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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Action & Adventure
- Subject: Action
- Published: 02/02/2021
Scapa Flow
Born 1934, F, from Silver Spring, MD, United States.jpeg)
Scapa Flow
“Don’t cry I’ll come back, just like the last time.” He wiped away her tears with his thumb and tucked her scented letter in his uniform jacket, straightened his cap and hurried up the gangway. Well-wishers crowded the pier; the military band played a rousing march to send off the sleek German submarine U- 47. Erich turned, searched for Liesel in the crowd, spotted her tear-streaked face and waved one last time. A man dressed in a black topcoat and fedora gently took her arm and they walked away. Erich didn’t know him; a worm of worry crawled in his belly. She was his sweetheart since gymnasium (high school) days and as soon as the war is over he planned to marry her. It’s too late to do anything about him now it will have to wait. He takes a look at the blue sky and breathes the fresh briny air. Once below it may be a while before he sees the world topside or breathes sweet air again.
The Captain, Lieutenant Gunther Prien, stands on deck blue eyes squinting in the brilliant sunshine observing his crew. His deeply tanned face sports a neatly trimmed beard. In a few minutes the narrow, dark gray boat will slip past the dock at Kiel and Prien will fix course for Scapa Flow, the hidden anchorage of the Royal navy. The year is 1939. The war is six weeks old.
Hitler plans to expand his military might to the east; he even considered England might be an ally. When Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 England and France were obligated by a treaty to respond. England honored her commitment. Instead of an ally of Germany, they became an enemy.
Karl Donitz, commander of the U boat arm of the Navy, is convinced Germany almost won the last war by U boats severely cutting off food and supplies sailing for England. This war will be won with submarines, he believes. To show Hitler, who doesn’t value the relatively small U boats, Donitz plans a most daring mission. He wants to penetrate the heavily protected Scapa Flow, torpedo as many British ships as possible and return home victorious. If successful, submarines will be considered indispensable. Donitz knows of Captain Gunter Prien’s daring and courage. He sends for him. Prien accepts the challenge, now it’s his responsibility to make it happen.
Life aboard U 47or any U-boat is always stressful. Erich expected the quarters to be cramped. He remembered, during his rigorous training at the German Marine Academy, having to walk sideways to pass men at almost every step. He forgot the putrid odors, the moist air fouled with diesel fuel, engine grease and human sweat. Human waste added to the odors.
Every sub has two lavatories for 40 men called heads. At the start of the voyage Ensign Erich Shultz watched as the crew stored provisions in one. Space is so precious any empty space is commandeered. Complex flushing involves pumping the waste into the sea, which leaves a trail of bubbles, because of this it’s not allowed during an attack. Only when the U boat surfaces is there fresh air below. Sausages hang from the pipes over the chart table and grow a slimy mold; an empty hammock overflows with loaves of bread.
Five days into their mission Lieutenant Prien, the old man, as the crew call him, held a briefing for the entire staff. “Men, in 15 hours we will attack. Our boat will sneak inside the Scapa Flow and torpedo all British ships anchored there. We will slip away unnoticed. The U-47 moves on the surface at night and travels submerged during the day. When we have completed our task I shall bring you home. That is all. Those not on duty get some rest.”
Later lying in their sling-like hammocks Rudy asks in a hushed voice “Exactly where is the Scapa Flow? I remember reading about it in training, but I forget the details.”
Erich says in a whisper, “It’s a 50 mile square of deep water surrounded, almost landlocked, by the Orkney Islands north of Scotland. It’s the main anchorage of the British Navy.”
“We better get some sleep, this time tomorrow we’ll be in the thick of it.” Erich said.
Rudy wiped his face with a filthy rag and shivered as he pulled up the clammy blanket.
Erich lay awake in his hammock tossing and turning under his damp cover, unable to doze off. Tomorrow would be a victory or...he didn’t want to think about dying in this metal coffin. He heard some of the crew moving about in their cramped sling-like beds. He rubbed his thumb over Liesel’s picture and put it back under his pillow. He read her letter three or four times a day, wondering what part the strange man figures in her life. She writes about her new employer, Bernhard Schemmell, a very kind and supportive person.
