Meanwhile on board U-111....
Beck watched the medium cargo vessel list to starboard in the rough seas. Its stern was burning. There was surely something that was flammable on board. The smaller merchant ship most definitely had something explosive. One torpedo had set off a massive explosion that tore the vessel apart.
"Orders sir?" asked Georg from below.
"Set tube 2 to ten meters. Make ready in all respects." Beck mumbled a prayer. "LOS!"
Just over a minute later the eel detonated under the cargo ship, breaking its keel. Immediately it began to sink, explosions coming from the bowels of the boat as she went down.
"Let's surface. Ahead standard. Ready the watch."
Five minutes later U-111 was cutting through the rough seas, observing the final moments of the two ships. Beck and the first watch officer, a joker of a character named Otto, scanned the wreckages.
"Nothing captain. No lifeboats anywhere. Just wreckage. Some bodies I am afraid are floating in the oil slick." Otto was not in the joking mood now as he reported what he saw.
"True enough. The last torpedo opened this one wide. She broke up pretty quick." Beck reached down and picked up the intercom. "Resume original course. Ahead standard."
Beck took one last look and nodded at Otto before going below to send a report off to BdU.
Beck sat at his desk and read the reply from BdU. With only three eels left and limited fuel, he was ordered to return to Wilhelmshaven. They had netted nearly 29000 tons of enemy shipping. Beck was thrilled at the success of their first combat patrol. Now they just had to get back to Germany in one piece.
"Chief!" Beck yelled towards the control room. "Make our depth 50m. Maintain speed. Its time for a drink."
He reached into his bunks drawer and pulled out a bottle of 15 year old scotch. Beck smiled then head towards the control room.
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