(Story) U-46 puts to sea again - Page 41

bookworm_020 · 03-18-07, 09:56 PM

Great work LS,

I hop you continue the story, even after SH4 is released. I will be keeping a weather eye open for it.

Jimbuna · 03-19-07, 05:21 AM

Long may U-46 remain an integral part of the SH3 forum

Laughing Swordfish · 03-21-07, 08:04 PM

"Put your shirt back on, Sir."

Oscar tossed his stethoscope onto the desk. He had insisted on examining us personally.

"Well you're borderline, but I'm not going to convince you to rest, am I?

"The boat is ready to sail, Doc, who else is going to take her out?"

"Kap, you are going on patrol, in a boat with the Captain and First Officer with barely healed holes in their chests. I've seen you wince just going up and down the ladder"

"People have carried on with much worse, Oscar, and we don't have time. Now Christians's waiting outside, are you going to sign us back to active service or not?

Oscar sighed, and then dashed his signature across the bottom of a couple of forms, and then fiercely rubber stamped them. "I suppose if we are going out again, then it would be good to have some people who vaguely know what they're doing. But why don't I take one of the watches? I'm not a sailor like Christian, but I haven't had a bullet prised away from my lung either".

"Doc, you know he won't give up his First Watch. But let's say we talk to him and somehow share the load on the next patrol. Spend some time up there with Willi or Bruno, they'll soon show you the ropes, but I do need Christian back in the crew, and even you can see that would be good for him too".

"Yes, it would be good to have him back."

Oscar dumped the paperwork into his out tray and threw the Flotilla surgery door open.

"Well what are you still doing here, Christian? Don't you have a boat to run?"

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 03-26-07, 02:57 PM

I met him further down. Staring out at the water.

"Christian?"

"Yes Rollie."

"Are you ok? "

"Yes of course, Kap, it can get so dull around here with all the beer and nurses..."

"Come on Number One. Noone would blame you if you sat another one out."

"Does Bruno want my spot?"

"No! No!! Christian, he wants you back as much as I do. I've effectively sacked that last jerk they gave us, he was no seaman, and a Nazi Pigeon. I want you back as my my First Officer, and so does Otto, Willi, and your whole watch. Even Dieter asks after you when he's sober enough".

"More importantly, Christian we are stretched to keep turning boats around, and more and more inexperienced crew at all levels of seniority are being fed straight into patrol boats. I'd rather have half of you than six of them, but I don't want you to die on me, we've got a boat and fifty men to look after, after all. And don't just say it because we've been together on a lot of patrols. We have to

Laughing Swordfish · 03-26-07, 03:41 PM

"What is it Kap?"

"Nothing, Christian. Just a twinge. So are you up for it or not, we've both got the documents from the hospital stamped?.....lets go to the Maillot and have a beer there"

Despite his protestations me and Christian found a kubelwagen going that way, but we had a bottle of brandy to take the chill off which we later gave to the driver. And I led to the Maillot a couple of streets down.

"Why here Rollie?" I flung the door open.

"Because all the off-watch crew are here to greet you!

Huurah! Hurrah!!

And the men flock around him now that he is out of his hospital gear and into his naval blues. It's an exclusively U-46 bunch that surround him in this backroom

"Don't crowd him men!" And I hear Cox taking control.

"Gentlemen of the U-46! Two pieces of news. The first is that when the Chief Engineer screws the last nut and tells me so, we shall be out again and taking the war to the enemy!

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 03-26-07, 07:07 PM

"But the second thing is, men, that there is a....

"She's already here, and Heidi is produced more tipsy than I have ever seen her.

"We brought her along early Kap, in case you were delayed,"
says Bruno

"Anyway not only have we our 1st Officer back, but this young lady who you all know from BdU.. at Lorient..now" there was some whispering

"...pretend you don't know Johann.."

"..shut up Dieter and look surprised....."

and then a lot giggling and shussing, as I looked at Heidi.

"I'm sorry Rollie, they got it out of me, they couldn't wait" Clinging tightly to me she turned to the boys of U-46 and shouted

"We are to be Married!"

Drained her glass like a proper sailor and smashed it like one.
Cheers and beers, and then we are carried up the street to the Black Cat, and there are more speeches and jokes, most of the Kapitans are there, but U-666 has already sailed, which reminds me through my haze, our berth is clear.

"Where's the Number One, Cox, already down at the Pen, Kaleun, he wanted to get back to the boat".

Christ so should I.

