Operation-Archangel became a precarious venture. I learned a lot. The most important
what I discovered was that you must ensure working under stress to only perform
automatic operations. Operations must therefore be endless repeated. Where you do not need
to think. Especially as several, co-ordinated operations must be carried out this is
absolutely necessary.
I had terribly the feeling that I did not have appliance practize with the Rebikoff. But
only one was available (it costs f 32.000,-) and they brought that to the boat in Bergen.
At 9 o'clock in the evening I prepared myself. Outside it was totally dark and freezing.
When I was entirely loaded with my complete equipment I looked like an astronaut. The
calypso hung on my abdomen. To my leadbelt I had pocket flashlights attached ( under water
you can not work with electronenflash).
As from the afterdeck I let to myself fall along a ropeladder in the water. Between the
dok and the ship. Otherwise the chance was too large that I would be discovered. Although
the water was freezing I had it warm in my wet diving-suit. Only on the moment of entering
the water was terribly cold as the water makes first contact with my body. But it does not
circulate and the little water which enters become warm fast.
I let drop myself a couple meter in the dark water. Meanwhile I looked well to keep
contact with the scheepswand. Or I would be lost. My eyes were still not used to the dark.
So I saw only a black wall for my mask. If I no longer would feel the scheepswand I
would entirely get disoriented. Groping I moved down in the direction of it rudder.
Rapidly I had found it. Then I felt a blade of the rudder. I climbed this way and tried
thus well to adopt an easy attitude. But that was not simple. Everything squeezed, my
breathing went too fast, my heart was in my throat.
I had to force myself at least 5 minutes to sit calmly on the rudderblade, so my eyes
could adjust to the dark en I became more quiet, controlling my breathing. If you dive
when you do not have your breathing under control you can easily panic this way. You go to
breathe then always faster and eventually not enough to which the panic become complete.
Generally thats the then end of plunger existence. After some minutes I felt myself become
more relaxed. My reüna sensors touched obscurity adapted (the entirely dark adaptation
just concerning half hour knew to come I). I could now insipid the scheepsschroef and it
stir to see. Aubain wanstaltig large forms. The ship itself was an enormous black mass
hanging threatening above me. I had studied a drawing on exhaustive where the Rebikof
torpedo was confirmed. Otherwise I had never find him, even within a meter of me. Shortly
I had now found him. With four bolts it was constructed to the shipshull. It which a luck
that they twisted relatively easy so that me n breathing under check remained. Then I the
appliance loose had broke down myself I quietly in direction of the propeller. Took here
even place to entirely comfortable too is before I to the R 247 would go. Meanwhile I
examined the Rebikof appliance and put the engine of the koerstol. Gentle mixed now with
my breathing, it only buzz themselves sound what sofar the silence had disturbed. After
some minutes the koerstol had sufficient to go for a ride. Slowly I now went to the
surface, at the same time holding to it stirs so that my position remained stable. Above
water I aimed the torpedo at the midship of the R 247 and put the koerstol on this survey
on the zero line. I now had only care that I subtle on the glass of the toll house kept in
line with the zero line on koerstolschaal, then I would be11 minutes after my
departure at the R 247. Of course I aimed midships, the chance to besides the ship to
sail which then it smallest. you can pass by under water very easy on a half meter
distance. If for each have few visibility at least. As now. Eventually I decided venture
it.
I was told that the load water-line of the R 247 approximately 8 meter which. I had
planned the calculations in my dive plan on a depth of 5 meter. Then I did not what
invisible considerable, had a charge of golf move and used however not too much ventilates
(on bigger depth I ventilated more to uses because I would have to breathe under higher
pressure). Slowly I left myself at it stir down pockets. To the torpedo in the direction
of the R 247 area aimed that I ricocheted put I the triangle of my Rolex submariner on 12
minutes for 10, the time that I would have to arrive at the Russian ship. One kilometre I
would have to go by open water. Then I changed gear the elektromotor in which by
silver-cadmium had fed the accumulators in the torpedo. A new sound, high whispering
shrieks filled the sea. If the R 247 a Asdic watch then they would more certainly have
heard. I started myself realize that this mad venture, by a theorist behind an office was
worked out. On this species eye cans I could suddenly depriving of hate to develop for the
men who sent me the field in without the lowest idea to has of the practical run of such
adventure.
But when I once there the emotions only flash and that I have rapidly under check. Under
hoogspanning you must or not at all think) or not to of starting. I had started.
