[pikke]

1222 U48 is now in grid BF32 and quite close to the British coast. A couple of minutes ago our sonar operator picked up a new sound contact to the west: sounds like a merchant in close proximity to the Isle of Wight, south of Portsmouth. We also have multiple warships in the area, many torpedo boats but also what sounds like an ASW Trawler patrolling the area. I'm sure destroyers are in the area too. I think we may go a bit closer and take a peek, chances are we may find worthy targets in this area.


1259 Ship spotted! It's quite far ahead and barely visible through our periscope. Seems like our sound contact. She is stationary...and looks like a tanker...very tempting! ASW trawler somewhere close to it and what sounds like a destroyer further NW. Torpedo boats south and north of us...


1317 Definitely a big tanker...ASW Trawler quite close to her and another one coming from SW...destroyer still not spotted...but not so far away...if we attack we take a huge risk...lot of fire power in the area and not much water to hide us...weather is still overcast with little winds, visibility moderate...


1341 Our target is a Whale Factory ship! Range is about 2800m and we are not going any closer. There are now 2 ASW Trawler north and south of her, a destroyer NW of her and possibly one more destroyer further away. Torpedo boats are roaming the area too. U48 will launch her two remaining bow torpedoes. Both G7a will run at medium speed, depth 5 meters, impact pistol. As soon as tube 3 is empty we wil change course to the North. I expect the Brits will come here in a rush so we may surprise them moving closer to the coast. Hope so. Open tube 2...aiming at middle ship...fire! Open tube 3...aiming slightly forward...fire! Lower periscope! Increase speed to 3 knots! Change course to 005°!


1344 Impact! Let's raise our periscope and check... Impact! Both torpedoes hit! She is burning! Increase speed to 4 knots! Lower scope!


1351 We stirred up quite the chaos...2 ASW Trawler, 2 destroyers and 6 torpedo boats are searching for us. U48 is now on silent running and crawling at two knots...we changed course to 035°...one of the destroyers is going to pass quite close to us...


1359 Destroyer is getting very close now...reduce speed to 1 knot...pinging us...come on, keep going your way... is she sailing on?...did not pick us up, pinged us briefly, we may breathe again...let's wait a while and then we will be back to 2 knots


1402 Secondary explosion from the target...that destroyer is coming back...lower speed to 1 knot...


1405 ...pinging us again...and once again she sail on...increase speed to 2 knots...


1422 U48 is slowly moving away...that destroyer came back and pinged us briefly three more times but never got a fix on us...she is still doing search patterns back there...we will move away and raise our periscope when we are at a safe distance.


1504 I risked a brief glance through our periscope and what I saw is promising: our target is engulfed in flames! All those warships are still circling in the area...we will slowly move away and monitor the situation.


1525 We just raised our periscope again and a big secondary explosion went off. She is sinking now! We got a huge target so close to the British coast...I bet this is gonna hurt their morale! Let's keep moving away.


1942 U48 is now on the surface and sailing back toward Dover area. We have just one torpedo left in our stern tube and I've decided to begin our return passage without completing our assigned patrol. It would be a waste of time and fuel and I'm sure we will find a target on the way back. Last attack was perfect and a bit of luck helped us flee the area. We got a big target. Weather is getting worse, there are lightnings out there and visibility is reduced, which may help us hide ourselves when crossing the Channel.
Ship sunk! SS Frango (Whale Factory Ship), 12016 tons. Cargo: Aviation Fuel. Crew: 150. Crew lost: 88