[Sailor Steve]

Oberleutnant z.S Johann Anter, Type IIB U-15: Flotilla Weddigen, Kiel

1st Patrol:

23.9.39
0411 Departed Kiel docks.
0503 Transitted Holtenau locks.
0943 Passed Rendsberg
1539 Transitted Brunsbüttel locks, into Elbe. Opened orders - AN56.

24.9.39
0400 Report: AN9646, 270°, 8 knots, Clear, Wind 4, Sea 3, Waves .5.
1302 FdU: French ships are now targets.
1426: Time zone change - now 1326.

25.9.39
0300 Report: AN6943, 275°, 8 knots, Clear, Wind 4, Sea 3, Waves .5.
0615 FdU: Task force leaving Scapa Flow, course ESE.
1046 Sighted Den Helder lightship.

26.9.39
0300 Report: AN 6711, 275°, 7 knots, Clear, Wind 15, Sea 7, Waves 4.
0713 Sighted aircraft. Ordered periscope depth.
0800 Surfaced.
0858 Arrived AN5699.
1254 Sighted ship.
1255 Task force! Periscope depth.
1257 1 aircraft carrier, 1 large warship, several destroyers. Too far away to pursue.
1340 Surfaced, sent contact report.
2314 Sighted ship.
2318 Lost contact.
2346 Found him again.

27.9.39
0018 Close enough to make out shape - freighter.
0045 Small freighter - 2000 tons.
0046 Making surface attack run.
0050 Can make out flag - Danish. Breaking off attack.
0300 Report: AN5655, 295°, 3 knots, Clear, Wind 14, Sea 7, Waves 4.

28.9.39
0300 Report: AN5644, 180°, 4 knots, Clear, Wind 15, Sea 7, Waves 4.
0843 Sighted aircraft. Periscope depth.
0941 Sound reports merchant contact.
0950 Surfaced.
1005 Trawler, 1000 tons. Letting him go.
1201 Radio: Warsaw under seige.

29.9.39
0300 Report: AN5688, 090°, 3 knots, Clear, Wind 20, Sea 8, Waves 6.

30.9.39
0300 Report: AN5639, 000°, 4 knots, Clear, Wind 21, Sea 9, Waves 7.

1.10.39
0300 Report: AN5621, 270°, 4 knots, Clear, Wind 1, Sea 1, Waves 0.1.

2.10.39
0300 Report: AN5659, 120°, 4 knots, Clear, Wind 5, Sea 3, Waves 0.5.

3.10.39
0300 Report: AN5636, 000°, 4 knots, Clear, Wind 5, Sea 3, Waves 0.5.
1538 Sighted ship.
1545 Passenger/Cargo, 2000 tons.
1602 Periscope depth.
1634 Danish.
1730 Surfaced.

4.10.39
0300 Report: AN5675, 240°, 4 knots, Clear, Wind 0, Sea 0, Waves 0.

5.10.39
0300 Report: AN5611, 140°, 4 knots, Clear, Wind 0, Sea 0, Waves 0.
0630 Storm front moving in.
2100 Radio: Poland has surrendered.

6.10.39
0300 Report: AN5685, 000°, 4 knots, Overcast, Wind 20, Sea 8, Waves 6.
1432 Sighted ship.
1435 Periscope Depth.
1500 Ore ship, 6000 tons.
1510 British! Perfect position. Immediate attack.
1510 Fired 2 torpedoes, 1 fast, 1 slow.
1511 Both hit!
1512 Surfaced.
1513 Radio: SSS! SSS! SS Talthybius! 54°51' N 0°54'E! Sinking!
1519 Target slowing.
1523 Target wallowing. Crew abandoning ship.
1527 Target sank, leaving 1 boat and 3 rafts.
1532 Talked to officers in boat. SS Talthybius, 6138 tons, carrying a cargo of coal. AN5673.
1545 On our way.
1550 Depth 40 metres to reload.
1615 Surfaced.
1752 Radio: Have rescued survivors of SS Talthybius - SS Marjory.

