Thursday, November 10, 2011

Part 1. Late 1915 to Early Spring 1916













"Hallo! Franz come up. We are going aboard the U.B. XV." So calls Torpedo-Foreman Stieber, A Polish student as civilian, but a good soul and a good comrade who was gladly ready to do a favor anytime.

"What are you saying Stefan?" I ask after I jumped with two leaps up the stairway and onto the deck. Stefan repeats his news and here comes Weapon-Mate Jakl, a slightly irritated Czech reservist.

"Nah, Sacrament" he starts a little strong, "Don't stand around but pack your bag and come to the provision office. Be happy to finally leave this crate. Otherwise you will be locked up a few more times. You know that the boatsman doesn't like you."

I and Stefan laugh in his face and then disappear to the stockroom to pack our duffelbags. Nice and square, according to regulations to make sure we don't have any problems and are able to get away from the Budapest as fast as possible. I spent two years on this old Coast Defender and I really did not have any luck here.

At first it was somehow tolerable. But then, when the boatsman who is like a little god on this ship, began to beset me because I did not wash his laundry any more, it started. For every minor infraction I had to report. I was punished so that I became his favorite whipping boy. I was, after all, no angel, and took revenge in my own way by hiding his things, filling his boots with water and such dumb jokes every chance I got. Which for some reason always resulted in another arrest.

That's why I was so happy that I could get away from here at last. There was nothing happening here anyway.Since Lovcen was captured all we ever did was maneuver and exercise. We watched in envy, the crews of the torpedo boats and destroyers and especially the submarines. Yes, there was some action. There you could say that they accomplished something. Now it was going to change for us too. We went proudly to the commissioner for our wages and to the office for our service books. We also had to stop to see the Captain who gave us instructions and wished us good luck. Then we said goodbye to all our comrades, threw our bags over our shoulders and off we went.

We took a steam launch to land and waited for the passenger ship that took care of the traffic in the "Bocce di Cattaro."We rode to "Porto Rosa" where the submarine station was located. Since we had some time, we stopped at a bar and bought ourselves a glass of wine. "You know" said Stefan,"I am really glad that we are together and we are getting away from the Budapest. Hopefully we will find some friends there."

"Yes" I replied, "I'm extremely anxious to see what it looks like in such a submarine. We will have to study hard at first in order to be worthy. Otherwise we will have to go back to the Budapest."

Then each of us followed his own thoughts.

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