The Sea War

Chapter 7
HMS Tenacious Goes to War

It had been a wet Autumn, and true to form, the heavens opened just as Lieutenant Commander Mike Smith DSO, the newly appointed Captain of the “T” Class submarine HMS Tenacious, was having his first coffee of the day, in the wardroom at the Royal Naval Barracks at Devonport. Once again, it had been a noisy night with another raid on the dockyard. All the warships that were in Devonport, had added their weight to the anti-aircraft barrage, but as usual it was noisy, but largely ineffective. However the bombs still fell. He looked out of the window, and wondered why it always waited to rain this heavily when the raids were over, and never before they started...

All the ships company of HMS Tenacious were either living in the barracks, or on leave, and only the duty watch stayed on the boat overnight, to ensure the safety of the boat, and provide sentries. But during the days all the ships company would report to the boat to take part in working parties, and to overhaul essential equipment.

Most of the Ships Company had been with him on his previous command a smaller “S” class boat called HMS Sparkler and had been transferred en masse. However, there were a number of new faces, as some men had left on promotion and a T boat being bigger demanded a slightly larger ships company, so some new faces were to be expected..

Soon they would be off after a short working up period, and then sent to rejoin the iron ring around Brest, once again braving the autumn storms in the Bay of Biscay. If it was anything like previous patrols in his previous command, it would be a long boring wet assignment, living in virtually intolerable conditions, until they were recalled. He did however, have his own cabin on Tenacious instead of having to live with the rest of the officers in a crowded wardroom.

It was an essential job, as the Germans reportedly were keeping two of their large battle cruisers The Bismark and the Prince Eugen holed up in Brest, awaiting their chance to break out, and menace British convoys in the Atlantic. The fact that they were there, tied up a large part of the British home fleet in Scapa flow.

After breakfast Mike donned an oilskin, and went down to the boat, just to show his face, and then he planned to return to pack a small case, and be off home. The Torpedoes and ammunition together with fresh food, would be left to load until the day before they sailed.

The boat was docked in no 3 basin, and as usual was a hive of activity as stores were being loaded from the jetty, and the First Lieutenant Roger Bryce had wisely decided to top up the batteries, and was running a charge on one of the main engines Today, Mike was going on leave, leaving his newly appointed First Lieutenant in charge of the boat. This would be the first leave he had allowed himself, since commissioning his first command, just before hostilities had broken out. Half the ship company were on leave, and were due back in two days. He was giving himself five days leave, with no fixed plan on what he intended to do with himself, other than relax, and catch up on his sleep. They were due to sail for a short working up trial in seven days, after the final diving checks had been carried out.

The journey in a First Class compartment from Plymouth was seemingly on time, until it got near the City, and then with a large number of stops, it ended up being half an hour late, which considering all things was not too bad.

It was mid-afternoon when he got to his mothers home, but the house was empty.
A note told him that she had to rush home to Bath, as her father had died, but she hoped that she would be able to see him before he went back. His parents had moved to the City just before the war, because of his fathers job with the Midland Bank. But now since he had died, with a bad bout of Influenza, his mother had written to tell him she was thinking of moving back to Somerset.

Her home in London was one of five still standing in the street without severe bomb damage, but a neighbour had told him, that his mother was upset that she might miss seeing him, but she felt that she could not stay away from the funeral of her father at Bath. His first idea of following her to Bath seemed to be far too tiring, all he wanted was sleep and more sleep. He put off the final decision until the next day then he would think about it and make a decision.

He would also have the problem of informing the Captains Submarines in Devonport of his new address and telephone number. If he decided to do that

He went out and used his leave ration card to buy some food, and then went home and after a scratch meal he went to bed. He was awakened later that evening, by a loud knocking on the door . Opening the door in his pyjamas he did a classic double-take. A wide grin of welcome spread across his face. A beautiful young girl stood there, and she tossed her waist length cascade of blonde hair as she laughed and said.

"Hey, Lover boy.” The girl's deep blue eyes sparkled impishly. "Are you going to stand there gawking all night? Or are you going to give me a hug and invite me in?"
"Rita?" He still didn't believe his eyes. "Rita it‘s not….. !"
He threw open his arms and accepted the rush of his ex girl friends enthusiastic embrace. They kissed and hugged, then stepped back a foot or two to just look at each other.