"Cox, start getting the men back, bit by bit, I don't want to break up the party, but we sail on tomorrow's afternoon tide. Just have them all on deck ready to go by 1200.

"Heidi, you of all people know it's time for us to go again. Let me walk you home"

"A funny sort of engagement party, you announcing it and spending it with a bunch of drunken sailors."

"You know we'll come back, Heidi"

"Ja liebe Rollie. Auf Wiedersehen und Zuruck"

And then I was back with the boat.

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 03-26-07, 09:39 PM

Off we go again. And about time too, although my mind is still in a turmoil, and half the crew are half drunk still, They can't all be sober to go out again, but now that we are, they can snap out of it because Cox will be beasting them around the boat doing a few and minor imaginary jobs, until he's tired, not them.
There is little ceremony this time. The idea is to get down the Loire estuary and be putting out into the Bay at dusk. Heidi isn't here, she's back at LOrient. But she will always be here in a sense, apparently, she has pulled strings to get two extra letters stencilled on our conning tower, only the size of a saucer. An A on the starboard side and a Z on the port side.

The men seem to be mildly curious as was I until Cox told where the paint job came from, and when they heard a rumour it had been done because of Heidi, they loved it whatever it was. I'm going to have to stop her going to the Black Cat.
Otto just shrugged as if to say 'usual stupid seamen' and then disappeared aft with a wrench and a rag and a job for two of his stokers.

But it was a riddle that Willi was really taking to heart. He takes any superstitions seriously

"You must know Kap, why did Heidi have those small letters, painted on our Bridge?"

"I don't know Willi, it's a surprise to me. But I'll guarantee this it'll bring us good luck if it comes from Heidi?" A on the starboard side, and Z on the port? It's a riddle, but it's lucky, I'm sure, now lets go over these charts again"

My orders said to go to a nondescript patch of the Atlantic. Basically well out from the Western Coast of Ireland, slightly in reach of either the Clyde or the Bristol Channel, but now as I read it we are to form an advanced picket line to see which way they come, Liverpool or Bristol. In the meantime making boring weather reports.

After a few days of this I overheard a member of 3rd watch whispering too loudly that we'd got an easy, a cushy sector because of the Kapitan's new connections.

"Get this man below! First watch stand by!" As the answering pipe was called , and Christian's watch strarted grumbling into their oil skins too early by over an hour, and what's the Old Man up to now, etc

I handed over to Christian, "Let the young hares up first my friend, I always do!, but not on the way down!"

Well we know that's not true, Kap, he coughed and spit some phlegm over the side.

"Chief?..thanks ....send the Doc to Bridge"

"What are you doing Sir, it was just a cough!"

"Get the rest of your boys into the Wintergarten, Number One!

"Christian, don't you see, he' s not up here in the rain to look at you. I've always wanted him to be better qualified on the handling of the boat. He 's up here to learn some Bridge training, please look after him Chrstian, and call your boys back in to their positions. You must look after our Doc, Number One, alles?

Oscar shins up the ladder (noone can serve on a good boat unless they can do the 'Circuit' in under a minute. Which is hell but a lifesaver)

"Ok, too many officers on the bridge, we could topple the boat over with all our big thoughts. I'm going below, Christian we should be heading Northwest towards AL51. Ask Willi for your steering pattern, give Oscar some spare binoculars.

I was down the ladder and checking with the Control room shift, and then gratefully flick the green curtain aside and just sprawl. Maybe 20 minutes later, but it felt like 20 seconds....

"Ship sighted!"

LS

Jimbuna · 03-27-07, 02:28 AM

Awesome LS!!

perincurium · 03-27-07, 03:54 AM

I don't know why, but I've got a bad feeling about this patrol.

Laughing Swordfish · 03-27-07, 08:27 AM

Oh, those of little faith.

Not yet Kameraden! Not yet!

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 03-27-07, 10:00 AM

Peering into the rain, I can only just make her out.

Riding the waves badly, either old or unladen by the way she's rolling, I suppose about 2,000 tons, if we're lucky and she isn't

"Good eyes, Christian!"

"It wasn't me, Kap" he smiled and jerked his thumb towards Oscar who was still glued to the target by his binos.

"Let's let him take the attack, Christian, get your boys back in and tell Reuben to come hard starboard to 060 degrees, full engines. Now this is to be the Doc's ship so lets help him get it"

"Hey Oscar, great sighting! As it happens we seem to be turning into an interception path. What luck! Now what do you see from the ZBO?"

