(Story) U-46 puts to sea again [Archive] - Page 6

Laughing Swordfish

07-08-10, 01:58 AM

I woke her with a kiss on her forehead.

Heidi gave me a squeeze and raised her head shaking her tousled blonde hair.

Last night's tears had smudged her mascara down from her eyes, and her lipstick was gone.

"I must look a fright" she murmured.

She had never looked more beautiful.

"I'll run a nice hot bath for you. Then breakfast, and then let's go out somewhere for the day. Josie can come if you'd like".

"But what about the boat?"

"The boat can live without me for a while, I want to spend my shore time with you".

"Thank you Rollie" and she flopped back on the bed.

I put on my dressing gown, ran the bath taps and sprinkled some bath salts into the water.

Then slipped out into the hotel corridor.

I knew my Number One's room was just down the hall at number 326.

It took a fair bit of knocking and increasingly loud urging before Christian opened the door. I don't think he'd been to sleep yet. Bed yes, I could glimpse one of the nurses from yesterday covering herself up.

"Hello Kap, what's up?"

Ever the elegant host, he gave me a glass of champagne from the bottle swaying in his hand.

"Quite a party, Christian," I smiled. "Listen, I need you to take care of refitting the Swordfish for a while. Relieve Joachim and get Willi or Bruno or some of the petty officers in, and ...."

Christian waved his hand dismissively. "No problem, Kap I'll take care of it, but what's the matter?"

"I just need to spend more time with Heidi, and let her forget about U-boats for a day or two".

"Ok, how long are we in for because...." he glanced towards the pretty girl under the sheets.

"I think we're due a furlough, Christian, but you never know with sailing orders. All the papers I need to sign, knock four times on our door, or I'll meet you at the Black Cat. But don't let them out of your sight. I need to keep up to date, but keep boat business away from Heidi; she deserves a break too".

Christian smiled. "You've got it Rollie, how is she now? She seemed a bit upset last night"

"Better now, Christian, and relaxing in the bath"

"Get back there Rollie, you're on back scrubbing duty!"

LS

scratch81

07-08-10, 09:29 PM

woohoo! new chapter.

Kpt. Lehmann

07-13-10, 10:44 PM

Awesome stuff RdB!!! Keep it coming! :up::up::up:

Laughing Swordfish

07-16-10, 08:58 PM

"So where would you like to go to today, Heidi? I'm all yours"

"I thought some shopping in Paris, just you and me and Josie."

I sat up aghast.

The U-46 has wriggled out of many a double-pin, but not this one.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

07-18-10, 04:44 AM

The stains on a U-boat man's skin (and some say his soul) after a long patrol are so deep that he might take ten baths, with the resulting water only appearing a shade less grey each time.

But who cares when you are sitting in a bath, the water splashing about you isn't salty, it's warm and not coming from some ruptured sea valve.

Oh, and the prettiest girl in the world is working suds into your hair and rinsing it out.

"What do you boys get up to, when we're not around?" Heidi asked teasingly. She knows well enough, that for front boat men, personal grooming and cleanliness are a forgotten luxury, and certainly not the worst thing on their minds.

Josie is already here. Sitting on the bed in the main bedroom with my white cap skewed askance on her head, and helping herself to my home coming wine while laying out my dress uniform.

"Come on Rollie!"

Heidi towels me down and puts a hotel gown on me, I've already hacked off my modest stubble, and now I'm drenched in enough eau de toilette, and hair preparation to create an oil slick greater than anything U-46 has ever arranged.

"Come on Rollie, we're going to Paris!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

07-20-10, 02:19 AM

"You look so dashing in your uniform Rollie," Josie giggled.

"Put it on, I'll promise not to peek" And she put a hand over her eyes with a huge gap between her middle fingers.

"Is there no dignity left with you two around?" But I couldn't help but smile as Josie put my cap neatly back on my head, while Heidi attended to my tie.

Josie poured me the last of the wine. "Can we have breakfast by the Seine? And go up the Eiffel Tower, and Montparnasse, and the Sacre Couer, and the shopping district and..."

"Steady on Josie!" I laughed. We have to get there first"

I was slightly worried about how her leg would hold up after the Cambeltown raid.

Hell, I was more worried about how my legs would hold up being dragged around the shops of Paris by two crazy girls!

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

07-21-10, 12:11 PM

Hey RdB... Whatever happenned to Josie's guy?

Laughing Swordfish

07-21-10, 06:05 PM

Josie filled me in with all the gossip in the staff car on the way to Paris. With Heidi chipping in, it was hard to get a word in edgeways.

The love lives of the girls in the mapping room and the typing pool, which I sat patiently through, and who ate the most croissants during the 11.00 am coffee break.

"What about Feldwebel Auel?" I asked, gently. Even a sailor such as I knows that the fighting in Southern Russia has been particularly fierce.

"Oh Hansi!" Josie cried delightedly. He writes to me all the time. He's due some leave and on his way back. Her face darkened for just a moment. "There was a grenade, he says. But it's only a scratch apparently. Here's a picture of them sitting on a T34, that's in Kharkov." There was Hansi Auel and a couple of other NCOs and some landsers, posing for the camera around a Russian tank they'd knocked out. Cocksure, and smiling. But I've seen that faraway look of shock and exhaustion in the eyes of my own men before.

"I hope we'll see him soon, Josie."

LS

Sailor Steve

07-21-10, 10:11 PM

Wow, LS, I love the way you work these things into the story. You do have a gift.

See, KL, ask and ye shall recieve. :rock:

Jimbuna

07-23-10, 02:04 PM

Wow, LS, I love the way you work these things into the story. You do have a gift.

See, KL, ask and ye shall recieve. :rock:

Better that he 'receives' :DL:03:

Laughing Swordfish

07-24-10, 09:58 AM

In a cloud of steam we alighted at the Gare du Nord. The girls had too much luggage, and were still chattering away. Not a porter in sight, but maybe that's true whether you're in German uniform or not.

I sighed and picked up all their bags, any one of which had the capacity to take the entire belongings of three u-boat men on patrol.

"Girls? Girls! Lets get straight to the Hotel, and then we can explore without all this..."

"Ok!" they laughed.

"And then breakfast, I'm sure we're all hungry. But no more oysters, Josie!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

07-29-10, 07:30 PM

Once the girls had finally finished unpacking we could at last head out.

Any visit to Paris should start with the Sacre Couer. At least that's what Heidi says. And Josie joyfully outnumbered me.

And the girls are right.

The Sacred Heart Church sits on top of a hill at the northernmost tip of Paris, and after the exhausting steps you can look down over the whole twinkling city.

The Cathedral itself is a place of great beauty. Lit near the altar by a massive stand of burning candles. Each one representing a memory or even a hope. The flames were particularly intense at this part in the Church's history.

Josie lit two. One for Franz, killed in the Cambeltown raid, and one for Hansi Auel even now apparently making his way back from the Ukraine, according to Josie, on convalascent leave.

I lit one next. For Heidi of course. And a second one for Ernst, my first flak gunner only twenty years old who had saved the boat, and us all, at the dreadful cost of his own life.

Heidi put her coins in the collection box, and picked up a candle, but refused to place or light it. Instead she put it carefully into her handbag, and looked straight into my eyes.

She didn't need to say anything.

Stupid as I am, that candle is not meant to be snuffed out, or to burn out to a stub and be forgotten.

No words were needed. I held her tight, and then with her and Josie on either arm (and what sailor could be luckier?), we walked out to the top of the steps and gazed down over a city where it seemed impossible there was such a thing as war.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

07-31-10, 05:58 AM

At the Champs Elysee we got an outside table straight away. A miracle in itself. I'd like to think it was my dashing uniform and medal ribbon, but this being Paris, much more likely that I had two beautiful girls in company, and perfect French window dressing in the Maitre de's eyes..

I can't help thinking of what happened at the Sacre Couer. And that unspoken gesture, and look in her eyes.

Heidi is literally holding a candle for me. She's made a commitment.

Snap decisions are what u-boat commanders do best. At least the lucky ones.

"Will you excuse me a minute, girls?" and moments later I was standing bewildered outside a shop window.

And then back again to the table.

"Josie, can I borrow you for a moment?"

Both girls looked up in surprise.

"Are we getting silk stockings...!" Josie exclaimed as I hustled her away before Heidi had a chance to speak.

"I need your opinion, Josie", as we went into the jewellers shop.

LS

Sailor Steve

07-31-10, 09:15 AM

It's about time he made an 'honest woman' out of that poor girl! Easy prey for any dashing young man with a fancy uniform and a flashy reputation!
:rotfl2:

Laughing Swordfish

07-31-10, 12:48 PM

It took a while to calm Josie down, once she realised what we were doing. She's quite excitable anyway. The Manager was called for and with a snap of the fingers a tray of champagne and two glasses summoned.

The French at least have great style.

Once we had established that Josie was not my intended, but that we were here to buy a ring for another, and it was to be a surprise (in fact until a moment or two before, a surprise to us both).

The Manager understood perfectly. With a brisk double clap, their current collection was brought to us on velvet cushions (as I say, there are some things the French do best).

At this point Josie came into her own. I suppose she can be quite businesslike when she wants to, and here she was in her element.

Her wedding finger was the same size as Heidi's, she said confidently. Apparently the girls compared back at the cadet academy, and talked of their perfect wedding, and most dreamy film star husband.

So Josie got to try on all the rings and demanding more, fluttering her fingers before me, so much so that the Manager smiled and asked if I was sure this wasn't my fiancee.

I liked them all, but had no idea which would be best.

"This one Rollie!"

Josie put her hand on mine.

A single diamond set with emeralds, the colour of our Swordfish.

"Perfect, thanks Josie, are you sure Heidi will like it?".

"She'll love it, Rollie" her eyes were moist, and she tried to wipe them dry, whilst still toying with the ring on her finger.

I held her hand.

"Soon Hans will be back from the front, and I know he thinks the world of you. He's a good man and...."

"I think he's hurt more than he says, Rollie. And anyway why would he settle for a limping stupid girl like me..."

Now I'm hugging her.

"You're not stupid Josie, you're a brave, beautiful, smart and adventurous girl. There are people out in action who think of you and that mate of yours every moment of every day".

She looked up with her make up starting to run. The Manager with immaculate timing has a glass of fortifiying brandy on hand. Clearly this is a dramatic scene played out many times in Parisian jewellery shops

She didn't want to part with it for a minute, but the staff finally took the engagement ring off Josie's hand.

"Come on, let's buy you those stockings, some for you and some for Heidi, otherwise she'll think we're having an affair!"

And that brought the sunny smile back to her face.

We sauntered back up the street, me and Josie, a bag of exhorbitantly priced silks; but also a little velvet box and a secret.

LS

Jimbuna

08-01-10, 09:53 AM

Great move Rollie...I think Sailor Steve was beginning to get ideas :O:

Laughing Swordfish

08-02-10, 09:10 AM

Heidi pouted in mock anger.

"Where have you two been? I thought you two had eloped together".

Josie stepped right in.

"Oh Heidi, Rollie wanted it to be a treat, but I have to show you..."

She winked at my sudden look of alarm.

"Look at these! Full dernier silk stockings, the best in Paris, we've both got some!"

"Oh Rollie, you idiot! I love them! I do like surprises..."

And as the girls wandered off into excited chatter about lingerie, I ordered a very stiff cognac.

(This is going to be a very big day for surprises, my Darling.....)

LS

Sailor Steve

08-02-10, 09:31 AM

Poor Rollie. So easy to be brave in the face of death, but in the face of life afraid of his own shadow. Some battles are harder than others. Wasn't it always so?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YVYczqD2b8

Jimbuna

08-02-10, 10:46 AM

http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/sg/doves%20with%20a%20heart.gif http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/sg/card%20i%20love%20you.gif http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/sg/ilu.gif http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/sg/i%20love%20you.gif

Laughing Swordfish

08-02-10, 12:44 PM

The waiter had already brought me another one before Heidi turned to me.

"Where next Rollie? We've already got some shopping done. I love them. I'll wear them tonight.."

"I thought we might go down to the Eiffel Tower..."

Josie squealed in delight, causing an amused and curious glance from Heidi, soon forgotten, and a more sterner one from me.

"I've always wanted to go there Rollie, can we!"

"Of course Heidi, I'll just settle up".

When I walked inside the bartender was already pouring me a third shot with a knowing eye.

We could have taken any carriage, but preferred to walk. It was a perfect day, but for some reason I felt a little warm, and my tunic collar seemed more tight than usual.

Josie was fairly pushing us down the Champs Elysee towards the River Seine, I think she had a better or clearer picture in mind than me.

But nerves calm down as they always must do in our line of work, and soon there was a spring in my step too.

At least outwardly, as we bought our tickets to the top of the tower.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

08-11-10, 03:46 PM

"Calm down Josie!" Heidi exclaimed. "You'll hurt yourself"

Even with her injured leg she was almost dragging me and Heidi to the top; bursting with excitement.

We clanged up every iron rung, sounding very similar to the U-46 bridge ladder on so many occasions.

At the top we could look out over the whole of Paris. The gardens to the south, the park and woodland to the west and back over the rooftops to the North where we had begun. The River Seine curling majestically towards the Latin Quarter, the islands, and of course the Cathedral of Our Lady, better known as Notre Dame.

"It's beautifull Rollie..." Heidi exclaimed.

"There still is beauty in the world, my love..."

I got a dig in the ribs from Josie the other side of me. Beside herself with impatience.

I felt in my pocket for the ring, hands trembling like never before on our boat.

"All the beauty I ever need is up here, right now. Heidi, there's a reason we've climbed this high. I love you. Will you marry me......?"

LS

Jimbuna

08-11-10, 03:56 PM

About time Rollie :rock:

I'll make do with Josie :DL

OSU

08-11-10, 04:46 PM

:woot: Way to go Rollie! Congratulations!!!! :yeah:

Sailor Steve

08-11-10, 10:36 PM

When I walked inside the bartender was already pouring me a third shot with a knowing eye.
That bartender reminds me of Bruce Campbell's roll in the third Spiderman movie: "Of course ah understand love. Ah am French, after all!" :rock:

bookworm_020

08-13-10, 05:06 AM

Just don't drop the ring!:88)

Sailor Steve

08-13-10, 11:01 AM

Just don't drop the ring!:88)
:rotfl2:

I was thinking that very same thing. Don't let Josie get so excited she bumps Rollie...:dead:

Laughing Swordfish

08-14-10, 12:39 PM

(You guys are always ahead of me! LS)

Laughing Swordfish

08-14-10, 03:26 PM

I fumbled in my pocket. I must have checked it a hundred times on the way here. Heidi looked at me expectantly, Josie looked at me furiously, and punched me on the arm.

"Rollie, where is it you idiot? Come here!"

While Heidi looked on, Josie scolded me and dived both hands into my uniform pocket. Making it worse because she tore it, and it fell through to the lining of my uniform.

By now, the French have seen what's going on and they love a romantic proposal. There is a moment when everyone is digging into my pocket to retrieve the ring, until the Head Waiter comes forward brandishing a sharp steak knife and waves everyone imperiliously away.

He gestures to me with a simple nod of the head, and with a stroke of the knife, expertly slashes open my pocket lining.

He smiles back up, I am gasping in trepidation. But he presents me with the ring box.

The French are the french as I've said before. A bottle of champagne with two glasses had come on a tray, and so now we had a crowd.

It was Josie who passed me the ring again. She'd chosen it. There was a a girly sob from her. And a nervous cough from me. Heidi, as far as I could see was laughing at us both. Really she was just smiling and never looked so radiant.

"Go Rollie!"

Josie nudged me again.

I sucked in all my breath as I walked towards her. This time I went to one knee (there were sighs from the french audience).

I can never do this right....

"Heidi, this ring is for us both even though it's taken some time to find it; it's my promise of marriage to you. Will you take me as your husband..?"

