Chapter 12: Deep below
280 meters below the sea. 280. The children couldn’t believe what they saw, wishing the depth gauge was wrong.
This must be a bad dream! This can’t be happening! The young unicorn thought in shock, not able to believe her eyes.
Her 2 friends had the same thought, staring at the depth gauge, wanting to believe that this wasn’t reality, just a dream or their imagination.
Fletcher breathed heavily, trying to process this, that they were trapped deep in the sea, with no point of escape. This U-boat could become their grave, something he didn’t wanted to imagine.
Lars shined a flashlight at the depth gauge to get a better view. “280 meters. And she’s still in one piece.” Even he wasn’t able to believe this, stunned that his U-boat wasn’t already crushed by the pressure.
The Chief Engineer and Hannes checked the engine, they were also stunned to be still alive. “It’s a miracle we aren’t dead yet.” Hannes said with a shaken voice.
Suddenly, several pipes burst and water leaked in. “Torpedo hatch taking water! The Torpedo hatch is taking water!” He shouted.
In the entire U-boat, more pipes burst. “Motor room’s taking water now, right-“ Another pipe bust above the crewman, cutting him off.
“Captain, taking water!” Another crewmember yelled.
It was for much for the young children they broke completely down. “I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die!” Dinky screamed in panic.
“Mama!” The siblings exclaimed.
Fletcher couldn’t blame them, they were still young, their minds weren’t able to take this, he had probably reacted the same had he been in their place as colt. Right now, he had to calm them down.
“Children, calm-“ He wasn’t able to finish as a pipe above bust, water rained on him like a waterfall into the face, he covered it, to no avail.
He never imagined that his death would be to drown in a downed U-boat, the water pinned him down, unable to move.
“Come on, come on!” Dinky’s voice sounded as the water became less, allowing him to uncover himself, seeing how she and her friends tried to stop the leaks, he wasted no time to do the same.
“What do you need?” Steinbach asked one of his men.
“Some timber for sawing.”
“It’s in the bow compartment.”
“I need a wrench, damn it!” The Chief Engineer cursed.
“Give me damage reports.” The captain demanded.
“Water coming in around the peripheral.” Hannes yelled.
“Where are the tools?!” The chief asked him as Blau Streifen carried the tool box with his sister to him, Dinky and Fletcher tried to seal or slow down leaks with their magic, so the crew had more time.
“Main motor switchboard’s out of action. Engine room completely wrecked.” Hannes reported to the captain.
“I want some proper damage reports!” Lars shouted at his crew.
“We can’t stop the flooding!” A crewman shouted desperate.
“If saltwater gets in the bearings, we’ve had it.” Another commented.
“Where’s the most damage?” Lars asked the Chief Engineer.
“The shaft stomping boxes, below the decoy.”
“Check damage at number-two battery. Quickly!” He ordered 2 other crewmen.
“Toolbox to the engine room! Hurry up!” The siblings quickly carried it where it was needed.
“There’s a leak in the cooling system!”
Dinky and Fletcher just helped Lars to stop a leak as the Chief Engineer reported to him. “We’re taking water very fast. The two hull valves burst. The mast’s only water system blocked. And on top of that, compressors are dislodged. Shaft stomping box has begun to leak, sir.”
“Damn it. What about fuel leaks? Any tanks been punctured?”
“Can’t tell yet.”
“What else, Chief?”
“The battery cells, many of them have cracked. How many, I don’t know.”
“Fletcher, Dinky, help to check on the battery cells.” He ordered, they nodded.
The stallion checked for acid with a dipstick. “Look’s it’s red. Acid in the bilge. Someone get lime. Quickly!” The chief yelled, Dinky did as told. “See how many cells have cracked.”
Fray checked the batteries, the result was not good. “Twenty-four cells have cracked.”
“God almighty. What a mess.” The Chief couldn’t believe it, then went down to the cells.
“He’s got to bridge all the live cells. It’s our only chance.” The 1st Watch officer hoped it would work. “Without batteries, we’ve had it.”
“The water is up to the torpedo pipe. It’s still rising.” Hannes reported.
The chief came back up. “Wire. I need wire to bridge them. Thick wire!” The crew searched but couldn’t find any.
“We got plenty of fancy torpedoes, all right? Each one for 25,000 mark. But no damn wire. All they forgot is 50 pennies worth of old wire.” Lars complained as the 1st Watch officer reported. “Now what?”
“Captain, the draining pump’s jammed. Won’t even extend manually.”
