1st GWX patrol report

[LeafsFan]

Werner Franke

War Patrol #1 U-122 type IXB

U 122 under the command of Lt. Z. S. Werner Franke left Wilhelmshaven on June 1 1940, to patrol south of Iceland. The passage through the North Sea was routed close to Denmark and Norway and was uneventful. In the area north of the Shetland Faeroe gap three aircraft were spotted over a 24 hour period and the boat was forced to crash dive each time. The fact that aircraft were spotted that far north of Scotland was an unpleasant surprise. Northwest of the Faeroes high winds and seas were encountered forcing the boat to spend the majority of the time underwater. During this period of time the screws of a westbound merchant were heard. An underwater approach took place, and the passenger/cargo ship S.S. Expounder was torpedoed twice and sank. For over two weeks nothing was spotted as the U 122 patrolled in the Northwestern approaches. On July 1st just as a convoy sighting was recieved a large merchant was spotted. It took one hit and Mount Katmai spectacularly exploded. The convoy was intercepted that evening but the lack of darkness as well as a heavy escort made an approach unwise. On July 4th over the span of eight hours two fair sized merchants, Great Sitkin, and M/V Ringleader were dispatched off the southwest coast of Ireland. High seas made use of the deck gun impossible so two torpedoes were expended on each ship. Thus, a very busy two week period began .Four days later in almost the same location two small tramp steamers were spotted steaming towards each other. The first one, the S.S Contractor was dispatched with 105mm shells alone, the S.S Kathleen S. Holmes required 1 torpedo, then the deck gun. Figuring the area would soon be cralwing with Tommies, a course was set for Cape Finesterre. The trip would prove to be eventful. On the morning of July 11th in a time span of 2 and a half hours, first one large merchant ship M/V City of Sydney then two large merchant ships, M/V Steel Artisan, and M/V Talisman were spotted and sunk with a torpedo hit and deck gun fire each. It was speculated that a convoy must have had stragglers in heavy weather that had occurred previously. These ships were heavily loaded and represented significant tonnage. A next day, while underwater during heavy weather and fog, the screws of a merchant were heard. Over a few hours the boat submerged several times trying to pick up the trail of the ship in the fog. Eventually a small merchant, S.S Block Island was spotted and sunk with one torpedo. In what was becoming a very productive passage towards Cape Finesterre, a very large freighter was spotted at night. M/V Exchester (II) was sunk following one torpedo hit and many shells, which just about depleted the stock of 105mm shells. Over the next few days only neutrals were spotted including a convoy of four neutrals, and a French patrol craft with two small merchants. All were left alone. About this time the Chief engineer noted that ½ the fuel on board had been consumed. That fact, and the abundance of neutral shipping led Lt. Franke to decide that it was time to proceed northward towards the area of the earlier successes. Initially this was successful as the tramp steamer S.S. Aegeus was sunk on the 16th of July.
The next three weeks resulted in no scoring but were certainly busy. Roughly six destroyers were spotted in the area where U122 had scored so heavily. Lt Franke wryly noted that Tommy was busy looking for them. Five were given the slip, and the sixth wandered into a position where a torpedo was expended against it. It missed and U122 evaded detection. On another occasion on the surface in medium fog, a small escort came charging out of the fog, drove U122 down and kept the boat down with a determined attack. No damage was done in the depth charge attack, but the escort adeptly kept U122 down long enough for a convoy to pass over the boat. By the time Lt Franke was able to give his pursuer the slip all trace of the convoy was gone. By early August U122 was patrolling on the Rockall bank. On August 4th, a submerged torpedo attack resulted in the explosive destruction of H. Gibbons a merchant ship. The following day, U122 received a report of a convoy bearing down on the boat. A submerged approach into the front of the convoy allowed Lt. Franke to conduct a surprise attack. A large tanker was spotted and the last three forward torpedoes were expended at the M/V. Esso Augusta which was hit and sank quickly. The last two aft torpedoes were expended at a large merchant M/V Empire Waimana which was hit and sank. Lt Franke took the boat deep and managed to avoid most of the depth charges which were dropped by the escorts. Only very minor damage was done in the depth charge attack. When U122 returned to the surface, a course was set for Wilhelmshaven, as no torpedoes, and only six 105mm remained!! Aside from atrocious weather, the trip to port was uneventful, and U122 docked on 23 Aug 1940.

S.S. Expounder 15/06/40 2327 tons AE91
Mount Katmai 01/07/40 7607 tons AM42
Great Sitkin 04/07/40 6121 tons BE33
M/V Ringleader 04/07/40 4635 tons BE33
S.S Contractor 08/07/40 1840 tons BE36
S.S Kathleen S. Holmes 08/07/40 1958 tons BE36
M/V City of Sydney 11/07/40 10369 tons BE66
M/V Steel Artisan 11/07/40 10370 tons BE66
M/V Talisman 11/07/40 4213 tons BE66
S.S Block Island 12/07/40 2248 tons BF47
M/V Exchester (II) 13/07/40 12035 tons BF71
S.S. Aegeus 16/07/40 2263 tons BF74
H. Gibbons 04/08/40 5455 tons AM1
M/V Esso Augusta 05/08/40 14487 tons AM19
M/V Empire Waimana 05/08/40 11549 tons AM19

15 ships for 97477 tons