Three months...

Part 1.

 

“Three months is going to be a bloody long time” mused Digger, as he threw his kit bag on the middle bunk “a bloody long time!” Placing the picture of his beloved Chloe on the gun-metal grey wall at the head of the bed, he happily reminisced on the Christmas and New Year celebrations just passed, “but this will do; at least I got to spend some quality time with my family –  and Chloe – before the mission” he mumbled…

 

“This will suffice” mumbled Lieutenant Dave Pritchard, as he placed his prized framed photograph of AFC Bournemouth lifting the 2015 Championship trophy and winning promotion to the premier league, on the desk in his small cabin. “What a Christmas” he thought, noting that the unusually long leave ensured he saw all of the Cherry’s games. Dave placed his suitcase on the left hand bunk…

 

“Here we go again!” shouted Able Seaman ‘Jonah’ Jones, as he peeled off the photo of Chloe, placed it, and Digger’s kit bag, on the top bunk. “When you are as wet behind the ears as you Seaman Diggburt, you get the top bunk! That is how it is, and you get to buy the beers on the first run ashore, and I like my beer… and it will be in some far flung shore...”

 

“Hello Dave, get that shite off my desk” declared Lieutenant Dave Beaumont, replacing it with a large portrait of himself and a bronzed male climbing a steep crag. “How are you mucker? Roommates again, what have I done to deserve this? Great climbing Dave – Aconcagua - the highest peak outside of the Himalaya’s; Christmas in Argentina…How was your leave?”

 

It was late January as the Astute-class submarine, HMS Autonomous, one of the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, was ready to depart. The 97-metre long, 7,400 tonne nuclear-powered submarine had completed all checks and was diving, with its world-leading sensors, design and weaponry, on a secret underwater voyage that even its Commander was unaware of, in detail.

 

With a crew of 98, it was probable that some of the sailors would know each other well, but it was unusual for four close friends, from the same neighbourhood to be aboard. Jonah had served the longest, some twelve years and was on the maiden voyage of the vessel; ‘Digger’ Diggburt was straight from ‘the factory’ at Portsmouth and it was his first time proper at sea. The two Dave’s went to school together, joined up together and were commissioned in the same intake. They had spent their first three years respectively on different ships but were ‘made up’ to be serving together again. It was at the pre-trial briefings that the four men, all hailing from Bournemouth, realised they would be serving together; they had all been at school together, albeit in separate years. They had drunk a few beers off duty, but were all very aware of their different ranks and responsibilities for this mission.

 

The tannoy crackled into life once the boat was underway and the Commanders clipped voice explained that their task was to listen in to radio traffic in hostile waters, it would be a long voyage, possibly 14 weeks – the very top range the craft was designed to be at sea for; there would be no runs ashore and no contact with the outside world, save the radio traffic. “That is all” the Commanders voice drifted away.

 

“14 weeks and no shore leave!” Jonah growled. “No ale!”

 

“No texts or calls to Chloe?” Digger mumbled.

 

“The bloody season will be over!” Cried Dave P.

 

“Always happens when I meet someone…” Dave B mumbled.

 

Meandering the dark corridor, avoiding pipes and machinery, back to their bunk, Dave P raised his eyebrows and asked, “So who is she Dave?”

 

“Nobody.” Dave retorted quickly.

 

“Is there no signal at all on this thing?” Digger asked Jonah “four bloody months!” He was welling up.

 

“It’s not the lack of signal you need to be concerned with, what about the fact that there is no beer and we are not stopping off to get some!” Jonah sounded genuinely upset. “I joined the Navy to drink all over the world and they’re telling me I have to wait three months and its going to be back in Hampshire.”

 

The first two week flew by and the initial concerns regarding missing Chloe, beer, AFC Bournemouth and rock climbing had little time to raise their respective heads, as it literally was all hands to the deck as the drills for the boat were rehearsed and re-rehearsed. Each man had to perfect their own role: Lt. Beaumont spending hours in the darkened operations room learning the new radio codes and getting to grips with the foreign language he was expected to comprehend; Dave Pritchard was also learning new things as he understudied the Weapons Officer, knowing that this sub was armed with Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk land attack missiles - the Astute class submarines being the most highly-capable submarines ever built for the Royal Navy and he had to learn those weapon systems inside out and train his sailors on how to deploy them; Jonah had switched into ‘sea mode’ and just went about his engineering work as he always did, he was distracted somewhat in the fact that his promotion found him training new seaman, the likes of Digger; Digger was a quick learner and enthusiastic, making his time fly too. Coupled with fire fighting training and first aid refreshers, time on watch and sleep, it was no wonder that a month had passed before the monotony kicked in.

 

“It is not a she; but a he - is it not?” Dave asked Dave on a rare occasion they had downtime together.

 

“What makes you say that?” Dave replied nervously.

 

“The way you look at the photo, I appreciate you miss your beloved climbing, but you do spend a lot of time staring at, Christian, did you say he was called?”

 

“Leave it” Dave B snapped and wandered to the galley.

 

Jonah and Digger were also locked in conversation. “So, you’re really going to get married? Why? You have the world at your feet; I am halfway through my career…” Jonah stated. “Yours is just starting.”

 

“Yep,” Digger retorted “next year, these long trips will help me save up the money.”

 

Jonah looked at Digger and laughed. “The money is for beer, shots and cocktails, I am not even thinking of settling down until I have served my time, too much good ale and cocktails to taste – God I would kill for a drink.”

 

“Apologies Lieutenant, I was out of order” Dave P humbly offered as Dave B returned. “We have been mates a long time and I had my suspicions and I really do not care”.

 

“Good” replied his fellow Officer, “because Chris and I are an item and I do need to be able to talk to someone – and as you well know the Navy is not as modern in all areas as it makes out to be.”

 

“Pleased for you mate, really, and feel free to talk, you have always listened to my harping on about my love, the beautiful AFC Bournemouth.”

 

They both laughed, albeit a little awkwardly, knowing an important moment in their relationship had just happened. Then they fell silent as they both pondered their loves and how they were missing what should be such an everyday thing. To speak to your partner, kiss them, touch them… equally to go and watch a football match, again should be straight forward, for a civilian anyway.

 

“Seriously Digger, good luck to you, hope you find happiness. Truth is I would love to have settled down but was too busy pissing my wages up the wall for any woman to take notice of me” Jonah muttered.

 

“But you must have met hundreds of girls on your travels” said Digger assumedly.

 

“Indeed” chuckled Jonah, “but not the type you take home to meet your parents – seriously though, I do miss sitting in a pub or a bar and watching the world go by.”

 

“Me too, but with Chloe there with me…” Digger agreed. “Can I ask you something serious Jonah? We go back a long way, neighbours and that. And it was you that made me want to join the Navy, coming home on leave and telling your stories, it was you that took me for my first pint…”

 

“What?” came the embarrassed answer.

 

“Well, I was going to wait until we got to somewhere exotic (but that isn’t happening on this trip) and buy you a beer and ask you… Will you be my best man?”

 

They both laughed, albeit a little awkwardly, knowing an important moment in their relationship had just happened. Then they fell silent as they both pondered their loves and how they were missing what should be such an everyday thing. To speak to your fiancée, tell them you love them, plan together. Go to the pub and enjoy some people watching and a beer, dinner out, shots, cocktails and more beer (Jonah thought).

 

Being on a submarine disorients you; you have no clue where you are or even what time it is. And as the three months passed that was the case for all four men. That said Dave Beaumont had made several sensible guesses as he broke down the codes and listened in with his new language skills but was never really sure.