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

quickly to the dark night.

Reinhardt Dresner pulled up the collar of his winter jacket placing it in a position that would protect the back of his neck from the cool, almost cold wind that came off of the ocean. When he relieved Oberleutnant Arner he was told that nothing had been seen on his watch. Dresner took the powerful Zeiss binoculars from Arner ,made sure the two lookouts were in position on the conning tower and took over the vigil. His main concern was the safety of the boat and its crew. The next priority was the location of enemy targets.

Although most men disliked the night watch and the inability to stay alert while fending off the desire to sleep Reinhardt enjoyed it. It was during that time that he was fully in charge of the boat. He was the leader, the Captain. All those men below at one time or another would have to respond to his authority while he was on the bridge. If he gave the alarm men would instantly react as the U-D5 began to dive. If he spotted a target, a lone ship or a convoy the men again would react taking their action stations.

An hour into the watch the lookout on the port side yelled, “Lebnenslicht”(See the light)

“Where away?”, asked Dresner

“Directly off the port side mid-ship”, the lookout answered.

Using the binoculars Reinhardt peered into the darkness. He did not see anything. “Perhaps the lookout imagined he saw something, or it could have been a reflection of the star light, possibly the moon”, he thought to himself. Then, he saw it. A red glow, small, but bright. He watched it and realized that someone, someone not too smart, someone on a ship in the dark of night was smoking a cigar or cigarette. He quickly

took a reading and set a course. Turning to Chief Petty Officer Aldo Hutmacher he said, “Go below. Wake the Captain. Tell him I have an unidentified target approximately two miles off of our port side”.

Soon, Reinhardt saw the rumpled hair on the head of Captain Bergman as it came up out of the hatch. “What have you got Dresner?”

“A light Captain. Possibly the glow of a cigar or cigarette. My lookout spotted it. I confirmed what he saw”.

Calling below, Bergman asked, “Are we picking up any sound?”

“Yes sir. There is a faint hum. An engine is running, but the screw and propeller are not turning”.

“Interesting. Either its a ship with mechanical problems or its a ship waiting for a convoy or escort. You have set the course Reinhardt?”, asked the Captain.

“Yes sir”.

“Very well. Action stations”, yelled Bergman. The crew went to their stations.

As the U-D5 narrowed the distance between it and the assumed target Dresner noticed that Bergman had not ordered full ahead speed.

He wondered why. Thirty minutes later as the sun began to rise on the Eastern horizon Bergman saw for the first time the freighter sitting quietly on the surface. “Alarm! Alarm! Dive! Take her down! Clear the bridge!”

Once below, Bergman turned to Dresner and said. “What you had up there was an armed ship. Our Naval Intelligence has reported that the British have armed a few of their merchant fleet with four inch deck guns and crews. The light you saw from a lighted cigar or cigarette was probably a deliberate act to draw us close so they could fire on us”.

“Sorry Captain”, Dresner replied.

“Sorry? Don't be sorry Dresner. Be alert. We learn through experience. Today you learned something. At the same time anyone would have made the same mistake. Hell, I made a mistake by not approaching the target while submerged.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Two

Second Patrol And The Iron Cross

 

Reinhardt Dresner smiled as the U-D5 made its way to the dock in the submarine pens of Hamburg Germany. Under the command of Captain Hans Bergman the U-boat had sunk a total of seven ships, six freighters and one tanker for a total of eight thousand, eight hundred and twenty two tons. It had been a successful patrol. A Navy band played and three, young pretty girls stood on the dock, one carrying a bouquet of flowers to be presented to the Captain.

The U-D5 still carried three torpedoes. Normally a U-boat would stay on patrol until that armament was depleted. However, low on diesel fuel and food the boat has been ordered home. In dry dock the hull would be scraped removing marine growth. All hatches were opened allowing for fresh air to dry up the accumulated moisture that had gathered during the month and a half at sea. Civilian workman with different skills attended to the boat. Mechanics checked the engines. Gauges were checked and if found defective replaced. Bulkheads were washed down and repainted.

Pipe fitters checked connections and wrapped hot pipes with asbestos.

The cooks electric ovens were inspected to assure they were in working order. Most important was the examination of the chronometer necessary for navigation.

After the welcoming ceremony the officers and crew were given ten days leave. Reinhardt was fortunate in that his home was only eleven miles away. He gathered up what few items he had including the bottle of Kolibri perfume and placed them in his sea-bag. As he was about to leave the boat Captain Bergman stopped him. “Reinhardt. I don't know what our next assignments will be. I want you to know that as your Captain I consider you a fine officer. I hope that in the future we might sail together again”, he said holding out his hand.

Dresner took the man's hand and shook it. “Thank you Kapitan. It was a pleasure serving with you. You taught me a lot, particularly about U-boats”. He then saluted and left the boat.

On shore Dresner stood in line with the rest of the crew as they waited to draw their pay. All submariners made more then surface Navy men so the earnings of an ensign assigned to the submarine service was substantial. More than what Reinhardt actually needed. He would give half of his pay to his parents.