Christian crouched with him and talked him through judging the size of the ship and it's speed and course and range. The Doc was very excited when he got to call battle stations, and the data he was saying was only slightly altered by Christian's relay, as we passed down the information.

"Now Oscar," said Christian, "You need to tell Joachim which tube to select. I'd say given the size of the target, shallow and an impact pistol."

"That's exactly what I would have diagnosed!" replied Oscar, now thoroughly enjoying himself.

I could just stand by and watch.

"Tell them to open Tube One, Doc"

"Open Tube One"

"Into the voice pipe, please, Doc"

"Oh, sorry..."OPEN TUBE ONE!"

"Now Joachim is waiting with his finger on the trigger so keep feeding him any new information, and watch the range decrease and the angle of her bow we want to be almost perpendicular to her but slightly forward as she's coming across our path.

"When she gets to around to anything under 1,000m, and the right angle looks good, let her have it, Doc!"

Minutes pass, as the distance closes. I click my fingers from the back, and Christian gives Oscar a nudge. "Now would be a good time, Doc. Shout Eins Los"

"Nummer Eins, Los!"

The great hiss of the torpedo and soon the wake, "Don't be distracted by the last torpedo you've fired Doc, you can't do anything about that now, you need to be already thinking about your next move. Do we need to align for another shot? Do we need to beat it out of here, do we submerge, who else is likely to be about?"

As Oscar was nodding there was the dull boom and white spray, as Doc's eel took her just forward of the bridge, but enough to know that she was going already.

Christian is already giving orders to return to course on high speed. Oscar turns, there's men getting into lifeboats.

"Aren't we going to help them?"

"You're asking the wrong person, Doc", says Christian grimly

"They're almost within sight of land, Oscar, the Irish coast is just away there" I swept my hand away to starboard, if we hang around here we'll join them. Good shot though, Doc, let's get you below and the rest of First Watch up"

I winked at Christian (he had lost none of his sharpness) as me and Oscar went below.

"Do you know, Rollie, I think I really am helping Christian get back to his best, did you see the way I guided him through that attack...."

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 03-28-07, 08:06 AM

Willi is in the ward room as I flop down, and flip my cap onto the table.

"About earlier with Third Watch, Sir. Hessler was out of order. He's peeling potatoes with Kuki now, while the other three are sleeping."

"It's ok, Willi, but is that what the men think, that we're going to be sent to easy sectors because a woman corporal has some influence with Uncle Karl?"

"No Kaleun, but it's a pride thing, they don't want to be weathermen, when there's ships to be sunk"

"Well Willi, there really are very few quiet sectors anymore, certainly not even here. You can guarantee to the boys that we'll have our fair share of action, as if they haven't had enough already. Come on let's take a quick look at the charts, and then you should turn in. Hessler too."

To prove my point in the next couple of hours we dived three times because of air alarm, each time spotted well in time by Christian's gang and with no follow up from above.

It really is good to have him back.

LS

Jimbuna · 03-28-07, 09:32 AM

Quote:

To prove my point in the next couple of hours we dived three times because of air alarm, each time spotted well in time by Christian's gang and with no follow up from above.

It really is good to have him back.

There's times when I wouldn't mind him in my crew

Laughing Swordfish · 03-28-07, 07:37 PM

"What are you getting Hans?"

It is days later, and we have gone to 25 metres to ride out the storm, and have a listen. We are crowding around the sonar cabin.

"Shush, please Sir" he whispered as he rotated and finessed his wheel. Finally narrowing it down....

"Fast, must be a warship, long range but becoming more distinct. Nor'westerly, and gaining."

"Destroyer, Hans?"

"I'd say so, Sir, but listen...."

He gave me the ear phones, with a grin. It took me a while to pick it up. The dull background throb against the escort's faster signature.

Hans is nodding and smiling at me.

"Convoy, Sir!"

LS

Laughing Swordfish · 03-29-07, 08:35 PM

It's obvious when we have the sniff of a convoy. The whole tempo of the boat picks up. People are dashing around more. Stuff is being stowed away, In every department there is checking and re-checking, and there is more crowding around the Control Room.

Willi's watch have dropped back through the hatch, and clanged them shut on my orders.

"Can't see a thing in this sea, Sir"

"Ok Willi, get out of that wet gear and join me at the chart table. First Watch, stand down, but have them ready Christian. Otto take us lower and cut the engines. Slow both on electric. Twenty metres, if you please"

We slip under, and begin eavesdropping.

"They're booming through, Sir!"

