It seemed as if the gods had answered his prayers, when he saw the enemy aircraft finally veer away and head for home. Then it turned again and to Hayama’s consternation, he watched it bank before making a steep dive. Moments later he saw the Spitfire’s cannon flashing and heard the roar of gunfire above the crashing surf. To his satisfaction he also heard the louder boom of 1–47’s bow gun, as the submarine tried to fight off its attacker. He looked on, a fascinated spectator, as the plane turned and dived again, the submarine’s gun firing in a constant barrage. His satisfaction turned to delight when he saw smoke pouring from the aircraft’s fuselage. He stood and watched as the plane pitched and crashed into the sea, the soldiers around him laughing and cheering. The pilot, if he was not dead already, would have been killed by the impact and Hayama knew that he and his men were safe. The submarine had come and gone and could now continue its glorious work against the enemy.