"Yes! Yes!! Of course yes, Rollie!"

"What took you so long!"

I don't know whether that was Heidi or Josie speaking. I was hugging them both. But even her best friend allowed Heidi a long slow kiss with me at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

"You knew!"

Heidi chided Josie later, as we sauntered back to the hotel.

"I always knew, right from the start, even back in Kerneval, I told you that shy Captain liked you..."

"He never did!"

Josie at her chatty best, and I turned away. There were some telegrams.

"Yes Heidi, he was always hanging around at BdU, after debriefing at the chateau. You saw him. He was the quiet one. Heidi, I must have told you! I can always sense these things,...will I be your bridesmaid, please?

"You will be my Chief Bridesmaid, Josie, we're going to have so much fun. He hasn't set a date yet and we'll have our celebration night.

There were four telegrams, one for each of the girls and two for me.

Brown envelopes. I knew without opening them what they meant. I looked across the hotel lobby to Heidi and Josie happy and laughing, loooking again and again at the engagement ring, and planning God knows what.. Maybe I really have done something worthwhile in my life, whether I understand it or not..

I looked at their return orders. And then tore them up. Mine weighed more heavily, and a phone call eventually put me through to the duty officer of the U-46.

"When Christian?"

"Joachim tells me we have our torpedoes, and he's happy. The last of the food and water and other supplies are going in, a day or two,, there's a tweak or two to the pipes and electrics, and I'm recommending a test harbour dive to trim her Then me and Bruno are going to be rounding up the rest of the lads on shore leave tomorrow. We do need a captain, though Kap, that's traditional on a U-boat. Where are you?

"Paris, Christian. So not far away. Things have taken a bit of a turn with me and Heidi."

"Hey Rollie, please tell me that's good, not bad?"

My silence must have confirmed it.

"Hey! At last you've been torpedoed yourself! Congratulations Rollie!"

"Well keep it to yourself Christian, but yes thanks, we're staying for at least one more day, maybe more. Keep me posted at the hotel address."

I put the envelope in my pocket.

Convoys are increasing, better escorted and better organised. U-46 is needed to help form a screen out in the North Atlantic this time.

Well I won't let her go before she and I am ready this time. We're exchanging four crew members, two who are old enough to have had enough, and done their fair share, and a couple of youngsters who didn't enjoy their first depth charge attack so much, and have asked for a posting to the Scharnhorst, a nice big comfortable ship. So we are getting a couple of eager youngsters. That can work either way depending how they cope with u-boat life, and the the other men on the boat who don't stand any nonsense from kids.

Unless they can pull that torpedo, find that convoy, spot that jabo, work that flak, make our engines work, and push our dive planes down when we need to.

The sea water spurting through frighteningly in parts of the boat that Kurt deals with urgently and suddenly in command. And more frighteningly through rivets in our hull.

The hell of the Atlantic blast of submerging waves that tower over the bridge, and keep us chained to our watch. The rain.

The coming below to a welcome steaming cup of coffee from Kuki if the situation allows, the towel that Doc invariably provides to dry the hair of the men coming off watch, boys first, officers last. My coffee is always cold by the time the mug is prodded towards me. By then I'm too busy to care.

The torpedoes seem like they're done, and provisioning is happening.

Is Bruno back?

Have I got to dig Big Dieter out of jail again?

Where's crazy George?

How's Reuben getting on across Europe in my home town, where I still can't believe perfectlly nice people are forced to hide.

I need to talk to Otto about the diseel engines. And fuel storage. Some type VII's are making it right across to America, and having a field day with the Amis who don't seem to know there's a war on.

I think I want magnetic torpedoes, instead of those pistol ignited duds, but I like the accuracy if they run true and are set to the right depth.

Kuki needs to put more pepper in the soup, and can we have anything other than those captured hard tack biscuits the British put up with? Any nation that put's up with those sea rations is going to be hard to beat.

We need to upgrade the Flak gun. We're overdue for a double or a flakvierling; Flotilla tells us that we should stand up and fight when caught by an aircraft on the surface. Well we've tried that. All my watch officers know to bring us down at the first speck of trouble in the sky.

We've all apparently been issued new uniforms.

I think they would have their hats blown off.

She needs a lick of paint too.

Perhaps some red anti-rust paint delicately applied to her bottom. Flotilla wants us to apply some zig-zag painting as camouflage. Willi is going to want to have our bridge emblem touched up. He'll go crazy otherwise

Are my tonnage reports up to date?

Have I got to bail Dieter or George or any number of my boat out of naval jail? Bruno can deal with it can't he? No he'll probably be behind bars himself.

Oscar can help. Even the chain dogs respect him.

Christian or Otto needs to report on how the trim dive goes.

Is my photo of Heidi still stuck up in my cabin? It keeps me going. And there she was back.

"Rollie, I love you. Sometimes I think you drift off and think about your boat all the time!"

LS

Jimbuna

08-14-10, 03:39 PM

I'd rather take my chance on U-46...we all know what happened to the Scharnhorst http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/2391/bubblegum21.gif

Laughing Swordfish

08-14-10, 06:24 PM

(Out of story)

Only 36 out of maybe over 3,000 made it out of the Scharnhorst?

Only 3 made it out of the Hood when the Bismarck blew her up with the same numbers,

A mere lucky handful were picked out of the sea when she was sunk in turn.

One ship, and there where others, such as the Royal Oak sunk boldly by a U-boat, and the Repulse and Renown, bombed easily from the air, and the Arizona at Pearl Harbour (where not many people had the chance to get out, and I have visited her grave) noone had the worst survival rate in the whole war than serving on a U-boat. Where the death rate was over 80% of all those who ever joined the service. U-boats themselves caused the terrible deaths or suffering of many lives, in their own country's cause. But most of them died an unimaginable death of their own.

Basically, don't go to sea unless you really believe man has triumphed over nature. You may drown when it get's rough, or there's explosions, and the sea really doesn't care. It will put you with all the others.

Of course that doesn't apply to us Brits. We sail all over the place, and various battles even before the Battle of the Atlantic. That's the perk of being an Island. We get to take on the French, on a regular and ongoing basis; fight the Italians (more difficult in Roman times, but we kicked them out eventually). Piece of cake with Mussolini. The Spanish, the Dutch, the Danes, the Norwegians, The Afghans a century back, most of Africa including South Africa, the Boers and the Zulus, Sudan, India, Pakistan, Crimean Russia; China, Korea, Sierra Leonne, the Germans more in recent history, of course, (and noone minds the rich people arriving halfway through the play and taking a seat at the front). We let them have an Asian war of their own some time later. Korea, Argentina, Egypt, I'm sure France again, if not they should be back on the list. Iraq, Iran, and still no mention of Scotland ,Wales and Ireland who historically don't like us much either, We've been fighting each other for hundreds of years. With good reason, as it happens, but they can't let it go, even though it was long-dead kings, and potentates who none of us are related to

Oh, and America. That was one of our ideas which we should have thought through!

I've probably missed a few, so apologies to any country that we have fought with and not get a mention or a credit.

RdB

Jimbuna

08-14-10, 07:11 PM

36 lucky people IMHO

I have an original autograph from one of the three Hood survivors....Ted Briggs as well as a very rare print of the Hood sinking.

The U-boat arm lost more of they're numbers in % terms than any other arm/unit in WWII but not as many numerically as that of the merchant seamen, one of whom was my grandfather (my fathers father...a second engineer on a munitions ship, lost with all hands) whom I never had the good fortune to meet.

LEST WE FORGET

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/poppy.gif

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/KptLehmann/wreath.jpg

Pebble Monkey

08-14-10, 08:13 PM

My grandfather was one of the lucky few that survived Operation Market Garden.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them

Laughing Swordfish

08-17-10, 06:16 AM

Absolutely. Brave men all of them.

Sorry for the midnight rant! Now back to Paris...

LS

Laughing Swordfish

08-18-10, 11:54 AM

That night back in the hotel room, we talked long and hard about the marriage, and our future plans.

At least one of us did. I was happy to listen and agree.

For all the months of uncertainty and dread, I had made her happy for once. And her mother was coming straight over to France, she'd heard all about me; but then on my next shore leave, we must both go to Germany to visit her parents. Her Father has bitter memories of the Western Front, but Heidi can talk him round she said gaily.

Then there was so much to organise of course, and should we set a date, maybe not yet, (I had to remind her that a boat doesn't just come back at a given date - and I certainly don't want to say 'maybe not at all')

"Heidi, let's sleep. Josie will kill us both if she's not involved in the preparations and you'll get far more done without me. I'll approve everything you both say, and if I disapprove you'll do it anyway. Just let me know in small doses!

"Oh Rollie, you'll love it, we'll have the best wedding ever!"

"Heidi, you know it's hard to organise a wedding with any serviceman away on duty, I woudn't want you to..."

"Oh hush silly! I don't mind if I marry you on the deck of your boat or anywhere, as long as you promise to keep our dresses clean. We can always have a proper ceremony later; but we will have one!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

08-18-10, 11:21 PM

(By the way guys - that whole dropping the ring at the top of the Eiffel Tower thing - way ahead of me, you beat me to it! I'm glad you command u-boats not destroyers!)

Yours, LS

bookworm_020

08-19-10, 09:10 PM

(By the way guys - that whole dropping the ring at the top of the Eiffel Tower thing - way ahead of me, you beat me to it! I'm glad you command u-boats not destroyers!)

Yours, LS

If he had dropped it, it would be "ALARM!!!!!!" followed by a rapid crash dive!

Laughing Swordfish

08-20-10, 07:23 AM

I ran the bath for Heidi, kissed her, and then excused myself to get a newspaper and check our pigeon hole for telegrams.

The girls' recall papers were safely in the bin. A few days extra wouldn't hurt, and easily explained back at the coast. Mine however couldn't be ignored forever, but Christian will have things in hand.

I passed by Josie's room and thought I heard sobbing.

I knocked gently. "Josie? Are you all right?"

There was definitely a snuffle this time.

"Rollie? Don't come in. I'm fine. It takes forever to put this leg brace on."

Another hitched breath and sniffle.

"Ok Josie. I'm just going out for some stuff. I thought we might have a picnic in the park later. Do you want anything?"

"No, nothing thanks Rollie."

"Ok, see you a bit later."

We men are slow to pick up on signals, but even I could tell Josie was lonely and feeling sad after the excitement of yesterday. Her last boyfriend had been killed, a potential new one was returning from Russia wounded, and could be anywhere.

Deep in thought I went past the first patisserie, and the next one was closed for repairs.

I wandered on to the cross roads where there was a scene of confusion.

A smart heavily armed column of half tracks, painted in dapple camouflage was stopped at the junction. Even I knew from the emblem painted on the mudguards and the deaths head badge on the officer's caps, that this was the tough 2nd SS 'Das Reich' Panzer Division.

Heading south by the look of it, and by the gesticulations of two of their officers, being held up by an altogether rough looking assortment of trucks, each showing a rudimentary red cross carrying wounded or convalescent soldiers heading west across their path.

The elderly Wehrmacht convoy officer was being berated by these two brash and confident young SS lieutenants, while two traffic gendarmes stood back uncertainly.

As I watched, the army officer was losing the argument, because the SS don't expect to be stopped by anyone, friend or foe.

And then a large figure jumped out of the cab of the leading army truck he had a head swathed around the top and one side in white bandages. His chevrons marked him as an infantry sergeant.

Even under the bandages he looked familiar.

He more or less brushed his hapless officer aside and confronted the SS officers himself. By this time I had approached close enough to hear the argument, and when I heard the feldwebel's voice I was sure.

It was Auer. Josie's Hansi.

"Make way for the Army, Sir! These men are wounded, they have priority for medical care or rest."

"The Waffen SS always have priority" came the steely response

"They have come back from fighting in Russia, they have the right..."

"So has our Division" he retorted.

"Well, may I say Sir, you look smart, clean and well refreshed from the experience." and Auer spat on the cobblestones between them. "These men come first."

I could see what was coming next.

The officer's hand went to the pistol on his belt.

LS

OSU

08-20-10, 04:46 PM

:nope: This doesn't look good.

Jimbuna

08-20-10, 06:59 PM

:nope: This doesn't look good.

Not for the SS officer anyway.

OSU

08-20-10, 10:42 PM

Lol, yeah, Rollie can just pull that stunt that he did to the other guy that was a Reuben's uncle's house.

bookworm_020

08-21-10, 10:23 AM

:nope: This doesn't look good.

With the SS, it never is....

Laughing Swordfish

08-22-10, 05:47 PM

I hate these confrontations. It's not so bad with my own roughs, because they always show respect in the end. But you just never know with the Schutz Staffel. The only thing to do is sigh deeply and take your chance.

"Put your pop gun away junge!"

"And who might you be?" The SS lieutenant still had his hand hovering over his leather holster.

Sergeant Auer with an amazed smile takes one step back. I try to throw him a wink.

"It's no concern of yours boy, but I am Kapitan de Bunsen of U-Boat 46, decorated with the RitterKreuz by the Fuhrer himself."

I was ashamed to pull rank like that, but it seems to work with these people.

Both lieutenants snapped to attention with a click of the heels.

"What seems to be the problem?"

"The 2nd SS need this road, Sir."

"What for?"

"Well the Division is refitting, Sir, and..."

"So you're on holiday?"

I looked over his shoulder.

Each half track had a mixture of one or two experienced old hares, and a load of young lads almost straight out of school. Not so different from our boat. They were the ones being sent to the shops and cafes, while they were halted, to bring back wine and fruit and sandwiches. And even strangely, flowers. The French have no reason to like us, but they all have young sons of their own.

LS

U777

08-23-10, 01:01 AM

Wow, this is one of the few stories I read word for word, excellent work!

Laughing Swordfish

08-23-10, 10:08 AM

"You must let these hospital trucks through".

"Why?"

"Why, SIR!"

"Why Sir?" he trucculently stood his ground.

"I have just come from the transportation administration centre. My own boat supplies are being held up by this convoy, and I don't like it either. You know who's in this convoy? Wounded in the service of his country?"

"No, who..Sir?"

"Corporal Friedrich Himmler, nephew of our Reichsmarschall SS himself. Don't they tell you anything at the railhead or the staging post?"

The officers gasped, and immediately ordered their leading vehicles to back up.

They turned and saluted as the Wehrmacht officer returned gratefully back to his cab seat and the rag tag bunch of trucks was allowed to proceed.

"However there has been an act of insubordination here that cannot be overlooked".

I gestured towards Auer.

"This stubblehopper will remain in my custody until I turn him over to the chain dogs, and teach him a lesson".

The SS officers grinned and saluted, honour satisfied, and returned to the Hanomag half tracks where their grenadiers were already taking an early lunch.

I marched Hans off roughly, and he played his part until we were out of sight.

Shaking my hand, he thanked me.

"It's a small world Sir!"

"You can call me Rollie, Hans, when we're away from the men."

"I didn't know Himmler had a nephew fighting on the Eastern Front".

"No, until a minute ago, none of us did".

He burst into laughter, "But what are you doing here Rollie"

"A bit of shore leave, I'll tell you the whole story later. Right now there's someone I think you should meet".

His eyes widened.

"Josephine? She's here? Josie's here? Really?"

"Just a few blocks down. I'm supposed to be getting some picnic stuff for later. Come on, you're just in time to make up a foursome".

LS

Sailor Steve

08-23-10, 10:33 AM

:rotfl2: Very well played, sir! :rock:

There's an old saying that a good officer knows when to disobey an order. It would seem that a good officer also knows the proper time to lie through his teeth.

Jimbuna

08-23-10, 01:51 PM

Yes I certainly enjoyed that immensely...you can't kid a kidder http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

Draka

08-24-10, 01:29 AM

Myxale

08-24-10, 08:19 AM

This tale as much part of Subsim as Neal!:rotfl2:

Keep it up!

bookworm_020

08-25-10, 01:13 AM

This tale as much part of Subsim as Neal!:rotfl2:

Keep it up!

