November 22, 1940.
U-33 back in Lorient.
Went for patrolgrid CG87 on Nov 7, gunned down 4 ships on the way.
Had an intercept Nov 12 with what RA called "Warship", but what turned out to be a british taskforce
Came as close as 4400m to HMS Rodney
Emptied all four tubes, all missed, but one took out a small Tribal on the far side of the TF. Sigh. Went north.
2000 km later and nothing! In BE31 got a report of large, slow convoy. Intercepted 12 hours later well ahead of it. Saw no other warships than an old Southhampton and a Flower Class. Targeted 4 large cargo - and all hell broke loose. At least 5 destroyers came racing down and we were forced deeper than we've been before. And now SO reports long distance contacts moving very fast and closing from NW and SE... SE report was a task force... Swordfish now everywhere... Spend 3 hours evading hundreds of DC's... Shaked and stirred, but undamaged. Close to disaster as one of the cargos going down almost sucked us with it
6 cargos and that lousy Tribal, 36770 ton.
1 year and 1 month after U-33's first warpatrol, we have now been 201 days at sea and are going for a 3 months leave. Boat and crew are fine, but exhausted.
Kaleu Janus Küster.