January, 23th 1941
Boat is getting loaded with torpedoes, food,
and ungoing minor repairs and updates.
--
March, 14th 1941
15:31 - Boat is ready. We have a few new crew
members and our crew is now complete. We also
got a medic.
16:04 - We passed by U-xx, the type IIB under
command of xx
--
March, 16th 1941
00:12 - convoy sighted at AE7959 but we are
too far away and slowly reaching south of
Norway.
07:24 - U-110 reports sighting a convoy,
10/20 steamers and large tankers. AE7959.
--
March, 17th 1941
06:41 - U-100 reports attack by destroyers.
Rammed and heavy flooding. Forced to surface
boat, abandoning boat.
--
March, 22th 1941
07:47 - Aircraft spotted!
Took minor damage from its gun, no wounded.
Diving.
21:03 - U-124 reports both diesel engines
damaged and inoperable. ES5551
--
March, 23th 1941
03:45 - Tribal class destroyer spotted on
our left, bearing 328. Diving to periscope
depth to attack with one torpedo.
03:56 - More contacts. It's not a warship
cruising alone, it's a convoy!
04:00 - My god. It's a task force!
We found the HMS King George V.
She is 8 km away and running fast.
Trying to close in.
04:08 - Attacking HMS Nelson.
04:12 - Destroyer class found us while we
were closing. Ordering crash dive to
140 meters.
05:12 - It's been an hour. We are cruising
at 140 meters, the ship is dropping depth
charges around. The rest of the task force
is gone.
6:42 - Enemy still pinging but they seem
to have run out of depth charges.
23:30 - Enemy has no depth charge left.
They keep pinging and tracking us.
We can't evade him it seems.
Battery at 60 % but CO2 is rising too high,
we are at 44 % CO2 and close to the red zone.
23:48 - Another destroyer has come. Taking
damage. Hydrophone and radio operator are
dead. We lost two crew to injuries in bow
quarters. Flooding under control.
--
March, 24th 1941
05:24 - We now have three destroyers around
us. Taking a lot of depth charges. Heavy
damage : stern torpedo damaged. Stern dives
planes out of order: we have bottomed the ocean
floor at 150 meters deep. Propeller is damaged
and we are stopped. Compressor is destroyed,
starboard electric engine damaged. port
electric engine damaged. Both diesel engines
damaged and not working. We have flooding
on the diesel engines compartement. Batteries
at 1600 A and we are critical on oxygen: we
are at 59 % CO2.
06:22 - We cannot control flooding. We have
to blow ballast. If we keep at bottom oxygen
will run out in about 2 maybe 3 hours. But
with the flooding, we will never make surface
if we dont blow ballast. Ordering our situation
to be enciphered using Enigma, and have all
codes and Enigma destroyed. Radio operator will
transmit our last message while our crew
abandons ship.
06:26 - surfaced. Under heavy attack. Ordered
radio operator to transmit our last message.
Crew is evacuating ship and jumping on water.
Several wounded and dead on surface. They keep
attacking us. Four boats on surface : one
Town class, one Hunt I class, one A&B and one C&D. Four dead on dead.
--
U-99 was destroyed and sunk at 06:30
All 54 crew dead.
jeudi 18 mars 2010
Patrol 12 (20DEC40 - 23JAN41)
= Patrol 12 =
November, 23th 1940
Been promoted to Oberleutnant zur See.
Tonnage for this patrol : 23900.
Matrosenobergefreiter Karl-Heinz Kohler has been
transfered to another Uboat. He is replaced by
Matrosenobergefreiter Georg Etzkorn.
Got a full load of type II torpedoes. Boat just
needs some minor repairs. Optics of the attack
and observation periscope have been changed,
as all the needles of the attack computer (the
previous ones just look the same, no change.
Why are they changing those needles anyway ?)
--
December, 20th 1940
06:49 - Boat is ready. It's covered in snow,
as with everything around. It's quite cold
this morning. The sea is rocking a lot.
Ordered patrol grid is AM41. That's a grid
far away, south of the Rockall Banks. Well, we
will be in the middle of Nordsee when christmas
comes. For the second year, I am spending this day
at sea.
16:19 - We reached the exit of the Kanal.
It's a beautiful day. Cold, but clear sky. Not
a single cloud.
--
December, 23th 1940
15:17 - Aircraft spotted, grid AN21.
--
December, 25th 1940
Diving and offering the crew an evening of good
food and rest. Will resume course to patrol area
tomorrow around midday.
--
December, 30th 1940
21:02 - Radio reports another massive raid from
German air forces has attacked London last night.
--
December, 31th 1940
22:34 - Diving to search for ship reported
around.
--
January, 5th 1941
00:00 - Weather is so bad we have not spotted any
ship for weeks. It is like being alone in a world
of sea.
--
January, 6th 1941
11:01 - Traking an hydrophone contact. Merchant.
11:39 - Merchant spotted. Setting torpedoes to
depth of 0, impact. Visibility is 300 meters,
ship is 250 meters away. Firing tubes 1 and 2.
11:47 - Torpedo 1 is a dud. Torpedo 2 did hit.
11:49 - Ship has stopped. Huge fireballs.
She is burning a lot. Surfacing.
--
January, 7th 1941
14:09 - Hydrophone contact. Heading north.
Weather pretty bad. Very low visibility.
14:50 - Contact lost. No ship in sight.
20:58 - Hydrophone contact. We are stuck in bad
weather. Clouds everywhere, and poor visibility.
--
January, 10th 1941
22:39 - Hydrophoene contact. Diving to periscope
depth.
22:30 - Firing tubes 1 and 3. Contact, set to
0 meters.
22:34 - Both torpedoes hit!
--
January, 11th 1941
19:17 - Taking the passage between Ireland and
England.
--
January, 12th 1941
03:25 - Hospital ship. Lights on.
Cancelling attack.
10:20 - Hunt I Class warship spotted! At 800
meters in front of us. Ordering crash dive.
They emerged from the mist!
10:21 - Diving. Ship is using ASDIC against us.
10:49 - Over 50 depth charges and they are still
searching us. We hear ASDIC but they keep attacking
astern of us. Ordering 50 RPM rotations and changing
course.
11:18 - They have run out of depth charges. They
are moving away. Raising depth to 25 meters and
going away.
15:17 - Caught on surface by enemy warship.
Took damage from attack. Ordered crash dive,
and put flooding under control.
15:21 - Depth 93 m. Ordered silent running.
Warship using ASDIC. Depth charges close, but no
damage.
15:41 - Enemy destroyer still sending depth charges.
Counted 16 charges until now.
16:10 - Stopped engines. Once speed nul, we slowly
bottomed the boat on the ocean's floor, at 94 meters.
Ordered crew to rest and sleep. Warship is still
going around, but no ASDIC and not launching depth
charges anymore. They lost us. We counted 18 depth
charges.
17:09 - Counted 36 depth charges. Another warship
is closing on us.
17:31 - The second warship is dropping depth charges
while the other one is going around helping her
to find us. 48 depth charges, still no damage
except all dials have exploded around.
17:42 - 63 depth charges. They are exploding farther
from us now.
17:51 - 79 depth charges.
18:51 - 3 warships going around us. 129 depth
charges. Hydrophone operator reports a convoy
is coming to us!
19:40 - Depth charge exploded near bow. Torpedo
tubes 2, 3 and 4 are destroyed. Tube 1 is damaged.
Observation periscope is destroyed. Radio antenna
is damaged, we cannot receive or emit.
21:04 - 135 depth charges. Convoy is passing
south of us but we can do nothing with those
three warships attacking us.
23:03 - Attack is over. 138 depth charges.
Surfaced and recharged batteries. We are at the
entry of Irish sea.
--
January, 13th 1941
00:01 - Waited for reported ship.
00:09 - Ship sighted. Periscope depth. Will pass
south of us. Using stern tube.
00:12 - First stern torpedo did miss.
00:19 - Torpedo did miss.
10:21 - Dived for hydrophone check, convoy reported
north of us. Many contacts. Plotting interception
course.
10:43 - Convoy detected. Closing slowly and
avoiding front. Hearing escort doing slow
ASDIC search in the front.
11:10 - One torpedo hit. Two dud, one miss.
Targeted large cargo. Ordered crash dive
and running silent away. Destroyer looking for
us.
12:54 - The ship we did hit sunk about 20
minutes ago. It's been almost two hours
and the destroyer is still tracking us and
launching depth charges.
13:16 - Pinging and depth charges have
stopped. Almost two hours evading the
attacks. Crew exhausted. Took no damage.
Waiting one hour then we will move away.
Battery at 4000 A, CO2 at 1.3 %
14:45 - Still trying to evade the warship.
She is over 100 depth charges launched.
15:01 - Warship is out of depth charges.
They almost lost of 10 minutes ago. we
are slowly getting out of reach and she is
out of ammo.
21:05 - Warship gave up. Keeping underwater
and silent running until midnight. We are
out of torpedoes.
--
January, 14th 1941
01:12 : Surfacing. Setting course back to
Kiel.
--
January, 23th 1941
10:24 : We reached Kiel. Ending patrol.
Been awarded the Knight's Cross.
November, 23th 1940
Been promoted to Oberleutnant zur See.
Tonnage for this patrol : 23900.
Matrosenobergefreiter Karl-Heinz Kohler has been
transfered to another Uboat. He is replaced by
Matrosenobergefreiter Georg Etzkorn.
Got a full load of type II torpedoes. Boat just
needs some minor repairs. Optics of the attack
and observation periscope have been changed,
as all the needles of the attack computer (the
previous ones just look the same, no change.
Why are they changing those needles anyway ?)
--
December, 20th 1940
06:49 - Boat is ready. It's covered in snow,
as with everything around. It's quite cold
this morning. The sea is rocking a lot.
Ordered patrol grid is AM41. That's a grid
far away, south of the Rockall Banks. Well, we
will be in the middle of Nordsee when christmas
comes. For the second year, I am spending this day
at sea.
16:19 - We reached the exit of the Kanal.
It's a beautiful day. Cold, but clear sky. Not
a single cloud.
--
December, 23th 1940
15:17 - Aircraft spotted, grid AN21.
--
December, 25th 1940
Diving and offering the crew an evening of good
food and rest. Will resume course to patrol area
tomorrow around midday.
--
December, 30th 1940
21:02 - Radio reports another massive raid from
German air forces has attacked London last night.
--
December, 31th 1940
22:34 - Diving to search for ship reported
around.
--
January, 5th 1941
00:00 - Weather is so bad we have not spotted any
ship for weeks. It is like being alone in a world
of sea.
--
January, 6th 1941
11:01 - Traking an hydrophone contact. Merchant.
11:39 - Merchant spotted. Setting torpedoes to
depth of 0, impact. Visibility is 300 meters,
ship is 250 meters away. Firing tubes 1 and 2.
11:47 - Torpedo 1 is a dud. Torpedo 2 did hit.
