The Invisible Enemy

[King Kurt]

Hi guys - just to let you know I am off on my holidays again - back on the 6th of June - so no U Boat sinking until D Day!!

[Franconicus]

Chapter 9 – until noon, 19 of December

At 15:00 Walker sends signals to rearrange the order of the escort ships. He is willing to keep to rings to protect the convoy, even though three destroyers left the group. There is no more ship left to give the Audacity an extra protection, but the two sloops will be at the rear of the convoy and therefore close to the carrier. Walker is already looking forward for the protests of Mac Kendrick.
The escort ships have just taken their new positions, when the storm front arrives. From one minute to another the sky is getting dark and it begins to rain cats and dogs. Walker has always been thinking that ‘cats and dogs’ was a silly picture for heavy rain, but this night he changes his mind. The droplets fall as if they had the size of cats and the strong western wind drives them, so that they hit almost horizontal. But not the rain is the worst thin, neither the wind nor the darkness. All over sudden, huge waves come from port and hit the side of the Stork.
The little sloop is thrown from one side to another like a little toy. Walker has to use all his skills to get the Stork through the raging seas. He has no time to watch for the rest of the convoy or the submarines.
At the break of day the storm is gone. The sea is calm and the wind is an easy breeze. It stopped raining and the dark sky brightens.
After a stormy night in a small vessel Walker and his men feel like dead fishes, but there is still no time to rest. First of all, Walker has to get an overview of the situation.
The vessels of the 36th Escort Group report of minor damages caused by the storm: radio installations of the Rhodedendron is defect; the Marigold has a blocked 4-inch gun, and Samphire tells that ten depth charges fell overboard. The Audacity is alright.
The situation of the freight ships is more confusing. The columns dissolved and the ships are spread over an area three times as big as the original order. The fright ships did not suffer any serious damages, although Lago lost her radio installations.
Four ships are missing, the Adjutant, the Fylingdale, the Rucking, the Fagersten and the Sheaf Crown.
Walker decides to send the planes of the Audacity to search for the missing ships. It is noon, the convoy is at CF9399, when the planes return. They found a group of four ships 20 nm southeast and another ship 25 nm south.

Until now, the German boats haven’t attacked. But the situation is dangerous. The convoy is stretched so far, that it is impossible to build a dense defense with his boats. And the ships that left the convoy are easy targets.

So what is to be done?

[Fisherking]

I guess we will need to slow the convoy by a couple of knots and send a sloop to bring the sheep home.

The planes can spot any subs near the surface and help vector the lost ships home.

Meanwhile, it is not a total waste, the time can be used to regroup the main convoy, make repairs, and conduct a search of the area.

Let that be a lesson, also. Next time we turn to meet the storm.

[Franconicus]

Could you please give more precise orders. Which sloop do you want to send. Orders for the rest?

[Fisherking]

The 7 corvettes and the Stork will maintain station on the convoy.

The Deptford will herd the sheep. It should also use active mode for its ASDIC. It may cover some of the engine noise from the ships and give a little scare to any U-boats in the area. It will also make them easier to locate and as the ship is a way from the convoy it won’t be giving much away.

Air Patrols will be constant until the convoy is back in order and then resume the regular scheduled patrols. We need a second plane in the air for this operation.

Front team: Convulvulus & Vetch, Left flank team: Rhodedendron & Sapphire, Right flank team: Gardenia & Marigold. Walker, in the Stork and the Penstemon will maintain the trailing position until rejoined by Deptford.

Audacity will remain in the rear rank of the convoy in the company of the one CAM ship where we can keep an eye on the both of them.

We will add an extra lookout on each bridge crew and practice our zigzags until everyone is back at their stations.

The ship to the south at 25nm is in the most danger. The others are almost in visual range and my find their way here before the escort reaches them.

Once everyone is joined up we will steer a course for BE 78. Once there we will set course to AM 16 and then for home.

Is that enough detail or do you want to know the mess cooks name and what he plans for dinner?

[Franconicus]

The airpatrols around the convoy or the lost sheeps?

Well for dinner, it's plumpudding, I assume.

[Fisherking]

2 planes; One to patrol around the convoy, One to keep an eye on the lost sheep and help shepherd them home without incident.

By the way, have they fixed the fourth plane yet?

They should have a full machine shop, spare parts, and the facilities to make or repair just about anything. They only have four planes and I am sure they are carrying six spare power plants.

I wonder as to the competence of the skipper and crew.