A story that MUST be told!!!!

[ddiplock]

U102, a type VIIB uboat under the command of Kapitan Leutnant Josef Becker slips out of Wilhemshaven to begin a patrol on April 18th 1940, with possible aspirations of supporting the defence of Norway.

Once the patrol along the Norwegian coast is complete with no ships sighted, BDU signals all Uboats can return to previous duties. My patrol grid covered, its free hunting time. I take my usual course and head up around the British Isles through the Shetlands and the Orkney's and run into a convoy.
As i'm making some quick obervations through my binoculars, the lead destroyer sees me and opens fire!!!!

I quickly dive fast down to 85 meters and rig for silent running. 4 destroyers and a trawler come knocking and begin raining depth charges down left and right. They ping me on several occasions, only to quickly lose track of my position. Slowly inching towards the convoy, I make which was in hindsight a tactical error on my part as Kaleun.
I plan to lose them in the baffles of the convoy ships!!!! I shove my batteries to flank and make a dash for the convoy. keeping in a straight line, a destroyer zooms over head and drops depth charges over my head. I turn hard to port, but take a beating from the charges.

My attack and observation scopes are destroyed, along with my radio, hydrophone, port diesel and starboard electric engines, flack and deck guns and heavy flooding. U102 plummets to the seabed at 90 meters, betteries dead, fuel leaking, we're a sitting duck!!! My crew battles valiantly to stave off the flooding, damage control team races from one end of the boat to the other, to hold off death another few minutes if they can.

For the next hour and a half, the boat is subjected to constant depth charge attacks, in which my sonar operater is wounded in.....but amazingly, the sturdy hull of U102 holds together under the constant attacks!!! As the convoy limps away, 3 of the destroyers break and head back to the convoy, along with the trawler. One destroyer remains, and for the next hour at least, makes passes directly over U102 but not dropping any charges. Eventually, they too make a break, and head off to rejoin the convoy.

With blown ballest, U102 breaks the surface of the water and sits on the surface at 10:45pm. With only one diesel engine, and hardly any fuel, the situation is grim. Despite still being full to the brim with torpedos, U102 is clearly in no fit shape, and I order the Chief to set course back to Wilhemshaven. The next morning, we're subjected to 3 swordfish bomber attacks, in which 3 of my men are killed due to the bombs.

Over the next 3 days, and with foulest weather, we limp slowly back to base with only one working propeller. In the dead of night, and in a rain storm, a crippled U102 slips slowly and gently into the safety of her berth at Wilhemshaven harbour. She's beaten, battered and bruised.....but she's got her crew home in the end despite the odds!!!!

Despite 3 men dead, 1 wounded, and no ships sunk and a crippled boat, BDU saw fit to award me nontheless with the Knights Cross for my efforts in saving the boat and my men. Did I truly deserve that medal?? I don't know, did it make me feel any better? No, not really. 3 men died under my command, and they won't be coming home again!!!


Crew battle the flooding, note the destroyed electric motor



A blind and deaf boat, with no radio or hydrophone


A welcome sight, the destroyer gives up and rejoins the convoy



She's bruised, battered and beaten, but U102 still got her crew safely home



Did I really deserve the Knights Cross??

NOTE: I just had to tell this story, i'm amazed that I managed to pull it off and get safely home given the state the boat is in as you can see. Hope you enjoyed my little story of what happend, and I hope you enjoy the screenies. U102 will spend the next month in base, while repairs to the boat are effected.

U102 I, Josef Becker your Kaleun, salute you and thank you for bringing me and my men home!!!!

[Platapus]

great story. It is those battles that make this game exciting.

My respects to your lost crew

/salute

[Canovaro]

Good to have you back alive Kaleun!
I enjoyed your story, amazing how damaged your boot was!
imo you did deserve that medal, but sorry about your crew, new experienced crew is hard to find these days.

[P_Funk]

Thats why SH3 is brilliant. You didn't sink a single ship but it was more memorable and fun than any other patrol. Thats a game!

[GreyOctober]

TEN'HUT! STAND TO ATTENTION AND SALUTE!



You deserve it sir! 3 died but against all odds you managed to save the rest. Doenitz is proud of you...and youre my hero

Great story!

Cheers!
Grey

[ddiplock]

its bizarre, even though its only a game, my award of the Knights Cross feels....hollow. I didn't sink any big ships, or sail into Scapa and wipe out half the Royal Navy.


Still, at least U102 survived....she will slip out into the night once more, and let her enemies feel her wrath and vengeance!!!!!

[ddiplock]

I'm planning on having a go on SH3 tonight and taking a fixed U102 back into the war

here's hoping we fare better this time around than last time....no matter how close I am to a convoy, i doubt i'll try and make a "ahead flank" dash into the convoy again.

Staying at ahead slow or one third, is defo the way to go when rigged for silent running

[Canovaro]

Originally Posted by ddiplock

I'm planning on having a go on SH3 tonight and taking a fixed U102 back into the war

here's hoping we fare better this time around than last time....no matter how close I am to a convoy, i doubt i'll try and make a "ahead flank" dash into the convoy again.

Staying at ahead slow or one third, is defo the way to go when rigged for silent running

2 kts or less = 100% silent
is what i've read

[GreyOctober]

Originally Posted by Canovaro

2 kts or less = 100% silent
is what i've read

Well yes...that translates in RPM no greater than 100 some make sure you keep an eye on that too. Youre running GWX right?

[ddiplock]

Originally Posted by GreyOctober

Well yes...that translates in RPM no greater than 100 some make sure you keep an eye on that too. Youre running GWX right?

Yeah I am running GWX. Its a fantastic mod, I just hope I have better luck if I run into a convoy again.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by ddiplock

its bizarre, even though its only a game, my award of the Knights Cross feels....hollow...

You will do what every other combat toop does.

Thank the people for the nice medal
Throw it in some box
Get back to taking care of your troops and the mission
Honour the men who sacrifaced for you

The respect of your men is clearly more important than some medal, your story illistrated that.

You took your men to hell and brought most of them back. You took care of the mission and your men. There is no medal that can represent that...nor should there be.

Each one of your men, even the ones still on eternal patrol, will look at you and think "you done good".

/salute

[Mauser KAR98K]

ddiplock:

I'll sail with you any day! You show the signs of great leadership skills from your account. Great story and hope you learned valuable lessons from it. I too have had my fair share and close calls. Came back once with 37% hull intigrety and four dead; only sunk one ship through that whole ordeal.

Fair winds and calm seas on your next patrol.