(Story) U-46 puts to sea again - Page 49

donw · 06-29-07, 09:01 AM

Donw winks at LS

I knew you'd find a way to bring in that sidebar

Laughing Swordfish · 07-01-07, 02:02 PM

Called a segue, Don! Waste not, want not! And I can do some more retro stuff if the boys want. Meanwhile I am busy trashing historical dates, I should research more..

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 07-01-07, 03:01 PM

Something's going on at Saint Nazaire!

As the kubelwagen speeds down the lanes, we can see explosions and tracer arcing in every direction, near the harbour.

"Wake up Cox! Get us in as soon as you can Franks! What do you make of it Reuben?"

"Commando Raid, or the Resistance.."

There was another crackle of gunfire, and the crump of grenade explosions.

"It's a raid, for sure. They're after the boats and the pens! We have to get back to the boat!"

A quick survey soon found out that we were limited to one luger and 10 rounds.

"Here's what we do. Cox, pull us in at the nearest Army base, the 279th should be nearby"

"I know the Quartermaster there, Kap"

"Beg, borrow or steal any weapons they have in the rack, by any means, Cox. MP40's if you can. We need magazines too; take them off a landser if you have to. Just pull rank.

"I haven't got any", he grumbled, but went away into the night, talked to an officer at the barracks, and soon re-appeared with two SMGs and pockets bulging with charged magazines.

"Well played Cox, now when we get close to the pens, the plan is that you take over the car Cox, and you get yourself and Heidi to safety. Take my luger. And don't argue. I need Reuben to help me get U-46 out of the pen before they try and blow her up.

"Reuben you know roughly how to fire one of these?

"Yes Kap!"

"More than me then!"

"Then we go, Christian and Willi should already be there depending on what's happening. We must get U-46 away into open water!"

"Heidi, you are in Cox's charge. You must promise to stay where he says and do what he does"

"What about not taking risks, Rollie"

"That only officially starts tomorrow, darling"

And with that we are gone. Me and Reuben dashing through the streets.

There was the odd burst of gunfire, but the infantrymen who knew best seemed quite unconcerned, so we took our lead from them. But it looked like the crossroads leading to the boats was held by commandos and a heavy firefight was in progress. Myself and Reuben pitched in enthusiastically with our MP40s to no noticeable effect; until a feldwebel tapped me on the shoulder.

"Would you mind moving over Sir? The Army's here!" As he cheerfully called his men forward to set up two MG34s to pepper the street corner opposite.

"I need to get to the Pens!" I shouted.

"Go over there Sir, Leutnant Gruber, do you see that platoon over there getting ready to go?"

"Yes"

"They're putting in a left flanking counter attack, which should secure the Pens. Make yourself known to him. and tag along behind. That should get you there. I don't know for sure" he shouted "But I think they've managed to get a destroyer and a load of patrol boats right up here.

"Thanks Feldwebel."

"Happy Landings, Kapitan"

We shook.

"Hals und Bein bruch!"

LS

TarJak · 07-02-07, 01:31 AM

Great stuff as usual LS!

azn_132 · 07-02-07, 01:48 AM

Ya, Operation Chariot, bak to my MOHEA days.

Jimbuna · 07-02-07, 02:40 AM

Oberon · 07-02-07, 06:31 AM

Great stuff LS as always!!

Good to see Leutnant Gruber!

Did he bring his 'little tank'?

Rhodes · 07-02-07, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Great stuff LS as always!!

Good to see Leutnant Gruber!

Did he bring his 'little tank'?

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
I was thinking of that.

bookworm_020 · 07-02-07, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Great stuff LS as always!!

Good to see Leutnant Gruber!

Did he bring his 'little tank'?

Clarence has driven off with it!

"Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once"

Kpt. Lehmann · 07-02-07, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Great stuff LS as always!!

Good to see Leutnant Gruber!

Did he bring his 'little tank'?

Clarence has driven off with it!

"Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once"

Goode moaning!

Laughing Swordfish · 07-03-07, 09:52 AM

OK enough with the Gruber, guys! Who knew you were such avid watchers of a slapstick farce. Although there was a huge crush, I confess, going on there with Vicky Michelle, she played Yvette and also my heartstrings. So maybe that caused my freudian slip.

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 07-03-07, 11:13 AM

"Leutnant Gruber?"

"Nein, Grun, Ich heisse Grun, was ist los?"

I'm crouched down by this army leutnant, who is impatient to get his counter-attack started. A corporal ducking down behind the wall is unscrewing the caps from two of his stick grenades. Along the wall the others are doing the same.

"I need to get to the Pens, Grun! I have a U-Boot to look after!"

"Ok, Sir, that's where we're heading. Tag along behind and try not to shoot us up the arse; you navy types don't know one end of a weapon from the other.

