The Diary of a U-boat Commander: With an Introduction and Explanatory Notes by EtienneKing-Hall, Stephen, Sir
History
The Diary of a U-boat Commander: With an Introduction and Explanatory Notes by Etienne
King-Hall, Stephen, Sir
Sea stories; Submarines (Ships) -- Fiction; War stories; World War, 1914-1918 -- Germany -- Fiction
Here everything is confusion; the saner elements are trying to keep
order, the roughs are going round the dockyard and ships, looting
freely.
"Better we should steal them than the English," and "There is no
Government, so all is free," are two of their cries.
There has been a little shooting in the streets, and it is not safe for
officers to move about in uniform, though, on the whole, I have
experienced little difficulty.
I was summoned to-day before the Local Council, which is run by a man
who was a Petty Officer of signals in the _König_. He recognized me and
looked away.
I was instructed to take U.122 over to Harwich for surrender to the
English.
I made no difficulty; some one has got to do it, and I verily believe I
am indifferent to all emotions.
We sail in convoy on the day after tomorrow; that is to say, if the
crew condescend to fuel the boat in time. Three looters were executed
to-day in the dockyard and this has had a steadying effect on the worst
elements.
* * * * *
I went on board 122 to-day, and on showing my authority which was
signed by the Council (which has now become the Council of Soldiers,
Sailors and Workmen), the crew of the boat held a meeting at which I
was not invited to be present.
At its conclusion the coxswain came up to me and informed me that a
resolution had been carried by seventeen votes to ten, to the effect
that I was to be obeyed as Captain of the boat.
I begged him to convey to the crew my gratification, and expressed the
hope that I should give satisfaction.
I am afraid the sarcasm was quite lost on them.
* * * * *
We are within sixty miles of Harwich and I expect to sight the English
cruisers any moment.
I wrote some days ago that I was incapable of any emotion.
I was wrong, as I have been so often during the last two years.
In fact, I have come to the conclusion that I am no psychologist--I
don't believe we Germans are any good at psychology, and that's the
root reason why we've failed.
I do feel emotion--it's terrible; the shame--the humiliation is
unbearable.
I wonder how the English will behave? What a day of triumph for them.
The signalman has just come down and reported British cruisers right
ahead; it will soon be over. I must go up on deck and exercise my
functions as elected Captain of U.122, and representative of Germany in
defeat. One last effort is demanded, and then----
_NOTE_
_This is the last sentence in the diary. It is probable that he suddenly
had to hurry on deck and in the subsequent confusion forgot to rescue
his diary from the locker in which he had thrust it_.
ETIENNE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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