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

and visual, using the periscope”.

“I see. Excellent. I will go over your log this evening and return it to you in the morning. Meanwhile let us enjoy our dinner. There are fresh Raspberries for dessert”.

“Sir, I would like to call my wife and mother”.

“I'm sorry Commander. With the invasion all lines are the priority of the Wehrmacht. Even I can't call my wife in Cologne “.

 

“Is the mail getting through to Germany?

“You can try. It is my understanding that what trains that are still running are needed for troop movements and supply”,

“Speaking of the invasion what are the Wehrmacht doing?”

“They seem to be holding at a place called St. Lo”.

“Good”.

After dinner that night Reinhardt sat in his room and wrote to Hedda.

“My Darling Hedda,

Oh how I miss you my dear one. How I long to see you to to hold you close to me, to kiss your sweet lips. Right now, all I can tell you is that I am somewhere in France. How long I shall be here is difficult to say. I can tell you this, I am safe and well. I'm even maintaining my weight as the cook on my boat does an excellent job of keeping us well fed.

While I'm here I'm hoping that my mail catches up to me, how I long to know how you are. I so fear the thoughts of you going through air raids. Still, I am proud of what you and the German people are doing for the war effort. Your rationing at home helps feed me and my crew in port and at sea.

Speaking of home and war, I've been thinking. This war, like all wars will end eventually. When it does I will leave the Navy. There is nothing worse than an unemployed husband. So, my love I suggest that with your love and patience you might teach me to be a shop merchant.

I'll even start out sweeping the floor and washing windows.

Now, I will close, just as I do every night, loving you and praying for your safety. Good night my lovely wife. I love you so,

Reinhardt

 

One week later Lieutenant Commander Dresner stood on the pier and watched the loading of the Wren and Falcon, acoustic, torpedoes, bringing the total to twenty three. Next came the refueling which would give the boat the ability to travel twenty five thousand kilometers or thirteen thousand miles. He noticed that it seemed more cases of canned goods and less fresh food was being supplied. Although there was several loaves of fresh bread there was also bread dough, now made up of a mixture of wheat flour and sawdust. With the lack of fresh fruit there was a good supply of fruit juice. It seemed to him that the only meat going aboard were sausage. Also the cook was given a large supply of bratlingspulin, a soy filler. Still although the rations were not the same Reinhardt knew that he and his crew would be eating better then a soldier in the Wehrmacht fighting in Russia.

The next night, without running lights the U-4714 made its way down the Garrone River which would take it to the sea. Down below, locked away in the small safe were Reinhardts new orders to be opened when out to sea. The orders would specify his patrol area and duties. Once away from the river inlet and fifty miles from shore Dresner gave the order. “Dive, dive, flood all tanks. Check all valves and check for leaks”. In the black, moonless night the U-4714 slipped under the surface of the North Atlantic. Once he knew that the boat was secure he turned command over to Falkner then went to his quarters and removed the sealed envelope from the safe.

After opening the envelope he read his assignment, left his quarters and went to the chart table.”New heading, North, Northwest fifty eight degrees”, Reinhardt ordered.

“New heading, north, northwest., fifty eight degrees”, repeated the helmsman. The U-4714, underwater, turned and headed for the coast of Newfoundland.

On Thursday, June 29, 1944 at 0723 hours the bow of the U-Boat broke the surface of the water. Reinhardt made his way to the conning tower, followed by Falkner and two lookouts. When he arrived at the bridge and using binoculars he saw the dark, brown, rocky cliffs and shoreline of the Bonavista Peninsula. The water was the color of Azure Blue and small gentle ocean swells moved slowly towards the stone covered beach. Two, small, puffy clouds and a few wispy smoke like clouds appeared to hang in the sky. Calling down to the control room, Reinhardt yelled, “Is the radar on an operating?”

“Yes sir” came the answer.

“Radio U-Boat command. Inform them that we are on station”.

“Yes sir”.

“When you 're finish shut off your transmitter”.

“Understood sir”.

“Our current position is forty nine degrees north by fifty six degrees west”.

“Very good sir'.

“Weather clear, temperature, eighteen point three Celsius, wind, seven knots”.

“Thank you sir”.

Turning to Deiter Falkner Reinhardt said, “We are to stay in this area with the main objective being to watch the formation of convoys and then to report the number of ships gathered, when they sail and how many escorts they have”.

“Are we permitted to attack?”, asked Falkner.

“No, not at first. It seems our responsibility is fact finding for U-Boat Command”.

“So, all we're supposed to do is float around and count tankers and freighters and in between report the weather”.

“Well, if a special target should present its self I will attack. I'm reminded of an old saying by Francis Bacon, “He that commands the sea is at great liberty and may take as much or as little of the war as he will”.

“The crew expects to attack and sink tonnage. Not doing so will further damage their morale”, said Falkner.

“Is there a morale problem?”, asked Dresner.

“The bombings at home and now the invasion appears to be depressing some of the men. I would watch Baumhauer sir. His family is in Berlin”.

“Yes, I know. Nonetheless, each one of us has a relative or loved one somewhere in Germany that we worry about. Baumhauer is no different”.

“Still Captain, the men feel that it is their duty to fight the enemies of the Fatherland”.

“As do I Deiter, as do I. Now. Let us take the boat to just off the coast of St. John's Harbor and do as we're told”.