Now I closed my mind for each other pulse then were required the commandos which on a low
cerebral level for completing a serial simple automations, I firmed my grip on the hand
barrels and switched on the propeller. With a push the torpedo put himself in swing, now I
was still concentrated but only on very restrictively stimulusveld which by the her line
and the zero line on the scale had formed. Every minuscule deviation corrected
immediately. The koerstol which a feedback closed with my body run. On 5 meter I continued
horizontal. I had now come in a stable vaart configuration in and some minutes relative
will know relaxed. It which me now clear why Paris for this task had selected pilot-diver.
After six minutes started an annoying anguish revealed in me. Firstly a flash had been
the thought but I could release him no longer and he become always more dominant. If once
a stream was here which moved me faster then the planned speed. Then I would arrive
earlier and with relative large speed crash in the side of the Russian cruiser. A
large black wall would appear for me on the very last moment, if it would be to late. I
checked my time. According to planning I still had to sail 5 minutes. More irresistibly
the urge to go up to see land-mark what my real distance to the ship was, but the anguish
was only still a thought, it had not yet influenced my motoriek. This happened just after
minutes, suddenly I slowed down the speed of the torpedo as if I the slap reduces against
the schips skin savage. But the next second I repaired the error, fighting against the
uncontrolled pulses, if I would not finish the complete programme fast I will not have
sufficient air for the journey back, and that disturbing thought remained, I had to fight
against it, clings me to in the trusting to my calculation, according to which I arrive at
the ship as the large wise of my Rolex watch in it extended of the peak hours of the
triangle would lie, now expressed she had still separated some millimetres in time a
minute or 4.
Then I had a limpid idea. I would continue concerning the floor. Under the ship then I
would sail against the quay wall, that less serious, any crash. If I then on he good point
which the ship would lie and above me could I slowly rise. These trade wise had the
advantage that bubbles by the high pressure would be compressed to foam, which would be
less visible of the surface. But the most large advantage which perhaps the fact that I
would be more safe on the sea floor. I had then the fixed layer under the feet, my world
had more structure. It would have a calming down impact on my complete mind.. I will feel
better protected with 20 meter sea above me then 5 meter under the surface. It raised the
air usage (hold doubled) I had to take that for granted.
I valued the distance now approximately 300 meter from the ship and decided before to dive
to the floor to firstly certify at the surface, also would this ' fix ' necessary possible
koerscorrectie, within some seconds I floated. The R 947 doomed disproportionate before
me, approximately 250 meter from me, but something to left so that I indeed had to
synchronise the koerstol on this new survey. I brought the sight of the torpedo in line
with the midship and twisted to the koerstolschaal so that the zero line coincided with in
great detail on the glass. It which an insipid moonlight which the sea silver did to
reflect. I had to be clearly visible so that I directly under treenail. Now I set course
on the new survey, but slant down so that I within short time the sea floor would reach,
twenty-three meter of depth I had reached the floor. It which here entirely dark, M"n
some visual stimuli was the gentle fluoriserende figures on my watch and the koerstol. But
I had fixed layer under me. I could sit and entirely come to rest.
After some minutes the torpedo bumped with a considerable bump on the wall of the quay. If this had been the ship Russian frogman would shoot now in their equipment. I decided to remain a minute quietly on the floor to sit in order to feel more pleasant. Then I swam carefully, along the embankment up. On 17 meter I saw the vague light of the surface. But above me humg an enormous black mass. I sat under the ship area. Seconds later I swam carefully along the kiel. I let the Rebikoff-apparaat lie on the floor, against the embankment area. I would later go at the propeller of the R 247 to the floor and then then follow the snellijn of the embankment to the sea floor. On this line I had laid the torpedo. Thus I could find him could on taste.
Now I followed the sharp kiel of the cruiser and after minutes to the end of the ship. Luckly on my complete journey I did not use theonderwaterlantaarn so that I had now entirely dark adapted eye.
I could distinguished the enormous propellers thus rather easy . Slowly I swam along the booklet of the starboard propeller in the direction of the spinner, the schroeffiart, where the rudderblades came together. Of this heart I had to make a photograph. The question was if the propellers of the R 247 had a variable diligence. This would be vissible in the heart of the propeller Arrived at the heart I rail in the length along the most horizontal propeller booklet, locked a leg on both sides of the booklet so that I lay stable, then I screwed a falshlight end in the flitser. Vaguely I got it convenient sharpen on the snijlijnen of the seeker of the calypso. Diaphragm, time and distance I had fixed the dive so that it could be enough with a minimum to operations. I made rapidly eight photographs and started immediately afterwards in my descent along the embankment. If they had seen the flashes possibly within very short time counter-measures would be taken. But on the large depth from which I now worked it is relative safe. Then I had found the torpedo and hurried myself back to the ' Vega '. Half unconscious I stumbled to the side where I was helped by the oldie himself from my package. A week later I was back in London and went on with live though as if nothing had happened.
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