Fourth war patrol U-201

Markus Witt · 02-18-22, 06:34 PM

The most dangerous commander for a crew is an inexperienced commander trying to prove himself.
The second most dangerous commander is an experienced commander who becomes overconfident.

After little more than three weeks in port U-201 is send out again into the North Atlantic.
Nobody could know it yet, but U-201 would never reach her destination…

Cover page

Page 1

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blackswan40 · 02-18-22, 10:58 PM

The Sinkings of U-201 Carrer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-201

Markus Witt · 02-19-22, 04:46 AM

Just 3 days after leaving port U-201 is chasing a convoy that is reported to be nearby.

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Route chart until 24 September 1200

Attack plot

Shooting sketch

Markus Witt · 02-19-22, 08:01 AM

Torpedo firing reports of the convoy attack

Firing report 1 front

Firing report 1 back

Firing report 2 front

Firing report 2 back

Firing report 3 front

Firing report 3 back

Markus Witt · 02-19-22, 07:36 PM

After the convoy attack there is not enough time left to attack again before dawn.
Alexander Witt decides to stalk the convoy during the day and attack again after darkness.
The coming night will be the last chance to attack the convoy as it will be too close to enemy defences after that.

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Route chart

Bubblehead1980 · 02-19-22, 08:41 PM

This is excellent!

Markus Witt · 02-20-22, 04:07 AM

After being forced away unexpectedly by an airplane in the darkness U-201 has made contact again with the convoy and is ready to attack.

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Attack plot convoy

Attack plot lone steamer

Route chart

kapuhy · 02-20-22, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markus Witt

Nobody could know it yet, but U-201 would never reach her destination…

[Darth Vader voice]Noooooooo![/Darth Vader voice]

Great read, as always

Markus Witt · 02-20-22, 03:06 PM

U-201 has successfully attacked the convoy for the second time and again narrowly escapes on the surface with escorts in her wake close behind.
While moving ahead of the convoy to set up another attack U-201 runs into a lone steamer and sinks it. After this commander Witt decides to move away from the area.

Route chart of the operations near Porcupine Bank

Firing report 4 front

Firing report 4 back

Firing report 5 front

Firing report 5 back

Firing report 6 front

Firing report 6 back

Firing report 7 front

Firing report 7 back

Markus Witt · 02-21-22, 04:31 AM

As U-201 moves away from the area, another convoy is reported nearby. Alexander Witt has to make a decision.
Go after this convoy and face a third straight day of convoy engagements or move away and rest his tired crew.
But he soon realises he does not really have a choice…

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Torpedo firing report 8 front

Torpedo firing report 8 back

Markus Witt · 02-21-22, 11:43 AM

After attacking the convoy, U-201 is forced to crash-dive by the escorts.

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Attack against the destroyer.

Convoy attack

Markus Witt · 02-21-22, 02:14 PM

After surviving a depth charge attack and with just the stern tube available, Alexander Witt decides to attack the convoy again right away. Is this the correct decision?

Firing report 9 front

Firing report 9 back

Firing report 10 front

Firing report 10 back

Markus Witt · 02-22-22, 04:48 AM

U-201 approaches the convoy to attack again.

Page 16

Attack plot

Route chart of the convoy engagement

Markus Witt · 02-22-22, 09:44 AM

U-201 narrowly survives two counter attacks by the convoy escorts and is retreating with a bloody nose. Commander Witt pushed his luck too far and is lucky to escape.
Attacking the convoy a second time, shortly after the first attack, with just one tube available was a questionable decision. The escorts must still have been on high alert
after the first attack and U-201 approached the convoy too soon and too close. U-201 is moving away from the convoy and is proceeding to her patrol area while
assessing the extent of the damage sustained.

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Approach plot neutral liner

Photo of the liner taken with the Zeiss-Ikon Contax III camera though the AP

Complete route chart of all the convoy operations

Markus Witt · 02-22-22, 01:46 PM

U-201 has intercepted a fast liner but it turns out to be neutral and she has to let her go.

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U-201 approaches St. Nazaire closely behind her escort.

U-201 enters port alongside various small craft who have come out to meet her. Six pennant are raised from her periscope.

U-201 safely back in port, moored in the Penhoët Basin. Six pennants, representing 52000 tons, fly proudly from her periscope and a new emblem is displayed on her conning tower. The previous emblem had weathered away and had been painted over after repairs to the conning tower after the last patrol. On the way back to port the crew paints a new emblem on the conning tower. It is a porcupine to celebrate the successful convoy operations off Porcupine Bank and inspired by the poetic message send by the commander after the attacks.

