My patrol Diary.. :)

[vanjast]

Thought I'd do this on my return to action... so hear we go.
Hope you enjoy it..

31Aug1939 - Arrival

17:30
Arrived at Kiel for my new assignment. It has been at least 5 years since I left the Atlantic war. It’s funny how nations never get tired of fighting each other.

The bus dropped me off at dockside security. The guards here were somewhat bemused on seeing and ‘old’ man reporting for duty, none-the-less they were courteous.
I found my way to the quayside through a lot of feverous activity. Everyone looked in good spirits – I wonder how long that would last, I thought. I asked for the Kriegsmarine offices and was duly directed.

The offices were a small collection of huts behind this ominous monstrous black/grey submarine pen. If the allies ever manage to penetrate that thing I would be surprised, Onkel Karl certainly knows his business. Another security check and I was into the Kriegsmarine compound. I was very excited and wanted to go straight to my boat (that’s if I knew where it was), but you know the military dogma…. Hurry up and Wait!! Hells it would be great to be at sea again instead of pushing pens and papers.

I walked through the door and an orderly ‘jack-rabbited’ to his feet with an arm-stretched salute. This gave me such a fright that I retorted “If you ever do that to me again, you’ll lose your arm, now relax!!”, and returned a normal naval salute.
“Jawohl Kaleun”, he said and sat down, a bit bewildered.
“May I see your papers, Kaleun “, so I gave them to him. He was on the phone and a few minutes later a young OberLeutnant walked in.

“Greetings Kaleun, I’m Oberleutnant Ernst Baur, are you here for U48 ?”.. With a somewhat doubtful look on his face
“Hello leutnant that is correct, I hope all is ready”
“Alles goed Kaleun… errr, we were expecting a Kaptein Lutzow ..”
“Apparently Admiral Donitz has changed his mind… shall we ?”

The orderly pick up my bags and we walked to the pens. “Herr Kaleun, we sail tonight at 00:00, shall I prepare the crew for your boarding ?”.
“I am aware of that.. And no, it’s not necessary, we’ll have plenty of time to acquaint ourselves.”

And there she was…Dark, silent and sinister in the dimmed lights of the pen, floating gently on the glassy surface. We walked around to the gangplank, and a few crews sprang to attention.. “Relax gentlemen, continue ..” and Baur started to climb the conn.

“Orderly can you drop my bags in my cabin please… Herr Baur, let’s go down the rear hatch “. The hatch was opened and a surprised crewman look up, walking through the aft torpedo room to the forward torpedo room it felt like only yesterday.
Submarines do not change that much over a few years

“Herr Baur, can prepare the crew and boat for sailing at 11:00 please.. I’m going to retire to my cabin.”
“Jawohl, Herr Kaleun”.. And off I went to write this first entry of my diary and look at this envelope containing my orders.

11:00:
There’s a knock on my cabin door and Baur is standing there..
“Herr Kaleun.. may I speak to you”
“Yes of course.. sit down, what is it?”

“Well Herr Kaleun to be blunt, as you know we were expecting Kaptein Lutzow who is one of the top submariners we have, and the crew are expressing concerns with the change of appointment. I’m not questioning your abilities, Herr Kaleun, but times have changed since you were last at sea… the modifications we have, the enemy tactics are more treacherous… “

“I thank you for being blunt Herr OberLeutnant, but Admiral Donitz doesn’t seem to share the crews view, and I trust you will inform the crew of this fact. Sometimes we must put a little faith in the unknown… anything else ?”

“No sir!, I’ll see that the crew are informed”
“Thank you.. Baur, let’s prepare for sailing”

And there it was, what a way to start a first patrol!!