New Tactics
For the rest of the day, Werner learned
more about his new submarine as well as his new crew. He also discussed
possible tactics with Lt. Fischer. As 1st Watch Officer, Lt. Fischer was the
second-in-command as well as the man in charge of the sub's weapons, most
especially the torpedoes. With the enhanced capabilities of U-1215, they would
have to do some things a bit differently from what they used to do with earlier
u-boats.
Earlier u-boats used diesel engines for
running on the surface and electric motors for running underwater. The diesels
needed air to operate which meant they couldn't be used underwater. The
electric motors didn't need air to operate but they used battery power which
didn't last very long.
U-1215, with its reactor, didn't care if it
was used on the surface or underwater. It ran equally well in both. Fischer
seemed to prefer running underwater indefinitely but Werner thought they should
surface occasionally to reduce usage of the air scrubbers. They had a limited
amount of the chemical compound needed to remove carbon dioxide from the sub's
atmosphere so using natural air as much as possible would enable them to be on
patrol for longer periods. Fischer argued that Allied warships now roamed the
Atlantic at will and the new aircraft carriers protecting the convoys were
making it dangerous to run on the surface for too long. He would rather stay
below where it was safe than run the risk of being surprised by a patrolling
fighter-bomber. Werner suggested they wait until they could do test dives so
they could find out how fast the new sub could dive. A typical u-boat could
dive in thirty seconds which was still too long really but if U-1215 could do
better, they could take the risk of running on the surface whenever the
opportunity presented itself.
Werner's old boat, U-684, which was
relatively brand new, had a maximum surface speed of 19 knots and seven knots
maximum while running underwater. If U-1215's specification of 18 knots
submerged speed was realized, they could creep up on a convoy from behind
instead of trying to get ahead of it or approaching and attacking from the
side. Convoy lookouts were more alert at the front and sides of the convoy than
the rear since present u-boat capabilities dictated these approach methods.
Once a u-boat let a convoy pass them, they would have to surface to catch up
and running on the surface increased the risk of discovery and counter-attack
by the escorts. U-1215 actually had more options than the other u-boats. With
her fast speed and silent propulsion, she could fire her torpedoes from
anywhere, sprint to her next firing position so fast that the escorts would not
be able to predict where she would fire from next.
The new torpedoes were more complicated
than the ones presently in use. The old torpedoes were set to run at a specific
direction and depth. This removed the need to "aim" the torpedo by
pointing the submarine at the target. After a short delay upon firing, the
torpedo would change course as per setting and move to the specified depth. If
the captain's or first watch officer's calculations were correct, the torpedo's
path and the target's path would intersect and both would meet at the
intersection at the same point in time. If the calculations were off, or if the
target changed speed or direction, the torpedo would miss and continue on until
it hit something else or ran out of fuel.
The advent of acoustic torpedoes changed
that, however. The torpedo had sound detectors in its head that steered the
weapon towards the loudest sound it could hear. Targeting no longer needed to
be very precise, just point the torpedo toward the target and the weapon would
do the rest. Acoustic torpedoes, however, had one serious flaw. Upon being
fired, the acoustic sensors switched on after the torpedo had traveled only 400
meters and would automatically start seeking targets. Occasionally, the torpedo
would hear the submarine that launched it, turned around and kill it. Werner
knew of at least two u-boats that had suffered that fate. U-1215's silence, however, would prevent that from happening.
U-1215's torpedoes had four settings: initial
course, initial speed, activation distance, and search depth. After being
fired, the torpedo would change course to the specified setting. It would then
run at the initial speed setting (only two were selectable: 15 knots and 25
knots) until it reached the activation distance. At that point, three things
happened: the speed would increase to maximum, the acoustic sensors were
switched on, and the torpedo would move to the specified search depth. This
ensured that the torpedo would be closer to the target than to the submarine
that launched it. It also enabled the submarine commander to position the
torpedo for a sure hit.
15 knots was not as bad as it first seemed.
Most convoys traveled at speeds between 8 and 12 knots. If U-1215 positioned
herself from the side, they could launch torpedoes from 15 kilometers away,
outside of the protective ring of escorting destroyers and still hit their targets,
the convoy ships that were bringing supplies and war material to England or
North Africa. Fischer also brought up a topic that had been discussed around
the submarine community over and over.
The u-boat's primary targets were the
merchant ships. The escorts were to be avoided whenever possible. Escorts were
fast moving, making them difficult to hit. The merchant ships in the middle of
the convoy were bunched up, moved at a constant speed and, therefore, easier to
target. Besides, even if they succeeded in hitting one or more of the escorts,
the convoy commander could order the convoy's ships to scatter, making it
difficult to target them. With the typical u-boat's slow submerged speed,
pursuing the fleeing vessels was impossible unless a few of them blundered in
his direction.