He grinned.

"Sergeant?"

"Any time now, Sir!"

"Bayonets on lads!"

They were looking across to the crossroads where the two MG34s were opening up with vicious, and relentless bursts.

"They're firing us in". The Sergeant winked. "Paste 'em to the front, and then kick the back doors in. Works every time!"

"These are Commandos though", he looked more serious.

"Stay behind us, Sir, if you want to get to the dock. It's bound to get warm when we jump off."

The machine guns up the rate of fire, and the sergeant gives a hand signal to the 30 men taking cover behind the bakery and fishmongers.

A flurry of stick grenades are hurled forward. The Feldwebel counts off a few seconds. There is a succession of explosions.

"Now! Now boys! Go! Go! Go!" And with a roar the soldiers are at them with Lt Grun and his sergeant by his side. I see him sticking one Tommy again and again in the chest, whilst a landser beside him drops soundlessly clutching his belly, another is blown off his feet by a hand grenade.. Two more men grapple desperately on the ground until a third man, one of ours, intervenes with the repeated use of his rifle butt.

Reuben and I blunder on behind, tripping over the odd dead body and bursting away, in blind panic, with our sub-machine guns. Another fresh platoon leap frogs past us to the left. They are already firing at the retreating raiders.

The Sergeant comes up breathlessly, there is blood on his face and he is still yelling at his boys to sweep up down to the Harbour.

"Commandos, Sir. Hard fighters. They are heading back to their boats, otherwise we'd have been here all night. There's the Pens, below you Sir, I guess you know that. You can see their boats out there. Is there a quick way to cut them off, do you know, Sir?"

"That way...Thanks and Good Luck!"

His name was Auel.

I'm looking at this old destroyer, a four-stacker by the looks of her, rammed hard against the deeper sea docks, the ones we planned to use for our capital ships; the Tommies seem to be making back for their boats. Why would they do that?

"Are you ok, Sir? I have to get back to my men...Let me take those weapons.. before you do anyone else any harm..!"

"Yes. Yes, Feldwebel. I just need to get down to my boat. Come on Reuben!"
We raced down along the dock. Gunfire continues along the other side of the harbour. The army haven't finished yet, but British patrol boats are busy taking their people off and returning fire.

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 07-03-07, 12:01 PM

Christian is on the Bridge of Our Laughing Fish

"I knew you'd come, Kap! Reuben get downstairs and start those electrics!"

My Number One reads my mind

And as Reuben dashes below to get the boat started, Christian gives me his full report.

There are the three of us, four seamen as harbour watch, and Willi, who is busy training the AA gun.

"I've always wanted to play with one of these, Kap!"

"We've already cast away Kap"

"OK, start the electric motors, ahead one quarter. Christian, take us out. Is there a chance that they laid any charges on her?"

"Not with me watching, Sir!"

"That's great. Let's have the watch drag up the machine guns, once we get out into safe water. Then we need to man the 20mm gun, in case we need to have a go at the British patrol boats as they escape. Where the hell is Kurt and his boys when you need them.

Christian coughed politely.

"You sent Kurt away to Konigsberg on leave, Kap; Dieter and George...."

"Tell me the worst."

"They're locked up in the fore-ends until the shore patrol comes, he murmured.

"They have some bills outstanding in the town they are from various establishments, and there's been some fighting, and..."

"Get them out now, RIGHT NOW!"

"Get them working the guns. We're fighting a War, not a court room, Christian.

And so Willi and Christian and me and our skeleton crew push our beloved U-46 out of the way as, as the battle recedes around the Harbour all around us.

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 07-03-07, 12:52 PM

So the boys managed to get the boat free of the Pens that night.

U-666, U-273, U-634, and U-100 also escaped into deeper water.

We had three men, none of whom could see straight, manning guns all night. Christian, Willi, Reuben and I, steered the boat clear into the estuary, and shot hotly at anyone going back down the river. I had to point out to Willi that they were probably our own schnell-boots taking off, and we really shouldn't shoot at them.

The good news is that all the boats have survived unscathed. Particularly U-46, which we are now easing gently back into dock.

My first thought is for Heidi, but Cox has looked after her incredibly well. She is jumping up and down and brandishing the pistol.
He's driven her back to the harbour. There are one or two dead bodies, and maybe Heidie's valour peaks at that point. There is one of ours who doesn't look well in death, a sheet goes over him, they are already taking the tommies up, and rounding up those who didn't make it back to the boats. All brave men.
Those that are captured, and there are many, I hope we treat them justly, but sometimes I feel my Country is doing something different.

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 07-03-07, 01:37 PM

I thought you didn't care for such stuff, Heidi"

We had been through a whole interrogation about last night; about how it was a minor raid, an incursion, really and nothing to write home about.

