The Atlantic Express
by: justjames17
(Copyright 2004 -2007 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...
 

Chapter 11

Our leave passed all too quickly and we barely had time to relax our highly strung nerves, young Tom looked haggard and he seemed to have aged 5 years in the short time we had spent on the last mission, such was the mental and physical strain of the debacle. The fact that we had been trapped in enclosed waters like that with nowhere to go had taken a heavy toll on our systems, I knew exactly how the Captain of the German destroyer felt, when the cruisers shells began to fall, complete frustration, then fear when he realized he was caught like a rat in a trap and his vessel was doomed. His delight at destroying the opposition forces gone in the spray of near misses from 8inch shells. I hoped we were never sent into a trap like that again, the Atlantic was a dangerous ocean but at least we had room to maneuver.

Allen appeared and couldn't understand the change in either Tom or myself, he wanted to have fun in bed but Tom wasn't interested in fun his desires were centered on fucking hard as he tried to blot the deaths of our sailors from his mind. He nearly raped young Allen he took him so hard and fast, the boy was crying at the ferocity Tom exuded as he pounded the tight young back passage. I took the boy into my arms after Tom finished and just ripped his cock from his bruised and sore young arse, Allen was shaking with his fear and bruised emotions. I comforted him whispering into his ear as I caressed his hair and back, " Shh it's ok Allen, Tom is very uptight just now we had a very bad experience this trip, he is going to take a while to calm down.
He didn't mean to be so rough with you. "

Allen sobbed in my arms and then he looked into my eyes, the tears caught on his long lashes glistened as he asked, " What happened to Tom that changed him like this Captain Charles?"

I shook my head sadly and said, " I can't tell you Allen it is secret business but I can tell you it was very frightening and it effected us all badly. One day when the war finishes and we have destroyed the Nazis I'll tell you what occurred. "

He sobbed sucking in his bottom lip and I just had to kiss him on the nose, eyes and then his soft lips, the taste of his salty young tears on my lips and tongue. Allen hugged me around the neck and buried his face into my neck he sobbed for some time as I soothed him then he stopped crying and just sobbed spasmodically every now and then. He ceased moving and I heard and felt his breathing lower and slow, I realized he had dropped off to sleep in my arms.

I lowered him to the bed and looked across at Tom who lay on the bed asleep twitching and mumbling in his disturbed sleep, I could vaguely make out the odd word here and there, enough to realize he was reliving the bombing attack that further damaged the towed cruiser and hit the destroyer's bridge ahead of us and blew the hole in our foredeck. I watched his tensed body as he moved perspiration glistening on his taught young body, he tossed about then suddenly sat up eyes wide and staring as he screamed, " WE'VE BEEN HIT, OH SHIT WE'LL ALL BE DROWNED."

I reached out to him and hugged his clammy body to mine saying, " It's ok Tom, we are safe you are in my home. Don't worry the expedition is finished just relax and calm down."

Tom shuddered and shook his head then gasped and threw his arms around my neck hugging me tightly enough to hurt, as he too broke down and sobbed deeply. Allen sat up and hugged Tom as well saying, " Please Tom I love you don't cry you are safe in the Captain's home. The ship is at the docks being repaired, there are no bombers near us here just calm down."

Tom shook still but his tears ceased and I felt him slowly relax the stranglehold he had around my aching neck, he let me go and hugged young Allen saying, " I think I hurt you before Allen, I'm truly sorry if I was too rough with you but I was sort of crazy when we made love together. I don't know why I wanted to fuck you that way, I'm so sorry for hurting you."

Allen hugged him and kissed his nipples, throat then raised himself to press his lips to Tom's mouth, and they tongue tangled and moaned together as I watched my penis rising at the entrancing sight before my eyes. Tom pulled away from Allen and pulled me down onto the bed he rolled me onto my side and licked his way down my spine causing me to shiver as my nerves tingled. Allen moved down in front of me taking my hard dribbling erection in his grasp licking my wet knob sucking the pre cum from my swollen tube, I was in heaven being serviced by these two gorgeous teenaged studs. My body began to respond to their ministrations as I moaned and thrust my hips towards Allen when Tom reached my arse cheeks and parted them allowing his tongue easy entry into my deep cleft.

