(Story) U-46 puts to sea again

[Laughing Swordfish]

Of course the way was still fraught with danger. I suppose the Brits knew we were in the area after that agent fiasco, and didn't want to let us go.

After the second crash dive, and being rocked again by a Sunderland's bombs, good call by Lehmann of Third Watch, Willi's gang who had us scurrying down that ladder like squirrels, and the boat already tipping down just in time, we're going to keep out of the way down here until nightfall.

It's slow but safer, and Hans is listening out for any contacts.

To while away the time, our coxswain "Cox" is entertaining us in the wardroom with some magic tricks from whatever he can find to hand.

He produces a string of white victory pennants from his sleeve, a mouldy orange from his side cap, an array of card tricks, and finally he makes some coins vanish.

"Excellent Cox! Especially that last trick with the disappearing money"

"Interestingly enough I received a memo from Flotilla Headquarters last time we were in, questioning our boat's requisition budget. We seem to have put in for a lot of things that wouldn't actually fit in the boat.

"Like what, Sir?"

"Like a Mercedes"

"Sir, I...."

"It's ok Cox, I performed a little magic trick of my own and made the memo vanish into thin air"

"Just take the car, give some of the boys a joy ride, and then use it to get yourself home to your family when we dock back in France."

"You think we'll still get back, Kaleun?"

"You can count on it, you rascal!"

LS

[Robert Fulton]

I especially enjoyed seeing in the mind's eye two merchants making like tractors at a monster truck show in Arkansas.

And good news about Gerhard, of course.

[Shantyman]

Great posts keep em coming!

[bookworm_020]

Great way to answer a question by including it in the story! Bravo!

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

Great way to answer a question by including it in the story! Bravo!

[Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Laughing Swordfish

"Excellent Cox! Especially that last trick with the disappearing money"

"Interestingly enough I received a memo from Flotilla Headquarters last time we were in, questioning our boat's requisition budget. We seem to have put in for a lot of things that wouldn't actually fit in the boat.

"Like what, Sir?"

"Like a Mercedes"

LS

[Laughing Swordfish]

Well there are enough 'Golden Pheasants' driving around in plush cars who do a damn sight less towards the war effort than Cox and his like does.

Also I know he takes Reuben back to Hamburg every time we get home, with as much rations and other goods he can scrounge to a poor family hiding in an attic in my own home town.

Hiding from fellow Germans like me. Or at least I thought we were all fellow Germans. I can't understand it. In any case, Cox can have a Rolls Royce and a Bentley and an Alfa Romeo and a whole fleet of Wehrmacht trucks for all I care (he probably does). He's basically a decent man doing a good thing. And he certainly takes care of us.

Cox's magic isn't so bad either. The last time we got back he begged me to stop short at the town at the mouth of the river. I indulged him and he ran ashore with some ship mates and returned carrying their booty with them.

So when we sailed into Saint Nazaire and the waiting band, we had a full barbecue going on the deck, with Kuki turning the bratwurst, and Cox handing out the french beers underneath a string of white pennants.

As Christian and I saluted the astonished Senior Flotilla officers, with our papers and log book in hand, a stream of nurses and other female staff orderlies were being invited down the gangplank for a party around the deck gun.

My First Officer got to do all the paperwork and reports that day. Heidi was waiting too.

LS

[bookworm_020]

Lady sighted! Full Speed Ahead!!!

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

Lady sighted! Full Speed Ahead!!!

As I was a walking down Paradise Street
To my way, aye! blow the man down,
A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet.
Give me some time to blow the man down!

She was round in the counter and bluff in the bow,
To my way, aye! blow the man down
So I took in all sail and cried, "Way enough now."
Give me some time to blow the man down!

[Laughing Swordfish]

Cool Steve.

At Flores in the Azores, Sir Richard Grenville lay

And a Pinnace like a fluttered bird came flying from far away

"Spanish ships of war at sea, we have sighted fifty three!"

Then spake Sir Thomas Howard:

"Fore God I am no coward!"

"But I cannot meet them here; for my ships are out of gear,and half my men are sick,

I must fly, but follow quick!

We are six ships of the line, can we fight with fifty three?"

Then spake Sir Richard Grenville:

"I know you are no coward.

But I have fifty men and more who are lying sick ashore.

I would count myself the coward, if I left them, my Lord Howard, to those Inquisition Dogs and the devildoms of Spain!"

So Sir Howard sailed away with five ships of war that day

Their sails disappearred into the summers heaven

And Sir Richard bore in hand all the sick men from the land, men of Bideford in Devon.

And they blessed him in their pain

That they'd not been left to Spain, to the Thumbscrew and the Rack, for the glory of the Lord.

That's me coming out of the story for a moment and attempting to quote a poem by Tennyson.

Fighting and beating the French and the Spanish is kind of in our genes now, we just need Calais back again, which was ours and most of France up to the reign of Bloody Mary; and even then there'll be an uneasy peace!

We're hated by the french, but the feelings mutual; we hammer them at every military event, and nowadays they don't even turn up. The scots and the welsh and certain of the Irish who have started murdering us again, we've fought them, and beat them, again and again through our history. Maybe that's why they don't like us? Can't they let it go?

Enough with the politics, I'm supposed to be running a boat....

RdB (LS)

[bookworm_020]

Is the U-46 lost at sea?? No contact has been heard!