Submariner Sinclair: A thrilling WW2 military adventure story (The Submariner Sinclair Naval Thriller Series Book 1) by John Wingate

Author:John Wingate [Wingate, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2021-02-22T22:00:00+00:00

Six hours later, Rugged was at periscope depth and in position off Cape St. Vito. To the eastward, the familiar precipice rose vertically from the black depths like the blade of a knife. At five-mile intervals, a semicircle of submarines lay in wait for the Italian battle fleet. Two miles from the Cape, Reliant lay dived. Next to her, Arkwright in Restless, Rugged’s easterly next-door neighbour. Then Rugged, Rapid and, at the western extremity, Renegade.

The Captain was at the periscope, checking their position. He had left Elliott, the Asdic operator, crouching over his set in the far corner of the Control Room.

“Make the challenge on a bearing from red six-oh to red one-two-oh.”

“Aye, aye, sir.”

With his left hand, Elliott, an open-faced man from Norfolk, slowly turned the black knob, step by step. With his right, he transmitted a letter in Morse code. He then listened intently. He repeated these actions until he reached red one-oh-five, when his back stiffened. All eyes fastened upon him, for it was always fascinating to feel that there were friends in contact with them, within a few miles. Somehow, the depths seemed more hospitable.

“Red one-oh-five, submarine making ‘Q’ for Queenie, sir,” Elliott reported.

Joe, hands thrust into the pockets of his khaki shorts and leaning with his back against the Fruit Machine, shifted his legs and nodded.

“That’s Rapid. Make the same on the starboard side, between green eight-oh and one-one-oh.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” replied Elliott, a faint smile of pride on his raw-boned face.

Twiddling the black knob quickly, he went around to the other side, and started transmitting step by step, pausing only to listen for reply, while the Captain, with a faintly bored expression, shifted his weight to the other foot and waited for the answer to his challenge.

Slowly Elliott swept through the whole sector.

“They must be asleep in Restless. Try again, Leading Seaman Elliott. This time, increase your arc to green four-oh and green one-four-oh.”

Deliberately, precisely, Elliott swept and transmitted.

“No reply, sir.”

Joe uncrossed his gangling legs and heaved himself upright. He scratched the side of his head and came over to Elliott’s Asdic cabinet.

“Try again,” he said quietly, leaning over the man.

Once more there was no reply.

“Humph! — odd,” growled Joe. “Let’s go a bit nearer their billet and see if that will wake them up. Starboard ten.”

Twenty minutes later, now on the edge of her billet, Rugged resumed her course.

“Try again.”

Elliott repeated his drill, his body stiffening as he reached green eight-oh.

“Green eight-oh, sir. Submarine transmitting letter ‘Y’ for ‘Yorker’.”

“Thank you, check the transmission.”

Elliott bent low over the dimly lit instrument, his right hand adjusting his headphones.

“Checked, sir. Submarine transmitting ‘Y’ for ‘Yorker’.”

“Odd! That’s Reliance’s letter.”

Joe’s face was thoughtful, a slight pucker tracing a deep line between his jutting eyebrows.

Elliott crouched, still waiting.

“Submarine transmitting challenge, sir.”

“Make the reply,” ordered Joe wearily.

On the ebonite key, Elliott slowly and deliberately tapped the letter ‘F’. He listened intently as three ‘R’s came back to him from the depths.

“Reply acknowledged, sir,” he reported, half turning on his wooden seat to meet the questioning eyes of his Captain.

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