SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - GWX 3.0 & WaW & SH3 Commander R3.2 & U-657

Combine;
1. GWX 3.0
2. WaW http://wolvesatwar.com/
3. SHIII Commander R3.2
4. U-657.

U-657 a Type-VIIC departed on her second war patrol from Brest at 20:30hrs on the 22-May-42. Her mission; patrol the waters North of England as part of the I. Unterseebootsgruppe, operating in conjunction with U-206. U-657 would use AM33 as the center for her area of operations. Oberleutnant-zur-see Heinrich Gollnitz’s intent was to hunt within boundaries, the single merchant route running from Reykjavik to Loch Ewe.

On the 24-May-42, U-657 reported bad weather & was unable to provide BDU with accurate grid positions. Several crew member sustained minor injuries during the two week storm. Oberleutnant-zur-see Heinrich Gollnitz noted in his war log that recharging the diesel motors was extremely difficulty & dangerous, ordering the watch crews to wear their respective safety harnesses. Large swells forced U-657 down for the majority of the first two weeks of her patrol. On the 01-Jun-42, U-657 reported in, she had no visual or acoustic contacts since departing Brest.

On the 03-Jun-42, whilst navigating through fog U-657 reported she had been ambushed on the surface by a Black Swan Class Sloop at medium range. With three high explosive rounds screaming over the top of the Conning Tower U-657 immediately submerged; Oberleutnant-zur-see Heinrich Gollnitz noted in his war log that the eerie Aztec sound confirmed U-657 had been well and truly compromised. U-657 commenced immediate evasion tactics deploying one bold canister as she descended to a depth of 45m. KDB sweeps confirmed that U-657 had miraculously merged with a large British convoy & without knowing it U-657 had successfully breached the escort screen. Whilst scanning the convoy for targets U-657 position was again compromised by a British River Class escort. U-657 position was triangulated & soon became apparent that her position was becoming rapidly untenable.

U-657 became decisively engaged with the escort threat. U-657 fired one torpedo close range, fatally hitting the Flower Class sinking her with in seconds. Oberleutnant-zur-see Heinrich Gollnitz noted in his war log that all hands were lost. With the immediate threat gone U-657 continued stalking within the convoy. Minutes later U-657 fired three torpedo’s destroying a Large British Empire-Type Freighter with an approximate tonnage of 7.933T. Oberleutnant-zur-see Heinrich Gollnitz noted in his war log that this vessel was transporting war stock in the form of military soft skinned vehicles. U-657 was soon located again by three additional escorts; U-657 broke contact & commenced evasion tactics descending to 155m, silent running, at 1 knot. During her descent U-657 received depth charge patterns inflicting minor damage to her port & starboard propeller shafts. U-657 remained hidden for the remainder of that day. Late in the afternoon U-657 surfaced & sent a situation report, shortly after BDU replied with orders for U-657 to regain contact with the same convoy.

At 20.50hrs that evening U-657 reported saying she was breaking off the convoy pursuit as the risk was too great, the convoy had reached shallow waters & the safety of allied air screen.

At 08.31hrs 04-Jun-42, U-657 reported she had visual (long range) of a hospital ship displaying red-cross flags & lights. U-657 submerged & remained undetected throughout the merge. Oberleutnant-zur-see Heinrich Gollnitz noted in his war log that there were no escorts or additional vessels accompanying the hospital ship.

At 06.20hrs on the 24-Jun-42, U-657 reported, she had identified one River Class Frigate patrolling North/East of her position. U-657 submerged & remained undetected so as to stay on station in her area of operations.

At 11.58hrs on the 29-Jun-42, U-657 reported confirmed visual of two British cargo vessels in trail formation & were without escorts. U-657 submerged shortly after transmitting as she started to receive small arms effective fire from both vessels. At 13.45hrs, U-657 reported she had sunk one Granville-Type Freighter with an approximate tonnage of 4.709T & one Coastal Freighter with an approximate tonnage of 1.873T. U-657 transmitted she would move closer to the wreckage of the Coastal Freighter as they had visual of three life-rafts containing survivors, U-657 intent was to interrogate the survivors for additional intelligence.

At 14.58hrs U-657 sent an urgent message. Whilst situated close to the slow sinking Coastal Freighter & conducting interrogation of merchant crews, U-657 was engulfed by an enormous explosion which came from the sinking vessel. Three crew members of U-657 standing on deck as over-watch near the 8.8cm C35 deck gun were killed instantly. They were Stabsoberbootsmann Gustav Flisters, Matrosengefrieter Horst Zimmermann & Matrosenobergefrieter Otto Stasche. Standing in the Conning Tower was the old man Oberleutnant-zur-see Heinrich Gollnitz & First-Watch-Officer Heinz Dannewitz. Both men were blown out of the Conning Tower with Gollnitz landing in the water near the left ballast tank, sustaining shrapnel wounds to his upper-body & face, he was extremely shaken but was able to continue in a restricted capacity. The First-Watch-Officer landed on the lower AAA Winter-Garden sustaining shrapnel wounds to his body & receiving a broken right arm on impact, he too was shaken by the ordeal but remained bed ridden for the remainder of the patrol . U-657 received multiply compartment damages both external & internal with the most severe being the forward trim tank, forward torpedo compensating tank & bow diving tank.

U-657 informed BDU that Oberleutnant-zur-see Heinrich Gollnitz’s combat assessment was that U-657 was unable to continue sustained operations & would return to Brest immediately. U-657 traveled on the surface for the remainder of that day. At dusk U-657 with all crew on deck commenced sea burials for the three crew members KIA. (Right-click on dead crew member & it will ask you to conduct sea burial).

At 07.08hrs 03-Jul-42, U-657 arrived at Brest to an empty docking bay displaying four tonnage pennants. The only people present were medical staff & grieving relatives of our three crew members who perished and finally the senior officers of the 1. Unterseebootsflottille. U-657 had been at sea for 43 days.

This patrol was just completed by me and I have just updated my KTB over at WaW. I'm now awaiting orders/upgrades/etc from my chain of command.