home and dry

[Penelope_Grey]

The 10th Patrol of U-101

This is a sort of a hallmark for me, so you will excuse me if I get a bit emotional! U-101 and I have been together from 1939. Wheras before I started in a Type IX straight off the bat, I decided to try and earn one the hard way. When I am destroyed I am destroyed, I have done 1939 starts before but in my religious playing of SH3-GWX I made a few stupid mistakes and so, ended up as fish food, as my bro would say. But lets not linger on that lets look at success, and 30,000 tons!

To many here 30,000 is perhaps chump change but to me, its a whopper of an accomplishment for one patrol. U-101 left dock and we headed for the English Channel. Apologies as I narrate for myself in the 3rd person, but its crazy, like me, therefore I do it.

Fraulein Kaleun, Penelope Grey was feeling sure of herself and confident. She stood atop the conning tower and watched as U-101 departed Kiel for what would hopefully be another successful patrol. Her watch officer made the fatal mistake of wolf whistling her. In a fury of anger she slapped him accross the face, banged his head on the Uzo and then tripped him up so he fell down the hatch back into the boat. The other lookouts were amazed at her display of aggression.

Don't ever! and I mean EVER wolf whistle me when this boat is underway!

She made herself clear. She left no doubt she was master and commander. Her beautiful blonde hair billowed in the gentle breeze behind her her gorgeous blue eyes scanning the horizon dilligently as U-101 headed to sea.

(Authors note: YES! I really AM that vain but only on weekdays! LOL)

It was not long before they happened to spot a little Tramp Steamer belonging to Britain, excitedly Penelope raced to the bridge, her favourite spot on the boat. And ordered ahead flank, her idea was to simply put a Torpedo into its side by the fuel bunkers and then 'assist' it with some deck gun fire then. Tramp Steamers in the GWX universe were renowned for being tougher than the average battleship yet only 1/20 of the size.

It was light so the boat was spotted approaching. It didn't deter her they drew in closer and they fired their stern tube as it was easier with the ship zig zagging and given that U-101 was approaching from the Steamers 8'oclock regions. The torpedo rang true and pulverised the side of the ship. The gunners quickly climbed to the deck and blasted a few well placed shells into the side of the steamer as it then relented and sank. Their first catch of the day.

As U-101 headed further down towards the English channel, naval traffic began to really increase. Penelope was receiving contact reports galore, including one of a convoy, but, due it being so far in it was almost at base, she didn't think it was worth the risk. Not only that, when the bottom of the sea is only 40 m down, that does not allow a lot of scope for Destroyer evasion.

Though it may have seemed like a dangerous idea, it would wield some impressive results for me as I headed further down. Now came the time that probably most captains fear, a destroyer. For a moment, Penelope panicked. but I quickly decided what had to be done. I ordered the chief to point us directly at the Destroyer, dive and bottom the boat. I had saw my brother do this, it was now my turn to immitate and hope for the best.

The destroyer came nearer, ping ping ping. but something was different, the bottom was interfering with him obviously as when he passsed over us he didn't drop his deadly payload till he was a good 3/4's of a boat length away from the tip of our stern. We could head the massive explosions going off, I breathed a sigh of relief, my gamble had paid dividends. Now came the time to fight back!

Women are generally held to be not that good at parking or getting out of parking spaces, unfortunately I proved that stereotype correct when I was coming up off the bottom. I didn't allow my burst of compressed air enough time and the stern of U-101 bumped the bottom. Luckily there was no serious damage. When we eventually got going I tried another stern shot. The Destroyer would not oblige me sadly. He dodged. I fired magnetic at him and he was coming straight at me, so dodging was not impossible also it being a steamer and broad daylight, you know...

He was crazier than I gave him credit! He WAS going to depthcharge me near the surface, he had side launchers! DRAT! We had an explosion underneath us which forced our watch tower out of the water and it picked up a small blast of machine gun fire which cost us some hull integrity.

I was starting to get angry! I was thinking to myself, Donitz thinks I should be in the galley rather than the command room!? THINK AGAIN!

I ordered tube 1 opened and I called out some basic solution plots, speed of torpedo, depth to run at, and whatever I could, I would have to shoot from the hip and there was no time to flick through recognition books to see where the ammo bunkers were on that particular DD. I guessed all the depthcharges and what not would be kept somehwere near the back of the boat, so I fired thereish. My Torpedo hit!

The Destroyer was fatallyl wounded, a few moments later she began to roll in the water and then down she went. After that, I decided to proceed, but we remained submerged due to aircraft cover. We would surface at night I decided.

Night came, and the weatehr was atrocious for the next two days we battled against horrendous seas and rain. The rain let up eventually and so did the fog, but the wind was there with vengeance, it was just coming up to two in the morning and the gaps in the clouds were letting in enough light for us to see another Destroyer it was pararell to us and heading in our opposite direction.

I could not resist! I turned my boat and then waited for him to come to me, we sat there at all stop bobbing up and down like a ball till he was in position. A whoosh of compressed air sent the torpedo hurtling out of the tube and on its way. For a split second it looked as though Penelope had scuffed it. But, no! By the luck of the Irish, or German or, French or whatever.... the Torpedo hit! KAPOW! The ship went down, and the crew cheered and cheered.

