[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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 -

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

++++

KTB - U 112

- continued from 31 Jan. 1810h -

1837 - Qu.1795AM - Turning boat to heading 0°, in order to bring the stern torpedoes to bear.
"Battle Stations!".
Own course 180°; own speed 1.6kn astern.
Shooter: Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O. Emmo MARBACH.

1855 - Shot with Tube V+VI, G7a, K-a/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 4m; Vt30kn.
Target ship: A Standard Merchant in the second stbd. column.
Target course 88°; Target distance 5500m; Target angle red65°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 10/9°.

Distance to the Corvette is 2400m. Running off on course 47° and 2xH.F.-Ahead.

Both torpedoes are hits after 5min., 18sec.

The steamer explodes and breaks in two, both halves sink within 1 min.

1905 - On course 88°, 1/3-Ahead. Reloading Tubes V+VI until 1922h.

1948 - The Corvette runs back to the convoy. Attack run with Full Speed Ahead. The convoy is still zig-zagging. Breaking off attack, running off on course 88°.

Cmdr.: "The convoy has changed its formation: The large targets are now all running on the stbd. side of the convoy, also, the two torpedoed Ami's. The aft V&W Destroyer has also taken up station on the port flank of the convoy."

2008 - Convoy stopped zig-zagging. Water depth is 150m. It seems that the forward sweeper has disappeared. At a distance of 3200m to the Flower Corvette, the forward sweeper comes back in sight, it was on ASW action behind the convoy, is now returning and back on station in front of the convoy at 2013h.

2020 - Turning boat to heading 0°, in order to bring the stern torpedoes to bear.
Own course 001°; own speed 4kn ahead.
Shooter: Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O. Emmo MARBACH.

2029 - Shot with Tube V+VI, G7a, K-a/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 4m; Vt30kn.
Target ship: A Standard Merchant in the second stbd. column.
Target course 88°; Target distance 6000m; Target angle red73°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 359°.

Tube V is a hit midships after 6min.
Tube VI is a failure, understeers.

The steamer is burning but keeps going. Running off on course 103°. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

- to be continued -