be sunk, and everyone drowned. I couldn't live with that."

"I couldn't live with your precious boat being sunk with you still in it."

"That's not going to happen, Heidi, it's a good boat and an excellent crew and...."

"You always say that Rollie. I see the casualty and u-boat loss reports every day. How many patrols do you have to do? How much tonnage until you've done enough?"

"Heidi, I love you; at sea I think of you every hour, and I want nothing more than to be safe on solid ground and back with you in my arms, even if you are hitting me..."

That brought a brief smile.

"There's a part of you and me that knows that we have to carry on and keep fighting until we win, and then we will be together safe and forever, but we have to win the battle first. Anyway the staff job went to Gunther Kersdorff; he had U-412, he's senior to me in terms of years, but his boat is crippled."

"But you were first choice!"

"Gunther doesn't have a boat; I do. He's an experienced commander and a perfect flotilla officer he knows what it's like and...."

"I don't care! I hate you! You're so stubborn Rollie...."

"I'm sorry Heidi, I have to go on. Trust me."

And I held her close until the tears subsided.

Later that night, with beautiful Heidi sleeping peacefully with her golden hair and arm draped over my chest, I laid wide awake.

I was mostly thinking about Heidi, how much I love her and don't want her to ever cry again.

But, God help me, a small part of my brain was already thinking about supervising Joachim's torpedo reload for our next patrol.

LS

[Sailor Steve]

:rock: Excellent as always!