"Surprised?" the petite blonde asked.

"Surprised? Knocked off my feet," he said, giving her another warm hug. "What the hell are you doing here? “Came to find you, your Mum said you would be on your own, as she was going to be at the funeral so she invited me to come and see you were OK”

" Rita replied with a sigh. " I have missed you, but this was a spur of the moment thing. I hope you don’t mind? But Mike dear I am so sorry I have never ever got you out of my system, I just hoped that somehow we could get the old magic back together again."

"Of course I don't mind. I‘m delighted." Mike shook his head, and sat down beside her. "I was getting bored, and thinking already about going back again early because mother was not here, and I only came home today?"

"I am glad I came then." She said with a grin. " I hope I can at least relieve your boredom!" "Anything is better than staying at home, I’m joining the Air Force next week, having now finished my degree but I wanted to see you again .. I‘ve missed you, and regretted being so stupid and letting you go.”

Mike laughed, reaching out and giving Rita a long hug. "Have I told you I'm glad to see you? And that I'm glad you decided to come and see me again. I’ve missed you so much too. I have always loved you - you know that"

"No, but you can tell me again. I'd like to hear it," Rita said. "I really do feel bad about the way I treated you. We were so good together, and I buggered it all up"

"Don't worry darling. I am glad to see you. Let‘s pretend we never parted and don‘t talk about it again."

"Good, because I have really missed you, I have never fallen out of love with you,
which is the real reason I decided to drop in on you, I’ll be honest your mother did not suggest anything, but when I heard you might be coming home, and I knew you were on your own, I had to come, a whole summer's a long time for a girl to go without seeing her lover," Rita replied, her arms still around him. "And, I am so sorry about dropping you. However, I intend to make it up to you "

"Mmmmmm?" He looked down at Rita’s face as it turned to him. "And just how do you propose to do that?" "How about this for a good start?” As she spoke, one of her hands slid to the back of his neck, pulling his head down to her soft and warm lips. Her mouth opened and her tongue darted inward, flicking and teasing in a most endearing fashion.

Welcome home, he thought, as he returned her embrace. The feel of Rita in his arms spelled out sensuality, and sex to him. He knew this arousing bundle of woman more intimately than any other woman who had ever entered his life. And he was sure she knew him better than any man in hers. They went back a long time ... to their school days when they were both virgins ... a time when they lost the awkwardness of virginity-together. It was a time when they were virtually inseparable!

"Mike dear, you haven't lost that certain something -- if anything, you've improved it!" Rita sighed, and snuggled against his chest, the firm globes of her breasts making themselves very apparent to him as they pressed against him.

This time, it was he who bent down and kissed her. Leaning down a little, his mouth covered the tender lusciousness of her lips. His tongue, spurred by the closeness of her, darted into her mouth. He flicked at the roof of her mouth and swirled his tongue around the caressing probe of her tongue. His arms tightened around her diminutive body, crushing her to his chest. There was no protest. She melted against him, igniting all sorts of familiar feelings and sensations within him.

She shifted a bit, dragging a hand of tickling fingers down the naked curve of his spine. Then, her hand crept around to his crotch, tauntingly rubbing at the rising length of his cock hidden beneath the fabric of his pajama trousers.

"Now that's more like it," she said with a devilish twinkle in her blue eyes. "This is the type of welcome I was expecting! After all, it's been nearly two years."

She slipped to the floor in front of him, her hands were exploring his pajama trousers. It was an easy enough task, and soon his cock, hard and swollen, jerked stiffly into the air, twitching and pulsing with virile arousal.

"Mmmmm, it seems happy enough to see me," she said with a coy little smile. "I think I should give it a big, hello kiss to see if it remembers me?" She used both hands to toss the flowing mass of her long blonde hair to her back. A thoughtful gesture! As much as he loved that silky cascade, it did get in the way occasionally, especially when he wanted to see everything that was going on. She knew this, and eliminated the problem beforehand.

"Don't you think we should get rid of these clothes?" He motioned to her sweater-like top and jeans. "In a little bit, we'll take care of that." Her gaze drifted back to his enlarged cock "But at the moment, I think this will do just fine."

