A tense patrol...

[Erwin Schulz]

Just had an interesting patrol:

It all started when I'd decided i'd had enough of patrolling sectors with barely a fishing boat's worth of sport. "Set course for the Channel Ports!" I'd decided, in my wisdom, to hit the english where it hurt - in their own ports.

Six hours later we reach Plymouth - barely guarded by an elco and a Flower. I managed to sneak close enough to look at the port, but there was nothing worth shooting at.

Onwards to Dover, then! In between the 7 hours it took to crawl along the coast, I was picked up by an Admiralty destroyer. Taking a long shot, I set one eel towards her. It looked like it was going to miss, but then success! It took her propellers out, and took her down as well!

After this I was feeling quite pleased with myself, so I thought when I got to Dover it would be easy! that was until I saw the fifty plus convoy headed my way. This was looking juicy, to say the least! When I realised how many escorts it had, however, I had to (reluctantly) leave the convoy alone. Discretion is the better part of valor, after all.

Finally, Dover! Lots of nice targets there, including four large merchants, three medium tankers and a battleship. I was confident I could take them down, given enough time...

I wouldn't find out... I got spotted by a lightship, and forced to retreat, but not before I bagged another Admiralty. So now I'm 5m from Der Kanal floor, running silent at full speed hoping for either:

a) the Royal Navy to run out of depth charges;

Or

b) that I can make it to Dunkirk in fairly good shape to have another crack at Dover...


Not the most remarkable patrol, I'm sure, but nonetheless an experience I thought i'd share with you