8th Patrol of U-46 continued....
June 4, 1940 0401 Ordered to join Operation Juno. Plot course to Vaags fjord. June 8 Allied forces withdraw from Norway. U-46 directed to patrol between Faroes and Shetland Islands. June 13 Small merchant sunk by deck gun (one shot!) 2400 GRT June 15 06:00 dive to avoid Task Force AF 78 June 20 17:00 Fiji Class sunk. 10,700 GRT. Boys on boat very happy. June 21 04:30 Large Merchant sunk. 10,600 GRT AM 36 June 22 Running gunfight w/patrol boat escorting Intermediate Tanker. Sank patrol boat with deck gun and flak. Dive to avoid plane. Surfaced, Tanker sunk w/torpedoes. 3500 GRT. AM 36. June 30 09:15 Ordered to BF 17. July 4 09:58 Diesel down to 50%. No contacts. Where are the British? July 9 11:35 Coastal Freighter 1870 GRT BF 18. July 17 09:15 Decide return to Wilhelmshaven via northern route. July 18 05:07 Flank speed; caught Medium Cargo 5100 GRT. Navigator calculates we have just enough fuel to get home. July 28 15:04 Small Tanker: two torps and deck gun to finish her off. 2050 GRT AM 35. July 24 20:20 Dived avoiding aircraft. July 30 07:48 Small Tanker 2050 GRT AM 36. Dived to avoid English submarine. July 31 17:05 Dived to avoid destroyer AN 13. August 10 Dock at Wilhelmshaven. 38,000+ GRT for this patrol. Glad to be home, this was a long and very nerve wracking patrol. I think from here on out things are just going to be worse.... :shifty: |
die Elster (one of the U-46s' currently sailing in SH3), Patrol 2, report 3
Lt.z.s. Walter Zantow
U-46, VIIB, "die Elster" 7. Flottille, Kiel Orders: Patrol grid AL03 25.8.1940 0515 AM51 Clear, visibility 9 km, wind 2.5 m/s. Between 0408 and 0410 hours four G7a torpedoes launched against the convoy (course 83, speed 7 kn) we have been following, 1500 meters from the convoy body, on it's starboard side. Estimated AOB at impact time 90 degrees for all the launches, as well as AZ pistol, depth 2 meters as the wind was very light, gyro angle 0, relative bearing 350, torpedo speed 40 knots. Rohr 1 was shot at a 6000 BRT Erzfrachter at a range of 5388 meters. Rohr 2 was shot at a 4800 BRT freighter at a range of 4844 meters. Rohr 3 was shot at another 4800 BRT freighter at a range of 3633 meters. Rohr 4 was shot at an 5500 BRT Empire class merchant at a range of 2183 meters. Evaded diving to A+70 at 100 RPM, turning away from whichever escort the hydrophone man estimated closest. The enemy didn't notice us. Two of the torpedoes were heard exploding, one followed with very loud explosions and one torpedo was heard hitting a ship, but not detonating. One torpedo missed. Radio Intelligence confirmed a sunk Erzfrachter. A mittelgrosser frachter witnessed on periscope on fire but still able to keep up with the convoy. The idea in trying to hit many different ships with just one torpedo was that in light seas and the enemy having no air cover nor destroyers to spare it would be possible to save torpedoes and sink any damaged stragglers eventually with the deck gun. In hindsight it probably would have been better to try to hit two ships with two torpedoes. An A&B class destroyer as a front guard, a Black Swan class frigate as a starboard guard. Two more warship contacts heard on the hydrophone. An unidentified frigate as a rear guard. Before our attack the A&B was seen and heard stopping it's engines for a period of two minutes, probably for listening. Now preparing for an end run, loading torpedoes. We have only G7a torpedoes left and there is no time for a night attack, so for the next attack we are going to try to sneak inside the convoy for close range shooting. That way the merchants probably spotting the bubbles of the torpedoes won't be a problem as there is not enough time for evasive action at close range. Wochenschau's newsreporter reported a Fiji class cruiser sunk. Zantow |
