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U-103, AAR thread (Pics inside)
7th PATROL
March 13, 1941 U-103 04:46 - We just left Lorient for our seventh patrol, sea is calm and there are no clouds in sight. What a great weather to sail! I ordered 1st watch to tower and went to talk with my AA gunner, who got Iron Cross 1st class from his actions on our last patrol. We were in the Irish sea and our batterys where almost empty because of the two destroyers that whe had to evade earlier. As we were surfaced, loading our batteries, four enemy A/C appeared from the clouds and started attacking us. Wolf Degen, saw our situation and before WO gave the order to man the AA guns. He was there, blasting the enemy planes. After two of the planes went down, the other two quit the chase and headed home. After a nice chat with Wolf I told my navigator to take course towards grid DG91, 1800km from the coast of NW Africa. Our type IXB boat was fitted with a new conning tower. We lost our heavy flak, but they gave us another AA machinegun. With men like Wolf Degen handling those, we don`t have to worry about RAF! 21:48 - After travelling for 500km, weather is still clear and almost windless. There haven`t been any sightnings of ships nor aircrafts. Crew is getting bored already. Planned submerging at 00:00. 00:00 - Submerged to 30m, ahead slow. Planned to surface at 06:00. March 14 01:11 - Karl Creuts, our sonarman, heard a faint screw sounds at bearing 183. Few minutes later contact was lost. Propably our own merchant. 06:00 - After a six hours submerged and listening for contacts, we surface. The contact spotted at 01:11, was the only one for the whole night. Ahead standard. 10:32 - I ordered a seven hour period on ahead one-third to save fuel. 14:25 - BdU asked for a weather report. 14:27 - Weather report sent to BdU Quote:
22:25 - WO yells from the tower that they have spotted a ship! I rush to the tower. At bearing 358, 5800m away, I spot a C3 cargo ship. I order a parallel course to overdue it and get to a good firing position. 22:37 - Based on my calculations, we should be way a head of it and on it`s right side. I order the boat to periscope depth. 22:44 - I order tubes 1 to 3 to be prepaired. Fast speed, depth 6,5m, impact fuse. 22:51 - I launch both tubes from 950 meters. 55 seconds later a sound of something hitting metal was heard. So... number 1 was a dud... 1 minute and 3 seconds a loud explosion was heard. Number 2 hit the ship, possibly damaging the engine compartment, because sonarman reported that the ship was slowing down. I raised the periscope and saw that there was no smoke coming from the ships chimney, but no signs of sinking. After a couple of minutes, the ship is in total stop. I can see the stern is much lower than the bow... she`s taking in water. I give her peace by firing a third torpedo right on its stern. The new hole should make a big enough flooding to sink the ship. 29 seconds later the third hits in just aft of the bridge. The whole stern of the C3 is on a blaze. If the flooding won`t sink the ship, the fire will. I order us surfaced. 22:59 - C3 went finally down. We gave the survivors directions to nearest coast, Portugal. We returned to our course. March 15 03:45 - Another ship sighted, bearing 002, small merchant, heading S. Decided to intercept and attack. 03:52 - Starting our attack run, tubes 1 & 2 prepaired, speed fast, depth 5m, impact fuse. At 03:57 first tube is launched, range to contact 1050 meters. 47 seconds later torpedo impacted and sank the ship. No survivors spotted. Returned to course. 04:13 - Started transfering torpedoes from external reserves to internal reserves. 08:53 - BdU asked for a weather report. 08:56 - Weather report sent to BdU Quote:
12m/s. 20:44 - Ordered a six hour submerged period, because of the storm. March 16 06:40 - Surfaced. Weather still the same, winds 12m/s. Send a status report to BdU. Quote:
02:17 - Received message from BdU asking for our current position. Replied to message: Current position CF83 - U-103 02:23 - Message from BdU Quote:
CH63.... Have to check from the map... ofcourse... from all the boats, I had to be the one. CH63 is in Mediterrain! Damn those dogs!! It`s a suicide! What are they thinking!? But I have no choice! It`s not a surprise if we lose the war on atlantic! Those BdU idiots waste good men on a missions like this! 02:33 - We take course to Gibraltar. March 18 01:12 - Ship spotted, starboard side, heading W. Plot to intercept planned. 01:22 - Ship identified as C2. Starting attack run, tubes 1 & 2, fast, impact fuses. Both tubes launched from 2200 meters. 01:24 - Both torpedos make a hit amidship, C2 splits in two and sinks very fast. No survivors seen. 06:21 - 700km east of Gibraltar. I gave order to dive if any ship or A/C is spotted. It`s not good idea to attack ships this close to Gibraltar. Hopefully the C2 we sank, didn`t have time to report us. 06:37 - Sea is calm again, winds on 5m/s. Estimated time of arrival to Gibraltar, 27h. I decide to take a quick nap, have to be sharp when we reach Gibraltar... 19:53 - Ordered a six hour submerged period. Starting at 00:00. March 19 06:00 - Surfaced. 00:00-06:00 no sound contacts spotted. 14:07 - 200km to Gibraltar. 15:17 - Two enemy aircrafts surprised us, no bombs dropped. Submerged for an 30min. 15:52 - Another plane spotted, bomb hit directly to our stern. Quote:
18:33 - Repairs done, surfaced to charge batteries. 18:37 - Aircrafts! One bomb dropped, missed. I ordered AA guns to be manned and fire at will. 18:55 - After intense fightning, enemy aircrafts head for home. 19:09 - Another aircraft spotted, one bomb dropped, missed. Ordered us to 20m, ahead slow. After we dived, we heard a depth charge go off on our port side, medium range. 03:47 - Surfaced to charge the batteries. 80km to Gibraltar. 07:23 - Enemy aircraft surprised and dropped a bomb on us. It hit almost directly where the last bomb hit, on our stern. Electric engines were damaged beyond repair and there was heavy flooding in stern quarters. 08:12 - Flooding under control. Report send to BdU. Quote:
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08:24 - Plotted course to Lorient. 15:36 - BdU sent me contact report of a three single ships heading for Gibraltar. I`ll try to get atleast two of them. 18:30 - Spotted a C2 in light fog. I`m on its side on a perfect attack position. I launch a fast running torpedo from 2500 meters. 18:32 - Fog is gettin really bad, can`t even see the C2 anymore. Sonarman confirmed that the torpedo was a hit. 18:43 - Scored another direct hit on the C2 from close range. No signs of sinking. 18:46 - Third torpedo hit the target and finally she went down. Weather has turned into a storm, so I decided to return to my course and let those two ships go. March 22 12:01 - No contacts in two days. Position: 130km west of portugal. 20:44 - Friendly fishing boat spotted. March 24 03:22 - We arrive at the port of Lorient, 4 ships worth 23,000 tons sunk. Another day in the office is through. Sunset: http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/2563/eka3bk.jpg Surfacing after a six hour dive: http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/2668/toka2pd.jpg Under attack by A/C near Gibraltar: http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/5328/kolmas4vj.jpg Damage made by bomb can be seen aft of the boat: http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/3338/neljs5jr.jpg Under attack by A/C near Gibraltar: http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/3454/viides1gs.jpg Bomb from the A/C missed: http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/9176/kuudes6qi.jpg AA gunners Wolf and Emil in action: http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/5589/seitsems1ud.jpg Last sinking of the patrol: http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/9688/kasi7nn.jpg Forgive me, I really really really suck writing AARs. :rotfl: |
Very nice! Thanks a lot.
Just one question came to mind as I have read this before: Do you get requests by BDU for weather reports? I never got that before and also have no idea how to send a weather report. Thanks for enlightening me :) |
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So I guess there's also no way to send a weather report, right? |
yep, no way to send weather report. :(
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Fantastic! Great report and good to have you back safe and sound, Kamerad!
Lt de Bunsen, U-46 |
I start my 8th tonight and planned to write a AAR for it too.
Oh BTW, do you guys want the pics to be colored or greyscale? |
I like the combination of the two colour styles.
I wish I knew how to do a screen shot, but your's are great Let's have you back safe tonight! Lt de Bunsen, U-46 |
The 8th patrol will be on 100% realism, never tried 100%. I think we will be coming back with tubes empty and no tonnage sunk! :lol:
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Great report. Like the B&W pics.
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Re: U-103, seventh patrol AAR (Pics inside)
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IMO, my AAR`s are too "plain". Compare this to Wrratt`s reports for example.
I just report things I do, "01:12 - submerged, 06:00 surfaced, 09:14 submerged" and so on. I`d like to write more about, what the crew does and stuff like that. But my imagination is lower than most of the U-boats sunk during WWII. :) My next AAR will be prettu boring... been on the sea for 4 days and weather is a mess. Can`t see anything!! And I play on 100% realism for the first time. So, please cheer, whenever I sink a ship, because if I sink someone, it`s either stationary ship, iceberg or a miracle. :lol: |
U-103 spotted her guardian angel: :yep:
http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/2302/guardian5tk.jpg |
Nice work Dowly.........Keep Emil and Wolf fat and happy, you'll need them quite often from here on in.
Keep up the reports, I like reading the different styles.....yours sounded to me like the report you would get from a Kapitan who had to do it because it was his job (Military and thier paperwork....it's the same no matter what country you serve.....I got out in 76 and I think I still owe them a couple reports!) :roll: |
Thx, Der Schatten!
