[Kapitän]

Sun., 24.12.39 - West coast of Portugal

1200 - Qu. C G 5282 - Days Run: 158.2 sm - ↗ 136.1 sm - ↘ 22.1 sm
81 cbm. 5 Eto and 8 Ato. N7, Sea6, medium swell from south, clear, >1000mb, light haze, medium visibility, 6°C
Sunrise 0914 - Sunset 1835

Lisbon 30 sm abeam to port.

Incoming F.T.:
Weather report from "U.-Sohler", west of the Hebrides.

1420 - Qu. C G 5825 - Incoming F.T.: Shipping Report:
Surface vessel in Marqu. C G 5859, heading NNW, medium speed.

Altered course to 160°.

1550 - Qu. C G 5829 - Incoming F.T.: Shipping Report:
Surface vessel now in Marqu. C G 5853, on course 333, speed 8-9 kn.

Altered course to 180°.

1606 - Qu. C G 5829 - "A shadow ahead to port 10!" Appears to be a Whale Factory Ship of about 6625 ts., traveling on course 334°, speed 8 kn, E=9000. Maneuvering boat to the port side of the steamer.

1620 - Diving for submerged attack and moving into attack position.
As we get closer, the ship is identified as a large English Motor Vessel of about 5903 ts, draught 7.3m.

1652 - Single shot with tube I (G 7 e, Pi-1, K-b, magnetic fuse, running depth 8.3m):
E=800, inclination red 90°, enemy speed 9 knots, aim-off 0°, own course 65°:
Torpedo hit after 36 Sec.!

The steamer continues to travel at slow speed and begins to zigzag. Thick smoke is coming out of the belly of the ship. I'm going on parallel course with the steamer and descend to T=33 for reloading of tube I. After a while, it becomes apparent, that the steamer has picked up speed again, because we can't keep up with her, even at flank speed.
Back to periscope depth, I can't make out any armament on her, so, I decide to surface.

We are positioned windward, with the sun behind us and pass the steamer along its port side very slowly, due to the wind and sea conditions, as there is now a northern swell. The entire time she doesn't send any radio messages, so, I assume, that the first torpedo hit must have knocked the radio equipment out of commission.

1735 - Finally, we are in attack position again. We turn in toward the port beam for a surface attack (Shooter: Ernst von Bergen-Windels, Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O.).

1736 - Single shot with tube IV (G 7 a, Pi-1, K-a, magnetic fuse, Vt 30, running depth 8.3m):
E=1000, inclination red 70°, enemy speed 5 knots, aim-off green 10°, own course 65°:
Torpedo hit after 55 Sec.!

1747 - Qu. C G 5825 - The steamer looses speed but continues to cruise ahead. The fire under the bridge has intensified. We are now lee-ward with a northern swell. I decide to launch another surface shot and veer the boat (Shooter: Ernst von Bergen-Windels, Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O.).

1748 - Single shot with tube III (G 7 e, Pi-1, K-b, magnetic fuse, running depth 8.3m):
E=650, inclination green 90°, enemy speed 5 knots, aim-off green 25°, own course 245°:
The torpedo explodes prematurely after 22 Sec.!

I veer the boat again, to bring the stern tube to bear, as all of a sudden, two French naval airplanes arrive at the scene, approaching from 180° true. I'm about to give the order to crash dive, as they each drop 1 bomb at one of our previous attack positions and fly off again.

1755 - Single shot with tube V (G 7 a, Pi-1, K-a, magnetic fuse, Vt 30, running depth 8.3m):
E=1000, inclination green 83°, enemy speed 5 knots, aim-off green 11°, own course 60° (Shooter: Ernst von Bergen-Windels, Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O.).:
Torpedo hit aft of the funnel, after 66 Sec.!

There is a tremendous secondary explosion within the ship and very thick smoke emission. She sinks about 1 minute thereafter. I veer the boat and approach 2 Carley Floats and question the 8 survivors in them. Apparently, the ships name is MV Mary Slessor. She was on course from Algiers - Gibraltar to Liverpool, with general cargo, including sardines and tartar, as well as, a complement of 80 onboard.

I head off on course south, before more airplanes arrive. It concerns me, that the two French naval planes were apparently, looking for us, even though, there were no radio messages intercepted from the steamer. I order the radio equipment to be checked but no failure is found. This situation confirms my opinion, to keep radio transmission to a bare minimum.

1930 - Qu. C G 5852 - Diving for torpedo reloading at A-30 and afterwards, submerged cruise at A-20.

After 2 weeks at sea and a long storm period behind us, the crew has now been rewarded with its first sinking on this cruise, right on Christmas Eve. I'm certain, it's a sign of many more good things to come.

Gelhaar
Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & Cmdr.