R. HESSLER - U65 - FINAL REPORT FOR PATROL no4.
U-65 News Posting:
U-65 succesfully pulls into Lorient on March 30th, 1941 after a long tussle with Enemy escorts, taking three ships from convoy positioned SW of the UK. Upon his return to Lorient, U-65's commander, Rudolf Hessler, is informed that his tenure of U-65 is now over, and he and his crew have been assigned a newer vessel, that of U-107, which was being commanded by another of the Hessler clan, a gentleman called Gunter Hessler!!! :stare: Rudolf's new command is due to begin sometime early may, 1941. The final patrol of U-65 in Hessler's command panned out as follows:- 18/3/1941 Depart Lorient @ 8am 19/3/1941 Encounter with two frieghter's, a granville and empire type. The Granville was sunk first, using 1x torpedo and deck gun, and the empire was sunk four hours after just after 3pm 20/3/1941 In grid BF11, a convoy is detected via hydrophones and U-boat is positioned for attack. Whilst doing a visual check with periscope, the boat's stealth is somehow compromised and is detected. Escorts then drive the U-boat away from the convoy by depth charging, but U-65 hit's back with her stern tube, sinking a V&W class destroyer. Soon after, Hessler manage's to escape the escorts and continues with his patrol, completing the required time in AM78. 25/3/1941 Following a quiet five days of no significant action, the watch crew detects a kingfisher aircraft heading towards the U-boat. Flak guns are readied and the enemy a/c is shot-down. Later an ore carrier is spotted and a submerged attack made. One hit scored with torpedo, whereas a second torpedo fired misses. U-65 surfaces and gives the ore carrier the "coup de gras" using her deck gun. An un-noticed elco boat scores a few hits on the U-boat and causes minor damage to the vessel. Hessler grills his watch crew for failing to notice the elco. 29/3/1941 Another four days of fruitless searching follows before hessler returns to an old favourite hunting ground of S/W england. A convoy is detected and again the attack is setup. This time a multi torpedo salvo is fired and four hits scored on three different vessels. The first hit is another empire type, but this one dis-integrates in a ball of flame and sinks immediately. A large merchant and a large cargo are also hit, and they sink after a few hours, the kills being later confirmed by BDu. However convoy escorts find U-65 and proceed to depth charge the sub for a number of hours, causing minor damage. Somehow, Hessler manages to evade the escorts and sets course for the short journey home, arriving one day later on march 30th, 1941. Citation Ends. |
U-46 Patrol 9
Sept 9, 1940 Depart Wilhelmshaven 11:25. Carrying torpedoes, mail, and two "confidential" passengers. I am delivering 10 torpedoes to Lorient, therefore only have 4 at my immediate disposal. Passengers will be placed SW of Cork, Ireland, and U-46 will then proceed with all dispatch to Lorient. Sept 12 Medium cargo sunk w/deck gun. 5100 GRT AM 14. Sept 15 11:33. Two torpedoes for 2 coastal merchants N of Ireland. Combined total 3700 GRT. They sink like stones; no survivors. According to orders I have two torpedoes left at my disposal. Sept 18 06:14. Reached SW position of Cork. Will wait on bottom for nightfall and drop off passengers and their "radio" equipment. Weather: no rain, light fog, heavy overcast. Perfect for stealthy operations. 22:28 Hydrophone check: nil. Obs scope: very dark, no moon, overcast. U-46 moves in. Have ordered total silence on board. 23:08 I can see the silhouette of black trees, a dark red/purple sky behind them. Thunder cracks overhead. Moving closer. Depth underkeel: 59 m. A nice gunkhole! 23:45 All engines stop. Water laps the side of the boat. Thunder continues to roll. Passengers depart boat with their equipment. We can sometimes see the shoreline and their small raft bobbing on the black water from the lightening flashes. Sept 19 00:03. Passengers reach shoreline. Recognition/actionable signals exchanged. Good luck, boys! U-46 moves out of the bay at a slow crawl. Once we have distance we open up the engines and get out of there! 06:22 Use two torpedoes on large tanker, surface and finish off with deck gun. What fortuitous luck to meet this whale on the way to Lorient! Should boost our patrol tonnage a little. 10.700 GRT BF 13. Sept 20 Have reached Lorient to offload much needed supplies for this new base. Hope to reprovision boat quickly and get back to the main convoy routes. Enough of this cloak and dagger and delivering mail! :damn: Patrol result: 19,580 GRT |
U109 IXB. Patrol 2. Part 3. Conclusion.
