Double Doh!

[Gaijin]

My latest Bernard moment:

So, I'm at the end of a months patrol, south of Ireland...one eel left in the back tube. Night, but calm seas. Pick up a lone med cargo...unescorted. Nice one. Track him for a while, trying to position myself for the rear shot and just as I'm about to fire...the sonar picks up another contact behind him. Damn, must be one of those '"Two ship jobs' that travel in pairs. So, being tonne greedy, I decide to check it out.

He's about 2000 metres behind and lit up like a christmas tree. Damn neutral. But its pretty big. Must be a liner. I take my time, waiting for him to get closer, to have a gander at him (I've only ever seen two other neutral passenger types before). Whats that behind him, slightly to the right? Another smoke trail. But its dark. Wait, another little while. Yep, definetly another ship, but travelling in darkness. I get the weapons officer to ID it...and it turns out to be a 'something type' troop ship! (was so excited I can't remember exactly)

Well, well, trying to slink behind a neutral eh?

I position myself 'perfectly'. 90 degrees on backward, about 1500 metres. He's slowing coming into view...with about 20 degress to go before the shot, I move the cursor intending to hit 'auto lock', but my hand...somehow...for no reason...contines on beside it to hit 'fire'. I scream 'Noooo', as I hear the bow doors open....desperately seeking for the non existing 'backpeddle' button. Off she launches...and passes him in front. (Anyone know if one tried to close the doors afterwards, would it stop, or simply blow up in the tube?)

I'm sitting there speechless...and empty, watching this big fat troop ship sail past blissfully ignorant of how close it just came...and sitting right on top of it, is the flag that I can only just make out now...its American.

And it's June, 1940.

Phew.