[PavelKirilovich]

Update from U-180.

Entry IV
1 April 1943. 06h20. GR56.
Successfully infiltrated Capetown. Very heavily guarded; numerous ASW trawlers and two destroyers of unknown class spotted. Sank three vessels inside Capetown harbour with two torpedoes each; using a combination of keel-breaking magnetic pistol shots and impact pistol torpedoes aimed at their engine compartments. Six torpedoes expended total. One Modern Tanker sunk for 10,869GRT and two Large Cargo type merchant freighters for approximately 8500 GRT each. Exfiltration was easier than it should have been; there is no apparent reason for the weakness or ineffectiveness of the ASW defences in this area at this time.

Entry V
14 April 1943. 12h15. GH21.
Reached patrol grid. Will patrol until 00h30 15 April. Morale extremely high after the cakewalk harbour raid conducted earlier on Capetown. Crew able to dine in open air during a gap between light storms for a change.

Entry VI
25 April 1943. 04h15. GR91.
Encountered an Ore Carrier and small merchant freighter running at nine knots on a course of 270, formation line astern. Ran on the surface with decks awash to get into an ideal intercept position before submerging. Dove to periscope depth and approached the targets more closely, prioritizing the Ore Carrier. Tube three fired first, magnetic fused eto, successful launch. Target's screws remain audible through hydrophone; fired tube one with an impact fuse, ato, running fast. Impact thirty seconds later. Target's boilers exploding, screw noise stopped, vessel sinking rapidly by stern, fire from aftmost antiaircraft gun positions to bridge. Small merchant begins zig-zagging, though this drives their speed down to six knots. U-180 keeps pace while submerged, running a course of true West, closing the range. Hydrophones and sonar allow us to maintain contact very well. At a range of 1145 metres, the boat was surfaced. Deck gun crew were first on deck, followed by the Kaleun and 1WO. We were running at ahead flank on the target's port-aft quarter. Engaged with 105mm, first three rounds knocked out their stern naval rifle. Twelve more rounds set the ship on fire from bows to fantail, numerous secondary explosions, no survivors observed from either sinking. Light damage sustained to aft torpedo spaces; fully repaired. LI estimates the boat is good to dive to as much as two hundred metres. There is no intention of testing this unless absolutely necessary.