Her head tilted forward, as she used her hands to spread his knees, opening the way for her. Closer and closer she inched. He saw the pink, wet flash of her tongue, then felt the warm wetness of her tongue tip-tap at the thick crown of his cock. Shivery sensations of lust and love coursed through his body. He moaned an uncontrollable sigh of delight.

"Just as I thought, it does want a kiss." She grinned, her eyes aflame with a sparkling gleam. "You damn well knew that. So, kiss!" "Yes, sir, Your Rita is here to serve-and service her Lord and Master."

Again her head ducked to his crotch. This time her tongue lapped out, and washed over the sensitive surface of his cock. She bathed him with the moisture of her mouth, licking away the fluids welling from the slitted mouth of his prick. Rita seemed to have no objections. Her animated tongue sprightly ran up and down the swollen length of his cock, leaving it glistening with saliva, and jerking with anticipation. Then she nibbled delicately up and down on his bone-hard cock, toying and teasing him.

As he watched, aroused by the sight of such a submissive beauty kneeling before him, excited by the feel of Rita’s lips and tongue, she leaned back a little. Again her flashing, blue eyes rolled up to him. She smiled a bit, coyly.

Then her head darted forward. Her mouth opened in a wide "O". Wider, wider. Downward she dropped. Her lips, a tight ring of white, pouted over the thick head of his fully enlarged cock. It slid over the moist, carpet of her tongue. Deeper, and deeper his throbbing shaft entered, probing into the depths of her throat.

He groaned. In one, swift swoop, she had taken most of him. Her delicious lips now ringed the hairy base of his cock. His erection filled her mouth and throat. He groaned again. The sensation of his cock being buried within Rita’s mouth set of a whole myriad of feelings within him.

Down her head dropped as she suckled his cock. She sucked with vigor, her tongue swirling and caressing around the circumference of his erection, and it was obvious she was sucking him with the old enthusiasm that was unique to her..

He could see her throat moving as she swallowed down the mixture of his juices and her own saliva. Little oral sounds rose from below him.

Mike soon felt the mounting rush of lust building within his scrotum. His cock ached, and jerked with pleasure while Rita lovingly lavished her oral caresses on his cock. He would have loved to sit there and enjoy to the full the pleasure of Rita’s worshipping mouth, and to unleash the hot load that was building in his balls However, he wanted to be inside her, fucking her and showing her just how much he still loved his childhood sweetheart.

"Enough," he forced himself to say, reaching down and dragging her mouth off his cock. " Rita darling. I know a better place to put my aching cock." "Or I have," the lively Rita said with an infectious grin. She pushed herself to her feet, and immediately began to peel off her clothes. "I want you right up this hot pussy of mine now!"

He watched, his cock jumping and twitching with need as he slipped out of his pajamas Rita's nymph-like body, small and delicate, had never failed to affect him in the same way. He knew it, every creamy white inch of it from their school days and later. Yet the familiarity of her lithe, girlish form went beyond the simple recognition of an old and dear lover. This was Rita, his long time sweetheart, that had never ceased to have a magical effect on him. Her blouse came off over her head and she tossed it aside. Her smooth breasts, topped by her pink nipples stood firm and proud on her chest. So vulnerable looking, so ripe and taut, just waiting for his hands and mouth to enjoy them.

Catching his admiring gaze, she smiled and shimmied her skirt down over her hips, followed by her panties and under skirt, revealing the familiar cleft of her teen-age loins. Beneath the soft, sandy blonde fleece of her pubic hair was the very visible slit of her pussy, an entrance to ecstasy he had first breached ten years ago, as together they had explored and enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh.

Taking her into his arms. "You're quite aware that you're so beautiful, and totally irresistible, and I never ever fell out of love with you. After you kicked me out, there has never been anyone to take your place."

" I am sorry, I was such a naïve fool " she whispered, kissing him. "I think that I had an inferiority complex. When I see other girls with large tits I thought I would lose you to them. All I've got is a handful" "Two handfuls," he corrected, grasping each of creamy boobs and squeezing them firmly. "And a couple of mouthfuls left over."

