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

close to the starboard side and another further away on the port side of the boat. The shock on the starboard side of the boat was so violent that the U-D5 tilted forty degrees causing storage containers to open and contents to spill and tumble. The lights in the boat flickered and then went out. As the crew waited two petty officers turned on flashlights.

The now familiar sound of the first surface ship looking for them was joined by another and once again the plopping sounds of depth charges was heard and the explosions came, one after another. This was to continue for two hours. At the end of the first hour standing at his post

Reinhardt Dresner stood soaked with perspiration. The sweat dripped into his eyes and he closed them. Then, with closed eyes he noticed that he had pissed his pants a result of fear. Fortunately, the same thing had happened to the Engineer Officer and the cook.

“Take her down another hundred feet, then slow ahead”, ordered Bergman. The U-D5 descended then began to move in an attempt to escape the searching English destroyers. As the boat moved at seven knots underwater the crew heard other sounds of explosions, different sounds, the sounds of exploding torpedoes and they knew that other boats in the wolf pack were still attacking.

Captain Bergman stood silently for a moment deep in thought. “Bring the boat hard to port. When it is full about continue full speed. We will go back to where the English first attacked us. I believe the Englander has set his depth charges at two hundred and fifty feet. In his mind he's still fighting World War One U-boats,” he said.

As the U-D5 moved through the water the ping, ping, ping, sound of the surface ships ASDIC became faint. Soon it disappeared completely.

“All stop. Complete silence”, ordered the Captain. Bergman looked at his wristwatch. The boat had been submerged for over three hours. It was no problem since the boat could stay underwater for twenty four hours before the need for fresh air for the crew and the need to recharge the batteries.

In the silence and in the absence of attacking surface ships Reinhardt began to relax. As he did he noticed the pain in his fingers then realized the pain was caused by the tight grip he had on an extended pipe during the attack. He stood for a moment and looked at his hands. He moved his fingers, then looked down at his piss soaked trousers. He was embarrassed, but he was alive.

After five hours Bergman ordered the boat to periscope depth. Sounds of propellers and explosions had vanished, but still the Captain was cautious he peered through the scope moving it three hundred and sixty degrees. He saw one burning freighter listing to starboard as it took in water and was slowly sinking. The ocean surface was littered with scraps of wood, clothing, dead bodies and heavy oil. On his port side he saw a life boat with only a few men inside. “All hands stay at action stations. Full speed ahead”, he ordered.

The U-D5 moved away from the sunk and sinking remains of the convoy. Bergman would have liked to surface, but he knew that at the first attack by one of the submarines the convoys location had been sent by wireless and surface ships or aircraft could be on their way to find him and other members of the flotilla. He would surface later and in the dark of night.

The Captain ordered the cook to make coffee. Once he thought they were safe he would allow supper to be prepared then the men could eat.

Until then they were to stay at their action stations. Bergman looked at his watch officers. “Good work gentlemen. Reinhardt, I see you pissed your pants. Don't feel bad. When I went through my first depth charge attack I shit myself. Funny, when fear hits us we have no control over our body functions. Some men go insane. They call it blechkoller, a form of tension caused in depth charge attacks. Now, when it's ready lets us enjoy a cup of coffee. If all goes well, we'll surface, see where we are and eat. Meanwhile when we next attack I want to use the stern tube. Once those torpedoes are gone the weight of those in the forward torpedo room will allow us to dive quicker. Reinhardt, inform the Chief Torpedoman of my decision”.

“Yes sir”, Dresner answered.

At 2340 hours after checking first with his sound men and scanning the ocean surface Bergmann ordered the U-D5 to surface. After coming up the Captain, lookouts, Reinhardt and Muller stood in the conning tower. It was pitch black. From time to time Dresner could see the wave action of the ocean as small swells crossed the bow of the boat. He changed his gaze from the water to the stars. There were a few, white puffy clouds in the night sky, but he and Muller were able to ascertain their position. Reinhardt reported it to the Captain. Shortly after they did one of the sound men reported that he had detected the reverberation of a single screw and propeller. Bergman immediately went below. Once there he took the sound man's earphones and listened for himself. “Sounds like an old tramp steamer, a straggler, all alone and moving slowly. Get me the range”, said the Captain.

Once armed with the information of his location and that of the approaching steamer Bergman stood silently for a moment in amazement. “The damn fool is coming right at us on a straight course. He's not even zig-zagging. Action stations!”, he shouted as he headed for the ladder that would take him to the bridge.

Reinhardt took his position behind the helmsman then stood waiting for orders.

Captain Bergman and Executive Officer Arner stood at the bridge watching and looking for the on coming ship. “If what you think is true and if it is an old freighter we can sink her with the deck gun Captain”, said Arner.

“I know that Karl,. I still want the weight of the aft torpedo room

lighter. Besides, when we're out of torpedoes aft we will have more room for the crew ”

Suddenly a lookout shouted, “Kapitan, I hear the sound of an

engine”.

