Puster Bill
06-09-06, 06:52 PM
May 26th, 1941 Grid Square AL37
17:00 CET: Tailing a Flower class corvette, the 'tail end' of a large convoy making 7 knots east on a mean course of 87 degrees. Range is about 3900 meters to the corvette. I'm making 8 knots to close slowly, waiting for darkness to make my attack. It's overcast with a light fog. We have already sank a tanker from this convoy this morning, and I want more tonnage in my pocket. My 1WO calls it 'neck itch'.
17:25 CET: Have the navigation officer take a sounding, in case we need to crash dive. Depth over 1000 meters. Range to corvette now 3820 meters. Convoy course now appears to be 85 degrees.
17:45 CET: Reduce speed to 7 knots, as range to the corvette has closed to 3760 meters. Don't want to give the game away before it starts!
17:55 Corvette has turned in our direction, order flank speed and a course of due west. Corvette now at 3020 meters, speed 11 knots.
17:57 Order speed reduced to 1/3rd, corvette appears to be doing a search of the back of the convoy. Don't think he got a sniff of us. It seems to be a routine check, zig-zagging at approximately 11 knots.
18:04 Corvette has returned to base course, I order course 85, ahead 1/3rd.
18:05 Lost corvette in fog.
18:33 Still no sign of corvette.
18:37 Corvette comes out of a fog bank at 3600 yards. I order a course change to the west, as it appears to be heading for us.
18:39 Again it appears to be 'clearing the baffles', zig-zagging on a reciprocal course of the convoy. range 3400 meters. Are his lookouts asleep?
18:41 Corvette returns to base course. I order a course of 89 degrees, ahead slow.
18:42 Lost corvette in fog again.
19:43 Corvette looms out of the fog dead ahead, running straight for us. I order back full to keep our distance without presenting him with a broadside view of this tub, as corvette again appears not to have detected us.
19:45 Order back emergency to keep our distance. Range to corvette about 3800 meters
19:46 Corvette back on base course, order ahead 1/3rd.
19:48 Order ahead full, range to corvette about 4200 meters
19:55 The weather is worsening, lightening and thunder. Corvette still in sight at 4000 meters, dead ahead.
19:59 Corvette is slowing, reduce our speed to match his. Range about 3900 meters.
20:16 Order the chief to slow to 7 knots to maintain distance from corvette. Through the fog I can see a nice juicy C3. I can't wait for dinner.
20:26 Corvette again turns towards us. Decide to dive to periscope depth and rig for silent running. I will take care of this pest once and for all.
20:29 The corvette captain is doing his little dance again, heading straight into our trap at 2600 meters. I order the bow compartment fully manned, and damage control party just in case this doesn't work.
20:31 Quick scope check reveals corvette at 2000 meters. Order bow cap for tube 1 opened. To be sure of a hit, I should use a fangschuss, but I don't want to waste more eels than I have to on this little fellow.
20:33 It appears Mr. Corvette has seen our scope. Good. Range 1000 meters. Eel is set to magnetic at 4.5 meters depth, fast speed. Will fire at 750 meters, then crash dive at flank speed.
20:34 Corvette apparently hasn't seen us and is continuing his search pattern. Fire torpedo at 850 yards so that I have an acceptable gyro angle and immediately crash dive.
20:35 We all hear the explosion through the hull. Soundman loses corvette contact. Order periscope depth. Breaking up noises. Order secure from silent running so the mixers can reload.
20:36 Secondary explosions heard. Must be her depth charges exploding.
20:37 A quick scan at periscope depth shows the coast is clear. Order the boat to the surface. Now the back of the convoy is unguarded.
20:40 Order ahead standard to catch up to my prey. Every one is tired, but elated at taking out a corvette. As they say, one red pennant is worth 4 or 5 white ones.
20:42 Another corvette is spotted coming out of the fog, no doubt in response to the sinking of her sister. I order ahead flank and a course due south to give her a wide berth. Just in case, I order tube 5 ready.
20:46 Order course to the south east and reduction of speed to ahead standard to reduce our
wake. Corvette at 3600 meters still hasn't spotted us.
20:49 order course due east. Corvette at 235 degrees, 3900 meters. This storm seems to be working for us. Good.
20:50 Corvette turns towards us, order ahead flank to increase distance.
