Party to honour Balz

[Brag]

Report from BDU advance party Brest. 19 June 1940

Events aboard U-52 (Balz) and why the commander decided to proceed to Brest.

At 0615 hrs. of 16 June 1940, U-52 was attacked by Swordfish aircraft. Two bombs exploded before the U-boot reached ten meters depth. The explosions sent U-52 plunging toward bottom. All compartments were damaged. At 80 meters, crew managed to arrest the dive. There was severe flooding in all compartments and the boot continued sinking.

The damage control party had to switch its efforts between critically flooding compartments. The worst flooding was in the forward torpedo and crew compartments.

The situation was desperate. At 0620, the U-boot Komandant ordered the first blowing of ballast, which slowed the sinking.

At 0630 the flooding was brought under control, but the submarine was unable to rise. Once the electric motors were repaired, Lt. Balz ordered full speed ahead, blew all compressed air. The submarine managed to surface and stay with decks awash. On the surface, all compartments were pumped out and the boat regained positive bouyancy.

Seeing that our forces were advancing, Lt. Balz decided to put into a French port.

On 19 June, in heavy rain and fog, U-52 Was 12 kms west of Pt. San Mathieu, when lookouts saw a ship. Lt. Balz was surprised at German efficiency in getting an escort out.

The ship, which turned out to be a British destroyer opened fire, hitting the conning tower.

Fortunatelly, the watch crew had already cleard the bridge. Lt. Balz's tea cozy was schredded to bits.

In 30 meters of water, Balz decided to stay at periscope depth. Without torpedoes, U-52 could not engages the enemy. The first destroyer was joined by a second one.

A depth charge attack ensued.
U-52 took some light damage. On the destroyer's second run, it collided with U-52's conning tower. There was an explosion aboard the destroyer.

U-52 went into silent running near the surface. After half an hour the destroyers left and U-52 proceeded into Brest, arriving an hour later. Surprisingly enough the U-52 crew did not suffer any casualties.

The incidents described above dramatize the need for having a strong damage control crew. Had Komandant Balz not have trained such a good team, U-52 would have been lost.

To celebrate the arrival of the first U-boat into Brest we're having a party.
Entertainment provided by Jimbuna's Tube V, the Stern Banans. Balz said the drinks are on him.