Chapter 29 My Submarine

  Before returning to Pola, U-21 carried out two more successful attacks in the Adriatic, sinking a 1,000-ton armed merchant ship and an Italian Navy patrol vessel, bringing the total for this cruise to 12,000 tons. This brought Hersing's and U-21's cumulative totals over 100,000 tons, a feat only three other German commanders had achieved at that time.

  In February and March 1917, U-21 made two more sorties into the Mediterranean. On one of these she sank several French ships off Sardinia after rounding Sicily, keeping the French Navy busy for some time; on another she sailed along the coast of British Egypt, sinking two British ships and bombarding an Egyptian port during the night before escaping under cover of darkness from a pursuing British warship.

  In this series of combat operations, Zhang Haino continued to accumulate experience in submarine command, and also felt the warmth and honor brought by the U-21 combat team. Hersing's outstanding personal charm and almost elevating submarine command to an artistic level with his super-strong ability made him both admire and yearn for. If possible, he would rather stay on U-21 for a while longer.

  However, the worsening of the war situation left him no choice.

  April 6th, America declared war on Germany, which coincidentally was exactly one day later than in history.

  When they heard the news, Zhang Hainuo and others were preparing for U-21's next voyage in Pola Harbour.

  The Allied camp had gained a nation with enormous potential for war, like a ship gaining an additional powerful engine. Large quantities of military supplies began to flow freely from the United States to Britain and France. The size of the American army expanded rapidly, and before long, ship after ship of American troops would be sent to the French front lines. Although these soldiers had little combat experience, they were well-equipped and full of morale, and for a battlefield that had been stalemated for three years, they were undoubtedly a fresh force capable of breaking the balance.

  In response to the unfavorable impression brought about by America's entry into the war, Germany increased its submarine warfare efforts. Every week, new submarines were launched from shipyards, and more and more ocean-going submarines were dispatched to the Atlantic Ocean to counter the numerous transport ships and escort vessels coming from America. A hunt-and-counter-hunt confrontation was escalating there.

  In early May, Zhang Haino received an order from the Navy Department and was appointed as the captain of U171.

  For Zhang Hainuo, this was an opportunity that had been expected for a long time, but at this moment he felt a strong reluctance. On the last night before returning to Germany, he and the U21 crew members got drunk, even Hess, who was not good at drinking, was also drunk.

  The two agreed to keep in touch by letter from now on.

  Three days later, Zhang Hainuo returned to the familiar Port of William. There was not much change here compared to when he left, except that there were more submarines anchored in the harbor and people's faces looked more solemn.

  U-171 was moored at the submarine pier opposite the Sedlitz Quay.

  When Zhang Haino first saw the submarine, he felt like he had seen an old friend. The reason was that this happened to be a UBIII-type submarine of the same level as U21. The conning tower, the deck gun and the torpedo-shaped hull lines were all so familiar to him.

  This was a submarine that had served for 14 months, but just one month ago it was attacked by British destroyers in the North Sea off Scotland and lost its captain and 11 others. It was already a miracle that she made it back to Wilhelmshaven.

  Now, after a major overhaul, U-171 has regained its former glory, but its experience reminded Zhang Haino of SMS Szent István.

  When Zhang Hainuo took office, the vacancies on the boat were filled with new sailors, but what surprised him was that among these people, there was actually a familiar face.

  "Edwin!"

  "A surprise!" Edwin winked at him and then said in a loud voice: "Lieutenant von Finkenstein, deputy commander of U-171, Lieutenant Edwin Sch?fer reports for duty! The crew is fully manned with 25 men, all present and accounted for! Lieutenant, I now formally hand over command of the submarine to you!"

  Zhang Hainuo was indeed surprised and delighted by this "surprise".

  "I can hardly believe my eyes, weren't you on Sedlitz last Christmas?"

  "It takes only two weeks of training to switch from a torpedo officer on a battleship to one on a submarine, and this ensign passed all the tests in just one week! How's that?" Edwyn asked proudly, his head held high. "Before you came aboard, I was the highest-ranking man on this submarine, so I was appointed acting captain!"

  "Great! Extremely great! I was a bit worried before I came, afraid that I wouldn't command this submarine well, but now I feel fully confident!"

  "Ah, of course! Lieutenant Junior Grade is the best torpedo officer on Seydlitz, and his skills are beyond doubt!"

  Next, Edwin turned around and took Zhang Hainuo to meet the boatmen who were already lined up on the deck. This guy hadn't been here for long, but he seemed to be very familiar with these people.

  "This is Lieutenant Commander Simon Platte, our executive officer! This is Chief Petty Officer Pete Strega, our navigator! This is Chief Petty Officer Sergei Shakhov, our chief engineer..."

  When Edwin reported the last person's name, Zhang Hainuo had to admire his memory. After all, the new crew members were supplemented just a few days ago, and Edwin himself had only been on the boat for more than a week.

  After introducing these sailors, Edwin said:

  "Simon, Pete, Sergei and 7 other sailors are old boatmen, the rest are newcomers, 4 of whom have been on other submarines before, and the remaining 12 people have just joined the submarine fleet!"

  "Edwin!" Zhang Haino seriously looked him up and down, then shook his head regretfully. "The Navy Department not letting you be an intelligence officer was a mistake!"

  "Preposterous!" Edvin scoffed. "Take the Navy's finest torpedo commander and turn him into a spy? What a blunder that would be!"

  Zhang Haino originally wanted to spend more time getting familiar with the submarine and its crew, but the war situation was too pressing. On his third day back in Wilhelmshaven, the Navy Department ordered U-171 to set out, targeting the transatlantic shipping lanes between America and Britain.

  No flowers, no applause, except for a few sailors responsible for clearing the submarine berths, no one saw him off.

  This is U-171's first voyage after overhaul.

  For the first time as a formal submarine captain, Zhang Haino stood on the command tower of the submarine. He should have been proud and confident, but from receiving the order to his first voyage was only a short week, the change was so fast that he was somewhat overwhelmed.

  The road ahead is either thorny or full of opportunities, and he will become another Heson-style ace captain or an unfortunate war sacrifice. Zhang Haino has no bottom line in his heart, but he thinks that since the journey has begun, it's either a brave life or a glorious death, and a mediocre life is not what a soldier pursues!