Agree with you there!:up:

P.S. your sig says a book, when you get the movie deal don't forget us! We will all want to be extras! It would be the ultimate Subsim meet!:arrgh!:

Laughing Swordfish

08-26-10, 11:18 AM

Wouldn't everyone being in the movie be great!

Which character would you be though?

LS

Laughing Swordfish

08-26-10, 07:54 PM

I insisted on stopping at a cafe before we got back to the hotel. Hans looked all in even if he didn't want to show it.

I ordered coffee, and then asked him gently.

"How bad is it Hans? Josie told me that you told her it was only a scratch from a shrapnel wound?"

Hans shook his head tiredly. "With grenades and mortars you don't really know a thing. With bayonet fighting you know everything".

A moment later we were in the back toilet area peering over the sink into the mirror as Hans Auer peeled off the head bandage that must have been stuck to his head for days.

I tried not to gasp. The cut was deep and rudimentarily surtured by the last over-worked medic that treated him. It ran from from the left side of his forehead, down to his cheek.

"He missed my eye, Rollie, that's lucky eh? Over there, both sides are now sharpening one side of their entrenching tools or spades and using them as axes when we get close up. Haven't we come a long way since the Middle Ages!" he laughed bitterly.

But then more urgently: "What will Josie think when she sees me?"

"She won't care. She never stops talking about you; and don't forget you looked after her when her leg got mangled. She thought you might never want see her again after that".

"Really?"

"Yes but it wouldn't hurt, well actually it will probably, to clean it up a bit. Let's get rid of this old rag for one thing," and I tossed the bloody and dusty bandage in the bin. I used my handkerchief damped in hot water to wipe away the worst of the blood, pus, and travel grime that had accumulated around the wound. Hans Auer didn't make a sound except to say at the end:

"Isn't our coffee getting cold? I haven't had a real cup in months."

I was already thinking about some nearby pharmacie, but I needn't have worried. The owner's wife, on seeing Hans, rushed out with antiseptic and cotton wool and dabbed fiercely on Hans's cut. This time he did wince, and was told in French that he was a big baby.

In the meantime her young daughter had been sent running to the local doctor or pharmacie and came back breathlessly with a strip of flesh coloured adhesive plaster just long and wide enough to cover the wound, although we had to cut a bit out around the left eye at Hans's insistence.

"You'll do. Come on then. I'm already in trouble, I was only going out to the local shops. Let's face the music..."

LS

OSU

08-26-10, 09:22 PM

Looks like Hans is gonna have a nice scar to show off to Josie.

frau kaleun

08-26-10, 09:36 PM

Scars = HAWT

I'm just sayin'.

Laughing Swordfish

08-27-10, 05:47 AM

"So what happened with the Ivan who did it, Hans?"

He looked at me and shrugged.

"Well, there were two of us, and I'm standing here, aren't I"

We were outside the hotel by now. I could see Heidi pacing in the reception area.

We were both nervous with excitement.

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

LS

Jimbuna

08-27-10, 03:44 PM

Very enthralling...way to go LS http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

bookworm_020

08-28-10, 05:31 AM

She'll forgive you for your lateness, considering what your bringing back for her!:up:

Laughing Swordfish

08-28-10, 08:04 AM

Hans was waiting outside when I came through the door and Heidi rushed to me half in anger, half in relief.

"Where have you been Rollie, It's been ages. I've been worried half to death here!"

"A long story darling, I'll explain everything, but first of all, where is Josie?"

"Still in her room, she seemed a little upset"

"Well there's someone here that might cheer her up," and I gestured through the window to Hans.

As he came in, Heidi clasped her hands in joy.

She ran to him and held him so tight enough that I was beginning to feel unwanted

"Rollie! Why didn't you say?"

It was my turn for a hug and a kiss.

"Josie will be so thrilled! How did you manage to find him here?"

(Pure chance and a pack of lies).

"Oh you know, I pulled some strings."

"Rollie you're a miracle worker"

Every time I get the U-46 safely back in the pen, and the lads have a girl like Heidi waiting for them...... That's a miracle.

LS

JScones

08-28-10, 08:18 AM

Wow, this is still going? Cool. :up:

Kpt. Hans Specht

08-28-10, 06:54 PM

Wow, I am glad to see that its still going! Loving it as always just came back to it after a long hiatus

OSU

08-30-10, 07:04 PM

Wow - just ...... wow. Been on these forums for a while, but just now stumbled on this - been reading the entire thing from post 1 to now - about a six hour read. Damn .. you are GOOD. Bookmarked .....

Haha, I did that myself when I found this story a month ago. I read the entire thing over a few days staying up late on my computer and PSP reading this thing and enjoying every minute of it!

Wolfling04

08-31-10, 12:58 PM

Finally got to the last page after reading 2 hrs a day for 2 weeks, now I find myself randomly surfing the net waiting for the next installment.

Laughing Swordfish this is truly an awesome story

Laughing Swordfish

09-03-10, 05:37 AM

We were all standing in the corridor outside Josie's room.

Well I was standing, Hans was shifting nervously from one foot to another, and Heidi was fairly hopping with excitement.

I knocked on the door.

"Josie, are you ready? We're starving out here"

"Coming, Rollie", she sounded much braver now.

At that Heidi and I darted around the wood panelled corner and peeked out, it was all I could do to stop Heidi whispering in delight, as Hans stood there with flowers, just as he had at the hospital after the raid.

The door opened.

LS

bookworm_020

09-03-10, 06:53 AM

Don't leave us hanging.......

Laughing Swordfish

09-03-10, 02:01 PM

Sorry Bookworm

England are playing here, back later when we've lost again.

RdB

Laughing Swordfish

09-03-10, 05:13 PM

There was a sharp intake of breath from inside the room.

Heidi was peering more and more around the corridor.

Hans to his credit kept it very simple.

"Hello Josie, I'm back from the front, I brought you these....."

"Hansi! You came!"

You wouldn't think that a tall strong panzer grenadier, that had bludgeoned an enemy to death not so long ago, could be reeled backwards by the force of a lame senior naval clerk. Her running hug sent him back against the opposite wall

"Hansi! What....?"

Heidi was beside herself....and had to be shushed

Feldwebel Auer gulped. Took Josie's hands in his own.

"Fate brought me back here Josie", he cast a glance at the corridor corner, where I was straining to keep Heidi from running in.

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

09-08-10, 01:13 PM

Wow, LS, I love the way you work these things into the story. You do have a gift.

See, KL, ask and ye shall recieve. :rock:

Without a doubt, Sailor Steve

... and RdB has delivered in SPADES!

Little does he know that something a bit similar is playing out here at home...

(RdB... please don't kill off any of those four, mate. They've had it rough enough already.)

Laughing Swordfish

09-08-10, 04:56 PM

That was it.

With a squeal of pure delight, Heidi was gone, I could hold her back no longer.

She rushed to hug the happy couple. "Josie! Hans!"

Girls can normally be quite good at subterfuge, but Heidi was an open book..

"Heidi! You knew!"

"Only from a few moments ago..."

Both of their looks turned to the corner of the corridor where I was trying to slink away.

"Get here Rollie!"

And before I knew it I had Josie's lipstick on my cheek and scolding slaps on my chest in equal measure.

But Hans was the main attraction.

"Look at you Hansi, You've brought half the Ukraine back with you!"

Hans looked bashful. Until Josie said "Let's get you in the bath!"

She didn't once mention his face.

I nudged Heidi. Cue for us to make ourselves scarce.

"Still got some shopping to do, see you in the cafe across the road, later."

And Heidi and I walked hand in hand down the stairs together.

LS

Jimbuna

09-08-10, 05:28 PM

Loves first dream http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/headbanger.gif

bookworm_020

09-09-10, 05:55 AM

Could be a long wait in the cafe!:03:

Laughing Swordfish

09-12-10, 08:22 PM

Well it was a while before Josie and Hans emerged from the hotel, but it wasn't as if we weren't busy.

Heidi and I did the shopping for the day out. Some earrings, some perfume of course, and some samples for dress design, shoes, let's take all three pairs and go; hat, two hats, some silk gloves, and a new handbag that I had to endure pretending to care about the choice. All essential picnic ingredients naturally.

The ham, cheese, croissants, fresh bread, tomatoes, lettuce, a nice cloth rug to sit on, various other goodies that caught our eye and a good french wine came last, and we picked them up all from a shop including a wicker hamper to put it all in, from a magasin not one minute back from where we started at the hotel.

"It's too late for a picnic now, Rollie"

Heidi came back from putting her boxes and bags back in the room.

"You've been listening in at Josie's door, haven't you?"

"No!" she blushed.

"Well they're probably resting. They've been through a lot, lots to catch up on."

Heidi is a Bavarian girl by birth, used to the country ways and the mountainside. She confessed it always made her giggle to hear about my nickname from rolling helplessly down the ski slopes. And she promises to show me how to stay on two feet next time.

Her father is strict and of Prussian descent. He hates France and the French, (and I'm sure the feeling tends to be mutual), but will come to the wedding either here or, service permitting, back in Germany.

She has two sisters, one older, and one younger; and an older brother who is a member of the Nazi party, and they haven't seen eye to eye for quite a while. I hope we are all good Aryan stock according to his rules.

She was in the whole 'Strength Through Joy' thing as a girl, encouraged by her father, which is why Heidi ended up in the navy. Having been on the front at Verdun, and the Somme as a young man himself, no child of his was going back into the infantry, girl or not. Much safer in the Navy

Her older sister sings (and I'm guessing strips on the side, although Heidi won't say it) in clubs in Berlin wearing a top hat and stockings and suspenders. Heidi has seen her rehearse and apparently it's quite a show, I shall have to get tickets for my U-46 gang, or on second thoughts, maybe definitely not..

Her younger sister is a nurse already. People are being called in to the War so much earlier it seems these days.

"She writes to me about the injuries she has to deal with, and the general suffering out there in Russia. Look, here's her last letter. She's somewhere behind the front in the Crimea. But they are always hopelessly out of date"
............................

'Hello Sis, little Gertie here,

I'm very well considering everything. I miss good home food and a warm bed, and listening to the jazz on the radio like we used to back home.

The 6th Army are on the march again. There's nothing they can't do, so hopefully we can make Stalin see sense this year.

Heidi, I have seen some terrible things. Most of the soldiers we try to treat are about my age, (or yours, you oldie!), and there are more of them each day. I'm sure it's because they are in shock, or just exhausted, but I haven't heard one of them talk about victory.

How is Hannah getting on in Berlin? The last time she wrote, she had a major acting job on the stage. I hope that's going well?

So tell me more about that cute-sounding U-boat Captain you keep writing about....."

-----------------------------------------------

Heidi snatched the letter out of my hand, but was careful to fold it neatly and put it back in her purse.

"You're not allowed to read that bit. And I hardly ever mentioned you at all. Maybe once or twice..."

"Heidi, my love, I don't have that many people to write to about you, but if I did, I would give that postman a bad back.....what's wrong..?

There was a tear running down from her right eye.

"Oh Rollie, this is the last letter I've had from her. They're normally so frequent. I think things might be going badly"

A U-boat man is probably the last person to ask about current affairs. His whole world tends to be much, much smaller.

"I really don't know Heidi, it's probably just an army postal thing, maybe it's lying in a sack in Poland or somewhere. If she's anything like her older sister, she'll be ok, looking after people, just like you and Josie do, in a way, with people like us.."

She reached for my hand across the table.

"It'll be all right won't it?"

"Yes Heidi, it will be all right. That's what I say to the U-46 crew all the time, and it never fails!"

The smile was back on her face as Josie and Hans walked beaming through the door.

LS

bookworm_020

09-13-10, 07:36 PM

I'm surprised that Hans has the energy to walk!:03:

Jimbuna

09-14-10, 09:39 AM

I'm guessing that when Rollie looks at him again he'll notice he has three legs :DL

Kpt. Lehmann

09-14-10, 05:05 PM

Without a doubt, Sailor Steve

... and RdB has delivered in SPADES!

Little does he know that something a bit similar is playing out here at home...

(RdB... please don't kill off any of those four, mate. They've had it rough enough already.)

Cheers RdB. I didn't want to hijack your thread... but if you have nothing better to do one day... a little story of my own. :D
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=1493217#post1493217

Laughing Swordfish

09-15-10, 04:25 AM

Thanks Todd (KL), that's such an uplifting story.

Love is definitely in the air these days!

I was in a forbidden relationship myself once. I was seeing a girl who was also white, but her stepfather was black and wouldn't stand for her going out with a white boy. No happy ending there, I'm afraid; but it just goes to show that racism, as abhorrent as it is, is a two-way street, if not a multi-lane highway.

Also another one later on, but she had a gangsta husband, so that had to end quickly too. Like you, I'll get there in the end!

I digress. Congratulations to you both, I'm thrilled for you. When and where can I send flowers?

Raoul de Bunsen (LS)

Laughing Swordfish

09-17-10, 08:20 AM

We sat down to dinner together. The girls chatting excitedly away, and Hans scrubbed up to perfection, with a far away smile on his face.

"You know Hans," I said, because I felt he was still self-conscious about his looks in front of Josie "You will have a fine duelling scar just like the Prussian aristocracy".

Josie turned from Heidi and looked up.

She reached across and in one stroke tore the plaster from Hans's face.

"Ow!"

The scar was deep and long. That Ivan had really meant business.

"It's just a scratch Hansi, you're not ready for the general staff just yet!"

And she leant over and kissed him on that side of his face. It was a beautiful act of unconditional love.

"It's better to let the air get to it, darling, it'll heal better that way. Now eat your coq au vin, it's delicious, and here comes the champagne!"

Josie really is a remarkable young lady.

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

09-17-10, 10:26 AM

Thank you for the kind words and thoughts, RdB. :up: I'm sure sending flowers would cost an arm and a leg... and they might be a bit wilty by the time they made it to Texas.

If you'll send us a good thought on the 23rd of October... the two of us will be more than happy!

It would seem Hansi is a lucky fella too! :D

(Unless you have plans to kill him on the Eastern front... or have Josie squished in a bombing raid at home... :stare: ... so don't EVEN think it! :stare::stare::stare: ;))

Laughing Swordfish

09-17-10, 11:51 AM

Well there's Interflora, and did you know half the flowers sold in the UK are flown in from Kenya? Crazy.

Just let me have the address mate, and I'll be glad to send my good wishes.

As for the four of us. my fate is wrapped up in the game, but I fully intend to get through each patrol as best I can.

As for Heidi, Josie, and Hans, even as a storyteller I don't know what the future will bring (because I make it up as I go along!) you're right, they have been through a lot, but this is war.

But Rollie loves Heidi, and has such a strong affection for her best friend and Hans, that he would never want anything bad to happen to any of them.

Yours always, RdB

Kpt. Lehmann

09-18-10, 05:16 PM

Well cheers to you then RdB! As you appear to be a rather determined man... you have a private message sir! :salute:

Laughing Swordfish

09-19-10, 06:01 AM

Got it mate!

RdB

Laughing Swordfish

09-19-10, 06:30 AM

The next day we had our picnic, in the Parc du Champ de Mars, despite it's martial name, and the Ecole Militaire at one end reminding me of all of our service duties, it's a beautifully kept park and in the shadow of the Eifel Tower, which will forever have fond memories for me.

It was a blissfully happy day as we chatted and laughed, with no mention of Russia or the sea. Josie told of the pranks they got up to at the naval academy, making Heidi blush, and try to shush her. Hansi did his party piece which none of us knew he had. Using three random items from the picnic he did a juggling act which only ended when he threw a bottle of wine too high and it caught in the branch of a tree.