At 4 PM Erich and the crew sat on the edge of their bunks eating a feast the cook prepared, soup, roast ribs of salt pork, green cabbage, potatoes and gravy, topped off with very strong, sweet coffee. Erich gave Rudy a puzzled look as seasoned men joked with each other.
“Rudy my boy, how did you like our ‘hangman’s dinner”? One of the crew asks. Rudy managed a weak smile. They washed their dishes and stowed them, preparing for battle stations.
The torpedoes crew uncovered the spares under the deck plates and lowered the loading beam into position. The radio operator piled the logbook, radio encoding machine, signal book and secret papers on the desk with an explosive charge on top in case they had to scuttle the boat.
“The enemy won’t get the Enigma code machine. Even so I hate to think of it being blasted to hell and back.” He said. Two seamen checked out escape equipment and filled emergency food containers with chocolate and cigarettes. Erich and Rudy began the final ceremonial duty of tearing off the U boat’s name on the ribbons around their caps; the rest of the crew did likewise.
“Hey Erich, you think you’ll like digging potatoes in Scotland? It’s only a stones throw topside.”
“No, Klaus, but the Scottish lassies might be pretty. Too bad you have such an ugly face, old timer.”
“Morale is high,” the Captain wrote in the logbook.
By 7:15 it is dark. “Time to surface” Prien’s voice comes through the sub’s intercom “To diving stations.”
The bridge watch, including Erich, pull on oilskins over their leather pants and prepare to climb the ladder to the deck. Heavy gloves and long-brimmed rain hats do little to keep off the icy spray that will hit them full force with each wave the boat rides. Their boots soon fill with water.
The crew scrambles to their positions, the chief engineer stands in the control room ready to adjust the boat’s trim. He eyes the gages that reflect the depth and orders “Pump ballast to sea.”
Slowly the boat begins to rise, groaning and lurching as it moves toward the surface. Diesel engines take over creating a racket that drowns out any conversation. When the hydrophone search operator listened but could hear no surface sound, Prien takes a quick look through the periscope and sees all is clear.
“Surface,” he orders and climbs the metal ladder from the control room to the lower hatch to the conning tower.
“Blow all main ballast tanks,” the chief orders. Compressed air rushes into the tanks and the boat gets lighter.
“Surfaced,” the chief reports and everyone below feels the boat rocking as the waves break against the sides.
“Equalize pressure!” The Captain orders. “Opening upper lid now.”
Fresh air flows into the boat’s interior as Prien mounts the ladder to the bridge. The men on watch are right behind him. They all breathe deeply of the clean, chilly air. Erich is surprised, when he hears the Captain curse.
“This is not what I expected. Why the hell, tonight of all nights is the new moon so bright? It’s only a sliver. Those damn northern lights flooding the sky are exposing the entire northern horizon. It may as well be daytime.”
Erich looks up at the green lights undulating across the sky. He marvels at their beauty; then chastises himself remembering the danger they pose, and fastens his eyes on his assigned quadrant on the compass. Now is Prien's last chance to postpone the attack; but he doesn’t. He didn’t come this far to return a failure.
Erich on the first four-hour watch adjusts his binoculars and peers into the night looking for shapes or shadows that might mean enemy ships moving their way. Spray and salt accumulates on the lens so he is continually wiping with his gloves. Everyone and everything is soaked after wave upon wave washes over the bow. Watches are exhausting. Constant vigilance is necessary. Tonight everyone is excited and alert. But to Prien nothing looks familiar.
Erich sees a large black shape appear out of the shadows coming right at them. “Shadow dead ahead.”
“Dive” orders the Captain. The men scramble down the hatch and secure it. The large gray U boat slides silently under the sea. The entire crew listens in silence to the propellers of the ship as it passes overhead. Rudy and the other crew listen for the dreaded ping...ping of discovery, of ASDIC the nickname of the Anti Submarine Detection Investigation Committee’s device. They look up waiting for depth charges to fall. None come. The sound recedes; with the danger past Prien orders the U boat to surface. Scanning the scene he realizes during the last dive they mistakenly entered the wrong harbor. He orders the chief to turn around and set course for the next entrance. The tide is high and produces a strong current. Prien maneuvers the sub out of tight quarters; fights the pull of the swirling water that tries to nudge U-47 against the rocky coast.
