Tell us what you're up to in current campaign (lets get this one going lol)

[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

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Friday, 5 February 1943 - Stettin

Conducting tactical exercises and training together with U 648 (Stahl)*, with the 4th Training Flotilla (Freg.Kpt. Heinz FISCHER), Stettin and AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. H. MÜLLER).

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Benito Mussolini personally took over the Italian Foreign Ministry after firing his son-in-law Galeazzo Ciano.

U 66 (Kptlt. Friedrich Markworth) sank a coastal steamer of 500 GRT by gunfire on 1.2 in DH 9665. So far only neutral shipping sighted. Medium enemy and neutral air activity. Machine gun C/38 proved satisfactory.

U 590 (Kptlt. Heinrich Müller-Edzards) has been ordered to return, as both her Diesels were out of action owing to corrosion of 4 fuel pumps. After repairs 1 Diesel with 5 cylinders was serviceable again. The cause of corrosion cannot be discovered until tests have been made on the test bench.

Convoy No. 6 (SC.118):
Weather conditions A.M. on the 5th were reported as west 2-3, sea 2, visibility good. Wind freshened to W. 8. in the afternoon, heavy seas, snow and hail. Weather in the afternoon made it very difficult to find the convoy, and weather conditions were also largely responsible for the fact that the convoy was not attacked during the night 5/6.
At 1025 U 609 (Kptlt. Klaus Rudloff) reported a steamer and a corvette in AK 8425. The same boat then found the convoy again at 1245 in 8193. She reported later that it consisted of 8 steamers, in wide formation. At 1423 she reported contact lost. As, according to 3 reports from this boat, the convoy was making 12 knots. Operations Control assumed that a small group of a few ships had succeeded in attracting the boats to itself while the large, slow section turned E.S. of this. U 609 reported only 8 ships and it was known from Radio Intelligence that the convoy was to proceed at 7.5 knots. At 2018 U 609 found the larger, slow section of the convoy in AK 8261, which had, as suspected, apparently turned E and was now going back to the convoy route proper. The boat reported 28 ships. She was seen while making an unsuccessful submerged attack. She shadowed until 0400. During the night she had contact only by hydrophone bearing. According to reports the convoy was making nearly 8 knots and steering 30 - 40°. Operations Control failed to understand why no other boats reached the convoy. It is true that various boats reported that they had been driven off by destroyers and depth-charged, but of the 16 boats which should have been in the vicinity, others should at least have sighted the convoy, especially as there was no air escort as yet.
U 262 (Oblt. Rudolf Heinz Franke) reported that she had sunk a 12,000 - GRT tanker with 3 hits at 0655/5. U 413 (Kptlt. Gustav Poel) reported that she had sunk a straggling 5000 GRT steamer at 1707/5. The convoy was in AK 6488 at 1100/6 and the operation continues.

After all boats of Group "Nordsturm" had reported their fuel a new disposition was ordered for Group "Haudegen". The following squares are to be occupied as attack areas:
U 358 : AJ 58, U 186 : AJ 59, U 223 : AJ 83, U 707 : AJ 81, U 268 : AJ 95. From here the boats can operate as an attacking group against convoys which may be reported by "Haudegen" or against SW-bound convoys for another 2 days.

U 518 (Kptlt. Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann) has been give freedom of action from Cape St. Roque south along the Brazilian coast to Bahia. She is free to enter territorial waters, but forbidden to penetrate into harbors or bombard them.

"Milkcow" U 460 (Kptlt. Ebe Schnoor) has made her passage report and it is intended to supply U 706 (Kptlt. Alexander von Zitzewitz) and U 632 (Kptlt. Hans Karpf), from 7.2 in BD 6325. Subsequently boats of Group "Pfeil" which are short of fuel are to replenish in AK 89.

"Milkcow" U 459 (KrvKpt. Georg von Wilamowitz-Möllendorf) has supplied U 160 (Kptlt. Georg Lassen), the last boat intended for the Africa operation, and is starting her return passage.

U 96 (Oblt. Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel; ex Lehmann-Willenbrock) entered Kiel and will now be used as a training boat.

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts Tactical Exercises in the Baltic Sea, together with U 115 (RST)*.