20:52 Corvette appears to be returning to convoy range now 4200 meters, order ahead standard, new course 69 degrees. Still isn't dark enough to attack.
21:00 Sight main convoy. Only escort in sight is that corvette, yet he is as blind as a bat. Order speed reduced to ahead slow.
21:01 A careful count shows the following:
Corvette at 256 degrees relative
large merchant at 340
apparent tanker at 343
C3 Cargo at 355
coastal merchant at 348
C3 Cargo at 355
C2 Cargo at 358
21:03 Order course 90.
21:05 COrvette now at 3800 meters, paralell course, 257 relative.
21:11 Convoy is zigzagging along it's base course. Decide to send contact report.
21:14 Spot escort at 48 degrees, appears to be heading towards the convoy, range too hard to determine in the fog. My eyes are old, one of my watch kinder should have picked it up before me. We will have to have a lecture about proper procedures when this is over.
Order all stop.
21:16 The fog clears abit, and reveals the unknown escort to be a destroyer with a bone in her teeth, doing at least 30 knots, 3500 meters away. Heading back to the convoy. This must be the starboard escort. I ring up 6 knots, course 44 to center myself behind the convoy.
21:20 Order ahead slow.
21:26 Starboard destroyer turns straight towards us and increases speed. Range 4000 meters. Decide to pull the plug and see if we can't pull his plug, if indeed he has spotted us.
21:30 I pull the same trick with the destroyer as I did with the corvette.
21:31 Torpedo missed. Destroyer dropping depth charges, all far away despite him pinging us. Order silent running, depth 140 meters, silent running.
21:33 Destroyer pinging, but I don't think he has us.
21:36 Apparently, the British corvettes are blind, and destroyers deaf. He can't find us, only distant wabos. Depth 100, order course due east.
21:38 Soundman reports wabos in the water.
21:39 all of the wabos are far away. I have the damage control party stand down for now. Depth 130. I put the mixers to rest, knowing they have a tough job ahead.
21:43 Wabos, way off aft.
22:00 Apparently, the Tommies are too busy tonight to play. Soundman reports nothing near. Order periscope depth, ahead 1/3rd, stand down from silent running, and order the mixers to start mixing.
22:08 Periscope depth. Order ahead slow and climb up in the tower to see what I can see.
22:10 Nothing in the attack scope, so I try the observation scope to confirm, because it is starting to get dark. Nothing. Will see what Karl, my soundman, has to say.
22:11 Order all stop.
22:12 Wide sound band from about 325 degree to 6 degrees. Order ahead standard, and surface.
22:15 Order course 113, ahead flank, to try and get in front of the convoy.
22:33 Order due east
22:36 Damned destroyer spotted at 340 degrees, order due south.
22:49, destroyer disappeared into fog, order course South East.
23:00 Order course due east.
23:51 Order periscope depth, ahead slow, for a sound check.
23:53 Order all stop. Sound band from 225 to 248 degrees relative. Decide to surface, flank speed, and go further east before heading north.
00:05 May 27th, 1941 Grid Square AL38. Order course North East, Ahead full, to intercept the convoy. I plan to evade the leading escort at 25 meters, silent running. Then get inside the convoy submerged. That will allow for the maximum stealth.
00:36 Order course due North, ahead standard. The projected course track of the convoy is 9 kilometers ahead. When I reach that, I will head on the reciprocal and submerge for a sound check.
00:55 Verdammt! The heavens have opened up, with heavy rain and fog. This will make our task much harder. Now, a submerged approach is almost a given, otherwise we could blindly stumble into the path of a destroyer.
00:57 Hit the projected path, submerge for a sound check.
00:59 All stop. Wide sound band from 344 degrees to 032 degrees. Ahead slow.
01:01 Can now distinquish different ships, order 24 meters depth. Now we wait.
01:24 Karl now estimates convoy is about 6000 meters away, based on standard spacing of columns. I order silent running.
01:36 Karl thinks the convoy is about 2 KM away now. I decide to take a look, and order periscope depth.
01:42 A giant C2 Cargo ship looms in my view, at just 92 meters! Dammit! That one will have to be a stern shot, already at 90 degrees to starboard. Order damage control to stations, and bow and stern compartments fully manned. This could get ugly.
