Italian Submarine Ambra launched
three manned torpedoes and ten frogmen against Algiers, French Algeria in
Operation NA 1,
sinking one cargo ship and damaging two other cargo ships; all Italian torpedo crew members and frogmen are captured at the end of the operation.
U 618 (Oblt. Kurt Baberg) situation report:
Very heavy air activity in DH 30. Auxiliary cruisers (Bewacher) and patrol groups
off Casablanca - no traffic.
Mehdia Roads empty.
Continual air activity during the day by Catalina, ineffective vertical Radar at night. In view of its presence being known and the defence situation operations did not promise much success.
U 432 (Kptlt. Heinz-Otto Schultze) was asked for report on situation. This boat has the same assignments as U 618.
U 301 (Kptlt. Willy-Roderich Körner) has passed through the
Straits of Gibraltar and is therefore under F.O. U-boats,
Mediterranean.
New position for
"Milkcow" U 463 (KrvKpt. Leo Wolfbauer) is CD 90.
B.d.U. stated the following in his report at the Naval High Command on 8.12. in Berlin:
From 1.1 to 30.11.1942, the boats in action in the North Sea have sunk altogether 262,614 GRT. These boats could certainly have sunk about 910,000 GRT in the Atlantic in the same period. The grounds for the assumption are: The number of boats assigned to the North Sea the degree of effectiveness in the individual months for the boats in the Atlantic, a proportion of 50:50 time in port to time at sea which is in fact more favorable to time at sea. Use of the North Sea boats in the Atlantic then could have brought an increase in tonnage sunk to 650,000 GRT, an amount that would have weighed heavily against the enemy.
B.d.U. again expressed the view that the tonnage war must be considered the main task of the U-boats, but that this tonnage war suffers heavy losses with the deployment of boats in the Mediterranean, the North Sea and attacks on the Gibraltar supply route (Group "Westwall") as the North Sea example shows. The Naval High Command has already ordered the examination of the question of the North Sea boats and states that he will order a detachment of the North Sea boats for the prosecution of the war in the Atlantic.
In an order issued by the Naval War Staff Iu 2636/42 of 9.12.:
1) Concerning: U-boats for the North Sea. As the time of year makes expectations of successes slight, further, ice conditions caused the increased narrowing of the navigatable area Spitzbergen - North Cape and reports indicate the possible curtailment of enemy supplies to Russia as a result of the Africa operations, easing up of the deployment of U-boats in the North Sea is permissible. Conditions for convoy warfare in the North Atlantic are at the moment particularly favorable, as convoy protection is weaker following withdrawal of forces for the African undertaking. There are not enough U-boats available, however, to exploit this position. On the other hand, dislocation of enemy supplies to Russia can be achieved directly by attacking convoys in the North Atlantic.
2)
The following orders are therefore given:
As previously, Group "Nord" will be designated 23 boats. Of these boats, until further notice, 11 will be released for use by B.d.U. in the North Atlantic with these measures, that
2.A) Of the remaining 12 boats, 6 are to be ready for action and available (in the operational area) at any given time for Group "Nord".
2.B) That the control in the North Atlantic is carried out in such a way as to assure deployment in the Norway Area if necessary, as the task of U-boats in this area also consists of coastal protection against enemy operations. Interchange of boats, in some cases substitution by boats from home is left to B.d.U.
3) The Naval War Staff (message also to Group "Nord") are to be continually notified in detail according to 2.) b) of the permanent numbers and alterations of the 11 U-boats held in readiness.
Naval War Staff Operations. Iu 2636/42 Most Secret. S.O. Only.
Suggested by Group "Nord" for operations in the North Atlantic:
U 209, 334, 355, 376, 377, 403, 405, 456, 586, 601 which will be ready for deployment on 25.12. B.d.U. is in agreement but proposes 592 instead of 355, as this boat has been deployed in the North Sea considerably longer than U 355.
Naval War Staff Communications concurs.
U 648 (Oblt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts
Silent Running Tests off Rönne, Bornholm;
Departs at 1400h for Danzig.