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0600, July 28, 1940.
U50 a type V11B boat leaves the European mainland behind after traversing the Kiel canal, and slips easily through the glassy, calm waters of a peaceful, still summer's morning heading towards the unpredictable North Sea, and a date with an unknown destiny.
Oberleutnant Zur See Ludwig Kaiser clambers up into the conning tower, and takes a moment to savour the fresh, slightly salty clean air of a new dawn. His WO, Leutnant Ernst Bachman greets him, "gut morgen Herr Kaleu", Ludwig responds with a smile, he has a good crew on this boat, some have been with him since his first command, U7 a type11. Ernst is a good seaman, and an excellent officer, he will make a first class commander of his own boat one day.
"Are you going to try them out sir ?" asks Ernst, " yes , I think I will" replies Ludwig "a good craftsman needs quality tools to do a quality job eh number one ?" He reaches into the leather case around his neck and pulls out the shiny new, black metal and leather binoculars that he had been presented with by two fellow Kaleuns, Danlisa and Pisces that last night in Kiel before they set sail, they were made by his favourite manufacturers, and he had been unable to replace them since they were lost overboard during a night attack against a convoy a couple of trips ago.
God only knows where that pair had got them, he had been unable to source them himself, there was a war on and luxury items were hard to come by nowadays, but he thanked them again silently as he scanned the horizon through the familiar optics. " Lets go to work number one ! "
Thanks again guys.
Subvers4
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