War Patrol of U-838
 

This will be a series following U-838 (VIIC/41) on her long and interesting voyage to the Far East Weekly updates on progress will be posted and since I'm Keeping a handwritten KTB I will also put up pics of significant events this will be a "Semi-Realistic" patrol since I plan to spend almost the entire campaign at sea Hope you enjoy:Kaleun_Cheers:

For now here is the 1st entry
U-838 departing on her 1st war cruise from La Pallice on 3/1/1943 at 13:00 hrs

Commissioning of U-838 under Kapitan.z.S Werner E Schwarz

Depth Charge attack
 

During the morning of March the 5th U-838 came across 5 destroyers at 06:23
from 06:42-13:34 she sank 3 of the 5 destroyers and was attacked with depth charges in 6 runs 42 depth charges were dropped and she stayed at a depth of A+60m

After nearly 8 hours the escorts gave up and left and at 14:15 U-838 surfaced and headed off on course 256 both diesels A.K. she is making for square AM88 to hunt for convoys coming from the West

:Kaleun_Salute: Schone Gut Herr Kaleun!

:Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Cheers:

March 14, 1943 04:00
Large square BE25
U-838 proceeds north after successfully attacking a convoy bound for Liverpool sinking 5 merchants for 34,818 grt and 2 escorts for 2,380 grt

On the 8th of March U-838 was surprised on the surface by 4 warships even though the fog was moderate the visibility was about 1-2 km ObFahnr.z.S Teisenheit was falling asleep and failed to spot them in time resulting in another 8 hour depth charge attack which was stopped by sinking 3 of the 4 escorts in 25 runs the destroyers dropped 134 depth charges

U-838 has 3 torpedoes and is heading towards the Norwegian Sea

Outgoing short signal
"Attacked by aircraft sank 2 british uboats by ramming and 8.8cm deck gun"
Schwarz

currently heading towards Wilhelmshaven

U-840 pulls into Wilhelmshaven her 1st of numerous ports of call (Schedule sent to Churchill by Schwarz) to pickup passengers and cargo for the Penang uboat base and Japan here she will embark uniforms, awards, naval grid charts, etc. and 3 passengers Kapitan.z.S (ing) Kling, Korvettenkapitan Eitelz, and Korvettenkapitan Helst (naval scientist)

From: BdU
To: U-838

Holy **** stop be less aggressive bro stop give the others a chance to sink something stop

From: U-838
To: BdU

"It was you who kept pestering us with the Be More Aggressive narrative only following orders":Kaleun_Salute:

U-838 pulls into Kristiansand to load the final cargo, passengers, and equipment for the Far East Kapitan.z.S Schwarz was awarded the Ritterkreuz and the IWO and LI the Iron Cross 1st class, and the German Cross in Gold in a hastily ceremony also Kapitan.z.S Schwarz will receive his last orders from Berlin

Outgoing radio message to BDU
"Attacked coastal convoy in large square AN55 sank 3 merchants then depth charged for about 3 hours currently heading north to enter the Atlantic via the Denmark Strait 21 torpedoes 211 cbm3 of fuel"

U-838 in the Norwegian sea with a higher sea state and winds picking up from the West indicate an approaching storm Kapitan.z.S Schwarz took this route to avoid enemy task forces operating in the Atlantic while operating off the East coast of England U-838 sank 7 ships including a troop transport (14,561 grt) and a large tanker (10,048 grt) totaling 46,234 grt she is expected to make a rendezvous with a tanker in large square FE11 her estimated arrival is between late may early June 1943 she is only permitted to attack independents from now until she passes the Azores and convoys are to be reported only

U-838 in the Norwegian Sea she will enter the Denmark Strait at the beginning of May Warship activity has been increasing within the Atlantic during her trek westwards U-838 has encountered sea states of 8-9 after a few days the LI was able to inspect the boat and found that decking was torn off in several places and the ammunition canisters for the 2cm Quad came loose and 1 was found to be empty

Things went to hell in a hand basket!

Outgoing radio message to BDU:
"Attacked Westbound convoy sank an aircraft carrier, destroyer, and a merchant for 32,675 grt and damaged one battleship for 31,000 grt depth charged for 2 hours damages and injuries heading sourh"