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Oberleutnant zur See Günther Trede spent his Christmas and New Year at sea. Log of his fourth combat patrol:

19.12.1939

U-46 (VII B), U-Flotilla Saltzwedel, 4th combat patrol
Left at: December 19, 1939, 00:36
From: Wilhelmshaven
Mission Orders: Patrol grid AM97
Ammunition: 14 G7a torpedoes, 220 deck gun rounds, 1000 20 mm rounds
Weather: partial clouds, no fog or rain, wind 4 m/s

22.12.1939

00:00, AN14
Passing between Orkney and Shetland Islands. Uneventful patrol so far.
Weather: partial clouds, no rain, light fog, wind 4 m/s.

04:50, AN13
Radio report: Ship heading ENE, medium speed, bearing 170, range 28 km. Plotting intercept.

05:50, AN14
4700 ton merchant spotted, determined course 70, speed 8 kts. Maneuvering for surface attack.

06:01, AN14
Fired tube 5, G7a, slow speed, magnetic pistol, range 1500 meters.
Impact 06:03 just behind front mast.

06:09, AN14
Target still making 3 kts, opening fire with deck gun. 8 rounds fired, 212 remaining.

06:11, AN14
Ship Sunk! SS Marika Protopapa (Medium Merchant 19), 4902 tons. Cargo: Aircraft. Crew: 46. Crew lost: 39

09:52, AN13
Merchant spotted, heading roughly NE. Maneuvering for submerged attack.

10:36, AN13
Fired tube 1, G7a, slow speed, magnetic pistol, range 1400 meters.
Impact 10:38 beneath the smokestack.

10:42, AN13
Ship sunk! SS Aztek (Medium Merchant 13), 3473 tons. Cargo: Paper Products. Crew: 53. Crew lost: 42

22:00, AM34
Started reloading external torpedoes. Finished 00:01.

23.12.1939

08:00, AM33
Weather turned more windy: no clouds, no rain, light fog, wind 15 m/s.

15:27, AM35
Aircraft sighted, crash dive. Surfacing again at 16:30

24.12.1939

13:22, AM02
Spotted Southampton class cruiser, attempting submerged attack.

13:38, AM02
Unable to reach a good firing position. Fired salvo of 4 torpedoes from 3000 meters. No hits.

16:30, AM52
Received radio report: ship heading WSW, slow speed, bearing 150, range 70 km. Plotting intercept.

19:01, AM52
5300 ton merchant spotted, determined course 260, speed 10 kts.

19:52, AM52
Surface attack, tubes 3 and 4, G7a, slow speed, magnetic, range 700 meters.
Impact beneath engine room 19:53, other torpedo malfunctioned.

19:53, AM52
Ship sunk! SS Queen Maude (Medium Merchant 26), 5312 tons. Cargo: Wine/Spirits. Crew: 59. Crew lost: 22

19:55, AM52
Diving to reload tubes, surfaced 20:23. 6 torpedoes remaining: 5 in tubes and 1 stern reload.

25.12.1939

16:00, AM81
Weather still windy. Submerging for Christmas Celebrations.
Goose, smoked sausages, red cabbage, potatoes, gingerbread and glowwine for dinner.
Everyone sung christmas carols and had a very good and relaxed evening.
Surfaced again at 23:00 to continue patrol.

26.12.1939

14:20, AM87
Dived to avoid aircraft.

17:06, AM87
Dived to avoid another aircraft.

27.12.1939

04:30, BF12
Wind calmed. Current weather no clouds, no rain, light fog, wind 4 m/s.

08:21, BF13
Spotted coastal merchant. Approaching for deck gun attack.

08:39, BF13
Attacking with deck gun. Fired 6 rounds, ship exploded. 206 rounds remaining.

08:40, BF13
Ship sunk! SS Thelma (Coastal Freighter), 1869 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 20. Crew lost: 10

15:59, AM89
Spotted ASW Trawler, dived to avoid. Surfaced again at 17:40.

19:30, AM97
Reached patrol zone. 6 torpedoes and 206 deck gun rounds remaining.
Weather: no clouds, no rain, light fog, wind 4 m/s.

28.12.1939

10:17, AM97
Spotted merchant heading almost at us, maneuvering for submerged attack.

10:45, AM97
Fired tube 5, G7a, magnetic pistol, slow speed, range 700.
Impact 10:46 just front of the smokestack.

10:59, AM97
Ship sunk! SS Sheaf Mead (Granville-type Freighter), 4707 tons. Cargo: Paper Products. Crew: 52. Crew lost: 35

29.12.1939

11:26, AM97
Spotted 6700 ton merchant, maneuvering for submerged attack.

12:35, AM97
Fired tubes 3 and 4, G7a, magnetic pistol, slow speed, range 700 meters.
2 impacts at 12:36, first beneath fore superstructure, 2nd beneath smokestack.

12:36, AM97
Ship sunk! SS Vincenzia (Medium Merchant 30), 6936 tons. Cargo: Steel. Crew: 81. Crew lost: 80

12:50, AM97
Setting course for Wilhelmshaven. 3 torpedoes and 206 deck gun rounds remaining.
Weather unchanged: no clouds, no rain, light fog, wind 4 m/s.

14:43, AM97
Spotted destroyer, avoided on surface.

16:29, AM97
Spotted coastal freighter, approaching for deck gun attack.

16:47, AM97
Attacking with deck gun. Fired 6 rounds. 200 rounds remaining.

16:47, AM97
Ship sunk! MV Hilda (Coastal Freighter), 1870 tons. Cargo: Paper Products. Crew: 30. Crew lost: 21

31.12.1939

04:17, AM81
Storm. Overcast, heavy rain, heavy fog, wind 15 m/s. Visibility a few hundred meters at best.

22:30, AM54
Submerged for New Years Festivities. One bottle of champagne for every four crew.
Addressed the whole crew, thanking them for their heroic actions during the past year
and sharing my firm belief, that the war will be won before next New Year.
Surfaced at 1:00 and continued trip home.

4.1.1940

00:00, AF78
North of Shetland Islands. Storm continues, making it impossible to find or attack targets.
Heading towards Wilhelmshaven despite having 3 torpedoes left, unless weather changes soon.

6.1.1940

04:50, AN63
Radio report: ship heading SW, slow speed, bearing 180, range 40 km.
Chances of finding, identifying nationality and attacking ship in the still continuing storm are next to none.
Continuing towards Wilhelmshaven.

7.1.1940

05:45, AN98
Requesting escort to Wilhelmshaven. Windspeed dropped to 8 m/s, but heavy rain and fog continue.

08:25
Docked at Wilhelmshaven.

Patrol results
20 days at sea
3 torpedoes and 200 deck gun rounds remaining
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 7
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonage: 29069 tons

Oblt.z.S. Günther Trede