[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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Wednesday, 29 April 1942 - Trinidad & Tobago -

0000 - Passing the northwestern Fortress of Chacachacare, at a distance of 5000m. All remains calm.

0020 - Making out a second Fortress on the southwestern tip of Chacachacare, passing at a distance of 5000m, as well.

0029 - Diving from a Parcel Freighter and a Colonial Freighter in keel-line, bearing 35°, on course 6°.
Diving to T=30 at a distance of 2100m and bearing 56°.
Boat remained undetected.

0051 - Shortly before surfacing, sound contact with a small vessel bearing 302°, slow speed, E=20000.
Surfaced directly from T=20, after 22min. and 1.1sm.

0055 - On new course 114°. Nothing seen. 1/3-Ahead.

0110 - 2/3-Moon rising in the South.

0126 - On new course 90°. Approaching Port-of-Spain.

0235 - Port-of-Spain comes into sight, E=10000. Harbor is darkened. Need to be careful of radar detection as of E=7000.

Located a Light Cruiser of the Arethusa Class and a what is identified as a fully laden Standard Tanker, north of the northern harbor mole. The Cruiser is covered by a Small Coastal Steamer and the Tanker is covered by a L02-Merchant.
Preparing boat for surface attack according B.d.U.-Standing Order No.302.

0305 - At E=3600, turning in toward the targets on course 73° and 2kn. "Battle Stations!".

0307 - Flooding tube II.

0308 - Qu.9894ED - Single Shot with tube II: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt44; Own course 73°; Own speed 2kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Light Cruiser Arethusa Class, 5240ts, draught 5.0m.
Target course ~350°; Target distance 3800m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 355°.
Closing tube II.

Torpedo is a failure, Early Detonator!

0308 - Qu.9894ED - Flooding tube IV.
Single Shot with tube IV: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.0m; Vt30; Own course 73°; Own speed 2kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Light Cruiser Arethusa Class, 5240ts, draught 5.0m.
Target course ~350°; Target distance 3600m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 355°.
Closing tube IV.

Torpedo is a failure, Early Detonator after 4sec.!

0311 - Qu.9894ED - Flooding tube III.
Single Shot with tube IV: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.5m; Vt30; Own course 73°; Own speed 2kn ahead; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Light Cruiser Arethusa Class, 5240ts, draught 5.0m.
Target course ~350°; Target distance 3600m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 355°.

Torpedo is a hit in the forecastle after 3min 40sec.!

0312 - Closing tube III and turning boat hard to stbd., to bring the stern tubes to bear.

0316 - The cruiser sinks by the bow and capsizes to port.

0317 - Weather and Sea are improving: SSE5/4, shifting to south, clear, light haze, visibility ~3sm, >1000mb.
Boat on heading 237° and Small-Astern. Flooding tube V.

0318 - Qu.9894ED - Single Shot with tube V: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 6.0m; Vt30; Own course 67°; Own speed 3kn astern; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Standard Tanker, 8230ts, draught 9.0m.
Target course ~355°; Target distance 3600m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 358°.
Closing tube V. Flooding tube VI.

Torpedo is a hit midships after 3min 54sec.!
The tanker is burning at the impact zone but doesn't sink.

Behind the Standard Tanker, a Tanker09 of 6949ts is identified. Boat on heading 247°.

0325 - Qu.9894ED - Single Shot with tube VI: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 6.0m; Vt30; Own course 77°; Own speed 1kn astern; Shooter: Ltnt.z.S & I.W.O. Rainer SCHEUFLER.
Target ship: Standard Tanker, 8230ts, draught 9.0m.
Target course ~355°; Target distance ~3000m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 0kn; Firing angle α 359°.
Closing tube VI.

Torpedo is a hit midships after 3min 12sec.!
The tanker burnes over its entire length and breaks in two, both halfs sticking out of the shallow harbor water.

Cmdr.: As the weather and sea state is immproving, I decide to engage the Tanker09 with the deck gun.

0331 - Turning boat hard to port.

0335 - Manning deck gun.

0337 - E=3200. "Weapons Free!"

0339 - After 18 shots and hits (10 remaining), the tanker explodes and sinks on an even keel!

0341 - Turning boat hard to stbd., and running off at high speed on an easterly heading. The entire time during the torpedo and deck gun attacks, the entire harbor remains quite.

Cmdr.: Now B.d.U. should become aware of our continued presence in the Op.-area.

0355 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations! Remain on Maneuver Stations!".

0445 - On new course 295°. 1/3-Ahead.

0516 - Taking the steamer path on course 6°.

