British S Class...Von Heinz's log

[kbak303]

On return trip to Williamshaven after 22 days patrol...

Stumbled upon an S class, North of Dover at Grid AN73. Could not find it in my identification manual, however once their deckgun fired a shot across my bow any question of friend or foe was null. Seas were rough, visibility reduced with high seas and overcast skies. The weather had been the same for roughly the last 5 days.

My deck officer stated it was too rough of sea to return fire with deck gun (odd how the British were able to con't firing their heavy gun)

Immediatly came left full rudder, offering as small a target to the British submarine. With only 2 shots in the bow tube, I ordered speed to flank, to close the distance. Minor course changes allowed enough leeway to keep them guessing. at 1428 yards, my boat took a round close enough that our conning tower was damaged. It was very well, in hindsight, that several of my crew had been trained in damage control at the technical school in Keil.

Feeling this distance was close enough, I fired first tube 1, then 15 seconds later emptied tube 3 towards our enemy. The crew was ordered to crash dive, right full rudder and flank speed on our batteries to a depth of 25 meters.

By my Chief's stopwatch, it appeared all three missed their mark, until a resounding crash was heard throughout the ship. We had scored a hit. Blowing ballast to periscope depth did not reveal smoke or fire, so I presume the enemy S class went down very soon.

I am very happy for my crew in sinking an enemy combatant, but cannot help to feel slightly meloncholy at having dispatched brother submariner's to a watery grave.

(ok was just pumped to see a S class, let alone get a kill. and i know i'm only at 75% but hey...a kill is a kill
i do have a question...why can they man the deck guns but I cannot in the same area, same conditions?
and why, on the patrol log, is a submarine not counted as a warship tonnage, and is under the merchant ship tonnage?)