At 2200 hours Reinhardt looked at the St. John's Harbor in the distance using the periscope. “Herr Falkner, take a look at this”, he said.

Falkner turned his cap and peered into the dark night. “I see many targets Captain. Warships, Canadian warships”, Falkner replied.

“Exactly. You mention attacking the enemy. Well, there they are.

They assemble here and as the convoys leave Halifax the warships that you are looking at come out of this harbor and act as escorts. Also, freighters arrive here to be loaded with iron ore that is transported to Wales”.

“Excellent”, said Falkner.

“Yes, excellent”, all we need is permission to attack. There is another alternative however”, Reinhardt replied.

“And?”, asked Falkner.

“As the Canadian escorts come out of the harbor we follow them to where they meet the convoy. We count how many, give their location and wait for orders. If none comes, we attack”.

“I don't understand waiting for orders. They loaded us with twenty three torpedoes to be used against enemy ships and shipping. Then we have to wait for U-Boat command to tell us when and how to attack?”

“Patience Deiter. Keep in mind that when we do attack it will be like kicking over a hornets nest”.

“We trust in you and the boat Captain”.

“Thank you Deiter. Down scope. Come about. Set course and heading southwest two, twenty, degrees”, said Reinhardt.

“Coming about sir. New course and heading, southwest two, twenty degrees sir”, repeated the helmsman.

Reinhardt kept looking at his wristwatch. When one half hour passed he ordered, “All stop. Up periscope”. When the lens cleared the surface of the water he peered into the instrument turning it three hundred and sixty degrees. “Down scope. Descend to thirty three fathoms (200 ft.). Now Herr Falkner, we wait for the Canadian escorts to come out and lead us to the prey”.

Two days and night passed. Each night when in the dark, but under a full moon the U-4714 surfaced allowing for the Engineer Officer to recharge the boats batteries and at the same time allow the radio operator to send or receive messages on the cipher machine. No messages came. None went out. On the night of July 8,1944 the U-boat rose and fell caused by the wave action of the sea. Reinhardt stood in the conning tower watching for and listening for any sights or sound of ships moving.

Hours went by with the hydrophone operator slowly turning the dials of the instrument but not detecting a thing.

At one hundred hours on the morning of July 9,1944 Petty Officer Friehoffer reported, “Sounds of propellers, sir”.

“Direction?”, asked Reinhardt.

“West, southwest. Off of our port side sir”.

Reinhardt peered into the night using the binoculars. He scanned the surface in the direction provided to him. He saw nothing. Then, under the full moon he saw the silhouette of what appeared to be a Canadian Corvette.

“I am picking up sounds of other vessels Captain”, said Friehoffer.

“How many and where?”

“Several, hard to give you an exact count. All off of the port side”.

“Dive! Dive! Dive! Return to thirty three fathoms. Rig for silent running”, ordered Reinhardt.

Fifteen minutes later those in the boat heard ships passing overhead. They held their breath as they all looked up at the sound expecting to here at any time the ping of a sonar or ASDIC hunting for them. Instead they heard the sound of turning propellers and screws. “Those captains are mighty sure of themselves, believing that they are in no danger this close to their home base”, Dresner whispered to Falkner standing beside him.

Reinhardt waited. When the sound of the ships on the surface disappeared he turned to the hydrophone operator and said, “Friehoffer, tell me something”.

“All ships going away. Signal becoming weak”, answered Friehoffer.

“Give me a direction”.

“West, southwest”.

“Herr Baumhauer what is the condition of our batteries?”, asked Dresner.

“Fully charged sir”.

“Excellent, come about. New course bearing West, southwest. Full ahead. Friehoffer, keep listening to those ships. If they change directions let me know”.

“Yes sir'.

The U-4714 able to travel at seventeen knots while submerged had no problem moving unseen or undetected as it followed the sound of the last Canadian warship. Two hours later Friehoffer reported, “Sir, many propellers turning. Too many to count”.

“Very good Freihoffer. You found me the convoy. Periscope depth”,ordered Dresner.

“Coming to periscope depth”, said Falkner

“Up scope. Oh my. Would you look at that. I see thirteen, no fifteen, wait. There are maybe twenty five freighters and two tankers. All heading West. Down scope”.

“An excellent opportunity to attack Captain. I say hit them while they have let their guard down”, said Falkner.

“An excellent opportunity yes. Also fool hearty. Half the Canadian Navy is up there. We'll let them do their escort duty, report the convoy as ordered then wait as the warships return. Then, and only then will I attack. Should you get your own boat one day Herr Falkner choose your targets carefully. You me or all the U-boat aces put together can't sink the entire merchant and navy fleet of any nation with one boat and a few torpedoes”.

“Then, what do we do while we wait?”. Asked Falkner.

“ Take and send weather reports, also on orders”, Reinhardt replied.

That night and in the dark with the boat on the surface the radioman sent the following message in code, “ Halifax convoy. Estimated twenty five freighters, two tankers, estimated speed slowest vessel ten knots. Course west, northwest. Present position, Latitude N. 51degrees, 37 minutes, Longitude W. 48 degree nine minutes. Escorts destroyer and corvettes. No sign of air craft carriers. Weather clear, temperature, eighteen point three, three, three Celsius, wind, out of east seven knots”.

 

As the U-4714 remained on the surface Junior Officer Sauer manned the bridge in the conning tower. Down below in the