01:43 Fire stern tube, 341 gyro angle, fast speed, 10m depth, magnetic pistol range 364 meters, just as he was fading into the fog. Torpedo impact at 16 second, and he must have been carrying munitions because he blew sky high. Coastal merchant looms out of fog at 129 meters. Dammit, not enough time to set up a bow shot!
01:45 Fire tube number 1 at a coastal merchant, range 272 meters, fast speed setting, gyro angle 339, depth 9 meters, magnetic pistol.
01:45 Dammit, missed! Order flank speed, course east to match the convoy. Set up for another shot. This time, Depth 8 meters range 270 meters, Gyro angle 51. Fire at 01:49. Hit. Goes up like a Roman candle.
01:50 Two C3 cargo ships, both on either side of my stern. Close inspection reveals they are American. Damn. I don't understand it. How can you claim to be neutral when you are sailing in an escorted convoy, under the protection of a belligerent? Well, so much for that tonnage. This weather is a pain, but at least it hides the scope. Decide to try on the surface, before the convoy passes me. Flank speed.
01:53 Spot a C2, fire my two bow tubes, one hit.
01:57 Spot a search light dead aft. Prepare the stern tube for a shot, 4 meters, fast speed, magnetic. Speed ahead slow. Spotlight fades.
-To be Continued-
Continued here:01:58 Haven't seen that spotlight again, decide to go to flank speed to haul ahead of the convoy. Two 'eels' reloaded, all that I have left.
02:00 No sign of any other ships. Visibility is barely 300 meters through the driving rain. We know they are out there, and quite close. Everyone is on full alert.
02:05 The Chief informs me that the battery is fully recharged. I will wait another few minutes before diving for a sound check.
02:13 I order a dive to periscope depth, and a 180 degree course change, dead slow at 1 knot, just to maintain steerage. This should bring me back into contact with the remnants of that convoy.
02:17 As expected, the convoy is heading straight for us. I just hope I can fire my last two torpedoes quick enough to for them to arm. Tough in this visibility.
02:19 Order a silght course change to the North, to bring us in the middle of the columns.
02:27 I take a look through the observation scope. Nothing but rain.
02:28 Order course due North, speed ahead slow.
02:32 Small tanker appears out of the gloom on my port bow. Set up a quick snap shot, 10 meter depth, magnetic pistol, fast speed. Range about 350 meters, gyro angle 347. Fire. A quick scan reveals a coastal merchant right behind me, snap shot gyro angle 332, depth 3 meters, impact pistol only, fast speed. Traffic is getting heavy, decide to immediately dive to 30 meters so that I don't get run over!
02:35 Believe we sank the coastal merchant. Order course to the West to clear the convoy, now that we are out of eels.
A quick review of the logbook shows that in 24 hours, we sank a T2 tanker, two coastal merchants, a Flower-class Corvette, and a C2 Cargo vessel. Tonnage for this one day was 22,363. Not bad for a day's work.
02:51 Karl informs me that he hears a big merchant, doing turns for 1 or 2 knots, close on the port beam. Must be a straggler. Order left full rudder, periscope depth, to take a look.
02:57 I see nothing, order the rudders centered and ring up ahead standard.
03:03 Still can't see it, order course north.
03:10 After a careful check, it appears the stragglers speed is 4 knots, not 2 knots. I match speeds on an easterly course and bide my time, hoping this storm will clear so I can take her down with 'Helga', my crew's nickname for the 88mm deck gun.
04:39 I can barely see the target ahead, at about 30 degrees relative. I change course to fall in behind him.
04:41 Finally can indentify target. Believe it is the C2 Cargo that I fired a 2 torp spread at, where only one hit. Am going to tail him for a while and see if the weather clears.
04:46 Range has closed to 170 meters. Order ahead 1/3rd to match speed. No guns visible, but I don't want him to call for help if he sees our scope. There appears to be a small fire amidships, just before the bridge.
06:35 Target speed has now slowed to 1 knot. Weather is still too bad to man the guns.
07:53 decide to surface. The weather isn't clearing, so I'm afraid I will have to let this one go. In all probability, it will sink due to the weather anyway.
07:58 Pass on the starboard side of the ship, give a salute and wave. He has a tough job ahead of him. The deck cargo appears to be eight or nine military trucks. Set course to the West to clear this convoy (and any escorts that might be lurking about), then for home.
