[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

Monday, 22 December 1941 - West of Cape Finisterre -

0421 - Incoming F.T.: From U 751:
In Pos.Qu.8721. On 21 Dec., 2300h, in Qu.8719BE, sunk enemy Escort Carrier of the "Formidable" Class 10,000ts, of convoy HG.76. - Bigalk -

(At 21.37 hours on 21 December 1941 HMS Audacity (D 10), 11,000ts, (Cdr D.W. Mackendrick, RN) was hit at the stern by one of four torpedoes fired by U 751 while escorting convoy HG-76 about 470 miles west of Cape Finisterre 43° 45'N, 19° 54'W. U 751 reloaded two of the bow torpedo tubes as fast as possible in order to attack the stopped aircraft carrier again, firing a spread of two torpedoes at 22.55 hours and the U-boat withdrew after launching the stern torpedo too at 22.57 hours. The latter missed, but the others struck the stricken vessel and caused her to sink by the stern in less than 15 minutes. The survivors (73 dead and 225 survivors) were picked up by HMS Convolvulus (K 45) (T/Lt R.S. Connell, RNR), HMS Marigold (K 87) (Lt W.S. Macdonald, RNVR) and HMS Pentstemon (K 61) (LtCdr J. Byron, RNR)

Cmdr.: The current position of Bigalk is about 70sm to the south of our current position in Qu.8179BE. In order to stay undetected, I therefore decide to continue with my outbound transit.

0730 - Early Morning Dawn.

0856 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged since Lorient.

1200 - Qu.7631BE - Days Run: 181.6sm - ↗ 176.6sm (22h 15') - ↘ 5.0sm (1h 45').
213.6cbm (4.4cbm/24h). On course 258°. Battery 10000Ah. 14 internal and 8 external torpedoes. Weather unchanged since Lorient (6 days).

1202 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
Second position and status request for U 451 (Hoffmann) and third position and status request for U 574 (Gengelbach), boat is presumed lost.

(U 574, VIIC, Oblt.Dietrich Gengelbach, was sunk on its first war patrol and while operating on convoy HG.76, on 19 December 1941 in the North Atlantic east of Ponta Delgada, Azores, in position 38.12N, 17.23W, by ramming and depth charges from the British sloop HMS Stork. 28 dead and 16 survivors.)

1746 - Sundown. Weather unchanged since Lorient.

Boat operating acc. to Op.-Orders "Paukenschlag".

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

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KTB - U 113

Tuesday, 23 December 1941 - West of Cape Finisterre -

- First week at sea completed -

Cmdr.: Today, U 123 (IXB), Kptlt. Reinhard Hardegen, will leave for Operation "Paukenschlag".

0240 - Qu.7555BE -

0740 - Early Morning Dawn.

0905 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged since Lorient.

1018 - Incoming F.T.: From U 79:
Diving from escort! - Kaufmann -

1200 - Qu.7491BE - Days Run: 191.4sm - (↗ 24h).
211.9cbm (1.7cbm/24h). On course 259°. Battery 10000Ah. 14 internal and 8 external torpedoes. Weather unchanged since Lorient (1 week).

1201 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
First position and status request for U 79 (Kaufmann) and
third position and status request for U 451 (Hoffmann), boat is presumed lost.

(U 451, VIIC, KvtKpt. Eberhard Hoffmann, was sunk on 21 December 1941, while attempting to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, north-west of Tangier, in position 35.55N, 06.08W, by depth charges from a British Swordfish aircraft (812 Sqn FAA/A). 44 dead and 1 survivor.)

1759 - Sundown. Weather unchanged since Lorient.

Boat operating acc. to Op.-Orders "Paukenschlag".

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.