Fischer wanted U-1215 to target one or two
of the closest escorts at the same time as the other convoy ships. This would
eliminate some of the impediments. He would then sprint to a new position and,
while the other escorts searched for him at a place where he wasn't, he could
target the merchant ships. If the convoy suddenly scattered, U-1215 could chase
after them with his speed advantage and keep shooting at targets until he ran
out of torpedoes. Werner found Fischer's idea interesting.
Present day tactics took into consideration the capabilities of existing
u-boats. With the new capabilities of U-1215, new tactics needed to be
formulated and he, as captain, was going to have a hand in formulating them.
Late in the afternoon, a soldier presented
Werner with a message. The admiral would be arriving shortly and would meet
with him, Lt. Commander Meyer and Lt. Fischer, at the captain's office. Werner
instructed Fischer to have Meyer located and brought to his office where they
would wait for the admiral.
The Tests
The admiral arrived presently and they
began their briefing for the coming tests. They used Captain Werner's office
which had a circular conference table.
They had already run tests with the
reactor, turbines, and generators and even dived the boat while it was inside
the submarine pen. During that test, the sub's air scrubbers, water
distillation systems, and every system that could be operated were run during
that test. They had remained submerged for more than a week without
encountering any problems. Since the previous tests did not involve
the propulsion systems and torpedoes, the only tests they really needed to do
was to actually go out to sea and run speed and diving tests. They were also to
run mock operations against two captured French destroyers fitted with sonar
equipment. The ships were to do their best to detect U-1215 while the sub tried
its best to avoid detection. These vessels were also to serve as targets for practice
torpedoes (torpedoes with their warheads removed).
Scene with the Admiral
After the dates for the tests were
established, the admiral dismissed everyone else except for Captain Werner.
After the door closed behind the others, the admiral turned to Werner who had a
stern look.
"I can understand that look, Captain.
You have learned a few things that you don't agree with. No worries. You can
begin asking your questions."
Werner had imagined himself bursting out
and shouting at the admiral while walking and waving his hands about but that
had been wishful thinking. Only a fool would do that to an admiral and Werner
didn't think of himself as a fool.
"Admiral, I have been told that this
project is not sanctioned by the Fuhrer. You and I, as well as every German on
this earth, knows that hiding something this big from him can be called treason
or whatever he decides to call it. The penalty for such an offense is summary
execution and I, for one, find that very worrisome. I find it terribly unfair
that I wasn't informed of this fact. I am also at a loss as to why you,
yourself, decided to continue with the project in spite of this."
The admiral had been looking at Werner when
he started talking but his eyes soon stopped and stared at nothing in
particular at the mention of "summary execution." He didn't answer
immediately and Werner was beginning to think that the admiral had not listened
to what he had just said.
The man suddenly took a deep breath as if
he had forgotten to breathe. He took a glance at Werner and began walking
around.
"I was a torpedo-man in submarines in
the last war, Werner, and by the time the war ended, I was a midshipman. I was
an officer but a very small and insignificant one. I was also an officer in a
navy with hardly any ships. Germany had been defeated and humiliated, and we
had a navy with ships that were so small they may as well have been toy ships
in a bathtub. I stayed in the navy, however. I had no other skills and,
besides, being in the military gave me a sense of purpose.
"I was given command of a tugboat, would
you believe?" The admiral smiled at the memory. It seemed so long ago.
"She had big diesel engines that could push bigger ships around the
harbor. No one got in or got out of harbor without my tugboat helping them
move. She was the best tugboat among the lot. I drilled my crew as if we were
in the navy and they responded by making the tugboat so efficient that people
began to notice. Soon, I was assigned to a coastal gunboat patrolling the seas
around Germany's shores.
"From there it was on to bigger ships
and when Hitler came to power, my rank rose even faster. My aptitude for
organizing and for bringing ideas for improvements got me my present job of
overseeing projects for new types of weapons and systems. All that time, my
motivation has always been the safety and well-being of the Fatherland."
The admiral had kept pacing around the
room, walking slowly as he recounted his story. Werner had remained standing
but as the story wore on, he began to wonder if he was going to hear the reason
for keeping the U-1215 project a total secret.