Continued from 10.aug.41 CG11 1050.
4 stern torpedoes remaining. 2 G7A & 2 G7E. All but one stern external have been brought in. Over the next 26 hours, U109 persued the convoy northward (Course 007), and conducted 2 breakout attacks with her stern tubes. The battle raged on through grids BE97, BE98, and concluded in BE95. A C2 Cargo was sunk in the first attack, and an unladen Transport was sunk in the second. Upon surfacing, and reporting both her successes, and torpedo situation, U109 was given an additional task before returning to Lorient: "Meet U108 at CF5937. Transfer sufficiant fuel for return passage at reasonable speed." 13.aug.41 CF5937 1400: Mission completed. 18.aug.41 BF61 0500: Docked at Lorient. Patrol results: Crew & Hull Integrity 100%. 20 of 21 torpedoes expended. 6 merchants sunk for 44.673 GRT. (All in convoy). Senior Repairman & Senior Radioman both were awarded Iron Cross 2. U109's history to date: 2 war patrols completed between 7.maj.41 and 18.aug.41. 8 merchants sunk for 49.355 GRT. |
U-209 departed on her 3rd patrol from Brest on 7 September 1940. The following day, C2 Cargo American Merchant (6,446 tons) and C3 Cargo Barnstable (7,909 tons) were sent to the bottom, both after being stopped by torpedoes and then sunk by gunfire. Just after midnight on 9 September, the sub was surprised to sight Clemson-class DD Litchfield (1,190 tons; ironically, the first vessel of this type I've sighted in the game!) and sank her without warning.
From 13 September onward, C2 Cargo Golden West (6,448 tons), C2 Cargo Red Rover (6,449 tons), Small Merchant Frances Dawson (2,343 tons), and C2 Cargo Fairisle (6,450 tons) were all sent to the bottom. U-209 returned to Brest with 7 ships sunk for a nice 37,235 tons. Upon arrival, OLzS Suckel was awarded the Swords to his Knight's Cross, and every torpedoman who didn't already have it was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class. All enlisted are now Chief Seamen, and all NCOs are now Chief Sr. Warrant Officers. Looks like the curse is broken! :yeah: Question: If I reassign my current officers, can I promote some of my NCOs to Sub-Lieutenant, and then some of my Chief Seamen to Warrant Officer? Does SH3 Commander let you do that? |
U-209 departed Brest on her 12th patrol on 16 October 1940. That evening, Small Merchant Destro (2,343 tons) and C2 Cargo Kendal Fish (6,446 tons) were sent to the bottom using the deck gun. Unfortunately, the seas grew rough after this, and the crew were unable to man the deck gun to sink any further ships. (In CO's opinion, "God forbid you boys get wet!")
