Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
+++++++
Monday, 9 November 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.
+++++++
Vichy French government
brakes off diplomatic relations with the United States.
The Führer informes Italy, via Galeazzo Ciano, that he
intends to occupy Vichy France soon.
German Luftwaffe combat aircraft consisting of 27 Bf 109G fighters from 1/JG53 and 24 Ju 87D Stuka dive bombers of II.StG 3 are transferred to Tunisia from Sicily, Italy. The Tunis airfields are found to be in good condition with concrete runways and revetments. Once a ground organisation has been created, relays of Ju 52/3m aircraft will commence the movement of ground troops into the region. On the front lines, Axis troops under Walter Nehring attack Vichy French positions as Vichy French forces in North Africa are apparently switching sides to aide the Allies.
American troops continue to attack the French fort of Kasbah, French Morocco. Meanwhile, in French Algeria, the French garrison at Oran surrenderes in the face of overwhelming British naval power and American airborne attack in its rear. French Admiral Darlan
signes an armistice with American General Dwight Eisenhower, but fighting will continue for two more days.
Allied troops
capture Sidi Barrani, Egypt.
Lieutenant General Kenneth Anderson is named the
commanding officer of the British First Army in North Africa.
+++++++
U 407, 596 and 617 have passed through the
Straits of Gibraltar and are now under the jurisdiction of the Mediterranean U-boat command.
The boats operating in the Gibraltar and Morocco areas have received the following
radio message:
1) The Führer sends to boats in the Mediterranean "I expect a completely victorious operation."
2) I expect the same from boats off Morocco and Gibraltar. We must relentlessly carry out the Führer's will with our tested brutal methods of attack. The sinking of transports will have great significance for the American attack and the French defence.
Commander-in-Chief.
U 155 - 515 - 103 - 108 - 411 - 572 - 173 and 130 make up Group "Schlagtot" and are making for DJ 25 at highest possible continuous speed. U 572, as the first boat, is operating against transports in DJ 2524.
U 704 (Kptlt. Horst Wilhelm Kessler) fired a 4 torpedo spread at a ship presumed to be "
Queen Elizabeth" class at 1300 in AK 6553. One hit for certain - sharp detonation heard. After 15 minutes the ship made off on a course 250°. Pursuit impossible because of high seas. She is believed to be a battleship.
+++++++
Enemy supply movements are to be anticipated on a great scale in the Western Mediterranean. B.d.U. therefore considers it imperative that Mediterranean boats, as far as possible, be equipped with type G 7a F.A.T. torpedoes.
Report of German Naval Command, Torpedo Station:
1) B.d.U. considers use of G 7a F.A.T. on boats in the mediterranean as pressing and important due to heavy protection of warships and transport groups. In many cases the firing possibilities are limited to excessive ranges.
2) Use of F.A.T. torpedoes has promise in the case of groups of ships at long range. (Supply convoys and gatherings of ships in the roads off landing areas).
3) The question of F.A.T. used with G 7a being practical only on night operations is answered by the mixed charges of G 7a and G 7e which is favorable for both day and night operations.
4) According to establishment of possibilities at hand, B.d.U. sets forth the following:
4.a) Immediate designation of 24 F.A.T. torpedoes lying ready in Kiel. 6 for Pola and 18 for Spezia.
4.b) To send out working groups from Kiel to adapt the tubes of the following boats: U 375 Pola 17 November, U 562 Spezia 22 November, U 453 Spezia 28 November, U 83 Spezia 29 November. Adaptation of 2 tubes on each boat considered enough, in case no more work can be done because of time.
4.c) To send out instruction groups from the torpedo testing stations to Italy for the purpose of instructions the Commandant regarding use of F.A.T.
5) Boats will carry 6 G 7a F.A.T. type torpedo the rest G 7e with 39 pistol. Daytime for bow tubes: 3 G 7e, 1 G 7a F.A.T. Nighttime for bow tubes 2 G 7a F.A.T. and 2 G 7e with 39 pistol. Different loadings are indeed decided by the situation.
6) Use of F.A.T. for Western boats is not foreseen because of the former mode of action.
7) Details of all action in the area must be cleared with Officer Commanding U-boats Italy.
+++++++
German Abwehr spy, Werner Janowsky, lands from a submarine on the Gaspé peninsula in Quebec, Canada. Janowsky, a thirty-eight-year-old former French Foreign Legionaire has a wife living in Canada and knows the country well. He is swiftly apprehended by the Canadian police after arousing suspicion by trying to pay a New Carlisle hotel bill with time-expired Canadian currency. Janowsky will survive the war in British captivity.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115