Bruno Asche
Patrol 2: October 20, 1939 Game played January 10-12, 2005
U-14's first patrol lasted 25 days, from September 1 to September 26, 1939. During our time in port Matrosenhauptgefreiter Dietrich Priller was promoted to Bootsmann and transferred ashore for special training. His replacement is a young sailor fresh out of submarine school, Gerhard Römer.
U-14 was ready for sea on October 16, and received orders to put out on October 20.
Lt. z.S. Bruno Asche
U-14: Flotilla Wedigen, Kiel
U-14 crew, October 20, 1939:
Captain: Leutnant z.S. Bruno Asche
Chief Engineer: Leutnant z.S. Günther Loh
1WO: Leutnant z.S. Werner Scholz
2WO: Leutnant z. S. Heinz Schmidt
Navigator: Oberfähnrich z. S. Erich Steimle
Senior Helmsman/3rd Watch Leader: Stabsoberbootsmann Emil Stephan
Helmsman: Bootsmann Josef Sander
Machinist: Stabsoberbootsmann August Hermann
2nd Machinist: Stabsoberbootsmann Herbert Thomsen
Torpedoman: Bootsmann Peter Heyer
Torpedoman: Bootsmann August Spahr
General Petty Officers:
Bootsmann Hans Mohr
Bootsmann Henning Hessler
Bootsmann Reinhard Brummer
Leading Seamen:
Matrosenhauptgefreiter Kurt Böhling
Matrosenhauptgefreiter Max Eisenstein
Senior Seamen:
Matrosenobergefreiter Erich Richter
Matrosenobergefreiter Heinz Witt
Matrosenobergefreiter Walter Jordon
Matrosenobergefreiter Otto Rasch
Seamen:
Matrosengefreiter Herbert Brehme
Matrosengefreiter Rolf Maddaus
Matrosengefreiter Siegfried Poske
Matrosengefreiter Jurgen Schendel
Matrosengefreiter Reiner Hansen
Matrosengefreiter Max Claussen
Matrosengefreiter Philipp Bahn
Matrosengefreiter Gerhard Römer
10/20/39
1833 Underway from Kiel docks. After 25 days in port we're finally putting out to sea again.
1847 Passed inner harbor lighthouse. Ahead 1/3 for cruising.
1917 Passed outer bar, opened orders. We have a special assignment: we are to patrol AF87, north of Bergen, and report any British movements in the area. We can sink ships if we find any, but the main thing is to watch for possible troopship movements, or excess warships where they shouldn't be.
2004 Departed Kiel Bay.
10/21/39
0101 Entered Langelandsbält.
0608 Entered Store Bält.
1800 Position Report: AO72. Fuel 95%. Sky clear, Sea State 3, Wind 10 m/s, 1/2 meter wavelets.
10/22/39
1800 Position Report: AO44. Fuel 90%. Clear, Sea 3 Wind 10 m/s, Waves 1/2 meter.
10/23/39
1800 Position Report: AN35. Fuel 85%. Clear, Sea 10, Wind 25 m/s, Waves 9 meters. Diving to 30 meters.
2112 Sound contact, merchant, bearing 190.
2113 Periscope depth, Ahead Standard, course 240.
2118 Ahead Flank.
2130 We've lost him. Returned to 30 meters, Ahead Slow, course 300.
2138 Sound picked him up again. Surface, course 180, Flank speed.
2140 Course 170.
2150 Diving for sound check.
2152 Contact. Surfaced.
2215 Sound check.
2218 Contact. Surface, course 210.
2230 Sound check.
2236 Contact. Surface, course 240.
2300 Can't seem to catch him. Breaking off chase. 30 meters, Ahead Slow, course 300.
2312 Contact, ahead of us this time. Surface, Flank Speed, course 260.
2345 Nothing. 30 meters, Ahead Slow, returning to course 300.
10/24/39
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AN35. Fuel 80%. Clear, Sea 10, Wind 30 m/s, Waves 9 m. Diving to 30.
2218 Sound contact, ahead and closing. Surfaced, course 280.
2304 Spotted him! Closing.
2305 Small Norwegian coaster. Diving to 30 meters, returning to course.
10/25/39
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1554 Ship spotted.
1600 Periscope depth, Flank Speed, course 210.
1605 He's making 9 knots. We'll never catch him submerged. Surfaced.
1607 Another Norwegian. Returning to course.
1800 Position Report: AN31. Fuel 76%. Clear, Sea 8, Wind 21 m/s, Waves 6m.
10/26/39
0623 Ship Spotted, another Norwegian.
1800 Position Report: AN29. Fuel 71%. Clear, Sea 8, Wind 20 m/s, Waves 6m.
10/27/39
0346 Ship spotted! Set course 020.
0357 I'm starting to feel like a Norwegian customs inspector. Returning to course 300.
1026 Entered Patrol Grid AF87.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 69%. Clear, Sea 8, Wind 22 m/s, Waves 6m.