He proved it by putting his head down to her nipples and sucking strongly. He did so until he brought a deep, shivery moan from the depths of her throat. Squeezing and sucking, he sucked the beautiful mounds of Rita’s breasts . He kept at it, fully enjoying himself, until he felt her knees tremble, threatening to collapse under her.

Then with one last kiss to each of her pink nipples, he relinquished his hold on her breasts. He lifted her supple, naked body in his arms, and carried her into his bedroom, depositing her atop the bed.

"I'm a flood inside," then Rita sighed, lying back on the bed, her thighs opening in a lewd invitation. "I want to feel my lovers big cock up me. I want you to fuck me with that beautiful cock that I have missed so much."

Joining her on the bed, Rita caught his cock in one hand and introduced it to her waiting pussy. She grunted happily as Mike entered her. Her pelvis arched up, to ensure that she took every possible inch of his cock into the liquid warmth of her pussy.

"Damn!" The young girl writhed, impaled on the unyielding length of his cock. "I've been wanting to feel this ever since you left. Mike, Fuck me hard, and love me like you used to do we have so much time to make up“

"Yesssss," her passionate urgency hissed from between her clenched teeth. "There's no man like my lover. No one who knows how to fuck me like my Mike!"

He fucked her in deep-grinding strokes. He gave all his energies into the enjoyment of his lifelong dream girl. She writhed and squirmed beneath his lustful onslaught. Her hips, in turn pumped with zealous vigor, matched him stroke for stroke. Lust and love blended into one. Their bodies melted in carnal union.

It didn't take long for her wild fervor of need to soar to its exploding peak. She wanted him, and was ready to give herself. As she came, crying out the full strength of her climax, he realized she must have been thinking about this moment during their time apart, titillating herself with the thought of Mike her lover riding her willing body.

He wanted to extend the pleasure of this moment, but his own need was too compelling. He came. His cock, rammed deeply into the enveloping folds of her tight pussy, blasted out fountain after fountain of thick, baby seed into her waiting womb.

He filled her, drenching Rita’s womb with a flood of his seed. The quivering contractions of her pussy milked at him, drawing out each steaming drop of his seed. His spent cock finally slithered from the slippery tunnel of her sated pussy.

When he rolled from her sated body, she nestled into the hollow of his shoulder, her lips kissing at his neck and chest in gratitude. Then after a moment or two, he heard her breathing soften to the shallow, peaceful breaths of a contented sleep.

"It's been a long day for you my lovely Rita, ," he whispered, lightly kissing her closed eyes. "

Holding her closely, he allowed his eyelids to close. In another moment, he joined his childhood sweetheart in the restful oblivion of sleep. Even the nightly noises from London at war could not keep him from his sleep.

His leave passed quickly. It was three days later that the recall came unexpectedly for him to return to Devonport. Rita and he were in love, and they agreed to marry at the first opportunity. He left Rita in tears but they did manage to buy an engagement ring before he left.

His First Lieutenant Roger Bryce was glad to see him back. He was looking tired but he was obviously happy that he could pass over some of his responsibilities to his Captain. They were due to finish loading the Torpedoes and ammunition the next day, together with the Fresh food and water, and then a short working up dive and sea trial to get the trim, and then back to the war.

He had two new officers and a number of new ratings join. He was introduced to Lieutenant Ray Trafford the new Navigator, and Sub Lieutenant Trevor Masefield RNVR.

The Sub Lieutenant had just finished his submarine training, and would operate the attack machine at action stations. The Chief Engineer Lieutenant Martin Watts had been with the boat from the very beginning and had spent time with her while she had been in the hands of the builders, and on her previous short commission.

They left Devonport as planned, led by a former peace time yacht, out past Drakes Island into deep water and after a successful trim dive, they sailed to their assigned patrol area. The days and weeks passed with nothing of significance happening. Then when surfacing one night to charge their batteries, they received orders to leave their patrol position, and make their way at their best speed to Gibraltar, and report immediately to the Senior Naval Officer on arrival.

The whole ships company were excited at the change, and rumours abounded that they were going to the Mediterranean. Some suggested that in Gibraltar they would be loading aircraft fuel oil in their Kingston tanks for the relief of besieged Malta, but Mike knew nothing more than what the signal had told him.

