[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)

Tuesday, 30 March 1943 - Off the Bay of Biscay -

0630 - Morning Dawn -

0742 - Sunrise. Weather and Sea unchanged in 8 days and 10h.

1200 - Qu.8344BE - Days Run: 227.9nm - ↗ 227.9nm (24h) - ↘ 0nm (0h) -
Total: 3688.0 nm (17days 14h 17') - ↗ 3453.7 nm (14days 1h 01') - ↘ 234.3 nm (3days 13h 16')
On course 90°; 409cbm (8cbm in 24h).

1632 - Qu.8355BE - It's becoming overcast and beginning to rain.

2003 - Sundown. SE7/6, overcast, rain, poor visibility, <1000mb.

2305 - F.T.'s from B.d.U.:
1) OKW-Report:
a) The RAF bombed the Philips factory in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
b) Elements of the British 8th Army have broken through the Gabes Pass by more than 100miles and are continuing to push North, while the US 1st and 9th Infantry Divisions attacked Italian positions at Hill 369 near El Guettar, Tunisia, with little success.
c) British light cruiser HMS Glasgow intercepted Blockade Runner Regensburg, whose crew scuttled the ship.
2) B-Dienst-Report:
a) Escort Carrier USS Bogue (CVE-9) and her task group arrived at Argentia, Newfoundland, and Aircraft Carrier USS Ranger (CV-4) transits from Casco Bay, Maine to the Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts.
3) To all boats:
a) U 156 (KrvKpt. Werner Hartenstein) last reported on 7 March from EE 45. Several orders to give her position and the situation remained unanswered. On 8 March a U-boat was attacked by an aircraft in EE 91. According to dead reckoning, only U 156 could have been there at the time. She must be presumed lost.
b) U 594 (Kptlt. Friedrich Mumm) was damaged by 2 unexplained explosions at 40 meters while test diving on 28 March. Flotillas have been instructed to ensure better protection against sabotage for ships in the dockyard and to have the boats thoroughly examined before they sail. It is not impossible that sabotage had a hand in boats which were lost through unknown causes.
c) U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) transits the K.W.K. to Kiel.

Cmdr.: We lost the commander and boat that sunk the Laconia.

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)

Wednesday, 31 March 1943 - Off the Bay of Biscay -

0215 - Qu.9155BE - It stopped raining but is still very foggy: SE7/6, overcast, fog, poor visibility, <1000mb.

0500 - Qu.9165BE - Diving for Torpedo Maintenance and Test Dive.

0545 - At Reception Depth, Breakfast for the Port Machine Watch and at 0600, breakfast for the rest of the crew.

0700 - T=50. Commencing with Torpedo Maintenance.

0730 - Sunrise.

0809 - Tube I serviced and Tube II pulled. - Watch change -

0843 - Tube II serviced and loaded. - Break -

1025 - Tubes III and IV serviced.

1040 - CO₂-Warning at 1.7%.

1130 - Tube V serviced (Tube VI not operational).

1131 - Commencing of Trial Dive acc. B.d.U.-Standing Order No.507 & No.308.

1136 - A-Meter.

1200 - Qu.9244BE - Days Run: 180.6nm - ↗ 160.6nm (17h) - ↘ 20nm (7h) -
Total: 3868.6 nm (18days 14h 17') - ↗ 3614.3 nm (14days 18h 01') - ↘ 254.3 nm (3days 20h 16')
On course 90°; 406cbm (3cbm in 24h); T=A+60; Battery: 85.7%; CO₂:2.0%.

1210 - 2A-Meter. Boat is safe and secure. Setting for Reception Depth; 96rpm/3kn.

1218 - T=20.

1225 - Surfaced from S-Tiefe after 25min. and 1.5nm - since Etmal (Total: 7h 25min. and 21.5nm)
Weather and Sea unchanged in 8.5h.

1230 - Boat ventilated; Charging Batteries as before (84.3%).

1415 - Batteries charged (1h 45' for 14.1%). 1/3-Ahead.

1505 - F.T.'s from B.d.U.:
1) OKW-Report:
a) The Führer met Bulgarian King Boris III at his headquarters at Rastenburg, East Prussia.
b) Soviet troops defeated the 17th Army in the Kuban Peninsula and captured Anastasyevsk north of Novorossiysk, near the coast of the Black Sea in southern Russia.
c) British troops occupied Cap Serrat on the Tunisian coast. Operation Supercharge II was concluded with success in Tunisia, forcing the Axis defenses to move north to Wadi Akarit, while the US 1st and 9th Infantry Divisions continue to attack Italian positions at Hill 369 near El Guettar, Tunisia, with little success.
d) USAAF bombers attacked the Italian airfield at Cagliari, Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea.
2) To all boats:
a) According to diplomatic channels, our U-Boats have brought the British on the brink of defeat in the Battle of the Atlantic. Congratulations to all boats!
b) U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) commences Final War Patrol Outfitting and Op.-Briefing in Kiel.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115