"Oh Hansi, that was our last one, you have to go and get it!" Josie cried.

And with a grin he climbed the tree effortlessly, got the bottle, threw it even higher in the air, leapt deftly to the ground in time to catch it in one hand as it fell, to great applause.

As the sun came down, and we drained the last of that bottle in a toast, we knew it was time to go.

Noone said it, but the war beckoned again. Heidi and Josie's leave had been unofficially extended by me. And Hans's Regiment wouldn't know where he was. Well the girls could be explained away by me, and Hans's soldbuch still has a docket for convalescent leave.

I'd called in a favour from the naval attache and a staff car will be waiting for us tomorrow.

I'll never forget the last few days, but now it's time to go back.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

09-22-10, 06:58 AM

The car is officially part of a pool owned by some Nazi Party fancy hat, who has been summoned back to Berlin, on some charges of corruption, and other offences that even she wouldn't mention to me. Only to Heidi.

Josie is brilliant at getting the gossip even from girls she's never met, except over the telephone in the Attache office.

Anyway the Gestapo tend to take people away in their own vehicles. So we get his car. From what I know of the Geheime Stats Polizei, he may not be needing it back for a while. It's odd, because, simple sailor as I am, I sense they're all at it to one degree or another. This whole conquest thing seems to have gone to our heads. Maybe they're making an example, or maybe they just like arresting people, the bigger the better.

Anyway, it's a bright sunny day, and the roof is down on the mercedes. As Hans puts the last of the girls' luggage into the boot, I instruct the driver to remove the swastika flags from the front fenders.

"With pleasure, Sir" An old soldier. He smiled.

Soon the mood cheered up as we chatted and enjoyed the wind in our hair, and the french countryside.

I suppose myself and Hans have both developed an animal instinct for danger.

For suddenly we both jerked our heads upwards and yelled "Jabo!"

LS

OSU

09-22-10, 05:01 PM

:o @*$%! This doesn't look good!

Sailor Steve

09-22-10, 09:28 PM

:o @*$%! This doesn't look good!
Go back and read our reactions when Campbelltown came to town.
:rotfl2:

frau kaleun

09-22-10, 09:33 PM

Okay, Google is giving me nothing (especially since I'm too lazy to look past the first half dozen links).

I know a wabo is a wasserbomb, what the heck is a jabo? I'm guessing it has to do with some kind of aerial attack but my limited German is not giving me any clues, assuming it's also a shortened slang version of some longer term.

Sailor Steve

09-22-10, 09:38 PM

It's short for Jagdbomber, or fighter-bomber.

frau kaleun

09-22-10, 10:08 PM

It's short for Jagdbomber, or fighter-bomber.

Thanks! I knew it had to be something to do with an air attack but couldn't figure it out.

OSU

09-22-10, 10:39 PM

Think P-47. A modern version would be something like an A-10.

Laughing Swordfish

09-23-10, 07:27 AM

This one was a Spitfire.

It roared directly overhead

Our driver, Schmidt, was already spinning the car off the road into the trees as far as it would go, while Hans and I were still shouting, and instinctively throwing our bodies on top of the girls.

"Out! Out!" It was Hans who took command, and we leaped out, Heidi didn't need any help, but Schmidt gave Hans a lending hand getting Josie and her leg brace to safety, and we all took refuge deeper in the wood.

We waited there for several minutes while we got our breath back, and then started laughing. Hans was swapping war stories with Schmidt, while I had the two girls to myself again. They had twigs in their hair and grass stains on their new skirts and didn't care a bit.

"Well that's another one for the diary on this trip!"

"Do you keep a diary Heidi?"

"No, of course not, Rollie!" Heidi blushed.

"She does!" Josie laughed. "And you're in it Herr Kaleun!"

"Have you been reading it Josie!"

"How could I, if it doesn't exist. And you tell me everything anyway!"

"Such as...?" I couldn't resist asking.

"Sir, we need to think about our immediate situation," Hans interrupted. "Schmidt knows this road.."

Schmidt coughed. "Yes sir, spitfires often come along here, I think they use the roads to navigate; sometimes they are armed, but maybe looking for bigger targets, sometimes they do shoot you up; sometimes they are just on a reconnaissance mission, taking photographs of our installations or troop movements. I think we might be ok with this one. Sometimes they circle round and empty their guns" He shuddered. "This one kept on going. I think it was a routine recce mission, if you want to risk it back on the road, Sir?"

I looked at the girls. They just shrugged and looked at us with utter trust. I've seen that look before many times in the control room of the U-46, and the only thing to do is act on it.

"Ok let's go, otherwise we'll be late for dinner"

Soon after we set off, the spifire was back. Returning the same way it had come. Schmidt was relaxed. If he had any tracer left or any intention of shooting us up, he would have by now. (God I still hate planes though).

"Smile for the camera, everybody!"

And we waved at the pilot as he briefly circled, and then he waggled his wings and sped away back home.

And soon we were home too. At least the place we call our home, St Nazaire, and in my case, a slender metal tube with a green swordfish painted on each side..

LS

frau kaleun

09-23-10, 08:27 AM

Think P-47. A modern version would be something like an A-10.

Thanks, but it doesn't help. I don't know from planes. :oops:

Sailor Steve

09-23-10, 09:50 AM

And we waved at the pilot as he briefly circled, and then he waggled his wings and sped away back home.
An enemy with a sense of whimsy. Always nice to meet. :sunny:

Thanks, but it doesn't help. I don't know from planes. :oops:
Fighters are small, one engine, one man, and guns. Bombers are large, two or more engines, two or more men, and bombs (and guns).

Fighter-bombers are fighters that can carry bombs, and usually fly low and aim their bombs at specific targets, like cars on roads. When a Hurricane drops a bomb on your u-boat, that's a 'Jabo'.

Fortunately for our heroes, photo-recon (or "recce" if your British) aircraft are usually unarmed.

frau kaleun

09-23-10, 01:00 PM

An enemy with a sense of whimsy. Always nice to meet. :sunny:

Fighters are small, one engine, one man, and guns. Bombers are large, two or more engines, two or more men, and bombs (and guns).

Fighter-bombers are fighters that can carry bombs, and usually fly low and aim their bombs at specific targets, like cars on roads. When a Hurricane drops a bomb on your u-boat, that's a 'Jabo'.

Fortunately for our heroes, photo-recon (or "recce" if your British) aircraft are usually unarmed.

Lol, I do know the basic differences between a fighter and a bomber and a fighter-bomber, more or less. It's when specific names get rattled off that I go :doh: because things like "A-10" and "P-47" are meaningless to me.

I'm familiar with the names of certain "famous" planes like a B-17 or a Spitfire, but probably couldn't pick one out of a lineup. Unless the lineup consisted only of B-17s and Spitfires, I think I could manage that. :O:

maillemaker

09-23-10, 02:49 PM

P-47 Razorback was a WWII fighter plane:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_P-47_Thunderbolt

The A10 Warthog is a modern era jet fighter that specializes in ground assault:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Republic_A-10_Thunderbolt_II

Steve

Jimbuna

09-23-10, 03:55 PM

The problem is, regardless of what type it is, you have to guess/gamble the intent :hmmm:

bookworm_020

09-24-10, 04:21 AM

If you keep this up LS, will be the ones dieing of a heart attack!:oops:

Laughing Swordfish

09-24-10, 10:32 AM

I think Jagd stems from Jager, meaning hunter in German They used it on their tanks too, and also thir night fighter planes, they would put upward firing cannons into the noses of ME110s or Dorniers, be quided on by radar, and ahoot them down that from underneath. They called it 'NachtMusik'. Their tank destroyers like the Jagdpanther a highly effective tank destroyer with the same 88mm gun we have, but designed to bust tanks instead of hole ships.(the Germans were at least cool cats when it came to naming their tanks, they had Tigers and Panthers and Lynx's, we got general's names like Sherman, Lee, and Grant, also Cromwell, and Crusader, two names that sums up some, but not all, of the worst in British History).
Enough historical facts, and back to the story!

LS

Draka

09-24-10, 11:05 AM

Small nit to pick - the 88mm gun we have is a naval cannon, not too major a gun - the famous 88mm Flak gun is another whole catagory, from the rifling characteristics, to the shell, to the use as an anti-tank weapon from the Spanish Civil War onward. At the ranges we fire, say 500m, that would be point-blank range - they were designed to shoot down aircraft many "angels" high in the sky ........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.8_cm_FlaK_18/36/37/41

Sailor Steve

09-24-10, 11:31 AM

P-47 Razorback
The P-47's official nickname was 'Thunderbolt'. The pilots liked to call it the 'Jug', because if you stood it on its nose it resembled an old-fashioned metal milk jug.

'Razorback' was the descriptive for the early canopy, as shown in picture #4 of your link. The later canopy, shown in picture #1, was called 'bubbletop'.

Laughing Swordfish

09-25-10, 02:52 PM

I stand corrected.

Same calibre, different gun entirely. The 88 AA gun pushed into anti tank service by the army, sometimes still on it's wheels, particularly in North Africa, was a much feared weapon. So much so, that allied tank crews on hearing or seeing a near miss, would sometimes bail out anyway, because the next one was bound to hit.

There is a story of a single 88 left as rearguard holding up the advance on an Italian hillside village all day. Eight Shermans were knocked out, one after the other. The Allies were at a loss, and were about to call in the planes when the German gunners came down the track with their hands up.

When asked why they'd given up, one of them simply said, 'No more shells'.

RdB

Laughing Swordfish

09-27-10, 05:27 PM

I come back down to the pen.

And there she is, as good as new, the U-46, men busy all over her, the clanging and banging, shouting and hoisting and loading of torpedoes. The last of the provisions being lowered down. Joachim standing over the whole operation like an avenging angel. They are his eels, and he insists on high standards. We had more than one patrol where some were duds. Not Joachim's fault, noone pays more attention to torpedo maintenance than my Weapons Officer. But he takes it personally when one fails. (Actually all of us may take it personally, we could get killed if our torpedoes don't work...but that's another matter).

It's Willi that sees me first.

"Kapitan on deck!"

Everyone snapped to attention, and formed up on the fore deck.

They know I don't go in for that formality.

How's she looking, Willi?"

"Never better Kap. We'll be out in no time."

"Where are Christian and the rest of the officers?"

"Below Sir, we weren't expecting you back quite so soon..."

Willi can't keep a straight face, and there's obviously something up.

The men lined up on the deck are laughing too.

There is a commotion behind me as Christian and Bruno appear, carrying Heidi shoulder high, protesting down the gangplank. Oscar is walking solemnly but smiling behind them. Cox is carrying Josie on his shoulders behind the entourage, so she can get a view

I sighed. There are no secrets in the 7th Flotilla, or in the U-46.

Heidi fell into my arms just under the conning tower to great applause.

Thankfully Oscar kept it short.

"Friends and comrades, this is not a formal wedding, but a betrothal between two dear friends of mine. I ask you to witness it here on our boat, and celebrate with some cake!"

At which point Kuki appeared on cue from behind the bridge bearing a huge iced apple and walnut cake. Wine and beer came out too, but all I wanted to do was hug Heidi, even in front of the men.

"Thank you Oscar, Christian, all of you, you bastards, how did you know?" And then I saw Josie hopping on her good leg near the gun with a glass in her hand, and that was that mystery solved.

LS

Jimbuna

09-27-10, 05:31 PM

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

Laughing Swordfish

10-01-10, 12:55 PM

As word spread, amongst the crews of the boats preparing to leave, the party grew, until there were so many people and beer kegs, I almost feared the U-46 would sink at last under the weight of it's own people.

Otto and Joachim still had some fine tuning of their own downstairs, and refused anyone but the Swordfish crew to muck about inside the boat itself while he and his staff were working, but a crate or two were handed down to slake their thirst.

The guards at the entrance to the pens knew when to turn a blind eye to some last day high jinks, and were rewarded with a few bottles each passed surreptitiously to them up at street level.

Not so, the bumptious flotilla officer who stupidly tried to pull rank and stop it on his own. He ended up with a huge splash in the foul, oily water of No.3 Pen, and was rescued spluttering and gibbering with a boat hook by Cox. Cox was to receive a medal for that later apparently, (even though it was him that stuck out a foot and tripped him into the drink in the first place).

But finally the party was over, the last of the empties thrown carelessly into the deep dock. The nurses gone, apart from one momento.

"Dieter is that you?", pointing at the main hawser line.

"What do you mean, Sir?"

"A pair of hospital issue white panties may be a victory pennant of some sorts, but it is not what we are going out with, now get it down!"

.....And now with everything loaded and triple checked it is time to go.

Heidi and I have already had our last lingering kiss goodbye, and I have made every promise I can to stem her tears.

Josie has been up with Hans at the nearby Army hospital, where he is basically putting his feet up, but I know they will both be at their usual place.

Having got through with the leaving formalities and the bands and officers, I give the orders to Otto on the bridge to turn off the electric motors, and with a grin he relays them to Reuben. The engines turn for a moment and purr and then roar into life. Otto turns to me and yells above them himself in delight at their perfect sound. The wake behind us grows at a greater speed than I should really allow on leaving the pens, but let's let Otto show off.

Even here we have the flak gun manned and watching the skies; but I am only looking for one thing, and there they are. A blonde and a flame haired brunette right at the end of the Quay, waving like mad, always determined to be the last to see us off, and if they can, the first to see us back.

I wave madly back with my white cap, joined by all of a cheering First Watch, and keep waving or watching until they are distant specks along the bends of the Loire estuary.

"I'm going below Christian, let me know when we're in open sea"

The U-46 has put to sea again.

LS

bookworm_020

10-02-10, 12:31 AM

Back to sea at last!:arrgh!: Didn't know if you would get permission to leave!

Laughing Swordfish

10-02-10, 05:07 PM

A pipe from the Bridge.

"We are entering out into the Bay. Any steering orders?"

Willi and I have been studying the charts for some time.

I came up for a look. Still daylight.

"Get the boys in, and feed them. We'll go down for an hour or so, then come back up into the night. I want your watch back up when we resuface.

Christian is straight on it.

"Prepare to dive!"

He beckons or pushes his crew and the gunners below.

The answering voice is "Prepare to dive, ja"

"12 metres, we're coming in. Dive now".

"After you Kap,"

That's confidence for you.

Even with the water already breaking up against the bridge, as the boat heads down, he stands there with his feet wet, and then jumps in after me spinning the lid locking wheels and leaping the ladder with both feet.

"Cut to electric motors, slow ahead both"

What would I do without him.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

10-03-10, 07:55 AM

We're using these last daylight hours to trim the boat submerged.

This is Otto's territory, and he is on the shoulders of the planesmen checking every nuance every slight tilt against different currents. Everything must be perfectly balanced. If Otto had his way, and Kuki wanted two large cans of green beans, he would take one from the port side of the boat and the other from the starboard.

So various items are shifted until Otto is satisfied. This is a daily ritual as food and fuel are used and torpedoes, hopefully, fired.

It's vital to the handling of the boat, and in all our best interests for survival, but it is a monotonous routine.

Only enlivened when a torpedo man comes through from the fore ends on some errand or other.

He suddenly shouts "Schiller for Germany!" and rushes forward, leaps and makes a perfect header on one of the large hams we have hanging from the Control Room piping. "He scores!" Then does a somersault through the hatchway, a double roll into the petty officers' area, stands up without a pause, arms aloft and does a little victory celebration.

Huge applause, me included, even Otto was forced to smile.

The lads are in high spirits, I have the feeling this is going to be a good patrol.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

10-13-10, 06:32 AM

Next, when we're out into deeper water, comes the test dive.

Again Otto's baby, but Reuben has come forward too, as he orders the boat down.

We all take a naturally keen interest too. We know how deep beyond expectation the Swordfish can go, because the older hands have been there before. But it's a terrifying experience even for them, as even the superbly engineered hull of a German U-boat actually contracts at that depth, making that awful creaking and moaning sound.