On arrival in Gibraltar they were allowed to go along side, and when Tony visited naval headquarters, he was met by a Captain Tim Howard who took him to a private room.

He briefly explained the experience of HMS Summer Rose in sinking three U Boats. Then he said “Quite simply the idea of repeating the exercise will not work again with an escort ship, because the Germans are not fools, and they will start looking for any escort that lags behind and sink them. From their Captain Commander Tony Nash, had came the suggestion that if a Submarine were to sail with the convoy, and once the convoy came into contact with U Boats, to dive and wait until next day they might be able to bag one or two who had to surface the next day to charge their batteries without putting themselves in too much danger. As you well know the U boats normally behind the convoy to charge batteries, and then later in the day do their end round the convoy on the surface to get in front of the convoy. I know it’s a long shot. . But our thinking is that they will not expect to see a Submarine. Then when they surface, you will with any luck have got some targets. You of course can remain dived, and do a torpedo attack. We may try this a couple of times, but shortly there will be some changes, which will hamper the U Boats even more, of necessity I cannot say any more on that subject at present. But more long range aircraft will be available shortly, for convoy escort work“.

Mike said. “Sounds good sir, but if the U Boats reconnoiter the convoy beforehand, they will see us, and may guess why we are there. Also the idea of being mixed up with a crowd of merchant ships, will not be popular with the Merchant ships or with us either, as they tend to panic a bit when they are attacked and may run us down.”

“That true Commander, we considered all these risks but if we place you in the middle column of the convoy you should not be seen, but when the convoy is attacked you will just have to dive as soon as feasible. We know it is a risk, but until we get more escorts, and longer range planes in action we have to try any trick in the book to kill a few U Boats.”

You will stay here until the convoy is ready, and if any one asks, the rumour is that you are bound for Malta. I should also recommend it will do no harm if you tell your lads that story. As an added point of interest Commander Tony Nash is the Senior Officer of the escort, now commands HMS Blackbird, and you will meet him at the Convoy Conference, we suggest that you arrange a signal between yourselves, in the case where any escort ship tries to attack you when you are dived.“

Eventually HMS Tenacious sailed a day before the convoy Lt Cdr Mike Smith had a short visit with Commander Tony Nash at a local bar. They got on well, and Mike came away with some enthusiasm, when Tony had told him the full story of what had happened. They agreed that if one of the escorts picked him up on Sonar, that Mike should send the signal “Piss off this is Mike.” Tony said I will tell all the escort commanders, it’s as good as making some devious code up. The biggest danger will be for you if you dive during the U boats attack, that is when the escorts will be scouring for contacts

After sailing Mike told his ships company over the intercom what their task would be and what they hoped to achieve. He added as a rider. “It also means that there should be a few Italian aircraft, and ships wasting their time looking for us in the Med if the Spanish spies have sent them a sailing report.

They joined the convoy out of sight of Gibraltar knowing full well that German spies would be operating from the Spanish side, they had been given their position in the convoy in the centre column, and everything went smoothly. The Admiralty signaled that there was four U Boats now in the area.

To their surprise it was three days before the U Boats attacked just after midnight. The first indication of the attack was when a large tanker blew up in on the Starboard quarter of the convoy. Then a Merchant vessel at the head of their column was hit.

Mike decided it was time to go, and so he gave the order to go to diving stations then he told the lookouts to “Clear the bridge” and then he gave the order “Dive. Dive. Dive.” As he shut the voice pipes, and followed the lookouts, shutting the top hatch after him.

In the control room Mike ordered “Two hundred and fifty number one.” The sonar operator reported that he had Hydrophone effect coming from the direction of the convoy mostly reciprocating engines from every quarter. Mike took the microphone and said “Captain speaking sorry to put you in the position of possibly being attacked by our own side. But I feel safer down here. We did envisage this, and we do know what to say if someone finds us. But from now on I want complete silence in the boat.”

Later he took the boat to 300 feet and they cruised at slow speed to conserve battery power. There were a large number of sonar transmissions from the escorts, as they swept the sea searching for U Boats, but none came near them..

For the next hour or so they were bombarded with the sound of depth charges, and explosions as ships blew up. Eventually the noise faded. The Sonar reported that all was quiet. It was just after dawn that Sonar reported a number of reports of submarines blowing their ballast tanks, and Mike gradually brought the boat to 30 feet using the planes to avoid using the pumps or blowing tanks.

