U122 IXB. Patrol 3.
Departed Lorient on 5.nov.40.
Assigned Grid DH32, thence southward along the Freetown lanes.
Remained on station for 2 days (13.nov.40 - 15.nov.40), without sightings.
On 20.nov.40, while transiting DU47, U122 recieved a radio dispatch:
"Convoy. DT38. N. 6 knots". And off we went to play catch up.
On 21.nov.40, while rushing north through DT35, we recieved a second dispatch on the same convoy:
"Convoy. DT35. N. 6 knots"
BDU was finaly relieved that we did establish contact.
(General location was W of The Canaries).
Hr VONHARRIS must have sent the original contact report as, half the merchants seemed to be missing. It was later established that there were 4 destroyers for escorts. At least 2 were of the Hunt Class.
This convoy was our only contact throughout the patrol.
(Clouds: None. Fog: None. Wind: 0 m/s. Moon: Two thirds. And yes, the moonlight was used for night submerged attacks. Was there any other option with these conditions, and all Elite escorts?)
Over the next 48 hours we made 6 attacks on the convoy itself, and 2 additional attacks on previousely damaged stragglers.
U122 docked at Lorient on 4.dec.40.
2 Tanker, and 4 Freighter penants were hung from the periscope.
Crew & boat healthy. (Only because of early war DCs, this time.)
Patrol results:
6 ships sunk for 40.874 GRT.
All 14 torpedoes expended.
U122's history to date:
3 war patrols between 2.maj.40 and 4.dec.40.
13 ships sunk for 98.250 GRT.
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