“Watch it, watch it, careful now.” The captain says. They have come within a few feet of the sharp rock formations that could slice the thin outer shell of the boat and bring them down. Now as they approach the correct harbor Erich and the watch see the expected masts of two sunken ships riding above the water one on each side of the narrow opening.
“There they are, just like in the pictures.” The captain said. The photos also showed large numbers of ships anchored. Prien expected to use up every torpedo the boat carried. He could visualize the pennants flying off the bridge announcing his kills and the number of tons for each one.
But there were no war ships. Caution dictates they should get out of this dangerous area but Prien is daring and proud. He keeps on searching. Five days ago the British fleet was here, he had pictures to prove it. Instead of turning around he moves the U boat further inside the harbor.
Suddenly the headlights of a car driving along the shore road catch the port side of U-47 in full view. Erich and the watch crew duck. The captain whips off his white cap. The men expect an alarm any second. None comes. Parked cars and trucks can be seen from the bridge near the town of St. Mary’s.
“How do we get past those cables?” Erich asks. “They must be 12 inch in diameter. Looks like there are three of them, one rope and two steel, joining the two ships. White water swirls around.
“Watch “Prien whispers.
High tide causes the cables to sag and Prien sails the boat over the center of the barrier.
“The ships have to be here.” Prien moves deeper inside the sound and for the next half hour hunts for his prey. Suddenly two large shadows appear on the horizon anchored in the harbor.
Erich recognizes the closer one as a battleship and behind it partially blocked from view is another ship.
“I’ve got them in the cross-hairs,” the first officer states and prepares to fire. He presses the firing lever and lets go 800 pounds of TNT. Then two more are fired at the ships. The first hit amidships but no great explosion occurs. The next two were hits but Prien expected the battleship to sink immediately and thought the second and third torpedo may have hit the second ship.
“Turn about and prepare to fire again,” He ordered. The boat turns and the first officer fired three more at the battleship.
Erich and the other watch officer’s cheer at the thunderous explosion. “My god will you look at that huge cloud of black smoke” he says. The battleship listed at a 45-degree angle. “ No alarm sounded, we must have hit the electrical system; all lights are out.”
Now they all watch in silence at the roaring fire licking anything in its way. Men are sliding off the deck, jumping in or diving in, their clothes burning. Those below deck are trapped. The ship is close to shore, but water temperature is 48 degrees. Survival Scapa Flow
is not expected. Later they learn 24 officers and 809 crew die in the attack.
Erich and the other three on watch are spellbound; unaware they are soaking wet standing exposed in freezing temperatures. They smile and clap each other on the back. The captain shakes hands all around. Erich keeps his misgivings to himself. Training hadn’t prepared him for the sickening feeling he experienced watching seamen thrown up in the air and sent screaming into the frigid sea, burning alive, all the while calling for help.
Prien wrote in his logbook that enemy attacks forced them to retreat. In fact there was no reaction to the sinking by the British. The changing tide made it necessary to leave.
“Set course for home, the same way we came in” Captain Prien orders.
The British Admiralty made the announcement over the BBC a few days later that torpedoes sank the Royal Oak and this was rebroadcast through out Germany. As a result, after a quiet crossing Captain and crew, all sporting beards and filthy from the lack of bathing were greeted by brass bands and jubilant crowds waiting on the jetty at Wilhelmshaven.
“Did you ever see anything like it” Rudy asked. Sailors lined the decks of every ship cheering the returning heroes. Karl Donitz and Rear Admiral Erich Raeder were there. Donitz jumped on board the deck of U-47 and shook the hand of every man in the crew. Erich looked around at the U boat's crew, dirty, stinking, unshaven and realized he looked and smelled just like they did. Prien stood straight and tall in spite of his filthy condition while Donitz conferred the Iron Cross First Class. The crew was given the Iron Cross Second Class. Erich fingered his medal and wondered at the cost.