Also we have a few new young members of the crew now, for most this is their first war patrol. They need to get used to it.

Otto levels us off at 100m. That's already deeper than specification. But she handles it without complaint, while Reuben and his gang rush around her, checking every rivet, valve and seal.

Otto looks at me questioningly, and I turn to Willi in turn.

"How much have we got Willi?"

"At least another 100 metres under the keel Kap".

"Ease her down another 50 metres then, Otto"

Metre by metre, the U-46 obediently goes down but the ominous creaking grows, as if she is muttering to herself. We have the new boys through to the Control Room, wide eyed and staring at the depth meter or at the hull all around them. I was pleased to see that though nervous or scared, none cried out even at 150 when the boat gave a particularly long groan.
All the while Reuben and the maintenance crew are rushing through the boat checking and tightening, until he pokes his head through and gives me the thumbs up.

"Thank you 2nd Engineer. Otto take us up to periscope depth please. Good work everyone, we're in great shape".

Great smiles all round as the depth needle stops hovering in the red part of the dial and starts to slowly turn counter-clockwise. By human instinct it's a naturally comforting thing for anyone to see.

Soon we are at 12 metres, and the periscope shows a clear sea. It's time to get a move on.

"Surface stations!"

First Watch are already under the ladder, and Viktor has his radio earphones back on.

"Surface! Standby diesels!"

And then the U-46 is charging up through the waves, with Christian and his Watch spilling out of the bridge hatch, binos at the ready.

Here we go again.

LS

Jimbuna

10-13-10, 03:37 PM

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

bookworm_020

10-14-10, 12:29 AM

and then return to Hedi for new orders!;)

Laughing Swordfish

10-15-10, 11:55 AM

Dusk had fallen, and I had Otto push the motors a little more.

The sooner we are out of the Bay the better.

We slowed for a dinghy bobbing listlessly in the waves, and hooked it alongside. Looked like a luftwaffe emergency raft, but empty except for a note, wedged in an empty waterproof map wallet.

"Take this downstairs give it to the Doc. Christian, box search. We can't spend long and it's a million to one chance, but maybe the only one. Loudhailers up, and low light torches...

LS

Laughing Swordfish

10-16-10, 06:05 AM

In two hours of search, we never did find those lost comrades. Reuben was on the Bridge, having been through it himself, insisting on a few minutes more.

"Reuben, my friend, we've scoured the water around here, and even followed the current in case they were dragged away. We have to face it, they're gone.

Reuben nodded sadly "Yes Kap, we can't expect miracles every day. Let's get moving."

And it was he who gave the orders to return to course and up the speed.

Down below and on my way to cadge a sausage sandwich from Kuki, I passed Oscar, and remembered,

"What did that last note say, Doc?"

LS

Jimbuna

10-16-10, 11:11 AM

"I could die for a sausage sandwich" :DL:03:

bookworm_020

10-17-10, 06:19 PM

"Bernard was my aircraft mechanic!"

Laughing Swordfish

10-20-10, 10:08 AM

"Oh you don't need to see it Rollie, it's nothing"

He held it away and started to crumple it up.

"Oh come on Doc, I'm curious now, give it here!"

And I playfully snatched it and smoothed it out.

The first part was details of the aircraft, an ME 110, and it's number and Squadron.

"You don't need to read any more, Rollie..."

"Hang on Doc..."

The first entry was from the gunner, Albert Kleb, in shaky writing as if he had been in great pain. Saying farewell to his family in Magdeburg.

The next bit written in a firmer hand, but blood stained, was from the pilot.....

"It's sheer coincidence, that's all, Rollie...."

It said:

'I'm so sorry I won't be coming home. I have loved you always and up to the last moment, Heidi, yours forever, Roland.'

I sat down on Oscar's bunk, as he gently took the note from my hand.

"Come on Rollie, it's just a similarity in names, it's not some sort of omen. I'll make sure that Roland's Heidi get's this last message at least. When we get back. When we ALL get back safe. He clapped his hand on my shoulder. Don't go all supersticious on me like Willi."

To Christian's surprise on the bridge I ordered him to turn back and do another box search, until I had to finally admit defeat, and get the boat back on course again.

I laid on my bunk with the green curtain drawn. That last message had shaken me more than I thought. We're not invincible, poor Roland and his partner found that out, and now I have so much more at stake. If it comes to it, my Heidi will never even know how it ended, just that I'm not 'coming home'.

Being a U-boat commander is all about confidence and an outward lack of fear. But it takes it's toll. Feeling suddenly tired, but before I close my eyes, I hear Oscar's voice on the other side of the curtain, shooing away one of the crew.

"Don't disturb the Kapitan, take it to the Chief, or the Second Officer"

And then I slept the sleep of the damned.

LS

Jimbuna

10-20-10, 02:51 PM

Wow!!...now that was a turn up for the book :o

Laughing Swordfish

10-28-10, 01:04 PM

A double knock on the bulkhead awakes me.

Bruno appears like a magician through the curtain. His hair slicked with sea water, his sea reddened face and oilskins streaming the same.

But still the same youthful smile, and this time he had a cup of coffee and a croissant in his hands.

"Thanks Bruno". The cup was half full and luke warm as they often are on a U-boat, and the croissant already oily damp and salty, but I wolfed them down gratefully. Sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"But what about Christian? He needs to be relieved and..."

"I did that hours ago Kap, He's sleeping, Otto has the helm. I've just come down myself. Willi's gang is up now. We're out of the Bay without a hitch, and into the Atlantic proper, heading due North West. There was no need to wake you up, besides," he looked at the streaming drips of his clothes and the puddle on the deck, "There's nothing to see up there in this weather for either side, and in any case we thought you'd retired!" and his cheeky grin disappeared behind the curtain and was off to his bunk before I could find a sea boot to throw at him.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

11-05-10, 09:09 AM

"We can't go under, Willi, we're late as it is."

Another wave engulfed us and left us spluttering, panting and cursing. We're making preciously small headway in the teeth of this gale, but even less if we submerged and rode it out.

We're supposed to be a link in a wolf pack line west of Ireland, and have already had several signals from 7th Flotilla urging us on to our station. They seem to have forgotten the two fly boys we tried to save of course.

"Willi, this is useless, noone can see anything or even do anything about it in this weather. Divide your team, rest two of them but have one experienced and one of your green ones and rotate them every hour until we get out of this weather. You and I need to look at the chart."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-04-10, 12:35 AM

Inevitably our luck couldn't stay that good.

Sharp eyes from Willi's watch through the spray and the rain to make out a dot in the sky.

All binoculars looking towards Schiffer's pointed finger.

Willi himself is first to send the alarm shrilling through the boat, and the lads were already scurrying below as we watched the plane notice us and bank round. But at that distance we have a better than even chance.

"Hard to port! Down to 40 metres!"

"Halifax, Willi?"

"Yeah I reckon so, Kap"

Otto has the boat handling well and we are soon slipping down and away.

One of the new bugs is gripping one of the control room pipes and shaking while everyone else is going about their business.

"Hey Schenze, what's up? Is this your first bombing attack? They're scary at first aren't they? I know mine was. But look at all these old hares getting on with it. They've survived much worse, and they're still here. You'll probably hear a couple of loud crashes in a moment; nothing more. Something to tell your friends about anyway, junge! So come on now get back to your station and stay with your mates in the torpedo room. It'll be lunch soon, and I need you to bring the plates through".

He smiled and sort of saluted and disappeared through the hatch.

Otto caught my eye and winked. He doesn't need any waifs and strays in the Control Room when he's busy.

The charges fell well aft and off to one side. The last one rocked us a bit but we've had much worse, and I suppose we should be thankful to the Brits for it. It's given the newest lads a first taste of what's out there on the Atlantic, and also an excuse to ride out any follow up by sea or air in the calm and serene waters of 40 metres down off Ireland, and just in time for lunch.

It's bacon, cabbage and potatoes in a thick gravy. Schenze brought ours through too, without spilling a drop, now all smiles. He'll be all right.

LS

Gargamel

12-15-10, 08:19 PM

Wow.

Just wow.

Saw this posted the other day, and have been reading it ever since. Total immersion. I actually crashed into the docks in Wilhelmshaven as I was engrossed by a chapter.

Ty LS.

Really think you should write a full book.

You and Brag have offered up great reading here, one with the serious drama, and the other with comedy. Thank you both. Are there any other great epic reads to be found?

And BTW, I was really hoping he'd take that desk job. :P

There's other boats to read about, but only one Heidi.

bookworm_020

02-03-11, 03:56 PM

Any Update?????

Jimbuna

02-04-11, 07:52 PM

Any Update?????

Would be nice to have one....

Laughing Swordfish

02-08-11, 07:02 AM

Aye Aye, stand by!

Sorry I have been away.

More follows.

LS

Jimbuna

02-08-11, 07:22 AM

Aye Aye, stand by!

Sorry I have been away.

More follows.

LS

Ah, welcome back LS err....'Crusty' :DL

bookworm_020

02-08-11, 07:48 PM

All shall be forgiven when the next instalment is posted!:up:

Gargamel

02-09-11, 09:28 AM

:ahoy:

Eagerly awaiting next installment.

Laughing Swordfish

02-09-11, 03:29 PM

Yeah, looks like I've become a salty old sea dog in my absence!

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-10-11, 05:19 PM

We were catching up with the wolf pack line, already stretched thin by our absence, and further holes in the mesh caused by the bad visibility.

Except they had been ordered further North to cover the North West Approach. So again I had to make Otto burnb his precious fuel.

Willi sighed, with his pencil on the map and looked at me.

"It looks like we've got good old AM53 again Kap".

We were nearly sunk there before, and barely made it home. It's like an autobahn for merchants into the Clyde or Liverpool, but also a buzzing hornets nest of escorts and air cover for the same reason. What they call from the safety of Kerneval, 'High Risk, High Reward'.

Christian used to grunt and say "Well, never mind the reward, let's share the risk out more evenly..."

Before we have to take the Allies on again though, there is a more pressing problem in the Control Room. Willi is refusing to allow a petty officer up onto the bridge, and an argument not short of insubordination is growing. The PO is Krenze. His station is with the electric motors, but he smokes, or would like to smoke, like a chimney. He's excellent at his job, and totally calm under attack, unless he can't have a smoke, then his hands shake as they are doing now, spilling captured Pall Malls from his crumpled pack onto the damp control room deck as Willi tells him again it's too rough to go up there. Even the watch are strapped to the bridge for safety.

"I need a cigarette, Sir!"

"OK!" I watch as Willi takes a cigarette from the pack and starts up the ladder.

""Wait here"

We could hear him unlocking the hatch and poking his head and arm through, and his hand with the Pall mall between first and second finger.

Within a moment there was a shower of sea water down the hatch, and Willi climbed back down with great dignity.

"Here's your smoke, Krenze"

He offered him about an inch of sodden filter and washed away cigarette.

But of course it didn't end there. The challenge was now to invent the patented weather proof u-boat smoking device.

There were many,

Ducking under the bridge was not allowed because even that can get submerged by big waves.

No waterproof capes either. We can't have anyone on the bridge who isn't able to look outwards.

Attempts to waterproof cigarettes with either pork fat or even a desperate attempt with old engine oil proved disappointing to say the least.

An ingenious contraption involving a tin french cigar tube actually turned into a musical instrument instead.

There were others, but as it always is, the answer was very simple.

LS

Jimbuna

02-12-11, 07:00 AM

The poor sod.....I wonder if he's tried this method http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/9154/9fumar1.gif (http://img828.imageshack.us/i/9fumar1.gif/)

Kpt. Lehmann

02-12-11, 11:43 AM

< Puff >

I gotta say...

< Puff >

That I can relate...

< Puff >

With Mr. Krenze!

< Puff >
< Puff >
< Puff >
:|\\

bookworm_020

02-12-11, 04:53 PM

There were others, but as it always is, the answer was very simple.

Quit smoking or nicotine patches?:hmmm:

Laughing Swordfish

02-14-11, 11:49 AM

It's funny really.

The solution put Krenze off smoking on deck altogether. Ironically he couldn't stand the taste of diesel oil.

It still hangs by the ladder. Reuben put it together, but Willi of course painted the lucky Laughing Swordfish on it's funnel and the ingenious lifting waterproof cover, a zippo lighter donated by Doc, surely now long defunct, taped to the side.

Of course the men can come up for air and a smoke out by the Winter Garden, whenever it's safe to do so, but any distraction is welcome. Oscar says that if you put a bunch of bored U-boat men in a scrap heap for a day, they would build something to fly to the moon.

"Or steal something, Doc..!"

"But certainly not write another Shakespeare play..." he added wryly.

Anyway the weather and sea has eased. Christian and his gang are up top and we are pounding along. We are picking up some radio traffic from Wolf Pack Sonnenschein. Another little joke from BdU I suppose.

The other boats on station, some we haven't worked with before, they have reported the odd lone and lucky tramp wheezing through. We all have orders to keep our powder dry and lay low. There is something much bigger out in the Atlantic and heading this way.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-17-11, 07:32 AM

As it happened it was Krenze and Reuben lounging on the Winter Garten, in a brief cloudless spell enjoying a smoke and a chat about engineer stuff, when the bomber came.

The thing with them is you don't really hear them until they are really close or overhead, and then the roar is terrifying, and quite likely the last thing you will ever hear.

It all happened at once. Me shouting at Christian not to dive, to stay up at any cost. Him piping down emergency steering orders, and to get the Flak crew scrambled up here now, right now!

The Halifax didn't drop, even though her bomb bay doors looked open. We took some tracer from her as she circled again, only a few rounds sparking off the deck plating and conning tower, but most stitching splash patterns in the sea.

As for our flak gun, we needn't have worried. Krenze knows nothing about weaponry, only machines, but Reuben has been around a fair bit longer. He barks out instructions as Krenze opens the ready-use 20mm shell clips and is shown how to feed them in, while Reuben trains the gun around.

An unforgettable picture, two determined men in their oil stained vests and caps, cigars firmly clenched between their teeth yelling "Come on! Come on you bastard!"

"Keep the plane behind us, Christian, as much as you can. Here she comes again".

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-18-11, 08:32 PM

OOS: Impulsive as usual, I've been speaking to a publisher about putting the U-46 story into a book after so long just talking about it. First time for everything, and I'm not sure I understand it all, but it looks like I need to shift 200 copies, at least at first for the first print run. Any takers out there?

LS

Sailor Steve

02-18-11, 10:51 PM

"Shift"?

If that means advanced sales, I'll gladly be the first. :sunny:

Lord_magerius

02-18-11, 11:12 PM

Put me down for one too :yeah:

Walruss

02-18-11, 11:50 PM

Yup, I'll snag a copy. Postage to australia? :D

bookworm_020

02-19-11, 01:50 AM

Another copy for Australia over here!:up:

Rhodes

02-19-11, 05:16 AM

I want one! :up:

donw

02-19-11, 09:44 AM

Hey there ya old sea hound.. YOU know, probably better than anybody here.. that I have cut and pasted these tidbits off the forum .. ran em threw a word processor..(which buckled, and locked up on more than one occasion) then put them back together in one place.. not once but twice after the first one shut its doors...

But you can bet your last sea barnacle I'll be grabbing a copy of the published version!

If nothing else, just for the pure joy of knowing somebody else had to go through what I have... for what..YEARS now??