1802 Radio: British are using Ocean Liners as Troopships. All liners in convoys are now valid targets and may be sunk withour warning.
10/28/39
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 68%. Clear, Sea 7, Wind 18 m/s, Waves 5m.
10/29/39
1201 Radio: North Sea restrictions forbidding searching of stopped ships now extended to west of Orkney Islands.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 69%. Clear, Sea 8, Wind 21 m/s, Waves 5m.
10/30/39
1200 Waves are all wrong for this type of cruising in this boat. Following sea, boat wallowing badly. Crew starting to suffer from "Mal de Mer"-seasickness.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 68%. Clear, Sea 9, Wind 26 m/s, Waves 8m.Course change has made the going a little easier.
10/31/39
0327 Ship spotted.
0331 Course now 260, Standard Speed.
0334 Flank Speed ordered.
0335 There he is again! Set course 295.
0340 Another small coastal merchant. have to get closer to identify.
0350 Range 2300. This has become a long stern chase.
0355 Range now 1900.
0400 Range 1650.
0405 Range 1450.
0410 Range 1250.
1415 Range 1000.
0420 Range 700. Still can't see his flag.
0425 Of course-another Norwegian! Breaking off chase, diving to 30 meters to escape weather.
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 67%. Clear, Sea 9, Wind 27 m/s, Waves 8m. Diving again.
11/1/39
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 66%. Clear, Sea 9, Wind 25 m/s, Waves 8m. Diving.
11/2/39
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AF 87. Fuel 65%. Overcast, Sea 10, Wind 32 m/s, Waves 9m. Diving to 30.
11/3/39
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 64%. Overcast, Sea 10, Waves 9m. 30 meters.
11/4/39
0338 Sound contact-merchant. Surfaced, set course 005, Ahead Standard.
0400 Sound check.
0415 No further contact. Returning to course 125, ahead slow, 50 meters.
0416 Contact! Surfaced, Ahead Standard, course 030.
0417 AAAH! He's only 400 meters away! Relief, he's not heading for us, but on reciprocal course.
0418 He's a medium-sized merchant, Norwegian of course. We pass at a distance of less than 200 meters. The Norwegians wave at us as we go by.
0420 30 meters, Ahead Slow, Course 125.
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 63%. Overcast, Sea 9, Wind 25 m/s, Waves 8m. Diving to 30 meters.
11/5/39
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 61%. Overcast, Sea 10, Wind 31 m/s, Waves 9m. 50 meters.
11/6/39
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 60%. Raining now, Sea 10,Wind 30 m/s, Waves 9m. Dive to 30 meters.
11/7/39
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 59%. Heavy driving rain, Sea 10, Wind 29 m/s, Waves 9m. Diving to 30 meters.
11/8/39
0900 The crew surprised me with a small cake and a bottle of wine smuggled aboard by Matrosengefreiter Poske, whose father apparently owns a restaurant right in Kiel. I hadn't even thought about my birthday! Today I am twenty-seven.
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 58%. Rain, Fog, Heavy Seas. 30 meters.
11/9/39
0931 Sound Contact-merchant. Surfaced, Ahead Standard, course 030.
0945 Dove for Sound Check.
0957 Contact. Surfaced, course 035.
1011 Brief contact. Course 045.
1027 Another brief contact-he's slipping by us! Course 135, Flank Speed!
1045 Sound Check.
1047 Contact. Surfaced, Course 245.
1100 Sound Check.
1102 Contact. Surfaced, Course 200.
1115 Sound Check.
1118 Contact. Surfaced, Course 215.
1130 Sound Check.
1200 We've lost him. Surfaced, Ahead Slow, Patrol Course.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 55%. Raining, Sea 10. 30 meters.
11/10/39
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1234 Radio: All boats are ordered to set magnetic pistols again. This is our first radio reception in 13 days.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 54%. Still raining, still foggy, Sea State still 10, waves still running 9 meters high, still diving to 30 meters to escape it.
11/11/39
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 53%. Rain, Sea 10. 30 meters.
11/12/39
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: Fuel 52%. Rain, Sea 10. Diving to 30 meters.
11/13/39
0623 Sound contact. Surfacing, Standard Speed.
0627 Weather still high. We'll never catch him. Dive to 50 meters, Ahead Slow.
0824 Another contact, moving away. Not a thing we can do about it until this weather lifts.
0921 Contact. This one closing. Surface, Ahead Standard, Course 005.
0928 Course 010.
0945 Sound check.
0950 Contact. Surface, Course 015.
1000 Sound check.
1002 Contact, bearing 096. He's off to starboard! Surface, Ahead Flank, Course 110.
1015 Sound Check.
1016 Contact, bearing 105, moving away. He got by us. Set 50 meters depth, Ahead Slow, returning to patrol course.
1200 Surface to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 50%. Raining, Sea 10. Diving to 50 meters.
11/14/39
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 49%. Weather unchanged. 50 meters.