When the formalities were over Erich headed for their quarters. His first stop was the barber. As he leaned back in the chair he enjoyed the first shave in two weeks. Back in his room he ran a bath, the hot water splashed over his body he began soaping himself and managed to take off the last layer of grime after three tries. He sniffed under his arms and soaped again; the tub had a ring of black grease when he stepped out.
In his mail he found a letter from Liesel. In the past she wrote a letter every day he was away. There was something missing in her note, suddenly he realized she never mentioned anything about them. He sniffed it, no perfume. She wrote of her job and the weather and mutual friends; he missed her warm affectionate words; her closing was merely your friend Helga. In a day or two, he’d be on leave and find out. When the valet entered the room a few minutes’ later Erich’s blond head was the only thing visible in the bed.
The old man had prepared his dress uniform and he hung it in the closet pressed and ready for tonight’s formal banquet. Fresh fruit and orange juice waited on a tray and the small refrigerator held beer frosted and ready. The operator ‘s call six hours later alerted Erich to get ready for the evenings celebrations. An hour later he put the empty juice glass back on the tray and opened the door ready for the party.
“I hardly recognize you Rudy, I was growing fond of your long hair and beard.” Erich and his friend stood side-by-side in their navy blue dress uniforms and surveyed the dining room.
“Sir, care for some champagne?” The white-coated waiter asked holding a tray with fine crystal glasses.
“No thank you. Bring us two more beers please. Watch, Erich, Meyer’s going to make a pass at that redhead; he’s copying something we saw in a French movie.”
“There are more beautiful women here than I’ve seen in a lifetime. Do you think we still stink?” Erich asked.
“Let’s find out.”
Scapa Flow(Mary Eileen Callan)
Scapa Flow
“Don’t cry I’ll come back, just like the last time.” He wiped away her tears with his thumb and tucked her scented letter in his uniform jacket, straightened his cap and hurried up the gangway. Well-wishers crowded the pier; the military band played a rousing march to send off the sleek German submarine U- 47. Erich turned, searched for Liesel in the crowd, spotted her tear-streaked face and waved one last time. A man dressed in a black topcoat and fedora gently took her arm and they walked away. Erich didn’t know him; a worm of worry crawled in his belly. She was his sweetheart since gymnasium (high school) days and as soon as the war is over he planned to marry her. It’s too late to do anything about him now it will have to wait. He takes a look at the blue sky and breathes the fresh briny air. Once below it may be a while before he sees the world topside or breathes sweet air again.
The Captain, Lieutenant Gunther Prien, stands on deck blue eyes squinting in the brilliant sunshine observing his crew. His deeply tanned face sports a neatly trimmed beard. In a few minutes the narrow, dark gray boat will slip past the dock at Kiel and Prien will fix course for Scapa Flow, the hidden anchorage of the Royal navy. The year is 1939. The war is six weeks old.
Hitler plans to expand his military might to the east; he even considered England might be an ally. When Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 England and France were obligated by a treaty to respond. England honored her commitment. Instead of an ally of Germany, they became an enemy.
Karl Donitz, commander of the U boat arm of the Navy, is convinced Germany almost won the last war by U boats severely cutting off food and supplies sailing for England. This war will be won with submarines, he believes. To show Hitler, who doesn’t value the relatively small U boats, Donitz plans a most daring mission. He wants to penetrate the heavily protected Scapa Flow, torpedo as many British ships as possible and return home victorious. If successful, submarines will be considered indispensable. Donitz knows of Captain Gunter Prien’s daring and courage. He sends for him. Prien accepts the challenge, now it’s his responsibility to make it happen.
Life aboard U 47or any U-boat is always stressful. Erich expected the quarters to be cramped. He remembered, during his rigorous training at the German Marine Academy, having to walk sideways to pass men at almost every step. He forgot the putrid odors, the moist air fouled with diesel fuel, engine grease and human sweat. Human waste added to the odors.