Great job Rollie! I don't care if you make any money on this deal... I'm just tickled to pieces it may be shared and enjoyed by more people! :rock:

Please make sure that the readers know it was written right along with your experiences playing "The Game"

Sailor Steve

02-19-11, 10:52 AM

@ donw: I know I made the first dibs, but for your sterling service to LS and the rest of us I'll gladly let you cut in line ahead of me. :D

bookworm_020

02-19-11, 06:20 PM

Will the book be a finished story or do we have to wait for updates and patches?:hmmm::hmmm::hmmm:

donw

02-19-11, 07:50 PM

LOL Steve No worries mate.. I'll grab 2 just in case!
Bookworm.. That's exactly what I asked in email.. Haven't been to this forum for so long.. Did the war end or the fish run outta luck?

This story cannot be written before either occurs!

Laughing Swordfish

02-20-11, 03:25 PM

Hi Don, and the the rest of the guys who responded.

Yes U-46 is alive and kicking according to it's own SH3 game and also here in the story.

Don has been a constant and incredibly patient companion in putting this story together.

It hasn't finished yet, we're still at sea, and Heidi will be waiting at the church, but I thought it was high time to at least get the first volume out and test the water so to speak.

So the plan is to put what we can in book form, and see how we go for volume two.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

02-20-11, 03:41 PM

Oh, and you're right Steve, "shift" means to move something from one place to another and is an English slang to 'sell'.

The publisher has got back to me and is very enthusiastic.

I'm determined to get this into print, however it turns out.

Raoul (LS)

Jimbuna

02-20-11, 04:16 PM

You can certainly stick me down for one Raoul http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

Lord_magerius

02-20-11, 05:33 PM

Once it's finished maybe talk to Neal about having it on the site and for a small donation you can download a copy. Might also help you shift some of the initial 200 that you need.
Keep up the good work :salute:

donw

02-21-11, 08:23 AM

Just a bit off topic here for a sec.. Heard invitations went out Rollie.. Did you get yours? (ie. The wedding) :salute:

Kpt. Lehmann

02-25-11, 09:07 AM

---Message follows---

ATTN TO: Kpt. Raoul DeBunsen, Heidi and friends, and the valiant crew of U-46...

THANK YOU for the dozen roses you sent to myself and Mrs. Lehmann! They are beautiful and are very much appreciated. Quite heart-warming indeed! Here's hoping you are all in good health and spirits! SINK THEM ALL!!! :arrgh!:

Also, we sincerely hope we can obtain one of the first copies of your book regardless of any monetary cost to us! Just let us know what we need to do to arrange payment. Published or un-published... it matters not.

Thank you again for the roses, Kpt. Rollie! You are the best, matey!

Kindest regards and warmest wishes,
Kpt. and Mrs. Lehmann

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/KptLehmann/TandC.jpg

Laughing Swordfish

03-09-11, 08:17 PM

You're so welcome you both. I'm very happy for you, but where's my slice of cake??!!

Seriously, all the best for the future, when I'm not involved in killing people on the high seas, I would like nothing more than to get over to Texas and visit you (mind you Texas State is bigger than my entire country, I'd never find you, but you could hop over to London.

It's like New York, but not always as polite!

Raoul de Bunsen (LS)

Laughing Swordfish

03-09-11, 09:07 PM

The bomber turned again, but in a more laboured way. Was that a thin stream of smoke trailing from her underbelly?

The two engineers were having the time of their lives, pumping up shells at the Halifax, and perhaps one of them really did hit, or the pilots had a bomb bay malfunction, apart from some desultory machine gun fire from which both me and Christian ducked (having been there before) but which pattered harmlessly into the sea or along the hull, she aborted her run and limped home leaving a tell-tale stream of increasingly dense smoke in her own wake.

For a moment, I found myself wishing them safe home. They are not so unlike us, risking their lives in a small team over a vast ocean with little or no hope of rescue. But there again, they were trying to kill me and fifty of my comrades.

So, not wise to stay on the surface with an annoyed pilot with a bent plane talking to his chums, and telling them exactly where you are.

"Dive, Number One"

This time at least we can go down in an orderly fashion. Christian gives the helm orders to Otto, I take my Cap off and toss it nonchalantly to one side as we level off at twenty metres.

"Just a side show men. Precautionary measure only. Am I the only one who's hungry? Let's take supper early, you Friebe, let's have at least something hot. Pass the word to Kuki".

I hope we're not into the tinned stuff already.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-12-11, 06:09 AM

"Victor, did we get a signal off before we went down?"

"Yes Sir, FdU know we have been in action. You also have this", he passed me a scribbled pencil message form. "It's from U-287" (That's Enzel's boat) "It looks like they've started without us Sir."

Victor's right.

"U-287 to FdU, BdU, U-631, U-475, U-119, U-292, U-46

Lone steamer sunk. One torpedo. Red ensign. Estimate 1500 tons. Name not identified. Forced down by corvette, now clear. Believe that ship to be a roamer and corvette to be a forward escort. Hearing convoy noise on sonar. Likely heading NE to AM53. Observing on southern flank of WP Sonnenschein. End"

We need to tag along at the bottom of the line with Enzel. But we can't do that cowering down here.

"Bruno, get your guys ready. We're going back up in twenty minutes. Well done Reuben, I think you definitely clipped that Halifax, schnapps for the pair of you later in the wardroom, but now I need you back in the engine room, we've got to get a move on. Otto, I know I've said it before, but give me every extra ounce of speed out of the diesels as soon as we break surface. Flak crew, report to the Second Officer, when we go up watch that sky. The Tommies know we're in the vicinity, but we can't stay skulking around, we have to get moving. Christian, take a break and rest your gang. Willi, let's look at that chart again. If Karl's right, we are best placed to get into the convoy's path alongside him.

Kuki, where's supper? Let's eat now!"

LS

Jimbuna

03-12-11, 04:03 PM

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

bookworm_020

03-14-11, 05:07 PM

After a romantic layover we're back in the action! Los!

donw

03-26-11, 07:11 PM

Greetings Mates!
After several hours working with a Comcast service rep.. managed to recover the story in its entirety... (as well as add the latest installments) and return access to the link shown... Sorry for the downtime!

quick edit.. I might add.. that after compiling the story as a single word document, and sending it to our soon to be very rich writer friend.. I was amazed that it came in at 591 KB... quite possibly the largest word document I have ever possessed! LOL

Grey pilgrim

03-27-11, 05:22 AM

Thats the moving one. Looking forward to get more.
Thank you:salute:

donw

04-26-11, 05:16 AM

Rollie????? :hmmm:

PLEASE tell me this wasn't YOU! LOL :06:

"There will be one missing palace guard at the royal wedding. He has been dismissed from duty during the event after he used Facebook to publicly complain that the bride-to-be snubbed him." :rotfl2:

Jimbuna

04-26-11, 03:10 PM

LOL :DL

Laughing Swordfish

04-28-11, 09:51 AM

Nope, not on parade for this one, or even lining the route. I think the Coldstream Guards are up for it, I think the other regiments of the Household Division's boots would be too dusty at the moment. So no endless rehearsals, and boot shining and standing in the sun in a stiff heavy uniform all day. I'm so disappointed! I think I'll spend the day selling cold drinks and make my first million instead! Enjoy the spectacle though, lads. We Brits can still put on a bit of a Royal pageant.

RdB

Laughing Swordfish

04-28-11, 10:07 AM

"Smoke! Smoke!"

It's my Second Officer himself jabbing his arm off to our port quarter.

Sure enough the first tell tale threads of smoke are just visible on the horizon through the binoculars.

"Great eyes, Bruno!" I clapped him on the shoulder. "Convoy!"

(Into the tube) "Navigation Officer to bridge!"

Willi is one of the best judges of course and speed at that distance in the business, and they are still a long way off.

"Wake Viktor up! Contact report to follow!"

"Keep to your quadrants, boys! They could have friends anywhere!" That's Bruno, and he's right. The convoy is close to home, and we don't want to lose the element of surprise now.

Willi comes hauling himself up the ladder still in his old undershirt with his binos swinging from his neck.

"Where away?"

We guide him on, and the Swordfish is about to go back into business...

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

05-05-11, 12:09 PM

YUM YUM!!! Convoy with torpedoes and lots of butter! :D

Kpt. Lehmann

06-28-11, 04:25 PM

BUMP! :arrgh!:

Laughing Swordfish

06-30-11, 12:40 PM

Myself, Willi and Christian are round the chart, the contact has gone off to Wolf Pack Sonnenschein.

Perhaps the sun really is shining for once on this patrol.

U-287 should be first to arrive, and we want Enzel to circle around to the south of their path where we are. The others will take longer to arrive and peel around from their previous station and attack from the north. Everyone needs to get their skates on, yet not be seen.

Now we must stalk and report. Every minute, every hour gets the enemy closer to home, and us further, so much further, safely from ours.

LS

flag4

06-30-11, 03:43 PM

i have been reading U 46 and i can't help thinking that this will appeal to children, and i mean this with great respect. i dont know of a childrens book that deals with this campaign - maybe there is but i dont know of it.

i am thinking of childrens writers like Micheal Morpergo, William Mayne and John Boyne who wrote The Boy in the Stripped Pyjammas.

your writing is clear and easy to follow - and what better introduction to this important campaign for children, than this.

Sail on...:yeah:

Jimbuna

06-30-11, 06:39 PM

Great to see you back LS http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

Laughing Swordfish

07-09-11, 11:25 AM

Wow, telling the battle of the Atlantic as the subject for a children's book?

That really is something I had never considered.

It was a harsh and deadly battle with huge and horrible losses, but then I suppose medieval battles were too, and we English were pretty good at those, and writing about them too.

RdB

Laughing Swordfish

07-09-11, 11:49 AM

The weather and sea is starting to clear up.

"Both good and bad" mutters Willi, flicking a cigar stub into the sea as we take our ever more frequent binocular checks from the bridge.

Of course he means the attack conditions are improving, and we can report on the convoy with much greater accuracy, but the Brits and Canadians are no fools, and they will be able to scout for us so much more easily too.

It is a constant game of hide and seek; staying ahead, keeping them in view, but never being spotted. And we have to stand off more, now that the sea swell doesn't hide us so much.

So far we have managed to keep them in sight on a parallel course, sometimes closer, sometimes shying further away.

Enzel is not far away. We have been talking to him constantly, he has to cut across the convoy's path in order to join us, so that we have a two pronged attack from the Pack on both sides.

If it comes to it, and risky for Enzel's boat, he could take them head on first, and sew some confusion in the lines, or even cause them to scatter.

Now he has visual too.

The other three boats are thundering down to take up ambush positions.

FdU is very excited, and has pushed another boat out from Lorient (I doubt it will get here in time), but not so excited it seems to get the Luftwaffe involved, so close to British airbases... where we are...

Anyway the hunt is on, and Joachim is re-checking the magnetic pistol arming devices.

LS

Fish In The Water

07-09-11, 08:43 PM

Great to see you back LS http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

Yes, welcome back! :sunny:

Laughing Swordfish

07-13-11, 06:56 AM

When we can, we are diving during the day, or at least during the hours of most visibility, and then racing ahead again on the surface under cover of darkness.

Sound carries much more efficiently underwater, so we rely utterly on Hans and his mate on the earphones in the sonar cabin to keep us in contact. Fortunately, for their rank, these are some of the most highly skilled specialists in the U-bootwaffe.

But even now, just every now and again we can just pick out the faint churning of the convoy with our own ears, and we certainly didn't need Hans' expertise to tell us when the soundwaves of two distant explosions rolled out towards us. Followed by two more.

A cry went up from the men in the Control Room.

"That's Enzel! ...That's the 287!...The good old Falcon! ...He's got off a full salvo..!"

Christian was quick to quiten them down. He gave me a darting look with his eyes, which I understood perfectly.

Those didn't sound like torpedo detonations even at at some distance away. And in any case, unless Enzel had got himself into a premature and miraculous attack position, given the plan; and the ships were lined up like a brick wall, the explosions seemed to arrive far too close together. It sounded more like four depth charges dumped off a destroyer or out of the belly of a bomber....

"Periscope depth, Chief!"

This brought more excited approval from the crew that had to be quelled. Whilst Christian and I made straight through to the sonar cabin, where Hans was already calculating a directional sound fix.

LS

Jimbuna

07-13-11, 11:15 AM

Once more into the throng http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/headbanger.gif

Laughing Swordfish

07-14-11, 05:32 AM

"Twelve metres!"

"Thank you Chief"

As the periscope clears the water, I eventually get a better view.

The convoy seems to be zigging this way, but then we have been plotting their zig zags for a while now.

More importantly, there is no tell-tale signs of a sinking, or a ship in distress, which confirms my fear that it was Enzels Falcon boat, that was being attacked, not the other way round.

There's no sounds of a vessel breaking up either way, and that really does make an underwater noise. It's a hope that U-287 is still intact, but I have to guess, submerged and possibly damaged, which at least means the score may be 0-0, and may be drawing some of the defenders away.

The other boats should be in contact soon, and maybe we can drive the convoy towards them. Well it's now or never, and Enzel may be stuck in a hole.

"Action stations!" People are tumbling out of every space. "Surface Chief, steer 280! First Watch up and ready. We're going in!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

07-25-11, 01:29 PM

We can hear further detonations off to our right and the distant silhouettes of escorts, maybe two, maybe more, and the plumes of water from their depth charges, which even at this range can be heard throughout the boat. I can tell what the crew are thinking.."Poor bastards.....glad it's not us"

Enzel and his boys are taking a pounding. But knowing him, he'll manage to slip away somehow, I hope.

Either way, he has drawn off a few of the lead escorts, and having a bad time by the sound of it. There must be a gap to break into, and also take some pressure of U-287.

I wouldn't normally go in on the surface to a well protected convoy before dusk, but today is one of those days.

"Surface Chief! Full diesels when we are clear! Christian and Willi, First Watch up and ready. All forward tubes make ready! Viktor, new contact report stand by under instructions from the Navigation Officer"

Soon the boat is surging up out of the waves. And Christian's watch are fighting to get upstairs first.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

07-30-11, 05:59 AM

"Trim the boat down as much as you can, Chief" into the voice pipe.

Willi and I have all eyes on the convoy still well over 3,000 metres off. Christian is making sure his boys are covering their quadrants, sea and sky. The flak boys are up too, also scanning the heavens. It'll be a hell of a race for the hatch for all of us if we get bumped.

But for now we just need to get into some decent range without being seen. Willi has picked out three targets. We are waiting for them to zag away from us on a more parallel course and show us their flank.

Two are tankers, they can go up like a flare with one torpedo, or stubbornly struggle on with three hits. The other is a medium size merchant for all that I can see of it's superstucture and masts..

"Let's have another one, Willi. We don't usually do this, but we're going to fire a spread at longer range, cause maximum alarm, diversion and hopefully a bit of damage, then cut away and loop round again while Joachim's boys earn their pay reloading double-quick. We have to get at least one hit though".

Willi grinned. "That one, Sir. about four or five thousand tons, look they're turning!" He pointed out again.

We now swing to port to line ourselves up, and Willi works feverishly to send down four separate firing solutions, one for each tube. Even if they miss, they may travel on and hit something else in the convoy which would be almost as good for what we want to achieve.

The range is getting shorter by the minute, while we feed data down below, and the dials are set in the control and torpedo room.

"Chief, swing us out 100 when we fire, have the fore-ends ready and all men needed helping to reload."

Zig-zagging for a large convoy is always a complicated business, and no easier when some of the marshalling escorts are engaged in contact with a U-boat. We're counting on that, and have been monitoring their pattern for some time. Now is the time to catch them, because they could veer off or towards us again at any moment, and even our faster eels at this range will take precious minutes to find their target.

"Now or never, Willi! Give the order".

He looked across from his binos, and gave me the broadest smile.

"Thank you Kap".

"Eins durch Vier, alles los!"

We watched the wakes as they hissed away, even as the Chief was immediately pulling us around to our new course. I think the Amis call it 'Shoot and Scoot'

And then, as I knew he would, Willi shinned down to the base of the conning tower, pressed his fingers to his lips and touched our Laughing Swordfish emblem for good luck.

