U-122 Patrol Report #2

LeafsFan · 01-15-07, 08:29 PM

War Patrol #2 U-122 type IXB
U-122 left Wilhemshaven on patrol in AL33 on September 14th . She was scheduled to return to the 2nd Flotilla’s new base at Lorient after the patrol. The outward voyage was very uneventful, with the exception of the spotting of a German cargo ship off the coast of Norway. In the area of the patrol zone bad weather was encountered. At dawn on October 3rd while underwater, the sounds of a merchant were heard. The position of the ship relative to the boat made a surface approach necessary. After three torpedoes a large merchant the M/V Theseus was sank. The next week was spend riding out very bad weather as the boat proceeded southward. In a four day period four tramp steamers; S.S. Breton, S.S. Fort Richepanse, S.S. Pawnee Rock, and S.S. Predsednik Kopajtic were spotted and sank. Not long after a convoy was reported in the area. Very calm sea conditions made a submerged attack the logical approach. A weak escort in the front of the convoy allowed Oblt. Franke to get into firing position. All tubes were expended in an attack on four large vessels. All six torpedoes were heard to explode but as the boat quietly went deep only two ships M/V Dunluce and M/V Frederick Lykes were heard to sink. After an ineffective counterattack, Franke surfaced the boat, and the crew quickly reloaded all the tubes except tube #1 which mysteriously would not function. After several hours and dusk, another submerged attack was launched. This time five torpedoes were fired at three ships. Only two hits were heard on one ship M/V Suvla quickly sank. This time the counterattack was more determined. When U-122 came to periscope depth a cargo vessel was spotted trailing the convoy. Oblt. Franke patiently allowed the convoy and two of its escorts to leave visual range before finishing off S.S Shasta with a torpedo. It was later determined that the ship had been hit in the initial afternoon attack, and initially had managed to maintain speed but had straggled after dusk. Franke took U122 back around the front of the convoy for a third attack, even though only two torpedoes remained. Franke decided on a surface attack from long range as the escort was badly out of position. Two shots resulted in a hit which eventually sank the M/V Cape Verde. With no torpedoes but lots of fuel, U-122 quickly transited to Lorient.

M/V Theseus 03/10/40 11037 tons AM19
S.S. Breton 11/10/40 1998 tons BE39
S.S. Fort Richepanse 13/10/40 1626 tons BE69
S.S. Pawnee Rock 14/10/40 1671 tons BE39
S.S. Predsednik Kopajtic 15/10/40 1942 tons BE39
M/V Dunluce 16/10/40 10580 tons BE69
M/V Frederick Lykes 16/10/40 11890 tons BE69
M/V Suvla 16/10/40 10251 tons BE68
S.S Shasta 17/10/40 6995 tons BE92
M/V Cape Verde 17/10/40 9846 tons BE92

10 ships for 67836 tons

Cumulative total

25 ships for 165313 tons

01-15-07, 08:29 PM	#1
LeafsFan Watch Officer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 332 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	U-122 Patrol Report #2 War Patrol #2 U-122 type IXB U-122 left Wilhemshaven on patrol in AL33 on September 14th . She was scheduled to return to the 2nd Flotilla’s new base at Lorient after the patrol. The outward voyage was very uneventful, with the exception of the spotting of a German cargo ship off the coast of Norway. In the area of the patrol zone bad weather was encountered. At dawn on October 3rd while underwater, the sounds of a merchant were heard. The position of the ship relative to the boat made a surface approach necessary. After three torpedoes a large merchant the M/V Theseus was sank. The next week was spend riding out very bad weather as the boat proceeded southward. In a four day period four tramp steamers; S.S. Breton, S.S. Fort Richepanse, S.S. Pawnee Rock, and S.S. Predsednik Kopajtic were spotted and sank. Not long after a convoy was reported in the area. Very calm sea conditions made a submerged attack the logical approach. A weak escort in the front of the convoy allowed Oblt. Franke to get into firing position. All tubes were expended in an attack on four large vessels. All six torpedoes were heard to explode but as the boat quietly went deep only two ships M/V Dunluce and M/V Frederick Lykes were heard to sink. After an ineffective counterattack, Franke surfaced the boat, and the crew quickly reloaded all the tubes except tube #1 which mysteriously would not function. After several hours and dusk, another submerged attack was launched. This time five torpedoes were fired at three ships. Only two hits were heard on one ship M/V Suvla quickly sank. This time the counterattack was more determined. When U-122 came to periscope depth a cargo vessel was spotted trailing the convoy. Oblt. Franke patiently allowed the convoy and two of its escorts to leave visual range before finishing off S.S Shasta with a torpedo. It was later determined that the ship had been hit in the initial afternoon attack, and initially had managed to maintain speed but had straggled after dusk. Franke took U122 back around the front of the convoy for a third attack, even though only two torpedoes remained. Franke decided on a surface attack from long range as the escort was badly out of position. Two shots resulted in a hit which eventually sank the M/V Cape Verde. With no torpedoes but lots of fuel, U-122 quickly transited to Lorient. M/V Theseus 03/10/40 11037 tons AM19 S.S. Breton 11/10/40 1998 tons BE39 S.S. Fort Richepanse 13/10/40 1626 tons BE69 S.S. Pawnee Rock 14/10/40 1671 tons BE39 S.S. Predsednik Kopajtic 15/10/40 1942 tons BE39 M/V Dunluce 16/10/40 10580 tons BE69 M/V Frederick Lykes 16/10/40 11890 tons BE69 M/V Suvla 16/10/40 10251 tons BE68 S.S Shasta 17/10/40 6995 tons BE92 M/V Cape Verde 17/10/40 9846 tons BE92 10 ships for 67836 tons Cumulative total 25 ships for 165313 tons