11:49 - Ship has stopped. Huge fireballs.
She is burning a lot. Surfacing.
--
January, 7th 1941
14:09 - Hydrophone contact. Heading north.
Weather pretty bad. Very low visibility.
14:50 - Contact lost. No ship in sight.
20:58 - Hydrophone contact. We are stuck in bad
weather. Clouds everywhere, and poor visibility.
--
January, 10th 1941
22:39 - Hydrophoene contact. Diving to periscope
depth.
22:30 - Firing tubes 1 and 3. Contact, set to
0 meters.
22:34 - Both torpedoes hit!
--
January, 11th 1941
19:17 - Taking the passage between Ireland and
England.
--
January, 12th 1941
03:25 - Hospital ship. Lights on.
Cancelling attack.
10:20 - Hunt I Class warship spotted! At 800
meters in front of us. Ordering crash dive.
They emerged from the mist!
10:21 - Diving. Ship is using ASDIC against us.
10:49 - Over 50 depth charges and they are still
searching us. We hear ASDIC but they keep attacking
astern of us. Ordering 50 RPM rotations and changing
course.
11:18 - They have run out of depth charges. They
are moving away. Raising depth to 25 meters and
going away.
15:17 - Caught on surface by enemy warship.
Took damage from attack. Ordered crash dive,
and put flooding under control.
15:21 - Depth 93 m. Ordered silent running.
Warship using ASDIC. Depth charges close, but no
damage.
15:41 - Enemy destroyer still sending depth charges.
Counted 16 charges until now.
16:10 - Stopped engines. Once speed nul, we slowly
bottomed the boat on the ocean's floor, at 94 meters.
Ordered crew to rest and sleep. Warship is still
going around, but no ASDIC and not launching depth
charges anymore. They lost us. We counted 18 depth
charges.
17:09 - Counted 36 depth charges. Another warship
is closing on us.
17:31 - The second warship is dropping depth charges
while the other one is going around helping her
to find us. 48 depth charges, still no damage
except all dials have exploded around.
17:42 - 63 depth charges. They are exploding farther
from us now.
17:51 - 79 depth charges.
18:51 - 3 warships going around us. 129 depth
charges. Hydrophone operator reports a convoy
is coming to us!
19:40 - Depth charge exploded near bow. Torpedo
tubes 2, 3 and 4 are destroyed. Tube 1 is damaged.
Observation periscope is destroyed. Radio antenna
is damaged, we cannot receive or emit.
21:04 - 135 depth charges. Convoy is passing
south of us but we can do nothing with those
three warships attacking us.
23:03 - Attack is over. 138 depth charges.
Surfaced and recharged batteries. We are at the
entry of Irish sea.
--
January, 13th 1941
00:01 - Waited for reported ship.
00:09 - Ship sighted. Periscope depth. Will pass
south of us. Using stern tube.
00:12 - First stern torpedo did miss.
00:19 - Torpedo did miss.
10:21 - Dived for hydrophone check, convoy reported
north of us. Many contacts. Plotting interception
course.
10:43 - Convoy detected. Closing slowly and
avoiding front. Hearing escort doing slow
ASDIC search in the front.
11:10 - One torpedo hit. Two dud, one miss.
Targeted large cargo. Ordered crash dive
and running silent away. Destroyer looking for
us.
12:54 - The ship we did hit sunk about 20
minutes ago. It's been almost two hours
and the destroyer is still tracking us and
launching depth charges.
13:16 - Pinging and depth charges have
stopped. Almost two hours evading the
attacks. Crew exhausted. Took no damage.
Waiting one hour then we will move away.
Battery at 4000 A, CO2 at 1.3 %
14:45 - Still trying to evade the warship.
She is over 100 depth charges launched.
15:01 - Warship is out of depth charges.
They almost lost of 10 minutes ago. we
are slowly getting out of reach and she is
out of ammo.
21:05 - Warship gave up. Keeping underwater
and silent running until midnight. We are
out of torpedoes.
--
January, 14th 1941
01:12 : Surfacing. Setting course back to
Kiel.
--
January, 23th 1941
10:24 : We reached Kiel. Ending patrol.
Been awarded the Knight's Cross.
Patrol 11 (28OCT40 - 22NOV40)
= Patrol 11 =
September, 20th 1940
Got the deck run removed on my boat. Discussed it
with the Chief Engineer and he think we will get
a quieter boat under water, doing far less noise,
and it will greatly reduce our drag too.
We will use the ammunition reserved compartements
to store more food and needed supplies. Patrols
are getting longer and I need the morale of the
crew to remain high.
Transfers : Leutnant zur See Fritz Deckert got
transfered and is replaced by Leutnant zur See
Johann Kosel. His fame for saving a destroyed bow
Uboat has reached and he has been transfered to
a prime naval ship.
--
October, 29th 1940
We have a problem finding type II torpedoes.
Only been able to get 8 of them this month.
Loaded tubes 1/2 with type II and tubes 3/4 with
type I. We have enough to reload those tubes
exactly one time like this. Got 2 type-II and
2 type-I as reserve.
23:24 : Boat is loaded and we departing for
our 11th patrol. Ordered patrol grid is AM23.
Our boat received a new control in the engine
room to set the RPM to the most fuel-economical
setting. Speed will vary according to sea state,
but this knob will give us the longest range possible
for our fuel.
--
October, 30th 1940
08:46 - U-32 reports attack by destroyer. Damaged
and forced to surface the boat. Scuttled.
Those destroyers are getting better and better
at catching us.
--
November, 2nd 1940
15:55 - We are one grid away from ordered patrol
zone. Aircraft spotted: ordered flak gun manned.
16:00 - Plane did not spot us. Depth is over
1000 meters. Diving for security. This plane might
have been out of ammo and reported our position.
A good time to make a test crash dive and see how
the boat handles 150 meters and 200 meters deep.
16:04 - Reached 162 meters. Some noises on hull,
we hear it working a little. Checking the Uboat
for any leaks.
16:20 - ordering a 200 meters deep dive.
16:37 - Boat is handling well. We are at 200 meters.
No leaks. Chief enginner advises not to go deeper.
We are 50 meters below maximum depth. That's enough.
Estimates crush depth between 230 and 250 meters.
Our little ship has been built properly to specs.
--
November, 3rd 1940
11:38 - Spotted starboard a Tribal class
warship. It's getting dark, weather is turning
around and they are around 8 or 10 Km away from us.
The ship has not spotted us. Cloud are overcast,
it's like being at dawn. The visibility is not
very good and winds are getting quite strong.
Rain should soon reach us.
--
November, 4th 1940
14:54 - We reached the ordered patrol grid. Starting
patrol. Clouds are overcast, with some precipitation.
Visiblity is moderate, a few Km at best.
--
November, 5th 1940
21:01 - Roosevelt has been re-elected as USA
president.
--
November, 10th 1940
12:34 - U-43 reports leaking fuel. Turning back
to base.
--
November, 11th 1940
15:52 - Hydrophone contact. Merchant moving slow
at bearing 019 and long range.
16:56 - Fired two type I torpedoes at Empire-type
freighter. Torpedo 1 was a dud but torpedo 2 did
hit.
17:04 - Ship has changed course. Adapting ours.
We are 1 Km too far to fire a type II. Increasing
to full speed ahead.
17:06 - U-65 reports having refueled from Bordmark
at grid ER 6126. No trafic encountered.
17:12 - Ship is zigging a lot. Getting closer.
She has no fire and no visible damage. She's
a tough one.
17:15 - Ship is tilting to its starboard side,
especially at its stern. Going to send another
torpedo at her stern on her board side. Flooding
should send her down.
17:18 - Fired tube 1 with type II torpedo.
Hit within 3 minutes.
17:20 - Torpedo hit.
17:30 - We are leaving. Ship is now on our south.
She is sinking slowly. Its bow has gone down,
and the stern of the ship is 20 meters high above
the water line. We say people fell from the stern
to the water. She is going to sink straight down
with her bow first.
Moving up north. Weather is not very good, we
cannot move external torpedo from reserve to
inside of sub. Diving to 80 meters to let the crew
relax a little and have some beer. We need to check
if any warship is coming to us too.
Ship identified as SS Empire Byron. She was
carrying textiles. crew of 89, 32 lost.
21:03 - Send patrol report. Radio news reports
the British carrier-based aircraft have attacked
the Italian fleet at Taranto. Three battleships
have been sunk.
--
November, 12th 1940
16:50 - Tribal class sighted. Diving to periscope
for attack. Using type II to avoid bubble trails.
--
November, 13th 1940
01:15 - Sigthed an ASW escort. Dived. Sky all
black, almost no light. No moon.
01:30 - Behind the ASW we can see a passenger ship.
Sending torpedoes type I from tubes III and IV.
01:35 - Torpedoes 1 and 2 have hit ! We hear
explosions. That ASW escort is not gonna be happy.
Ordering dive planes for deep dive, under silent
running.
01:37 - Depth 32 meters. We hear more explosions.
I wonder what kind of cargo that ship had. Stopping dive at 40 meters, setting both engines RPM to 50.
01:45 - Engines stopped. Ordered periscope depth
to check for the ship on surface.
01:52 - The ASW is on surface. Stopped. Its lights
are searching for survivors around her.
The passenger ship has sunk, we see nothing but
the ASW. She's a small ship and she's trying to
save that crew. Deciding not to attack and kill
people being rescued. They survived the attack,
they deserve to get out of this alive.
02:01 - Slowly moving away at 40 meters deep.
Sunk ship identified as SS Lina Matkovic, passenger
ship with crew og 66, 21 lost.
--
November, 14th 1940
21:02 - Luftwaffe raid has devastated Coventry.
--
November, 15th 1940
12:58 - Very bad weather. The sky is filled with
gray skies, there is so much rain we can't even
see over 100 meters, and the winds are very strong.
No way we can move torpedo from external storage
inside. Sea is black like oil.
--
November, 16th 1940
18:11 - Moving E to try to find a convoy headed
W since 15:00 - Been diving for hydrophone checks
every 30 minutes. I think the convoy is just north
of us now. But weather is pretty bad: it is totally
dark, and the boat is rocking all around, we will
have trouble firing at anything under those conditions.
18:48 - Periscope check. We are on the path of
the convoy. While cheking around, we found an A&B
class destroyer just 200 meters behind us.
Ordered silent running and stopped engines.
19:02 - Fired most torpedoes. One did hit a ship
astern of us. Three torpedoes hit a ship passing
in front and a fourth hit a merchant too. Of the
three hit ships, only the ore carrier did sink
immediatly. Diving to 60 meters and going silent.
19:14 - Went back to periscope depth using
ballasts. Rear tube reloaded. Searching for a
target.
19:15 - Hydrophone operator reports a second
ship is going down.
19:19 - Second torpedo hit on the passenger
carrier. Turning around to shoot tube II to her.
19:23 - Dived to 60 meters, running silent.