0545 - SW1/1, clear, light haze, visibility ~3sm, >1000mb.
Passed the Bocas del Dragon. At both fortresses of Chacachacare, everything remained calm. On new course 15°. "Dismissed from Maneuver Stations!".

- to be continued -

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

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- continued from 29 April, 0545h -

0650 - Qu.9855ED - On new course 45°.

0741 - Qu.9853ED - Morning Dawn.
Two coastal freighters in keel line, bearing 309°, on course SW, E=3000. In front a Panamanian of 1050ts and in back an Englishman of 1120ts.

0742 - Turning toward the steamers on course 270°. Speed 1kn. "Manning Deck Gun!".

0745 - Speed 1kn. "Battle Stations!".

0747 - E=2400. "Weapons Free!". Firing at the front Panamanian steamer and incinerating the middle upper deck cargo with the second shot and hit.

0748 - After 3 shots at the Panamanian steamer, the Englishmen in back is firing with a deck gun, which is mounted amidhsips. Boat has to re-direct its fire onto the English steamer.

Boat scores a direct hit after for shots and hits on the enemy deck gun, the steamer has fired 3 shots in total, which were either too short or way over the boat.

0749 - After 3 more shots, the boat is out of ammunition. Both steamers are burning, but continue on. "Secure Weapons!".

0750 - Turning boat hard to port and running off at high speed, on an easterly heading.

0805 - On new course 40°. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

0834 - Sunrise. Weather and Sea unchanged since 0545h, visibility ~4.6sm.

0913 - Qu.9835ED - "ALARM!". Crash-diving from at least 4 pair of Catalinas, direct approach from 180°true, E=8500.
At T=25 the first well-placed bombs, very strong concussions.

0915 - Regained trim at A-Meter, Small-Ahead. In due course, several more bombs at and around our diving position.

0923 - Boat remains submerged at A-20, 135rpm/3kn.

0932 - Sound contact with warship bearing 143°, medium speed on course north, E=20000, seems to be heading straight for our diving position.

1000 - At S-Tiefe, the distance to the ASW sound contact is now about 10000m. The I.W.O. is scanning the skies for A/C with the B-Sehrohr.

1002 - In the A-Sehrohr, a destroyer is emerging through the haze, bearing 160°, E=8500, medium speed, course north.

1010 - At E=6200, Silent Running. The periscopes are sticking about 1m out of the water.

1012 - At E=6000, the destroyer is positivly identified as a Clemson type Destroyer, is sniffing around for us at the diving position.

1033 - The Destroyer is running off on course south. Secured from Silent Running. Boat is staying submerged, setting for A-20.

Cmdr.: It is quite surprising to me, that the destroyer approached our position only at medium speed. However, since she did, we were able to gain the necessary safe distance without straining the batteries too much.

1104 - O₂ = 20%.

1200 - Qu.9833ED - Days Run: 158.8sm - ↗ 129.1sm (14h) - ↘ 29.7sm (10h).
168cbm (5cbm/24h). Battery 9300Ah. 2 external Ato. 10.5cm: 28xLkG. On course 40°. T=60. O₂ = 20%.

1230 - Surfaced after 30min. and 1.5sm since Etmal, and 3h 17min. and 9.7sm in total. Weather and Sea unchanged since 0545h. Flak and Forward Upper Deck took some damage at the last A/C attack.

1233 - Compressed Air Supply filled and Flak repaired.

1234 - Boat ventilated and Forward Upper Deck repaired. 1/3-Ahead.

1240 - On new course 45°. 2xH.F.-Ahead.

1535 - Qu.9655ED -

1556 - Qu.9653ED - "ALARM!". Crash-diving from at least 3 pair of Catalinas, direct approach from 225°true, E=6500.
At T=40 the first bombs, medium concussions.

1557 - At A-Meter and in due course, min. of 48 bombs are dropped at and around our diving position.

1615 - Boat remains submerged at A-20, 135rpm/3kn.

Cmdr.: Clearly, the enemy has organized a concerted hunt for us.

1744 - O₂ = 20%.

1911 - Surfaced after 3h 15min. and 9.7sm.
Weather and Sea unchanged since 0545h.

1915 - Boat ventilated. Charging batteries: Port-Diesel, Propulsion, 396RPM/11kn; Stbd.-Diesel, Charging, 496RPM.

2032 - Sundown. Weather and Sea unchanged since 0545h.

2040 - Batteries charged => 1h 25min. for 1500Ah.

2100 - Diving for submerged cruise.

2108 - A-20, 135rpm/3kn, Silent Running.

2324 - O₂ = 20%.

Boat heading toward supply ship.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.