CASTLE'S COMMAND
CHAPTER TWO
New Year's Eve had arrived and there were celebrations in the officer's, non- commissioned officers and enlisted clubs. Local single women had been invited for dancing. No American naval personnel would be allowed to leave the clubs with a woman. Married officers and nco's had brought their wives. One third of the American and British crews were on their boats, on alert, but it appeared that the Germans intended to celebrate too. The men who had missed the celebration would have their own the next night.
Castle sat alone, at a table, furthest from the dance floor, observing the dancers. He was only here, because tradition demanded it. He'd danced one dance with the wife of Commander Armstrong, a courtesy dance. So far, the English women had all been attracted to the more vivacious of the American officers. His table was a little in shadow. He had a large glass of an excellent single malt whisky which he was sipping. He had a bottle of the same in his quarters A case of champagne had been smuggled in for the New Year's toast. He'd drink that, but then he would head to his quarters.
. He'd gone out on all four of the training runs today and was tired. It was only partly an excuse.
He looked up as someone approached his table. It was first officer Beckett-Trent. He stood.
"May I join you, sir?
"By all means. Would you care for a glass of sherry?"
"No thank you, but a glass of that whisky you are drinking would be nice."'
H raised an eyebrow but signaled a waiter.
"Two more Laiphroag's please." Kate sat and said;
"Surprised, not quite fitting the image? My late husband taught me that a tot of whisky or two, but no more than that is a fine way to relax after a busy day. He was a naval officer. He was lost on the Hood."
"I am sorry to hear that, First Officer. My condolences."
'Thank you. But don't you have the rule, no rank in the club?"
"Yes, we do but I thought the British services were more formal."
"Where do you think that your services got that rule in the first place? In the club I am Katherine" Rick smiled.
"In that case, I'm Richard."
"Richard and Katherine, it is then." Their drinks arrived. Rick downed the remains of his first. Rick picked up his fresh drink. "To your health and a better tomorrow." They touched glasses.
"A better tomorrow." She replied You are not dancing Richard; may I ask why?"
"I'll leave that to my officers. This the first time most of them have commanded a boat out of PT school. They need to blow off a little steam. Besides, I 'm rather tired. Long day."
Kate could tell, even after such a short acquaintance that he was being evasive, but she wouldn't push it, since it really wasn't any of her business.
"It does seem that your men are enjoying themselves."
"Yes, they are, but would you expect less? Good food, a few drinks and a bevy of attractive women to dance with, probably no action tomorrow. Perfect night. It seems like the ladies are having a good time, as well."
"As you said Richard, how not? Your men are young, fit and reasonably good looking. There is a definite shortage of available men in England. A night of dancing is a rare treat."
"If I'm not being insensitive, why aren't you dancing? You are a beautiful woman."
"Thank you for the compliment. You answered my question, so it is only fair to answer yours. All the officers in my squadron know that I'm a widow and some of them think that they can take liberties. And, apparently your officers think that I am off limits. I do like to dance."
"I believe that it is up to me to correct that impression. May I have a dance, Katherine? I promise no liberties."
"Yes, thank you Richard, I accept." They waited for a new song to start, then stepped onto the dance floor. The song was Green Eyes. Kate was surprised how easily she fit into Rick's arms and that the man, as big as he was graceful, a fine dancer. Even more surprised that she wanted a second dance. For just a few minutes, her sorrow and anger receded and she enjoyed the peace. Of course, it couldn't last. As they sat back down the band begin to play and another Wren sang A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. Kate's mind went back to her courtship and brief marriage. She downed her drink in one gulp and with tears starting she stood and said;
"Please excuse me, Richard I must leave." She almost ran from the club. Rick watched her go, not trying to stop her. He didn't recognize the song, but it obviously disturbed her. He started in on his third drink, but had only taken a couple of sips when a young woman came over to his table and said;
"I hope that it's not too forward of me, but may I ask you for a dance?"
Rick really didn't want to, but good manners wouldn't let him refuse. On the floor she said;
"Oh, you're so very good. My name is Susan Blake."
"Richard Castle, Miss Blake." Rick would have described as typical English in appearance. Conventionally pretty, with light brown hair and a peaches and cream complexion.
"Oh. Please do call me Susan." Like Kate, Susan wanted a second dance. Blue Moon segued into Tangerine. * Susan said;
"It's coming onto midnight, Richard. Would you share the toast with me and a kiss for good luck?"
"Yes, Susan, I would be honored to. The waiters passed around glasses of champagne and on h stroke of midnight, a trumpeter sounded a fanfare and everyone toasted the new year. They kissed, as all the other couples were and Susan took a pencil and piece of paper out of her purse.
"I'll be spending the day with my family but if you have some time, perhaps you could ring me?"
"Perhaps, but I don't know if my duties will permit it, any time soon."
"Good night Richard."
"Good night Susan."