The infantry had been much better clearing the port than me and Reuben. It turns out that quite a few sailors had to be deterred from getting in the way by the Army, that night. Kals, Brecht and one or two others, spilling out of the bars, and to be politely but firmly put to bed by the Army.

LS

07-01-07, 03:01 PM	#723
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Something's going on at Saint Nazaire! As the kubelwagen speeds down the lanes, we can see explosions and tracer arcing in every direction, near the harbour. "Wake up Cox! Get us in as soon as you can Franks! What do you make of it Reuben?" "Commando Raid, or the Resistance.." There was another crackle of gunfire, and the crump of grenade explosions. "It's a raid, for sure. They're after the boats and the pens! We have to get back to the boat!" A quick survey soon found out that we were limited to one luger and 10 rounds. "Here's what we do. Cox, pull us in at the nearest Army base, the 279th should be nearby" "I know the Quartermaster there, Kap" "Beg, borrow or steal any weapons they have in the rack, by any means, Cox. MP40's if you can. We need magazines too; take them off a landser if you have to. Just pull rank. "I haven't got any", he grumbled, but went away into the night, talked to an officer at the barracks, and soon re-appeared with two SMGs and pockets bulging with charged magazines. "Well played Cox, now when we get close to the pens, the plan is that you take over the car Cox, and you get yourself and Heidi to safety. Take my luger. And don't argue. I need Reuben to help me get U-46 out of the pen before they try and blow her up. "Reuben you know roughly how to fire one of these? "Yes Kap!" "More than me then!" "Then we go, Christian and Willi should already be there depending on what's happening. We must get U-46 away into open water!" "Heidi, you are in Cox's charge. You must promise to stay where he says and do what he does" "What about not taking risks, Rollie" "That only officially starts tomorrow, darling" And with that we are gone. Me and Reuben dashing through the streets. There was the odd burst of gunfire, but the infantrymen who knew best seemed quite unconcerned, so we took our lead from them. But it looked like the crossroads leading to the boats was held by commandos and a heavy firefight was in progress. Myself and Reuben pitched in enthusiastically with our MP40s to no noticeable effect; until a feldwebel tapped me on the shoulder. "Would you mind moving over Sir? The Army's here!" As he cheerfully called his men forward to set up two MG34s to pepper the street corner opposite. "I need to get to the Pens!" I shouted. "Go over there Sir, Leutnant Gruber, do you see that platoon over there getting ready to go?" "Yes" "They're putting in a left flanking counter attack, which should secure the Pens. Make yourself known to him. and tag along behind. That should get you there. I don't know for sure" he shouted "But I think they've managed to get a destroyer and a load of patrol boats right up here. "Thanks Feldwebel." "Happy Landings, Kapitan" We shook. "Hals und Bein bruch!" LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 07-01-07 at 03:12 PM.

07-02-07, 01:48 AM	#725
azn_132 Grey Wolf Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 950 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Ya, Operation Chariot, bak to my MOHEA days. __________________

07-02-07, 02:40 AM	#726
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,742 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	__________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

07-03-07, 11:13 AM	#732
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	"Leutnant Gruber?" "Nein, Grun, Ich heisse Grun, was ist los?" I'm crouched down by this army leutnant, who is impatient to get his counter-attack started. A corporal ducking down behind the wall is unscrewing the caps from two of his stick grenades. Along the wall the others are doing the same. "I need to get to the Pens, Grun! I have a U-Boot to look after!" "Ok, Sir, that's where we're heading. Tag along behind and try not to shoot us up the arse; you navy types don't know one end of a weapon from the other. He grinned. "Sergeant?" "Any time now, Sir!" "Bayonets on lads!" They were looking across to the crossroads where the two MG34s were opening up with vicious, and relentless bursts. "They're firing us in". The Sergeant winked. "Paste 'em to the front, and then kick the back doors in. Works every time!" "These are Commandos though", he looked more serious. "Stay behind us, Sir, if you want to get to the dock. It's bound to get warm when we jump off." The machine guns up the rate of fire, and the sergeant gives a hand signal to the 30 men taking cover behind the bakery and fishmongers. A flurry of stick grenades are hurled forward. The Feldwebel counts off a few seconds. There is a succession of explosions. "Now! Now boys! Go! Go! Go!" And with a roar the soldiers are at them with Lt Grun and his sergeant by his side. I see him sticking one Tommy again and again in the chest, whilst a landser beside him drops soundlessly clutching his belly, another is blown off his feet by a hand grenade.. Two more men grapple desperately on the ground until a third man, one of ours, intervenes with the repeated use of his rifle butt. Reuben and I blunder on behind, tripping over the odd dead body and bursting away, in blind panic, with our sub-machine guns. Another fresh platoon leap frogs past us to the left. They are already firing at the retreating raiders. The Sergeant comes up breathlessly, there is blood on his face and he is still yelling at his boys to sweep up down to the Harbour. "Commandos, Sir. Hard fighters. They are heading back to their boats, otherwise we'd have been here all night. There's the Pens, below you Sir, I guess you know that. You can see their boats out there. Is there a quick way to cut them off, do you know, Sir?" "That way...Thanks and Good Luck!" His name was Auel. I'm looking at this old destroyer, a four-stacker by the looks of her, rammed hard against the deeper sea docks, the ones we planned to use for our capital ships; the Tommies seem to be making back for their boats. Why would they do that? "Are you ok, Sir? I have to get back to my men...Let me take those weapons.. before you do anyone else any harm..!" "Yes. Yes, Feldwebel. I just need to get down to my boat. Come on Reuben!" We raced down along the dock. Gunfire continues along the other side of the harbour. The army haven't finished yet, but British patrol boats are busy taking their people off and returning fire. LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 07-06-07 at 06:05 AM.