My body ablaze with erotic emotions I moaned louder and louder and I felt Tom shifting about behind me in my stupor, he pressed his tumescent tool into my anus I pushed back on him and felt the familiar burning sensation as my ring parted and dilated to accept the fat knob. He popped into my chute and held me there as he pulsed his fat cock inside my hot tunnel enjoying the sensation of my body adjusting about his cock, after he felt me relax from his initial invasion he inched deeper and deeper pulling back a little each time then pushing deeper on the return stroke. I felt his silken pubes tickling my arse and knew he was nearly fully immersed, then with a grunt he flattened against my spread cheeks and gained the last little bit of my rectum.

I lay there feeling completely stuffed as Allen sucked hell out of my rigid roger, he little mouth and hands fully occupied as he sucked my cock and played with my aching overloaded balls. My body was teetering on a knife edge from the stupendous emotions these two teens were introducing to my worn tired body, I was almost out of control with lust and then Tom began to fuck me hard and deep. I lost all control, my nuts began to unload into Allen's mouth as I clenched my ring around Tom's plugging plunging penis, and Allen sucked on my hosing cock valiantly trying to swallow all my deluging semen. Tom bellowed behind me and I felt him go rigid and ram deeper into my rear end as he too climaxed spraying his sticky life force into my hot trembling bowels.

As the days passed and our bodies and minds unwound our sex improved and it became loving not just sex, from aggressiveness to gentleness, Allen enjoyed the change and Tom was again back to his normal excited loving self. The days flew past and we soon were due to leave again to return to the ship, we locked up the house and said farewell to out young friends Allen then headed for the station to wait for the train back to the city and docks. We knew not what fate or the Admiralty had in store for us but I guessed we would be back on the Atlantic Express.

We returned to the Spring Thorpe to be greeted by the First Officer who saluted me and handed me a thick sealed envelope, I thanked him and went below to find Bradley had a pot of tea waiting on my desk, he was an amazing individual who seemed to have a sixth sense regarding my movements. I greeted him effusively and he took my cap and jacket from me as I sat down at my desk and opened our orders, I removed the flimsy pages and began to read them. I was right our repairs were finished and we were to escort a convoy to New York again, I breathed a sigh of relief that at least we knew the dangers of this duty; only submarines and the odd enemy surface ship could cause us a problem.

We were to depart at 0600 hours in the morning and escort 35 ships across the pond to America, I sent for the Mr. Johnson the Number One, he knocked on my door and entered standing to attention and I smiled indicated the chair and he sat down placing his cap on the desk. I asked him if all was well and was the ship ready for sea, also how the repairs had gone, he informed me everything was top class and we were fully stored and the crew were all aboard. I offered him a whisky and he thanked me and Bradley poured two stiff nips then added ice to the glasses, we sat there enjoying the smoky taste and chatted about incidentals that had occurred during the ship's repairs and her stay in port. There had been a few problems with drunken brawling as the crew let off steam after their torrid experiences but he had handled the problem and after a couple of days they had settled down again.

I asked him if he'd had some leave and he said yes three days and Guns and the Navigator had looked after things while he was at home with his pregnant wife, he told me she was due to have the baby in about three weeks and all was well with her and the baby. I said, " I hope we are back in time for the birth."

I doubted we would return in time for the new arrival, the return trip usually took over three weeks as the ships had to be unloaded then reloaded for the return trip, that combined with the slow speed of the convoys all took time. We chatted on for a while then he said, " I'd better go up and check on things sir."

I nodded and he stood up snapped to attention and hurried off back to the bridge, I sat there reading the orders and then caught up with all the paperwork that had accrued whilst I had been on leave. I then donned my cap and took a turn around the decks ensuring all was ship shape and ready for out forthcoming duties. I then inspected the repairs on the foredeck and went below to inspect what work had been done in the forecastle area where the bomb had penetrated and exploded. The dockyard seemed to have carried out the job well considering how busy they were with repairing damaged ships and building new vessels. I wandered back through the 'tween decks and mounted the ladders up to the bridge.

As my cap came into view the bridge crew all snapped to attention when the C.P.O signalman barked at them, I stepped onto the deck and saluted the men telling them to carry on with their duties. I saw young Tom working on the starboard wing of the bridge painting the previously red leaded handrail, I stepped across and quietly said, " Well Tom we are off onto the pond once more sheep dogging reluctant merchant ships, let's hope it is a peaceful convoy I think we deserve one don't you?"

