Latest news,U-16 lost in the English channel

[Paul Riley]

Latest news from BDU concerning our recent loss in the English channel

Fellow UBoat men and women,it pains me to inform you that last night in the early hours of the 12th October 1939 U-16 a type IIA,under the command of Kpt. Franz Weber was finally lost in the English channel after conducting an unsuccessful attack against a British merchant ship.The following is from our last contact with U-16:

12th Oct
0156
AN79,spotted 2 patrol craft,probably French heading SSE,evaded on surface
0215
AN79,merchant spotted heading towards the channel,possibly valid for attack.Moving in to ID,confirmed as British Granville freighter.Preparing for submerged attack at 500m
0240
Fired one at vessel,depth 4m,impact just fore of smoke stack,vessel still afloat,becoming very concerned about the effectiveness of our torpedoes.
Shortly after attack warships heading to our location coming from the directions of Calais and Dover.Instantly submerged to 20m and set a course further into the channel.Must have heard us moving at 2kts silent,came under heavy depth charging,periscope damaged,forward batteries damaged,compressor damaged,heavy flooding in bow section.
0330
unable to halt flooding,picked up again by pursuers of which we count 3 of them,trying desperately to zig zag in no more than 30m of water,heavy depth charge attack hitting bow again,further flooding,UBoat rocking wildly,main light fuses blown,situation becoming critical,unable to maintain contr...

Those were the last harrowing moments of U-16.It brings me to the conclusion that they made the grave error of engaging a ship then staying in the area of attack too long to report the sinking,of which no sinking was reported in this case.Time and time again we advise all captains to leave the area immediately and return later to finish any vessels 'dead in the water'
It also seems that U-16 had been plagued with ill luck right from the start of its career due to ships failing to succumb to their torpedoes.
Their families have been notified and we shall all miss them with a heavy heart.