[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

+++++

Monday, 8 September 1941 - Western Approaches -

- Sixth week at sea completed -

0050 - Reached calculated interception point of ship contact report 2050/7 - nothing found.

0105 - Dived for sound check. At T=20 sound contact bearing 287°, E=12000, running away.

0110 - Surfaced after 5min. and 0.3sm and chased after sound contact running 2xH.F. and on course 155°.

0118 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
To all boats operating in the northern area:
Little sightings in area of operations. The general impression obtained is, that there are no longer any independents other than a few, very fast large steamers. The enemy appears to have gathered all shipping together in convoys.
- to be continued -

0133 - "Shadow Ahead"!. E=10000. Altering course to 180°. It is ship contact report 2050/7.

0145 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
Continued from F.T.0118/8: In addition to close escort with the convoys, long-range escorts or hunter groups are observed, which render shadowing or undetected approach extremely difficult. In addition, the long-range escort appear to carry out decoy maneuvers by firing star shells and using search-lights etc.
- to be continued -

0159 - On new course 155°.

Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
Continued from F.T.0145/8: Boat are ordered to fire at long range at the very first opportunity.
- End -

0220 - Boat is 4500m to the stbd. beam of the steamer, which runs with 7kn on course 155° and is identified as English merchant of 2935ts. Boat is moving ahead of steamer to set-up for an ambush with the deck gun.

0250 - Qu.6385BE - On course 110°, speed 1.6kn. Distance to steamer is 2600m. "Battle Stations!". Manning deck gun. "Weapons Free!".

Fired two star shells over the steamer. She radios that it is being shelled and returns fire with a deck gun mounted on the forecastle and on the stern. However, the shots are being fired intermittently and lie either too short or too long.

After 17 shots with the deck gun aiming at the enemy deck guns, internal explosions are observed on the steamer, in the general area of the deck guns. The steamer breaks in two and sinks.

Running to the sinking position and questioned 3 survivors in 1 boat. Steamer is English and of 3049ts. Supplied the survivors with provisions, first aid material and navigational information.

0315 - Running off on easterly course and high speed. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

0509 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged in 24h.

0750 - New course 90°.

1200 - Qu.4187BF - Days Run: 300.5sm - ↗ 300.2 (23h 55') - ↘ 0.3sm (5').
34.3cbm (9.7cbm/24h). Weather unchanged since Sunrise, 7.9.
12 internal torpedoes. 10.5cm: 55xSpG+24xLkG. M.G.-C/30-2cm: 7820.

1400 - Wind and sea are increasing and shifting to West. It's becoming partially cloudy.

1540 - SW5/4, partly cloudy. light haze, good visibility, >1000mb.

1930 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
On 7 Sep., 2230h, Refrigeration Ship of 4342ts sunk in Qu.6334BE. Have taken 2 Sea Officers as prisoner of war. On 8 Sep., 0255h, Merchant of 3049ts sunk in Qu.6385BE.
Have 32cbm and 12 internal eels. Will be at Point Lore in 24h. SW5/4, partly cloudy, light haze, good visibility, >1000mb. - RST -

1947 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Enter Lorient as of Point Lore without escort on Path Herz to Point Luci2. Report when 24h from Point Luci2.

1952 - Sundown. Weather unchanged since 1540h.

Cmdr.: Apparently, there are not sufficient escorts available for the leaving and returning boats. We need to enter Lorient with great caution!

Boat operating acc. Op.-Orders as per B.d.U.-F.T.1947/8.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

+++++

Tuesday, 9 September 1941 - Bay of Biscay -

0030 - Reached enemy air cover zone.

Cmdr.: As of now, the entire crew has to be on the qui vive!

0033 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
New attack areas are ordered for the boats belonging to Group "Seewolf". They lie west of Iceland between 51° and 55° N, and between 15° and 20° W. The change has been made to enable co-operation with air reconnaissance from this area.