17:00 CET: Tailing a Flower class corvette, the 'tail end' of a large convoy making 7 knots east on a mean course of 87 degrees. Range is about 3900 meters to the corvette. I'm making 8 knots to close slowly, waiting for darkness to make my attack. It's overcast with a light fog. We have already sank a tanker from this convoy this morning, and I want more tonnage in my pocket. My 1WO calls it 'neck itch'.
17:25 CET: Have the navigation officer take a sounding, in case we need to crash dive. Depth over 1000 meters. Range to corvette now 3820 meters. Convoy course now appears to be 85 degrees.
17:45 CET: Reduce speed to 7 knots, as range to the corvette has closed to 3760 meters. Don't want to give the game away before it starts!
17:55 Corvette has turned in our direction, order flank speed and a course of due west. Corvette now at 3020 meters, speed 11 knots.
17:57 Order speed reduced to 1/3rd, corvette appears to be doing a search of the back of the convoy. Don't think he got a sniff of us. It seems to be a routine check, zig-zagging at approximately 11 knots.
18:04 Corvette has returned to base course, I order course 85, ahead 1/3rd.
18:05 Lost corvette in fog.
18:33 Still no sign of corvette.
18:37 Corvette comes out of a fog bank at 3600 yards. I order a course change to the west, as it appears to be heading for us.
18:39 Again it appears to be 'clearing the baffles', zig-zagging on a reciprocal course of the convoy. range 3400 meters. Are his lookouts asleep?
18:41 Corvette returns to base course. I order a course of 89 degrees, ahead slow.
18:42 Lost corvette in fog again.
19:43 Corvette looms out of the fog dead ahead, running straight for us. I order back full to keep our distance without presenting him with a broadside view of this tub, as corvette again appears not to have detected us.
19:45 Order back emergency to keep our distance. Range to corvette about 3800 meters
19:46 Corvette back on base course, order ahead 1/3rd.
19:48 Order ahead full, range to corvette about 4200 meters
19:55 The weather is worsening, lightening and thunder. Corvette still in sight at 4000 meters, dead ahead.
19:59 Corvette is slowing, reduce our speed to match his. Range about 3900 meters.
20:16 Order the chief to slow to 7 knots to maintain distance from corvette. Through the fog I can see a nice juicy C3. I can't wait for dinner.
20:26 Corvette again turns towards us. Decide to dive to periscope depth and rig for silent running. I will take care of this pest once and for all.
20:29 The corvette captain is doing his little dance again, heading straight into our trap at 2600 meters. I order the bow compartment fully manned, and damage control party just in case this doesn't work.
20:31 Quick scope check reveals corvette at 2000 meters. Order bow cap for tube 1 opened. To be sure of a hit, I should use a fangschuss, but I don't want to waste more eels than I have to on this little fellow.
20:33 It appears Mr. Corvette has seen our scope. Good. Range 1000 meters. Eel is set to magnetic at 4.5 meters depth, fast speed. Will fire at 750 meters, then crash dive at flank speed.
20:34 Corvette apparently hasn't seen us and is continuing his search pattern. Fire torpedo at 850 yards so that I have an acceptable gyro angle and immediately crash dive.
20:35 We all hear the explosion through the hull. Soundman loses corvette contact. Order periscope depth. Breaking up noises. Order secure from silent running so the mixers can reload.
20:36 Secondary explosions heard. Must be her depth charges exploding.
20:37 A quick scan at periscope depth shows the coast is clear. Order the boat to the surface. Now the back of the convoy is unguarded.
20:40 Order ahead standard to catch up to my prey. Every one is tired, but elated at taking out a corvette. As they say, one red pennant is worth 4 or 5 white ones.
20:42 Another corvette is spotted coming out of the fog, no doubt in response to the sinking of her sister. I order ahead flank and a course due south to give her a wide berth. Just in case, I order tube 5 ready.
20:46 Order course to the south east and reduction of speed to ahead standard to reduce our
wake. Corvette at 3600 meters still hasn't spotted us.
20:49 order course due east. Corvette at 235 degrees, 3900 meters. This storm seems to be working for us. Good.
20:50 Corvette turns towards us, order ahead flank to increase distance.