A quick look round through the periscope brought the boat to action stations as Mike reported four U Boats in sight, but only two are possible targets as the others were way out of their range, unless we surface, and that will not be good odds for us.”

He said. “Unfortunately we would have to surface to get in an attacking position, but I will have the guns crew standing by, just in case we have a chance to have a pop at one or two of these chaps later after our attack.

“Ninety feet Number One full speed ahead, he looked round the control room as the lights dimmed slightly as the motors took the power to run at full speed . Mike looked at his watch. Lieutenant Ray Trafford was ready at the chart table with all his pencils sharpened and young Sun Lieutenant Trevor Masefield sat ready at the Fruit Machine which calculated all the attack details.

For twelve minutes Tenacious travelled at full speed to get into a better attacking position. The atmosphere was tense throughout the boat. Eventually he brought the boat back to periscope depth, as he looked at the targets on the attack periscope

“Stand by all tubes.” I am attacking two U boats who are travelling close together and they are an overlapping target.. Port fifteen Steer 250 Set the masthead height as for a U Boat, Start the attack. Bearing is that,. Range is that. I am 40 degrees on their Starboard bow. Down periscope.

Trevor Masefield on the Fruit machine said Range 3,600 yards sir and distance off track 3,400, then Mike ordered the boat deep at full speed. Then he announced “I am tracking two U boats trailing the convoy and I am hoping we can at least get one of them.

Then after a few minutes Mike brought Tenacious back to periscope depth, to give Mike a chance to give more ranges and attack details. The U boats were idling with their main engines and charging the batteries. Then Mike started the attack, he fired the first torpedo followed by the rest in quick succession, as he watched the depth gauges carefully to ensure that the boat did not break the surface. But the tubes automatically filled with water to partially compensate for the loss of weight of the loss of the torpedoes.

The two successive blasts rocked the boat hard, as they were quite close to the targets. But as Mike looked through the periscope and he could confirm that they had sunk two U Boats. Looking round he could see that the other two U boats farther away were diving. They were taking no chances.

Tenacious dare not surface with two U boats in the area in case they were torpedoed themselves. The U boats in turn could not surface for the same reason, and they could not charge their batteries, so Mike hoped that the convoy would have a quiet night.

Tenacious stayed dived for the rest of the day, and did not surface until after dark as then she sped after the convoy at full speed with a running charge on her batteries. Mike signaled that two U boats had been sunk, and two more forced to dive.

Before they could rejoin the convoy they were ordered to leave the convoy and to return to their previous patrol area

**********
Rumours were rife in the boat that they may be home for Christmas, but the Coxswain refuted that rumour, when he pointed out that he had some tins of roast chicken that he had been ordered to save for Christmas on board.

It was December 8th when Tenacious surfaced after dark as was usual to hear the broadcast message of her recall signal.. At the same time they had got the news that Pearl Harbour had been attacked by the Japanese the day before, and that Germany had declared war on the USA

Mike was hoping that he would have a chance to marry Rita if they were allowed leave,. But then another message was received to tell him that he was being re-appointed and had been promoted to a full Commander forthwith. His orders were to report to the Admiralty on January 15th for re-appointment..

He was surprised because he had only done one patrol on Tenacious and the promotion was much quicker than he had expected. But he did get a chance to get married......
January 15th saw a small gathering at the Admiralty Commander Tony Nash was now promoted to full Captain Lieutenant Mike Smith to acting Commander, and Tony’s sister First Officer Angela Nash were all together in the waiting room. They were joined by Captain Tim Howard and he said “Well you lock lot you are all being posted to the USA as liaison with the US Navy.

In the past few years we have learned a lot about the Germans and their tactics, and it has been suggested that we can pass on a few tips on Convoy work and anti U Boat tactics as U Boats are already heading their way.

Turning to Tony and Mike he said “There is no reason why you can not take your wives with you. How long you will be there we do not know. You will sail next week on the Queen Mary and report to the British Ambassador in Washington, you lucky lot. Meanwhile you have a few briefing conferences this week to bring you up to speed on what is happening on this side of the pond.

The End