(Story) U-46 puts to sea again

Laughing Swordfish · 08-12-05, 11:38 AM

I inspect my young crew on the fore deck. One or two are looking pretty green in every sense of the word.
Last night was a massive booze-up. A lot of our 'Lordships' in the fore-ends are regarding me with bright-eyed confidence. We sank a destroyer on our last patrol with a stern shot from long range in high seas, whilst busily running away. It was a petulant parting shot, that somehow hit home
A sheer fluke, but now they think I'm a genius
Now I have to take them out again, and bring them back in one piece
"Maybe the Hood or Ark Royal this time, Herr Kaleun!"
I smile at the cheeky remark and send them below to patrol stations; the First Lieutenant has reported U-46 ready for sea, but there is still much for the CPOs to do
Cast off bowlines, ahead standard both!
Otto, my Chief, is the last to go below
"Young pups!" he mutters as he lowers himself down the hatch
This is his eighth patrol. A good man to have in a tight corner, and I'd be worried if he wasn't pessimistic everytime we went out, balancing the youthful exuberance of the hands
I duck below the string bags of sausages and fruit hanging from the control room. The Quartermaster and Navigator are already poring over the chart table
We're going back to the Clyde approaches, some juicy targets to be found, sure, but it's the Royal Navy's living room, and we're not terribly welcome there
"Be ok again this time, Sir?"
Our Second Lieutenant ventures a wink
U-51 and U-107 have both failed to report in. That can only mean one thing. Good men, all of them
U-46 begins to purr out of the bunker
Back on the bridge I stand majestically as nurses wave enthusiatically from the dockside
No nurse can save us now
Only me
Back below, the Second Lieutenant is checking the signal flares, and spare binoculars
"Yes, Number Two, everything will be fine"
I close the green curtain on my cabin, and hope to God I'm right...

08-12-05, 11:38 AM	#1
Laughing Swordfish Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 713 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	(Story) U-46 puts to sea again I inspect my young crew on the fore deck. One or two are looking pretty green in every sense of the word. Last night was a massive booze-up. A lot of our 'Lordships' in the fore-ends are regarding me with bright-eyed confidence. We sank a destroyer on our last patrol with a stern shot from long range in high seas, whilst busily running away. It was a petulant parting shot, that somehow hit home A sheer fluke, but now they think I'm a genius Now I have to take them out again, and bring them back in one piece "Maybe the Hood or Ark Royal this time, Herr Kaleun!" I smile at the cheeky remark and send them below to patrol stations; the First Lieutenant has reported U-46 ready for sea, but there is still much for the CPOs to do Cast off bowlines, ahead standard both! Otto, my Chief, is the last to go below "Young pups!" he mutters as he lowers himself down the hatch This is his eighth patrol. A good man to have in a tight corner, and I'd be worried if he wasn't pessimistic everytime we went out, balancing the youthful exuberance of the hands I duck below the string bags of sausages and fruit hanging from the control room. The Quartermaster and Navigator are already poring over the chart table We're going back to the Clyde approaches, some juicy targets to be found, sure, but it's the Royal Navy's living room, and we're not terribly welcome there "Be ok again this time, Sir?" Our Second Lieutenant ventures a wink U-51 and U-107 have both failed to report in. That can only mean one thing. Good men, all of them U-46 begins to purr out of the bunker Back on the bridge I stand majestically as nurses wave enthusiatically from the dockside No nurse can save us now Only me Back below, the Second Lieutenant is checking the signal flares, and spare binoculars "Yes, Number Two, everything will be fine" I close the green curtain on my cabin, and hope to God I'm right...