Tom nodded and grinned while he jumped to attention then snapped out, " Yes Sir I hope so Sir."

I nodded to him and walked to my bridge stool and perched my arse on it and watched the busy port around us, the whole area was a hive of industry, steam trains huffed and puffed pulling long strings of cars full of supplies away into the distance, while others arrived with empties awaiting the cranes to fill them as they unloaded the heavily laden cargo ships. Small craft motored busily about the dirty brown waters carrying ships crews back and forth from the ships awaiting berths at the wharves and tugboats were busily bumbling about towing ships to their positions. I studied the damaged areas visible from where we were docked and was amazed at the devastation the bombers had wreaked on the warehouses and wharves. The blitz seemed to have abated a little as the Royal Air Force gradually gained the upper hand downing many of the bombers and making things very hot for those still attacking.

The air began to turn cold as the sun disappeared behind the building clouds and the breeze turned towards the Northeast, a definite chill made me shiver a little and I decided I'd go below, as it was time for the evening mess call. I rattled down the ladders and walked to my cabin to find Bradley was setting up the desk with a white tablecloth and cutlery. I rubbed my cold hands together and grinned at him as I tossed my cap across onto my bunk and sat expectantly at the desk wondering what delight he had found for the meal. I felt ravenous and thought this might be the last really good meal till we reached New York as my saliva glands opened to the aroma of hot food. Bradley entered carrying a huge plate of bangers and mash, zeppelins in the fog or sausages and mashed potatoes, this he knew was one of my favorite meals and they were real potatoes not the packaged type we usually had to eat. I wolfed the main course down sopping up the gravy remnants with some bread then he took the plate away returning with desert, tinned pears and real cream, I was in heaven this was followed by hot tea and a whisky to finish off the meal. I sat back leaning back rubbing my stomach happily; I thanked him when he collected the crockery and cleared off the desk. He gave me his usual enigmatic smile and nodded at my gratitude then retired back into his cubical.

The meal sat heavily in my stomach so I thought I had better get up and go for another turn around the decks to allow it to settle, I tucked my cap under my arm to let the crew know I didn't want to be saluted and wandered out on deck. I walked about checking on the guns, the fire points and checked out the torpedo launchers and the depth charges on the fantail. Everything was in good order and appeared to be ready for our imminent departure, I chatted to the men working on the depth charge rails greasing the metal to ensure the heavy charges slipped down readily. They seemed to have recovered from the Norwegian fiasco and were in good spirits, I left them to it and shivered again as a cold gust whistled across the decks.

It was now looking as though we would have an unpleasant morning for our departure and probably a nasty few days battling the angry Atlantic. I prayed that it would ease off quickly and went to check the barometer and the latest weather reports, the barometric pressure was falling and the reports indicated a large fast moving low pressure area descending on us from the direction of Russia. It looked nasty and I shuddered at the thought of punching into it on the Atlantic, it would be extremely unpleasant but at least it would keep the U boats submerged and out of our hair.

The night passed quickly I had my last good sleep before the arduous task began, I arose at 0400 showered and ate a hearty breakfast then ascended to the bridge to get things moving for our departure. The wind cut like a knife, it was freezing cold and sleet was being driven almost horizontally into our faces as we huddled in our wet weather gear on the open bridge. The engines were running and we could feel the vibration through the soles of our feet, the faint haze from the funnels whipped away by the gale force wind, the mooring lines had been singled up and we were nearly ready to caste off. The wind was buffeting our ship causing the hull to list slightly over the wharf as it pressed us against the timber and rubber buffers. It would make our leaving the dock difficult as the full length of the ship was open to the force of the gale, I ordered the stern line cast off and then rang down for slow astern on the starboard engine trying to pull our stern away from the dock. The ship shuddered as the prop thrashed the dirty water, slowly the stern began to swing on the bowline, as she moved out I ordered the bowline caste off and we reversed away into the river.

The ship was gaining sternway when I called for slow ahead on both engines the engines began to turn the massive propellers and we began to move ahead slowly, the ship was now free of her moorings and making way ahead easily. The trip down river was uneventful except for the foul weather and we were soon steaming offshore awaiting the heavily laden cargo vessels to form up for the convoy. They appeared slowly through the driving rain and sleet and after much harassing the lines began to form up, we continued to steam ahead as the convoy took shape and after a couple of hours we were at 12 knots heading towards the United States, the gale battering us side on as we struggled along in the terrible visibility.

