[Bosje]

Fore and aft clear! Ahead one third. The same wonderful scenery is different at night, different in that you can't see a thing. Light discipline, bah. I have no idea where we are going, the only clue is the obscured navigation light on the escort which will take us out to sea. Rudi knows these waters better than I do.
'1.WO, you have the helm, just follow that minesweeper.'
While U-293 slowly makes her way out of the U-boat base, I take the time to feel her, hear her, get to know her. I think it is madness to send a boat through all these obstacles in a pitch black night but if we allow everyone to see us, la resistance will no doubt inform every Allied plane of everything they need to know. The navigator is down below with his charts and a stopwatch, keeping an eye on our track in the glow of the red lights. I join him in the control room which is almost exactly like it was on U-735, except for the personal items which are everywhere. Leutnant zur See Kurt Weber, the navigator is also the doctor. Not just a medic but a proper doctor, distracted from his hospital internship by the war. A smart man, it is comforting to know that we are in good hands. Unless of course he is the first casualty.


We spend a few hours running south at different speeds, waiting for the sun to come up. Over half of the crew is off duty but nobody is sleeping in their bunks and the boat is buzzing with activity. This will be a short patrol but the boys are still all over the place, scurrying around with items to be squared away.
4:45. ALAAARM! I start my stopwatch while the crew is startled and frantically switches to the crash dive routine. As the needle on the depth gauge touches on the 14 meter mark, I stop the clock. Thirty seconds, not good enough and the boat is messed up with things being knocked over everywhere. 'Oberbootsmann! This is not the Volkssturm, get your act together!' He is just as annoyed as I am with the poor performance. 'Jawohl Herr Kaleun, sorry Herr Kaleun.' Meanwhile, the LI completes the dive and levels off at 70 meters. After a full check of the boat, we can be sure that she is in good shape. U-293 is an improved version of the Type VIIC. Heavier, stronger, but slightly slower as a result. Supposedly, they can go significantly deeper even than my old VIIC. I'm curious to see just exactly how deep.


'Navigator, ping for depth.' 'Over a thousand meters.' Well that's deep enough. Amazing, we are still close to the French coast. Very well, I turn to my chief engineer who is with me in the control room, keeping an eye on the bubble. Anton's old spot, I can't help thinking about him. What will he be doing right now? Wake up, Duke!
'LI, how deep have you been with this boat?'
Heinz Rethmeier turns to me: 'These beauties can go very deep indeed, Herr Kaleun, we have been to 250 meters without problems on our test dives in the Baltic.'
'250? I have been deeper than that in my old boat, LI.'
He looks surprised. As do I. 'Well, only one way to find out. Take her down at 4 knots. Oberbootsmann! Have your boys keep an eye out in all compartments.'
And so there I am once again, leaning against the observation periscope, feet wide to balance myself against the tilted floor, my eyes fixed on the depth gauge.


The sounds take some getting used to, it can be scary but it's nothing more than the steel settling in as the pressure builds up. Booming, squirming, creaking, shrieking. Some of the crew are clearly not used to it. 'Easy, boys. This is just the satisfied sigh of the boat being in her element.' They are not convinced. My crew is still not quite washed behind the ears. Heinz sounds off the readings as we make it deep into the cellar.
'One six zero. Approaching critical depth. One eight zero.' Everything by the book, which is good.
'Two zero zero, we are diving too deep Herr Kaleun!'
'Deeper, LI.'
I remember the times on U-735 when we had trouble controlling the boat at slow speeds against the immense pressure at these depths. Let's see how this boat and crew take care of themselves.
'Level her off at 220, 100 rpm.'
They need several minutes but they manage it just fine. Good. 'Let's go a bit deeper, ahead two thirds.'
Heinz coughs but then acknowledges: 'Jawohl Herr Kaleun.'


'Two nine zero.' This is deeper than I ever went before. The needle is well off the scale but Heinz can make a good guess at the actual depth. I want to pass the 300 mark, just for my own satisfaction, that will do for today.
'All stop.' The boat becomes very quiet, except for the creaking, lifelessly slipping down. But I am still not hearing any of the warning screams which my old boat gave as we took her too deep. I grin while I take a look around me.
'Interesting boat, this.' The men around me are not amused except for Heinz. 'Yes, Sir. She is something. But ah, this is as deep as I would take her, Sir. Approximately three zero zero.'
'Very well, back full, maintain down angle.' As good a time as any to test emergency maneuvers.
The boat stirs a little while the planesmen turn their planes as the boat picks up reverse speed. We have to hold onto something for balance but the needle on the gauge starts creeping up, back to safety. At 250 I order all ahead flank, the boat shakes but does exactly what I want her to do. 'Blow all ballast.' The needle zips up now and very soon, we broach the surface. I am extremely satisfied.
'Well done, men. Well done.' I put my hand on the nearest bulkhead as I quietly whisper: 'And well done to you, too, young lady. I think we will get along just fine.'
Heinz overheard me and gives me a look. Ah, the silly habits of the new Old Man. 'Mind your own business, LI.' He grins. 'Yes Sir. But I don't blame you, Sir. I like her, too.'


Over the next three days we test just about everything there is to be tested, except for the torpedoes which I consider too expensive to waste. Dive time is down to 27 seconds, U-293 is fully operational, she and the crew are ready for war, as is the Kaleun. Well, as ready as can be expected, anyway.
We return to Toulon, take three weeks having fun and getting the boat ready for a long patrol. The boat receives the latest in anti-sonar coating and radar warning receivers and then we set off again. Into the Mediterranean, our destination is the triangular stretch of water between Sicily, Tunis and Sardinia. It's been years since I last operated that close to shore, as first officer. Whatever we will find there, I expect it will not be boring. The date is November 23rd and I am determined to be back in Toulon for the New Year's festivities, together with all my men. 'Course 170, ten knots will do.' Behind us, the Riviera fades on the horizon.



The Duke