We have used all our torpedoes. The only two
left are in external storage. Slowly moving
away after attack.
19:29 - Depth charges in water. Exploding behind
us. Moving away.
20:32 - Sent patrol report. Sunk 4 cargo ships for
over 20000 tons. We only have two torpedoes left
but with current weather we cannot move them
inside. Setting course back to Kiel.
Two sunk ships identified as SS Port Adelaide,
ore carrier loaded with bauxite, Crew of 68 and
31 lost. SS Empire Geraint, empire-type freighter
carrying iron ore. Crew of 59, 7 lost.
--
November, 20th 1940
21:01 - Hungary and Romania have joined the Axis.
--
November, 22h 1940
21:01 - Greek forces have defeated the Italian
9th Army.
23:43 - Reached Kiel. Ending patrol.
--
Been promoted to Oberleutnant zur See.
Tonnage for this patrol : 23900.
September, 20th 1940
Got the deck run removed on my boat. Discussed it
with the Chief Engineer and he think we will get
a quieter boat under water, doing far less noise,
and it will greatly reduce our drag too.
We will use the ammunition reserved compartements
to store more food and needed supplies. Patrols
are getting longer and I need the morale of the
crew to remain high.
Transfers : Leutnant zur See Fritz Deckert got
transfered and is replaced by Leutnant zur See
Johann Kosel. His fame for saving a destroyed bow
Uboat has reached and he has been transfered to
a prime naval ship.
--
October, 29th 1940
We have a problem finding type II torpedoes.
Only been able to get 8 of them this month.
Loaded tubes 1/2 with type II and tubes 3/4 with
type I. We have enough to reload those tubes
exactly one time like this. Got 2 type-II and
2 type-I as reserve.
23:24 : Boat is loaded and we departing for
our 11th patrol. Ordered patrol grid is AM23.
Our boat received a new control in the engine
room to set the RPM to the most fuel-economical
setting. Speed will vary according to sea state,
but this knob will give us the longest range possible
for our fuel.
--
October, 30th 1940
08:46 - U-32 reports attack by destroyer. Damaged
and forced to surface the boat. Scuttled.
Those destroyers are getting better and better
at catching us.
--
November, 2nd 1940
15:55 - We are one grid away from ordered patrol
zone. Aircraft spotted: ordered flak gun manned.
16:00 - Plane did not spot us. Depth is over
1000 meters. Diving for security. This plane might
have been out of ammo and reported our position.
A good time to make a test crash dive and see how
the boat handles 150 meters and 200 meters deep.
16:04 - Reached 162 meters. Some noises on hull,
we hear it working a little. Checking the Uboat
for any leaks.
16:20 - ordering a 200 meters deep dive.
16:37 - Boat is handling well. We are at 200 meters.
No leaks. Chief enginner advises not to go deeper.
We are 50 meters below maximum depth. That's enough.
Estimates crush depth between 230 and 250 meters.
Our little ship has been built properly to specs.
--
November, 3rd 1940
11:38 - Spotted starboard a Tribal class
warship. It's getting dark, weather is turning
around and they are around 8 or 10 Km away from us.
The ship has not spotted us. Cloud are overcast,
it's like being at dawn. The visibility is not
very good and winds are getting quite strong.
Rain should soon reach us.
--
November, 4th 1940
14:54 - We reached the ordered patrol grid. Starting
patrol. Clouds are overcast, with some precipitation.
Visiblity is moderate, a few Km at best.
--
November, 5th 1940
21:01 - Roosevelt has been re-elected as USA
president.
--
November, 10th 1940
12:34 - U-43 reports leaking fuel. Turning back
to base.
--
November, 11th 1940
15:52 - Hydrophone contact. Merchant moving slow
at bearing 019 and long range.
16:56 - Fired two type I torpedoes at Empire-type
freighter. Torpedo 1 was a dud but torpedo 2 did
hit.
17:04 - Ship has changed course. Adapting ours.
We are 1 Km too far to fire a type II. Increasing
to full speed ahead.
17:06 - U-65 reports having refueled from Bordmark
at grid ER 6126. No trafic encountered.
17:12 - Ship is zigging a lot. Getting closer.
She has no fire and no visible damage. She's
a tough one.
17:15 - Ship is tilting to its starboard side,
especially at its stern. Going to send another
torpedo at her stern on her board side. Flooding
should send her down.
17:18 - Fired tube 1 with type II torpedo.
Hit within 3 minutes.
17:20 - Torpedo hit.
17:30 - We are leaving. Ship is now on our south.
She is sinking slowly. Its bow has gone down,
and the stern of the ship is 20 meters high above
the water line. We say people fell from the stern
to the water. She is going to sink straight down
with her bow first.
Moving up north. Weather is not very good, we
cannot move external torpedo from reserve to
inside of sub. Diving to 80 meters to let the crew
relax a little and have some beer. We need to check
if any warship is coming to us too.
Ship identified as SS Empire Byron. She was
carrying textiles. crew of 89, 32 lost.
21:03 - Send patrol report. Radio news reports
the British carrier-based aircraft have attacked
the Italian fleet at Taranto. Three battleships
have been sunk.
--
November, 12th 1940
16:50 - Tribal class sighted. Diving to periscope
for attack. Using type II to avoid bubble trails.
--
November, 13th 1940
01:15 - Sigthed an ASW escort. Dived. Sky all
black, almost no light. No moon.
01:30 - Behind the ASW we can see a passenger ship.
Sending torpedoes type I from tubes III and IV.
01:35 - Torpedoes 1 and 2 have hit ! We hear
explosions. That ASW escort is not gonna be happy.
Ordering dive planes for deep dive, under silent
running.
01:37 - Depth 32 meters. We hear more explosions.
I wonder what kind of cargo that ship had. Stopping dive at 40 meters, setting both engines RPM to 50.
01:45 - Engines stopped. Ordered periscope depth
to check for the ship on surface.
01:52 - The ASW is on surface. Stopped. Its lights
are searching for survivors around her.
The passenger ship has sunk, we see nothing but
the ASW. She's a small ship and she's trying to
save that crew. Deciding not to attack and kill
people being rescued. They survived the attack,
they deserve to get out of this alive.
02:01 - Slowly moving away at 40 meters deep.
Sunk ship identified as SS Lina Matkovic, passenger
ship with crew og 66, 21 lost.
--
November, 14th 1940
21:02 - Luftwaffe raid has devastated Coventry.
--
November, 15th 1940
12:58 - Very bad weather. The sky is filled with
gray skies, there is so much rain we can't even
see over 100 meters, and the winds are very strong.
No way we can move torpedo from external storage
inside. Sea is black like oil.
--
November, 16th 1940
18:11 - Moving E to try to find a convoy headed
W since 15:00 - Been diving for hydrophone checks
every 30 minutes. I think the convoy is just north
of us now. But weather is pretty bad: it is totally
dark, and the boat is rocking all around, we will
have trouble firing at anything under those conditions.
18:48 - Periscope check. We are on the path of
the convoy. While cheking around, we found an A&B
class destroyer just 200 meters behind us.
Ordered silent running and stopped engines.
19:02 - Fired most torpedoes. One did hit a ship
astern of us. Three torpedoes hit a ship passing
in front and a fourth hit a merchant too. Of the
three hit ships, only the ore carrier did sink
immediatly. Diving to 60 meters and going silent.
19:14 - Went back to periscope depth using
ballasts. Rear tube reloaded. Searching for a
target.
19:15 - Hydrophone operator reports a second
ship is going down.
19:19 - Second torpedo hit on the passenger
carrier. Turning around to shoot tube II to her.
19:23 - Dived to 60 meters, running silent.
We have used all our torpedoes. The only two
left are in external storage. Slowly moving
away after attack.
19:29 - Depth charges in water. Exploding behind
us. Moving away.
20:32 - Sent patrol report. Sunk 4 cargo ships for
over 20000 tons. We only have two torpedoes left
but with current weather we cannot move them
inside. Setting course back to Kiel.
Two sunk ships identified as SS Port Adelaide,
ore carrier loaded with bauxite, Crew of 68 and
31 lost. SS Empire Geraint, empire-type freighter
carrying iron ore. Crew of 59, 7 lost.
--
November, 20th 1940
21:01 - Hungary and Romania have joined the Axis.
--
November, 22h 1940
21:01 - Greek forces have defeated the Italian
9th Army.
23:43 - Reached Kiel. Ending patrol.
--
Been promoted to Oberleutnant zur See.
Tonnage for this patrol : 23900.
Patrol 10 (03SEP40 - 20SEP40)
= Patrol 10 =
May, 26th 1940
Ludwig Lassen tranfered to another Uboat and replaced by Gerhard Garner.
Promoted Oberfahnrich zur See Fritz Deckert to Leutnant zur See. He saved the boat and allowed us to return to Kiel with a critically damaged boat. Also got him awarded the Iron Cross Second Class.
Awarded the Wounded badge to Ebehard Hauber and Wilhem Schulz.
Damage to Uboat is extensive. The whole bow
torpedo area is destroyed. Will take two monthes
to repair it. When the moved up the ship for
drydock part of the bow broke. Engineers say it is
a miracle we have been able to come back alive
from this.
--
August, 28th 1940
Damage to Uboat has been repaired. Boat has been
filled with type II torpedoes and received the
following upgrades.
Upgraded our hydrophones from Gruppenhorchgerat to
the new Kristalldrehbasigerat. Will cover 160 degrees
on each side of the boat compared to the previous
140 degrees on each side.
We also replaced the base AFA 27 MAK 740 batteries
with the new model AFA 27 MAK 800 that has the
same capacity in Amps but has a shorter recharge
time.
The anti-aircraft gun, 2 cm Flak C/30 has been
replaced with a dual barrel version of the same
gun.
Italian forces from Ethopia have invaded the
British Somaliland. The British garnison survived
and has been evacuated to Aden. On August 13th the
operation Adlertag sent the Luftwaffe attack in a
major offensive the RAF airfields. They retaliated
on 25th and bombed Berlin. Operation Seelowe has been
delayed until late September, at least.
--
September, 3rd 1940
Heinrich Witt has been transfered to another Uboat.
Emil Scholtz is dead, he was killed by local
partisans. He has been replaced by Albert Fabian.
13:11 - We are departing from Kiel for our 10th
patrol. It's a beautiful day. Sadly, our boat
was under extensive repairs so we did not have the
chance to sail under august's sun at sea.
There is a type IXB on dock under the pen. Those
boats are huge!
08:02 - U-57 reports having collided with norwegian
ship. Six dead.
--
September, 5th 1940
09:15 - We are getting closer to ordered patrol
grid. Received contact report by radio. Plotted
interception course. Dived at 5 Km of guessed
area : ship is bearing 310. Estimated range
is 10 Km.
09:54 - Found target. Coastal freighter.
Dived to periscope depth, sent one torpedo
set to contact pistol.
09:59 - Torpedo did miss. Bad angle, we saw
the ship too late to fire with proprer 90 degree
angle (shot at 116).