Finally her new crew was seeing her as a force to be reckoned with, not a living pin up for them ogle for the rest of the patrol. U-101 had a brief encounter with an Elco, but rather than shoot it out with a boat that was the proverbial wasp in a jam jar. U-101 dived and got away from him. They headed out of the channel there were a few run ins with planes, but, the crew were motivated and ready and performed brilliantly in a crash dive scenario.

Penelope's watch officer was beginning to recover from his injuries. When she bashed his head off the conning tower, she gave him a black eye and it swelled shut, and so, she had to take his place on watch now which was ok.

As U-101 headed out and on her way to patrol round giberalter, they did happen accross a few lone merchants which were dispatched, it was rather uneventful all things considered but was ok. The important thing is, I was sinking the enemy, that was the main thing.

The real icing on the cake came when we sighted a convoy, we only had 4 torpedoes left, we would have had 5, but Brenda the silly tart fired our stern tube by accident. With only 4 torpedoes at my disposal, I would have to plan carefully. I decided to think of it, like a shopping trip.... I could use my 4 torpedoes to sink 4 small to medium sized merchant ships, but there was no guarantee. Or I could blow all 4 on a Britich Battle Cruiser which happened to be sailing with that convoy.

It was too much for me to resist. I had phoned in the location to BdU other boats could pick up the scraps, I wanted the big one! I decided, that it would be better to go for quality over quantity and thus used my last remaining torpedoes on the cruiser. 3 detonated accurately with number 1 being a dud. So a loud clang alerted him to attack, but the other 3 put paid to him and he sank. 11,000 tons. I was thrilled.

What didnt thrill me was hearing ping ping ping... the corvette was on his way. It was just your typical evade escorts scenario. the deepest I had ever gone in U-101 was 80m. I was realising, that it was not deep enough and I went down to 160m. More than 500 feet of water for the other countries in the world not on metric.

We were able to slink away on silent speed. Then after 7 hours at 160m and at silent speed. The convoy was gone. I had done my bit, the command ship was scrap metal! The rest would be easy for our boats out of newly occupied france!

I saw myself running out of fuel so decided to activate my secret weapon a warp feature, using advanced Super Secret Evil Nazi Technology I activated a space time warp with my electric engines and simply whooshed back to base. Where nurses greeted me and blew kisses at me. And I thought to myself, e-gad, Lesbians in abundence!! I hope the SS isn't watching for their sake.

I then headed for home to reflect on my successes and my accomplishments this patrol and also to savour the fact I am still alive and didnt become one with the water so to speak. So home I went and I celebrated like there was no tomorrow which in a war like this there may not be. I also apologised to the watch officer for my mistreatment of him and said it was just that time of the month. It wasn't I just wanted to give him a good bitchslap! Thanks for reading!

[robbo180265]

Fantastic story - Congratualtions on a job well done

[ReallyDedPoet]

Originally Posted by robbo180265

Fantastic story - Congratualtions on a job well done

Nice bonnet Ditto on the congrats, great read.

[Penelope_Grey]

Well I was reading around and I was thinking, hey I thought I was grown up at 19, but there are guys older than me doing this!? I wanna do it! So I shall be trying to write some more after my next patrol. And I get to make simple and crude, but effective banners to celebrate my patroliness!

[danurve]

Nice read, I liked it!

Might want to make sure the Uzo gets fixed.

[AVGWarhawk]

Don't ever! and I mean EVER wolf whistle me when this boat is underway!
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Got a good chuckle from that one

Your tonnage is great. That is about what I do on a patrol. Best I ever did was 45000. Have fun

[Brag]

Originally Posted by Penelope_Grey

Well I was reading around and I was thinking, hey I thought I was grown up at 19, but there are guys older than me doing this!? I wanna do it! So I shall be trying to write some more after my next patrol. And I get to make simple and crude, but effective banners to celebrate my patroliness!

Obviously a good patrol, 30K is nothing to sneeze at. Also a good read, obviously the Gwixing has awakened more than your killer talents.

Well done, Freulein Kaleun

[robbo180265]

Originally Posted by reallydedpoet

Nice bonnet Ditto on the congrats, great read.

I'm kinda torn. You see I want shot of Bonnet Boy, but I've just realised that Navy Dude isn't far away. AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!

[ReallyDedPoet]

Originally Posted by robbo180265

I'm kinda torn. You see I want shot of Bonnet Boy, but I've just realised that Navy Dude isn't far away. AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:everybody now Y M C A.....Y M C AA

[Dantenoc]

Fun post to read, congrats Penelope

[sunvalleyslim]

Great Story PG, can't wait for the next patrol. Make sure Bernard doesn't get transferred aboard........You'll do more than bitch slap him

[Eagle Eye]

Great job 30,000 or more is a very successful patrol in my book!

[Crosseye76]

Great patrol, and a super write-up.

[Alyebard]

Well done ! don't doubt to write your next patrol

[ijozic]

Originally Posted by Penelope_Grey

For a moment, Penelope panicked. but I quickly decided what had to be done.

Sounds like a multiple personality situation. That's useful. One deals with machist crewmembers in pure Cynthia Rothrock style but when she cracks under real pressure, the other one takes over. Are there more of them for other stressful situations? Like, choosing what clothes to take for the patrol or running out of make-up