C3 Cargo Henrico (7,909 tons) was sunk on 17 October, with C2 Cargo Carrier Pigeon (6,448 tons) sunk on 19 October. Two days later, C2 Cargo Oriental (6,452 tons) was sunk, with C3 Cargo Custer (7,951 tons) sunk the following day. Another C3 Cargo (name unknown) was attacked with the last two torpedoes, one of which turned out to be a dud (the Satanic prophet Moe Hamhead was cursed to the very depths of the earth for this unfortunate occurrence), while the remaining one hit and destroyed the ship's engines, leaving her dead in the water, but not sinking. Due to the rough seas (the gunners again took berating from the CO for not wanting to get wet), U-209 was unable to finish this target off. Returned to Brest on 24 October 1940, with 6 ships sunk for 37,549 tons. Upon return, OLzS Suckel was awarded the Diamonds to his Knight's Cross, and U-209 was subsequently transferred from 1st Flotilla to 7th Flotilla based out of St. Nazaire. |
Bloody hell,almost 100,000 views to my prestigious thread! I am becoming famous...finally :D
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U-209 has had her best patrol ever (and I've broken two records in the game). We departed on our 13th patrol from St. Nazaire on 21 November 1940, and the patrol started off great when Small Tanker Rio Bravo (4,301 tons) was sighted and sunk (had to be a good omen when the first ship sunk is a tanker! :)).
Over the following four days, C2 Cargo Noonday (6,446 tons), Small Merchant Meroe (2,343 tons), C3 Cargo Cordova (7,909 tons), Coastal Merchant Mona (1,977 tons), and C2 Cargo Twilight (6,451 tons) were all sunk. Two days later, and U-209 is at it again, restarting things with a bang by sinking T3 tanker Athelprincess (11,654 tons) and then C-class DD Duchess (1,375 tons). Two days later, our successes continued, with Coastal Merchant Kara (2,044 tons), Small Merchant Ciltvaira (2,335 tons), C2 Cargo Shooting Star (6,452 tons), and Coastal Merchant Cavallo (2,045 tons) all sunk. Returned to St. Nazaire on 5 December 1940, having sunk a record 12 ships for a record 55,332 tons. Upon arrival OLzS Suckel received the Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds to his Knight's Cross, and every member of U-209's crew who had not been awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class received it. Also, the Weapons Officer and the Bow Torpedo Officer received their Knight's Crosses in recognition of such a monumental patrol. Time draws short for the four officers initially placed under my command; their first commands are calling their names. However, I'd like to promote from within if at all possible, so I'm going to wait until some of my NCOs have enough experience to try this. - OLzS Matthias Suckel 339,709 tons sunk Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, & Diamonds |
U-46 Patrol 10
September 22, 1940 Assigned Grid: DH 57 10:47 Lorient under attack while we are docked and waiting to leave on patrol! We open up our engines trying to get out of there with a man on the flak gun. Two British planes sink a sub moored across the way; it goes down in a huge explosion. This place is way more dangerous than Wilhelmshaven! :o Sept 23 Testing boat. Malfunctions! Engines cannot reach Flank Speed and boat keeps diving during crash dive. One of my planesmen filled his pants on that last practice dive. Hope my engineer can fix these problems or we may have to cut this patrol short. War is bad enough without this, too! Sept 26 00:03 Malfunctions repaired. Four netural ships in convoy sighted CG 21. Course NE. 19:00 Second neutral convoy CG 27. Course SW. Appears to be some traffic in the area at least. Sept 30 09:21 Reached patrol area. We think BdU sent us here to try and trap any single merchants that might route supplies through here. Weather is good. Love the sunshine! October 3 15:06 Medium cargo, neutral. DH 35. Hm. Maybe BdU miscalculated. Doesn't appear the Tommies are using this area at all. Oct 4 Fuel now critical: 25%. Present position DH 33. Set course for supply ship Corrientes to refuel. This patrol has been one big nothing. What was BdU thinking? Boys on boat were dispirited so I let them swim over the side for twenty minutes in the bright blue water. Seems to have helped morale a bit. Oct 5 Docked at Corrientes for fuel. Lots of meat for my torpedoes here, but they are all neutral. What a shame. Still some grumbling on board, but at least the girls on dockside look pretty through the binoculars. Will refuel and get a new grid assignment from BdU. Patrol Result: 0.0 GRT. That's gonna put a bite in my tonnage average. :nope: |
