1st entry in Med war diary.
Assigned patrol grid CO42, departed from salamis, quiet transit to area carrying out training drills etc, no air activity observed. 2nd day on patrol..... on carrying out my 6 hourly sound check merchant detected to the sw of my grid.....long range and brg movement indicated an easterly course. i plotted a rough estimation of contact on chart and after conferring with my navigator decided to try and intercept........surfaced and proceeded at high speed to advanced position on his predicted track.............dived to periscope depth and merchant detected on predicted brg....... my sound man also detected warship noises...convoy?, weather report...calm seas but very hazy...still nothing visual, silent speed ordered, sound man reports 1 merchant and 2 warships........strange...a troopship?, warship visual blackswan class range 3900m...that is the limit of visibility, small merchant visual(whats he carrying?,gold bullion?, 2 escorts), range 3500m i cant increase speed so 1 tube made ready, door open.......i am going to have to chance 1 shot, long range.....aob 80 port, aim just fwd of bridge.........fire, go deep....remain silent speed, alter away, no indication of target zig ..........bang! one eel....one hit yesssss! what a feeling!, shes going down instantly, enemy counter attack was aggressive but inaccurate, stayed deep for 5 hours until destroyers faded then surfaced, reload eels and headed back to patrol area.
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"It is the duty of every captain to have faith in his men"
Kapitanleutnant Wolfgang Luth.
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