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RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

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Saturday, 6 February 1943 - Stettin

Conducting tactical exercises and training together with U 648 (Stahl)*, with the 4th Training Flotilla (Freg.Kpt. Heinz FISCHER), Stettin and AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. H. MÜLLER).

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Brazil, already at war with Germany and Italy, now declares war upon Japan.

The Führer meets with Erich von Manstein at Rastenberg, East Prussia, Germany. The Field Marshal had been flown 900 miles from Donetsk, Ukraine to the Führer's Wolfsschanze headquarters in Hitler's personal Focke-Wulf Fw200 V3 "Immelmann III". At the four hour conference, only five days after the surrender at Stalingrad, the Army Group South commander persuades The Führer to allow him to retreat to the River Mius.

U 71 (Oblt. Hardo Rodler von Roithberg) fired a triple fan at an independent corvette, course 180 degrees in BE 5963. Corvette evaded the fan, contact lost. Expected convoy not found.

There is strong air activity with Radar at present in Group "Haudegen" 's area. U 414 (Oblt. Walther Huth) is returning owing to considerable bomb damage. U 403 (Kptlt. Heinz-Ehlert Clausen) was also bombed and pursued by a searching group.

Convoy No. 6 (SC.118):
Weather conditions were calm, visibility, good again on the 6th. At 1146 U 609 (Kptlt. Klaus Rudloff) reported the convoy in AK 6488. The boat shadowed until 1445, lost contact for a time and found the convoy again towards 1900. Three other boats then came up to the convoy before dark, U 438, U 262 and U 456. U 262 (Oblt. Rudolf Heinz Franke) acted as shadower for the night. At 0230 U 402 (Kptlt. Freiherr Siegfried von Forstner) also made contact.
The convoy was steering a main course of 70 and making a bare 8 knots. Conditions were easy again for the anti-submarine forces. Several boats were driven off by destroyers. U 262 and U 267 were damaged by depth charges and had to move off for repairs. But the particularly strong air escort was far more unpleasant for the boats. 11 boats reported aircraft. 4 were bombed and U 465 (Kptlt. Heinz Wolf) had to move off owing to considerable damage.
U 454, U 438 and U 135 were driven off when starting to attack and afterwards did not manage to fire again.

The following successes were reported:
U 266( Kptlt. Ralf von Jessen): straggler Polyktor, 4,077 GRT sunk
U 402 (Kptlt. Freiherr Siegfried von Forstner): 2 large tankers and 4 freighters totaling: 45,000 GRT sunk
U 262 (Oblt. Rudolf Heinz Franke): 1 large tanker of 9,000 GRT sunk and a freighter of 6,000 GRT sunk
U 614 (Kptlt. Wolfgang Sträter): 1 large tanker, estimated 8,000 GRT sunk

Operation against the convoy is continuing. It was in AL 4416 at 0700/7.
Of the boats detailed only 11 are left fit to operate against the convoy, U 454, 613, 402, 135, 614, 438, 608, 624, 456, 609 and 89. Several of these have only few torpedoes left.
6 boats have started their return passage or are proceeding to supply: U 262, 266, 752, 413, 594 and 704. 2 boats, U 465 and 267 have moved away because of damage. U 187 (Kptlt. Ralph Münnich) has not reported since she made her first report of the convoy. U 265 (Oblt. Leonhard Auffhammer), which was previously operating against the "Teichert" convoy, has also not reported again and did not reach this convoy.

U 265 (Oblt. Leonhard Auffhammer), on her first patrol, last made a short weather report on 2.2 from AL 26. As she was in a favorable position she was ordered to operate against Convoy No. 4. On her way there she was attacked by an aircraft, probably in AL 29. She has not replied to several orders to report her position. Her loss must be presumed.

Changes in closing of Route A. Attack on independently-routed ships is forbidden: between 5° S and 10° N up to 10.2. From 10° N to 35° N from 7 - 23.2. From 35° N, up to the north and east from 19.2 until further notice. Present conditions do not justify allowing all independent ships in Route A to pass unhindered and boas have therefore been ordered to stick to any ships which from its type and course is probably enemy, to report and to wait for permission to attack.

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts Tactical Exercises in the Baltic Sea, together with U 115 (RST)*.

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RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115