My 8th patrol is on the way. Just passed the Gibraltar and I`m headed to EH95. Hopefully I can finish it today, it`s been storming for days now. Really slows my boat down, still ~2000km to go + return to base. And it`s getting booooring!! Only one sound contact made, it was on the coast of Portugal, lost it because the storm. :( Oh, BTW. I play on 64x TC, so these long patrols take their time... |
8th PATROL
May 14, 1941 I sit in local tavern, air is full of smoke from cigars. It reminds me of our last patrol. When we were hit by the aircraft`s bomb. Electric engines caught on fire and the boat was full of smoke. I order another beer and go back to my corner table. As I sip the beer my sonarman, Karl Creuts walks in. I invite him to my table. -"Where is everybody?" I asked. Karl looks at me and says, "Where do you think they are, polishing torpedoes back at U-103?" I noticed Karl was changed... don`t know how, but he was changed. -"What`s the matter, Karl?" -"This is going to be my last patrol, BdU wants me as a sonar trainer to Naval academy!" He replied. -"Good for you... Every patrol we make, gets us closer to death..." I said silently. -"What do you mean, herr Kaleun?!" Asked Karl, with a shocked look on his face. -"Our last patrol... do you realize how close to death we were??" -"As long as you are in command of the U-103, crew is sure that we`ll make it." Karl said. I really didn`t like, what Karl said. I`m not the one who chooses, wether we die or live! Karl asked me to join the others at the other tavern not so far from here, but I declined, we have a patrol tomorrow and I really need rest. Lorient`s dry docks were full, so we were transferred to 7th Flotilla, St. Nazaire. I like St. Nazaire, the weather is better and RAF rarely come here. I heard a week ago that when we were unable to go to the Mediterrain on our last patrol, they ordered another boat to go there. BdU haven`t heard from it since the boat sent a status report saying they are starting infiltration of the Gibraltar. Newspaper said it was missing and presumed sunk by the allied forces. May 15 I woke up early, at 06:30. I decided to take a walk and go see the U-103. I didn`t believe my eyes when I first saw the boat! It was just like it was on our first patrol. New paint and everything! I bet it was the finest boat in the whole atlantic! Damn, I`m proud to be the kaleun of that beauty! I`m standing in the conning tower... I hear music... I hear sound of diesels... roaring... I can feel the vibration as the engines shake the boat... Our 8th patrol is beginning. 18:35 - Sea is calm, winds 3m/s. We depart from the port of St. Nazaire, heading to EH95, 2000km NNW of Freetown. May 16 14:38 - I sent a status report to BdU two hours ago, I got this odd answer to it. It said "Be more aggressive!". I wonder what`s with them, are they mad at me, because I didn`t manage to infiltrate the Gibraltar on our last patrol?? I decided to only send them messages, when they asked for it. Sea`s calm, visibility clear. May 17 12:23 - No ship sightnings, it almost feels like we are the only one sailing the Atlantic. Position BF75, just NNW of the portugese coast. Weather has changed radically, winds now 15m/s, visibility poor. Ordered boat to submerge to 20m, ahead one-third for six hours. 17:03 - Extended the submerged time to nine hours, surface at 21:00. 18:59 - Gottfried, our medic reported that one of the torpedomen was sick, he had really high fever. With my permission, he was transferred to other duties, as a cook`s assistant. 21:00 - Surfaced the boat, weather still stormy. I order us to remain submerged as long as the storm lasts, surfacing after every six to nine hours to load batteries. May 18 00:30 - Batteries charged. Submerged to 20m, ahead one third. 02:11 - Gottfried reported that the sick torpedoman is ok now and can return to his post. 05:39 - Leaking pipe in stern quarters. Fixed in 15 minutes. 08:11 - Surfaced to charge batteries. Weather stays the same, stormy. The waves are biggest I`ve ever seen! We have great difficulties to stay on course. 11:43 - Submerged to 20 meters, ahead one-third. 15:42 - Karl spotted screw sounds, bearing 91, moving away. Propably a destroyer, we have no chance to catch it on this weather. 18:01 - Surfaced to charge batteries. Weather unchanged. 21:11 - Submerged to 20 meters, ahead one-third. May 19 04:08 - Karl hears screw sounds from bearing 302, moving slowly, propable heading N or NW. I order the boat to periscope depth. 04:14 - Sound now at bearing 297. Surfaced. Submerge every hour to take new bearing. 05:05 - Sound now at bearing 230. Ship is moving W or SW now. Sound is fainting slowly. 06:01 - Karl reports, no contact heard anymore. Staying submerged, ahead slow. 11:09 - Surfaced. The weather took a turn to the worse, now the fog came in. I can`t see anything! It`s a long way to go, over 4000km left till we reach the patrol grid. 12:32 - Crew had a meal, eggs and ham. After eating I gave everyone 15 minutes free time to rest. I myself went to my bunk too. Reported the BdU about our position and weather. Quote:
22:34 - Surfaced. No contacts. May 20 06:00 - Bdu asked for position and weather report. Quote:
10:08 - Submerged to listen contacts for two hours. 11:54 - Surfaced. No contacts. 20:54 - Submerged to 50 meters, to keep the boat steady while we eat, cooks is tired to clean our mess after eating in rough weather. After eating, I bring the boat to 20 meters to listen for contacts. 23:02 - Surfaced. No contacts. May 21 04:18 - I get cold shivers when I take a look at the map. We are 1000km directly west of Gibraltar. I still can`t stop thinking of how we managed to survive our last patrol... Better to try and not think about it, we survived and that`s it! 12:30 - Sent position and weather report to BdU. Quote:
07:40 - Still no contacts, submerged to 20 meters to listen for contacts. Finally the weather seems to start clearing. Winds now 8m/s. 10:11 - Surfaced. No contacts. 20:23 - Sent position and weather report to BdU. Quote:
11:09 - Submerged to 20 meters to listen for contacts. 12:34 - Surfaced. No contacts. 16:00 - Sent position and weather report to BdU. Quote:
May 24 00:02 - Surfaced. No contacts. 00:05 - Fuel down to 70%. 13:12 - Sent position and weather report to BdU. Quote:
to start eight hour submerged period, then surface to charge batteries and submerge again. This will be done as long as the storm lasts. May 25 07:39 - Surfaced to charge batteries. 09:56 - Batteries reloaded. Submerged. 16:52 - Surfaced to charge batteries. Weather unchanged. 20:33 - Batteries full. Submerged. May 26 03:56 - Surfaced to charge batteries. Changed orders to submerged drive as long as batteries go down to 50%, then surface to charge them. When charged back to submerged drive. 06:32 - Submerged. 13:46 - Surfaced. Sent position and weather report to BdU. Quote:
23:56 - Surfaced. Weather unchanged. May 27 Tenth day sailing in the storm. Crew`s morale is getting low. We could use some action. The daily routines are the only things that keeps my men from going nuts. Maybe today is the day of the U-103... or maybe not. 02:54 - Submerged. 10:34 - Surfaced. Sent position and weather report to BdU. Quote:
14:31 - All of the sudden Karl starts to yell: "Sound contact, herr kaleun! Possible merchant, bearing 355! Closing at slow speed!" Surfaced, course set to 000 at flank speed. 14:48 - Submerged to listen. 14:59 - New bearing 249. Surfaced to chase the contact. 15:24 - Submerged to listen. 15:25 - High speed screws heard from the bearing of the merchant. Either the merchant is a warship or it has a warship as a escort. Decided to quit the chase, because of the bad weather. Surfaced drive. 22:57 - 1000km to target grid. Weather unchanged. May 28 07:06 - Sent position and weather report to BdU. Quote:
ten days when I last saw the sun. And the weather is perfect too, winds at 3m/s, a bit foggy, but it doesn`t matter! Finally the hunt can begin! I`ve been on the tower since I woke up. Better to enjoy the sun while it lasts! 11:20 - Pass the minor island group near Freetown. 17:48 - Sent weather report to BdU Quote:
17:50 - Submerged to listen contacts. Planned surface at 20:00. 20:02 - Surfaced. No contacts. May 29 11:24 - Test dive to 160 meters. Lets see how the weldings hold after the two bomb from our last patrol. At 110m the hull starts to make eerie noises as the pressure takes it in his hand and starts to squeeze. 11:43 - We reach 160 meters, no leaks. Surfaced. 11:47 - Sent position and weather report to BdU. Quote:
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Storm is back, visibility poor. I sent a message to the BdU that we are returning home. Worst patrol of my career, not a single visual contact! Thanks to the storm. 07:43 - plotted course back to St. Nazaire. It`s going to be a long way back, we have to sail on 'ahead one-third' to not run out of fuel. 10:22 - Fuel down to 50%. 16:27 - Storm calmed. Winds now at 4m/s. May 31 11:57 - Sent position and weather report to BdU. Quote:
Storm that lasted for ten days: http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/2571/19dv.jpg My AA gunner, Wolf Degen listening radio: http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/1043/25dd.jpg After ten days the storm calmed: http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/8239/36ik.jpg http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/1979/41bn.jpg Our navOfficer looking his precious map: http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/5902/53qo.jpg Test dive successfull: http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/6913/61pz.jpg This was part 1 of the 8th patrol AAR, U-103 is heading for home as we speak. |
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