[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

Started a new career in August 2019, to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years ago ...

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KTB - U 112

- continued from 31 Jan. 0444h -

0517 - Tubes I-IV are reloaded.

Cmdr.: "It could be, that the Cruiser and the Aircraft Carrier have left convoy WS-5A, after 'Admiral Scheer' has attacked the convoy without success. If this is the case, the Aircraft Carrier could also be HMS Formidable."

0530 - The forward sweeper runs back to his station.

0539 - Qu.1774AM - "Battle Stations!". Turning toward the convoy beam.

0541 - Decks awash. Own course 176°; own speed 3kn.
Shooter: Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O. Emmo MARBACH.

0555 - Shot with Tubes I+II, G7e, K-b/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 8m; Vt30kn.
Target ship: HMS Glorious.
Target course 89°; Target distance 5000m; Target angle red74°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 004°.

0556 - Shot with Tube III, G7a, K-a/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 5m; Vt30kn.
Target ship: Standard Tanker in front of HMS Glorious.
Target course 89°; Target distance 5000m; Target angle red82°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 356°.

0558 - Shot with Tube IV, G7a, K-a/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 5m; Vt44kn.
Target ship: Large Standard Merchant in the port column.
Target course 89°; Target distance 4500m; Target angle red73°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 009°.

0602 - Blowing tanks and turning hard to port. Running off on course 88°.

All torpedoes are hits! The tanker explodes and sinks within seconds - the sea is on fire for a while. HMS Glorious stops and sinks with load explosions over the forecastle. A fire breaks out on the torpedoed merchant but she continues on. The convoy is in disarray. The forward sweeper - a US-Clemson Destroyer - runs to the port column in search for us.

0623 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations!". Reloading of tubes I+II until 0640h.

- to be continued -

Started a new career in August 2019, to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years ago ...

++++

KTB - U 112

- continued from 31 Jan. 0623h -

Cmdr.: "The radio operator informs me that according to an intercepted wireless communication, the torpedoed merchant is an Ami. I had wondered, why there were so many big juicy targets running in the outside column. Actually, this was also the case in previous convoys."

0700 - "Battle Stations!". Turning toward the convoy beam.
Own course 178°; own speed 3kn.
Shooter: Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O. Emmo MARBACH.

0706 - Shot with Tubes I+II, G7a, K-a/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 4m; Vt30kn.
Target ship: Standard Merchant in pos.2 of the stbd. column.
Target course 89°; Target distance 4500m; Target angle red74°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 003°.

Both torpedoes hit a merchant in the port column instead but tube II fails to detonate. Turning the boat to course 358° to bring the stern tubes to bear.

0712 - Shot with Tube V+VI, G7e, K-b/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 4m; Vt30kn.
Target ship: A Standard Merchant on the stbd. side of the convoy.
Target course 89°; Target distance 3800m; Target angle red84°; Target speed 5kn; Firing angle 326°.

First early dawn. The boat is being attacked by the Clemson Destroyer with surface weapons. The shots fall close to the bow compartment - the batteries are damaged.

0713 - "ALARM!". The boat is not responding! At 0714h again the order to crash dive is given. After seconds that feel like an eternity, the boat is finally diving.

During the diving process, tube V is a hit on an unidentified ship, Tube VI is a miss. At A+70 the damages are repaired - silent running. Boat levels out at 2A-Meter. Wabos above and behind the boat - Asdic. In total 54 Wabos are dropped, 6-8 at each attack run.

0827 - S-Tiefe. The destroyer has run back to the convoy.
"Dismissed from Battle Stations!". Reloading of the stern tubes until 0843h.

- to be continued -