0215 - Boat is operating on ship contact report 0200/9, positioned in Qu.4532BF, on course SW, slow speed. New course 185°, 2xH.F.

0320 - Morning Dawn.
On new course 198°. "Surface Vessel!".
Steamer bearing 321°, E=5000, on course 230°, speed 5kn.
Cargo ship of 2750ts, draught 5.0m. It is ship contact report 0200/9.

Overtaking cargo ship along its stbd. beam.

0400 - On course 140°, slow ahead. Diving for submerged attack.

0403 - S-Tiefe. "Battle Stations!". Flooding tube I.
Due to the lighting conditions, the attack is being run with the B-Sehrohr. It cannot be ascertain, which nationality the steamer has.

0410 - 0415 - The steamer is being attacked by four pairs of Blohm & Voss Bv138 - apparently from the 1./K.Fl.Group 406 in Brest - approaching from 90°true. The bombs from the airplanes knock off the aft mast and leave the steamer continuing on with a fire in the aft section. The steamer is trying to fend off the attacking airplanes with her deck gun and actually manages to set one of them ablaze. The airplanes fly off on an easterly heading.

0422 - Qu.4537BF - Shot with tube I: G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt30. Own course 140°; Own speed 2kn.
Target ship: General Cargo Ship of 2750ts, draught 5.0m.
Target course 230°; Target distance 1315m; Target angle green90°; Target speed 5kn; Firing angle α 351°.

Torpedo is a failure - understeers!

0422 - Shot with tube II: G7e/G7H (K-b/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt30. Own course 140°; Own speed 2kn.
Target ship: General Cargo Ship of 2750ts, draught 5.0m.
Target course 230°; Target distance 976m; Target angle green90°; Target speed 5kn; Firing angle α 004°.

The torpedo is a hit midships, after 60sec.!

The steamer explodes and sinks with further internal explosions over the stern, within 30sec.

0430 - Surfaced after 30min. and 1sm.

Running to the sinking position. Nothing found but picked up life belt from the water. Apparently ship is from the "Lykes Lines" (Lykes Brothers Steamship Company).

0439 - Running off on easterly course and high speed. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

0457 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged since 8 Sep., 1540h.

0522 - 9sm from sinking position. 1/3-Ahead.

0853 - Qu.4618BF - Diving from Spanish Colonial Steamer bearing 338°. Sighted at E=9000, diving at E=8000. Boat remains submerged for torpedo loading and maintenance, and for trial dive.

0920 - T=50. 65rpm, 1.6kn. Starting torpedo works.

0937 - Tubes I & II reloaded with G7a, K-a.

1110 - O₂=20%. Tubes III & IV (G7e, K-b) serviced.

1130 - Both stern tubes reloaded with G7a, K-a.

1200 - Qu.4618BF - Days Run: 197.4sm - ↗ 191.3 (20h 23') - ↘ 6.1sm (3h 37').
27.3cbm (7.0cbm/24h). 9500Ah. T=50. O₂=20%.
10 internal torpedoes. 10.5cm: 55xSpG+24xLkG. M.G.-C/30-2cm: 7820.

1300 - Beginning trial dive. 135rpm, 3kn.

1320 - Boat is safe and secure on 2A-Meter. Reacts well at 135rpm.

1345 - Surfaced after 5h and 8.5sm.
Weather unchanged since 22h. O₂=20%. Battery=9400Ah.

1351 - Boat ventilated.

1430 - Incoming F.T.: From U 85:
"Gustav Gelb!". Convoy in AD 9259. On a northerly course, proceeding at 7 knots. - Greger -

Group "Markgraf" (14 boats) is instructed by B.d.U., to operate on this convoy.

1730 - Incoming F.T.: From U 85:
Convoy now in AD 9262. - Greger -

1943 - Sundown. Weather unchanged in 28h.

2235 - New course 78°.

2357 - Incoming F.T.: From U 85:
Convoy now in AD 6881. - Greger -

Boat operating acc. Op.-Orders as per B.d.U.-F.T.1947/8.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.