die Elster (one of the U-46s' currently sailing in SH3), Patrol 2, report 4
Lt.z.s. Walter Zantow
U-46, VIIB, "die Elster" 7. Flottille, Kiel Orders: Patrol grid AL03 26.8.1940 1140 AM52 clear, visibility 9 km, wind 2.5 m/s. The convoy we have been shadowing is now on course 85, speed 7 knots. Attacked it from between the first and second columns on the starboard side. Rohr 1 launched at a 4800 BRT merchant on fire from a previous attack, range 1800 meters, aiming point just front of the bridge. Rohr 2 and 3 launched at a 5700 BRT Empire type freighter, that was armed with a deck gun, range 690 meters, aiming at the front mast and the bridge. All bow torpedoes had a setting of speed 40 knots, AZ pistol, depth 2 meters, gyro angle 0, bearing 350. Rohr 5 launched at a 4800 BRT merchant, range 400 meters, gyro angle 330, bearing 145, AOB 90 backboard. Aiming at the middle of the ship. All torpedoes hit their targets, immediately exploding the Empire type ship. The damaged 4800 BRT C2 also sank in minutes. Another C2 damaged badly, managed to follow the convoy initially, but then sank an hour after being torpedoed. Evasion at 2 knots, 100 RPM, depth A+80. Tried sneaking away directly under the stern guard, which however noticed us when we made turn away from it as it was passing us. One set of depth charges dropped on us, evasion speed AK, 40 degree turn. No damage. All in all nine sets of depth charges were dropped, but only the first one was dangerous. The later sets were guesswork. Now surfaced, three torpedoes left and getting ready for loading. Searching for possible stragglers and preparing the boat for another end run and attack on the convoy. Zantow |
U-46 Patrol 11
Depart: Corrientes Supply ship for CG 94. October 6, 1940 06:33. I think we will see some action. BdU wants me to be aggressive if they are sending me to this dangerous choke point west of Gibralter. Oct 9 22:30 Small freighter, CG 94, 2230 GRT. I ordered surface attack with deck gun. Freighter was armed; this is something new! I press the attack on surface. Freighter fires back and a lucky round removes the head of my flak gunner, Fritz Wagner. What a mess to clean up so I order mops and buckets to be broken out, not to mention the paper work I've got to deal with. Boys on boat are solemn after we commit poor Fritz to the deep, mainly because there were shark fins waiting for their dinner circling about the boat, but what else can you do...? Oct 10 09:58. Large cargo sank with deck gun, 8600 GRT. CG 94. Pay back is rough, ain't it, Britishers? Boat still sad about Fritz, but we feel we've broken a "curse" and paid them back in spades. Oct 13 00:13 CG 94 Neutral convoy sighted, escorted by patrol craft running without lights. We can see the lights from the ships winking on the horizon. Course: West. Weather: overcast, medium fog, wind 13 m/s. 01:59 Reacquired same convoy now on a NW course. 02:09 Convoy supported by one armed trawler. Moving in to attack same on surface with single G7a, AZ pistol. As we draw near I order periscope depth. 02:18 Torpedo los! 02:20 Impact! We come up for a look. Uh oh, armed trawler was a neutral with lights blacked out. BdU ain't gonna like this.... Oct 16 02:09 Set course to patrol CG 95. Weather has turned for the worse. Oct 17 17:29 Ship sighted! Coastal freighter CG 98. 17:59 Submerge for attack with one G7a, AZ pistol. 18:01 Los! Impact! 45 sec run time. 18:12 Ship sinks 1870 GRT. No survivors. Oct 18 02:30 Another coastal freighter sunk. 1870 GRT CG 95. Where are the big ships? These are minnows...and it was another blacked out neutral. That's two I've sank accidentally. :damn: 14:03 Neutral convoy passing SW our position: CG 94. A neutral passenger liner passes to the NE. This area is literally crawling with ships...and they're mostly neutral. Oct 19 16:51 Sighted yet another small neutral convoy. Radioed contact and gave it a wide berth. Oct 20 05:02 CG 94. Passenger/cargo attacked with two G7a, AZ pistols. Both hit, but ship won't sink. This may have been the ship transporting balsa BdU warned us about. Set up a stern shot, impact at 06:28 and he finally goes down. Three torpedoes for 2200 GRT. Not good. Oct 22 Missed a large enemy convoy in the raging storm. Disgusted with our performance so far, we set course for BF 17 hoping our luck will change farther north.... :cry: |
Patrol 14 ends for U-209 with fair-to-midland results: seven merchants and one V / W-class DD sunk for 31,645 tons.