02-18-22, 06:34 PM	#1
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	Fourth war patrol U-201 The most dangerous commander for a crew is an inexperienced commander trying to prove himself. The second most dangerous commander is an experienced commander who becomes overconfident. After little more than three weeks in port U-201 is send out again into the North Atlantic. Nobody could know it yet, but U-201 would never reach her destination… Cover page Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

02-18-22, 10:58 PM	#2
blackswan40 GWX - KC Crash Test Dummy Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: IN THE STEEL SHARKS VIRTUAL OCEAN Posts: 2,782 Downloads: 603 Uploads: 31	The Sinkings of U-201 Carrer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-201 __________________ Someone Had to Make the Tea

02-19-22, 07:36 PM	#5
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	After the convoy attack there is not enough time left to attack again before dawn. Alexander Witt decides to stalk the convoy during the day and attack again after darkness. The coming night will be the last chance to attack the convoy as it will be too close to enemy defences after that. Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Route chart Last edited by Markus Witt; 02-20-22 at 04:56 AM.

02-20-22, 04:07 AM	#7
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	After being forced away unexpectedly by an airplane in the darkness U-201 has made contact again with the convoy and is ready to attack. Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Attack plot convoy Attack plot lone steamer Route chart Last edited by Markus Witt; 02-20-22 at 05:09 AM.

02-21-22, 04:31 AM	#10
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	As U-201 moves away from the area, another convoy is reported nearby. Alexander Witt has to make a decision. Go after this convoy and face a third straight day of convoy engagements or move away and rest his tired crew. But he soon realises he does not really have a choice… Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Torpedo firing report 8 front Torpedo firing report 8 back Last edited by Markus Witt; 02-22-22 at 05:58 AM.

02-19-22, 04:46 AM	#3
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	Just 3 days after leaving port U-201 is chasing a convoy that is reported to be nearby. Page 4 Page 5 Route chart until 24 September 1200 Attack plot Shooting sketch

02-19-22, 08:01 AM	#4
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	Torpedo firing reports of the convoy attack Firing report 1 front Firing report 1 back Firing report 2 front Firing report 2 back Firing report 3 front Firing report 3 back

02-19-22, 08:41 PM	#6
Bubblehead1980 Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Florida USA Posts: 7,102 Downloads: 605 Uploads: 44	This is excellent!

02-20-22, 03:06 PM	#9
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	U-201 has successfully attacked the convoy for the second time and again narrowly escapes on the surface with escorts in her wake close behind. While moving ahead of the convoy to set up another attack U-201 runs into a lone steamer and sinks it. After this commander Witt decides to move away from the area. Route chart of the operations near Porcupine Bank Firing report 4 front Firing report 4 back Firing report 5 front Firing report 5 back Firing report 6 front Firing report 6 back Firing report 7 front Firing report 7 back

02-21-22, 11:43 AM	#11
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	After attacking the convoy, U-201 is forced to crash-dive by the escorts. Page 15 Attack against the destroyer. Convoy attack Last edited by Markus Witt; 02-22-22 at 05:52 AM.

02-21-22, 02:14 PM	#12
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	After surviving a depth charge attack and with just the stern tube available, Alexander Witt decides to attack the convoy again right away. Is this the correct decision? Firing report 9 front Firing report 9 back Firing report 10 front Firing report 10 back

02-22-22, 04:48 AM	#13
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	U-201 approaches the convoy to attack again. Page 16 Attack plot Route chart of the convoy engagement Last edited by Markus Witt; 02-22-22 at 05:15 AM.

02-22-22, 09:44 AM	#14
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	U-201 narrowly survives two counter attacks by the convoy escorts and is retreating with a bloody nose. Commander Witt pushed his luck too far and is lucky to escape. Attacking the convoy a second time, shortly after the first attack, with just one tube available was a questionable decision. The escorts must still have been on high alert after the first attack and U-201 approached the convoy too soon and too close. U-201 is moving away from the convoy and is proceeding to her patrol area while assessing the extent of the damage sustained. Page 17 Page 18 Approach plot neutral liner Photo of the liner taken with the Zeiss-Ikon Contax III camera though the AP Complete route chart of all the convoy operations Last edited by Markus Witt; 02-22-22 at 10:07 AM.

02-22-22, 01:46 PM	#15
Markus Witt Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: AN8563 Posts: 171 Downloads: 312 Uploads: 0	U-201 has intercepted a fast liner but it turns out to be neutral and she has to let her go. Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 U-201 approaches St. Nazaire closely behind her escort. U-201 enters port alongside various small craft who have come out to meet her. Six pennant are raised from her periscope. U-201 safely back in port, moored in the Penhoët Basin. Six pennants, representing 52000 tons, fly proudly from her periscope and a new emblem is displayed on her conning tower. The previous emblem had weathered away and had been painted over after repairs to the conning tower after the last patrol. On the way back to port the crew paints a new emblem on the conning tower. It is a porcupine to celebrate the successful convoy operations off Porcupine Bank and inspired by the poetic message send by the commander after the attacks.