7.10.39
0300 Report: AN5664, 140°, 4 knots, Overcast, Wind 23, Sea 9, Waves 7.

8.10.39
0300 Report: AN5639, 000°, 4 knots, Overcast, Wind 24, Sea 9, Waves7.

9.10.39
0300 Report: AN5688, 220°, 3 knots, Overcast, Wind 23, Sea 9, Waves 7.

10.10.39
0300 Report: AN5611, 180°, 3 knots, Overcast, Wind 23, Sea 9, Waves 7.

11.10.39
0300 Report: AN5647, 040°, 4 knots, Overcast, Wind 21, Sea 9, Waves 7.

12.9.39
0300 Report: AN5667, 140°, 4 knots, Clear, Wind 24, Sea 10, Waves 8.

13.10.39
0300 Report: AN5633, 270°, 3 knots, Clear, Wind 18, Sea 8, Waves 5.

14.10.39
0300 Report: AN5612, 270°, 4 knots, Clear, Wind 26, Sea 10, Waves 9.

15.10.39
0300 Report: AN5679, 090°, 3 knots, Partly Cloudy, Wind 24, Sea 9, Waves 8.

16.10.39
0300 Report: AN5695, 300°, 4 knots, Partly Cloudy, Wind 26, Sea 10, Waves 9.

17.10.39
0300 Report: AN5615, 300°, 4 knots, Partly Cloudy, Wind 24, Sea 9, Waves 8.
1707 Sightetd ship.
1720 Coaster, 2000 tons.
1735 Not sure if we can fire in this weather. Attempting submerged attack.
1743 Fired one torpedo, range 700. Hit!
1745 Target sank as U-15 surfaced.
1747 No wreckage, no boats, no survivors...nothing. No trace target was ever there.

18.10.39
0300 Report: AN5632, 090°, 4 knots, Partly Cloudy, Wind 26, Sea 10, Waves 9.
1653 Dove to avoid aircraft.
2000 Surfaced.

19.10.39
0300 Report: AN5657, 240° 4 knots, Clear, Wind 23, Sea 9, Waves 7.

20.10.39
0300 Report: AN5614, 000°, 3 knots, Clear, Wind 24, Sea 9, Waves 8.
1714 Lookouts report ship sighted.
1719 Another large ore ship.
1740 Diving for attack.
1807 Last two torpedoes fired.
1808 Two good hits!
1809 Surfaced.
1811 Radio: SOS! SS Fresno City! Have struck mine!
1824 Target proceeding as if unaffected. Radioing for instructions.
1848 Ordered to return home.
1851 Dove to avoid aircraft.
2000 Surfaced.

21.10.39
0300 Report: AN6471, 100°, 9 knots, Clear, Wind 21, Sea 9, Waves 7.

22.10.39
1706 Have crossed time zone, now 1806.

23.10.39
0347 Transitted Brunsbüttel locks, into Canal.
1538 Exited Holtenau locks into Kiel.
1623 Tied up at dock, patrol over.

At sea 30 days.

2 ships cofirmed, 1 probable.
6.10.39 AN56 SS Talthybius, 6138 tons, Cargo Coal, Crew 74, 37 survivors.
17.10.39 AN53 unkown, no credit.*
28.10.39 AN56 MV Fresno City, 7881 tons, Cargo Coal, Crew 79, 72 Survivors. Ship reported hitting mine, but almost certainly victim of U-15.

Total: 2 ships, 14019 tons.

*SS David H. Atwater reported missing on 19.10.39. Comparison of British reports with Oblt.s.Z Anter's claim indicates this ship was likely victim of U-15.
Added 4.11.41: SS David H. Atwater, 1869 tons, Cargo Coal, Crew 29, no survivors.

Revised total, 4.11.41: 3 ships, 15,888 tons.