20:52 Corvette appears to be returning to convoy range now 4200 meters, order ahead standard, new course 69 degrees. Still isn't dark enough to attack.
21:00 Sight main convoy. Only escort in sight is that corvette, yet he is as blind as a bat. Order speed reduced to ahead slow.
21:01 A careful count shows the following:
Corvette at 256 degrees relative
large merchant at 340
apparent tanker at 343
C3 Cargo at 355
coastal merchant at 348
C3 Cargo at 355
C2 Cargo at 358
21:03 Order course 90.
21:05 COrvette now at 3800 meters, paralell course, 257 relative.
21:11 Convoy is zigzagging along it's base course. Decide to send contact report.
21:14 Spot escort at 48 degrees, appears to be heading towards the convoy, range too hard to determine in the fog. My eyes are old, one of my watch kinder should have picked it up before me. We will have to have a lecture about proper procedures when this is over.
Order all stop.
21:16 The fog clears abit, and reveals the unknown escort to be a destroyer with a bone in her teeth, doing at least 30 knots, 3500 meters away. Heading back to the convoy. This must be the starboard escort. I ring up 6 knots, course 44 to center myself behind the convoy.
21:20 Order ahead slow.
21:26 Starboard destroyer turns straight towards us and increases speed. Range 4000 meters. Decide to pull the plug and see if we can't pull his plug, if indeed he has spotted us.
21:30 I pull the same trick with the destroyer as I did with the corvette.
21:31 Torpedo missed. Destroyer dropping depth charges, all far away despite him pinging us. Order silent running, depth 140 meters, silent running.
21:33 Destroyer pinging, but I don't think he has us.
21:36 Apparently, the British corvettes are blind, and destroyers deaf. He can't find us, only distant wabos. Depth 100, order course due east.
21:38 Soundman reports wabos in the water.
21:39 all of the wabos are far away. I have the damage control party stand down for now. Depth 130. I put the mixers to rest, knowing they have a tough job ahead.
21:43 Wabos, way off aft.
22:00 Apparently, the Tommies are too busy tonight to play. Soundman reports nothing near. Order periscope depth, ahead 1/3rd, stand down from silent running, and order the mixers to start mixing.
22:08 Periscope depth. Order ahead slow and climb up in the tower to see what I can see.
22:10 Nothing in the attack scope, so I try the observation scope to confirm, because it is starting to get dark. Nothing. Will see what Karl, my soundman, has to say.
22:11 Order all stop.
22:12 Wide sound band from about 325 degree to 6 degrees. Order ahead standard, and surface.
22:15 Order course 113, ahead flank, to try and get in front of the convoy.
22:33 Order due east
22:36 Damned destroyer spotted at 340 degrees, order due south.
22:49, destroyer disappeared into fog, order course South East.
23:00 Order course due east.
23:51 Order periscope depth, ahead slow, for a sound check.
23:53 Order all stop. Sound band from 225 to 248 degrees relative. Decide to surface, flank speed, and go further east before heading north.
00:05 May 27th, 1941 Grid Square AL38. Order course North East, Ahead full, to intercept the convoy. I plan to evade the leading escort at 25 meters, silent running. Then get inside the convoy submerged. That will allow for the maximum stealth.
00:36 Order course due North, ahead standard. The projected course track of the convoy is 9 kilometers ahead. When I reach that, I will head on the reciprocal and submerge for a sound check.
00:55 Verdammt! The heavens have opened up, with heavy rain and fog. This will make our task much harder. Now, a submerged approach is almost a given, otherwise we could blindly stumble into the path of a destroyer.
00:57 Hit the projected path, submerge for a sound check.
00:59 All stop. Wide sound band from 344 degrees to 032 degrees. Ahead slow.
01:01 Can now distinquish different ships, order 24 meters depth. Now we wait.
01:24 Karl now estimates convoy is about 6000 meters away, based on standard spacing of columns. I order silent running.
01:36 Karl thinks the convoy is about 2 KM away now. I decide to take a look, and order periscope depth.
01:42 A giant C2 Cargo ship looms in my view, at just 92 meters! Dammit! That one will have to be a stern shot, already at 90 degrees to starboard. Order damage control to stations, and bow and stern compartments fully manned. This could get ugly.