11/15/39
0906 Sound contact, moving away. We can't catch him.
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: Fuel 48%. Rain, fog, Sea 10. Diving to 30 meters.
1814 Contact. Closing. Surfaced, Ahead Standard, Course 200.
1830 Sound Check.
1834 Contact. Surfaced, Course 215.
1845 Sound Check.
1846 Contact. Surfaced, Ahead Flank, Course 300.
1900 Sound Check.
1901 Contact. Surfaced, Course 250.
1915 Sound Check.
1916 Contact. And another one gets away. 30 meters, Ahead Slow, returning to patrol course.
11/16/39
0037 Contact, closing. Surfaced, Course 010.
0054 Blinding rain, black as...well, night.
0100 Sound Check.
0105 No contact.
0124 Contact. Surfaced, Course 015.
0130 Sound Check.
0135 No contact.
0150 We've lost him. Returning to course, set 30 meters depth.
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AF87. Fuel 46%. Rain, fog, Sea State 10, 9 meter waves. Returning to course, 30 meters.
11/17/39
0436 Contact. Closing. Periscope depth.
0441 Contact lost.
0446 Diving to 30 meters.
0456 Contact regained.
0527 No contact for some time. Returning to course.
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: Fuel 45%. Rain Sea 10. Dove to 30 meters. Heading for home.
11/18/39
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AN23 Fuel 44%. Raining, Sea 10. 30 meters.
11/19/39
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AN27. Fuel 43%. Rain, fog, heavy seas. 30 meters.
11/20/39
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AN27. Fuel 42%. Rain, Sea 10 (or higher). 30 meters.
11/21/39
0718 Contact. Closing. Surfaced, Ahead Standard, Course 355.
0721 Broke surface, and it's stopped raining! Sea still quite heavy, though.
0730 Sound Check.
0753 Picked him up again, after more than 20 minutes listening.
0755 Contact lost again.
0758 Dove to 20 meters, Ahead Slow.
0808 Contact. Surfaced, Ahead Flank, Course 270.
0815 Sound Check.
0817 Nothing. Ahead Standard, making 360 degree circle.
0820 Still nothing. Return to course 210, 50 meters.
1200 Surface to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AN42. Fuel 41%. Overcast, Sea 10. 30 meters.
11/22/39
1200 Surface.
1800 Position Report: AN45. Fuel 40%. Diving to 30 meters.
11/23/39
1200 Surfaced.
1800 Position Report: AN46. Fuel 39%. Overcast, Sea 10. Dive to 30.
11/24/39
1200 Surfaced to recharge.
1800 Position Report: AN34. Fuel 38%. Overcast, Sea down to 5, 2 meter waves. Staying surfaced.
11/25/39
1800 Position Report: AN34. Fuel 34%. Overcast, Sea 5.
11/26/39
1800 Position Report: AN35. Fuel 30%. Overcast, Sea State 4, 1 meter waves.
11/27/39
1800 Position Report: AN35. Fuel 26%. Overcast, Sea 4.
2311 Ship spotted. Set course 010, Ahead Standard.
2342 Another Norwegian. Turning for home again, Ahead Slow.
11/28/39
1800 Position Report: AN36. Fuel 22%. Overcast, Sea 4.
11/29/39
1800 Position Report: AO44. Fuel 18%. Overcast, Sea 5.
11/30/39
1800 Position Report: AO72. Fuel 14%. Overcast, Sea 7, 4 meter waves.
12/1/39
1635 Spotted fishing trawler in middle of Langelandsbält. He's riding these waves better than we are!
12/2/39
0123 Entered Kiel Bay.
0232 Passed outer bar.
0308 Passed lighthouse to inner harbor. We have illustrious company: Two heavy cruisers are tied up in Kiel as we return.
0327 Tied up at recieving dock.
Patrol summary: No sinkings, never even saw an enemy ship. We must have done something important, though: I was congratulated by Admiral Dönitz himself.
December 2, 1939
1. Herbert Schultze .................58,266
2. Günther Prien......................37,420
3. Werner Hartmann................35,306
4. Wilhelm Rollmann.................32,860
5. Berthold Cranmer*...............17,901
6. Heinrich Liebe.......................16,698
7. Günther Berke*....................13,777
8. Viktor Schütze........................5,874
9. Joachim Schepke ....................2,348
10. Otto Kretschmer ......................876
11. Hans Jenisch............................500
12. Ernst Baur................................345
Bruno Asche**...................................0