Hans passes me the ear phone, and now the steady thud of the screws is unmistakeable. It may be easier to hear them than to see them, but we are right in their way.

LS

03-18-07, 09:56 PM	#601
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Great work LS, I hop you continue the story, even after SH4 is released. I will be keeping a weather eye open for it. __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

03-19-07, 05:21 AM	#602
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,726 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Long may U-46 remain an integral part of the SH3 forum __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

03-21-07, 08:04 PM	#603
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	"Put your shirt back on, Sir." Oscar tossed his stethoscope onto the desk. He had insisted on examining us personally. "Well you're borderline, but I'm not going to convince you to rest, am I? "The boat is ready to sail, Doc, who else is going to take her out?" "Kap, you are going on patrol, in a boat with the Captain and First Officer with barely healed holes in their chests. I've seen you wince just going up and down the ladder" "People have carried on with much worse, Oscar, and we don't have time. Now Christians's waiting outside, are you going to sign us back to active service or not? Oscar sighed, and then dashed his signature across the bottom of a couple of forms, and then fiercely rubber stamped them. "I suppose if we are going out again, then it would be good to have some people who vaguely know what they're doing. But why don't I take one of the watches? I'm not a sailor like Christian, but I haven't had a bullet prised away from my lung either". "Doc, you know he won't give up his First Watch. But let's say we talk to him and somehow share the load on the next patrol. Spend some time up there with Willi or Bruno, they'll soon show you the ropes, but I do need Christian back in the crew, and even you can see that would be good for him too". "Yes, it would be good to have him back." Oscar dumped the paperwork into his out tray and threw the Flotilla surgery door open. "Well what are you still doing here, Christian? Don't you have a boat to run?" LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 03-22-07 at 06:35 PM.

03-26-07, 02:57 PM	#604
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I met him further down. Staring out at the water. "Christian?" "Yes Rollie." "Are you ok? " "Yes of course, Kap, it can get so dull around here with all the beer and nurses..." "Come on Number One. Noone would blame you if you sat another one out." "Does Bruno want my spot?" "No! No!! Christian, he wants you back as much as I do. I've effectively sacked that last jerk they gave us, he was no seaman, and a Nazi Pigeon. I want you back as my my First Officer, and so does Otto, Willi, and your whole watch. Even Dieter asks after you when he's sober enough". "More importantly, Christian we are stretched to keep turning boats around, and more and more inexperienced crew at all levels of seniority are being fed straight into patrol boats. I'd rather have half of you than six of them, but I don't want you to die on me, we've got a boat and fifty men to look after, after all. And don't just say it because we've been together on a lot of patrols. We have to Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 03-27-07 at 08:08 AM.

03-26-07, 03:41 PM	#605
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	"What is it Kap?" "Nothing, Christian. Just a twinge. So are you up for it or not, we've both got the documents from the hospital stamped?.....lets go to the Maillot and have a beer there" Despite his protestations me and Christian found a kubelwagen going that way, but we had a bottle of brandy to take the chill off which we later gave to the driver. And I led to the Maillot a couple of streets down. "Why here Rollie?" I flung the door open. "Because all the off-watch crew are here to greet you! Huurah! Hurrah!! And the men flock around him now that he is out of his hospital gear and into his naval blues. It's an exclusively U-46 bunch that surround him in this backroom "Don't crowd him men!" And I hear Cox taking control. "Gentlemen of the U-46! Two pieces of news. The first is that when the Chief Engineer screws the last nut and tells me so, we shall be out again and taking the war to the enemy! LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 03-27-07 at 08:11 AM.

03-26-07, 07:07 PM	#606
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	"But the second thing is, men, that there is a.... "She's already here, and Heidi is produced more tipsy than I have ever seen her. "We brought her along early Kap, in case you were delayed," says Bruno "Anyway not only have we our 1st Officer back, but this young lady who you all know from BdU.. at Lorient..now" there was some whispering "...pretend you don't know Johann.." "..shut up Dieter and look surprised....." and then a lot giggling and shussing, as I looked at Heidi. "I'm sorry Rollie, they got it out of me, they couldn't wait" Clinging tightly to me she turned to the boys of U-46 and shouted "We are to be Married!" Drained her glass like a proper sailor and smashed it like one. Cheers and beers, and then we are carried up the street to the Black Cat, and there are more speeches and jokes, most of the Kapitans are there, but U-666 has already sailed, which reminds me through my haze, our berth is clear. "Where's the Number One, Cox, already down at the Pen, Kaleun, he wanted to get back to the boat". Christ so should I. "Cox, start getting the men back, bit by bit, I don't want to break up the party, but we sail on tomorrow's afternoon tide. Just have them all on deck ready to go by 1200. "Heidi, you of all people know it's time for us to go again. Let me walk you home" "A funny sort of engagement party, you announcing it and spending it with a bunch of drunken sailors." "You know we'll come back, Heidi" "Ja liebe Rollie. Auf Wiedersehen und Zuruck" And then I was back with the boat. LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 04-10-07 at 06:44 AM.

