Quote:
Originally Posted by gazpode_l
Walter Suhr aboard U-93 has just arrived in Kiel after completing her second patrol (Albeit at 2:15am R/L Time! I'm NUTS!!  )
Crew are going to rest now but a full report will be submitted to BDU in the morning once we've all had sleep! |
After our late night arrival and a long sleep, here is my report to you Sir, the BDU on my second patrol aboard U-93.
We departed kiel on March 16th with orders to patrol grid AM78.
Some four days later (20/3/1941), off the coast of Scappa Flow we encountered an enemy task force. Identified one ship only, that being a Nelson class. Unable to tell which of the two ships it was, either HMS Nelson/HMS Rodney.
Three torpedoes are fired, scoring two hits on the Nelson Class BB, And one which either missed and detonated the sea, or scored a hit on a ship behind. (suspect the group was made of up three battleship classes with destroyer escort)
Was unable to do any further ident's due to restricted visibility and the counter-attack from destroyers. Ordered diving to 70 meters. Over the next few hours we varied our depth between 30 meters and 80 meters before settling down at an aproximate depth of 115 meters.
Sat in silence with zero speed and nothing running. Recieved only one more attack at just gone 1am. Next two hours are quiet. Scope-man reports DD heading away. Periscope depth ordered. Visual sweep shows nothing in site. Proceeded to surface the vessel and continue towards intended patrol grid as Task Force are long gone and chance for secondary attack long lost due to DD interception.
March 24-26;
Arrive upon patrol grid and successfully remain in grid for 24hrs as required.
March 26-28;
Ran north upto AM52-53 grids to begin short patrol. Awoke on morning of 27th to crew in cracking mood. Proceeding to the bridge an hour later just gone 8am with mug in hand I discover the reason; We are persuing a small freighter. As we have nothing in the logs yet for two patrols, decided to fire upon the small vessel using one magnetic torpedo.
Torpedo detonates on target.
Target continues with course, with Bow dragging into the water. An hr later she is beginning to sink. Surface the vessel is ordered and we finish her off with the deck gun to ensure credit goes to us & not the sea.
March 28th:
Brief excursion into AM53. Could only patrol grid for a short time as worries are beginning to creep in with fuel; Navigator reporting we have only 4000km left with engines at standard speed configuration with aproximately another 2km to run back to home-base.
Enemy destroyer spotted. Ordered a crash-dive to 70meters, and then down to 120meters.
Sat out for another 2hrs - enemy passes.
March 31st;
Had gone round outskirts of scappa flow and are just off the coast of Shetland, decided to have a look in at Lerwick. On the outskirts of the area, are spotted running on the surface at night by a DD. Noticed the bow of the enemy in direct course to us.
Turned U-93 to a direct head-on course and fired one torpedo set for 2.5m below keel with magnetic fuse. Very lucky, succesful detonation and the DD broke-up a few minutes later.
Decided I didn't like the vibe of the place and aborted my desiscion to look onto a possible raid. Returned to base on low fuel some four days later.
Patrol Results
U-Boat No: U-93
U-Boat Type: VIIC
U-Boat Skipper: Kln. Walter Suhr
Grid Alloted: AM78 (Succesfully patrolled)
Ships Sunk: 2
Ship types Sunk: 2
1x Destroyer
1x Small Freighter
Crew Losses: 0
(6 Transferred upon arrival @ Kiel by Kaluen Request; due to over allocation of Staff by BDU)
Patrol Tonnage: 3919 Tons
No of Completed Patrols: 2