robj250
06-15-06, 07:08 PM
Well, I was given the most strangest report. Here are the "Standing Orders for all U-boats"
Procedure against escorts: On dark nights, when the escorts see the boat only at close range, the CO should attempt to evade approaching them. They have set course from a radar contact, which ceases to function at short range.
If the boat evades at high speed & at right angles to the approach course, the escort will probably fail to maintain radar contact. Whenever possible the U-boat should head out to sea, as this will complicate the escort’s radar and lookout.
If the escort opens fire, the result will often be ineffective, as the U-boat will not be visible. In such cases an attempt must be made to evade on the surface, for once the U-boat is forced under it will never succeed in catching up to the convoy.
U-boats must try to remain on the surface in the presence of escorts as long as possible & must try to avoid being forced under water. They should try to escape on the surface from corvettes, over which they usually have the advantage in speed.
Enemy procedure at dawn and dusk, is to send escorts out from the convoy in order to force as many U-boats as possible to remain submerged & deny them the ability to observe & plot the new heading of the convoy.
Escort aircraft encountered, particularly before dusk, should be engaged with AA guns, so as not to lose the chance of a night attack on the convoy. U-boats should only dive if they can reach at least 80 metres before the aircraft engages with weapons.
In all doubtful cases they should remain on the surface and fight it out. The crews should be taught to do this and the danger of being bombed at shallow depth must be explained.
Enemy information on the position of U-boats has enabled him to organize effective diversion of convoy traffic. The frequent appearance of ‘radio-located’ in British reports complicates finding convoys by means of patrol lines.
With the object of taking every means of concealing patrol lanes from the convoys, as soon as enemy airborne radar has been identified, all U-boats are at once to dive for 30 minutes. Signed F.O.U-boats.
I find this most confusing. Has anyone else who uses SH3 Gen for Intelligence reports ever get this type of order? If so, did you understand exactly what it means?
It is March 1943 and my patrol grid is in the Azores.
Procedure against escorts: On dark nights, when the escorts see the boat only at close range, the CO should attempt to evade approaching them. They have set course from a radar contact, which ceases to function at short range.
If the boat evades at high speed & at right angles to the approach course, the escort will probably fail to maintain radar contact. Whenever possible the U-boat should head out to sea, as this will complicate the escort’s radar and lookout.
If the escort opens fire, the result will often be ineffective, as the U-boat will not be visible. In such cases an attempt must be made to evade on the surface, for once the U-boat is forced under it will never succeed in catching up to the convoy.
U-boats must try to remain on the surface in the presence of escorts as long as possible & must try to avoid being forced under water. They should try to escape on the surface from corvettes, over which they usually have the advantage in speed.
Enemy procedure at dawn and dusk, is to send escorts out from the convoy in order to force as many U-boats as possible to remain submerged & deny them the ability to observe & plot the new heading of the convoy.
Escort aircraft encountered, particularly before dusk, should be engaged with AA guns, so as not to lose the chance of a night attack on the convoy. U-boats should only dive if they can reach at least 80 metres before the aircraft engages with weapons.
In all doubtful cases they should remain on the surface and fight it out. The crews should be taught to do this and the danger of being bombed at shallow depth must be explained.
Enemy information on the position of U-boats has enabled him to organize effective diversion of convoy traffic. The frequent appearance of ‘radio-located’ in British reports complicates finding convoys by means of patrol lines.
With the object of taking every means of concealing patrol lanes from the convoys, as soon as enemy airborne radar has been identified, all U-boats are at once to dive for 30 minutes. Signed F.O.U-boats.
I find this most confusing. Has anyone else who uses SH3 Gen for Intelligence reports ever get this type of order? If so, did you understand exactly what it means?
It is March 1943 and my patrol grid is in the Azores.