07-03-07, 12:01 PM	#733
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Christian is on the Bridge of Our Laughing Fish "I knew you'd come, Kap! Reuben get downstairs and start those electrics!" My Number One reads my mind And as Reuben dashes below to get the boat started, Christian gives me his full report. There are the three of us, four seamen as harbour watch, and Willi, who is busy training the AA gun. "I've always wanted to play with one of these, Kap!" "We've already cast away Kap" "OK, start the electric motors, ahead one quarter. Christian, take us out. Is there a chance that they laid any charges on her?" "Not with me watching, Sir!" "That's great. Let's have the watch drag up the machine guns, once we get out into safe water. Then we need to man the 20mm gun, in case we need to have a go at the British patrol boats as they escape. Where the hell is Kurt and his boys when you need them. Christian coughed politely. "You sent Kurt away to Konigsberg on leave, Kap; Dieter and George...." "Tell me the worst." "They're locked up in the fore-ends until the shore patrol comes, he murmured. "They have some bills outstanding in the town they are from various establishments, and there's been some fighting, and..." "Get them out now, RIGHT NOW!" "Get them working the guns. We're fighting a War, not a court room, Christian. And so Willi and Christian and me and our skeleton crew push our beloved U-46 out of the way as, as the battle recedes around the Harbour all around us. LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 07-04-07 at 05:11 AM.

06-29-07, 09:01 AM	#721
donw Sonar Guy Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Indiana Posts: 386 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Donw winks at LS I knew you'd find a way to bring in that sidebar

07-01-07, 02:02 PM	#722
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Called a segue, Don! Waste not, want not! And I can do some more retro stuff if the boys want. Meanwhile I am busy trashing historical dates, I should research more.. LS

07-02-07, 01:31 AM	#724
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	Great stuff as usual LS!

07-02-07, 06:31 AM	#727
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Great stuff LS as always!! Good to see Leutnant Gruber! Did he bring his 'little tank'?

07-03-07, 09:52 AM	#731
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	OK enough with the Gruber, guys! Who knew you were such avid watchers of a slapstick farce. Although there was a huge crush, I confess, going on there with Vicky Michelle, she played Yvette and also my heartstrings. So maybe that caused my freudian slip. LS

07-03-07, 12:52 PM	#734
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	So the boys managed to get the boat free of the Pens that night. U-666, U-273, U-634, and U-100 also escaped into deeper water. We had three men, none of whom could see straight, manning guns all night. Christian, Willi, Reuben and I, steered the boat clear into the estuary, and shot hotly at anyone going back down the river. I had to point out to Willi that they were probably our own schnell-boots taking off, and we really shouldn't shoot at them. The good news is that all the boats have survived unscathed. Particularly U-46, which we are now easing gently back into dock. My first thought is for Heidi, but Cox has looked after her incredibly well. She is jumping up and down and brandishing the pistol. He's driven her back to the harbour. There are one or two dead bodies, and maybe Heidie's valour peaks at that point. There is one of ours who doesn't look well in death, a sheet goes over him, they are already taking the tommies up, and rounding up those who didn't make it back to the boats. All brave men. Those that are captured, and there are many, I hope we treat them justly, but sometimes I feel my Country is doing something different. LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 07-06-07 at 06:09 AM.

07-03-07, 01:37 PM	#735
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I thought you didn't care for such stuff, Heidi" We had been through a whole interrogation about last night; about how it was a minor raid, an incursion, really and nothing to write home about. The infantry had been much better clearing the port than me and Reuben. It turns out that quite a few sailors had to be deterred from getting in the way by the Army, that night. Kals, Brecht and one or two others, spilling out of the bars, and to be politely but firmly put to bed by the Army. LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 07-04-07 at 05:15 AM.