[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

**

Left W'haven on Thursday, 21 March 1940 for Sixth War Patrol. Operational area, Qu.AN 55 (East coast of England).

Other Type II boats have been sent to the south coast of Norway in anticipation of operation "Hartmut".

Moderate seas and very good aircraft visibility while in area of operation and during the outbound voyage. Only during the return voyage, some medium swell and cloudy skies.

During transit, we by-passed Qu.AN 66 and AN 69 to the north, due to the British mine fields in the area north of Terschelling.

Weak enemy air patrols in area of operation and during transit.

Intercepted a small convoy consisting of 4 unescorted and unarmed English merchants, before reaching the ordered operational area. Commenced submerged daylight attack in ideal weather and sea conditions and scored 3 hits, one of which actually was a missfire, right under the targeted merchant. Overall, we had 2 torpedo failures in this attack: 1 Eto understeered and missfired and 1 Ato understeered as well, in a 90° angle shot.

One of the three steamers hit, lost headway and settled in the water. The other two steamers hit, caught fire but continued on their easterly course, together with the one steamer not attacked.

The attempts to sink the torpedoed merchants by igniting the deck cargo with 800 rounds of the M.G.-2cm-C/30, proved to be futile. During this action, the boat had to crash dive once from approaching aircraft, that dropped bombs far off in the general area of the initial submerged attack.

We returned to W'haven on Monday, 25 March 1940, having torpedoed 2 steamers for 9234 BRT and damaging 1 motor merchant of 2835 BRT.

Upon entering the lock of W'haven III, the boat hit the lock gate and suffered some damage to the bow and the pressure hull.

Torpedo hits: 3
Torpedo misses: None
Torpedo failures: 1 Eto understeered and missfired; 1 Ato understeered during a 90° angle shot
Crash Dives: 2

On Tuesday, 2 April 1940, I was awarded with the Knights Cross! This came quite as a surprise but well received, just the same.

My Lt. (j.g.), Engineering Duties (L.I.) had to leave the boat and was replaced by a Midshipman (j.g.) Engineering Duties.

(Unofficially, my L.I. was arrested by local police for being drunk and is currently facing some disciplinary charges. I'm not sure, that leaving on the next war patrol with an inexperienced Midshipman (j.g.) as acting L.I., is a good idea but I may not have anything to say about it).

Received orders for Seventh War Patrol:
- Patrol area Qu. AF82 (West coast of Norway, Farstad/Kristiansund; Defensive patrol in protection of the landing zones of Operation "Weserübung")
- Departure scheduled for Monday, 22 April 1940...

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

+++

Left W'haven on Thursday, 22 April 1940 for Seventh War Patrol. Operational area, Qu.AN 82 (West coast of Norway, Farstad/Kristiansund: Defensive patrol in protection of the landing zones of Operation "Weserübung"). Heavy Cruiser Admiral Hipper and Battle Ship Bismarck in W'haven.

Received special torpedo orders due to the many torpedo failures during operation "Hartmut". Other Uboats have taken on transport roles in support of operation "Weserübung".

Moderate seas and very good aircraft visibility during outbound voyage. During return voyage, heavy seas and cloudy skies with rain and fog.

During outbound transit on Way1, we by-passed Qu.AN 66 and AN 69 to the north, due to the British mine fields in the area north of Terschelling. Also, had to evade Qu.AN 3700 and 3800 due to Mines and enemy submarines - U-Knorr (U 51) was attacked unsuccessfully with two torpedoes by the French submarine Orphée in Qu. 3751 AN.

Medium enemy air patrols during outbound voyage, virtually none during return voyage, owing to the bad weather.

In position due west of Bergen, received radio message from B.d.U., on 25 April, 2001h, that all boats of operation "Weserübung", are to break-off all operations and return to base immediately.

During return voyage, came across a small Norwegian convoy consisting of 3 unescorted and unarmed merchants and 2 small tankers. Commenced submerged daylight attack in good weather and medium sea conditions and scored 5 hits with MZ, one of which actually was a missfire right under the targeted merchant. One of the three steamers hit, had to be sunk with a coup de grâce.

In the end, 3 steamers and 1 tanker with together 6804 BRT were sunk, with each vessel being sunk in another Marqu., 2943/46/51/54 AN.

During the return voyage, the swell was so heavy, that the bridge hatch had to be closed part of the time.

We returned to W'haven on Monday, 29 April 1940, on the same day the British began evacuating their troops from Norway.

Torpedo hits: 5
Torpedo misses: None
Torpedo failures: 1 Eto missfired but right underneath the target ship
Crash Dives: 1
3 merchants and 1 tanker sunk for 6804 BRT

The Midshipman (j.g.) and acting L.I., performed well on his first assignment.

One Seaman 2cl (helmsman) had to be replaced.
(Unofficially, the helmsman was killed in a bar fight).

Received orders for Seventh War Patrol:
- Patrol area Qu. AF44 (South coast of Norway, Oslo/Kristiansand)
- Departure scheduled for Sunday, 26 May 1940...