U-4714 - Robert F. Clifton (reading list .TXT) 📗

who had the watch. “What is our heading?”

“South by southwest Captain”,Dresner answered.

“Position?”

“Fifty two and a half nautical miles off of the coast of Ireland”.

“Very good, now I'll check to see if we have any new orders and hopefully have breakfast”, said Arner as he entered the conning tower.

“Captain, I checked on the doctor at midnight. He's is in poor health.

I think his condition is serious”, said Reinhardt.

“Very well, I'll look at him. Thank you”.

“You're welcome sir”.

Once below Arner read the messages received by the radiomen. One made his face turn red in anger. “ Your last position indicates that you will be slow in reaching your assigned area. Such action delays rendezvous and resupply. Explain. U-Boat command”.

“Explain? I'll explain you arse holes. Because you approved my route and said my orders were to go around Scotland and not to use the English Channel. Because I'm carrying over four hundred tons of diesel fuel and because there's a damn war on and the sons of bitches are out to kill me. How's that for an explanation?”, he said aloud. After he calmed down and rationalized the situation he ordered a message to be sent in order to reply. “ Must report that the weight of the cargo results in slower speed. At same time have inexperienced crew of cooks and bakers who need constant training in boat operations. Lost precious time having taken precautions near Scapa Flow ,that area possibly mined. Now await further orders.”

Two days later they surfaced on a relatively calm day and after reading a verse from the bible gently lowered the body of Doctor Gerhart Zimmer over the side. Going below, Dresner was ordered to inventory the doctors belongings and his medical bag. In doing so he found one hundred morphine styrettes, packets of sulfur powder, bottles of iodine, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide , eye wash, a can of foot powder,tongue blades and gauze pads and bandages. After reporting what he had found he turned the medical bag over to the radioman who like on other boats had been responsible for the boat crews health. Then, finally after running all night the U-800 arrived on station. When it did the cooks and bakers attended to their duties. Soon, the aroma of fresh bread baking in the electric ovens was carried through the boat by the electric fans.

Arner waited patiently for the latest message that had arrived on the Enigma cipher machine to be decoded. Finally, when it was ready he took it from the operator and read, “U-800..Maintain present position and station. Wait arrival of calves. Refuel and replenish food stores. U-boat Command”.

“Well, at least we don't have to go looking for our customers”, he said aloud.

The next day dressed in foul weather gear Dresner supervised the work of the crew as they followed orders from the Chief boatswain. U-168

lay aside the U-800. Both boats were being tossed by a rough sea and the constant wind blowing across the water sent spray into the face and eyes of the workers. A rubber boat with two crew men from the U-800 paddled fiercely against the crashing waves as they towed the end of a line that was attached to the refueling hose. When they reached the starboard side of the U-168 the line was handed to the crew on deck of the boat needing fuel and they then hauled the long, large canvas covered hose on board and attached it to their fuel intake valve. Once attached Arner gave the order and the pumping began, transferring diesel oil from one boat to another. As that occurred baskets of fresh bread, boxes of canned fruit, smoked meats, fresh vegetables and eggs were transferred. Fortunately the U-168 had no need for a doctor. With a wave of hands the crews of both boats watched as they drifted apart. Then, it was back to the routine duty until the arrival of the next boat in want of fuel and supplies.

The U-800 stayed at their assigned station. While they waited for the next U-boat to arrive Junior Officer Keller selected eight crewmen and began training them on the use of the anti-aircraft guns, the only armament on the boat. Much of the training dealt with how quickly the gun crews could get up the ladders leading to the topside deck and get the guns ready to fire. Keller, used a stop watch in each drill. Finally, after a week he was satisfied and he reported to Captain Arner that the gunners were ready.

At midnight Reinhardt relieved Keller and took over the watch. Although the weather was cold the sea was almost calm with just slow moving swells that crossed in front of the bow of the U-Boat, some breaking and spilling on to the foredeck. A clear sky revealed millions of stars, their light touching and reflecting off of the water. The Chief Petty Officer took advantage of them and verified the boats nautical position.

Dresner and the lookouts scanned the black horizon, alert, aware of the danger of a surprise attack by either a surface ship or an enemy submarine. Already two U-boats had been reported sunk by British torpedoes from a submarine. As a result Captain Arner ordered that the sondergerat (sonar) installed in the U-800 be on and used at all times.

Reinhardt argued against its use explaining that it would draw enemy ships or submarines right to them. He was over ruled.

As the hours of the night passed Reinhardt allowed his mind to wander back to Flensburg and Hedda. In his mind he saw again her face, smiling, beautiful, with love for him in her eyes. He remembered how she felt in his arms when they danced. He almost could smell the fragrance of

the perfume in her hair. Then, he was brought back to reality when a lookout reported, “Target, our port side about midships”. At about the same time below, the sound man reported that he was picking up the sound of diesel engines coming towards them from the port side.

Dresner, using binoculars peered into the darkness of the night. Ready

to shout alarm and dive, he waited then recognized the silhouette of a U-boat coming towards them. Then, a flashing signal from a Aldis Lamp was seen in the night. “Quartermaster to the bridge”, Dresner ordered.