10:19 - Surfacing. Resuming course to patrol area
AN51. Moving external reserve torpedo to internal
stores.
--
September, 6th 1940
21:27 - Merchant ship spotted. Diving to
periscope depth.
21:30 - Fishing boat. Surfacing close for
deck gun attack. Will give some training to
the crew.
Ship identified as MV Waveflower, Fishing boat,
83 tons. Crew of 10, 6 are lost.
--
September, 7th 1940
08:20 - U-28 attacked convoy. One sunk for 14000
tons, still attacking. Grid AM36. Ordering full
speed ahead to AM36 which is 100 Km away.
14:03 - U-46 ordered to provide beacon for other
Uboats.
20:00 - Reached AM36. Searching for convoy.
21:01 - Luftwaffe has launched major air strikes
against London.
--
September, 9th 1949
03:02 - U-47 reports sinking one convoy in AM,
no precise grid in message. One freighter for
6000 tons.
06:54 - Large trawler spotted.
07:08 - Fired torpedo 1. Impact.
07:09 - Torpedo hit!
Ship identified as MV Arlita, Large trawler,
547 tons. Crew of 16, 13 are lost.
12:45 - ASW Trawler spotted. Attacking
with torpedo set for Impact. Diving slow
to 25 meters and going away.
12:48 - Torpedo did miss.
18:22 - Spotted ASW Trawler. Moving stern to
target. Should pass behind us at 600 meters.
Ordering machines stop.
18:34 - Torpedo in the water.
18:36 - Torpedo did miss.
22:29 - Came back to periscope depth. ASW Trawler
coming back on stern. Firing torpedo at 4 meters,
Contact. Sea is calm, dark night without moon.
22:40 - Torpedo on the water.
22:43 - Torpedo did hit!
Depth 19 meters, still slowly going down to 80 m
Ship identified as HMS Retriever, 1100 tons.
Cew of 54, 13 survivors.
--
September, 10th 1940
00:48 - Surface. Sent patrol report. Restarted
moving external stern reserve torpedo inside Uboat.
04:45 - Spotted ASW while charging batteries.
Dived to periscope depth, sending one torpedo.
Two others contacts, too far for visual.
04:49 - Torpedo hit!
Ship identified as HMS British Honduras,
1100 tons. Crew of 56, 31 are lost.
Setting course back to ordered patrol area.
Keeping below water for now.
05:12 - Surfaced. Many boats looking for us:
two motor torpedo boat behind us, two Elco
motor boats in front of us. Ordering deck gun
to be manned and shooting at Elco torpedo boat
before crash diving. We're going to teach them
a lesson they will not forget.
05:14 - Started shooting at closed Elco torpedo
boat, 3 Km away. Preparations for crash dive.
05:15 - Several of our hits on Elco torpedo boat.
Ordering crash dive !
05:18 - Reached 150 meters deep. Boat is doing
some weird noises but is handling well. One small
leak at stern of boat, chief engineer took care of
it. We are at 152 meters and the boat handles the
pressure properly. Going silent running. Hydrophone
operator reports 5 ships going around above of us.
05:26 - Chief engineer reports there was a small
leak in the electric engines compartement. It has
been fixed.
07:27 - No ship close to us. Ordering a 25 meters
depth level. Still cruising submerged to ordered
patrol area.
11:19 - checking around at periscope depth.
12:36 - We have 5 warships going around us.
Setting course to intercept the closest one.
13:14 - Dived to 180 meters. 30 meters below test
depth. Boat is working perfectly, no leaks at all.
13:23 - They are dropping depth charges but they
have no ASDIC. Boat is stable at 160 meters deep.
We have to keep at least 3 knots or we start
going down.
13:49 - Two warships have come around. Still no
ASDIC, they have launched over 50 depth charges.
Electric engines slightly damaged, Diesel engines
compartement had little flooding.
Depth charges are continuing, but they are
attacking a position behind us. We are slowly going
away from area.
14:18 - They have gone out of depth charges.
No contact. Keeping underwater at 50 meters
until sun goes down.
21:17 - Surfaced. Course set for AM51.
--
September, 11th 1940
04:36 - Hunt II Class spotted. Setting course
for attack.
05:00 - 2 torpedoes on the water.
05:03 - Hunt II spotted us!
It is directly charging for us.
Heading for destroyer bow to shoot torpedo at
close range.
08:02 - U-28 reports attacking convoy in AL6369.
Two hits observed, one damaged.
Did surface.
Reached ordered patrol zone.
--
September, 12th 1940
05:51 : Spotted Pelagic Trawler. Ordering
surface attack with deck gun.
06:06 : Shooting target at close range.
06:12 : Ship going down!
Ship identified as MV Sindonis, 889 tons.
Crew of 17, found 4 survivors.
--
September, 13th 1940
12:49 : Finished patrolling on ordered area.
Sending patrol report.
80 % of fuel left, 5 torpedoes left.
20:53 - Ore carrier spotted. Setting course for
interception. This ship is leaving England.
Probably empty, but she will go down anyway.
21:02 - Italy has invaded Egypt.
21:18 - Fired a three torpedo salvo, impact,
with 1 degree spread.
21:19 - All torpedoes did hit. Surfacing.
Ship identified as SS Port Brisbane, 8083
tons. Ship was empty, returning after delivery
to England. Crew of 75, 36 are lost.
--
September, 15th 1940
00:07 : Spotted large merchant. Setting course
for interception.
00:37 : Calm sea, merchant has no weapons
Attacking on surface using Deck Gun.
Shooting last torpedo, impact at 0 meters deep.
00:44 : Torpedo hit! SHip is going down.
00:48 : Setting course back to Kiel.
00:49 : We hear the ship going down. Bulkheads
exploding...
Ship identified as SS Glenbeg, 10615 tons.
Was carrying machinery. Crew of 101, 29 are lost.
--
September, 16th 1940
21:02 : Italian advance in Egypt has been stopped
at Sidi Barrani. USA has passed a conscription
bill.
--
September, 17t 1940
19:19 - Reached 50 % of fuel reserve. We are south
of Stavanger and in direction of Kristiansand.
--
September, 20th 1940
01:47 : Reached Kiel. Ending patrol.
May, 26th 1940
Ludwig Lassen tranfered to another Uboat and replaced by Gerhard Garner.
Promoted Oberfahnrich zur See Fritz Deckert to Leutnant zur See. He saved the boat and allowed us to return to Kiel with a critically damaged boat. Also got him awarded the Iron Cross Second Class.
Awarded the Wounded badge to Ebehard Hauber and Wilhem Schulz.
Damage to Uboat is extensive. The whole bow
torpedo area is destroyed. Will take two monthes
to repair it. When the moved up the ship for
drydock part of the bow broke. Engineers say it is
a miracle we have been able to come back alive
from this.
--
August, 28th 1940
Damage to Uboat has been repaired. Boat has been
filled with type II torpedoes and received the
following upgrades.
Upgraded our hydrophones from Gruppenhorchgerat to
the new Kristalldrehbasigerat. Will cover 160 degrees
on each side of the boat compared to the previous
140 degrees on each side.
We also replaced the base AFA 27 MAK 740 batteries
with the new model AFA 27 MAK 800 that has the
same capacity in Amps but has a shorter recharge
time.
The anti-aircraft gun, 2 cm Flak C/30 has been
replaced with a dual barrel version of the same
gun.
Italian forces from Ethopia have invaded the
British Somaliland. The British garnison survived
and has been evacuated to Aden. On August 13th the
operation Adlertag sent the Luftwaffe attack in a
major offensive the RAF airfields. They retaliated
on 25th and bombed Berlin. Operation Seelowe has been
delayed until late September, at least.
--
September, 3rd 1940
Heinrich Witt has been transfered to another Uboat.
Emil Scholtz is dead, he was killed by local
partisans. He has been replaced by Albert Fabian.
13:11 - We are departing from Kiel for our 10th
patrol. It's a beautiful day. Sadly, our boat
was under extensive repairs so we did not have the
chance to sail under august's sun at sea.
There is a type IXB on dock under the pen. Those
boats are huge!
08:02 - U-57 reports having collided with norwegian
ship. Six dead.
--
September, 5th 1940
09:15 - We are getting closer to ordered patrol
grid. Received contact report by radio. Plotted
interception course. Dived at 5 Km of guessed
area : ship is bearing 310. Estimated range
is 10 Km.
09:54 - Found target. Coastal freighter.
Dived to periscope depth, sent one torpedo
set to contact pistol.
09:59 - Torpedo did miss. Bad angle, we saw
the ship too late to fire with proprer 90 degree
angle (shot at 116).
10:19 - Surfacing. Resuming course to patrol area
AN51. Moving external reserve torpedo to internal
stores.
--
September, 6th 1940
21:27 - Merchant ship spotted. Diving to
periscope depth.
21:30 - Fishing boat. Surfacing close for
deck gun attack. Will give some training to
the crew.
Ship identified as MV Waveflower, Fishing boat,
83 tons. Crew of 10, 6 are lost.
--
September, 7th 1940
08:20 - U-28 attacked convoy. One sunk for 14000
tons, still attacking. Grid AM36. Ordering full
speed ahead to AM36 which is 100 Km away.
14:03 - U-46 ordered to provide beacon for other
Uboats.
20:00 - Reached AM36. Searching for convoy.
21:01 - Luftwaffe has launched major air strikes
against London.
--
September, 9th 1949
03:02 - U-47 reports sinking one convoy in AM,
no precise grid in message. One freighter for
6000 tons.
06:54 - Large trawler spotted.
07:08 - Fired torpedo 1. Impact.
07:09 - Torpedo hit!
Ship identified as MV Arlita, Large trawler,
547 tons. Crew of 16, 13 are lost.
12:45 - ASW Trawler spotted. Attacking
with torpedo set for Impact. Diving slow
to 25 meters and going away.
12:48 - Torpedo did miss.
18:22 - Spotted ASW Trawler. Moving stern to
target. Should pass behind us at 600 meters.
Ordering machines stop.
18:34 - Torpedo in the water.
18:36 - Torpedo did miss.
22:29 - Came back to periscope depth. ASW Trawler
coming back on stern. Firing torpedo at 4 meters,
Contact. Sea is calm, dark night without moon.
22:40 - Torpedo on the water.
22:43 - Torpedo did hit!
Depth 19 meters, still slowly going down to 80 m
Ship identified as HMS Retriever, 1100 tons.
Cew of 54, 13 survivors.
--
September, 10th 1940
00:48 - Surface. Sent patrol report. Restarted
moving external stern reserve torpedo inside Uboat.
04:45 - Spotted ASW while charging batteries.
Dived to periscope depth, sending one torpedo.
Two others contacts, too far for visual.
04:49 - Torpedo hit!
Ship identified as HMS British Honduras,
1100 tons. Crew of 56, 31 are lost.
Setting course back to ordered patrol area.
