[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. 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 -

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

++++

KTB - U 112

- continued from 31 Jan. 0827h -

0848 - Surfaced after 1.5h and 5sm.

0900 - "All engines stop!". M.G.-2cm-C/30 manned. Commenced taking remaining bow reserve torpedoes under deck.

0920 - Sunrise.

0942 - Charging batteries at 9000Ah: Stbd.-Diesel 500RPM - Charging; Port-Diesel 0RPM - Propulsion, 0kn.

1044 - Torpedoes taken under deck. Batteries charged: 1h for 1000Ah.

1200 - Qu.1775AM - Days Run: 204.4sm - ↗197.6sm (21h 40') - ↘6.8sm (2h 20')
96.8cbm (7.8cbm/24h). 10000Ah. 6 internal Ato. Weather unchanged in 24h.

Chasing convoy 1650/30 on course 88° and Full Speed Ahead.

1305 - Reloading of tubes III+IV until 1325h.

1315 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
Sunk on January 31 from convoy 1650/30:
At 0429h HMS Norfolk 3896AL, at 0601h HMS Glorious and 1 Tanker 8229ts both 1774AM, at 0716h 3 merchants torpedoed in 1774AM, sinking of one probable. Surface weapon damage from escort, bow compartment and batteries repaired. Have taken remaining external torpedoes under deck, 6 internal Ato. Chasing convoy 1650/30, suspect it is convoy 1650/28. 96cbm. NW2/2, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 8000, >1000mb. - RST -

1401 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: You and your crew are the pride of Germany!

1415 - Dived for listening check at T=20. Screw noises bearing 15°.

1421 - Surfaced.

1500 - "Smoke Plume ahead!"

1527 - Evading the port fwd escort - a Flower Corvette - on a search pattern on our port beam and the aft escort - a V&W Destroyer - on our stbd. beam. Visibility during the day is 9000m.

1535 - Evading the port Flower Corvette on search patterns until 1650h. Escorts comprised of a Clemson Destroyer as forward sweeper, a Flower Corvette on the convoy port side, an unknown escort on the convoy std. side and a V&W Destroyer aft.

1637 - Sundown.

1656 - Reached a forward port position to the convoy. Shadowing convoy at Slow Ahead.

1810 - The port Flower Corvette goes on a search pattern and vacates its station on the flank of the convoy.

- to be continued -