Rick went back to his quarters, rather pleased at having enjoyed the evening, in spite of himself. Relaxed for the first time in days. He had been surprised when Kate had joined him, rather than one of her colleagues and even more surprised when she asked him to dance with her. Saddened for her, at her sudden departure. He'd surprised again, when Susan Blake asked him. She was pretty and pleasant but he wouldn't call her. In the current situation that was just asking for trouble on so many levels.
Tomorrow, would be a holiday. He could and would spend the day relaxing in his quarters, but checking in with the duty officer, periodically. January second was another day of training runs. Rick again going out on all four runs, each on a differ boat. Again, Beckett-Trent and O'Leary went with him, on his boat. O'Leary had asked more questions than Kate did, but asking them of Chief Esposito, wanting to know everything about the Deck duties, especially the guns.
He didn't try to see anything below deck. He'd be hunched over like Quasimodo. On a couple of target runs, Esposito let him try the 20mm and 37mm canons. The big man had a surprisingly good eye.
"I did a bit o' bird hunting, I did, before the war. My dad was a gamekeeper on the O'Donnell estate." O'Leary invited Esposito to the NCO club after the duty day. His capacity for beer was at least three times that of Esposito. Over a few days, the two became friends. O'Leary had a droll sense of humor, that lightened Esposito's rather raunchy one.
Kate and O'Leary only went out on the first run of the day, for five days, the rest of the time concentrating on their intelligence duties. At the end of the two weeks, Castle asked Armstrong if he would extend Kate and O'Leary's temporary duties indefinitely. Armstrong's orders were to cooperate with any reasonable requests from the Americans. He granted the requests.
For some reason, Castle's luck held for a month and his squadron saw no more action than routine patrols and backing up the MTB's on a couple of minor skirmishes. But the luck couldn't hold forever. Three days into the fifth week a small convoy was inbound. The German Schnellboots (E-boats) were out in force. Six boats from each squadron went to meet them. The boats expected to be able to strike the convoy easily, as the two destroyers were busy keeping two German submarines off the convoy. The Germans weren't used to dealing with the latest version of the PT boats with their 50- knot top speed and 40mm Bofors cannon which was slightly more powerful and outranged the German's 37mm. It was a bit ironic that the first two boats engaged were the opposing squadron commander's boats. Armstrong's boat had an engine failure and dropped behind.
Castle was now the senior officer of both squadrons and as usual closed on the enemy rapidly.
Lieutenant Commander Joachim Kleist on S-76 made the worst and last mistake of his life. Knowing that they were new to European waters, he assumed that they were inexperienced. That was true, except for Castle's crew and the skippers and chiefs of two other boats. He stared in amazement as the lead PT boat accelerated much faster than expected, throwing his gunners aim way off. He saw the two torpedoes he'd launched pass harmlessly through the boat's wake.
The PT turned and the 40mm crew and the 37mm gunner opened fire. 40 mm and 37mm shells raked the bridge and charthouse Kleist and the helmsman were killed instantly, the helm destroyed. S-76 raced straight ahead. Castle turned PT-513 again and launched two torpedoes. One struck S-76 in the bow, the other amidships. She sank in less than three minutes. A few of the crew managed to get a life raft over the side. Most died with their boat or in the frigid water. Only two survived to be rescued and become prisoners of war
The 516-boat pulled up with 513 and the double-teamed S-73 The German skipper was a little cannier than the late Commander Kleist. He turned away from the PT" s and raced for the coast, hoping to get lost in the coastal fog and radar clutter, making an end around and coming in on the convoy's flank. It almost worked. He forgot that the fog can conceal more things than enemy boats. His charts were wrong.
He was in shoal water before he knew it. A nice sharp rock ripped a 3- meter gash in the hull, rupturing a fuel tank and shearing off a rudder. The fog began to thin. The crew wisely abandoned the grounded boat, knowing that somebody would put a torpedo into her.
Boat 45 didn't waste a torpedo on S-73. Boat 45 was a type II MTB. she mounted a 57mm canon aft. She simply destroyed the E-boat with gunfire
513 and 516 teamed up again, badly damaging S-69 forcing her to withdraw. The 40 boat sank another E-boat the 47 and 49 boats each damaged one. Overall, it was a bad day for the Germans. Two boats sunk a third run aground, then destroyed. Three damaged. A submarine sunk and the only damage to the convoy was a damaged freighter.
The allies didn't get away unscathed. 47 was badly shot up in the fight with S-67, losing one crewman killed and five wounded. She limped home and would need extensive repairs. PT-511 was damaged with four men wounded, none killed. She would only need light repairs and replacement of her forward 20mm. PT-513 had the forward 20mm gunner slightly wounded. Armstrong's boat had to be towed back to port.
The most important result of the day after the safe arrival of the convoy was how well the two squadrons could cooperate. Later, in the NCO club, One of the British crewmen said;
"The bloody Yanks did damn well for their first dance with Jerry."
O'Leary said;
"If you think that was their first time, you're a daft bugger. Maybe most of them, are new but their CO damn sure isn't. He's got the yanks second highest gong and damn big bollocks."
