[KingOfNothing22]

30th March, 1941 - 05:58 - BE 6189
A whole week since our last contact. Nothing has happened. It's as though every British ship in the North Atlantic has disappeared. Very few reports from other boats. A couple of steamers sunk. One small convoy off Iceland, lost contact. That's all. Weather is no better, either. This swell has been in just over a week. No chance to get these torpedoes out of their upper deck compartments while it's like this. Still nothing from BdU. The lowest point of our patrol so far, even with the news of us losing Prien and then Kretschmer.

12:45 - BE 6521
Spotted a freighter at long range off our port beam. Outward bound. Weather conditions and the fact we still haven't been able to reload meant we were forced to sit and watch her disappear off the horizon. Morale has really taken a battering over the last 48 hours.

21:33 - BE 6617
As if things could not get any more frustrating for us. A convoy in BE 63, heading straight for us. Even in the knowledge that we currently have no way of attacking them, BdU have ordered us to locate and shadow it. We're praying for calmer seas so we can get these reserves reloaded and get back into action. As we aren't far off the Spanish coast, I had requested permission to sneak in to the Spanish coast to find a quiet spot to reload in calmer waters. Denied.

31st March, 1941 - 01:18 - BE 6627
Convoy sighted. One vessel appears to be on fire. Have relayed the relevant information to BdU and shadowing her. Looks as though there are 24 steamers with 4 escort destroyers. Now we simply watch and wait.

12:13 - BE 6921
After what has felt like an eternity two boats are no in contact with the convoy. BdU have relieved us and ordered us to break off and continue on course to St. Nazaire provided there is no change in weather.

4th April, 1941 - 01:45 - St. Nazaire
We're finally home. After 31 days at sea. Our arrival back home was less than glamorous - miserable weather, visibility almost nil. No marching band, no crowds to welcome us in. There had been a collision in the harbour too between two freighters. One had caught fire, must have been some impact! The boat is now safely in it's pen and following a debrief with Korvettenkapitän Sohler I've been promoted to Oberleutnant zur See.


The only other photo from this patrol - SS Aage, the coastal freighter we sank, well ablaze following our deck gun attack.

Patrol results:

Ships sunk: 5
Tonnage: 50,090
Days at sea: 31