[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)

Thursday, 24 June 1943 - Off Cape Town -

0015 - FuMB-Signal in 95°true, E=15000, 1nm off the coast, Lions Head; Water Depth 86m.
6000m to our port beam, the Armed Trawler is running at slow speed on parallel course.

The loud explosions continue until about 0025.

0032 - There is a shadow with two tall masts in front of Lions Head, in the area of the 0015 FuMB-Signal, suddenly, is out of sight again. Water Depth 77m. Turning off the FuMO29.

Cmdr.: The is an eerie stillness, nothing is seen or heard, the Armed Trawler 6000m to port is quiet. All lights and beacon fires are extinguished. We have to be very careful, not to run into some kind of trap.

0044 - The two tall masts appear again, must have been hidden by a haze cloud/fog bank. The vessel is identified as a Black Swan Sloop, is lying stopped, E=8000.

0053 - FuMB Warning coming from the direction of the Sloop, E=9000.

0056 - Interrupting charging process at 85% batteries charged. Decks awash.

0101 - An armed Australian steamer putting out to sea on course 260°, bearing 326°, E=8000. Turning toward the steamer.

0107 - Without prior FuMB or Magic Eye warning, the boat is attacked by a land-based A/C, direct approach from ENE, the bombs fall wide to port - no damages.
After the fly-over, diving to S-Tiefe. The steamer is changing course to 229°, other than that, everything stays calm.

0121 - Boat is in attack position, 7.5nm off Cape Town. "Battle Stations!".

0124 - Flooding tube I.

0126 - Qu.5385GR bottom center - Submerged Single Shot with tube I (B-Periscope): T-3/Pi39H (MZ); Running depth 8.7m (1m below target draught); Vt30.
Target ship: Australian Highspeed Cargo Star of 3923ts, draught 7.7m.
Target course 229°; Target distance 450m*; Target angle red90°; Target speed 11.0kn; Firing angle α 000°.
Own course 318°; Own speed 1.6kn ahead.
Weather/Sea: SSE4/3, clear, visibility 4-5nm, >1000mb; Water Depth 69m.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.

=> Torpedo is a hit midships underneath the forecastle/bridge after 29 Sec.! => 35 Sec. x 15.43m/s (30kn) => 447.5m*.

0134 - The steamer is loosing speed and turning to stbd, has barrels as upper deck cargo. An airplane is dropping Wabos at our diving position.

0139 - The steamer sinks by the stem and seems to hit the ocean floor with the bow, causing the stern to stand upright in the air until 0144, when it finally turns to the side and slowly and quietly glides beneath the waves.

0145 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

0150 - Running off in direction of Cape Town, in order to inspect the harbor. Several fires are still burning in and around the harbor. Wabos are being dropped off in the distance.

- to be continued -

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)

Thursday, 24 June 1943 - Off Cape Town -

- continued from 24 June, 0150 -

0217 - The #1 Black Swan Sloop lying beneath Lions Head is approaching our position at high speed. Rigging for Silent Running and turning away to the North.

0222 - The Sloop is going on a search pattern and a second Black Swan Sloop is approaching from direction of Cape Town. New course 345°. "Battle Stations!".

0226 - Flooding tube V (EtoFat) and turning away from the second Sloop on course 315°. All the while, a Hunt-I Destroyer is lying stopped between Lions Head and Robben Island.

0236 - Both Sloops are dropping Wabos at our diving position, after the last A/C attack. A Large Ore Carrier of 7330ts and a 2-Mast Schooner are leaving Cape Town and running close to shore on a southerly heading.

0238 - On course 270°. Closing tube V.

0254 - The Ore Carrier changes courses from SSW-West-SSW around a mean course of SW, speed 7-8kn. A 2-Mast Motor Schooner is entering Cape Town harbor. Both Sloops continue to drop Wabos at our last diving position until 0315. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

0325 - Both Sloops turn back toward Cape Town and the Ore Carrier turns around and heads back to Cape Town at high speed, as well.

0335 - Secured from Silent Running, as the boat is not quite outside the sonar field of the #1 Sloop. A mistake! The Sloop immediately turns around and heads toward our position at high speed. Going to course 315° and showing our stern. Rigging for Silent Running, as the Sloop begins to go on a search pattern.

0350 - The Sloop stops in relative bearing 172°, E=2800, and remains stationary, searching the water surface with searchlights.

0425 - On course 270°. We are outside the Sloop's Sound Sensor field, which is still stationary 5100m astern. Secured from Silent Running. Nonetheless, again the Sloop heads toward our position at high speed and goes on search pattern at 0427. Again, rigging for Silent Running.

0430 - The Sloop turns around for no apparent reason and runs off at high speed on course ENE, towards Robben Island.

0437 - Secured from Silent Running and Surfacing after 9.0nm and 3h 30min.; CO₂ 1.5%; Battery 83%.

0438 - Boat ventilated; Weather and Sea unchanged.

0440 - FuMB-Signals coming from direction of the Sloop.

0443 - Qu.5385GR center right - Shortly after a Magic Eye Warning, "ALARM!" for a twin-engine A/C, direct approache from NE, is already very close; 1 bomb wide to port; At first manning Flak guns but after the fly-over crash diving; Water Depth is 95m.

0445 - At A-Meter no damages. Depth under keel 10m.

0451 - Setting for Reception Depth at 96rpm.

0501 - T=20. Battery 80%; Compressed Air Supply 290Atü; CO₂ 1.1%.

0513 - Surfaced from S-Tiefe after 1.6nm and 30min.

0514 - Weather and Sea unchanged. Water Depth 105m. Boat ventilated. Sloop sighted in relative bearing 180°, coming up at high speed with AOB 0°, E=7100.

0518 - Running off at high speed. Compressed Air Supply filled. At E=6200, the Sloop turns away again and runs off at high speed towards Robben Island.

0523 - The Sloop is out of sight at 4.9nm. Reducing speed.
FuMB-Warning in 250°true, E=14500 and again at 0524 in 91°true, E=12000. Suspect ASW surface vessels. Boat remains surfaced. Water Depth 124m.

0532 - Qu.5384GR center - A/C in SW, is already very close, crosses our stern on course NE and distance of less than 1000m. Received FuMB-Warning from direction of the airplane, after it goes out of sight.

Cmdr.: Very strange: The fact that we received a FuMB-Warning after the airplane has flown off, indicates that it is equipped with radar gear. Still, it didn't attack the boat.

- to be continued -