[Keelbuster]

English Channel, 6 Sep 1939, 0651. My watch failed to spot a patrol airplane, which flew right over us and dropped a bomb exactly on our stern! I turned around on the tower to see fire (not water) rising up from the stern. We had flooding to the stern torpedo room, and the damage report on the compartment showed that both port and starboard propellers were 'Not Working'. But, surprisingly, they were still turning and I was able to dive to 25m. I'm a bit disappointed - i would think that propellers that don't work don't turn. I'm also thinking that you would have to repair them on the surface, with diving gear, but alas I'm now at 25m and they've been moved to 'damaged' (and are still turning). Sigh.

Kb