[VONHARRIS]

This is the patrol log of U-106 15th patrol

CAPTAIN'S LOG

Date and Time
Location
Occurrences
24.4.41.0407Patrol 15
U-106, 2nd Flotilla
Left at: April 24, 1941, 04:07
From: Lorient
Mission Orders: Patrol grid AE47
5.5.41. 0738Grid AE 48Ship sunk! HMS Circassia (Auxiliary Cruiser), 13850 tons. Crew: 223. Crew lost: 129 (in port 2 torpedoes)
0746Grid AE 48Ship sunk! HMS Duncan (C&D classes), 1375 tons. Crew: 152. Crew lost: 33 (rammed by sinking cruiser)
0746Grid AE 48Ship sunk! SS Frances Dawson (Small Merchant), 2390 tons. Cargo: General Cargo. Crew: 39. Crew lost: 28 (in port 1 torpedo)
0816Grid AE 48Ship sunk! HMS Glasgow (Southampton class), 10725 tons. Crew: 963. Crew lost: 57 (in port 1 torpedo)
0944Grid AE 48Ship sunk! SS Tajandoen (Large Merchant), 10401 tons. Cargo: Textiles. Crew: 106. Crew lost: 42 (in port 2 torpedoes)
14.5.41.1650Grid AM 53Ship sunk! SS Haiching (Small Freighter), 2228 tons. Cargo: Aircraft. Crew: 35. Crew lost: 28 (lone ship deck gun fire)
1904Grid AM 53Ship sunk! Typhoon (Sloop), 8 tons. Crew: 15. Crew lost: 9 (20mm flak guns)
2203Grid AM 53Ship sunk! SS Saint Palais (Passenger/Cargo), 2245 tons. Cargo: Passengers. Crew: 234. Crew lost: 91 (lone ship 1 torpedo + deck gun fire)
19.5.41.1105
Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 8
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 43222 tons
Engine troubles flank speed not possible
20mm flak guns jammed


18 torpedoes fired
8 torpedoes hit and sunk their targets (44%)
2 torpedoes hit their targets but they didn't sink (12%)
8 torpedoes missed (44%)
4 stern torpedoes were not launched because of extensive damages
to the stern tubes.
42 105mm shells fired
3 clips of 20mm AA fired


Sinking of the HMS Circassia (Auxiliary Cruiser), 13850 tons.
The ship was stationary out the port of Reykjavik. Three TI were fired against her targeted at the front mast , midships and aft mast.
In fact the cruiser was not anchored but she had steam on. The torpedoes were spotted (my bad I fired during the day) and she picked up speed. The one aimed aft missed but the other two hit and sunk her immediately.
As the sinking ship was moving forward she rammed the HMS Duncan (C&D classes), 1375 tons which exploded and sunk. The weird part is that I got credit for the sinking.

Sinking of the HMS Glasgow (Southampton class), 10725 tons.
The light cruiser was anchored in Reykjavik harbor. I fired a stern torpedo agoinst her just for not leaving her alone. The torpedo hit her under the front turrets , a huge explosion and down she went.

After leaving Reykjavik we had multiple contacts of DDs ASW trawles and MTBs. The DDs were US ships running at high speed and producing so much noise that we were safe to travel at 2kts and no one could hear us. When we reached open seas we surfaced but we were spotted by an ASW trawler which fired at us. She missed as we crash dived. The trawler called for help and a Tribal class DD appeared. He run an attack on us which caused severe flooding at the aft torpedo room and destroyed the tubes. The DD did not re-engage and left.

We decided to go to grid AM53 as the situation in AE47 was getting really bad. We radioded BdU and they agreed.
We encourntred a convoy on the way but all the torps we fired missed as the ships were zigzaging.

After sinking the SS Saint Palais (Passenger/Cargo), 2245 tons we decided to go back home as the weather was rough. Then they came out of the fog: 2 Fiji class CLs unescorted running at 20kts.
All 4 forward tubes fired , but the solution was not good enough. The CLs evades the 3 fishes and the fourth that hit caused only minor damages.

Now with no trops left we headed for Lorient.
We were still at grid AM53 submerged to avoid a lone Hurricane which was provinding escort to a hospital ship , when the hydrophones went crazy. A huge convoy of tankers , whale factory ships and large merchants was coming right at us in an ideal attack position. But with nothing to attack we just dived deeper and left.

After reaching Lorient I was offered the command of an IXC type. I agreed under the condition that I would take all my crew with me. The BdU said OK so here we are : U-505 IXC is about to devastate the Atlantic Ocean.