No more harbour raids ever! - Page 2

Foghladh_mhara · 03-13-07, 08:32 PM

April 1 1940 and BdU in his kindness assigned me to patrol grid AN68. Seeing as I'm 2nd flotilla in Willi this meant I had fulfilled my obligation to patrol in 3 days. Also with the benefit of being from 60 years in the future I also knew the Norway campaign was gonna kick off in a week or two so no point heading back to base for a 28 day refit. After trawling up and down the north sea picking off tramp steamers I decided to head towards Scapa to intercept any Home Fleet ships sortieing out. Of course being an impatient git I wasnt prepared to wait in deep water for a week twiddling my toes but now on my 5th patrol I'm also wise enough not to attempt to infiltrate Scapa. What to do?:hmm: Why not raid Lerwick sub-base!

Off I went until 15k out we spotted a V&W then another. Down to periscpe depth and onwards. How we laughed as the first one ran aground and sank, then the second one just stopped at the lands edge with props still going. We stopped laughing when 2 more appeared behind us and blocked the entrance. Luckily we had the perfect distraction, We ran into a net at 5 knots and they came to investigate

DC's away and next minute one of them is sinking then no2 runs aground but doesnt sink. Using the ob scope we get through the net and what do we find? 2 fishing boats, a coastal tanker, an armed trawler, a depot ship and another V&W tied up at the pier. Prob was that the two grounded destroyers were like gun platforms. Everytime scope went up they shot it and I couldnt hit them (wasted 3 torps but no hits) eventually sank the depot, the tied up V&W and the coastal. Then I couldnt find the gap in the net again. Eventually had to bump into it, back away afew 100m then ahead flank and surface, over we go and periscope depth again. Like the champion hurdles only a lot slower. I went from 99% integrity to 11% in seconds. Spotlights and starshell and us cruising along slowly flooding. Thank christ I gave repair quals to the CE and senior PO or we would have flooded. Needless to say we didnt stick around for the fleet and crawled home

03-13-07, 08:32 PM	#1
Foghladh_mhara Commander Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 473 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	No more harbour raids ever! April 1 1940 and BdU in his kindness assigned me to patrol grid AN68. Seeing as I'm 2nd flotilla in Willi this meant I had fulfilled my obligation to patrol in 3 days. Also with the benefit of being from 60 years in the future I also knew the Norway campaign was gonna kick off in a week or two so no point heading back to base for a 28 day refit. After trawling up and down the north sea picking off tramp steamers I decided to head towards Scapa to intercept any Home Fleet ships sortieing out. Of course being an impatient git I wasnt prepared to wait in deep water for a week twiddling my toes but now on my 5th patrol I'm also wise enough not to attempt to infiltrate Scapa. What to do?:hmm: Why not raid Lerwick sub-base! Off I went until 15k out we spotted a V&W then another. Down to periscpe depth and onwards. How we laughed as the first one ran aground and sank, then the second one just stopped at the lands edge with props still going. We stopped laughing when 2 more appeared behind us and blocked the entrance. Luckily we had the perfect distraction, We ran into a net at 5 knots and they came to investigate DC's away and next minute one of them is sinking then no2 runs aground but doesnt sink. Using the ob scope we get through the net and what do we find? 2 fishing boats, a coastal tanker, an armed trawler, a depot ship and another V&W tied up at the pier. Prob was that the two grounded destroyers were like gun platforms. Everytime scope went up they shot it and I couldnt hit them (wasted 3 torps but no hits) eventually sank the depot, the tied up V&W and the coastal. Then I couldnt find the gap in the net again. Eventually had to bump into it, back away afew 100m then ahead flank and surface, over we go and periscope depth again. Like the champion hurdles only a lot slower. I went from 99% integrity to 11% in seconds. Spotlights and starshell and us cruising along slowly flooding. Thank christ I gave repair quals to the CE and senior PO or we would have flooded. Needless to say we didnt stick around for the fleet and crawled home __________________ The beauty of not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise without any of the stress that might normally precede such a venture