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/show...17#post1493217

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)

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

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: ;))

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

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

Got it mate!

RdB

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

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

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

Go back and read our reactions when Campbelltown came to town.
:rotfl2:

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.

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.

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