Keeping below water for now.
05:12 - Surfaced. Many boats looking for us:
two motor torpedo boat behind us, two Elco
motor boats in front of us. Ordering deck gun
to be manned and shooting at Elco torpedo boat
before crash diving. We're going to teach them
a lesson they will not forget.
05:14 - Started shooting at closed Elco torpedo
boat, 3 Km away. Preparations for crash dive.
05:15 - Several of our hits on Elco torpedo boat.
Ordering crash dive !
05:18 - Reached 150 meters deep. Boat is doing
some weird noises but is handling well. One small
leak at stern of boat, chief engineer took care of
it. We are at 152 meters and the boat handles the
pressure properly. Going silent running. Hydrophone
operator reports 5 ships going around above of us.
05:26 - Chief engineer reports there was a small
leak in the electric engines compartement. It has
been fixed.
07:27 - No ship close to us. Ordering a 25 meters
depth level. Still cruising submerged to ordered
patrol area.
11:19 - checking around at periscope depth.
12:36 - We have 5 warships going around us.
Setting course to intercept the closest one.
13:14 - Dived to 180 meters. 30 meters below test
depth. Boat is working perfectly, no leaks at all.
13:23 - They are dropping depth charges but they
have no ASDIC. Boat is stable at 160 meters deep.
We have to keep at least 3 knots or we start
going down.
13:49 - Two warships have come around. Still no
ASDIC, they have launched over 50 depth charges.
Electric engines slightly damaged, Diesel engines
compartement had little flooding.
Depth charges are continuing, but they are
attacking a position behind us. We are slowly going
away from area.
14:18 - They have gone out of depth charges.
No contact. Keeping underwater at 50 meters
until sun goes down.
21:17 - Surfaced. Course set for AM51.
--
September, 11th 1940
04:36 - Hunt II Class spotted. Setting course
for attack.
05:00 - 2 torpedoes on the water.
05:03 - Hunt II spotted us!
It is directly charging for us.
Heading for destroyer bow to shoot torpedo at
close range.
08:02 - U-28 reports attacking convoy in AL6369.
Two hits observed, one damaged.
Did surface.
Reached ordered patrol zone.
--
September, 12th 1940
05:51 : Spotted Pelagic Trawler. Ordering
surface attack with deck gun.
06:06 : Shooting target at close range.
06:12 : Ship going down!
Ship identified as MV Sindonis, 889 tons.
Crew of 17, found 4 survivors.
--
September, 13th 1940
12:49 : Finished patrolling on ordered area.
Sending patrol report.
80 % of fuel left, 5 torpedoes left.
20:53 - Ore carrier spotted. Setting course for
interception. This ship is leaving England.
Probably empty, but she will go down anyway.
21:02 - Italy has invaded Egypt.
21:18 - Fired a three torpedo salvo, impact,
with 1 degree spread.
21:19 - All torpedoes did hit. Surfacing.
Ship identified as SS Port Brisbane, 8083
tons. Ship was empty, returning after delivery
to England. Crew of 75, 36 are lost.
--
September, 15th 1940
00:07 : Spotted large merchant. Setting course
for interception.
00:37 : Calm sea, merchant has no weapons
Attacking on surface using Deck Gun.
Shooting last torpedo, impact at 0 meters deep.
00:44 : Torpedo hit! SHip is going down.
00:48 : Setting course back to Kiel.
00:49 : We hear the ship going down. Bulkheads
exploding...
Ship identified as SS Glenbeg, 10615 tons.
Was carrying machinery. Crew of 101, 29 are lost.
--
September, 16th 1940
21:02 : Italian advance in Egypt has been stopped
at Sidi Barrani. USA has passed a conscription
bill.
--
September, 17t 1940
19:19 - Reached 50 % of fuel reserve. We are south
of Stavanger and in direction of Kristiansand.
--
September, 20th 1940
01:47 : Reached Kiel. Ending patrol.
vendredi 12 mars 2010
Patrol 9 (23APR40 - 26MAY40)
= Patrol 9 =
April, 10th 1940
I have been awarded a new Uboat : a type VIIB.
The U-99. Last of the two number series. And she
has just been finished !
That new boat is over 500 tons heavier than our
previous one and will offer us about six times the
previous range.
From the type IIA to the type VIIB the tonnage
goes from 254 to 753 tons (+499 tons)
Maximum speed should be close to 17 knots compared
to the IIA 13 knots. Range is heavily modified,
we go from 1000 nautic miles to over 6000.
Diving depth has been improved from 100 to 150 m,
but the biggest change is the torpedo load capacity.
From our 3 tubes and 5 torpedoes at at any time
we now have 4 forward tubes and 1 back tube,
and can 8 torpedoes spare to reload (7 front, 1
back).
Ordered in December, 15th 1937 she was laid down
in March, 31th 1939 and commissioned April, 18th 1940.
We then took her back to Kiel, it only took a few
hours at standard ahead, she's a fast one. We reached
Kiel in the evening of the 18th.
We have the standard GHB hydrophones, the ship should
have received the new version, the KDB, but the new
model came in supply too late and we cannot delay any
longer our next patrol.
--
April, 23th 1940
06:45 - Took a few days to load her with a full set of
type II torpedoes.
Matrosengefreiter Hans Walter has been transfered to
another Uboat, and is replaced by Matrosenobergfreiter
Karl-Heinz Kohler.
08:05 - As we are going out and close to Laboe
Memorial, we are saluting U-120 coming back from
patrol, under command of Ernst Bauer (who got the
Knights Cross recently). My god, he even has grown
a beard ! Looks like a godfather with his crew
around. We are no longer the young trainees we were
two years ago.
10:59 - U-32 reports leaking gasoline fumes.
11:13 - We have received new orders : all boats
are to cancel future gasoline supply missions.
13:26 - U-46 reports having attacked destroyer,
no hits.
--
April, 25th 1940
03:01 : U-25 reports mechanical failure. Returning
to port.
08:02 - BdU reports U-22 failed to report!
Possible mine. Can't believe it. Been commanding
that little type IIA for two years and now she
might be gone!
Would have we died too if we had kept the U-22
instead of moving to the U-99 ?
--
April, 26th 1940
12:01 - All North Atlantic boats are now released
from operations in Norway. Looks like we missed
all of the fun while moving from U-22 to U-99.
And the U-22 has been lost all hands to sea...
--
April, 27th 1940
Reached grid AN44. One grid away from patrol area.
Depth under keel is 110 m. We are diving machines
stopped to 100 meters to check the boat.
08:30 - Depth 20 meters. Everything seems good.
Chief engineer and crew are checking all valves
before we go to 50 meters.
08:43 - Ordering dive to 50 meters and another
check of all valves. Not a single hull sound.
08:55 - Ordered closing of all compartements.
Ordered dive to 100 meters. First hull sounds
because of pressure started at 84 meters. Light.
09:10 - Reached 100 meters. No leak anywhere.
Normal pressure sound noise from hull. All good.
Surfacing and setting course to reach ordered
patrol area : AN18.
18:18 - Found a small depot ship stopped in
patrol area. Perhaps they are having engine trouble ?
Ordered dive and closing on ship slowly. She's at
3 km for now. Preparing attack and getting close to
identify nationality.
Ship is an English depot ship carrying ammunition,
and she is probably waiting for a submarine or ship
to come for resupply. She is full of fuel and
ammunition. Flag shows Netherlands. The ship is
neutral, we cannot open fire on her. She has some
pretty heavy guns loaded. Going around her while
submerged.
--
April, 28th 1940
00:52 - Large convoy reported south-east of our
position. Moving into attack position. Setting
full ahead, 14 knots. We have no clouds, no
precipitation but visibility is moderate because
of fog. Perfect for surface attack.
02:00 - Ordered slow speed ahead. Moving along
a 1 Km radius of where the convoy should soon
come. Going to 25 meters deep for hydrophone check.
Depth under kill close to 100 meters. Good spot
for attack.
--
May, 2th 1940
00:43 - U-101 reports mission complete. She is
returning to base after supply missions.
06:35 - Spotted a J&K Class. Diving. Depth under
keel is 130 meters. Attacking.
06:39 - Stopped engines. Destroyer should pass
in front of us at 1.5 Km ahead. Sending one
torpedo set to magnetic at 5 m and diving to
100 meters using ballasts.
00:43 - U-101 reports returning to base after
resupply mission.
--
May, 3rd 1940
01:25 - En route for grid AM53. Sighted a tugboat.
Diving for attack.
20:30 - Spotted a small escort boat with a medium
cargo. Shooting tubes 1 and 3, Impact because of
bad sea. Target is at 3-3.5 Km. away
20:42 - Torpedo 1 and 2 did hit. Ship is burning
but still going 7 knots steady. Sending another
torpedo, aiming at bow. Impact.
Ship identified as SS Hastings, Medium cargo
class for 5081 tons. Was carrying sugar. 33 of
the crew died over 65.
20:45 - Hydrophone contact reports warship at
medium range coming straight at us. Some escort
trying to find who attacked their cargo. Depth
under keel 90 meters, diving to 80 meters then
going silent running.
20:46 : Third torpedo did hit the ship!
20:57 - Escort moving away. Checking surface with
periscope. Ship is slowly going down. She's burning
and tilting a lot, but she is still afloat.
21:20 - She's going down.
22:00 - Surfacing. Sea is calm. Moving torpedo
from external storage to inside of sub.
23:00 - External torpedo moved inside.
--
May, 7th 1940
05:55 - Weather pretty bad. Visibility is very
low. We just stopped an Ore Carrier. Ordered
immediate dive and sent two torpedoes, Impact to
attack her. We probably got spotted.
05:56 - Tubes 1 and 2 have hit!
05:57 - Firing a third torpedo. That ship has
heavy tonnage. She is fully loaded : we must
sink her.
05:58 - Third torpedo did hit.
06:02 - Ship is going down. Four torpedo shots,
three did hit and one dud. Ship is heavily loaded,
both of water line level and crates all over her
deck.
Ship identified as SS Tyndareus, Ore Carrier,
8083 tons. Was carrying Iron Ore. Of the 77 crew,
43 were lost.
--
May, 8th 1940
01:00 - Moving to intercept convoy. Clouds overcast,
medium precipitation and poor visibility. Diving
for hydrphone check as soon we reach area. Full night
with no moon. It's totally dark.
08:49 - Searched for 5 hours trace of the convoy.
Nothing found. But hydrophone operator reports a
merchant closing at slow speed bearing 081. Moving
for interception.
08:51 - Merchant is going N-NW. Going to periscope
depth, increasing speed to standard ahead.
08:53 - Target speed estimated between 7 and 12
knots. Plotting interception course for surface
search.
08:55 - Surfacing and increading speed to full
ahead then dive for search.
09:36 - Found ship. Small motor vessel. No use
as target.
--
May, 9th 1940
00:32 - Received message from U-9 ; they torpedoed
a submarine in grid AN 8511.