Every sub has two lavatories for 40 men called heads. At the start of the voyage Ensign Erich Shultz watched as the crew stored provisions in one. Space is so precious any empty space is commandeered. Complex flushing involves pumping the waste into the sea, which leaves a trail of bubbles, because of this it’s not allowed during an attack. Only when the U boat surfaces is there fresh air below. Sausages hang from the pipes over the chart table and grow a slimy mold; an empty hammock overflows with loaves of bread.
Five days into their mission Lieutenant Prien, the old man, as the crew call him, held a briefing for the entire staff. “Men, in 15 hours we will attack. Our boat will sneak inside the Scapa Flow and torpedo all British ships anchored there. We will slip away unnoticed. The U-47 moves on the surface at night and travels submerged during the day. When we have completed our task I shall bring you home. That is all. Those not on duty get some rest.”
Later lying in their sling-like hammocks Rudy asks in a hushed voice “Exactly where is the Scapa Flow? I remember reading about it in training, but I forget the details.”
Erich says in a whisper, “It’s a 50 mile square of deep water surrounded, almost landlocked, by the Orkney Islands north of Scotland. It’s the main anchorage of the British Navy.”
“We better get some sleep, this time tomorrow we’ll be in the thick of it.” Erich said.
Rudy wiped his face with a filthy rag and shivered as he pulled up the clammy blanket.
Erich lay awake in his hammock tossing and turning under his damp cover, unable to doze off. Tomorrow would be a victory or...he didn’t want to think about dying in this metal coffin. He heard some of the crew moving about in their cramped sling-like beds. He rubbed his thumb over Liesel’s picture and put it back under his pillow. He read her letter three or four times a day, wondering what part the strange man figures in her life. She writes about her new employer, Bernhard Schemmell, a very kind and supportive person.
At 4 PM Erich and the crew sat on the edge of their bunks eating a feast the cook prepared, soup, roast ribs of salt pork, green cabbage, potatoes and gravy, topped off with very strong, sweet coffee. Erich gave Rudy a puzzled look as seasoned men joked with each other.
“Rudy my boy, how did you like our ‘hangman’s dinner”? One of the crew asks. Rudy managed a weak smile. They washed their dishes and stowed them, preparing for battle stations.
The torpedoes crew uncovered the spares under the deck plates and lowered the loading beam into position. The radio operator piled the logbook, radio encoding machine, signal book and secret papers on the desk with an explosive charge on top in case they had to scuttle the boat.
“The enemy won’t get the Enigma code machine. Even so I hate to think of it being blasted to hell and back.” He said. Two seamen checked out escape equipment and filled emergency food containers with chocolate and cigarettes. Erich and Rudy began the final ceremonial duty of tearing off the U boat’s name on the ribbons around their caps; the rest of the crew did likewise.
“Hey Erich, you think you’ll like digging potatoes in Scotland? It’s only a stones throw topside.”
“No, Klaus, but the Scottish lassies might be pretty. Too bad you have such an ugly face, old timer.”
“Morale is high,” the Captain wrote in the logbook.
By 7:15 it is dark. “Time to surface” Prien’s voice comes through the sub’s intercom “To diving stations.”
The bridge watch, including Erich, pull on oilskins over their leather pants and prepare to climb the ladder to the deck. Heavy gloves and long-brimmed rain hats do little to keep off the icy spray that will hit them full force with each wave the boat rides. Their boots soon fill with water.
The crew scrambles to their positions, the chief engineer stands in the control room ready to adjust the boat’s trim. He eyes the gages that reflect the depth and orders “Pump ballast to sea.”
Slowly the boat begins to rise, groaning and lurching as it moves toward the surface. Diesel engines take over creating a racket that drowns out any conversation. When the hydrophone search operator listened but could hear no surface sound, Prien takes a quick look through the periscope and sees all is clear.
“Surface,” he orders and climbs the metal ladder from the control room to the lower hatch to the conning tower.
“Blow all main ballast tanks,” the chief orders. Compressed air rushes into the tanks and the boat gets lighter.
“Surfaced,” the chief reports and everyone below feels the boat rocking as the waves break against the sides.
“Equalize pressure!” The Captain orders. “Opening upper lid now.”
Fresh air flows into the boat’s interior as Prien mounts the ladder to the bridge. The men on watch are right behind him. They all breathe deeply of the clean, chilly air. Erich is surprised, when he hears the Captain curse.