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

10-01-11, 04:47 PM

Hopeful bump! :arrgh!:

Laufen zum Ziel

10-02-11, 12:13 PM

Nice. Wish I had your creativity.
:yeah:

WWII44

10-02-11, 11:38 PM

youve inspiered me to put to sea again in the U-124

Kpt. Lehmann

11-01-11, 03:33 PM

Is U-46 lost at sea?

Rollie? Are you there, matey? :cry:

Here's hoping all is well with you.

Laughing Swordfish

11-13-11, 08:47 PM

(Out of story) All well and good chaps and Kpt L!

Just way busy here in England.

November ceremonials (Armistice Day and Poppy Day) is a big deal in London and elsewhere in the UK, so have been rehearsing and marching on to several parades. Today the Mayor of London invited our detachment into the Mansion House for curry and champagne.

Shaking the tin in uniform outside Holborn tube raised 17 grand alone, and in the tally we came fourth behind more obvious spots like Piccadilly and the big train stations and tourist spots etc.

I had Germans giving too, (but then it is supposed to remember all of the fallen) little old ladies rummaging in their purse, and business men who slipped in a £50 note without a blink.

Our people may not like much of what is going around them, but I'm pleased to say they still cherish their servicemen and women. And as a nation which has rarely known peace throughout our history, home or abroad, our armed forces are part of the family.

Anyway U-46 is fine for now, next episode follows.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

11-13-11, 09:26 PM

I couldn't resist it.

"Have a look boys, do you want to see your boss getting a soaking?"

The watch gather round.

It's not often Willi gets to do his lucky ritual, I don't normally let him for one thing, which is why he painted the Laughing Swordfish in the control room by the ladder. But he has to touch his and our lucky mascot when we're in the thick of things.

Anyway, today I see a bit of a sea swell coming, and I have Otto turning into it. Crazy I know, playing a practical joke in the middle of a torpedo attack, and also distracting the watch, but ask any seaman, soldier or airman; it happens.

But the wave was much bigger and growing. It was going to swamp the boat.

Willi, having paid his homage to the Laughing Swordfish looked up to the Bridge, grinned and waved.

"Willi! Get up here now! Willi! Look out!"

Only then, as he started up the ladder, did his smiling face turn to see the freak wave about to descend on the boat.

When the sheer weight of water hit the side of the boat, it knocked all five of us on the bridge to the deck.

One of the watch, Venn I think, managed to haul me spluttering to my feet.

"Willi!....Willi!!....Willi!!!"

"Bridge to Control, all stop!"

"Willi!"

We peered anxiously over the side........

LS

Sailor Steve

11-13-11, 11:11 PM

Oh, this can't be good...

But the fact that you're back and writing more? That's good! :rock:

Jimbuna

11-14-11, 07:03 AM

andwii

11-14-11, 07:18 AM

u just reminded me to conclude my own story "when the wolf attacks"

bravo bravo. U can be the script writer for the re-make of Das Boot or U-571

no one can remake the horror that was U-571, es ist verboten!

VONHARRIS

11-14-11, 03:07 PM

no one can remake the horror that was U-571, es ist verboten!

Well said!

Laughing Swordfish

11-14-11, 04:47 PM

We stared down aghast at Willi's cap floating gently along our starboard side.

Venn and Pietmann were already vaunting down the ladder.

Pietmann reached down and hooked Willi's cap as Venn steadied him. Both all the time calling out for their watch officer.

That minute seemed as if it was an hour.

The lads below shouting their boss's name, us on the bridge scanning the surface for any sign of a bobbing head. All thoughts of the convoy battle forgotten.

"What's going on, Sir?"

At that moment, I thought it was a pipe from Otto downstairs. But I turned at the tap on my shoulder.

Willi stood there, dripping wet, and grinning from ear to ear.

"That was close Rollie, who'd ever go to sea eh? And has anyone seen my cap?"

It turns out Willi had managed to throw himself to the leeside of the bridge just as the wave hit, and hung on with his fingers to the grating or any other nut or bolt he could find. Of course it wasn't his own bravery and pluck that saved him. Oh no..

"...The Lucky Swordfish, Rollie, you see! I touched it just before the wave hit!"

Venn and Pietmann scurried up the ladder from the Flak garden, all smiles and plonked Willi's drenched cap back on his head.

Definitely no more high jinks like that again.

We forget that we have been in a torpedo run. At long range we would hope to see a strike very soon now.

"Full ahead both!"

We settle down shivering but looking intently at the distant dark smoky shapes for any impact.

LS

Sailor Steve

11-14-11, 06:25 PM

OkayIcanstopholdingmybreathnow! :DL

frau kaleun

11-14-11, 08:56 PM

Willi and Rollie both need a good spanking.

I volunteer.

Bosje

11-15-11, 09:50 AM

popped in to check if these forums are still alive, noticed the Laughing Swordfish is still up here and just read half a post....

immediately drawn back into the thick of it,
now firing up SH3 GWX to get out on patrol while reading up on the forums and, most of all, on this exquisite tale

*doffs cap to you all*

bosje

Jimbuna

11-15-11, 12:05 PM

Welcome back Bosje http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

Fish In The Water

11-15-11, 12:36 PM

popped in to check if these forums are still alive...

The reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. :D

Welcome back mate! :sunny:

Laughing Swordfish

11-16-11, 05:24 AM

"Have you still got your stop watch set, Willi?"

Of course he has.

"Anytime now, Kap, it's hard to tell at this range, but those eels will be entering the convoy at this moment".

"Are you all right, Willi? I'm sorry about earlier; it was a childish prank. As a boy, I would have had some sense spanked into me. I suppose on the boats, we never really grow up"....(or never have the chance to...)

Willi looked at me quizzically.

"Don't worry about me, Rollie. I told you, it's the Lucky Swordfish, I'm invincible!"

"Yes! Strike!"

It is Venn who spots it first. A distant plume of water alongside a merchant, that we can see long before the boom of the explosion rolls back across the ocean. A small ship, maybe 3,000 tons, I'm sure that wasn't what we were aiming at, but it will do.

All binos are trained on her, except for 3rd Watch who are keeping their quadrants. We are hoping for her to founder, or at least limp out of the convoy, and distract the escorts and hopefully give Enzel some breathing space.

"First Officer, how are we doing with the reload?" I shouted down the pipe.

"Two in, full reload in 20 minutes, Kap"

"Thanks Christian, have Kuki make up a hot flask, it's got a little wet up here".

We are now pounding away to the east and getting ahead of the convoy, this should work. By the time of our next ambush, we will have four torpedoes ready to go, and a more deliberate attack, also dusk is starting to fall.

There is another explosion muffled and invisible. Maybe one of our salvo with a lucky hit, or hopefully it means one or another of the wolfpack have joined the party.

I patted Willi on the shoulder, and peered through my binoculars again..

LS

DareDevil

11-22-11, 12:20 PM

Thanks for this amazing story....

When i discovered it i kept reading untill I really had to go to bed...
The next morning i continued with breakfast behind my screen...
Hope the story continues :)

Goodluck wishes with U-46 and Crew during your campaign.

Kpt. Lehmann

12-01-11, 05:46 PM

Arrrrr... what a relief, and amazing story indeed.
Cheers to the crew of U-46! :rock:

Laughing Swordfish

12-08-11, 05:25 AM

The sun is slipping down over the horizon behind our wake.

"Darkness is our friend, Christian...".

He turned and grinned his broad smile. His First Watch are up now. Willi's boys are down for a well deserved rest and something to eat. My Navigation Officer himself should be getting his feet up in the ward room or his bunk, but if I know him he will still be poring over the chart table, probably still dripping wet.

We lost sight of the ship we hit, in the race to get ahead again, but we do know the other boats are closing in. And there is one particular radio report we are waiting for...

LS

Jimbuna

12-08-11, 07:43 AM

Great...more fuel :sunny:

Laughing Swordfish

12-09-11, 10:29 PM

"Control to Bridge, Kaleun."

"Yes Reuben?"

"Signal from U-287, Sir"

There is an excited stirring from First Watch, as they hear the pipe. U-287 is Enzel's boat. He must at least have got to the surface.

But even as Christian is growling at his boys to keep looking to their quarters, I am already vaulting down the ladder to the Control Room...

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-06-12, 10:54 AM

The note paper is damp and scibbled quickly by Jimbun, Viktor's one-on-one-off side kick in the radio cabin shift.

I think he had some American parentage, and I'm sure Cox has the roster of real names somewhere, but since he joined the boat, like so many others, including me, his nickname has stuck, god knows where it came from, and he has learned well from Viktor, proved a dab hand at morse code. Communication is vital in our game, and even a Kapitan can be waved away impatiently by a lowly seaman when he is concentrating on an incoming message.

I have to squint hard at the soggy sheet of paper.

"U-287 to:
U-46
U-631
U-475
U-119
U-292
FdU

Surfaced away from enemy contact. West and rear of convoy will confirm grid. Heavy depth charge. 10 hours submerged. Pressure hull damage, some flooding, electrical and engine problems. Five severely wounded. Two torpedoes...."

'What does this last bit say, Jimbun?'

"I can remember it Kaleun. He's saying "Permission to break contact and try for home"

He looked at me expectantly. Everyone in 7th Flotilla knows someone or other on another boat.

We are now that lead boat in this wolf pack that is forming. We are in the best position to strike, but our comrades are trying to limp home having done their bit.

"Anything from the other boats Jimbun?"

"Nothing Sir, or from FdU, signals were choppy anyway, and that wasn't the steady hand of Ehrlich that I remember on the morse key".

He looked up again, the other officers and seniors around were silent.

Do we pursue the attack as Uncle Karl would no doubt want, or do we break off and help out Enzel and his crew and get them back to St Nazairre safe....?

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-06-12, 10:59 AM

Hope you had a great Christmas, my fellow U-boat men, and a very Happy and Prosperous (and dry!) New Year!

Laughing Swordfish
(Raoul de Bunsen)

Jimbuna

01-06-12, 11:06 AM

Hope you had a great Christmas, my fellow U-boat men, and a very Happy and Prosperous (and dry!) New Year!

Laughing Swordfish
(Raoul de Bunsen)

To you also Raoul http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

Jimbun http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/crazy.gif

Rhodes

01-06-12, 12:36 PM

Have a Happy New Year Raoul de Bunsen, with many adventures of the U-46!:salute:

Laughing Swordfish

01-08-12, 05:33 AM

To get whereever he is now, Enzel must have ducked his boat down deep and let the convoy pass over his head. It's a good trick that we've used too. By slinking away under the merchants, any noise they might make is partly disguised by the convoy propellors, and the escorts manouvering is also hampered to some extent, by the columns of friendly ships that they also don't want to drop any depth charges too close to either.

But at some point, they got to him anyway. Reading between the lines of the message, I can picture the terror and frantic activity, the blackouts lit only by sparks until power is restored, the smashing of anything breakable, as the boat runs ever deeper and the depth charges nearly find their mark. The sudden gush of a burst valve, and the splashing around as any slight breach of the pressure hull is desperately shored up. Being hurled off your feet by a close one, faces streaked pink by a mixture of blood and water framing wide staring eyes, and wildly soaked and dishevelled hair. We have been there ourselves, and inwardly I still shudder to think of those moments that I cannot, must never, share with Heidi.

But Enzel is a cool one, he's out of the immediate danger, but a long way from safe. He's a sitting duck where he is, we are all well within Allied air cover, and I'm not sure if he dares diving again until he can effect repairs.

There's only so much one boat can do for another in distress, much less in convoy action, but we could lend a hand with the wounded, and provide some rudimentary escort back, with our pop gun up top and still some eels left in the locker. Even take the whole crew off, or at least give them our life rafts if it came to it.

At the same time, we have worked up a nearly perfect attack position, 45 degrees to starboard of the leading ship and closing according to Christian. Four torpedoes in, with their magnetics armed and set. Ships carrying arms and fuel and ammunition and supplies that will hurt our country.

It is Otto that gently breaks the silence around the radio cabin.

"Your orders, Sir......?"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

01-20-12, 01:55 PM

I looked around to my seniors, and not a few ratings drawn away from their stations or even damp bedding huddled around the radio cabin. The water still dripping off the peak of my cap to my nose.

"We are going in. Of course we are. This is a U-boat, not some coastguard vessel Bruno....!". He had virtually been hanging on to my shoulder,

"Get upstairs and help Christian, that's where I need you."

(His brother-in-law is on U-287)

He looked at me.

"Do it Bruno! I need you up there and out of the way here. Make this attack happen with Christian, he's been up all day, I need Willi down here with me,"

"But.."

"But nothing ..I need the Navigation Officer right here with me, to plot a reciprocal route, I need you and the Number one to pick out the best targets and get in under 1,000m range without being found, so we can sink something that even you should be able to do at that range, and then double back for Enzel and his boys.

"We're going back to them , Kap?"

"Yes if we can find them, as soon as we've put a fox in amongst the chickens. As soon as I have heard four explosions, we have done our duty, and you can send Christian down and take the Bridge."

I raised a palm as the Amis do, but with the thumb tucked in

"Four hits, Bruno, we are in great position and closing"

He met my gesture with his usual grin and at the turning from the bottom of the ladder,with four fingers of his own, but he used two hands.."

And then he was gone up to the bridge.

Cheeky bastard as always! But I know he will deliver now.

Viktor is out of his sodden bunk fretting over the radio, but young Jimbun has it, although it makes sense for more than one person to listen into a faltering morse signal.

"I remind you that you are at battle stations men!"

They sheepishly return to their post, as if we couldn't be depth charged ourselves at any time.

"Try everyone again, maybe we can relay, but keep on bashing it out to U-287. A rough grid would do, and we'll get them to fire a flare if it comes to it"

So now it is the two best signallers in the Flotilla, me and the 3rd Watch Officer against the daylight that explosions will bring...

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

07-05-12, 04:39 PM

Bump! :arrgh!:

Laughing Swordfish

08-26-12, 05:56 AM

Willi and I have worked out a search pattern for Enzel after our attack run, which basically means hot-footing it back West-South West and looping around, rather than racing ahead for another strike.

Above us, murmerings from Christian down the pipe manouevre the Swordfish this way and that looking for an opening, and closing the range.

U-475 and U-292 are in contact and closing somewhere to the North, which is good news. We should also have Anders in U-119 prowling along in front and to the East ready to pounce, and also to keep in convoy contact after we go in. Of course the Royal Navy will have something to say about all our plans.

An urgent order barked down from Bruno, brings our helm sharply to port, and Otto is already calling for more speed, even before the order is telegraphed from bridge to engine room.

Again there is that sense of excitement and tension, as U-46 answers her call, swerving round wonderfully, and gathering up for the sprint.

I have to be up on the Bridge. As I find myself doing more and more, I glance into my cabin to the photograph of Heidi pinned on a bulkhead.

Its not there.

Darting through the green curtain, I find it where it has fallen on my bunk, and lovingly pin it back up again.

Perhaps the sudden swerve of the boat into the attack dislodged it. An omen? I have to dismiss those sort of thoughts from my mind.

But all the same,
I press my fingers to my lips and then to hers, before heading for the ladder.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

08-26-12, 06:03 AM

Hi guys, I'm sorry I've been away for so long. I've had to put away my toys for a while, most recently being mobilised by the Army to provide security for the Olympics, but back again now, so standby tubes one to four!

LS
Raoul de Bunsen

Jimbuna

08-26-12, 08:40 AM

Good to have you back matey http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

Cybermat47

09-11-12, 11:28 PM

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

LS, don't listen to him!
In the immortal words of an overly YTP-ed Michael Rosen:"it's time to string you up from the wallbars!" *flop* "*smack*nice!"

Cybermat47

09-13-12, 01:30 AM

"What news of U-217?"