12:02 - Message from BdU. Extension of area C
as result of outbreak of war with Holland and
Belgium.
15:39 - Convoy reported north of us. Moving for
interception. Visibility is still very poor.
16:49 - Received two messages, for the same
convoy. Hydrophone check shows the convoy is
still far ahead. Stopping at 25 meters and waiting
for convoy to get closer.
17:02 - At least six contacts.
17:13 - Calculated route of convoy. Moving to
within 1 Km of where central ship should pass.
18:03 - 15 or 16 ships including escorts.
18:19 - Escort is about 4 Km ahead and can't see
a thing. Trying to get closer to find ships.
18:26 - Ships are around 1500 to 2000 meters now.
Can't see anything yet. Getting closer.
18:30 - Closest ship seems to be 500-600 meters
away according to hydrophone operator. But
visibility is so low we can't see past 100 meters.
Even if we find a ship we are below arming range
or torpedoes!
18:32 - Granville freigher! 150 meters away.
Full emergency back, opening tube doors.
Can't fire below arming range!
18:36 - Destroyer alerted. Coming closer and
pinging around to try to find us. Ordering crash
dive. Can't shoot anything with such weather.
18:38 - Levelled at 80 meters. One depth charge
almost got us and slightly damaged the bow.
Going silent.
18:44 - Enemy stopped pinging. Stopping engines
and coming to periscope depth.
18:49 - Went back to 80 meters. Escorts is going
around throwing depth charges around to keep us
away from convoy.
--
May, 10th 1940
21:02 - German forces have invaded France. Winston
Churchill has become the British prime minister.
--
May, 13th 1940
21:02 - Germany has invaded Holland, Belgium and
Luxembourg.
--
May, 14th 1940
15:14 : We have used half our food reserve. We
have about 60 % fuel left, and 7 torpedoes.
Plotting interception course for contact reported
north west of us. Clouds overcast, no precipitation,
visibility moderate.
15:31 : Hydrophone contact. Moving for interception.
Trying to get within 1 Km. After days I hope to be
able to shoot and move the crew morale up a little.
They're starting to get tired of shifts under bad
weather and using fuel for nothing.
15:41 : This is a joke. It's a leisure sailing
boat, not even 20 tons ! English flag. This little
boat... is going to be our first deck gun training
target. Getting close and surfacing for attack.
15:49 : Only took three shells. Small boat made
of wood, explosive shells ruined it.
Ship identified as Bab el Farag, Schooner,
17 tons. Had a crew of 11, 7 of which dead on first
explosive shell hit.
Ship identified as Nisr, Schooner, for 17 tons.
No survivors. We counted over 10 bodies floating.
--
May, 15th 1940
09:49 : Flower Class Destroyer sighted!
Could be escort for convoy. Diving to periscpoe
depth and attacking with magnetic-set torpedo.
09:56 - The crew is yelling! Our single torpedo
fired at the extreme range of the type II torpedo
just hit the Flower Class destroyer! And she's
going down and we hear many explosions, we just
hit its weapons store!
Ship identified as HMCS Bradon, Flower Class
for 950 tons. Crew of 113. Lost 1.
21:02 - Dutch army has surrendered. Holland too.
--
May, 17th 1949
08:19 - Spotted A&B Class. Diving for attack.
Sending two torpedoes : depth under keel too small
to miss attack.
08:34 - Sent two torpedoes. Diving and running
silent. Let's hope they will hit the ship.
08:36 : Both torpedoes exploded before reaching
target.
08:39 - Sending last torpedo available in front
tubes. Exploded too before reaching target.
Giving up.
18:11 - Spotted Tribal Class. Setting course for
attack using rear tube.
18:23 - Rear torpedo is away. Set for Impact.
Diving slowly under silent running to 25 meters.
18:35 - Torpedo missed.
23:52 - Surfacing. Moving rear torpedo from
external reserve to inside of sub.
--
May, 18th 1940
01:00 - Finished moving external casing torpedo
to inside of sub. Going north by following Irland
coast.
04:45 - Spotted Coastal freigher. Attacking
using rear torpedo. Surface attack.
04:59 - Torpedo away. Diving with engines
stopped.
05:00 - Torpedo did explode before reaching
target. Diving and moving away.
07:08 - Aircraft spotted. Depth under keel 95 m,
ordering crash dive!
12:48 - Hydrophone contact. Moving for
interception.
14:07 - Out of torpedoes. Sending patrol report
and heading back to base.
18:22 - Navigator reports we have a 3380 Km
trip back home passing south of Norway, at current
standard ahead speed of 12 knots we will reach Kiel
in about 149 hours (6 days or so).
20:35 - Spotted a huge Whale Factory.
Surfacing and attacking with deck gun.
20:36 - The explosive shells do wonder against.
Ship identified as SS Jan Wellem, Whale Factory
Ship, for 12017 tons. Ship was carrying aviation
fuel and it exploded and burned after two rounds
of explosive ammo. They are using civilian ships
to carry military fuel !
Crew fo 120. 98 died.
--
May, 19th 1940
03:00 En route to Kiel. Spotted warship medium
range in grid AM64. Started shooting at us,
ordered crash dive. Depth charged. Dived to 80,
then 100, then 120 meters. Warship circles and
depth charges us.
03:44 : Warship has given up and his heading south.
Setting depth to 80 meters, running silent running
for one hour. Then periscope check and surface if
possible.
06:06 : Spotted ship while on surface. Ordered
crash dive. Will remain below water until night.
23:00 : Spotted warship. This place is crawling
with patrol boats and destroyers. They know we
are travelling the passage and want us sinked.
23:30 : Took a depth charge directly on side of
Bow Torpedo. All four torpedo tubes are destroyed,
and pressure doors destroyed. Could not block
flooding from tubes : ordered evacuation of Bow
torpedo quarters, and pressure door is now closed.
Bow torpedo quarters are fully flooded, but ballast
tanks are still working, helping level the ship.
We have no wounded.
23:42 : We have bottomed the ocean floor. Engines
are stopped. Destroyers are circling around and
throwing depth charges. Ordered full stop and
silence.
--
May, 20th 1940
00:10 : Another depth charge close to us.
Flooding in bow quarters. Bow torpedo flooding
is increasing. We hear their sirens on top of us.
00:14 : Flooding in bow torpedo tubes under control.
Damage team working on bow quarters. Raising depth
to 30 meters and moving away.
00:17 : Stern is moving up but bow remains on
ocean floor. Depth remains at 39 meters. Trying
to move the sub up.
00:22 : Warship still running around. No ping,
no depth charges. We are waiting. Will have to
blow ballast to surface.
01:07 : Blowing ballasts.
01:11 : We are on surface. Ordering full ahead
speed. We have three dead : Bootsman Gert Eppen,
Matrosengefreiter Henning Hansen and Harald
Clausen. Two heavily wounded : Eberhard Hauber
and Wilhelm Schulz.
01:39 : Water has been pumped out of Bow Quarters.
But we cannot dive again or we will bottom the ship.
The Bow torpedo is full of water reducing our speed.
Chief engineer is taking care of wounded and then
will try to path the Bow Torpedo if possible to
increase level of bow.
--
May, 21th 1940
08:50 : Chief engineer has finished working on
the bow compartement. We have a huge hole on the
right, the depth charge must have exploded very
close. We have welded metal plates to try to avoid
too much water pouring in and slowing us down,
but the compartement is flooded. We have moded all
recipients we could find, filled with air, to
that compartement to level it higher than sea
line. Boat is almost level and we are running at
12 knots to Kiel. If any aircraft catches us on
surface, we might not make it.
--
May, 22th 1940
19:34 : Aircraft attacking us from stern. Ordered
flak gun to fire. Speed to flank ahead.
--
May, 23th 1940
06:00 We buried at sea our three dead.
11:01 - BdU orders to stop any use of the
magnetic pistols henceforth.
--
May, 26th 1940
00:52 : We are below 10 % fuel
We are 50 Km from Kiel.
03:24 : We have reached Kiel. End of patrol.
Sunk 1 tanker
4 cargo ships
1 warship
Total tonnage : 26165 tons
3 dead
Been awarded Iron Cross, First Class
Damage to Uboat has been very high. Hull integrity
loss is estimated to 85 %
April, 10th 1940
I have been awarded a new Uboat : a type VIIB.
The U-99. Last of the two number series. And she
has just been finished !
That new boat is over 500 tons heavier than our
previous one and will offer us about six times the
previous range.
From the type IIA to the type VIIB the tonnage
goes from 254 to 753 tons (+499 tons)
Maximum speed should be close to 17 knots compared
to the IIA 13 knots. Range is heavily modified,
we go from 1000 nautic miles to over 6000.
Diving depth has been improved from 100 to 150 m,
but the biggest change is the torpedo load capacity.
From our 3 tubes and 5 torpedoes at at any time
we now have 4 forward tubes and 1 back tube,
and can 8 torpedoes spare to reload (7 front, 1
back).
Ordered in December, 15th 1937 she was laid down
in March, 31th 1939 and commissioned April, 18th 1940.
We then took her back to Kiel, it only took a few
hours at standard ahead, she's a fast one. We reached
Kiel in the evening of the 18th.
We have the standard GHB hydrophones, the ship should
have received the new version, the KDB, but the new
model came in supply too late and we cannot delay any
longer our next patrol.
--
April, 23th 1940
06:45 - Took a few days to load her with a full set of
type II torpedoes.
Matrosengefreiter Hans Walter has been transfered to
another Uboat, and is replaced by Matrosenobergfreiter
Karl-Heinz Kohler.
08:05 - As we are going out and close to Laboe
Memorial, we are saluting U-120 coming back from
patrol, under command of Ernst Bauer (who got the
Knights Cross recently). My god, he even has grown
a beard ! Looks like a godfather with his crew
around. We are no longer the young trainees we were
two years ago.
10:59 - U-32 reports leaking gasoline fumes.
11:13 - We have received new orders : all boats
are to cancel future gasoline supply missions.
13:26 - U-46 reports having attacked destroyer,
no hits.
--
April, 25th 1940
03:01 : U-25 reports mechanical failure. Returning
to port.
08:02 - BdU reports U-22 failed to report!
Possible mine. Can't believe it. Been commanding
that little type IIA for two years and now she
might be gone!
Would have we died too if we had kept the U-22
instead of moving to the U-99 ?
--
April, 26th 1940
12:01 - All North Atlantic boats are now released
from operations in Norway. Looks like we missed
all of the fun while moving from U-22 to U-99.
And the U-22 has been lost all hands to sea...
--
April, 27th 1940
Reached grid AN44. One grid away from patrol area.
Depth under keel is 110 m. We are diving machines
stopped to 100 meters to check the boat.
08:30 - Depth 20 meters. Everything seems good.
Chief engineer and crew are checking all valves
before we go to 50 meters.
08:43 - Ordering dive to 50 meters and another
check of all valves. Not a single hull sound.
