U122 IXB. Patrol 6.
Departed Lorient for the Freetown - UK shipping lanes on 31.aug.41.
19.sep.41
Grid DH18
At 2359 we recieved a radio dispatch:
"Convoy. DH42. NNE. 6 knots."
1 grid to the south. Go boat! Go!
4 hours and 33 minutes later we recieved a second dispatch, prior to exiting DH18:
"Convoy. DH19. NNE. 6 knots."
Easy find. Has to be DH197.
New course 090!
On 20 & 21 september numerious attack were carried out, resulting in the sinking of 4 ships, including 2 tankers.
The weather eventualy turned bad, and sunk more merchants and escorts than U122.
U122 vacated the area submerged, with the sounds of many sinking ships filling the hydrophone.
On 24.sep.41 U122 made a night surface attack, with her last 2 torpedoes on a C2 Cargo. After scoring 2 impacts the deck gun was immediatly employed. 3 hits were scored before our fire was answered with like. Crash dive! He had an open mount on the stern, believed to be a 6 inch gun. Within minutes of reaching 70 meters the ship was heard breaking up.
The patrol concluded with docking at Lorient, on 10.okt.41.
The Bay was transited submerged by day, and Ahead Standard by night.
No enemy surface or air assets were encountered, nor were any merchants, on the return trip.
Patrol results:
5 ships sunk for 44.152 GRT.
14 of 14 torpedoes expended.
Boat and crew healthy.
U122's history to date:
6 war patrols between 2.maj.40 and 10.okt.41.
26 ships sunk for 194.295 GRT.
U122 may be retired to a schoolboat status following her next patrol, should she survive.
This boats tonnage is way above my norm, and my expectations.
As much as I don't wish to climb into a IXC (I wanted to try for war's end in a IXB), she deserves to be retired in one piece if possible.
Oh well. One more patrol in my favorite, one way or the other, then on to a IXC.
BDU has spoken, and the matter is closed.
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