03-26-07, 09:39 PM	#607
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Off we go again. And about time too, although my mind is still in a turmoil, and half the crew are half drunk still, They can't all be sober to go out again, but now that we are, they can snap out of it because Cox will be beasting them around the boat doing a few and minor imaginary jobs, until he's tired, not them. There is little ceremony this time. The idea is to get down the Loire estuary and be putting out into the Bay at dusk. Heidi isn't here, she's back at LOrient. But she will always be here in a sense, apparently, she has pulled strings to get two extra letters stencilled on our conning tower, only the size of a saucer. An A on the starboard side and a Z on the port side. The men seem to be mildly curious as was I until Cox told where the paint job came from, and when they heard a rumour it had been done because of Heidi, they loved it whatever it was. I'm going to have to stop her going to the Black Cat. Otto just shrugged as if to say 'usual stupid seamen' and then disappeared aft with a wrench and a rag and a job for two of his stokers. But it was a riddle that Willi was really taking to heart. He takes any superstitions seriously "You must know Kap, why did Heidi have those small letters, painted on our Bridge?" "I don't know Willi, it's a surprise to me. But I'll guarantee this it'll bring us good luck if it comes from Heidi?" A on the starboard side, and Z on the port? It's a riddle, but it's lucky, I'm sure, now lets go over these charts again" My orders said to go to a nondescript patch of the Atlantic. Basically well out from the Western Coast of Ireland, slightly in reach of either the Clyde or the Bristol Channel, but now as I read it we are to form an advanced picket line to see which way they come, Liverpool or Bristol. In the meantime making boring weather reports. After a few days of this I overheard a member of 3rd watch whispering too loudly that we'd got an easy, a cushy sector because of the Kapitan's new connections. "Get this man below! First watch stand by!" As the answering pipe was called , and Christian's watch strarted grumbling into their oil skins too early by over an hour, and what's the Old Man up to now, etc I handed over to Christian, "Let the young hares up first my friend, I always do!, but not on the way down!" Well we know that's not true, Kap, he coughed and spit some phlegm over the side. "Chief?..thanks ....send the Doc to Bridge" "What are you doing Sir, it was just a cough!" "Get the rest of your boys into the Wintergarten, Number One! "Christian, don't you see, he' s not up here in the rain to look at you. I've always wanted him to be better qualified on the handling of the boat. He 's up here to learn some Bridge training, please look after him Chrstian, and call your boys back in to their positions. You must look after our Doc, Number One, alles? Oscar shins up the ladder (noone can serve on a good boat unless they can do the 'Circuit' in under a minute. Which is hell but a lifesaver) "Ok, too many officers on the bridge, we could topple the boat over with all our big thoughts. I'm going below, Christian we should be heading Northwest towards AL51. Ask Willi for your steering pattern, give Oscar some spare binoculars. I was down the ladder and checking with the Control room shift, and then gratefully flick the green curtain aside and just sprawl. Maybe 20 minutes later, but it felt like 20 seconds.... "Ship sighted!" LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 04-10-07 at 06:50 AM.

03-27-07, 02:28 AM	#608
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,726 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Awesome LS!! __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

03-27-07, 03:54 AM	#609
perincurium Swabbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I don't know why, but I've got a bad feeling about this patrol.

03-27-07, 08:27 AM	#610
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Oh, those of little faith. Not yet Kameraden! Not yet! LS

