This story contains sex between males of varying ages, if this is not your cup of tea or if you are under age or it is prohibited to read such material where you reside please leave now.
All comments or ideas can be fwdd to me at juzjamie20@yahoo.com.au all emails answered except flames that are extinguished on arrival.
Please help keep nifty free into the future by donating a few dollars to their coffers.
This story may not be reproduced on any site without express permission from the author and is covered by copywrite.
Atlantic Express, Chapter 42, by justjames17.
HMS Fox Hound arrived at Aden and refuelled for the voyage to Colombo in Ceylon, her fuel bunkers topped up she steamed out into the Indian Ocean for the long leg to her destination where she would join the Asiatic fleet. The report of the loss of the British base in Singapore along with the sinking of the HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse by the Japanese had shaken the British to the core and combined with the threat of Rommell's Afrika Corpse in Africa along with the Italian forces in the Med and the German occupation of Europe plus Russia signing a peace pact with the Nazis meant Britain and her Empire were virtually on their own against Hitler's forces. The reinforcing of Colombo was a symbol that the British empirical forces, Britain, Australia and New Zealand along with Canada were prepared to fight to the end.
Fox Hound was two days out of Aden when she received orders to divert south into the Indian Ocean to search for a merchant ship that had radioed for help after attack by a German U-boat. Fox Hound made off south at her best speed and her lookouts scanned the horizon constantly once they reached the reported position. Back and forth they steamed with no sign of the vessel, the day drew on and the sun lowered in the west when they spotted something on the horizon.
Fox Hound increased speed her sharp bow knifing thro0ugh the gently heaving sea, her white bow wave rose till it was almost level with her deck as her engines pounded at maximum revolutions driving her on. The low shape became more visible and they saw it was a ship's boat drifting on the current, they slowed as they neared the low riding boat and stopped alongside as it wallowed full of water only kept afloat by its buoyancy tanks. They could see its planks gouged and pierced by machine gun bullets then lolling back and forth in the slopping water as the boat rolled were three bodies. Fox Hound lowered her sea boat and with the first lieutenant in command they pulled away to the half sunken lifeboat, the bodies were retrieved and the boat returned to Fox Hound where they were taken aboard, the ship's boat was raised back aboard and the crew sharp shooter took his .303 rifle and fired a few rounds puncturing the buoyancy tanks allowing the lifeboat to slide beneath the surface on its long trip to the ocean floor. Charles and the sickbay petty officer inspected the dead sailors and saw the bullet wounds stitched across their bodies, the boat and her crew had been machine gunned unmercifully. One of the dead was a young lad no more than 16 or 17, his youthful body shattered by the merciless machine gun fire.
Charles' anger flared that the unarmed seaman had been cut down in such a despicable manner and he vowed to seek retribution on the perpetrators of this criminal act. The Fox Hound steamed on her asdic searching the depths incessantly, Charles knew the chance of locating the submarine was almost impossible but he had to attempt the task. Darkness cloaked the sea and they steamed on through the night, the velvet black sky ablaze with the myriad bright stars above. The balmy tropical air gently caressed the crew on deck while the steady throbbing of her turbines shivered the hull, on the bridge Charles sat on his stool leaning on the wind break staring into the night his brain still seething with anger at the murder of the ship's crew. He planned on a sea burial for the three dead seamen to be carried out just after dawn action stations in the morning.
The sky began to lighten in the East as dawn neared, the bells shrilled dragging the crew from their sleep to hurry to action stations, the thud of running feet and slamming of hatches showed her readiness as the gunnery officer watched the indicator lights that showed her guns closed up and ready for action as he reported their readiness to the bridge and Charles complimented him on their efficiency. The ship moved on alert and ready for anything but as the golden orb lifted above the far horizon it showed all was well and the lookouts relaxed a little at their posts. The sun soon dried the moisture from her metal upper works as the temperature climbed, the men stood down and moved off to morning mess leaving just the duty watch as Fox Hound swept on across the vast sparkling blue sea. Charles clumped off the bridge to go to his sea cabin and wash up before Bradley served his breakfast, he stripped off his cap, shirt and undervest then began to wash in the basin of warm water set out for him. Bradley moved quietly in and placed Charles' bowl of cereal on the desk along with the milk, sugar and steaming teapot, he then retired back into his territory to prepare the fresh eggs and bacon he had purchased in Aden for his captain's breakfasts until they were all eaten.
