U-103 IXB
Patrol No7
The commander of U-552 tried to visit us in Germany but he missed us for 2 days as we were transferred in Lorient. Both Snestorm and I talked to him on the phone and calm him down, He was afraid of the BdU judgement for not sinking any ship but for such a good commander that would be overseen. He had brought his crew and ship back home alive and in one piece
06 November 1940
00:28 hours U-103 left Lorient for grid AL33. A new twin 20mm flak gun was installed for testing
18 November 1940
Grid AD83
Convoy attack in light fog , no rain and 5m/sec winds
4 bow + 2 stern torpedoes fired
02:30 hours Ceramic type ocean liner sunk by 2 bow + 1 stern torpedoes
Turbine tanker hit by 1 bow torpedo but went on
Converted whale factory ship hit by 1 bow torpedo and despite the secondary explosions seen , she escaped
18 November 1940
Grid AD83
17:40 hours.
While on the surface , the torpedo crew had just moved the external reloads inside. The weather was very good 0m/s winds.
Aircraft spotted , a twin engined light bomber.
This was our chance to test out new twin flak gun.
Aircraft shot down during its initial approach. Minor damages from mashine gun fire, One parachute opened. We approached and gave a raft to the pilot and pointed him to the nearest land. He didn't resist nor he opened fire with his handgun. The other members of the aircraft crew died.
22 November 1940
Grid AD83
17:32 hours convoy attack in good weather
4 bow and 2 stern torpedoes fired
Laconia liner hit by 2 bow + 1 stern torpedo but escaped
Converted whale factory ship hit by 1 bow torpedo but she escaped
Large tanker hit by 1 stern torpedo , caught fire but didn't sink
No ships sunk in this attack
25 November 1940
Grid AD83
14:10 hours Convoy attack in good weather
Ore carrier hit by 1 stern torpedo but escaped (+1 dud)
14:13 hours Motor tanker sunk by 2 bow torpedoes
14:13 hours Small freighter sunk by 1 bow torpedo
14:20 hours Small freighter sunk by 1 bow torpedo
No attacks by the escorts , U-103 dived at 120m and left undetected.
With 3 bow + 1stern torpedoes remaining vonHarris started the return passage
01 December 1940
Grid BE36
05:23 hours Large cargo sunk by 30 105mm rounds
When the ship went down the IWO saw two more ships bearing 003.
Since the weather was good 1m/s winds I decided to hunt them down.
They were two Granville type freighters.
And then it came: A shell landed some 500m in front of our Uboat. The merchants were armed and zigzaging.
U-103 kept a distance of 2500m and started shelling the enemy. Fortunately the enemy gunners were very wrong at their aim.
05:59 hours Granville type freighter sunk by 25 105mm rounds
The other merchant didn't open fire so I assumed she was unarmed and clased in. I was lucky
06:10 hours Granville type freighter sunk by 17 105mm rounds
13:58 hours Small merchant sunk by 19 105 mm rounds
14:22 hours Large merchant sunk by 1 bow torpedo and 56 105mm rounds. She was armed with 2 x 3in guns , one at each side
2 December 1940
01:43 hours Passenger/cargo sunk by 14 105mm rounds
3 December 1940
04:01 hours
U-103 docked at Lorient.
vonHarris wrote a report about the armed merchants so all other commanders would be warned and use extreme caution when attacking with the deck gun from now on. A hit from a 3in shell can easily end a patrol and make the Uboat unable to dive.
28 days at sea
10 ships sunk
61096 tons
1 aircraft shot down
90% hull integrity
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