Soon, the quartermaster of the U-800 stood beside Dresner. “Tell me what they are saying “,said Reinhardt.

“They identify themselves as the U-F-27, with orders to rendezvous with us for refueling and resupply. They will stay off of our port side until daylight at which time they will wait for instructions from Captain Arner”.

“ Ask them if they are equipped with the hohentwiel”(radar)., said Dresner.

The quartermaster using the portable, hand held Aldis lamp signaled the U-F-27. He then waited for a response. When he received it he said, “That is affirmative Oberleutnant”.

“Good, now tell him to keep it on until further notice”.

“Reinhardt waited for an answer.

“Message received sir”.

At daylight, Junior Officer Keller and his watch began the refueling and resupply. Commander Sigmund Brenner, Captain of the U-F-27 after crossing from his boat to the U-800 went below decks and met with Captain Arner and Dresner. They sat at the mess table drinking coffee.

“Tell me Arner, how do you like this duty and don't you lie to me”, said Brenner.

“I find it necessary in order to keep the boats at sea, but I ask myself each day, why me. Now, you tell me how is the U-F-27, one of the French submariners taken when France surrendered?”

“Surprisingly well. Naturally, all the markings on dials and things had to be changed into German for the members of the crew. The boat has external torpedo tubes and naturally a different caliber of torpedo. It has a double hull and below decks is wider then our boats. That results in slower dive times. Actually it was used as a training vessel until it was put in service at sea by the U-Boat Command”, said Brenner.

“Have you had any action?”, asked Dresner.

“Unfortunately, No. We ave been running up and down the North Atlantic chasing supposedly convoy sightings without finding anything. So now low on food and fuel we are ordered to meet with you, re-supply and head home”.

“Well, I wish you luck Commander, just let us know what you need”, said Arner.

“There is one thing. We have the motion picture, “The Kid” with Charlie Chaplin. To tell you the truth we are sick of watching it. Naturally, it has English sub titles, but since the film is silent, it really doesn't seem to matter to the crew. Perhaps we could trade, that is if you have a film to trade”,Brenner offered.

“We know the feeling. We'll trade you “The Sheik” for “The Kid”, said Arner.

“It's a deal”, Brenner answered.

“Since you are heading home would you carry our out going mail?”, asked Dresner.

“Certainly, however, at the moment we don't know exactly where home is to be. It might be pens in France or Germany”, Brenner replied.

“Well, where ever it is please make sure that this letter addressed to Frau Zimmer is posted. She is the widow of our doctor who died at sea. The letter expresses my condolences as well as that of the crew”, said Arner.

“I understand and will see to it. Now, it seems that my boat is replenished so I'll say, Auf Wiedersehen”.

“Good by Commander. Stay safe”, said Arner shaking hands with the man. Dresner saluted then followed the man up the ladder to the main deck. The lines that held the two boats together were cast off and the U-F-27 began floating away. Then, its diesel engines started, there was a prop wash and the boat now under its own power moved away. Dresner stood and watched wishing that it was he that was going home, home to Hedda.

Later, Captain Arner ordered the U-800 to submerge and at a depth of two hundred and fifty feet Keller's second watch was allowed to eat and watch the silent film, “The Kid”.

Dresner stood by the hydrophone operator in case the sound of another vessel was heard and at the same time made sure that the sonar of the boat was on and operating even though he opposed its use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Six

1943

Lorient, France, now became one of the busy submarine pens of the Keroman Submarine Base operated by the U-Boat command of the Reigsmarine. Reinhardt Dresner with a background in Marine Engineering was assigned shore duty there with the responsibility of inspecting diesel engine repairs made at the docks. At the same time he examined the addition of the snorkel. A breathing tube that allowed fresh air into the boat allowing the batteries for the electric motors of the boat to recharge without surfacing.

It was 1943. Many U-Boats were being lost. Where once the boats were safer on the surface, improved enemy radar now pin pointed their position. Better sonar found them lurking underwater. The once Atlantic Gap free from enemy aircraft was now closed as escort aircraft carriers allowed for airborne searches and attacks. One of the boats reported as “Over Due” was the U-800. U-Boat captains insisted that the allies had broken the German naval code allowing them to know the rendezvous positions for the Milch Cows and those boats needing fuel and supplies. They were ignored. At home British and American air forces bombed strategic targets in France and Germany. For Reinhardt it was the submarine pens at Lorient.

Built in 1940 on the orders of Admiral Doniz Keroman was constructed of tons of reinforced concrete and although attacked repeatedly by enemy aircraft it withstood the bombings and continued to operate sending U-boat after U-boat back into the Atlantic to sink allied shipping. As a result the English and American air forces concentrated on attacking the city of Lorient. Roads, bridges, oil storage facilities were all targets. When these facilities were eliminated fuel, torpedoes and mines, were unable to reach the boats tied up in the pens. Fortunately somehow the mail got through and Reinhardt now on shore was