Two days we battled the gale then it began to ease and the rain cleared as the leaden sky cleared slowly, the wind eased and turned to the eat as we slowly steamed west. The submarines would now be emerging from their forced submersion so I advised the lookouts to be on their toes as they searched the horizon. It was six hours before the first torpedoes streaked through the water, a brace of four, spread wide, appeared and two ships were hit a large modern cargo ship of 10,000 tons took a double hit one in the bow the second aft in her stern, the second ship an elderly tramp steamer took her hit squarely amidships the force of the explosion almost lifted her from the water, her comical tall funnel snapped it's stays and fell over the side as she listed immediately her heavy load and the gushing water ensuring she wouldn't float for long. The large ship was sinking nearly on an even keel as she flooded for and aft, in minutes the tramp steamer was gone, her life boats bobbing on the surface filled with what crew still lived, her younger cousin slowly sank her crew able to abandon ship with plenty of time.

Two of our escorts raced to the area of the submarine and immediately we heard the sirens sounding as they located the enemy, the deep thunder of their depth charges resonating through the water to sound on our hull, the Commodore on the lead cruiser ordered us to pick up the survivors in their boats so we steamed across and rescued the sailors quickly expecting a torpedo at any minute as we were stationary in the water. I was happy to be able to ring for half speed ahead when the last survivors were hauled over the side, we hurried to catch up with the convoy as the two avenging ships hurried back after claiming a kill on the submarine. The commander of the U boat must have been inexperienced as they had caught him easily and blew his vessel apart in a very short time.

The First Officer settled the rescued seamen in the Wardroom and organized our Sick Berth Attendant to check and dress any injuries they had suffered. The convoy moved on and over the next few days we were repeatedly attacked by submarines and we lost a further six ships including one of the escort vessels a Flower Class Corvette which just blew apart when hit, we were unable to assist her as the submarines were all around the convoy harassing us mercilessly, it hurt leaving our men behind but it was impossible to rescue the survivors under the circumstances. Our force was stretched thin trying to keep the sneaky U boats away from our charges.

We seemed to leave the wolf pack behind and peace settled over the 27 remaining ships, one of which had taken a hit in the forward hold but was still able to maintain her speed even though she was down a little by the bows. We steamed on hopefully praying that we had outdistanced the subs but we knew they were probably shadowing us from a distance as they prepared to attack again.

We received a radio message from the Queen Elizabeth, a passenger liner full of Canadian troops which was sailing unescorted due to her speed, saying she had been fired on by a cargo ship not far to the south of our position. The Commodore signaled us to proceed at full speed to her position to assist her if needed, we turned away and raced to the south, while the Navigation Officer worked out our course and estimated time of arrival. We signaled her telling her we would be there in about 2 hours and asked was she still under attack, she replied that she had outdistanced her attacker which was somewhere astern of her current position. She gave us a description of her attacker, it was a modern single funneled cargo vessel, black hulled with buff upper works flying the Danish flag, her funnel was red with a black top.

We raced to her position and found her tearing through the sea at 22 knots, it was an amazing sight to see a massive liner at that speed her dull gray paint detracting from her usual pristine appearance. I had sailed on her in more peaceful times and wondered what she was like inside now that she was being used as a troop transport, her pre war magnificence stripped out to accommodate many men. We signaled her and she told us the last position known for the attacking ship so we wished her bon voyage and steamed flat out to find the attacker.

An hour passed and we were about to turn away back to the convoy when a faint smoke haze was observed on the horizon, we turned towards it and soon saw the superstructure of a ship, the color scheme tallied with the description but she had twin funnels. We steamed towards her our guns loaded and trained on her, we signaled her to stop engines but she ignored our demand, we tried to raise her by radio but again no answer. I discussed the situation with the First Officer and we agreed that it looked like the right ship, as one funnel had no smoke issuing from it and was possibly a phony. I ordered a shot across her bows and the gun bellowed sending the shell to land right in front of her bow, she ignored the shell and we saw men hurrying about her decks. The Danish flag pulled down and replaced with the Nazi naval ensign as she prepared to do battle.

