Lt. Erwin Wittig / U-69 / Patrol 1

[smilinicon]

Orders for Transfer and Patrol 1.

Lt Erwin Wittig is to tranfer to Enigma Flotilla imediately. Depart from Willhelshaven and after patrol completion, return to homing base Kiel by way of kanal.

CURRENT ORDERS


WITTIG: DEPART ON OR ABOUT 05, SEPT 1939 FOR BF17 AREA AT ECONOMICAL SPEED. YOUR MISSION IS VITAL AS YOUR RECCE WILL ALLOW OPERATIONS TO COMMENCE AGAINST THE WESTERN APPROACHES. HUNT FOR CONVOYS WORKING THE WESTERN APPROACHES ON THE 'OA' AND 'OB' CONVOY ROUTES. AVOID ALL ENEMY WARSHIP CONTACTS. DO NOT ATTACK CAPITOL SHIPS AT THIS POINT IN THE HOSTILITIES. YOU MAY ENGAGE ENGLISH, FRENCH AND POLISH SHIPPING. RETURN TO PORT AT KIEL NO LATER THAN MID-NOVEMBER.


STANDING ORDERS

ALL EARLY BOATS MAY USE ANY TRAVEL ROUTE OUT OF KIEL.
ALL BOATS WILL REPORT STATUS 'REGULARLY'(*)
ALL BOATS WILL REPORT CONVOYS BEFORE ATTACKING.(1)

(*) DEPENDS ON REAL LIFE DUTIES, TC USE AND POSSIBLE RADIO DAMAGE IN THE SIM.
(1) BE SURE TO USE 'SDD' ("URGENT") IN YOUR ENCODED MESSAGE.

IN THIS THREAD, REPORT DEPARTURE AND RETURN TO PORT. SUBMIT SIMPLE REPORT WHEN COMPLETED. ANY QUESTIONS?

GOOD LUCK,

[Trublion]

Wiljemshaven
02 September 1939.

To; B.d.U.
From; U-69

Left port at 10h40, en route to Bf17. Next message will be coded.

[Trublion]

1040/260910/78/U69/1oF1/JMM SZV

CAMW KESV RBYH ACGR DTLY UMIM ZEOB QQKY RHOE UQIT UGOV SEDN VWID GLDD AJUV SPMS TIXX SOCM IKOV UK

[Laufen zum Ziel]

All messages reviewed.

[Trublion]

Heligolan,
September 14, 1939

to BDU
From U69


6 cargo ships sunk, 1 warship for 16238 tons.
No injuries, no death, Hull slightly damages (86%)


U69 is docked in Heligoland. Crew taking showers, shaving and drinking some schnapps.
Request authorization to send the men on 48h pass while refuelling and rearming.

Lt Erwin Wittig

[Trublion]

September 16, 1939

To BDU
From U69

Pass cancelled, en route to Whilemshaven best speed.

[Trublion]

October 13, 1939

to BDU
From U69

Docked, repaired, re-armed. Crew shaved and ready for action.

[smilinicon]

Welcome back!

Well done on your return and tonnage sunk.
Would like to know your assesment of using the English
Channel route and the defenses you encountered there.

Also interested in any intel you can provide on the convoy
you encountered. Was it on a convoy route and what type
of escort encountered?

You and your crew have done well. Eat, drink and tell a
story or two! B.d.U. will be proud! 48 hour passes for crew
approved.

You have until 10.Oct.2010 (late Nov, 1939) to complete
another patrol and come up to date with the original Flotilla
U-boats. Will consider your patrol area after hearing about
your intel (and I return from work today).

C.o.O.
Enigma Flotilla

[Trublion]

Most of the defences were ASW trawlers or speedboats, patrolling the east entrance to the channel, between Dover and Calais. I got spotted once and depth charged, but this captain could not hit an elephant in a corridor..
I would advise to cross at night on the surface. Air cover minimal so far, I got strafed and bombed once due to a sleepy spotting crew early morning just before the next shift. Crew got reprimanded and I asked the cook to stop watering the coffee.
Once you pass the East entrance, you can encounter smaller ships usually with a ASW trawler. Take the trawler out first and then use the canon on the freighter. I am a big proponent of the one torpedo one ship policy.

The convoy was going ESE in bf17, probably from the US and was composed of 6-9 ships and 2-3 A&B frigates. Due to poor visibility I have been able to only spot 1 freighter before being fired upon by a frigates while manoeuvring on the surface to bring my abaft tubes to the target and then got depth charged for 3 hours with some damages to conning tower and attack periscope. Got some flooding and had to play possum on the bottom for repairs, ****s and giggles.
I then lost contact and decided it was time to go home. Terrible weather, low visibility ensured an easy channel crossing on the way back.

[smilinicon]

You will be permitted to make one more Channel crossing.
The intel gained is very valuable. You may abort the
Channel run at any time if you see fit for safety of boat
and crew. Information about convoys is high priority.