At the same time in the officer's club a fairly lively celebration was going on, the officers of both squadrons enjoying a comradery somewhat rare among sister services of allied countries. Kate noticed that Castle was, again seated alone, holding back. She came to his table.
"May I join you, Richard?" He stood, politely.
"I'd be honored, may I buy you a drink?"
"Yes, please, whatever you are having." Once again it was the Laiphroag.
Thank you, Richard"
"It's my pleasure."
"You don't seem to be enjoying the celebration."
"I'm not. Sure, we gave the Germans a bloody nose, but we had two boats damaged, one out of action before it started, one man killed and nine wounded. Ten percent causalities is not anything to celebrate."
"You are an experienced commander; don't you get used to it?"
"You learn to accept it, but if I ever get used to it, they had better relieve me, because I'd then be a lousy commander. Granted the mission has the highest priority, but second is the welfare of the crew." They chatted for a few more minutes, savoring their drinks and enjoying each other's company, But it wan't to last.
A drunk Harry Fisher walked up to the table and sneered;
"Too good to go out with a fellow Englishman but you'll get close up to a bloody Yank. Hoping for a good time?"
Kate glared at Fisher. "Leftenant Commander, your language and conduct are unbecoming to a British Naval officer. I need not endure it." She rose.
"Please excuse me, Richard."
"Of course, Katherine." Rick turned toward Fisher.
"Stand easy, Commander, I will handle this." Commander Armstrong had overheard the whole thing.
"Leftenant Commander Fisher, remove yourself from the club and go directly to your quarters. Present yourself in my office at eight hours to receive a written reprimand for conduct unbecoming. He called a provost lieutenant, stationed at the door, over. "See this officer to his quarters."
Lieutenant Commander Fisher stood at attention, in front of Commander Armstrong's desk, sweating visibly.
"Find it difficult to believe that one of His Majesty's officers, one of my officers could get publicly drunk and behave in such a vile manner. Offering an insult to a fellow British officer, in front of an allied officer and insulting that officer as well. Difficult to believe, but having witnessed it, I must. Therefore, you are officially reprimanded for conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman. This reprimand to remain in your permanent file, unless removed by higher authority. If it were not wartime the Royal Navy would be well rid of you. As it is, in addition to the reprimand you are prohibited from attending the officer's club, until further notice. Furthermore, if you ever report for duty, unfit because of alcohol, it will be considered dereliction and result in a court martial. Dismiss.!"
The next three days were quiet, nothing but routine patrols. Another convoy came in, too heavily escorted for the E-boats to mess with. The Germans had lost two U-boats attacking the convoy, one of them to a weapon system called the hedgehog. It fired twenty-four mortar type shells out ahead of the destroyer. They only went off on contact, thus not disturbing the sonar as a depth charge did. The second was damaged by depth charges and forced to the surface and sunk by gunfire. Another factor was that the E-boat squadron was refitting and transferring boats. They couldn't build new boats, easily as most of their shipyards had been destroyed or heavily damaged. Material was also becoming scarce. On the fourth day. Intelligence reported that the Germans were planning to move a large number of coastal barges to Caen, heavily laden with munitions and other supplies for defense of the port. It was a sure bet that the E-boats would be out to defend them. Some of the barges mounted defenses of their own. It was decided that the American squadron would engage the E-boats, while the British MTB squadron, reinforced by four motor gun boats would go after the barges.
In a bit of Irony, in the three days of quietude, both Kate and Rick avoided the club, each not wanting to embarrass the other. Rick assembled his squadron for the pre-action briefing. Lieutenant Ryan called out;
"Attention on deck, the commanding officer."
"At ease, take your seats. The smoking lamp is lit." As the smokers lit cigarettes, pipes or cigars Castle said;
"The Germans will be attempting to move supplies to Caen by coastal barge tonight. It will be a moonless night. It will be the British mission to destroy the barges. Our job is to keep the Germans off their backs. Visibility will be limited, so depend on your radar and your IFF's. All lights will be extinguished except the binnacle light. And the navigator's lamp. Ensure that the chart room window is covered. We will operate in three four boat elements. 511,512 and 514 will follow me. 515. 517, and 518 will follow Ryan in 510. 519,520 and 521 will follow Morgan in 516. We will keep 1000 yards between boats, 500 yards between elements. Stay in your groups." He answered the few questions that were asked.
"We depart at nineteen hundred. Synchronize your watches. Mark! Get your men to chow. It's going to be a long night." Kate and O'Leary came down to the docks to watch the boats depart. She thought; Will this insanity ever stop? Brave men in fast boats going in harm's way. She bowed her head. Dear God, they all have someone who loves them. Please bring them all home.
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Swordwriter.
*Author's note. The songs I have used in this story were all written just before the war or the early years. Except for Nightingale Square I have no idea if they were ever played in England, but they might have been. Anyway, it's an AU.
