[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

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U 115
- KTB -
First War Patrol
(17th war patrol overall)

Sunday, 14 March 1943 - Kristiansand-Maviken

10 cbm fuel oil, lubrication oil and fresh water taken on.

Received Op.-Orders and intel briefing:
I. The Russian BI-3 rocket-powered prototype aircraft took its second flight at Sverdlovsk Oblast (modern day Yekaterinburg), in Russia.
II. US Terror bombers of the US 8th Air Force bombed Kiel.
III. After the successful convoy battles in the North Atlantic against convoys SC.121 and HX.228, the next big convoy battle operations against the two following convoys SC.122 and HX.229 are shaping up.
a) Outbound transit via Iceland Passage and Qu.5269AL.
b) Aerial reconnaissance is to be expected in the entire area of the Iceland Passage (although, some boats have made no mention of the fact). Mines and surface patrols were only occasionally encountered.
c) Submerge for about 30 minutes on confirmation of a/c radar (also, by Magic Eye).
d) Op.area:
1) As part of Group Seehund (2nd wave), Cape Town area, Mozambique Strait and Indian Ocean, East of Madagascar.
2) According to KTB of 8.3 para III U 509 was detailed to operate on traffic in the area north of Cape Town and received freedom of movement for this purpose. Supplying of "Seehund" boats is planned to take place in approximately lower third of DG. The Commander (Kptlt. Werner Witte) will decide whether the return passage is to take place with or without replenishment, according to the number of torpedoes and the traffic situation.
3) As of 8 March, the area of Route "A" east of Cape Town has been extended as follows: The boundary now runs from FM 4957 via GZ 7644, JK 8254, JC 1432 and KG 6876 then to the west as far as the African coast.
4) Return port is Bordeaux.

1618 - Casting off Kristiansand - Maviken
N3/2, clear, visibility 7sm, >1000.

Leaving Kristiansand via the northern transit path. Again many fishing trawlers in Kristiansand roadsted; Manning flak guns.

1721 - Qu.3869AN - Departed in convoy (with U-191; IXC/40; Kptlt. Helmut Fiehn). Entered transit path. During transit, some fishing trawlers cross the transit path.

1825 - Sundown. Weather and Sea unchanged.

2047 - Reached exit point of transit path.

2054 - Qu.3891AN - Course 270°.

2302 - F.T. from B.d.U.: O.K.W.-Report:
Our armoured forces recapture Charkow. The British Submarine Thunderbolt (ex. Thetis), was sunk by the Italian Corvette Cicogna off Capo San Vito, Sicily.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

+++++++

U 115
- KTB -
First War Patrol
(17th war patrol overall)

Monday, 15 March 1943 - Southern coast of Norway

0540 - Morning Dawn.

0601 - F.T. from B.d.U.: B-Dienst Report:
The Allies will soon begin to deploy the so called "Leigh Lights" (as of 14 April) and the British Royal Navy has launched their first X-class midget submarines.

0659 - Sunrise. Weather and Sea unchanged since Kristiansand.

0713 - Qu.3791AN - Course 304°. Released from convoy according to orders. (U-191; IXC/40; Kptlt. Helmut Fiehn, goes to Bergen)

0715 - Diving for Test dive acc. B.d.U.-Standing Order No.507. 145rpm. Seems to take a long time for the boat reach and to level out on the set depth (10m increments).

0754 - Boat is safe and secure at 2A-Meter.

0755 - Setting for Reception Depth.

0800 - Boat rises to 17.5m and levels out at T=20 at 0802.

0815 - Surfaced from S-Tiefe after 1h and 3.7nm.

0816 - Boat ventilated. Battery 97%.

1200 - Qu.3751AN - Days Run: 205.6 nm (19h 42') - ↗ 201.9nm (18h 42') - ↘ 3.7nm (1h) - since Kristiansand
Total: 693.3 nm (62h 17') - ↗ 689.6nm (61h 17') - ↘ 3.7nm (1h)
504cbm (6cbm in 20h); Weather and Sea unchanged since Kristiansand.

1445 - Crash dive for training.
Boat sinks to 75m and levels out at 71m at 1449h.

1450 - Set for Reception Depth. 96rpm.

1455 - Boat levels out very well at T=20.

1500 - Surfaced from S-Tiefe after 15min. and 1nm.

1501 - Boat ventilated, Compressed Air Supply filled. Battery 94%.

1501 - F.T. from B.d.U.: B-Dienst report:
Enemy task force within the Eastern Barrage, Qu.5742AN, course SE, 21kn.

1836 - Sundown. Weather and Sea unchanged in 1 day/2h.

2315 - Qu.2655AN - Course 0°.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115