AirborneCZ
12-16-06, 09:18 AM
year 1942, my 30th patrol, im coming to St.Lorient from long long patrol in AK37 grid with 2 sank ships and four torps left only and only 300 km from St.Lorient in Atlantic I bump into large convoy just at the dusk from ideal position in front of their headings, defended only by 3 small DDs....
I radio contact, put our boot into position, wait until front DD passes over me and I emerge between the fat transport boats...Anyway I torp troop transport, C2 cargo (some torps didnt setoff), run off bow torps and I can see that troop transport ship is seriously damaged, cruising at reduced speed really taking water from side...
I follow convoy submerged so DDs cant spot me... Several hours passes and troop transport seems to stay behind so I wait and make circle to finish it off. It is still night and stormy weather starts...
and then this really weird thing happen....I go silently back to troop transp. position and it seems that he is guarded by two DDs from convoy...
Then I realize they are not moving too!! I go bolder and closer and find out that both DDs are with their noses high in the air and taking lotsa water each about 200 meters apart from each other! That moment troop transport eventually sinks and even DDs are spotting me now with lights they are sinking too slowly!!
So i get back to track ones dreamy convoy as it is now without escorts (leading DD got lost too) and Im with no torps left :(
I track them to dawn sending their last pos to HQ but have to turn home as my diesel reserves is at 10 perc, no torps left and weather too harsh for gunning them..
So i dont really know what happened that night. Did Luftwaffe engaged them due to my radio although it was night and weather so bad? Was there another U Boat? Dont know...
Just spooky patrol story to officers club...
I radio contact, put our boot into position, wait until front DD passes over me and I emerge between the fat transport boats...Anyway I torp troop transport, C2 cargo (some torps didnt setoff), run off bow torps and I can see that troop transport ship is seriously damaged, cruising at reduced speed really taking water from side...
I follow convoy submerged so DDs cant spot me... Several hours passes and troop transport seems to stay behind so I wait and make circle to finish it off. It is still night and stormy weather starts...
and then this really weird thing happen....I go silently back to troop transp. position and it seems that he is guarded by two DDs from convoy...
Then I realize they are not moving too!! I go bolder and closer and find out that both DDs are with their noses high in the air and taking lotsa water each about 200 meters apart from each other! That moment troop transport eventually sinks and even DDs are spotting me now with lights they are sinking too slowly!!
So i get back to track ones dreamy convoy as it is now without escorts (leading DD got lost too) and Im with no torps left :(
I track them to dawn sending their last pos to HQ but have to turn home as my diesel reserves is at 10 perc, no torps left and weather too harsh for gunning them..
So i dont really know what happened that night. Did Luftwaffe engaged them due to my radio although it was night and weather so bad? Was there another U Boat? Dont know...
Just spooky patrol story to officers club...