[sublynx]

Leutnant z.s. Alfons Dietzmann
U-552, VIIC
11. Flotille, Bergen
Orders: Patrol AM21

25.12.1942 Bergen
0211 Cloudy, 8-9 km, 7 m/s. Leaving Bergen under a watchful eye of a pair of BF109F's. The gramophone plays Christmas carols and I think that everybody's thoughts wander towards our families celebrating Christmas back home. We should really be concentrating on our mission. BdU's report warns that enemy air patrols cover all of our planned operation area now. Enemy warship patrols have been spotted more often east of Bergen. The report also mentions my old boat, U-65, which has returned to it's port safe and sound after a very successful patrol.

26.12.1942 Nordzee
1657 AF76 Cloudy, 8-9 km, 7 m/s. At 1609 a Metox warning. Dived and got a warship contact. At 1633 hours three destroyers and a light cruiser, probably of the Fiji class seen on periscope. Course estimated at 202 degrees, speed 13 knots. Too far to attack. KDB might have a malfunction, so we rely on GHG now.

28.12.1942 North of the Hebrides
1306 AM36 Cloudy, 8-9 km, 7 m/s. After a 15 hours chase at HF we arrive to an intercept point of a reported convoy, only to notice that the convoy has altered it's course and we can't find it. I was prepared for an attack in shallow waters, but I'm not going to start a search operation in shallow mined waters, that are covered with incessant air patrols and destroyer patrols.

29.12.1942 Nordmeer
1903 AM22 Clear, 8-9 km, 0 m/s. At 1528 a Metox warning. Nothing heard with the hydrophone and nothing seen with the observation periscope, so we surfaced again. At 1802 an airplane was sighted at a relative bearing of 199 degrees. Dived to periscope depth while observing the airplane with a periscope. Two heavy bombers sighted, may have been four-engined. I didn't order a crash dive, because I wanted to observe the enemy and they didn't look like they saw us or the periscope in the dark. The planes flew over to our approximate surface location, gathered some height and then dived towards the location. It was hard to see but I think they dropped a bomb or a depth charge. Nothing was heard exploding, though. The earlier radar warning might have been becoming from the planes. There seems to no airplane safe area between Iceland and Britain anymore.

30.12.1942 Nordmeer
0010 AM21 Clear, 8-9 km, 0 m/s. We have now arrived to our patrol grid. We are preparing for a little new year celebration, a nice meal, and a little shot of rum for everyone. The mood on the boat is good. I, however wonder to myself what the new year will be like for the U-boats of the Kriegsmarine.

Dietzmann