[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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KTB - U 113

4th War Patrol

Friday, 27 March 1942 - 2nd U.-Flotilla (Korvkpt. Heinz Fischer, 08.41 - 01.43) - Lorient (Qu.6157BF)

Taking boat out of dry dock and putting on charging station.

During the shipyard time, the Sonar Decoy BOLD-1 or “Submarine Bubble Target” (SBT), was installed (250 Honor Points and 1 day).

Crew changes and Training during the shipyard time:
The XO, Ob.Ltnt.z.S. Rainer SCHEUFLER, received additional Deck Gun Training and the II.W.O., Ltnt.z.S. Jakob APPELT, received additional Torpedo Training. The No.3, Coxswain Karl-Heinz ISDEPSKI, was transferred to another boat, and was replaced by the newly assigned Coxswain Werner KIRCHHOFF.

The German naval staff is requesting the Japanese to conduct raids against Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean.

Colonel/Dr. Ing. h. c. Walter Dornberger of the V1/V2 Weapons Testing Program, proposes production plans and the building of a rocket launching site somewhere on the coast of the English Channel.

Major General Sir Vernon Kell passes away. Until sacked by Winston Churchill in 1940, Kell had been the head of the British Secret Service (MI5) for thirty years.

British aircraft carriers HMS Argus and HMS Eagle depart Gibraltar with battleship HMS Malaya and other warships in escort to deliver 16 Spitfire fighters to Malta.

1400 - Inbound St.Nazaire U 593 (Kelbing) reports 3 English destroyers and 10 MTBs in BF 5468 on westerly course at 0720. It is probable that this formation was returning from a mine-laying expedition off the French-Biscay coast. Six destroyers are ordered from St.Nazaire to sea on a search mission.

Commencing pre-war patrol preparation.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

++++++

KTB - U 113

4th War Patrol

Saturday, 28 March 1942 - 2nd U.-Flotilla (Korvkpt. Heinz Fischer, 08.41 - 01.43) - Lorient (Qu.6157BF)

Taking on of Fuel Oil (240cbm) and Lubricating Oil.

0250 - St. Nazaire reports by telephone landing operations by 20 enemy cruisers and destroyers.

0254 - St. Nazaire lay under heavy gun fire, under impression enemy was about to carry out still larger operations with heavy units.

0331 - B.d.U.-F.T. to all boats east of 29° West: Make for St. Nazaire with all speed, enemy landing in progress.

B.d.U. Orders addressed for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th and 10th submarine flotillas:
Proceed according to instructions given in B.d.U.'s Most Secret 1035 of 14 March 1942: Flotillas state readiness. Boats ready for departure to put to sea immediately for battle in coastal waters; take measures to prevent boats falling into enemy hands, if necessary sink them. Remove secret document or arrange for their destruction as the case may be.

7th Submarine Flotilla reports soldiers of the 7th and 10th Submarine Flotillas on way from La Baule to La Rochebernard with all secret documents belonging to all boats in the flotilla. Town in enemy hands. Fighting in the harbor. A destroyer has been rammed into the lock gate of the Normandie-Drydock. Is ordered to get through to the submarine pens and organize a defense.

0930 - After U 109, 130, 654, 85 and 582 immediately received orders to continue westward passage, this order is extended to all outward bound boats, after conference with Group West.

From reports received in due course, it becomes apparent it is only a raid carried out by light forces and is codenamed Operation "Chariot". Our own air reconnaissance was due to fly at dawn. Only single light units were sighted. So far as can be assessed, no damage was done to the working of the 7th and 10th submarine flotillas. No losses, no boats damaged.

Details of areas endangered by mines, are captured from the destroyer rammed into the Normandie-Drydock.

1200 - The destroyer rammed and scuttled in the Normandie-Drydock lock gate explodes, while a party of 40 senior German officers and civilians are on a tour of the destroyer (Campbeltown), and are all killed. In total, the explosion kills about 360 men.

The explosion will put the only dry dock big enough to hold KM Tirpitz, out of commission for the remainder of the war.

Tragically, it must have been this very task force, that U-Kelbing reported yesterday.

Of the 612 men of the Royal Navy and commandos who took part in the raid, only 228 men will return to England. Five commandos will escape via neutral Spain and Gibraltar with the help of French citizens and will take a ship to England; 169 men are killed (105 RN and 64 commandos) and another 215 become prisoners of war (106 RN and 109 commandos). They are first taken to La Baule and then sent to Stalag 133 at Rennes. The fallen British raiders are buried at the La Baule-Escoublac cemetery, with military honours.

This attack on St. Nazaire underlines the necessity of removing the B.d.U. control station to a less dangerous position. Certainly, the control station has been safeguarded in the same way as a base for some time, with barbed wire, light weapons and attached (local defense) company, but in spite of this, it would not have been equal to a raid carried out with similar strength as that on St. Nazaire. The removal to Paris will be hastened accordingly.

Continuing pre-war patrol preparation.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.