Now, my fellow U-boat skippers, I need some advice...where's the best place to find Troop Transports and / or Passenger Liners? I've NEVER sighted a Troop Transport, and the one time I sight a Passenger Liner, she's a freakin' neutral! :damn: So my question to you is this: Where might I look to find some juicy targets save for in convoy (incidentally, the ones I sight are ALWAYS under heavy escort)? Thanks for any advice, and Good Hunting! P.S.: To Iron Budokan - I know the feeling about only finding minnows! Your frustration is shared, mein Kameraden! |
U-46 11th Patrol cont'd....
October 23, 1940 22:53 Spotted neutral ship. CG 24. Seems like we've been here before.... :hmmm: October 24 05:57 CG 24. OMG, sank another neutral ship! It was alone and blacked out, weather was filthy, so I made the decision to attack. *sigh* BdU will probably reevaluate my career after this. Oct 27 01:30. BF 17. Attacked convoy at night on surface. Fired all tubes. A Black Swan took one for the team, thereby saving a big tanker from being hit. Other torpedoes missed targets, one hit another neutral ship and OMG apparently one of my torpedoes hit a blue ship on the far side of the convoy -- one of ours! A German sub attacking the convoy, perhaps? :hmmm: Later I lost contact with the convoy. Only have one torpedo left. I am not looking forward to the court martial when I return to Lorient. Four neutrals sunk along with a friendly ship, not to mention the paltry tonnage and the dead crewman. I hope I have something nice to wear when they hang me with piano wire. October 29 01:52. Medium cargo. BF 17. Maneuver for stern shot. 02:18 Torpedo hits and medium cargo sails blithely on. I follow it for a while, but it's too rough to use the deck gun. Another lost opportunity. I set sail for Lorient. Crew is already writing their transfer letters. October 31 -- Halloween. I reach port on this day of all days, how appropriate. Gray seas, gray sky, gray rain. I can hear a buoy tolling in the distance. It's like the sound of doom. It tolls for me. :cry: Patrol tonnage: 20,300 GRT, 4 neutrals, one "friendly." This was without a doubt the most depressing and dispiriting patrol I have ever had, and I've been playing this game since it came out. How depressing. I can already hear the crack of the small caliber pistol behind my right ear.... :wah: P.S. to Ijnfleetadmiral: It's very frustrating, but that's why I love the game so much! :D |
U109 IXB. Patrol 3. Part 1.
13.okt.41 BF61 1840: Underway from Lorient, for AJ71.
25.oky.41 AK78 0821: "Ship spotted! 266. Long range." Figi Class Light Cruiser! AOB 90 Port. Dive! Firing time has already past. 0855: Surface! Report sent: "Figi Class CL. AL7861. Course 088. 22 knots. No escort. No attack possible" 1500: Save & Exit. |
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OLzS Suckel and U-209 departed on their 15th patrol on 8 February 1941 out of St. Nazaire. They returned ten days later, having sunk 8 ships for 43,124 tons. Upon return to port, OLzS Suckel and crew were transferred from the 7th Flotilla at St. Nazaire to the 2nd Flotilla at Lorient, where they assumed control of Type IXB U-107.
Can't wait for patrols at long distances! |
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Good hunting :arrgh!: |
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There's a saying that war is cruel and cavalry ruthless - stuff happens. I'm sure Onkel Karl will consider your past achievements and let you sail again. :salute: What a patrol, though!! And yeah, about the frustrating bit - that's why we all love the game :yeah: |
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