An awesome escape and then...

[maillemaker]

So it's September 1943.

I hit a convoy SE of the Rocall Banks, on my way to somewhere in BE, as usual when I leave Bergen these days.

My attack is a massive screw-up.

I've got two Falke homing torpedoes aft in my VIIC, TIIIs up front.

I'm trying to slip into the front of the convoy as usual, dodging the flank and lead escorts. Unfortunately I dove too soon and the port-side flank escort goes right over me and starts pinging me.

I try and launch a salvo of 2 and 2 at two large tankers in the lead, and then I dive. I got one hit, but no sinking.

And now they are on me. 5 escorts taking turns. I'm shucking and jiving at 200 m and they won't let me go. Finally it looks like we are down to 3 escorts, but they've hammered me down to about 73% hull integrity. So I secure from silent running and have the boys reload the front tubes, and head to periscope depth.

I get a shot off with my falke, and it tags one of the escorts in the screws, stopping it but not sinking it, which is very rare, and the first time I've seen a Falke not sink an escort. It turns out it save my life.

My last Falke missed its target and circled around my own sub - I actually watched it go around me through the periscope! Close call.

I managed to nail another escort with a lucky magnetic shot from the front, and then I get hammered with gunfire and I'm down to 54% hull integrity.

And worse, both of my periscopes are destroyed.

So, I do the only thing I can do. I make straight for the crippled, motionless destroyer, using the hydrophones, and, as best I can tell, I came to a rest directly under it.

The last remaining escort circled and circled.

Not knowing what else to do, I ordered a dive, with no motor, to 70 meters.

Our boat slowly descends, and low and behold, the circling escort breaks off and heads back to the convoy!

I'm saved!

So I crawl at slow speed heading north east to make the trip around the north of Britain to get back to Bergen.

Then, numerous sonar contacts from warships coming up from the east! Looks like they summoned a task force to come look for me. I go silent and back down to 70 meters while they pass astern a mere 2000 m away.

But I make it.

I go silent for a couple more hours. I'm free. No sonar contacts.

I give the order to surface, I can hear the water sloshing around the conning tower, and then...

Crash to desktop.