Charles sat down his naked torso glistening after his wash and he began eating his meal, Bradley appeared as he finished his cereal and presented him with the hot food, the aroma of bacon made Charles' mouth water as he looked up at the reserved old steward, he grinned up at Bradley and said, "Thanks Bradders, you really are a gem old friend, I really don't know what I'd do without you mothering me like this. Sit down and join me in a cup of tea."
Bradley sat down and poured the tea after bringing in a second cup, they drank tea and Bradley listened to Charles' problems with the burial service and the hunt for the U-boat. Charles relaxed as he talked it out of his system and soon they were both at ease, then Charles stood up and picked up a clean shirt laid out for him he dressed again and placed his cap on his head before going up onto the bridge to organise the burial. The three corpses were lying side by side on the scrubbed wooden deck covered in Union Jack flags; they had been sewn into weighted canvas covers in readiness to being consigned to the sea. The off duty crew formed up while Charles read the burial service before the three bodies were tipped overboard to splash down and sink from sight into the dark depths while the crew stood to attention and the officers saluted their sad departure.
Fox Hound cruised on searching the depths, her asdic pinging monotonously, pinggggg, pinggggg, pinggggg, and no return to be heard, hour after hour she zig zagged back and forth relentlessly across the featureless blue surface. The bright hot sun eased its way down in the west to sink from sight once again and Charles kept searching, he was totally committed to hunting down the murderers. The night passed once again and several more as Fox Hound prowled on seeking her revenge, the morning of the fifth day dawned and the crew closed up at action stations when the port lookout reported a ship on the horizon.
Charles snatched up his binoculars searching the horizon and located the shape, it was a good-sized merchant vessel but not under power seemingly drifting with the wind or current, a faint haze from her forward funnel while the aft was inert. Charles immediately was on edge, why was the aft funnel not showing engine exhaust fumes? Was it genuine or a mock up built to disguise the ships true identity? Why was she stopped out here in the middle of nowhere?
He ordered action stations and the crew closed up quickly as the Fox Hounds engines began to thunder at full revolutions driving her towards the stationary vessel. The ship had obviously missed seeing the destroyer appear over the horizon astern and suddenly there was a flurry of action as her crew spotted the oncoming warship. The ship began to move and as she did Charles saw the reason for her being stopped mid ocean the low dark shape of a U-boat became visible as the ship gathered way.
Charles realised that the vessel was a either a supply ship or maybe even a surface raider, he immediately sent out a radio message giving their position and what he was seeing as the enemy vessels moved rapidly apart with the submarine submerging as fast as possible. The ship suddenly was wreathed in smoke as she dropped her disguise and began shelling the destroyer, her much heavier 6 inch guns far outranging the 4.7inch guns on Fox Hound, the shells straddled the fast moving destroyer attesting to the skill of the enemy and spray rained down drenching the decks from the near misses. Charles zigzagged to throw off the enemy gunners hoping he would be able to close enough to fire torpedos at the slower merchant cruiser, her guns continued to straddle the small fast warship as she weaved back and forth slewing across the swells.
A barrage of four torpedos arrowed towards the Fox Hound as the hidden submarine fired emptying her forward tubes, Charles turned towards the new threat trying to comb between the long white bubble tracks. This opened her whole broadside to the guns on board the German raider, a shell landed on Y gun on her quarter deck and exploded destroying the gun and killing its crew. The Fox Hound shuddered from the impact but steamed on trailing a pall of smoke behind her as the torpedos flashed past missing her racing hull.
The enemy raider continued to steam at full speed for the horizon leaving the smoking destroyer for the submarine to finish off. Charles knew he couldn't fight both vessels so he radioed the course of the enemy ship back to Tricomalee and the HMAS Sydney, an Australian light cruiser, picked up his message while steaming south off the Australian west coast, returning to Fremantle after escorting the troop ship Zealandia to the Sundr