On the Edge of Darkness (Special Force Orca Book 1) by Anthony Molloy Page A
Authors: Anthony Molloy
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only us, sir, look,” the eerie silver light from the new lighthouse flashed again, on the port beam the sleek grey bows of an enemy escort, She was about a mile away and closing fast.
Slowly the boat came round into the wind and the roll changed to a pitch
Almost immediately there was a wallowing splash from aft as the first mine was consigned to the deep.
Then the German ’s signal lamp flashed into life.
“ It’s the Kraut interrogative, sir. She’s challenging us, sir,” Shall I give her the recognition signal?
“ Unless you have a better idea. Add, ‘Enemy destroyer in sight, follow me.’ “
“ We haven’t got the Jerry code for that, sir.”
“ Send it in plain language… German of course!”
T he splash of the second mine came from aft.
Grant cupped his hands and yelled, “Secure from there! Back to your action stations!” He twisted round on his heels, “Hard aport, full ahead all engines.”
The powerful diesels coughed black smoke as the E-boat turned back onto her old course and began to pick up speed, spray hissed across the deck as, broadside on; she bit deep into each wave.
V ery quickly they drew ahead of the slower German and she faded into the blackness astern.
“ Open fire with all guns Middy!”
“ What at sir? There’s no target visible?”
“ Target’s right ahead.… and drop a depth charge for good measure.”
“ This is the diversion you were about to tell us about…”
“ Yes, get on with it Middy… I want to draw the bugger away from the convoy and onto those mines.”
* * *
On the German escort’s bridge the strange behaviour of the E-boat had thrown her captain in a quandary. What to do, stay with the convoy or follow this capricious Schnellboote Kapitan. The sound of gunfire followed by a loud explosion made up his mind for him. With a sense of relief he rang down for maximum speed. After all an officer could not go far wrong if he headed for the sound of gunfire.
The magnetic mine had just reached its designated depth when the activated sensor picked up the escort’s magnetic field. The explosion, triggered as the force field amplified, cut the three thousand ton ship in half, the fragmented bow section settled rapidly. The after section still afloat canted over, debris washed from her shattered compartments as they rapidly filled with water. With her propellers still madly churning the air, her stern reared upright. She bobbed there like a monstrous cork, her metal plates moaning and rattling; steam bellowing from her crippled steam pipes. The propellers slowed and then stopped as the engine and boiler rooms filled with water. One by one her compartments succumbed to the hungry sea, finally, she sank reluctantly beneath the waves.
* * *
The six remaining ships of Convoy AX23 alarmed by the turmoil on their port bow shied away from the explosions like a flock of sheep from a wolf’s howl.
No orders were given , but each captain surreptitiously altered course a few degrees to pass closer to the familiar lighthouse and farther away from the horrors unfolding out there in the blackness of the night.
* * *
The sky, astern of the speeding E-boat, lit up with bursts of orange and red light from the escort’s exploding ammunition.
Grant had to yell to be heard above the thunder of the detonations and the ragged cheer from his bridge team. “Port thirty!” He pointed ahead, “Middy, we’re going round that island to come in astern of the convoy and give Jerry one mighty kick up their arse by way of encouragement.”
“ Amazingly effective those magnetic mines, sir,” shouted Hogg gripping the windscreen as the stern sea lifted the speeding boat.
“ Midships…port twenty…steady… I was on the ‘Belfast’ when she got hers.”
“ I didn’t know you were on her, sir. She survived alright though didn’t she?”
“ It was in November…she survived, but her back
Slowly the boat came round into the wind and the roll changed to a pitch
Almost immediately there was a wallowing splash from aft as the first mine was consigned to the deep.
Then the German ’s signal lamp flashed into life.
“ It’s the Kraut interrogative, sir. She’s challenging us, sir,” Shall I give her the recognition signal?
“ Unless you have a better idea. Add, ‘Enemy destroyer in sight, follow me.’ “
“ We haven’t got the Jerry code for that, sir.”
“ Send it in plain language… German of course!”
T he splash of the second mine came from aft.
Grant cupped his hands and yelled, “Secure from there! Back to your action stations!” He twisted round on his heels, “Hard aport, full ahead all engines.”
The powerful diesels coughed black smoke as the E-boat turned back onto her old course and began to pick up speed, spray hissed across the deck as, broadside on; she bit deep into each wave.
V ery quickly they drew ahead of the slower German and she faded into the blackness astern.
“ Open fire with all guns Middy!”
“ What at sir? There’s no target visible?”
“ Target’s right ahead.… and drop a depth charge for good measure.”
“ This is the diversion you were about to tell us about…”
“ Yes, get on with it Middy… I want to draw the bugger away from the convoy and onto those mines.”
* * *
On the German escort’s bridge the strange behaviour of the E-boat had thrown her captain in a quandary. What to do, stay with the convoy or follow this capricious Schnellboote Kapitan. The sound of gunfire followed by a loud explosion made up his mind for him. With a sense of relief he rang down for maximum speed. After all an officer could not go far wrong if he headed for the sound of gunfire.
The magnetic mine had just reached its designated depth when the activated sensor picked up the escort’s magnetic field. The explosion, triggered as the force field amplified, cut the three thousand ton ship in half, the fragmented bow section settled rapidly. The after section still afloat canted over, debris washed from her shattered compartments as they rapidly filled with water. With her propellers still madly churning the air, her stern reared upright. She bobbed there like a monstrous cork, her metal plates moaning and rattling; steam bellowing from her crippled steam pipes. The propellers slowed and then stopped as the engine and boiler rooms filled with water. One by one her compartments succumbed to the hungry sea, finally, she sank reluctantly beneath the waves.
* * *
The six remaining ships of Convoy AX23 alarmed by the turmoil on their port bow shied away from the explosions like a flock of sheep from a wolf’s howl.
No orders were given , but each captain surreptitiously altered course a few degrees to pass closer to the familiar lighthouse and farther away from the horrors unfolding out there in the blackness of the night.
* * *
The sky, astern of the speeding E-boat, lit up with bursts of orange and red light from the escort’s exploding ammunition.
Grant had to yell to be heard above the thunder of the detonations and the ragged cheer from his bridge team. “Port thirty!” He pointed ahead, “Middy, we’re going round that island to come in astern of the convoy and give Jerry one mighty kick up their arse by way of encouragement.”
“ Amazingly effective those magnetic mines, sir,” shouted Hogg gripping the windscreen as the stern sea lifted the speeding boat.
“ Midships…port twenty…steady… I was on the ‘Belfast’ when she got hers.”
“ I didn’t know you were on her, sir. She survived alright though didn’t she?”
“ It was in November…she survived, but her back
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