CURRENT ORDERS


WITTIG: DEPART ON OR ABOUT 15, OCT 1939 FOR BF41 AREA
AT BEST SPEED. YOUR MISSION IS VITAL AS YOUR RECCE
WILL ALLOW OPERATIONS TO COMMENCE AGAINST THE WESTERN
APPROACHES. HUNT FOR CONVOYS WORKING THE WESTERN
APPROACHES ON THE 'OA' AND 'OB' CONVOY ROUTES. AVOID
ALL ENEMY WARSHIP CONTACTS. DO NOT ATTACK CAPITOL
SHIPS AT THIS POINT IN THE HOSTILITIES. YOU MAY ENGAGE
ENGLISH, FRENCH AND POLISH SHIPPING. RETURN TO PORT AT
KIEL NO LATER THAN MID-NOVEMBER.

DEPART FROM WILHELMSHAVEN AND RETURN TO PORT IN KIEL
NO LATER THAN LATE NOVEMBER.



STANDING ORDERS

ALL EARLY BOATS MAY USE ANY TRAVEL ROUTE OUT OF KIEL.
ALL BOATS WILL REPORT STATUS 'REGULARLY'.
ALL BOATS WILL REPORT CONVOYS BEFORE ATTACKING.

[Trublion]

October 14th, 1939

To BDU
From U69

Departing Wilhemshaven for BF41 via English Channel.
Next transmission will be coded.

Erwin Wittig

[Trublion]

Save game was crashing after 1mn into game. Only way not to lose the tonnage was to abort patrol using exit mission.
I am back into Whilemshaven and we set to sea right away.

[Trublion]

En route to BF41. ETA 87 hours

[smilinicon]

Please report total tonnage from your patrol 1. report number of any dud torpedoes.

thank you,

C.o.O.

[Trublion]

================================================== =====
Patrol #1 ended 15/09/1939:

6 cargo ships sunk, 1 warship for 16238 tons.
No injuries, no death, Hull slightly damages (86%)
No torpedo duds.

================================================== =====

Patrol #2a ended 15/10/1939 (aborted with engine failure, ie game save crashing)
1601 Grid AN 79 Ship sunk! SS Jussi H. (Tramp Steamer), 1969 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 21. Crew lost: 17
1812 Grid AN 79 Ship sunk! HMS Velox (V&W classes), 1188 tons. Crew: 105. Crew lost: 58
1815 Grid AN 79 Ship sunk! SS Imperial Valley (Granville-type Freighter), 4707 tons. Cargo: Mail/Packages. Crew: 70. Crew lost: 15
Total 7864tons, 2 cargos, 1 warship
5 torpedo duds, both with magnetic and impact detonator.

patrol #2b ended October 31st, 1939
1310 Grid AN 84 Ship sunk! SS Recorder (Tramp Steamer), 1969 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 35. Crew lost: 23
1929 Grid AN 79 Ship sunk! SS Maseio (Tramp Steamer), 2245 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 26. Crew lost: 19
0707 Grid BF 32 Ship sunk! SS Tyson Lykes (Medium Cargo), 5543 tons. Cargo: Sugar. Crew: 60. Crew lost: 6
1314 Grid BF 25 Ship sunk! MV Harfry (Coastal Tanker), 1288 tons. Cargo: Aviation Fuel. Crew: 19. Crew lost: 14
0202 Grid BF 17 Ship sunk! SS Fiona (Small Freighter), 2077 tons. Cargo: Bauxite. Crew: 26. Crew lost: 13
1646 Grid BE 39 Ship sunk! SS Aden (Large Merchant), 8628 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 70. Crew lost: 50
1928 Grid BE 36 Ship sunk! SS Alboni (Medium Cargo), 3794 tons. Cargo: Bauxite. Crew: 56. Crew lost: 30
2134 Grid BE 36 Ship sunk! SS Justina (Nipiwan Park-type Tanker), 2477 tons. Cargo: Crude Oil. Crew: 23. Crew lost: 17
2135 Grid BE 36 Ship sunk! SS Winona (Coastal Freighter), 1875 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 24. Crew lost: 21
1409 Grid BF 24 Ship sunk! MV A. H. Both (Large Trawler), 547 tons. Crew: 13. Crew lost: 10
1248 Grid BF 26 Ship sunk! SS Tacoma (Large Merchant), 11726 tons. Cargo: Military Stores. Crew: 103. Crew lost: 16
Total 41269 tons
11 ships sunk, no duds

TOTAL for patrol #2
Tonnage : 50033
14 ships sunk, 13 cargo, 1 warship
5 torpedo duds (3 magnetic, 2 impact)
all torpedoes expended
80% of shells expended.

The english channel crossing was not as easy as the first patrol. More patrol boats, but still light air cover. I sighted only 1 convoy in BF36 heading WSW, probably on the OB road to the US.
It was composed of 3 lines of fours ships, with a few light tankers in the middle. Escort was light (2-3), A&B frigs. Evasion was easy, DC charges not accurate.
Weather was nice, wind at 7 m/s, visibility 8k. During the English Channel crossing back to Wilhemshaven, we encountered a few torpedo boats, no mines sighted. I would recommend to keep using the channel for the time being. It offers a lot of opportunity targets, isolated ships.

Crew moral very high, I would like to recommend iron cross second class for the officers as well as u-boat badges for the entire crew.

[Trublion]

To BDU
From U69

November 15th, 1939
Left Wilhenshaven for AD83.

[smilinicon]

Message received. Please use December Patrol orders thread for further messages.