08:55 - Ordered closing of all compartements.
Ordered dive to 100 meters. First hull sounds
because of pressure started at 84 meters. Light.
09:10 - Reached 100 meters. No leak anywhere.
Normal pressure sound noise from hull. All good.
Surfacing and setting course to reach ordered
patrol area : AN18.
18:18 - Found a small depot ship stopped in
patrol area. Perhaps they are having engine trouble ?
Ordered dive and closing on ship slowly. She's at
3 km for now. Preparing attack and getting close to
identify nationality.
Ship is an English depot ship carrying ammunition,
and she is probably waiting for a submarine or ship
to come for resupply. She is full of fuel and
ammunition. Flag shows Netherlands. The ship is
neutral, we cannot open fire on her. She has some
pretty heavy guns loaded. Going around her while
submerged.
--
April, 28th 1940
00:52 - Large convoy reported south-east of our
position. Moving into attack position. Setting
full ahead, 14 knots. We have no clouds, no
precipitation but visibility is moderate because
of fog. Perfect for surface attack.
02:00 - Ordered slow speed ahead. Moving along
a 1 Km radius of where the convoy should soon
come. Going to 25 meters deep for hydrophone check.
Depth under kill close to 100 meters. Good spot
for attack.
--
May, 2th 1940
00:43 - U-101 reports mission complete. She is
returning to base after supply missions.
06:35 - Spotted a J&K Class. Diving. Depth under
keel is 130 meters. Attacking.
06:39 - Stopped engines. Destroyer should pass
in front of us at 1.5 Km ahead. Sending one
torpedo set to magnetic at 5 m and diving to
100 meters using ballasts.
00:43 - U-101 reports returning to base after
resupply mission.
--
May, 3rd 1940
01:25 - En route for grid AM53. Sighted a tugboat.
Diving for attack.
20:30 - Spotted a small escort boat with a medium
cargo. Shooting tubes 1 and 3, Impact because of
bad sea. Target is at 3-3.5 Km. away
20:42 - Torpedo 1 and 2 did hit. Ship is burning
but still going 7 knots steady. Sending another
torpedo, aiming at bow. Impact.
Ship identified as SS Hastings, Medium cargo
class for 5081 tons. Was carrying sugar. 33 of
the crew died over 65.
20:45 - Hydrophone contact reports warship at
medium range coming straight at us. Some escort
trying to find who attacked their cargo. Depth
under keel 90 meters, diving to 80 meters then
going silent running.
20:46 : Third torpedo did hit the ship!
20:57 - Escort moving away. Checking surface with
periscope. Ship is slowly going down. She's burning
and tilting a lot, but she is still afloat.
21:20 - She's going down.
22:00 - Surfacing. Sea is calm. Moving torpedo
from external storage to inside of sub.
23:00 - External torpedo moved inside.
--
May, 7th 1940
05:55 - Weather pretty bad. Visibility is very
low. We just stopped an Ore Carrier. Ordered
immediate dive and sent two torpedoes, Impact to
attack her. We probably got spotted.
05:56 - Tubes 1 and 2 have hit!
05:57 - Firing a third torpedo. That ship has
heavy tonnage. She is fully loaded : we must
sink her.
05:58 - Third torpedo did hit.
06:02 - Ship is going down. Four torpedo shots,
three did hit and one dud. Ship is heavily loaded,
both of water line level and crates all over her
deck.
Ship identified as SS Tyndareus, Ore Carrier,
8083 tons. Was carrying Iron Ore. Of the 77 crew,
43 were lost.
--
May, 8th 1940
01:00 - Moving to intercept convoy. Clouds overcast,
medium precipitation and poor visibility. Diving
for hydrphone check as soon we reach area. Full night
with no moon. It's totally dark.
08:49 - Searched for 5 hours trace of the convoy.
Nothing found. But hydrophone operator reports a
merchant closing at slow speed bearing 081. Moving
for interception.
08:51 - Merchant is going N-NW. Going to periscope
depth, increasing speed to standard ahead.
08:53 - Target speed estimated between 7 and 12
knots. Plotting interception course for surface
search.
08:55 - Surfacing and increading speed to full
ahead then dive for search.
09:36 - Found ship. Small motor vessel. No use
as target.
--
May, 9th 1940
00:32 - Received message from U-9 ; they torpedoed
a submarine in grid AN 8511.
12:02 - Message from BdU. Extension of area C
as result of outbreak of war with Holland and
Belgium.
15:39 - Convoy reported north of us. Moving for
interception. Visibility is still very poor.
16:49 - Received two messages, for the same
convoy. Hydrophone check shows the convoy is
still far ahead. Stopping at 25 meters and waiting
for convoy to get closer.
17:02 - At least six contacts.
17:13 - Calculated route of convoy. Moving to
within 1 Km of where central ship should pass.
18:03 - 15 or 16 ships including escorts.
18:19 - Escort is about 4 Km ahead and can't see
a thing. Trying to get closer to find ships.
18:26 - Ships are around 1500 to 2000 meters now.
Can't see anything yet. Getting closer.
18:30 - Closest ship seems to be 500-600 meters
away according to hydrophone operator. But
visibility is so low we can't see past 100 meters.
Even if we find a ship we are below arming range
or torpedoes!
18:32 - Granville freigher! 150 meters away.
Full emergency back, opening tube doors.
Can't fire below arming range!
18:36 - Destroyer alerted. Coming closer and
pinging around to try to find us. Ordering crash
dive. Can't shoot anything with such weather.
18:38 - Levelled at 80 meters. One depth charge
almost got us and slightly damaged the bow.
Going silent.
18:44 - Enemy stopped pinging. Stopping engines
and coming to periscope depth.
18:49 - Went back to 80 meters. Escorts is going
around throwing depth charges around to keep us
away from convoy.
--
May, 10th 1940
21:02 - German forces have invaded France. Winston
Churchill has become the British prime minister.
--
May, 13th 1940
21:02 - Germany has invaded Holland, Belgium and
Luxembourg.
--
May, 14th 1940
15:14 : We have used half our food reserve. We
have about 60 % fuel left, and 7 torpedoes.
Plotting interception course for contact reported
north west of us. Clouds overcast, no precipitation,
visibility moderate.
15:31 : Hydrophone contact. Moving for interception.
Trying to get within 1 Km. After days I hope to be
able to shoot and move the crew morale up a little.
They're starting to get tired of shifts under bad
weather and using fuel for nothing.
15:41 : This is a joke. It's a leisure sailing
boat, not even 20 tons ! English flag. This little
boat... is going to be our first deck gun training
target. Getting close and surfacing for attack.
15:49 : Only took three shells. Small boat made
of wood, explosive shells ruined it.
Ship identified as Bab el Farag, Schooner,
17 tons. Had a crew of 11, 7 of which dead on first
explosive shell hit.
Ship identified as Nisr, Schooner, for 17 tons.
No survivors. We counted over 10 bodies floating.
--
May, 15th 1940
09:49 : Flower Class Destroyer sighted!
Could be escort for convoy. Diving to periscpoe
depth and attacking with magnetic-set torpedo.
09:56 - The crew is yelling! Our single torpedo
fired at the extreme range of the type II torpedo
just hit the Flower Class destroyer! And she's
going down and we hear many explosions, we just
hit its weapons store!
Ship identified as HMCS Bradon, Flower Class
for 950 tons. Crew of 113. Lost 1.
21:02 - Dutch army has surrendered. Holland too.
--
May, 17th 1949
08:19 - Spotted A&B Class. Diving for attack.
Sending two torpedoes : depth under keel too small
to miss attack.
08:34 - Sent two torpedoes. Diving and running
silent. Let's hope they will hit the ship.
08:36 : Both torpedoes exploded before reaching
target.
08:39 - Sending last torpedo available in front
tubes. Exploded too before reaching target.
Giving up.
18:11 - Spotted Tribal Class. Setting course for
attack using rear tube.
18:23 - Rear torpedo is away. Set for Impact.
Diving slowly under silent running to 25 meters.
18:35 - Torpedo missed.
23:52 - Surfacing. Moving rear torpedo from
external reserve to inside of sub.
--
May, 18th 1940
01:00 - Finished moving external casing torpedo
to inside of sub. Going north by following Irland
coast.
04:45 - Spotted Coastal freigher. Attacking
using rear torpedo. Surface attack.
04:59 - Torpedo away. Diving with engines
stopped.
05:00 - Torpedo did explode before reaching
target. Diving and moving away.
07:08 - Aircraft spotted. Depth under keel 95 m,
ordering crash dive!
12:48 - Hydrophone contact. Moving for
interception.
14:07 - Out of torpedoes. Sending patrol report
and heading back to base.
18:22 - Navigator reports we have a 3380 Km
trip back home passing south of Norway, at current
standard ahead speed of 12 knots we will reach Kiel
in about 149 hours (6 days or so).
20:35 - Spotted a huge Whale Factory.
Surfacing and attacking with deck gun.
20:36 - The explosive shells do wonder against.
Ship identified as SS Jan Wellem, Whale Factory
Ship, for 12017 tons. Ship was carrying aviation
fuel and it exploded and burned after two rounds
of explosive ammo. They are using civilian ships
to carry military fuel !
Crew fo 120. 98 died.
--
May, 19th 1940
03:00 En route to Kiel. Spotted warship medium
range in grid AM64. Started shooting at us,
ordered crash dive. Depth charged. Dived to 80,
then 100, then 120 meters. Warship circles and
depth charges us.
03:44 : Warship has given up and his heading south.
Setting depth to 80 meters, running silent running
for one hour. Then periscope check and surface if
possible.
06:06 : Spotted ship while on surface. Ordered
crash dive. Will remain below water until night.
23:00 : Spotted warship. This place is crawling
with patrol boats and destroyers. They know we
are travelling the passage and want us sinked.
23:30 : Took a depth charge directly on side of
Bow Torpedo. All four torpedo tubes are destroyed,
and pressure doors destroyed. Could not block
flooding from tubes : ordered evacuation of Bow
torpedo quarters, and pressure door is now closed.
Bow torpedo quarters are fully flooded, but ballast
tanks are still working, helping level the ship.
We have no wounded.
23:42 : We have bottomed the ocean floor. Engines
are stopped. Destroyers are circling around and
throwing depth charges. Ordered full stop and
silence.
--
May, 20th 1940
00:10 : Another depth charge close to us.
Flooding in bow quarters. Bow torpedo flooding
is increasing. We hear their sirens on top of us.
00:14 : Flooding in bow torpedo tubes under control.
Damage team working on bow quarters. Raising depth
to 30 meters and moving away.
00:17 : Stern is moving up but bow remains on
ocean floor. Depth remains at 39 meters. Trying
to move the sub up.
00:22 : Warship still running around. No ping,
no depth charges. We are waiting. Will have to
blow ballast to surface.
01:07 : Blowing ballasts.
