Got a sneaky suspicion them oysters are gonna end up on the floor :smug:

We had eggs and ham and brioche, with a rich butter, hot sausages, lashings of rich, real coffee, and being Navy, a shot of brandy in mine, and champagne and orange juice for the other two. And of course oysters for Josie, with pepper and a squeeze of lemon, that she bravely pretended to like, and then made me and Heidi down the last few. Apart from that we ate ravenously. Josie had insisted last night during the battle, on being driven down to the docks as soon as she could find a driver that would let her, and that didn't take long.

I like Josephine, silly but impetuous and a sense of fun, that I'm guessing Heidi warms to, as well.

The girls, already tired, and getting giggly on the champagne and orange juice, I order myself another stiff brandy, and to hell with the hour of the morning. I also order two crates of cold beer to be left outside the front door, 5th Platoon, 2nd Company are just heading back up the street. Auel is there seeing every man past, there is a clink, clink, clink, and the crates are empty as every soldier relieves his thirst. Unbeknownst to his men or his Leutnant, he turns to the window, salutes, drains his beer, and disappears with his men.

I paid the exhorbitant bill, and couldn't help noticing how quick they were to usher us out. Or the fact that there were no other french people in there.

Back outside, and with a perfect view down to the harbour.

"What shall we do now!" said Josie happily.

The time was now 10.19 am.

LS

We are all still staring at the destroyer, her bow up at an angle forced there by the speed of her collision

"Girls, I have some work to do. I have to account for my crew after last night, and then make a full report to Flotilla Headquarters, then make sure the boat is seen to. We can meet up later and...."

"Look there's Franz!" Josie cries excitedly.

Sure enough her favourite Major is standing proudly atop the bridge, not much older than myself, but this is War and people are living faster these days. With two other high ranking army friends, and a couple of Naval Staff officers, who I vaguely recognise from Kerneval, and I reckon this is the closest they've ever been to an enemy warship. Beaming proudly into the camera, just a couple more snaps, just to be sure. Smile!

Franz spots Josie waving, and smiles and waves back, she lets out an excited little cry, and runs down the slope to the dock.

Behind us, even though the restaurant should be setting up for lunch, I can hear the door being bolted, and the rattle as I turn, of shutters being closed.

Heidi is clinging sleepily to my arm, Josie is running joyfully down the short cobbled street.

The time is 10.29.

LS

Hi again D. Bunsen !

After more than a year , "Bernie" Goelf and his U-100 "Blackcat" is back :D
(I left the UK for the Homeland ~France)

I see that your novel is still going , great ! Well done LS !
I 'll send you my new eMail soon ;)

B. Goelf out .

This is gonna be the longest 6 minutes ever on this forum :up:

That's for sure. I will say that if it takes a week for the six minutes to pass... I'm going to park a fat crate of onions on LS's navigation charts... topped with a shiney new peeler. :stare: ;)

10.35

The blast fom the destroyer exploding knocked us off our feet.

The noise and force of it, and the rolling cloud of dust that followed it, well it must be like being torpedoed.

Josie's body is flung back up the incline.

I cover Heidi futiley with my own body, "Are you ok?"

"Yes, Rollie, what was that?"

"The ship lodged in the dock, they must have packed her full of explosives and on a time fuse."

"Franz?"

"Not a chance, I'm afraid, Heidi."

"What about Josephine? Where's Josie? Where is she Rollie?"

LS

"She's here Heidi....she's still breathing....No! Don't look! ...I'll take care of her. Run ahead and get some help!"

I tore a strip off her own dress to tourniquet Josie's leg.

"Come on Josie.."

I picked her up in my arms and started up the hill, to be met by the clatter of boots. Heidi is running back with some of that platoon from before, who were waiting for transport at the top of the road. Feldwebel Auel at their head.

"Give her to me, Sir"

He took her in his strong arms

"Abel! Run off and find me a car, any vehicle, if you have to comandeer a french one, so much the better. Just be back in one minute!"

"Yes Sergeant!" the corporal ran off.

"Where's the Medic?"

"Down at the docks, Sergeant. He's still looking after the casualties from last night, and now some new ones.

"OK."

He held her as if she was as light as a feather, and gently stroked her hair.

"You're going to be fine...."

"Her name is Josie" I intervened

"You're going to be fine, Josie".

Her eyes flickered briefly awake, and there was something like that old smile.

"I've seen this sort of thing before. I don't think she'll be playing football for Saint Pauli any time soon, Sir" he whispered grimly

A french taxi roars up with Corporal Abel at the wheel.

"Ease her in gently lads. Abel, drive fast but no bumps; I'm going along. The rest of you men head back and report to the Leutnant, they're probably going to want to re-sweep the area, but you don't need an old sergeant for that."

"Wait! I'm coming too"

And Heidi is in the taxi dashing away to the hospital in the taxi.

I turn and see the owner of the restaurant throwing the doors open, and the shutters being thrown back.

He catches my eye and his smile says it all.

LS

Not sure who I sympathise with now :hmm: ....The French or the Germans :damn:

Personally... I sympathize with Josie.

Josie is sitting up in her hospital bed, and chatting girly talk with Heidi.

The doctor says that they've saved her leg, but she'll limp for the rest of her life, and they've bandaged up the rest of her cuts and bruises. Heidi's too. They left mine alone when I waved them away impatiently.

All the crew have answered to roll call which is something. Apart from the officers who boarded the Campbeltown to their cost, only two seamen lost their lives. It looks like the commandos did mean to get to the Black Cat, but they never got close before the Army arrived. Those killed were Fritsch and Lauer, both from U-304; which was only put in for repairs after a hard patrol; she's not even from our flotilla. They came running out armed only with empty bottles, down by the harbour. It startled the tommies for a moment, but two of them were shot down before our own soldiers turned up.

U-46 has to sail, as do the rest of the boats in the Flotilla. They need the space. for the work going on. The deep sea and dry dock are ruined, but they built these bunkers well. In our case, we're finishing our replenishment further up the coast at Lorient. It's going to feel strange putting to sea with no torpedoes, and we shall have to hug the coast all the way up, and get our orders from there.

"Hey Josie, have this." I gave a her a small cup of wine.

"It's customary for recipients of the Wound Medal to drink one of these!"

The smile was nearly all the way back.

"I'm sorry about Franz, he couldn't have felt a thing"

"Thank you Rollie"

I went to Heidi's side.

"Don't you both start blubbing now, or you'll start me off!"

"We have to go now Josie", she said.

"But here's someone else to see you,"

And here, without any blood or dust on his immaculate uniform and boots, is Feldwebel Auel clutching a bunch of roses.

He cleared his throat nervously.

"Hello Josie, I thought..........I thought you might like these."

It was time for us to leave.

LS

:up: :up: :up: ;)

Apparently the first words Josie uttered when she regained consciousness were................"I'm bloody thankful Kpt. Lehmann is an EMT" ;)

*** Sniff Sniff ***

I'm glad Josie is ok...

Great Story, Keep it coming... :up::up:

LOL.

Methinks she'd be happier to see der Feldwebel Auel instead. :D