Ummm... Well, on patrol she mysteriously mutated into a type VIIC!
(U-217 was a VII D!)

Cybermat47

09-13-12, 03:42 AM

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

LS

We call it soccer. And nobody plays it, because we have proper sports like rugby. Look up Aussie rugby players and you will see the strongest people on earth.

Cybermat47

09-13-12, 10:30 PM

Cybermat47

09-14-12, 12:06 AM

Scars = HAWT

I'm just sayin'.

Thankyou

whyme943

09-19-12, 11:21 PM

I can't wait for the next installment. Hope you have fun writing.
:yeah:

Jimbuna

09-20-12, 05:54 AM

I can't wait for the next installment. Hope you have fun writing.
:yeah:

Welcome to SubSim http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/welcome.gif

whyme943

09-26-12, 11:41 PM

Thank you very much. Just got addicted to Subsims through one "Winterowl" on youtube

HW3

09-27-12, 12:01 AM

Welcome aboard!

:salute:

Laughing Swordfish

11-14-12, 11:11 AM

Christian's eyes are red, fatigued and rimmed with salt spray, but he won't go downstairs just yet.

He, like me, take up extra watch duties as I let Bruno work on the ZBO scope. He sends down a littany of calculations, orders and corrections as we close on the convoy stacks now appearing ever closer even to the naked eye. But still we have to look out for the destroyers and corvettes, if we can sneak inside that's the most dangerous part of the job done. If we don't get that part right, it get's much more interesting afterwards.

"In and Out, Bruno! Start with that fat boy there, and then move back to the next one, looks like a tanker by her shape, small, but oil is oil!"

He turned and grinned, his cap skewed across his young head.

Our boat makes a final adjustment and with Otto already at full throttle below, our beloved boat makes an instant sweep of 30 degrees, as Bruno calls down the final adjustments, and calls "Open all forward bow caps!".

LS

Kpt. Lehmann

11-14-12, 11:21 AM

Awesome!!!! Glad to see you sailing about, RdB!!! :Kaleun_Periskop::Kaleun_Los:

Jimbuna

11-15-12, 11:32 AM

Welcome back LS http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

Laughing Swordfish

11-20-12, 08:36 PM

"Eins, zwei, drei und vier....los!"

The Swordfish bucks and rears as the salvo hisses away, the torpedoes foam trails snaking out of the bow until they settle onto their course and are gone.

"Escort, long range, closing!"... Bruno and I follow Christian's call and outstretched arm.

Too early to tell if he is on to us. A destroyer, perhaps Hunter or Clemson class - it's hard to make out the stacks yet, but we don't want him to get too nosy. In any case I've already given orders to turn about, and we are holding on to the bridge rim with one hand, binos in the other, as the boat shears away to the South at full speed.

"Let's put some distance between us, Bruno,".

Looking back over the stern towards the unsuspecting convoy, "They'll certainly know we're here soon enough..."

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-02-12, 05:48 AM

The temptation is to throw in our Number 5 torpedo as well. There's a couple of medium-ish sized cargo ships crossing our stern, but the range is now getting longer, and it's good to have at least something in the locker when the fun and games begin, and having one at the back makes for a parting shot. It's worked once before, but more than anything it's good for morale when you're being depth charged for the lads to feel that we're not completey defenceless.

As it is, our lordships are sweating away in the fore ends reloading tubes one to four. If we have to dive then reloading will have to stop, because of the noise, so everyone is lending a hand down there.

Up on top, our main concern is the destroyer on a course towards us. No searchlights yet, or star shells. But we shouldn't have long to wait for that to change.

As we bear round to the West, and the back of the convoy, none of us can resist the binos straying away from the escort towards those target ships.

Bruno is muttering "Come on, come on!".

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-21-12, 05:43 AM

"Damn it!" Bruno mutters, stopwatch in one hand, binos in the other.
"They're zigging."
Sure enough the convoy has turned sharply to starboard on a south easterly course.
Was that planned? Or have they got the wind up? Either way, our chances of a hit, at least on the intended targets, have been reduced.
In the next few moments we'll know.
It takes time for a merchantman to turn, especially the big ones , so they are still presenting some sort of a side to us even at an angle that may cause only a glancing blow. We've had failures before which could have been an outright miss, or a dud, or that the eel just skimmed off the hull at such an acute angle.
An orange flash lights up the sky, flickeringly illuminating the grin on Bruno's face, and before the sound of the explosion reaches us, there is another. Proper fireworks this time, a shower of sparks and hundreds of small lights shooting up into the night sky, as if she was firing off a load of flares. May well have been. I reckon Bruno managed to hit some ammunition consignment in her cargo.
Cheers on the bridge are quickly qwelled by Christian. "Look to your sectors Jungen! we could have that destroyer and his mates up our arse any moment now!"
And indeed the destroyer is still closing, searchlights now snapped on and playing across the waves. Has he seen us? He must know the attack came from this side. He's still a way off, so as usual we have to keep our nerve and get away on the surface as much as possible. To dive too early is a nervous commander's mistake, and leaves his boat too close to the convoy and vulnerably slow underwater, when the trick is to get some distance away, reload and then come back in.
I give a change of course to see if the destroyer responds.
"Hey, Christian," I clap my tired Number One on the shoulder. "Get below and grab some sleep. We'll probably need you again before the night's out!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-21-12, 05:49 AM

A very Merry Christmas or Seasons Greetings, and a Great New Year to all with Sub Sim!

LS
Raoul de Bunsen

Jimbuna

12-21-12, 08:06 AM

A very Merry Christmas or Seasons Greetings, and a Great New Year to all with Sub Sim!

LS
Raoul de Bunsen

Thanks for all the fish Raoul and have a great festive season :cool:

Sailor Steve

12-21-12, 10:22 AM

Thanks for the new entry. The only problem now is that I can feel the tension too. Has that destroyer seen us...I mean you? Have a good Christmas, but don't leave us hanging too long!

Laughing Swordfish

12-22-12, 06:49 AM

There's a muffled rumble across the sea of another hit. We can't make out the stricken ship by now. I reckon it was one of ours, and Bruno will definitely claim it, but part of me is hoping its from another U-boat joining the game and taking some of the pressure off.

It's one of the new boys on Second Watch, who makes the vital spot.

"They're manning the forward gun Herr Kaleun!"

I raise my binos

"Good eyes, Sylvester. Looks like they've got a sharp lookout too. Well menschen, looks like the game's up. No cigarette break tonight on this watch! Get yourself downstairs and go to battle stations, we'll flick that pesky flea off in no time."

Looking cool and confident is a big part of it, however much I hate and dread those destroyers.

Just me and Bruno on the bridge now and the die is cast. We change course again, and the destroyer, a Clemson, I can now see, is picking up speed, and following us.

There's a puff of smoke from the destroyer's foredeck and a shell splash a good way short and behind us.

"Ok that's enough Bruno, after you"

"Alarm!!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-22-12, 07:01 AM

Thanks Sailor Steve.

In that sense, we're all in the boat together.

All the best, LS

Laughing Swordfish

12-31-12, 04:32 PM

The boat is dipping sharply even as Bruno and I clatter down the ladder, as if she already knew what we were thinking.

Of course it helps having Otto directing the helm down here telling her what we are thinking.

What are we thinking?

Well we made a show of a hard starboard turn (becuse that's actually where we wanted to go, and what he was chasing, but in the long game we must ease ourselves out and away, showing the least underwater profile, until he makes his first run.

"Port thirty, steady at fifty metres Chief!".

He grinned as if he was reading my mind, and repeated the orders as quietly as is possible for him, usually half deaf from the engine room, and the red needle, and compass on the bulkhead has us gracefully turning and dropping down.

Those of us who have been on this boat from the beginning, know that the graceful part of things can quickly disappear after the first couple of depth charges, of course.

But for now, although the distant but distinct sound of the destroyer, can be heard discernibly louder.

LS

(Happy New Year, RdB!)

Laughing Swordfish

01-01-13, 05:58 AM

The Swordfish herself makes her own little creaks and groans as she goes down into the locker.

Willi always says it sounds like his Grandma, settling into her favourite armchair. In a way, it's quite a comforting thought. He's across the Control Room now though, going through with his lucky ritual of transferring a kiss from his fingers to our green-painted emblem on the bulkhead by the ladder every time we are forced down.

At first, I used to think it may play on the younger lads' confidence, to see a senior boat officer trust to luck like that, but now they expect it, like it, and go about their work knowing things will be all right.

It's up to me and the the other seniors to make it so.

Let's keep us a lucky boat.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

03-10-13, 06:09 PM

We have a number of new young sailors on board. That's to be expected, with rotation, leave, and other reasons in the flotilla.

I've tried to spread them around the boat according to their best abilities, keeping them close to the older hares, but this is their first attack, and in one case only the second time operationally underwater. Otto takes the nervous youngster and sits him back by the wheel.

"Hold it, Junge. Look at nothing else, concentrate and take no notice of any other noises or splashes, our team is going to duck us out and away. We've done this a hundred times before..."

My Chief catches my eye, and we exchange glances. I nod a thank you, as he moves to his station, and I hover over the new seaman.

"Hey, Linz, is it right they called you 'Shorty'? Well you picked the right profession in this Navy. We get all shapes and sizes, look at Kust over ther trying to wriggle through the forward torpedo hatch with all those wurst he eats..

"God help us if we were in any real danger....Hey Kust, get your fat arse through that hole, before I have it kicked through!"

"Kust has been kind to me, Sir. Even though I'm not a torpedo man like him".

"Linz, he is a good sailor, and now, I need you to be one too. You'll be ok. Just concentrate, even if things get noisy and a little wet. Get on the helm, take your orders from me or the Chief, and you'll be ok.

LS

der_marc

03-18-13, 01:02 PM

Great Story, you keeped me reading during work :-)
Still on page 10 but i'm reading on :-)

Laughing Swordfish

04-18-13, 06:30 PM

Welcome aboard Der Marc!

LS

F1RacerDan

04-18-13, 06:44 PM

WOW reading this has inspired me to do my own story :) cant see its gunna be as epic as yours but im gunna enjoy doing it lol

Laughing Swordfish

04-18-13, 06:53 PM

The cabbages and onions swing from their bags on the overhead pipes as the boat dips and swivels a little lower.

The outer leaves are rotting again. I suppose we are in for another of Kuki's 'Surprise Soups' when this is over.

Here she comes, the thrashing of the propellors is getting louder, but then more constant.

"Not a true bearing, Christian!" He grins in reply, and pokes his head back into the sonar cabin.

It doesn't need Hans to tell us there are depth charges in the water, we can hear the splash.

"30 starboard full ahead both, down 20!, Chief!"

We spiral down again.

"They haven't a clue, menschen; they're on an expensive fishing trip!"

Christian's bravado was right enough; that first drop was blind, but close enough to rock the U-46 gently and they will try another, but we are already slinking away, hopefully behind the noise of their propellors, so as to stay just out of contact.

Silent running again.

LS

Laughing Swordfish

04-23-13, 07:04 AM

Thanks Racer Dan. Seriously, just write. Get to know your crew and their backstory. Once you know them, add colour and a name or nickname to that Officer or crew member. Put everyone in your boat who is reading it.
Embellish with historical events like hell, like me! But stay true to the actual career path of your own boat.
As soon as you have a boat, it's number, emblem and a crew you care about, and hopefully other people in our huge flotilla does too, then you have a story, depending on your fortunes at sea.
You will find yourself fiercely determined not to lose your boat, and make it back to port, and we will be with you every depth charge, and wave that breaks over the bridge.
So put your log out there!
LS

Laughing Swordfish

04-26-13, 01:14 PM

Getting tail to tail with a destroyer is the best place to be in these situations, as long as you're not sitting right underneath his stern depth charge racks of course.

Every second draws us further apart; us at our snails pace, and Her Majesty up there, more vigorously thrashing the water in the opposite direction. And if Hans can say which way she turns on her next run, we ease off the other way.

It also gives us a breathing space in her noisy wake to make any quick repairs, and Kurt and his gang are already ducking aft with their bag of spanners to check every valve; to pump out because even the most mightiest battleship is not leakproof, let alone a knocked around tin can like ours. And even reload the tubes if there is ever time enough. And last but not least, always, to always check on the men.

The youngsters in the Control Room are holding up well and sticking to their wheels and duties under Otto's beady eye. Christian virtually lives in the sonar cabin during a counter-attack, so I can only see his sea boots and leathers sticking out from the curtain as he pesters Hans for any indication. Bruno is propped up by the chart table near Willi, he's trying to juggle the last of the apples again. We've lost so many precious pieces of fresh fruit that way on past patrols, that next time we dock, I'm going to get him three tennis balls instead.

Poking my head round the hatchway to Oscar's 'sick bay'... "Doc...?"

"All good Rollie". He shrugs. "Just a couple of complaints about being woken up by the Tommies when they're off watch. Everything happy next door..?"

I put on an exaggerated British accent.

"Oh, everything's going swimmingly, old boy!"

Doc laughed, and in a much better Noel Coward accent:

"Perhaps a different turn of phrase may be more suitable, my dear chap. It's too damnably chilly to go bathing just now".

I don't know what I'd do without him. With a laugh and a nod we both return to our work, him the grim task of preparing for any casualties, and me ducking back into the Control Room, to make sure they don't happen.

LS

Sailor Steve

04-26-13, 01:27 PM

and Her Majesty up there,
That would be "His Majesty". King George VI was in charge then. :sunny:

Laughing Swordfish

04-26-13, 05:55 PM

Ah yes, my friend. But all Royal naval vessels are female, regardless of the monarch who currently owns them, hence the dichotomy. So the 'HMS' stays the same whichever 'His' or 'Her' Majesty's Ship it happens to be.

Which is handy when it comes to setting out the towels in the Royal guest cabin, with no extra embroidery needed on the monogram.

Utter British bluff of course, but we've got by up to now!

LS

Sailor Steve

04-26-13, 06:31 PM

LOL. Maybe their majesties. Or HMS Dummkopf. :O:

But don't let my silliness get in the way of your excellent story. I'm really glad to see it continue.

Jimbuna

04-26-13, 07:14 PM

Laughing Swordfish

04-27-13, 03:04 AM

Because we're in the destroyer's wake, and masked by the sound of her own screws, we are also taking the opportunity, to put on a little burst of speed of our own, just to push us that bit further away.

Their skipper should turn soon, to try and pick us up again.

Christian is still talking in ernest with Hans, Willi is shooing Bruno off his charts and instruments, trying to keep track of our underwater position.

Bruno himself is looking at me, chewing one of the apples, the only one he hasn't dropped (each being met by a chuckle or a cheer by the older hands), I know what he's thinking: "Is the Old Man going to take us up to periscope depth and risk a cheeky shot from Tube Five?".

Well, we did get away with that once, it seems like a long time ago, when we seemed so invincible. Not just yet, today.

"Drop us ten metres Chief, ready to go deeper".

With a glance and a wink to my Number Two, "Let's keep our derringer in our sock for now".

Christian re-emerges, hatless, brushing tangles of sea-matted hair impatiently from his reddened eyes.

"She's coming round, Kaleun. Starboard".

"Thank you lads. Starboard thirty, Chief; ahead slow; pumps off, someone tell our Lordships to take a break".

But Joachim is already re-appearing from the fore-ends, where the sound of pulleys, grunts and cursing, tell us that some strenuous reloading has been underway.

"Tube One back in, Kap".

I clap him on the shoulder as he slumps tiredly on a sack of dates (courtesy of Rommel no doubt - although the conflict in the desert might as well be on the Moon, to us water rats), wiping his brow with a greasy rag and only leaving more of an oily smear.

"An all-time record, I reckon, Joachim, now we have teeth again!"

All quiet now as the Swordfish does her thing, dipping slightly and making the corresponding turn, as if she, like us, is waiting and sensing the Tommies' next move.

LS