01:43 Fire stern tube, 341 gyro angle, fast speed, 10m depth, magnetic pistol range 364 meters, just as he was fading into the fog. Torpedo impact at 16 second, and he must have been carrying munitions because he blew sky high. Coastal merchant looms out of fog at 129 meters. Dammit, not enough time to set up a bow shot!
01:45 Fire tube number 1 at a coastal merchant, range 272 meters, fast speed setting, gyro angle 339, depth 9 meters, magnetic pistol.
01:45 Dammit, missed! Order flank speed, course east to match the convoy. Set up for another shot. This time, Depth 8 meters range 270 meters, Gyro angle 51. Fire at 01:49. Hit. Goes up like a Roman candle.
01:50 Two C3 cargo ships, both on either side of my stern. Close inspection reveals they are American. Damn. I don't understand it. How can you claim to be neutral when you are sailing in an escorted convoy, under the protection of a belligerent? Well, so much for that tonnage. This weather is a pain, but at least it hides the scope. Decide to try on the surface, before the convoy passes me. Flank speed.
01:53 Spot a C2, fire my two bow tubes, one hit.
01:57 Spot a search light dead aft. Prepare the stern tube for a shot, 4 meters, fast speed, magnetic. Speed ahead slow. Spotlight fades.
-To be Continued-
Continued here:01:58 Haven't seen that spotlight again, decide to go to flank speed to haul ahead of the convoy. Two 'eels' reloaded, all that I have left.
02:00 No sign of any other ships. Visibility is barely 300 meters through the driving rain. We know they are out there, and quite close. Everyone is on full alert.
02:05 The Chief informs me that the battery is fully recharged. I will wait another few minutes before diving for a sound check.
02:13 I order a dive to periscope depth, and a 180 degree course change, dead slow at 1 knot, just to maintain steerage. This should bring me back into contact with the remnants of that convoy.
02:17 As expected, the convoy is heading straight for us. I just hope I can fire my last two torpedoes quick enough to for them to arm. Tough in this visibility.
02:19 Order a silght course change to the North, to bring us in the middle of the columns.
02:27 I take a look through the observation scope. Nothing but rain.
02:28 Order course due North, speed ahead slow.
02:32 Small tanker appears out of the gloom on my port bow. Set up a quick snap shot, 10 meter depth, magnetic pistol, fast speed. Range about 350 meters, gyro angle 347. Fire. A quick scan reveals a coastal merchant right behind me, snap shot gyro angle 332, depth 3 meters, impact pistol only, fast speed. Traffic is getting heavy, decide to immediately dive to 30 meters so that I don't get run over!
02:35 Believe we sank the coastal merchant. Order course to the West to clear the convoy, now that we are out of eels.
A quick review of the logbook shows that in 24 hours, we sank a T2 tanker, two coastal merchants, a Flower-class Corvette, and a C2 Cargo vessel. Tonnage for this one day was 22,363. Not bad for a day's work.
02:51 Karl informs me that he hears a big merchant, doing turns for 1 or 2 knots, close on the port beam. Must be a straggler. Order left full rudder, periscope depth, to take a look.
02:57 I see nothing, order the rudders centered and ring up ahead standard.
03:03 Still can't see it, order course north.
03:10 After a careful check, it appears the stragglers speed is 4 knots, not 2 knots. I match speeds on an easterly course and bide my time, hoping this storm will clear so I can take her down with 'Helga', my crew's nickname for the 88mm deck gun.
04:39 I can barely see the target ahead, at about 30 degrees relative. I change course to fall in behind him.
04:41 Finally can indentify target. Believe it is the C2 Cargo that I fired a 2 torp spread at, where only one hit. Am going to tail him for a while and see if the weather clears.
04:46 Range has closed to 170 meters. Order ahead 1/3rd to match speed. No guns visible, but I don't want him to call for help if he sees our scope. There appears to be a small fire amidships, just before the bridge.
06:35 Target speed has now slowed to 1 knot. Weather is still too bad to man the guns.
07:53 decide to surface. The weather isn't clearing, so I'm afraid I will have to let this one go. In all probability, it will sink due to the weather anyway.
07:58 Pass on the starboard side of the ship, give a salute and wave. He has a tough job ahead of him. The deck cargo appears to be eight or nine military trucks. Set course to the West to clear this convoy (and any escorts that might be lurking about), then for home.