(Story) U-46 puts to sea again

[Laughing Swordfish]

"...and what do you believe in, my friend?"

Max smiled.

'The crew believe in the Swordfish. I believe in the crew'

"So you believe in the Swordfish too!" cried Freddy

"And the workings of her!" My Chief suddenly interjected

'Yes, Otto. The Boat and then the crew, and then the Swordfish. But it doesn't hurt to have a bit of luck'

"Looking at the condition of U-46," Freddy observed, you haven't had much of that!"

'The boat's back, and I'm here drinking with you rascals. What more luck do you need?', I smiled

"You to get the next round, Kamerad!"' shouted Max...

Lt de Bunsen, U-46

[Kpt. Lehmann]

MORE! MORE! We need our fix! I believe quite a few of us are getting addicted to your story!

[Laughing Swordfish]

The boozy conversation turned to superstitions and strange talismans.

Maximillian got us started

His U-213 famously sported a big pink oinking pig on his conning tower

"A few patrols ago, a couple of the lads tried to smuggle a piglet on board, in a sack, as a mascot."

'What did you do?'

"What could I do? The U-213 isn't a farmyard. We couldn't eat him, there'd have been a mutiny. So every time we submerged when the chips were down, Winston (we called hem Winston) had to sit with our medic. He had a hypodermic and a scalpel and knew what to do if Winston started making a noise....

"It couldn't have been much fun for a pig, but bless him, he never let out a single squeal. Even when the depth charges came.

"Tell him the best bit!" urged Freddy

"Oh Yeah!" grinned Max.

"We came across a lone freighter, but couldn't identify it. It was a Swedish neutral as it turned out. I can't remember whose idea it was, I was looking at their commander up close through the binos, and he was doing the same to me."

We got Winston up on the bridge and gave him my white cap to wear. We hoisted him up and held the binoculars to his face, while we all ducked down, while I kept an eye from the back of the Wintergarten.

That skipper's face was a picture! They must think we really are all Nazi swine now!

'Brilliant, Max'

"Yeah, Winston shat all down the watch officer's waterproofs as a result. That was the icing on the cake!"

'What happened to Winston' I enquired

"Well we tried to get him a Naval service number, but BdU have no sense of humour. Apart from that blonde girl at reception. ..Heidi..do you know her? Max asked slyly.

'Doesn't ring a bell' I replied, blushing furiously

"Well anyway, Winston is reposing on my Uncle's farm in Westphalia. He's got my iron cross round his neck, and some of the boys from U-213 regularly go to visit him when we put in.

"God, I hope nothing happens to that pig."

Max took a swig of his champagne, and fell silent.

He wasn't talking about a pig anymore..........

[Laughing Swordfish]

Freddy took a long swig, and smacked his lips with relish.

"Sailors are a superstitious lot, aren't they?"

"You know that the U-122 has the Ace of Spades for an emblem, right?"

We nodded, leaning forward.

"And you know Kurt, my weapons officer?"

"Yes," I replied

"A good man" said Max

"Yes, well he's been getting edgy lately. His wife is expecting, you know?"

Otto leaned forward too with renewed interest.

"Well when we've been forced down, below torpedo depth, and the Tommies are closing in, there's not a lot he can do. He would take a pack of cards into the Wardroom and cut them again and again"

"Why?" asked Otto.

"He reckoned if he could draw the Ace of Spades, we'd come through it ok"

"Well we took a bit of stick from that destroyer to begin with, but we started to draw clear. I think maybe their asdic wasn't working efficiently. And we'd got behind him.

"Just as we're putting a bit of water between us and the destroyer, Kurt bursts back into the Control Room clutching the Ace.
'It's ok!' he says, 'I found it! They can't touch us now!' Crazy!"

"Anyway, Kurt was convinced that it was his lucky Ace of Spades that had saved the day. A lot of the Control Room hands believed him. And so a myth was borne.

"Well, it was good for morale. 'Whatever floats your boat' as the Amis would say!"

Friedrich smiled, and took another long pull before continuing

"Well, if I was to allow the rictual to go on, I wanted a better chance. When we were back in, and Kurt was busy supervising the reloading, I sent the coxswain off to the casino. He came back with 52 identical packs of cards.

"Between us, we sifted out every Ace of Spades, made a whole pack of them, and substituted them for Kurt's pack in his locker.

'And he hasn't twigged, yet?' I asked, intrigued

"No, he thinks he has mystical powers! Everytime he cuts an Ace out of the pack, and everytime we come home safe!"

"Sooner or later, we'll be rumbled, and then hopefully Kurt will realise that we have to make our own luck.

"It's funny, though."

Freddy drained his glass.

"It started off as a joke, but now I'm starting to believe in it myself...."


Lt de Bunsen, U-46

[america person]

great, man, i jsut read it all now-when i was supposed to be doing me bloody hisotry and lit assignment....keep em coming

[U-104]

did this topic die?

[Laughing Swordfish]

No, still around. I'm just away for a couple of weeks is all.

Lt de Bunsen, U-46

[U-104]

ok.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Good... we were worried that something had happened to U-46.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Bump

[Crash Dive]

Looking forward to more of the story.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

...Aren't we an impatient lot???? lol

[Psycluded]

WOOT...

You know, I had thought of posting some fanfic myself, but reading yours, I know I'd be put in my place immediately.

Great stuff, Swordfish! Keep 'em coming! And post a link to your site when you get it going!

[U-4]

U-46! Where are yoooouuuuuu????

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Sniff!

We miss you!