“That’s great.” Steinbach deadpanned.
“Captain!” Katja and Blau Streifen exclaimed. “We got some wire!”
“Terrific! Better than nothing.”
“Captain.” Hannes reported, looking pretty exhausted. “All the leaks have been stopped, sir.”
Lars smiled. “Good, Hannes. That’s good.” He putted a hand on his shoulder. “Now change your wet things, man.”
As all the leaks were stopped, the next step had to be made. “We must get rid of the water. There has to be a way. Into the control bilge, and then outside.” He said and the crew, along Fletcher, Dinky, Katja and Blau formed a bucket Brigade for this task.
“How does it look now?” Lars asked the Chief for a status report.
“Almost finished. Three cells to go, sir.”
After the bucket Brigade was done, the 1st Watch officer gave a damage report. “Captain. All of our compasses are out of action. And we may have lost sounding gear too. And radio contact sees dead.”
“First-rate condition.” Lars knew this was bad.
“Do you think we still have a chance sir?”
Steinbach thought for a moment. “Good question. A bit of air must be still in the ballast tanks, from the blowing. It could help us. If we use every ounce of high-pressure air that’s left…We’ll try. The boat has to be light. We’ve got to get the water out. We must.”
Hannes and the chief talked with the officers about it. “It could just work. By hand into the trimming tanks, then with ballast pump and high-pressure air, we could force the water out.” The chief was optimistic about it.”
“The ballast pump?” Lars asked.
“We’re fixing it.”
“Then we gamble on one card. One blast and…”
“There won’t be a second chance.”
“When?”
“When all repairs are completed. In about eight hours, sir.”
“CO-2 percent?”
“1.8 percent.”
“Will the oxygen last?”
“No.”
“Escape sets for all men that are working. Crew off watch, turn in.”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
Fletcher and the kids walked to him, looking very exhausted and wet but they didn’t care. “Is there anything else we can do?” Dinky asked, ready to help.
“You’re worked hard enough, get some rest. You all did a great job. Put on your escape sets.” He smiled at them.
“Thank you, sir.” The Eternal Knight and children thanked, going to their bunks, resting.
Fray woke up after some time, seeing that a few hours had passed, the kids were sleeping peacefully. He got up, looking at them with sympathy. “Dinky, Blau, Katja, I promise you won't die in here. This won't be your grave, I will make sure you will not die 280 meters under water.” He couldn’t help himself but stroking gently Dinky’s mane before noticing the Chief Engineer, sitting depressed with his head lowered in his bunk.
The Chief breathed heavily, looking at Fletcher. “They were crazy ordering us through the strait. It was bound to go wrong. He knew it. The old man, he knew it. From the moment the radio signal had come through, he realized the risk. That’s the reason he ordered us ashore at Vigo. He knew there was little hope. He wanted you and the children to be spared from this.” The crewman took a sip from a bottle of water. “He tried to fool us. ‘Quite simple,’ he said. ‘An easy trick.’ Dive and drift with the current, and…” He paused for a minute. “Quite a clever trick. But it has to work.”
“Do you think we ever get out of this?” The Eternal Knight wanted to know.
“I really don’t know.” The Chief Engineer replied, stood up and left.
Fray went back into his bunk, falling asleep, yet prayed they would get out of this.
After another few hours, he woke up again as someone entered, it was the Captain who had a guilty expression. “I’m sorry I got you into this.”
“I don’t blame you, you did what you could. Do you think its hopeless now?”
“It’s been 15 hours. I’m sorry.” Lars told with regret.
If even the Captain had lost hope, that the situation was very bad, Fray knew it. Yet, he had been in many situations that seemed hopeless and he had survived them. So why shouldn’t he survive this too? He still had faith that he and the children would make it.
The Chief Engineer joined them. “Situation report, sir. Motors in order. The ballast pump clear. Accumulated water can now be pumped into trimming tanks, then outward with high-pressure air. Compasses in order. Echo sounder clear.”
That pleased Steinbach. “Good, chief. Good, good. Go and take a rest now.”
“Just a few small problems left, sir.” The chief left.
The unicorn smiled, there was still a chance that they could get out of here, Lars breathed heavily. “You have to have good men. Good men, all of them.”
Later the crew and it’s guests waited for the end results. “All right, now listen, men. We’re going to blow out the water, and see if we can get our rear out of the sand. If we make it to the surface, it could still get pretty rough. Traffic’s heavy up there. There’s only one thing left. Then we pray the engines start, so we can get out of this mess. Get out of the funnel, and straight home. If we make it, It’s half a bottle of bear for each crewmember and lemonade for our guests.” This earned him a smile from the 3 young friends, the Green Knight appreciated it too.
