Snestorm

This is cool. My IX(A) managed to get assigned a VII grid.
Thought briefly about "doing my 24" and slipping off to my favorite grid, BC43 (Canada), but reconsidered. U37 must be the the southern most boat of a patrol line (Wolf Pack) covering the western side of Rockall. Can't leave a hole.

D. 6.dec.40.
02.37. Depart Lorient enrout to Patrol Grid AM43.
08.47. BF61. Alarm! Crash Dive for Aircraft.

Wasn't that nice of the RAF to see us off, and drop off some "presents". Just 35 miles out of port. No damage luckily, but a real wake up call.

D. 11.dec.40. BF14.
04.45. Ship Spotted.
T3 Tanker, making 12 Knots, and flying The Stars And Stripes.

D. 12.dec.40. AM87.
03.01. Ship Spotted.
Destroyer at 4500 Meters, and heading our way.
Full moon, calm & clear.
Turn bow on while diving to 100 meters. Undetected.

D. 12.dec.40. AM76.
08.56. Sound Contact. Merchant. Closing. Moving Slow.
09.08. Surface. Full Ahead. Variouse Courses and Speeds.
09.21. Target spotted by me on a reciprical course. Periscope Depth.
09.44. Coastal Merchant (2.047 GRT) Sunk.
Course 177. Speed 7 Knots. G7E Torpedo x 1.

D. 14.dec.40. AM43.
01.00. On Station.

D. 15.dec.43. AM43.
14.06. Radio Report. Convoy. AM19. East. 7 Knots. (Full Ahead for AM01).

D. 15.dec.40. AM01.
21.00. Ship Spotted. Destroyer! And Convoy!
Coming straight at us. Periscope Depth.
Don't like inside attacks. Turning 90 degrees for the stern tubes.

21.30. T2 Tanker (10.872 GRT) Sunk.
Convoy's Course 098. 7 Knots. (Thanks for the speed, BDU).
G7A Torpedo x 2. Full Moon. Calm & Clear.

22.58. Surface. Full Ahead.
The chase is on.

D. 16.dec.40. AM01.
00.01. Regained contact with Convoy.
00.03. Corvette Spotted!
This guy was good. It was a long way around him. Hard to see little thing!

01.47. Coastal Merchant (2.050 GRT) Sunk. G7A Torpedo x 1.
01.47. C2 Cargo (6.250 GRT) Sunk. G7E Torpedo x 3.
Night Submerged Attack. Full Moon. Calm & Clear.
Convoy's Course 098. Speed 7 Knots.
3 known escorts. Destroyer Front. Corvette Port. Destroyer Rear.
Second Corvette suspected on Starboard.

04.10. Surface. Full Ahead.
06.03. Regained contact with convoy.

08.05. T3 Tanker (11.654 GRT) Sunk. G7A Torpedo x 1.
08.06. Little Merchant (2.343 GRT) Sunk. G7E Torpedo x 1.
08.08. Little Tanker (4.276 GRT) Sunk. G7E Torpedo x 1.
No result on C2 Cargo fired on. G7E Torpedo x 1.
Presunrise Submerged Attack. Light. Clear & Calm.

My last Torpedo, a G7A is loaded into Tube 3.
The next 10+ hours are devoted to this single torpedo.

09.40. Surface. Full Ahead.
10.41. Contact regained with convoy. (Visibility Limit 7.000 Meters).
11.05. "We've been spotted!". Corvette is at 6.900 Meters. Escaping on surface.
11.13. "Ship Spotted!". DESTROYER! Dive! 100 Meters.
11.17. Report nearest warship. "No Warship Contact.".
11.28. Sound Contact. Warship. 156R. Moving Away. Moving Fast. Long Range.
11.29. Sound Contact. Warship. 158R. Moving Away. Medium Speed. Long Range.

12.20. Surface. Full Ahead.
13.43. Regained contact with convoy.
13.47. "We've been spotted! We've been spotted!". Dive! 100 Meters.
13.48. Sound. 2 Warships. Medium & Very Fast (35+ Knots!)

D. 16.dec.40. AM29.
16.00. Surface. Full Ahead.
17.05. Regained contact with convoy.

D. 16.dec.40. AM51.
18.40. Torpedo Impact. C2 Cargo hit. No Sinkings. No stragglers.

All Torpedoes (12) Expended. Status Report Sent. Returning to Lorient.

D. 17.dec.40. AM46.
08.00. Sound Contact. Convoy. Surface. Full Ahead. Standard Propulsion.
08.34. Destroyer & Convoy Sighted. Dive, Follow & Shadow.
09.40. Contact Report Sent.
Convoy's Course 051. Speed 11 Knots. Transports, Cargoes, and a Tanker.

D. 20.dec.40. BF12. (Shortcut across England's front lawn).
04.39. Corvette Spotted. 000R. Dive. 100 (of 134) Meters. Undetected.

D. 24.dec.40. Docked at Lorient.

Patrol Results: 7 Ships Sunk for 39.692 GRT.

U37's History To Date:
7 Patrols.
24 Ships Sunk. (Frau Kaleun does that in one patrol).
135.325 GRT.