Huge pieces of deck gear folded down to expose guns mounted on her decks, large caliber guns bigger than ours, possibly 6 inch at least, I rang down for full speed and ordered the guns to open fire as her guns erupted flinger their missiles towards us. Her aim was limited due to the design and mounting of her armaments, the shells whined overhead to expend their energy in the water some miles away. The gunner had been ready and all six guns belched as one sending their shells howling through the air to impact on her decks, the gun crews were either killed or disabled by the explosions and flying splinters.

She attempted to turn to bring her port side guns to bear but with our speed and maneuverability we were able to thwart her endeavours. Our rate of fire blanketed her and she was soon heavily on fire, her superstructure looking like a colander smoke belching from the shell holes. She never had a chance against a fast destroyer as her speed was no more than 15 knots, her guns were mounted in such a way that they were virtually unable to traverse, she was a sitting target much like the old Orontes had been against the Graf Spee.

We sat off her and continued to pound the burning ship, her Nazi flag still flew flauntingly even though her guns were useless we couldn't cease fire as long as she flew that symbol of aggression. Her hull now full of gaping holes began to take on water as she settled slowly; I ordered the guns to cease fire and silence settled over the drama. We could hear the sound of the conflagration, the fires setting shells exploding inside her hull, her steel hull glowing cherry red where the fires burnt hottest. There was no sign of life on her decks as she slowly sank in front of us and as she foundered in a cloud of smoke and steam we turned away to hasten back to the convoy.

Our embattled convoy was struggling on they had lost seven more ships including a 12,000 ton oil tanker and the submarines were back with a vengeance, they were attacking in numbers up to four at a time making it impossible for our escorts to hunt them down. The situation was extremely serious as the ships were picked off and we tore back and forth trying to keep the U boats away, all to no avail they eventually retired after firing all their torpedoes, many of which luckily were duds and didn't explode on contact. One ship was steaming along with a torpedo embedded through her hull.

The rest of the trip we were unmolested and we breathed a sigh of relief to see two American heavy cruisers appear over the horizon and they joined us for the last day of our trip. Our original convoy was depleted and there were only eighteen merchantmen left on our arrival in New York. We had lost seventeen ships not counting the poor little corvette that had been blown to pieces. I felt the obliteration of the German raider made up a little for the loss of our comrades in the corvette. I was pacing the bridge like a caged animal as my thoughts turned to New York and seeing the adorable Henry once more.

We reached the docks and tied up there and I rang Henry's flat, as soon as the land line was connected, to let him know we were back in America, there was no answer so I guessed he was at the theatre either rehearsing or maybe the show had opened by now. I made a mental note to ring him about midnight to see if he was home by then. I couldn't wait to see him again and I'm sure young Tom wanted to hook up with Richard once more. We carried on the ship's business and I wrote out a lengthy report on the operation against the German Raider.

2330 hours I picked up the phone and got the operator asking to be connected to Henry's number, the phone rang and rang then it was answered by a breathless voice, it was my lover Henry he had heard the phone when walking from the lift so he ran to unlock the door and grab the receiver before it stopped ringing. I put on a phony voice and stooged him for a while saying I was a reporter of a theatrical magazine, then I began to laugh and he puzzled for a minute until I spoke normally. He recognized my voice and nearly dropped the phone in shock, he asked where I was and I told him we were back in New York and I couldn't wait to see him. He wanted to grab a taxi and rush down there and then but I told him I couldn't get away till tomorrow morning at the earliest, he growled in frustration but then cheered up and I asked how Dick was. He told me that Richard was the same as ever and would be over the moon when he heard I was back, he had been driving Henry mad asking when the ship would return and if that hunky young sailor Tom would be on board.

I laughed and told Henry he was on board then told him about my liaison back in England with Tom and young Allen, he was quite happy about the arrangement and he told me that Richard and he kept one another amused while waiting for my return. I was happy that he wasn't upset by what had occurred and I grinned to myself thinking of Henry in bed with Richard having sex together.

I chatted for about half an hour then I heard Henry yawning tiredly and I said that I'd ring him in the morning to see what was going on, he wished me pleasant dreams and blew a big kiss down the phone as we hung up.

To be continued...
 

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Posted: 08/03/07