He took a bus to Oststeinbek getting off two blocks from the house he was born in. He walked quietly up the walkway and knowing that the front door was always unlocked he softly entered the living room. He stood and watched his mother who had her back towards him as she kneaded dough. Herta Dresner always made and baked her own bread.

“Good afternoon Frau Dresner”, he said.

Herta Dresner jumped, scared and frightened by the sudden sound of a voice. Turning she smiled and began to cry. “Reinhardt, Reinhardt, Thank God you are alive. Come to me my boy. Oh how I've missed you”.

He took his mother in his arms and kissed her. “I'm well and alive as you can see”, he replied.

“You are home, but for how long?”, asked Herta.

“Ten days. Ten wonderful days that I will use to eat your cooking. Already I can't wait to taste a slice of your bread, hot with melted butter”, he answered.

“Bread you will get. Butter not so much. Now its margarine. White like lard, but after awhile you get use to it”.

“How is father?”

“Good, good, tired some of the time, but it's a good tired, a tiredness that comes from work. He is busy at the shipyard. At present they are building many Torpedo Boats. When he comes home he'll tell you all about it”.

“Then, I take it that he's healthy”.

“Like a horse. He eats like one also”.

“It's your cooking Mama”.

“Perhaps, perhaps. Look at me rambling on so. I'll place the bread in the oven and make coffee. Then you can eat. I Have some strawberry jam, the kind that you like”.

“While the bread is baking I want to take a hot bath. Its been awhile since my last salt water shower”.

“I'm sure there is plenty of hot water. Before you go tell me what you would like for supper”.

“Anything Mamma just as long as it doesn't taste like diesel oil”, he said as he walked up the stairs to the bathroom.

Reinhardt sat slouched in a bath tub full of hot, soapy water that reached his neck. He sat soaking his body, feeling for the first time in six weeks clean really clean, free from oil, dirt, grime, sweat, salt and Kolibri perfume. He felt human again. As he rinsed off and stood drying his body with a towel the aroma of fresh baked bread and perked coffee emitted from the kitchen and reached the second floor bathroom.

He kicked the foul smelling blue uniform with a bare foot sending it into a corner of the room out of his way. Wrapping the towel around his waist he walked into his bedroom and there found clean underwear, a pair of trousers, shirt and slippers. Dressed, he combed his hair and was surprised when the comb slid easily through his hair now absent of dirt and grime.

Reinhardt walked back into the kitchen. His mother reached up and touched his cheek. “Sit, we'll have bread and coffee and you can tell me what you have been up to in the war”, said Herta.

“There's not too much to tell. One does not see too much of the war when one is underwater”, he lied saving his mother from the details of burning oil, explosions, floating dead bodies and the cries and screams of the injured.

“Eat, there is the jam and if you like, the margarine”.

“I'll have both Mama”, said Reinhardt as he stirred his coffee. Lifting the cup to his lips he took a sip. When he did he noticed the different taste his mother's coffee had. It was different than the coffee served on the boat. He than realized that the difference in taste was the absence of diesel oil that flavored everything on the U-Boat.

Turning his attention to his mother he asked, “Now, dear mother how are you and how have you been?”

“Like all German mothers, worried almost to death when sons are sent off to war. At the same time the government is slow to admit causalities particular the loss of U-Boats. Frau Stetzer lost her boy in France. So, naturally I worry about you my son. But, you're here now, home with your parents. Let's enjoy our time together while you're here”.

At five thirty in the late afternoon Reinhardt stood in the living room

looking out of the window waiting for his father to return home from the shipyards in Hamburg. Through the glass panes he saw the large smile of happiness on his fathers face. Instantly he knew that the man knew that his son was home and Reinhardt hurried to the door. Opening it, he said loudly, “The prodigal son has returned”.

“I know. I saw the U-D5 in dry dock. Unless you fell overboard at sea I knew you were home”, said Otto as he hurried up the walkway to the front door. There father and son embraced.

“You two come into the house. You have much to talk about and the stoop is no place to do it”, said Herta.

“So, how much leave do you have?”, asked Otto.

“Ten days”.

“Only ten days to enjoy your Mamas cooking? That's not fair. I shall write to the Kriegsmarine”, said Otto.

“I'm sure that would fix things”, Reinhardt replied.

After placing his lunch pail on the kitchen table Otto asked, “How would you like a beer? I have Weihanstepaner. God only knows how long they will be producing. The government has just about every business busy producing for the war effort. Still, it is better than those days when we sat on our arse with no work”.

“There will be no beer drinking before supper. I am preparing a nice dinner and I don't need you two filling your stomachs before you sit down to eat”, said Herta.

“And they call Hitler a dictator. People should spend ten minutes here with your mother”.

Both men took seats in the living room. “Now, my boy, what was it like?”, asked Otto.

“As I told mother. One does not see much under water. On the surface