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Red Sky at Night

Sunsets at sea were beautiful. Lieutenant Francis Gray stared out over the bridges railing and
drew a deep drag on his cigarette. The crimson streak raged across the quickly darkening sky
setting the other ships in stark relief. The year was 1941, and the men aboard the Berkeley were
on a North Atlantic convoy. Their destination was Nova Scotia. A quick trip across an ocean,
being hounded by the Kriegsmarine for half of it (Barratt).
Lieutenant Gray turned against the railing and eyed the slowly receding Scottish coastline. He
flicked the ash of the end of the cigarette and returned to the bridge.
See anything interesting Williams?
Gray quipped at the lanky man holding a pair of binoculars as he took his seat. Midshipman
Williams was one of the few officers who wasnt an insufferable prick with an overinflated ego.
Naturally, Williams and Gray got along famously.
No sir, seems everything is going well enough. Did see a sailor vomit over the side over on the
HMS Benson. No whales, no mermaids, and, thankfully, no U-boats.
Thank you Williams. Carry on.
A sharp eye was needed. This convoy was light on escorts. The two destroyers that guarded the
Berkeley and her thirty comrades were just not enough (Barratt). Gray leaned back and
continued his command.
The chapel in Golspie was a cozy affair, much like the rest of the village. Gray, a cadet at this
point, paused on the cart track road ad soaked in the springtime air. A beautiful, clear, day is a

precious commodity here in Scottland, Gray wouldnt waste it for anything. He still had time to
reach his sisters wedding.
The night was always dull, terrifying, but dull. The U-boats were hard to spot during the day and
nigh impossible to see in the night. All that one saw was the glint of a periscope or the flash of a
105mm deck gun. In this weather, even getting that much warning would be a mercy. The thick
fog obscured the stars and the sea, leaving nothing but an impenetrable black mass as far as the
eye could see.
Hows the watch Lieutenant?
Ensign Edson called out as he came out of the nearest hatch. Gray shot him a glare in return.
Edson grabbed his pack of cigarettes and made motions to light one.
Dont, Edson. Were running dark in hostile waters. Do you want the krauts to find us?
I slapped the lighter out of his hands, and into the sea. Edson made moves to protest but quickly
remembered his place. Edson sighed and returned to his bunk. Gray shrugged and stared back
over the inky mass of the sea. He technically wasnt on watch, as he is an officer, but
nevertheless felt it was his duty to keep an eye on things. Gray laid his arms on the railings and
waited. Hours later, Aidan, a fellow Scotsman, came to relieve Gray. Gray smiled and passed
over his woolen overcoat. Gray slowly walked back to the bridge, and his cabin.
Rachaels wedding was scheduled for April 11, 1936, several years before Gray deployed. He
was just a cadet at the time and welcomed the time away from the academy. He hadnt seen his
any member of his family for months, he hadnt even met his sisters fianc. He did know his
name was Eric Koehler.
A sudden, violent, rocking snapped Gray to sudden consciousness. Whatever just happened did
not bode well. The ship was nearly a thousand nautical miles from the nearest friendly shore, and
sinking would be rather unfortunate. Gray threw his uniform on and rushed out of his cabin and
directly to the bridge.
Sound general quarters. Sub-Lieutenant Algernon, status report.
Fire reported on the Benson, sir. We were not the target.
Roger Algernon, you are relieved.
Gray stepped to the center of the bridge and gauged the situation. Flames were visible branching
from the Benson, a merchantman from the early 1920s. The destroyer escorts rapidly began to
swivel their guns and maneuvered to the port side of the convoy, where the Benson sat burning.
Helmsman, move to assist rescue operations. Drop to slow and move five degrees port. Ensign
Carter, radio our intent. Were the closest. Well handle this.
Gray had never seen Rachael so happy. Resplendent in her flowing white dress, beaming at the
nervous looking runt standing by the altar. Erich was a good man by Grays estimation. He was

kind to his sister, and she loved him deeply. He earned Grays respect, and, eventually, his
friendship.
The last of the survivors were now being gathered. The torpedo didnt cause immediate sinking,
but the Benson was taking on a great deal of water. It would be under the waves within an hour.
The rescued sailors aboard the Berkeley were beginning to take roll. A total of five men were
missing, one of which was Erich.

Works Cited
Barratt, John. "Military History Online." Military History Online. Military History Online. Web.
11 Nov. 2015.