“There’s one thing on our side. They won’t be expecting us. Well, men, all set?”
“Aye, aye, sir.” They all replied.
“Surface contacts?” He asked the sonar controller.
“Nothing new, captain.”
“Get ready to surface. Stand by escape gear. Switch onto red light.” Lars ordered, his crew did as told. “Let her blow.” The Chief turned the handle.
They all watched anxious the depth gauge, the needle twitched but wasn’t moving.
A metallic groan could be heard, then the U-boat rumbled for a second. Please work, please work, please work! Dinky prayed for the best.
The groaning continued, the needle twitched, then it slowly moved up.
“She’s rising!” They all cheered in relief and enthusiasm.
“Easy, men, easy.” Lars calmed everyone down, not wanting to be caught by sound.
“270 meters. 260 meters. 250 meters. 240 meters. 230 meters. 220 meters.” The chief watched the depth gauge, Dinky, Katja and Blau Streifen hugged Fletcher with happy smiles, very glad they would make it, he returned it, barely able to believe his own eyes.
Steinbach opened the hatch, climbing up. “Startup engines?” The Chief asked him.
“Both main engines.”
“Well, this is it, boys.” the chief said, walking to the engine room, Hannes made the final checks, grapping the lever to start them, looking at the Chief. “Yeah.” With that as answer, he pulled the lever.
With a hiss, the engines rumbled for a second, then came fully to life. “I think…they’re running. I think they’re running!” He exclaimed in enthusiasm.
“Well, who says that jam gives no strength!” The Chief laughed.
“They’re running! They’re running!” The crew exclaimed overjoyed.
“Yes.” The Chief added, not able to believe their luck.
The Captain and his number one, were watching out for allied ships. “They won’t catch us this time! Not this time!” Lars exclaimed confident as a wave plashed into his face.
“Keep going and bring us back! That’s an order!” Hannes yelled at the engines.
Another wave hit the bride, some water splashed into the command room, on the kids and Fletcher, they didn’t minded it, they were happy about it. “Gee, that’s good!” Dinky exclaimed in glee.
“They haven’t spotted us! They’re all snoring in their bunks. You know what?” Steinbach asked the 1st Watch officer. “They’re drinking in the bar, celebrating our sinking! Not yet, kameraden! Not yet!” He called out into the night.
In the next morning, the crew and its guest happily sung Long Way to Tipperary.
“Here’s to home!” One crewmember said a toast.
“Here’s to home!” the other cheered in union.
Fletcher and the children lay in their bunks, resting, yet happy they would be soon ashore.
“Let’s pray the engines hold out. With a bit of luck, Heinrich, we’ll make it back home.” They heard Lars speaking to his solar controller, also very relieved that they had made it.
Pale and weary, the crew and it’s guests reached La Rochelle, a band played music as the U-boat drove into the port. “The 3rd Submarine Flotilla welcomes it’s comrades!” A crowd of high ranking navy officers saluted the U-boat, others threw flowers at the U-boat.
“Both engines stop! Stern line out!” Lars ordered. After the U-boat came to a stop at the berth, Fletcher and the children got ashore, helping to bring the wounded navigator to a waiting ambulance.
As the ambulance brought the navigator away, they saw a navy officer in trench coat walking over to the U-boat as an air raid siren sounded.
“Incoming!” Someone shouted as Allied planes came into view, bombing and strafing the facilities, Fletcher and the kids sprinted to the U-boat bunker, bullets and explosions all round them.
As they made it into the bunker an intercom sounded, “Gun crew 3, man your stations at once.”
Dinky, Katja and Blau hugged Fletcher for comfort, he returned it to calm them down, the explosions and screams of the wounded were disturbing, the bunker rumbled from the explosions, some crew members managed to get in too.
It went on for what seemed like hours before there was silence.
Slowly, they leaved the bunker, getting greeted by death and destruction, destroyed or damaged buildings, fires, burning trucks, many of the crew were dead or wounded.
To their horror, they saw that Thomas, the 2nd Watch officer and Hannes were also along the casualties, their bodies lifeless lying in the debris.
What they saw next was shocking as well as tragic.
Lars was grabbing a pole, badly injured by shrapnel, watching his U-boat slowly sinking at the dock.
In the moment the U-boat disappeared under the water, Steinbach collapsed.