“This is not what I expected. Why the hell, tonight of all nights is the new moon so bright? It’s only a sliver. Those damn northern lights flooding the sky are exposing the entire northern horizon. It may as well be daytime.”
Erich looks up at the green lights undulating across the sky. He marvels at their beauty; then chastises himself remembering the danger they pose, and fastens his eyes on his assigned quadrant on the compass. Now is Prien's last chance to postpone the attack; but he doesn’t. He didn’t come this far to return a failure.
Erich on the first four-hour watch adjusts his binoculars and peers into the night looking for shapes or shadows that might mean enemy ships moving their way. Spray and salt accumulates on the lens so he is continually wiping with his gloves. Everyone and everything is soaked after wave upon wave washes over the bow. Watches are exhausting. Constant vigilance is necessary. Tonight everyone is excited and alert. But to Prien nothing looks familiar.
Erich sees a large black shape appear out of the shadows coming right at them. “Shadow dead ahead.”
“Dive” orders the Captain. The men scramble down the hatch and secure it. The large gray U boat slides silently under the sea. The entire crew listens in silence to the propellers of the ship as it passes overhead. Rudy and the other crew listen for the dreaded ping...ping of discovery, of ASDIC the nickname of the Anti Submarine Detection Investigation Committee’s device. They look up waiting for depth charges to fall. None come. The sound recedes; with the danger past Prien orders the U boat to surface. Scanning the scene he realizes during the last dive they mistakenly entered the wrong harbor. He orders the chief to turn around and set course for the next entrance. The tide is high and produces a strong current. Prien maneuvers the sub out of tight quarters; fights the pull of the swirling water that tries to nudge U-47 against the rocky coast.
“Watch it, watch it, careful now.” The captain says. They have come within a few feet of the sharp rock formations that could slice the thin outer shell of the boat and bring them down. Now as they approach the correct harbor Erich and the watch see the expected masts of two sunken ships riding above the water one on each side of the narrow opening.
“There they are, just like in the pictures.” The captain said. The photos also showed large numbers of ships anchored. Prien expected to use up every torpedo the boat carried. He could visualize the pennants flying off the bridge announcing his kills and the number of tons for each one.
But there were no war ships. Caution dictates they should get out of this dangerous area but Prien is daring and proud. He keeps on searching. Five days ago the British fleet was here, he had pictures to prove it. Instead of turning around he moves the U boat further inside the harbor.
Suddenly the headlights of a car driving along the shore road catch the port side of U-47 in full view. Erich and the watch crew duck. The captain whips off his white cap. The men expect an alarm any second. None comes. Parked cars and trucks can be seen from the bridge near the town of St. Mary’s.
“How do we get past those cables?” Erich asks. “They must be 12 inch in diameter. Looks like there are three of them, one rope and two steel, joining the two ships. White water swirls around.
“Watch “Prien whispers.
High tide causes the cables to sag and Prien sails the boat over the center of the barrier.
“The ships have to be here.” Prien moves deeper inside the sound and for the next half hour hunts for his prey. Suddenly two large shadows appear on the horizon anchored in the harbor.
Erich recognizes the closer one as a battleship and behind it partially blocked from view is another ship.
“I’ve got them in the cross-hairs,” the first officer states and prepares to fire. He presses the firing lever and lets go 800 pounds of TNT. Then two more are fired at the ships. The first hit amidships but no great explosion occurs. The next two were hits but Prien expected the battleship to sink immediately and thought the second and third torpedo may have hit the second ship.
“Turn about and prepare to fire again,” He ordered. The boat turns and the first officer fired three more at the battleship.
Erich and the other watch officer’s cheer at the thunderous explosion. “My god will you look at that huge cloud of black smoke” he says. The battleship listed at a 45-degree angle. “ No alarm sounded, we must have hit the electrical system; all lights are out.”
Now they all watch in silence at the roaring fire licking anything in its way. Men are sliding off the deck, jumping in or diving in, their clothes burning. Those below deck are trapped. The ship is close to shore, but water temperature is 48 degrees. Survival Scapa Flow
is not expected. Later they learn 24 officers and 809 crew die in the attack.
