A Ship Must Die (1981) Read Free Page B

of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. ‘The last operational raider which had any success out here was the
Michel
. She was sunk by a US sub about three months ago. But that was way up in Japanese waters.’ He rubbed his chin. ‘We’ve been in regular contact with the Admiralty in London and someone
very high up
made a signal to us just a few days after you berthed at Williamstown.’
    Blake considered it. Even with her experienced and seasoned hands to back up a new company,
Andromeda
was unfit for immediate service. But against that he could appreciate Quintin’s and the Australian Navy’s point of view.
    The next few months were very important for the Allies, even crucial. It was obvious an invasion would be launched against Occupied France while the armies continued to push up through Italy from the south.
    Every man, ship, tank and gun would be vital. There would be no second chance. It had to come off. If they missed it when the European weather improved they would have to wait another year. In Russia the German armies now on the defensive might regroup and push through yet again. In the snow and misery of the Russian front, despite the horrifying casualty lists, they had already achieved a brutal but significant record.
    And in two world wars the Germans had learned to make good use of commerce raiders. There was no better way of disrupting the supply routes and making convoys take longer diversions to avoid attack. Equally important, the fact that a raider was known to be at large necessitated the deployment of large numbers of warships to seek out and destroy her.
    If there was such a ship in these vast sea areas, the German command could not have picked a finer moment. Convoys round the Cape with men for the Pacific. Convoys from New Zealand and Australia with supplies for Britain. Hundreds of valuable ships, any one of which might be vital to some part of the war machine.
    Quintin was saying, ‘Anyway, the First Naval Member willput you in the picture. I thought you’d want me to soften the blow.’ He smiled sadly. ‘I knew your father. Liked him a lot. A fine seaman.’
    The door opened and the Wren officer said calmly, ‘Flags is here, sir. The admiral’s ready for Captain Blake.’
    Blake looked at her. ‘Thanks.’ To Quintin he said, ‘I imagine it’s going to be quite a day, one way or the other.’ He thought of
Andromeda
’s motto.
Help from on High.
They were all going to need it.
    As the door closed behind him the captain said, ‘Well, Claire, what did you make of him?’
    She brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. ‘I think they expect too much. He looks like a man who has been through hell and back.’ She grimaced. ‘He’s going to
love
our Commodore Stagg, I don’t think!’
    As she left him alone again, Captain Quintin gathered up his papers then let them fall on the desk unheeded.
    He had been serving in a British light cruiser in that other, almost forgotten war. That was where he had met Blake’s father. Christ, he thought, were we ever as young as that?
    As soon as he returned on board, Blake went to his day cabin and opened his new orders.
    Moon appeared and said, ‘Commander Fairfax ’as arrived, sir. ’E was down in the forrard magazine when you came off shore. Didn’t get a chance to greet you, so to speak.’
    Blake sat back in his chair, his mind still buzzing from his interview with the admiral in Melbourne.
    Two cruisers were to be used to track down the raider if there was one reported, and be at first-degree readiness to carry out a search in whatever area it was known to be. Simple. A needle in a haystack would be gigantic by comparison.
    To Moon he said, ‘Ask him to come aft, then send for Number One.’
    Lieutenant-Commander Francis Scovell was
Andromeda
’s first lieutenant. A tall, thin officer with a disdainful manner. Of all the cruiser’s wardroom, he had been the one to miss thelast savage battle. His reasons for being away at the time were not of