Patrol #10 for the U-129 began on Dec. 14, 1944. Our patrol station was the Andaman Sea (just off Burma). We didn't find a single ship, of any kind there and began what turned out to be a tour of the Indian Ocean's shores. We followed followed the coast line and off Calcutta found some joy in the form a couple of Small Freighters. Aircraft were present but usually got good radar warning.
Around India we went and got another ship near Bombay. We then sailed to the Gulf of Oman hoping for tankers leaving the Persian Gulf, but again no joy. Southward we went past Oman and into the Gulf of Aden. In January we sank a few ships in the Gulf, including a perfect pair shot.
Two torpedos at two ships, striking almost simultaineously, each ship sank within a minute of each other. Lovely.
At the mouth of the Red Sea, again hoping for tankers, we got a rude shock - Egyptian Aircraft with no radar got perillously close to hitting us. On one occasion we took strafing damage.
We ended our patrol in the Mozambique Channel with only defensive torpedos and little fuel left. Back to Jakarta, where we arrived 31/3/44.
All together 39,000 tons. The convoy system is crushing us. The war news was all bad, but we are alive.
War Patrol #11. In the second week of April we had finally gotten enough fuel and supplies for another patrol. Destination - our old hunting grounds off South Africa. By now we had expected to hear great things from all the new super weapons promised but Berlin is strangely silient about them, apart from more promises. The Russians were in Vienna and threatening Berlin. The Allies had crossed the Rhine. How can we succeed?
Well duty is duty, and we were determined to do our part. We started across the Indian Ocean with little hope but with great determination.
On 30-4-45, with a Wagner dirge news came that Hitler had died in the defense of Berlin. The end cannot be far off. Then stunning news, Doenlitz had been appointed the new Head of State and he promised that the war would continue. The crew looked at each other, and then away, in order to keep their thoughts to themselves.
On May 7, 1945 we received the following dispatch:
It was over. After an active war of almost four years, my war was over. My duty was not however. Not until I got the crew back to Jakarta (where else to go?) could I relax my obligations and duty.
We reached Jakarta on 16-5-45. I thanked the crew for their loyal service, got gloriously drunk and stayed that way for days. I remember wondering how I was going to save my Knight's Cross from ending up in some Tommy's pocket.
It was so long ago, but it seams as if it was only yesterday.....
