"That's our first one, Willi!"

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

"Range 3,000 and closing, Sir"

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

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

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

LS

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

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

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

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

The target data is relayed downstairs.

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

"Alles Los......!"

LS

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

Here comes the boom!!!:lol:

"Right full rudder! Steer 90!"

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

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

"Last four already going in Sir!"

"Good man!"

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

KABOOM KABOOM!

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

"Yes!" cry Willi and Christian.

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

BANG!

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

"Poor sods" whispers Horst

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

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

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

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

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

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

LS

Great stuff!!! Keep it coming :D

Cheers,

Dan

Now we're cooking :rock: :up:

Well, somebody is!:rotfl:

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

:rock: :rock: :rock:

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

Utterly mesmerising read:up: Excellent.

"Where are we with those torpedoes, Joachim?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Any escorts, lads?"

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

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

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

LS

Keeping my fingers crossed for the attack!

Keep it coming :D

Cheers,

Dan

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

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

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

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

Actually a smallish freighter, but worth sinking.

"Drive in now, Christian!"

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

"Still no escort?"

"Nothing, Sir"

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

And now we have four running.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We ran up

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

LS

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

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

Oscar shook and smiled and went below.

Otto is reporting all engines running well.

Reuben supervises the regular electric report. That's good

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

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

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

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

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

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

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