Erich and the other three on watch are spellbound; unaware they are soaking wet standing exposed in freezing temperatures. They smile and clap each other on the back. The captain shakes hands all around. Erich keeps his misgivings to himself. Training hadn’t prepared him for the sickening feeling he experienced watching seamen thrown up in the air and sent screaming into the frigid sea, burning alive, all the while calling for help.
Prien wrote in his logbook that enemy attacks forced them to retreat. In fact there was no reaction to the sinking by the British. The changing tide made it necessary to leave.
“Set course for home, the same way we came in” Captain Prien orders.
The British Admiralty made the announcement over the BBC a few days later that torpedoes sank the Royal Oak and this was rebroadcast through out Germany. As a result, after a quiet crossing Captain and crew, all sporting beards and filthy from the lack of bathing were greeted by brass bands and jubilant crowds waiting on the jetty at Wilhelmshaven.
“Did you ever see anything like it” Rudy asked. Sailors lined the decks of every ship cheering the returning heroes. Karl Donitz and Rear Admiral Erich Raeder were there. Donitz jumped on board the deck of U-47 and shook the hand of every man in the crew. Erich looked around at the U boat's crew, dirty, stinking, unshaven and realized he looked and smelled just like they did. Prien stood straight and tall in spite of his filthy condition while Donitz conferred the Iron Cross First Class. The crew was given the Iron Cross Second Class. Erich fingered his medal and wondered at the cost.
When the formalities were over Erich headed for their quarters. His first stop was the barber. As he leaned back in the chair he enjoyed the first shave in two weeks. Back in his room he ran a bath, the hot water splashed over his body he began soaping himself and managed to take off the last layer of grime after three tries. He sniffed under his arms and soaped again; the tub had a ring of black grease when he stepped out.
In his mail he found a letter from Liesel. In the past she wrote a letter every day he was away. There was something missing in her note, suddenly he realized she never mentioned anything about them. He sniffed it, no perfume. She wrote of her job and the weather and mutual friends; he missed her warm affectionate words; her closing was merely your friend Helga. In a day or two, he’d be on leave and find out. When the valet entered the room a few minutes’ later Erich’s blond head was the only thing visible in the bed.
The old man had prepared his dress uniform and he hung it in the closet pressed and ready for tonight’s formal banquet. Fresh fruit and orange juice waited on a tray and the small refrigerator held beer frosted and ready. The operator ‘s call six hours later alerted Erich to get ready for the evenings celebrations. An hour later he put the empty juice glass back on the tray and opened the door ready for the party.
“I hardly recognize you Rudy, I was growing fond of your long hair and beard.” Erich and his friend stood side-by-side in their navy blue dress uniforms and surveyed the dining room.
“Sir, care for some champagne?” The white-coated waiter asked holding a tray with fine crystal glasses.
“No thank you. Bring us two more beers please. Watch, Erich, Meyer’s going to make a pass at that redhead; he’s copying something we saw in a French movie.”
“There are more beautiful women here than I’ve seen in a lifetime. Do you think we still stink?” Erich asked.
“Let’s find out.”
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Sylvia Maclagan
02/13/2021Grim but fascinating story, Mary. It's interesting to read the German side's feelings and their various personalities. Reminds me of "All Quiet on the Western Front", of Erich María Remarque (probably badly spelt).
The description of the cramped quarters of the sub interested me, because some few years ago, an Argentine sub with 48 crew sank in the South Atlantic and was never found. We all grieved for the crew. It was the first time a woman was in a war submarine (it was not during any war, just checking on illegal fishing, etc.)
I'm glad you will share more chapters of your novel. Takes a long time! Best wishes.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
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Mary Eileen Callan
02/13/2021Thanks for your comments. I learned a lot during my research. I'm glad you liked it.
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Gail Moore
02/02/2021Mary, that was a great story. You put it together well.
Have a great day :-)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
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Mary Eileen Callan
02/03/2021Thank you Gail. This is chapter 1 of a short nove I started 7 years ago.
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