03-27-07, 10:00 AM	#611
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Peering into the rain, I can only just make her out. Riding the waves badly, either old or unladen by the way she's rolling, I suppose about 2,000 tons, if we're lucky and she isn't "Good eyes, Christian!" "It wasn't me, Kap" he smiled and jerked his thumb towards Oscar who was still glued to the target by his binos. "Let's let him take the attack, Christian, get your boys back in and tell Reuben to come hard starboard to 060 degrees, full engines. Now this is to be the Doc's ship so lets help him get it" "Hey Oscar, great sighting! As it happens we seem to be turning into an interception path. What luck! Now what do you see from the ZBO?" Christian crouched with him and talked him through judging the size of the ship and it's speed and course and range. The Doc was very excited when he got to call battle stations, and the data he was saying was only slightly altered by Christian's relay, as we passed down the information. "Now Oscar," said Christian, "You need to tell Joachim which tube to select. I'd say given the size of the target, shallow and an impact pistol." "That's exactly what I would have diagnosed!" replied Oscar, now thoroughly enjoying himself. I could just stand by and watch. "Tell them to open Tube One, Doc" "Open Tube One" "Into the voice pipe, please, Doc" "Oh, sorry..."OPEN TUBE ONE!" "Now Joachim is waiting with his finger on the trigger so keep feeding him any new information, and watch the range decrease and the angle of her bow we want to be almost perpendicular to her but slightly forward as she's coming across our path. "When she gets to around to anything under 1,000m, and the right angle looks good, let her have it, Doc!" Minutes pass, as the distance closes. I click my fingers from the back, and Christian gives Oscar a nudge. "Now would be a good time, Doc. Shout Eins Los" "Nummer Eins, Los!" The great hiss of the torpedo and soon the wake, "Don't be distracted by the last torpedo you've fired Doc, you can't do anything about that now, you need to be already thinking about your next move. Do we need to align for another shot? Do we need to beat it out of here, do we submerge, who else is likely to be about?" As Oscar was nodding there was the dull boom and white spray, as Doc's eel took her just forward of the bridge, but enough to know that she was going already. Christian is already giving orders to return to course on high speed. Oscar turns, there's men getting into lifeboats. "Aren't we going to help them?" "You're asking the wrong person, Doc", says Christian grimly "They're almost within sight of land, Oscar, the Irish coast is just away there" I swept my hand away to starboard, if we hang around here we'll join them. Good shot though, Doc, let's get you below and the rest of First Watch up" I winked at Christian (he had lost none of his sharpness) as me and Oscar went below. "Do you know, Rollie, I think I really am helping Christian get back to his best, did you see the way I guided him through that attack...." LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 03-29-07 at 08:24 AM.

03-28-07, 08:06 AM	#612
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Willi is in the ward room as I flop down, and flip my cap onto the table. "About earlier with Third Watch, Sir. Hessler was out of order. He's peeling potatoes with Kuki now, while the other three are sleeping." "It's ok, Willi, but is that what the men think, that we're going to be sent to easy sectors because a woman corporal has some influence with Uncle Karl?" "No Kaleun, but it's a pride thing, they don't want to be weathermen, when there's ships to be sunk" "Well Willi, there really are very few quiet sectors anymore, certainly not even here. You can guarantee to the boys that we'll have our fair share of action, as if they haven't had enough already. Come on let's take a quick look at the charts, and then you should turn in. Hessler too." To prove my point in the next couple of hours we dived three times because of air alarm, each time spotted well in time by Christian's gang and with no follow up from above. It really is good to have him back. LS

03-28-07, 07:37 PM	#614
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	"What are you getting Hans?" It is days later, and we have gone to 25 metres to ride out the storm, and have a listen. We are crowding around the sonar cabin. "Shush, please Sir" he whispered as he rotated and finessed his wheel. Finally narrowing it down.... "Fast, must be a warship, long range but becoming more distinct. Nor'westerly, and gaining." "Destroyer, Hans?" "I'd say so, Sir, but listen...." He gave me the ear phones, with a grin. It took me a while to pick it up. The dull background throb against the escort's faster signature. Hans is nodding and smiling at me. "Convoy, Sir!" LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 03-29-07 at 08:38 AM.

03-29-07, 08:35 PM	#615
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	It's obvious when we have the sniff of a convoy. The whole tempo of the boat picks up. People are dashing around more. Stuff is being stowed away, In every department there is checking and re-checking, and there is more crowding around the Control Room. Willi's watch have dropped back through the hatch, and clanged them shut on my orders. "Can't see a thing in this sea, Sir" "Ok Willi, get out of that wet gear and join me at the chart table. First Watch, stand down, but have them ready Christian. Otto take us lower and cut the engines. Slow both on electric. Twenty metres, if you please" We slip under, and begin eavesdropping. "They're booming through, Sir!" Hans passes me the ear phone, and now the steady thud of the screws is unmistakeable. It may be easier to hear them than to see them, but we are right in their way. LS Last edited by Laughing Swordfish; 04-01-07 at 05:15 PM.