The second Expedition of LZ-X1 Württemberg
From the Diary of Kapitän Albrecht von Kober, commanding officer LZ-X1 Württemberg:
June 22ndSo this is it, our next assignement and expedition. Tomorrow the Württemberg will be transfered to the Kaiserliche Zeppelinwerft Berlin Tempelhof for further modifications and upgrades.
It will be at least two weeks until the insulation is installed, the auxiliary generators are upgraded and all the other thing only Gruson and his men understand are finished. For the rest of us this means two more weeks more or less off duty.
I shall go to the Kaiserliches Telegraphenamt tomorrow and try sending a telegraph to Calcutta. Gwendolen and her parents should still be there, if not, then there should be someone who knows where they are.
Afterwards I shall ask Viceadmiral von Grewe if I can take a week's leave to visit my family.
June 30th
It was good to see my family again after almost 15 months. I was rather surprised that the mayor of Ludwigshafen invited me for a grand dinner as soon as he learned I visited my family. Graf von Zeppelin also personally congratulated me and my crew on our achivements and was not only a little inquisitive about our next cruise but of course I am not at liberty to tell him anything.
Unfortunately there has so far been no reply from India. Perhaps they are at some godforsaken outpost of the Empire and the telegraph has not reached Gwendolen yet; but I shall concentrate on other things for now. Tomorrow I meet with Vogel and Gruson and we will talk some more with Viceadmiral von Grewe. Perhaps we learn a few more details about our mission and we will also inspect the progress of the work on our beloved LZ-X1 Württemberg.
July 1st
Today was a really nice, warm summer's day, also, the Flottenkommando has assigned a Fähnrich Wegener to be my aide for the time while the work on the LZ-X1 Württemberg is completed.
His first day he made quite an impression. I sent him to check at the Telegraphenamt wether a message had arrived and it had. It was only from Doktor Wentworth but it was good news still. The Wentworths are, just as I presumed, out there among the natives and it takes about a week for them to get to Calcutta. Gwendolen and her mother a at a mission station while Doktor Wentworth has been assigned to the staff of Captain MacAllister o the 3rd Stirling Rifles. All are well and the good Doktor has assured me of passing my message on. I gave Fähnrich Wegener a cigar after I read the telegraph.
The meeting between Vogel, Gruson and me and the Flottenkommando was most intersting. We are to confirm some calculations regarding a short and very direct trade route between us and the Japanese Empire. For this reason the Württemberg will be equipped with very precise instruments to measure the exact time and distance traveled. Also, we are to investigate the validity of certain theories and test some more special equipment for that purpose.
July 2nd
Inspected the works on the Württemberg with Gruson today. Everything is well within schedule. Sent Wegener to send another message to Doktor Wentworth, also I shall go the the Flottenkommando tomorrow to discuss a few options for the time after our voyage to Japan. I hope they will accept my suggestions.
July 4th
The meeting with the Flottenkommando did not quite go as planned but they had some very intersting suggestions of their own. After the voyage to Japan and the fulfillment of our duties and obligations in Japan I shall have 10 days leave to do as I please with the Zeppelin, than I am to contact the nearest base or the Flottenkommando and wait for further instructions.
10 days is not much but it is better than nothing.
July 5th
Met with Gruson and Vogel today. The LZ-X1 Württemberg will be operational and fully equipped in two days. I shall get my gear together, send a telegraph to Ludwigshafen and Calcutta and then make ready for the voyage. This expedition will be very different and although it is much shorter, there are far more dangers waiting for us.
Shadow of LZ-X1 Württemberg north of Berlin, 7th July, heading north-north-west.
July 8th
We left Berlin yesterday just before sunrise and are currently heading north along the coast of Norway towards Harstad, where we will turn straight north, fly past Svalbard, over the geographical North Pole and on to the northern point of inaccessability at . Then we will turn southeast with a course set for Hokkaidō.
If all goes well and the equipment performs according to our expectations we shall be in Sapporo in less than a week.
July 9th
Encountered some nasty weather towards noon. Gave order to climb over the clouds and continue north. We should see Svalbard early tomorrow.
Also, we are already noticing the effects of our geographical position. The nights are getting ever shorter and soon we shall be within the realm of the midnight sun.
July 10th
Passed over Svalbard.
Interestingly, there we passed a rather large factory which seems to be completely out of place in this part of the world.
There was little going on when we passed and even more intersting there were not any boats or ships nearby to take or deliver goods and we did not see any buildings which looked like workers could be accomodated there. I have sent a message to the Flottenkommando informing them about our discovery. A factory so far north has to be there for a very specific reason, it would make no sense otherwise. It's too far of the regular trade routes and it does not look like a whaling station at all.
July 11th
Matrose Spitz reported some movement below in the water this morning. He said it looked like one of the U-boats the Kaiserliche Marine is testing right now, only slightly larger. Perhaps this has something to do with the factoy we spotted or it belongs to the Royal, Russian or even Swedish Navy.
I have informed headquarters, just to be sure.
July 12th
Later yesterday we passed a large-ish herd of whales. We have no zoologist on board to tell the exact species, but, and this may only be suspicion without base, a U-boat could hide in such a herd. Later today we shall reach the pole if all goes well. Below the never-melting ice sheet.
Due to the nature of the ice below us we can fly at near sea level, which makes for a excellent clear view. We can even see seals and the occasional polar bear.
July 12th, 16:46
Hurra! We have reached the pole!
July 13th
After reaching the pole I ordered our Flag to be raised on a patch of ice and we all had a glass of cognac, but our goal is the northern point of inaccessability so we are pressing on, we should get there tomorrow.
July 13th 14:32
Maat Lederer just reported seeing a small turret emerge between the sheets of floating ice. I have ordered everyone to watch the sea beneath us very closely, I feel it in my bones, something strange is going on down there.
July 14th
It is early morning. Hardly slept last night. It is constant dailight outside during the arctic summer anyway but we did it! There is an u-boat operating in these waters and we have evidence.
I have æthergraphed our discovery to the Flottenkommando and am waiting for further instructions.