[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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Monday, 21 December 1942 - Gotenhafen-Oxhöft

Work-up's and Trials with the U.A.K. (Kpt.z.S.R. BRÄUTIGAM), the 2nd Training Division (U.L.D.; Freg.Kpt.d.R. Ernst HASSHAGEN) and 22nd U-Flotilla (Korvkpt. Wilhelm Ambrosius):

Dry-Run Exercises with Machinery/Mechanics; Weapons; Torpedoes.

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Chief of the OKH General Staff, Kurt Zeitzler, asks The Führer for permission for Friedrich Paulus' 6.Armee, encircled within Stalingrad, to break out to meet Erich von Manstein's relief efforts from the outside. The Führer rejects this, noting that our troops are to hold Stalingrad.

U 176 (Kptlt. Reiner Dierksen) sighted a single destroyer in FK 3146 on 19.12., mean course 2400, speed 12 knots. Boat had repaired the damage caused by bombs and was again serviceable. He was given a free hand in FK as requested.

U 508 (Kptlt. Georg Staats) reported heavily armed freighter on course of 900, speed 12 knots, in DF 2556. Boat had fired all torpedoes and was on its homeward voyage. U 506, U 125 and U 514 which were in CF and making for the southwest, were ordered to stalk the ship that had been reported. They were to proceed at cruising speed without consuming large quantities of fuel.

U 86 (Kptlt. Walter Schug) was ordered to proceed at high cruising speed to CE 5186 and attack a large steamer that had been damaged. According to a radio intercept it was anchored half a mile off Flores. It may be the single ship that was torpedoed by U 103 (Oblt. Gustav-Adolf Janssen) on 13.12. in CE 1521. U 86 is to try to send a dinghy alongside the ship in the dark without being observed, break the anchor chain and sink the ship after it has drifted outside the territorial waters.

It is intended that U 436 - 575 - 381 - 620 and U 442 shall operate N.E. Natal. For the time being they are to make for CF 78. They will be refueled by "Milkcow" U 463 (KrvKpt. Leo Wolfbauer) in the vicinity of ER.

The boats U 164 - 128 - 134 and U 507 at present in patrol area, have a free hand outside Route "Anton" up to the coast of Brazil.

U 626 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Hans-Botho Bade) - a boat on its first operational trip, last reported on 14.12. from AL 26. The boat was then directed to attack a N.E. bound convoy, which, according to calculations it could hardly have reached. The request for a position report on 16.12. remained unanswered, as have all subsequent requests. The possibility of loss through sea damage exists. No details are yet known.

Convoy No. 70 (ON.153):
At 2200 on 21.12. the operation was broken off as there was little chance of picking up the convoy with only 4 submarines. Also these boats were urgently required for operations against the next ON convoy, for which only 8 boats were so far available.
Summing-up:
In all, 13 boats were stalking the convoy. Convoy was contacted according to plan in the center of the patrol strip at the expected time on 15.12. The operation was hampered by the bad weather. The boats had no fixes and finding and directing other boats was therefore considerably more difficult. Contact with the convoy was maintained without a break only during the first two days. After that, the convoy or single ships were reported only for short periods, mainly because of bad visibility.
No new information was gained about the convoy's defences. The naval escort was not able to attack the boats effectively because of the weather. Unfortunately, the submarines could not profit as the seaway was too heavy to permit firing torpedoes.
On 16.12. Consolidated and Catalina flying boats provided a strong air escort for the convoy. The planes could not attack the submarines either, but their presence made shadowing more difficult. 6 of the 14 submarines attacked the convoy and all were able to fire. One boat had no success. 6 ships totaling 35,836 GRT and 1 twin-funneled destroyer were sunk of the convoy which had been reported as consisting of 16 - 20 steamers.
No losses, no damage.

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts exercises with the AGRU-Front, Hela.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115

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

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Tuesday, 22 December 1942 - Gotenhafen-Oxhöft

Work-up's and Trials with the U.A.K. (Kpt.z.S.R. BRÄUTIGAM), the 2nd Training Division (U.L.D.; Freg.Kpt.d.R. Ernst HASSHAGEN) and 22nd U-Flotilla (Korvkpt. Wilhelm Ambrosius):

Dry-Run Exercises with Machinery/Mechanics; Weapons; Torpedoes.

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Our troops in the Caucasus region begin to fall back northwestward.

Chief of the OKH General Staff, Kurt Zeitzler, once again asks The Führer to allow the 6.Armee to break out from Stalingrad, to avoid the remnants of the army from being totally wiped out. The Führer again refuses.

Elements of US 1st Infantry Division and British 78th Division launch an offensive in Tunisia.

Captured French torpedo boats Bombarde, La Pomone, and L'Iphigénie depart Bizerte, Tunisia, with Italian crews for Palermo, Sicily.

U 618 (Oblt. Kurt Baberg) was operating against enemy traffic in sea area off Lisbon. Boat is being kept informed of the present situation and attention drawn to neutral shipping.

Because of possible diplomatic repercussions Naval War Staff has forbidden U 86 (Kptlt. Walter Schug) to penetrate the territorial waters of the Portuguese Island of "Flores". If the ship is observed and shows signs of preparing to leave port, the boat is to wait outside the 3 -mile limit and close with the ship after she has left the restricted area.

U 161 (Kptlt. Albrecht Achilles) - homeward bound, in EH 9654 - reported at 1344 convoy with westerly course. Because of considerable damage from bombs, the boat was ordered to attack according to capability and if possible to ascertain the rate of progress of the convoy as a guide in directing the boats of the Trinidad area.
U 161 attacked at dusk and fired a single miss at a destroyer. Convoy consisted of about 6 steamers and 2 escorts. After dark, course N.W., speed 8 - 5 knots. Submarine was continuing on its homeward voyage.
As the convoy reported by U 161 is the second westbound one in this area, it must be investigated whether the single ships coming from the S. assemble in Freetown and continue in convoy to Trinidad. This arrangement would have a bad effect on future successes in comparison with former high sinkings in the Trinidad area.
Further details must however be awaited.

U 92 (Kptlt. Adolf Oelrich) has taken over radar interception parts from "Milkcow" U 463 (KrvKpt. Leo Wolfbauer) and has commenced homeward voyage.

The Führer signes the decree drafted by Albert Speer for the mass production of the A-4 rocket once the final design is completed.

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts exercises with the AGRU-Front, Hela.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115