Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapitän
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
+++++++
Wednesday, 2 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.
+++++++
U-boat Success in November 1942.
1) U-boat success in November reached a new high and will probably mount to 900,000 T. The time has come to regard these results in a true light and to give propaganda proper guidance in this connection.
2) Merchant ship sinkings, losses and serious damage to U-boats, which will not be changed appreciably amount to: in N. Atlantic: 300,000 T. 5 lost, 1 badly damaged. Remainder of the Atlantic except Gibraltar area: 360,000 T. none lost, one heavily damaged. Gibraltar - Morocco area: 70,000 T., 3 lost, 5 badly damaged. Mediterranean: 100,000 T., 5 lost, 8 badly damaged. Arctic: 35,000 T. none lost or damaged.
3) The evaluation of these figures is as follows:
a) A good three quarters of the sinkings were in the open Atlantic a great preponderance at the beginning of the month, before the beginning of the African operation. Success fell off appreciably after withdrawal of boats for the Gibraltar area. As already reported in the opinion of B.d.U. the initial success in the Atlantic was conditioned by lack of counter measures in connection with the African landings.
Losses in the Atlantic maintained themselves in normal times, namely one boat for each 130,000 tons.
b) The success in operations against the enemy in the approaches to Africa west of Gibraltar-Morocco and in the Mediterranean comprise only one fifth of the total results. It must be pointed out that the firm position of the enemy at the time of the landing resulted in the heaviest losses, namely 1 boat for every 20,000 tons sunk and in addition a much higher percentage of boats heavily damaged. The losses in this area are therefore percentage wise more than six times as high as those in the entire Atlantic, about the North Atlantic. The average operational time of the 19 boats was only 8 days and of these boats none was in action 13 days after the beginning of the operation.
c) Results in the Arctic are of no numerical importance.
4) The outlook for December is unfavorable. According to the record month of November the smallest results are to be expected because:
a) The favorable conditions in the Atlantic cannot be taken advantage of because of withdrawal of boats to the Mediterranean and the Gibraltar-Morocco area.
b) In the Capetown area there are only 2 boats, which will probably have fired all their torpedoes in the course of the month.
c) The counter measures off Gibraltar in spite of aggressive operations, have succeeded and attacks in this area can expect only losses without the corresponding possibilities of success. That prospects in intercepting the enemy in the approaches are smaller, has already been reported.
d) Fewer targets can be expected in the Mediterranean after the first stream of shipping has ceased, the number of boats was raised 50% more during November and the defences remained the same.
5) Conclusions in brief:
a) Success in November have no connection with operations against African shipping. The prospects of these operations are meager. The opposition propaganda in the press will make false reports and will wreck damage in the long run.
b) After the record month of November, December must fall off perceptibly.
6) U-boat command and U-boats are ready and willing to fight under most difficult conditions. B.d.U. however, is of the opinion that the command must make a clear picture so that the relationship between losses and success is factual. The foregoing situation report alone serves this point.
The U-boat arm will also fight in the future under the most difficult conditions wherever they may be committed.
+++++++
U 648 (Oblt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) concludes U.A.K.-Training at Kiel.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115 |
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
+++++++
Thursday,
3 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.
+++++++
U-boats early December 1942.
I. In service on 1 November 1942: 368
In service in November: 23
Subtotal1: 391
Lost in November: 15
Temporarily out of order: 1
Subtotal2: 375
Foreign U-boats: 7
Total: 382
Losses in November:
Atlantic 3 (98, 411, 173)
Otherwise in Atlantic 5 (132, 658, 520, 184, 517)
Mediterranean 6 (660, 605, 595, 559, 331, 259)
In Training 1 (272)
Consisting of:
Type VIIC:
U 98 Eichmann. Experienced boat. New Commander. Middle of November W. of Gibraltar. No information.
U 132 Vogelsang. Veteran boat. At the beginning of November in action with a convoy in N. Atlantic.
U 259 Köpke. Second trip. Middle November. Mediterranean.
U 272 Hepp. On 12.11. during training in the Baltic. Rammed and sunk.
U 411 Spindlegger. Second trip. New Commander. In the middle of November W. of Gibraltar.
U 559 Heidtmann. Veteran boat. At the end of October in Eastern Mediterranean. Part of the crew taken prisoner.
U 595 Quaet - Faslem. Second trip. Bombed in the middle of the Mediterranean, later presumably scuttled off the coast of Africa. Part of crew taken prisoner.
U 605 Schutze. Second trip. Middle of November. Mediterranean.
U 658 Senkl. Second trip. Last message 20.11. May have been lost to convoy in North Atlantic.
U 660 Baur. Second trip. Middle of November. In Mediterranean. Crew for the most part taken prisoner.
U 331 von Tiesenhausen. Middle of November. Mediterranean.
Type IXC
U 173 Schweichel. Second Trip. New Commander. Middle of November. West of Gibraltar.
U 184 Dangschat. First trip, experienced Commander. Middle of November to convoy in North Atlantic.
U 517 Hatwig. Second trip. On outward voyage west of Biscay. Air attack.
U 520 Schwarzkopf. First trip. Last message 27.10. E. of Newfoundland.
By far the most sinkings can presumably be attributed to air attacks.
II. Distribution:
In action : 203
On trials: 110
In training: 62
Total: 375
III. In November (without foreign boats):
Total added +7
Number of boats in action deducted -4
Number of trial boats added + 11
IV. Number of boats in action on 1 December 1942:
Atlantic (without foreign boats) 154 plus 2 foreign boats.
Mediterranean (including 4 proceeding from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean 24
the North Sea 23
Black Sea 2
The number of boats in action in the Atlantic has decreased to 6, owing to losses and boats being sent to the Mediterranean.
V. Number of boats in the Atlantic in November:
On an average, at sea during the day 94.9 boats
Of these, in the Op. area 38.2 boats
Of these, outward bound 56.7 boats
Of these, returning to base 24.5 boats
VI. Number of boats which put out in November:
From home bases 11 boats.
From Western France 42 boats.
+++++++
U 648 (Oblt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts an
8h A.K. cruise to Saßnitz. At 1700, the U.A.K. representative disembarks.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115