"It was while visiting another project
that I came across the research about nuclear power. I immediately saw the
potential of the technology and convinced Donitz it was worth looking into. He
agreed and I proceeded having people design and, later, build the boat. After
the capture of France, I decided we should build this secret sub pen here where
we could make the tests in actual ocean conditions rather than the sheltered
waters of the Baltic Sea. Under great peril, we towed U-1215 behind one of our
u-boats, keeping her underwater the whole trip. The towing u-boat traveled at
maximum speed on the surface at night and at low speed while submerged during
the day. The air scrubbers were manually operated and everyone subsisted on
bread and water but we arrived here without incident."
The admiral suddenly stopped his pacing and
stared at one of the portraits, Donitz', and his tone became bitter.
"Right at that point, Donitz calls and
tells me that the Fuhrer had ordered all submarine orders except for the Type
XXI and Type XXIII to be stopped. Every resource was to be concentrated into
these two submarines.
"The Allied bombings have exacted a
heavy toll on Germany's industrial sector. Steel plants, oil refineries,
factories that provide us with our equipment have been bombed again and again.
We are running short of materials needed for building tanks, planes, ships, and
submarines."
The old man suddenly turned to face Werner.
"Hitler ordered priority be given to the production of tanks and
aircraft! The old fool doesn't realize that by regaining the upper hand in the
war in the Atlantic, the Allies will not be able to mount an assault on
mainland Europe. He is getting ready to defend the shores of France and Italy
instead of putting all efforts into getting u-boats into the sea and sinking
the Allies' supply ships. U-1215 and her sisters will be the best weapon we
have that can defeat the Allied warships and destroy their precious convoys,
and they won't even be able to defend themselves against us."
The admiral had begun to pace around the
room as if in anger. "The Fuehrer knows nothing about submarines, he was
an infantryman in the last war and continues to think that way. Donitz couldn't
convince him to allow U-1215 to continue and would not hear about it. I
convinced Donitz that we should go ahead since the submarine was almost
completed. It's our best weapon for preventing the Allies from re-supplying
their forces in England. With it we can save the lives of our soldiers and
seamen."
At that point, the admiral suddenly seemed
to weaken and he dropped down on one of the seats. "I had two sons,
Werner."
Werner's head turned towards the admiral in
astonishment. Had?
The admiral continued. "The eldest was
lost in U-65 in 1941 off the coast of Ireland. The youngest was on the Bismarck
when she was sunk."
The admiral had slumped in the chair, his
head so low that his chin rested on his chest. Werner closed his eyes as he
tried to imagine the man's loss. In April 1941, BdU had made its last contact
with U-65. The Bismarck had been sunk the next month. Two sons lost in the
space of two months. For a parent, the admiral had given the ultimate sacrifice
for the Fatherland.
"Germany lost more than just my two
sons, Werner. U-65 had a crew of 50 and Bismarck had over 2,000 men in her. You
may call it the reality of war but I call it a waste." The admiral stirred
from his chair and got up wearily. "U-1215 is the best answer we have to
prevent such losses. I intend to prove that she can run circles around any
Allied warship and sink so many of their convoy ships that they will have no
choice but to surrender! I will not have Germany lose any more of her
sons!"
Werner had remained standing all throughout
the admiral's story. He finally understood the admiral's reasons though he
still wished things had been different. Sure, Donitz had given his blessings
and he might even persuade the Fuhrer to approve the project eventually. The
admiral's statement about the U-1215, however, was plausible. She was a new and
unknown weapon. The Allies didn't have anything to counter her. Right then,
Werner resolved to help the admiral get her into operational service as soon as
possible.
"Admiral, your explanation is good
enough for me. Thank you for enlightening me."
The admiral looked at Werner and looked
about to say something else. Instead, he nodded his head, stood up and got his
cap and coat. Werner opened the door for him but before he stepped out, the
admiral turned back to him.
"Germany needs us, Werner. We shall
save him."
Werner nodded and saluted the admiral. The
man stood at attention and returned the salute and walked out.
Meyer, Fischer, and Schmitt were just
outside the building when the admiral came out. They saluted him as he walked
past while bidding them goodnight. Werner joined his officers in watching the
old man walk to the long flight of stairs to the upper level.
"Did you men know about his two
sons?" Werner continued to watch the admiral as he climbed the stairs.
"Yes," Schmitt answered. "He
was inconsolable for a time after that. I thought when he lost his daughter and
son-in-law that he would breakdown completely."
"His daughter?" Werner whirled
around to look as Schmitt.
"He didn't tell you? His daughter was
killed in an air raid on Hamburg a few weeks ago. Commander Weber was so
distraught that he slipped out and got drunk, stole a car and drove it into a
tank at high speed."
Werner looked at Meyer with a question that
remained unasked but was answered just the same. "Yes, Captain. Commander
Weber was the admiral's son-in-law."
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