I've just returned from the toughest patrol of my current carreer. I've been shot at, strafed, bombed, depthcharged an rammed. I even hit the bottom.
We left La Spezia, and sailed into a storm when we passed western tip of Sicily. We were unaware that we are on the collision course with small enemy convoy, until one of the escorts started to fire. We quickly dived and managed to get away. Not without damage.
Once we escaped, we followed the convoy. Soon the rain stoped and we could see two big liners, escorted by two destroyers. One of the ships was 44,000t RMS Aquitania.
When we got into position to attack, the convoy changed course, and I saw the huge bow of Aquitania going at us. There was not enough time to evade, and we got rammed. As she was getting away, we managed to fire a full salvo into her stern, but no torpedo hit. In all that confusion we were detected, and barely got away alive, but with considerable damage. Later we could see both liners burning and sinking. The Luftwaffe.
We continue with the patrol and few days later found two unescorted merchants. We got one, the other one was sunk by Luftwaffe.
Some days later, we stalked a small convoy. It turned out to be Italian and we surfaced to say hello. Then came the RAF. We couldn't desert our allies, so we joined the fight .The planes didn't bother with us, and concentrated their fire on merchants. After a while two planes were down (one credited to us), and third got away with plumes of smoke trailing it. Despite our effort, both merchants were sunk.
During the whole patrol, we were under constant air attacks, day and night. Most of the time we were submerged, but as soon we got up for some fresh air, the planes would come and bomb us. After one such attack I decided we had enough. I plotted my course back home, going near the African coast, hoping to minimize the danger.
Then, during one night, we were surprised by a plane, and we were hit hard. The boat was taking on water, and sinking fast, out of control. Fortunately, we were not in deep waters, and we slammed into the bottom. Otherwise, that would have been the end of us.
With damage repaired, we were crawling home, tail tucked between our legs. We were between Sicily and African coast when the SO reported a contact. A small convoy. It was night when we approached it, but her silhouette was clearly outlined against the horizon: RMS Mauretania, Aquitania's sister ship, followed by a smaller liner and escorted by two destroyers. I opted for a long range shot, to give my cripled boat more chance for escpe. We fired 3 torpedoes at the Mauretania, and one at other ship, from 4,5km. Soon we heard three explosions and the sounds of bulkheads collapsing.
The fourth torpedo didn't find its target, but neither did the escorts. We escaped undetected, and continued our voyage home, during which we sank another ship, a small coastal freigter.
During the 13 days of the patrol, we sank 3 ships for 52,000t and downed one Hudson plane. Hull integrity 37%