[Bosje]

The two escorts which were off our starboard bow have now joined the party. Minutes pass and the only thing exploding so far are the depthcharges. All torpedoes missed. It pisses me off. Time and time again I expose the crew and the boat to extraordinary danger, all to get the opportunity of firing two or three additional torpedoes at my enemy. But all it ever accomplished is some frightful depthcharge attacks. They can find us easily, even when we are running very close to the surface. In the old days, their sonar could not even reach that shallow. I remember those early convoy battles where we went straight into the convoy after the first salvo and had a good time sinking whatever crossed into our sights, an almost mocking attitude towards the escorts which never really had a clue. I miss those days. I am pulled out of my contemplations by some more pinging. They are trying to get a fix on us and they are trying hard. But we gave them the slip, the decoy distracted them long enough for us to slip down deep and we are now creeping eastwards at 1 knot, never doing more than 50 rpm. Petersen's blackboard is full with marks but none of them came dangerously close, all we sustained was some very minor leaking when a valve gave way in the diesel engine room, that bit of damage has long since been fixed.


After only two hours, the escorts give up. So another success, proudly written down in the log:
-3 merchants sunk, estimated total tonnage 20.000 tons. Two torpedoes left in the external compartments, one forward one aft. Heading to patrol area after nightfall for 24-hour (token) presence.-
A decent patrol so far, all in all. But I wonder how much more I might have accomplished if I still had those three last torpedoes, running around the convoy at night and setting up for another surprise salvo. Ah to hell with it. 'Secure from action stations, well done boys. A ration of rum for all hands after the first watch.' 'The boys cheer, I go to sleep.



The Duke