30/09/1940
07:00 - AN96 - Departed Kiel at 22:41 and have just navigated Kiel Canal. Proceeding to the North Sea. Weather is partially cloudy with a slight north-easterly breeze. Heading 265°, speed 10kn.
31/07/1940
10:00 - AN91 - Entering the North Sea, no incidents as of yet. Orders are to proceed to AM19. Strong westerly gales, sea 6. Course 319°, speed 7kn.
01/08/1940
07:00 - AN3453 - No incidents to report. No changes in weather. Course 317°, speed 7kn.
14:10 - AN31 - Conducted alarm drill and deep-dive test. Boat was submerged in under 30 seconds and held out at 180m. Weather unchanged, course and speed remain unchanged.
02/08/1940
11:00 - AN2353 - Strong southerly gales. Sea 7. Heading 330°, speed 7kn.
03/08/1940
07:10 - AF7688 - No incidents. Weather partially cloudy with moderate north-westerly winds. Sea 6. Course 287°, speed 8kn.
04/08/1940
07:00 - AF7573 - Weather is clear with strong south-westerly gales, sea 7. Course 247°, speed 8kn.
05/08/1940
09:00 - AN11 - Weather is poor. Heavy rain, strong west-north-westerly gusts, sea 7. Visibility is nil. Heading and speed unchanged.
06/08/1940
07:30 - AM34 - No change in weather. No change in heading and speed.
07/08/1940
05:24 - AM26 - Spotted a large trawler. Unable to attack due to weather conditions. Visibility is down to 1km. Continuing to patrol area. Course 249°, speed 6kn.
08/08/1940
09:35 - AM18 - No changes in weather. Heading 250°, speed 9kn.
09/08/1940
18:20 - AM19 - Patrol area reached, adopting a ladder search pattern. Weather is still atrocious. Course 270°, speed 8kn.
10/08/1940
07:00 - AM19 - Continuing patrol in assigned area, no change in weather. Course 091°, speed 6kn.
11/08/1940
07:05 - AM19 - No incidents. Rain has stopped, west-north-westerly gales. Sea 7. Course 271°, speed 7kn.
12/08/1940
07:00 - AM19 - Cloudy, moderate southerly winds. Sea 5. Course 270°, speed 9kn.
13:25 - Received report of convoy in AL36 travelling north-east at 10kn. Moving to intercept - heading 012°, speed 16kn. No change in weather.
13/08/1940
05:46 - AM13 - Should be within range of the convoy, no visual or sound contacts as of yet. Course 298°, speed 12kn. Weather unchanged.
06:52 - Weather has improved. Partially cloudy, light north-north-westerly breeze. Sea 3. Course unchanged, speed 7kn.
14/08/1940
08:40 - AM1353 - No success in finding convoy, no further reports received. Abandoning hunt. Orders to proceed to AM17. Heading 211°, speed 7kn. Weather clear and still. Sea 2.
15/08/1940
07:05 - AM1775 - Reached new patrol area. No incidents. Partially cloudy, light north-easterly breeze. Sea 4. Course 029°, speed 7kn.
16/08/1940
04:02 - AM1756 - New orders from BdU to proceed to grid AM51. Weather clear and still, sea 2. Course 117°, speed 8kn.
23:55 - AM43 - Sighted ship, identified it as a neutral hospital ship travelling west. Continuing on course to AM51.
17/08/1940
03:45 - AM4326 - Spotted and attacked a large merchant. Conducted a submerged attack firing two T1 torpedoes with magnetic pistols from 1,100m. One hit, one miss - fired a third T1 from 950m also using magnetic pistol. Hit causing it to sink for 8,379GRT. Lifeboats observed. Continuing to AM51.
08:13 - Arrived in AM5111. No change in weather. Course 124°, speed 7kn. 11 torpedoes remaining.
18/08/1940
06:47 - AM5197 - Picked up a radio signal 25km away from our current position. Moving to intercept. Course 134°, speed 14kn.
07:59 - AM54 - Sighted vessel, identified it as a cargo/passenger type. Approached at full speed before slowing to engage with deck gun. Sank for 2,234GRT. Lifeboats observed drifting east.
19/08/1940
07:00 - AM5115 - Weather clear, light westerly breeze. Sea 2. Course 061°, speed 7kn.
