This Dark Water: A trawler. A U-boat. A war. by Chris Speck

Author:Chris Speck [Speck, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Flat City Press
Published: 2024-10-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

It’s morning. The sea is never what you’d call calm, but there is a sense of peace after the storm. Krieger and the first mate, Stolz, stand on the bridge of the U-19 with their binoculars to their eyes—the tall man has goggles over his glasses. The spray from the sea is cold.

Krieger has calculated that they’re north of Scotland. They’ll enter the North Sea, dive under the British blockade that stretches from Scarpa Flow to Norway and be home in Wilhelmshaven within the week. The mood of the men is much lifted in the last day since they shrugged off the two British destroyers. Felix is concerned with the diesel engines that power them now they are on the surface. There have been blockages to the coolant system—if they get too cold again, he is not sure if they’ll fire up. There is something wrong with the pistons that drive the propellor also, perhaps a cracked cylinder too, it will all affect their mobility and it’s a good job they are on the way home, but going under the British blockade will be a real struggle.

In the early morning, the U-19 has come across something in the far distance that is of interest. Krieger has been summoned to the bridge on the conning tower to have a look at it with his experienced eyes and he scans the horizon till he finds the vessel in question. He can see through the binoculars that it’s small and jolly already. There’s a stubby funnel belching smoke into the sea air. It’s a steamship, a trawler probably. Not worth a torpedo by any means. He scans the area in front and behind the vessel; it appears she is on her own. Krieger takes the binoculars from his face and turns to smile at Stolz beside him, the goggles give the man’s face a pinched look.

“It’s a fishing ship,” he says. He calls down into the control room below: “Dive. Periscope depth!” They are going under.

Captain Krieger has done this more than a few times now. He needs the light of the morning sun behind him as he surfaces, it will give the U-19 a more commanding position, help them see better and scare the life out of the crew on board the trawler. The U-boat rattles as it moves under the water at periscope depth, there is definitely something awry in the way she judders. Krieger takes a look through the periscope and finds the ship off the starboard. On the deck he can make out little figures hauling up the nets along the side.

“What’s she doing this far north?” asks Stolz from below. The first mate often speaks before he thinks.

“Catching fish, Stolz. That’s what trawlers do.” It’s very unlikely this vessel will be armed, and the crew will be a pushover once the U-19 swings the deck gun at them and threatens to shoot.

“More stupid fisherman. She’s an easy target.”

“So, she is. Everyone needs to eat, Stolz, that’s no different just because there’s a war on.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.