To the Last Salute: Memories of an Austrian U-Boat Commander

Thirty-Two. U-Boat Trap

“Of course, but on horseback; we wouldn’t limp on foot.” “You know, I’d recommend a broom; that’s safer!” “Well, you can carry me on your back—they’ll think I am one of the camel riders.” • • • While the men enjoy their “free afternoon,” the officers also sit together and smoke. We had just discussed the sick men on board. “Our men are really good fellows,” I say. “Look at how they care for their sick mates and take over their duties. Everything runs so smoothly. It is really a beautiful life we have together on U-14!” “Yes, sir,” says one pensively, “and at the same time you must consider that we have on board representatives from every nation that exists in the monarchy. This business with the nationality disputes—I don’t believe it. It is only a rumor from a few instigators who want it to happen. Let the men live alongside one another as human beings under a fair command, and look how well it works!” and he points forward to where the men sit together harmoniously and listen to the music of an accordion, which steersman Tefarik plays masterfully. And it is obvious: it is not only the duties and their responsibilities that force them to get along with one another; no, it is true friendship that binds them together. It is a matter of course for them to accept responsibility for one another. Thirty-Two.U-BoatTrap The “Allo” messages about the last two sunken ships lead us to surmise that the steamer route has been shifted again and now U-14 looks twenty miles farther north. In the night a convoy comes in sight, this time from the west. The moon has just set: too light for surface attack and too dark for the periscope. U-BOATTRAP 141 We must be patient. So U-14 moves ahead of the convoy in order to wait for daylight , and at 5:00 in the morning it is finally time to dive. There are three ships in front with two submarine chasers of the Foxglove type, which, as the story goes, cannot be sunk, even by a torpedo. A monstrous steamer, heavily laden, travels as right flank man and through a coming about of that ship, U-14 ends up on the port side. One of the Foxgloves steers in a zigzag for a short dis142 U-BOATTRAP Fig. 26. The lifeboat of the sunken English steamer Kilwinning is visited tance in front of the left transport ship, and it is between these two that I must go to get a shot at the big one. I must pass directly behind the U-boat hunter so that the steamer that follows does not ram me. The sea is as smooth as a mirror. As I look out at the critical moment, I see directly in front of me the side of a gray ship with a vast porthole; I recoil involuntarily. “Stop the engines!” This is tricky! I had all but rammed the enemy by a hair’s breadth. Now the submarine chaser travels across my bow and his stern nearly scrapes the conning tower with his depth charges. Thank God—now he is past! Then the engines run again and the boat turns back toward the big steamer in order to unload her bow torpedo. By the next lookout U-14 is already free of the left steamer. But now we are discovered. I see how the railing of the steamer U-BOATTRAP 143 Fig. 27. A life raft like those carried by steamers during the war swarms with soldiers, all intensely gesticulating, pointing to the periscope. The distance is less than 50 meters. Now the name of the game is to hurry up because naturally the submarine chaser has been alerted! Right—already he changes his course. But it must have been a false alarm because he turns, going full speed, toward the outside ; apparently he presumed the U-boat was out there. A quick look at the big one. He is just hidden by the middle steamer. When he is free, he will be already so far in front that we can only shoot after him. This will be a difficult shot. Finally . . . “Torpedo—fire!” and at a sharp angle the torpedo follows the steamer and hits him aft. Immediately I order a dive to 30 meters...