23:56 - Picked up another radio signal around 100km south-east of us, believed to be travelling east-north-east. Moving to attempt to intercept.
20/08/1940
06:09 - AM52 - Spotted 2 vessels whilst intercepting the radio signal. Intended target was cargo/passenger type travelling east-north-east. Second was a coastal freighter travelling west. Attacked the first with deck gun. After several hits below the waterline, turned to attack the second also with the deck gun. The second sank quickly for 1,869GRT. Turned back to the first which was now stationary but not sinking. Dived and fired one aft T1 torpedo from 500m causing it to sink for 2,226GRT. No lifeboats from either boat. Returning to AM51.
21/08/1940
06:50 - AM5154 - Report of convoy in grid AM0213 travelling south-east at 8kn. Moving to intercept, expect contact in around 10 hours. Course 080°, speed 17kn.
10:17 - AM5139 - Spotted lone ship off starboard beam. Initially planned on letting it pass in favour of continuing towards the convoy but it was moving towards us - decision taken to move in and attack with deck gun. Due to convoy speed and distance intercepting should still be possible.
10:48 - Identified vessel as tramp steamer. Sunk for 2,109GRT. Continuing on intercept course, heading 076°, 17kn.
14:50 - Spotted escort ship. Diving to periscope depth to observe and carry out hydrophone check.
19:39 - Slipped into convoy at silent speed at around 18:10. Torpedoed and sank two medium tankers for 8,888GRT each, both hit with two T1 torpedoes. Attempted a fifth shot on a large merchant but torpedo failed to explode, possibly due to ship zig-zagging. Forced to dive deeper as escorts closed in, took minor damage to forward deck from a depth charge. Turned about during one attack which appeared to throw off the escorts as all further attacks occurred well aft of us. Escorts turned away at around 19:00 at speed. Surfaced at 19:35, carrying out deck repairs and reloading torpedoes. 3 fore torpedoes left, will shadow the convoy and attempt a night attack.
22/08/1940
00:54 - AM53 - Deflected off course by a destroyer. Currently unable to locate convoy.
05:14 - Sighted convoy. Moving in to attack.
08:14 - Sighted by escorts while moving into position. Fired a salvo of three fore torpedoes into the convoy. No hits, convoy has dispersed. Depth charged for two hours, no damage taken. One aft torpedo remaining. Informed BdU of intentions to return to Kiel.
10:13 - Message from BdU - "Return to Kiel denied. Proceed to BF54 and await further orders." - Heading 275°, speed 7kn. Weather clear with light fog. Light north-easterly breeze. Sea 3.
23/08/1940
17:01 - AM5457 - No incidents. No change in weather. Course 249°, 7kn.
24/08/1940
09:22 - AM4994 - Course 195°, speed 7kn. Diesel fuel reserves down to below 50%.
25/08/1940
07:30 - AM7687 - Sea 6. Course 170°, speed 5kn.
19:01 - AM7988 - Sighted Granville type freighter. Fired aft torpedo from 460m at shallow depth then surfaced and finished with deck gun for 4,754GRT. Continuing on course, sea now 4.
26/08/1940
08:12 - BE3656 - Weather partially cloudy. Light southerly breeze. Sea 4. Heading 171°, speed 7kn. BdU order us to continue to BF54 despite having no torpedoes.
27/08/1940
07:40 - BF1795 - Heading 110°, 7kn.
28/08/1940
07:18 - BF43 - Weather overcast, sea 5. Course 110°, speed 6kn.
09:49 - New orders to proceed to BF64, further orders will be given on arrival.
29/08/1940
07:53 - BF54 - Course 097°, 6kn.
30/08/1940
08:15 - BF64 - Reached assigned grid. Awaiting further orders. Heading 022°, 6kn.
31/08/1940
08:00 - BF64 - No new orders received. Sent another request to put in to a port. Course 270°, speed 6kn.
01/09/1940
00:39 - BF64 - Received orders to put into St. Nazaire and informed this is now our home base. Heading 067°, speed 12kn.
07:15 - Docked at St. Nazaire. Patrol ended.
Patrol results:
Total ships sunk: 8
Total tonnage: 39,346
Total aircraft shot down: 0
Days at sea: 35
Promoted to Oberleutnant zur See
Awarded Iron Cross Second Class, U-Boat Badge and U-Boat Front Clasp