“Where away?”, Bergmann asked.

“Four points off of our starboard bow”, answered the man.

Bergman turned to that direction. Listening carefully he soon picked up the sound of coal fed steam engines. The smell of smoke from the ships funnel stack came across the water reaching those on the bridge.

Suddenly the clouds that hid the half moon parted and on the dark horizon approximately a mile away Bergmann could make out the silhouette of a single stack freighter. “Come to port five degrees and full speed ahead”, ordered the Captain.

Reinhardt repeated the order and the U-D5 turned and began its rush to get into a position to attack the ship. The U-boat sliced through the swells as the diesel engines hummed. As the boat rose and fell with the wave action sea water spray blown in the wind reached those on the bridge drenching them. Using his binoculars Bergmann could see that he was getting ahead of the slow moving freighter. He set a course that would put the old tramp steamers position directly in front of the U-boat.

Flickers of light raced across the night sky as the sun began rising on the eastern horizon. As daylight increased the steamer suddenly stopped.

“What are they doing?”, asked Arner.

“Their lookouts have spotted us. Full ahead, gun crews on deck”, Bergmann ordered.

As daylight grew Bergman could see the entire enemy ship. To him he considered it to be a rust bucket, old and slow, too slow to be in a convoy. Yet, for some reason the owners of the steamship had ordered it to sea where it was forced to sail alone without protection. Bergman almost felt sorry for the Captain of the freighter and his crew.

When the distance between the U-boat and the steamer was close

Bergmann using a bullhorn loudspeaker demanded to talk with the ships Captain.

“I am, the Captain”, said Albert Wilson.

“What is the name of your ship?”, asked Bergmann.

“The SS Aladdin, out of Newfoundland”.

“Cargo?”

“Twelve tons of humanitarian goods, food, blankets and medicine”.

“Captain, I am very aware that you have radioed your position. I will wait for you to lower your life boats. You and your crew will abandon ship and row away from this area. After that I shall sink your ship. However, since you have used your radio war ships and rescue may be on the way. You have fifteen minutes. Do you understand?”

“Yes. All hands into the life boats!”, shouted Captain Wilson.

Twenty minutes later Bergman ordered the stern torpedo tube loaded. When the U-boat was in position Captain Bergmann said, “Feuer!”

The torpedo left the boat and maintained a straight course to the freighter. There was an explosion and the detonation broke the old ship in two with one section sinking immediately the other taking awhile.

Bergman and Arner stood watching the rusted steel section disappear under the swells. “All hands below. Dive, dive,”Ordered the Captain. When they were miles away the U-D5 surfaced. The cook began to make breakfast and Bergman allowed the radio operator to use the phonograph. Soon music came over the bulkhead speakers. Reinhardts Second Watch was on duty. Members of the first watch either sat or lay on their bunks waiting to eat. The second watch crew went about their duties listening to, “Schow ist die Nachi”, (Already Its Night) a tango sung by Kurt Widmanm.

Bergman's rule was that after each song the sound men were to take fifteen minutes to listen for the reverberations of a ships engines. Hearing none he allowed another record to be played. The radio operator put on. “Musik, Musik”, a jazz tune by Otto Stenzel and over the music the crew began to talk and laugh, but kept it at a tone as not to interfere with the on duty watch. Moral was high. The U-D5 had two kills. One tanker and although an old tub, still a freighter carrying enemy cargo. Their kills would be included in the one, point three million tons of shipping sunk by the U-Boat flotillas from 1939 to 1940.

After breakfast Reinhardt lay on his bunk. He wanted to get some sleep before going topside to the bridge when the Second Watch would take over the duties of the boat. He was full having had a meal of sausage and eggs and an orange. The fresh food was getting low as the crew ate fresh food first before it spoiled in the humid interior of the boat. Already loaves of bread hanging from pipes were showing signs of mildew as white colonies of fungus were beginning to grow on the crusts. Before each meal the cook wiped the growth away with a damp towel moistened with vinegar and water. Soon the cook would have to rely on canned fish and vegetables along with hard black bread. At the same time Reinhardt as navigation officer also had to serve as Quartermaster and the food supply was his responsibility. As a result he inspected the stored food rearranging it almost daily stabilizing its weight distribution inside the boat.

The cook, Chief Petty Officer Arnold Becker was from the old navy having served on the World War One U-boats of the Kaiser. To the crew he was a magician having the ability to take bland Navy issued food and turning it into good tasty meals they all enjoyed. Once in awhile he would surprise them with a strudel made with either fresh or canned apples. Becker made sure that coffee was always available for those going on night watch.

On the bridge Arner looked at his wristwatch. Soon Dresner would relieve him. Already the interior lights of the boat had been put on red allowing members of the Second Watch to be able to see better when they went topside their eyes adjusting