First Air Raid

[rudderless]

June 1940
Nearly completed a circumnavigation of the British Isles without much to show for it. Bad weather and mechanical problems were turning this into the patrol from hell. Just about decided to give it up and run for home. We will have a quick look in Hull (should be Blyth not Hull, sorry), if nothing there home we go.
Surfaced and headed in at 1/3 speed to about 12k out, down to P depth, ahead slow, rig for silent running. Still enough daylight to spot mines, never spotted one, very lucky as I have lost a few careers to mines.
AWS trawler on guard patrol, quick peeks trying to work the best position to get around him.
Crew are looking very nervous at this stage when all of a sudden we can hear explosions.
Have we been spotted, up scope, no not us, it's an air raid. Quick change of underpants for all and we are good to go.
Bugger there goes the medium tanker we were after but lucky for us so did AWS trawler.
Ok, that still leaves an empire freighter, a sub, a destroyer and a small coal freighter.
Air raid sirens again, destroyer and shore batteries firing, must be the second wave. Down goes the destroyer and the empire, Oh $%it only leaves the sub and the small coal freighter.
Managed to get the sub and the freighter without having to try and get through the nets, set torps to minimum depth and they just skimmed over the top.
Counted 3 Heinkels, I think they were, splashed.
Man that was worth watching.