Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapitän
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
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Monday, 7 December 1942 - Gotenhafen-Oxhöft
Work-up's and Trials with the U.A.K. (Kpt.z.S.R. BRÄUTIGAM), the 2nd Training Division (U.L.D.; Freg.Kpt.d.R. Ernst HASSHAGEN) and 22nd U-Flotilla (Korvkpt. Wilhelm Ambrosius):
Dry-Run Exercises with Machinery/Mechanics; Weapons; Torpedoes.
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"Operation Frankton" has Royal Navy submarines drop off commandos to raid our shipping up the River Gironde in Bordeaux Harbor.
In Operation BG 5, Italian auxiliary ship Olterra launches three manned torpedoes against Gibraltar; they fail to cause any damage.
U 515 (Kptlt. Werner Henke) reports that the sunk transport "Ceramic" was laden with troops.
According to a Radio Intelligence Report (X) proceeding from America to Capetown. Traffic mainly W. and E. of St. Paul's Rocks. After taking on supplies therefore, the following dispositions are ordered: U 174 - 3437; U 128 - 3453; U 161 - 3275; U 126 - 3237. All grids in FC. U 159 - ER 9949 and U 134 - ER 9932. Depth for all boats id 40 sea miles. U 176 occupies waters off Pernambucco. Boats may use territorial waters, but entrance to harbors and roads is forbidden however. U D 3 (ex Dutch submarine O 25; Krvkpt. Hermann Rigele) operates in area EH 98 and EJ 55. Spasmodic northwest - southeast and east west traffic is expected here.
U 175 (Kptlt. Heinrich Bruns) proceeds southwards to operate for several days in the waters of Dakar. Traffic entering or leaving port is counted on here.
U 91 (Kptlt. Heinz Walkerling) begins her homeward voyage from the patrol channel of Group "Westwall". Boats to the N. of this move in to a southerly position. "Milkcow" U 463 (KrvKpt. Leo Wolfbauer) has put out for CD 30 to refuel this group.
Supplied from "Milkcow" U 460 (Kptlt. Ebe Schnoor): U 373, 445 and 663.
According to Radio Intelligence Report (X) the appearance of a former German U-boat type VIIc (570) captured by the British is to be expected any time now. Boats are again warned to be especially careful when meeting and passing other boats.
(Oblt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) lies in Rönne, Bornholm, due to bad weather and enemy mines in the silent running testing area.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115 |
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
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Tuesday,
8 December 1942 - Gotenhafen-Oxhöft
Work-up's and Trials with the U.A.K. (Kpt.z.S.R. BRÄUTIGAM), the 2nd Training Division (U.L.D.; Freg.Kpt.d.R. Ernst HASSHAGEN) and 22nd U-Flotilla (Korvkpt. Wilhelm Ambrosius):
Dry-Run Exercises with Machinery/Mechanics; Weapons; Torpedoes.
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After refueling U 373, 445 and 663 steered a course for AJ 90 at economical cruising speed. There, with other boats they plan a patrol to intercept an HX convoy expected on the 12th.
According to a Radio Intelligence report (X), an English unit or convoy is proceeding with an advancing speed of 7.3 to 10 knots via ES 3690, ER 1510, EO 1320 to Trinidad and should arrive there in the afternoon of 19.12. U 172 (Kptlt. Carl Emmermann) and U D 3 (ex Dutch submarine O 25; Krvkpt. Hermann Rigele) received orders to operate on the line of route. U D 3 intends to await the reported unit in ER 16.
U 178 (IXD2; Kpt. Hans Ibbeken) had a circle runner and a miss on a freighter of 5,000 GRT, course 60° in CQ 5129 on 4.12.
In connection with the hydrophone gear U 178 had the same experience as U 181 (IXD2; Kptlt. Wolfgang Lüth). The boat reports the following as the possible causes:
a) Greater length of boat - therefore less favorable reaction to length of seaway;
b) Very sensitive balance results in less transverse stability;
c) Difficulty, above all in banking with and against the sea. An effective solution by an adjustment of the hydroplanes can only be expected, if there is a great enlargement and higher hydroplane speed. Better conditions have been confirmed as a result of increasing attack depth to one meter.
U 224 (Oblt. Hans-Carl Kosbadt) sighted (prematurely) a silhouette in BF 6779 which did not reply to request for recognition signal. U 224 presumed it to be a German low speed U-boat type. According to wireless bearing an English unit - probably a U-boat was in BF 9440 at 1849.
Convoy No.68:
Several boats reported air activity on the convoy on the afternoon of the 8th. Altogether 11 Radio Intelligence reports were received during the night from which it appears that the boats were sighted by aircraft and variously attacked with depth charges and aircraft armament. In addition, 5 boats reported being beaten off by the convoy protection. There were no reports of successes. U 221 (Oblt. Hans-Hartwig Trojer) reported ramming U 254 (Kptlt. Odo Loewe) at 2225 in AK 2551 and having taken survivors on board (4). It continued the search and intended to begin the return voyage after daylight. No more survivors were found. U 221 began her homeward voyage after dawn.
For the first time during a convoy operation a ramming has taken place between two U-boats, and thereby caused the loss of one of them. As far as can be seen here, this accident took place on a dark night and in a rough sea, so that the ramming boat cannot be blamed. The presence of so many U-boats on convoy operations has for a long time made this kind of damage a possibility. Reflection on this matter shows that generally speaking, it is not practicable to have more than 13 to 15 boats on to one convoy. Any tactical limitations in connection with the number of attacking boats, the time of the attack, the disposition for attack, by which such collisions could be avoided will be refused, as it is wrong with the difficulties of convoy warfare to apply even the smallest conditions. With the difficulties of convoy warfare every chance of attack must be exploited to the utmost and the maxim impressed again and again on the boats, "on to the target as quickly as possible, attack as often as possible, utilize every chance of attack at once", may not be repudiated on the grounds of security.
The planned Allied invasion of Burma was called off due to lack of supplies; British and Chinese troops fell back from their forward position
(Oblt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) lies in Rönne, Bornholm, due to bad weather and
enemy mines in the silent running testing area.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115