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U 115
- KTB -
First War Patrol
(17th war patrol overall)
Monday,
3 May 1943 - Bordeaux
- Taking on of fresh food and water supply.
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Daily F.d.U. Briefing
O.K.W.-Report:
a) 487 Squadron of the New Zealand Air Force attacked a power station in Amsterdam. All 10 bombers dispatched were lost to Luftwaffe fighters.
b) US troops captured Mateur, Tunisia.
O.K.M.-Report:
a) Light cruiser Nürnberg arrived at Kiel; Torpedo Boats Jaguar and Greif, and Z4 Richard Beitzen had escorted her to Kiel from Norway. Later that day, Jaguar, Greif, and Möwe escorted minelayers out of Kiel for the North Sea.
b) Royal Navy began bombarding Pantelleria Island near Sicily.
B.d.U.-Report:
a) After the following boats have passed the approach points ordered on 16.4., they are to occupy the attack areas shown:
U 181 (IXD2; KrvKpt. Wolfgang Lüth) - KP 30, 50, 60 and KQ 10, 40. Focal point Lourenzo Marques.
According to reliable reports there is brisk outward and inward traffic.
U 198 (IXD2; Kpt.z.S. Werner Hartmann) and U 196 (IXD2; KrvKpt. Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat) - KP 80, 90 and KZ 10 to 30. U 198 is to steer N.E. and U 196 S.W. of the line running from KP 8480 to KZ 3990. Focal point off Durban. Italian submarine sank several ships in this area.
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Pre-War Patrol Briefing:
a) Since 11.42: Deckgun also as Flak.
b) Since End1942: A/C with Rockets RP-3.
c) Since 8 Jan.1943: B.d.U.-Standing Order No. 307:
Inspection/Replacement of Pistol G7H after Wabo Attack.
d) Since 8 Jan.1943: B.d.U.-Standing Order No. 308:
Closing of Torpedo Tubes during Deep Dive.
e) Since 30 Jan.1943: B.d.U.-Standing Order No. 510:
Test Run of Main Diesels at AK for 30min., every 4 days.
f) Since March 1943:
1) Forward Projectile "Hedgehog": Range/Distance 230-260m; Effective Range/Radius 30m; Sinking Speed 13m/s.
2) Mark24 Mine "Fido" (Homing) Torpedo: Depth 15-45m; Speed 12 kn for 10 min; Range 3700m.
g) Since 1 April 1943: B.d.U-Standing Order No.309:
Depth Setting of Pi-2/39H at MZ-Setting.
h) Since 14 Apr.1943:
1) New Allied Radar 271-Mark-III (9.7cm Range), can detect Uboats a distance of 12nm.
2) Submerge for about 30 minutes on confirmation of a/c radar (also, Magic Eye).
3) A/C equipped with Leigh Lights for night attacks.
i) Since 1 May 1943: B.d.U-Standing Order No.306:
Op.-Order for use of FAT-Torpedoes.
j)
As of 3 May 1943: B.d.U-Standing Order No.305:
Op.-Order on loading of Upper Deck Containers.
k)
Report on enemy a/c A/S activity:
1) On 28 April, U 504 (Kptlt. Wilhelm Luis) was attacked by aircraft without previous radar location in BF 49 after a suspicious looking trawler group had passed. The boat presumes cooperation. Also, U 437 (Oblt. Hermann Lamby) was heavily bombed during the night in BF 7281 (outbound). The boat was temporarily out of control and submerging was restricted. Help was urgently needed and all boats in the vicinity were ordered to proceed at high speed to the area to render assistance. Destroyer and fighter protection was also requested.
Today, U 415 (Oblt. Kurt Neide) was bombed 3 times by a plane in BF 74 while homeward bound. Despite much damage she was still able to dive. Boat has requested escort from outer point "KERN".
During the period November 1942 to January 1943 enemy a/c A/S activity had little result, but since February its effect has increased to an alarming extent. It is not known whether this is due to improved location gear or to the use of more suitable types of a/c. The fact is that during the last two months there have been more U-boat sighting by English aircraft, and more U-boats have been attacked.
The night attacks repeatedly reported recently make it necessary for the boats in the Biscay area to be given permission to proceed on the surface during the day only to recharge batteries, and submerged at night.
Every effort is being made to produce apparatus able to intercept the radar equipment presumably used by the enemy.
2) G.O.C. Atlantic Air Forces gives the following information on English air operations in his Reg. No. Most Secret 853/43:
"Average sortie of enemy sea reconnaissance during the last 3 months was 35 - 40 planes daily from the following bases:
- Beaulieu (near Southampton) - unknown number of Halifaxes and Liberators
- Talbenny (near Milford Haven) - 23 Beaufighters
- Chivenor (Cornwall) - 36 Whitleys and Wellingtons
- St. Eval, Trevose Head - 73 Wellingtons
- Mount Batten - 14 Sunderlands
- Pembroke Dock - 12 Sunderlands
- Poole - 12 Sunderlands
Concentration by day W. of 10° W, by night in inner Biscay. Largest number of aircraft during the afternoon. When convoys were sailing N. and S. between Gibraltar and England reconnaissance was reinforced to about 50 aircraft daily. English reconnaissance aircraft keep radio silence S. of 49° N., so that it is not possible to discover in what areas they are concentrating.
Ther is no particular increase in activity observed during the last few weeks."
3) It should be noted here that when convoys are going through it is almost impossible for U-boats to operate on the surface owing to constant air activity.
Experience shows that aircraft A/S activity increases when there are a number of U-boats on return passage through Biscay after major convoy operations. Action by Ju 88's type C6, available to G.O.C. Atlantic Air Forces, against A/S aircraft is possible only to a restricted extent.
4) G.O.C. Atlantic Air Forces states in his Reg. No. 853/43, para. 4):
"The Ju 88 C6 is inferior to the Beaufighter (a further 2 Ju88's lost on 22 on U-boat escort off the Spanish coast) and no longer superior to modern A/S aircraft Boeings and Fortress II. Reasons: too slow, unsuitable armament, water-cooled engines sensitive to gunfire".
5) It is clear from G.O.C. Atlantic Air Forces' report that no improvement can be expected in the near future in countermeasures to the ever increasing enemy aircraft anti-submarine hunts, which are now making themselves felt immediately off our own bases. There will be further losses.
Cmdr.:
When we arrived in Bordeuax 3 weeks ago, the escort path was patrolled by Bf110's.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115