Type VII-B. Dec 2, 1941. Started patrol 1rst week of November. Assigned to patrol African coast s. of Freetown. Encountered Victory Cargo during night on way s, from Lorient. One torpedo close to engine room, ship came to a stop and listed heavily to starboard. Pulled boat right up next to the ship along port-side and blew tanks. Blasted the ship at close range with gun. Crashed dived and turned away as ship began to sink. Completed 24 hr. assigned patrol in area and headed back north. Encountered a five ship convoy consisting of 2 large merchant, ore carrier and medium cargo. Night attack of convoy from their port flank. Fired torpedoes from 2000 meters at first two merchants. Set depth for 5m and aimed for air funnels on bow. First ship hit, second torpedo lagged behind the first and gave time for second target to evade. Set course back away from convoy and dived under silent conditions. Destroyer never came close to searching right area. Set 10km radius around last known contact point and followed edge to remain out of sight. Ran at flank speed with both screws despite fuel concerns. Second attack was on the previously missed ship alone. Hit target under the air-funnels on bow. She went in headfirst within minutes. Turned back same as before and evaded. After gaining dist. surfaced and chased convoy, fired midships at ore carrier. Rudder was stuck on ore carrier and target began to circle to port. After the second circle it repaired the rudder and tried to keep up with the other merchant ship and escort at slow speed. When safe, surfaced and shadowed the ore carrier on starboard flank at reduced range of 8km. Was spotted and ore carrier began to zigzag. Dived in anticipation for return of escort which had moved far ahead with remaining freighter. Immediately detected it closing fast from ahead in the distance via hydrophone. Surfaced and ran flank speed for ten minutes out of sight of the ore carrier and parallel to the expected path of the incoming escort. Dived, set fast t1 to run shallow and fast speed. Fired from nearly 4km out. Torpedo struck escort at the bow. Escort nose dived into the sea and rapidly sank. Shadowed ore ship out ahead and crossed it's path. Fired a second torpedo close to the bow from aft tube causing it to sink. Gave chase toward remaining medium cargo now beyond hydrophone range. Encountered another Victory. Put one torpedo into it's starboard side and another port forward. Continued pursuit of medium cargo. Single torpedo under first crane (mast). Ship sank after about ten hours of my following at slow speed. Patrolling area n. of Canary Islands looking for single ship on which to spend last torpedoes. Weather turned rotten. Set speed at 1 knot to conserve battery until weather improved. Surface twice daily for 15 minutes for air and limited battery charge. Limiting time on surface to reduce exposure to potential enemy warships as I have no radar and am blind in present visibility.
|