01:11 : We are on surface. Ordering full ahead
speed. We have three dead : Bootsman Gert Eppen,
Matrosengefreiter Henning Hansen and Harald
Clausen. Two heavily wounded : Eberhard Hauber
and Wilhelm Schulz.
01:39 : Water has been pumped out of Bow Quarters.
But we cannot dive again or we will bottom the ship.
The Bow torpedo is full of water reducing our speed.
Chief engineer is taking care of wounded and then
will try to path the Bow Torpedo if possible to
increase level of bow.
--
May, 21th 1940
08:50 : Chief engineer has finished working on
the bow compartement. We have a huge hole on the
right, the depth charge must have exploded very
close. We have welded metal plates to try to avoid
too much water pouring in and slowing us down,
but the compartement is flooded. We have moded all
recipients we could find, filled with air, to
that compartement to level it higher than sea
line. Boat is almost level and we are running at
12 knots to Kiel. If any aircraft catches us on
surface, we might not make it.
--
May, 22th 1940
19:34 : Aircraft attacking us from stern. Ordered
flak gun to fire. Speed to flank ahead.
--
May, 23th 1940
06:00 We buried at sea our three dead.
11:01 - BdU orders to stop any use of the
magnetic pistols henceforth.
--
May, 26th 1940
00:52 : We are below 10 % fuel
We are 50 Km from Kiel.
03:24 : We have reached Kiel. End of patrol.
Sunk 1 tanker
4 cargo ships
1 warship
Total tonnage : 26165 tons
3 dead
Been awarded Iron Cross, First Class
Damage to Uboat has been very high. Hull integrity
loss is estimated to 85 %
Patrol 8 (30MAR40 - 09APR40)
= Patrol 8 =
February, 21th 1940
Been awarded the Uboat badge.
Matrosengefreiter Rudolf Ganzer is transfered to
another Uboat and is replaced by Matrosenobergefreiter
Otto Batsch.
--
March, 30th 1940
11:27 - Boat is ready. We have a whole new set of
batteries. There are new models available but none
are available so our boat just got a standard
exchange for the basic model. We have a full load
of type II torpedoes, with new magnetic pistols.
We have been asked to test them at sea.
--
April, 1st 1940
We are patrolling in ordered grid area. Some clouds,
and moderate visibility with no rain. Wind speed is
moderate at 8 meters per second.
22:30 - Weather is getting bad.
--
April, 2th 1940
00:40 - U-38 reports having sunk one steamer in
small convoy, 1 torpedo. AN 2671.
09:26 - Spotted a ship far away.
It's an English A&B Class in transit.
Diving.
--
April, 5th 1940
Attacked and sunk Coastal Tanker. Tubes 1 and 2
type-II did hit using magnetic pistols. They seem
to work better than previous models. Sending patrol
report and surfacing to check for survivors.
Strong winds, ship is burning badly and escape
boats are located under heavy fire. If there are
any survivors, they won't make it with this sea.
17:23 - Attacked Granville-type Freighter.
Last three torpedoes are duds. Ship escaped.
Out of torpedoes : heading back to base.
18:12 - Attacked by plane! Bomb exploded
behind boat, we have heavily damaged bulkhead
at the rear.
19:00 - The rear of the boat is black, burned
and heavily damaged. It's like it has been crushed,
but we got lucky since the properllers are still
working. We are going full ahead but getting only
half speed as a result and the boat is doing strange
noises at the back.
--
April, 6th 1940
03:31 - U-59 reports sinking one steamer at
grid AN 1537.
06:01 - Received radio message : Operation
Hartmut is beginning. Ordered Uboats should soon
receive orders.
--
April, 9th 1940
07:02 - Our forces have invaded Denmark.
11:33 - Reached Kiel. Ending patrol.
February, 21th 1940
Been awarded the Uboat badge.
Matrosengefreiter Rudolf Ganzer is transfered to
another Uboat and is replaced by Matrosenobergefreiter
Otto Batsch.
--
March, 30th 1940
11:27 - Boat is ready. We have a whole new set of
batteries. There are new models available but none
are available so our boat just got a standard
exchange for the basic model. We have a full load
of type II torpedoes, with new magnetic pistols.
We have been asked to test them at sea.
--
April, 1st 1940
We are patrolling in ordered grid area. Some clouds,
and moderate visibility with no rain. Wind speed is
moderate at 8 meters per second.
22:30 - Weather is getting bad.
--
April, 2th 1940
00:40 - U-38 reports having sunk one steamer in
small convoy, 1 torpedo. AN 2671.
09:26 - Spotted a ship far away.
It's an English A&B Class in transit.
Diving.
--
April, 5th 1940
Attacked and sunk Coastal Tanker. Tubes 1 and 2
type-II did hit using magnetic pistols. They seem
to work better than previous models. Sending patrol
report and surfacing to check for survivors.
Strong winds, ship is burning badly and escape
boats are located under heavy fire. If there are
any survivors, they won't make it with this sea.
17:23 - Attacked Granville-type Freighter.
Last three torpedoes are duds. Ship escaped.
Out of torpedoes : heading back to base.
18:12 - Attacked by plane! Bomb exploded
behind boat, we have heavily damaged bulkhead
at the rear.
19:00 - The rear of the boat is black, burned
and heavily damaged. It's like it has been crushed,
but we got lucky since the properllers are still
working. We are going full ahead but getting only
half speed as a result and the boat is doing strange
noises at the back.
--
April, 6th 1940
03:31 - U-59 reports sinking one steamer at
grid AN 1537.
06:01 - Received radio message : Operation
Hartmut is beginning. Ordered Uboats should soon
receive orders.
--
April, 9th 1940
07:02 - Our forces have invaded Denmark.
11:33 - Reached Kiel. Ending patrol.
Patrol 7 (14FEB40 - 21FEB40)
= Patrol 7 =
January, 25th 1940
Bootsmann Werner Wagner (Torpedoman) has been transfered
to another Uboat. We welcome Josef Lorentz on its first post-training assigmnent.
Boat is going for maintenance and preparations for
next patrol.
--
February, 14th 1940
07:01 - We are ordered to patrol area AN55.
10:14 - The trees are all white and covered with snow.
Reminds me of home. If it was not for the rough sea
and the height of waves, I would gladly admit that
winter is my favorite season for going at sea.
17:27 - Out of the Kanal. About 1000 Km before we
reach our patrol zone, in about 50 hours.
20:11 - Orders for U-26 and U-53.
--
February, 15th 1940
00:16 - Received new orders : we are to move off to
operations area in accordance with operation order
IV, b.
16:59 - Received message from SS Sleipner. Sinking
at coordinates 58.18N 01.46W
--
February, 17th 1940
12:02 - Patrolling AN52. Received orders from BdU.
All ships in the USA zone without illuminated flags
are to be regarded as hostile.
12:17 - SS Oraniepolden reports picking survivors
from SS Kvernaas.
--
February, 18th 1940
09:43 - Intercepted large merchant in patrol
grid after plotting interception course, sighting
by plane. Getting closer for nationality ID.
Setting torpedoes to Impact, 8 meters for 8.9 meters
deep Keel.
9:52 - English ship. Sending two torpedoes.
9:57 - Torpedoes 1 and 2 hit at the bow. Getting
closer.
9:58 - Ship has no weapons. She is dead stopped,
no fire. Sending killing shot with torpedoe tube
3 at 1 meter deep. Waiting for survivors to finish
getting out of boat before shooting her.
10:03 - Getting closer to interrogate survivors,
and get name of ship. Ship identified as SS City of
Bristol, Large marchant of 10615 tons. Was
carrying Coal to England. There are 43 survivors
out of 55 crewman.
12:00 - U-50 reporting low on provisions.
U-48 has no torpedoes left, getting low on
provisions too.
14:04 - Small torpedo boat has stopped us. Coming
very fast. Depth under keel close to 100 meters.
Ordering crash dive!
14:08 - Took damage to Bow Quarters. Some flooding,
repair crew taking care of it. Diving to 90 meters
and going slow.
22:26 - A good day. Spotted a medium cargo going
all lights off. Going to give her our last two
torpedoes and go back to Kiel.
Setting decks awash for surface night attack.
22:33 - One of the torpedoes exploded while going
to target. We're left with only one torpedo now.
22:36 - Second torpedo is a dud. We're out of
ammo. Setting course back to Kiel.
--
February, 20th 1940
14:31 - BdU reports U-54 has failed to report or
return to base for too long. Suspect enemy mine,
and that Uboat is lost.
--
February, 20th 1940
12:15 - Reached Kiel. Ending patrol 7.
January, 25th 1940
Bootsmann Werner Wagner (Torpedoman) has been transfered
to another Uboat. We welcome Josef Lorentz on its first post-training assigmnent.
Boat is going for maintenance and preparations for
next patrol.
--
February, 14th 1940
07:01 - We are ordered to patrol area AN55.
10:14 - The trees are all white and covered with snow.
Reminds me of home. If it was not for the rough sea
and the height of waves, I would gladly admit that
winter is my favorite season for going at sea.
17:27 - Out of the Kanal. About 1000 Km before we
reach our patrol zone, in about 50 hours.
20:11 - Orders for U-26 and U-53.
--
February, 15th 1940
00:16 - Received new orders : we are to move off to
operations area in accordance with operation order
IV, b.
16:59 - Received message from SS Sleipner. Sinking
at coordinates 58.18N 01.46W
--
February, 17th 1940
12:02 - Patrolling AN52. Received orders from BdU.
All ships in the USA zone without illuminated flags
are to be regarded as hostile.
12:17 - SS Oraniepolden reports picking survivors
from SS Kvernaas.
--
February, 18th 1940
09:43 - Intercepted large merchant in patrol
grid after plotting interception course, sighting
by plane. Getting closer for nationality ID.
Setting torpedoes to Impact, 8 meters for 8.9 meters
deep Keel.
9:52 - English ship. Sending two torpedoes.
9:57 - Torpedoes 1 and 2 hit at the bow. Getting
closer.
9:58 - Ship has no weapons. She is dead stopped,
no fire. Sending killing shot with torpedoe tube
3 at 1 meter deep. Waiting for survivors to finish
getting out of boat before shooting her.
10:03 - Getting closer to interrogate survivors,
and get name of ship. Ship identified as SS City of
Bristol, Large marchant of 10615 tons. Was
carrying Coal to England. There are 43 survivors
out of 55 crewman.
12:00 - U-50 reporting low on provisions.
U-48 has no torpedoes left, getting low on
provisions too.
14:04 - Small torpedo boat has stopped us. Coming
very fast. Depth under keel close to 100 meters.
Ordering crash dive!
14:08 - Took damage to Bow Quarters. Some flooding,
repair crew taking care of it. Diving to 90 meters
and going slow.
22:26 - A good day. Spotted a medium cargo going
all lights off. Going to give her our last two
torpedoes and go back to Kiel.
Setting decks awash for surface night attack.
22:33 - One of the torpedoes exploded while going
to target. We're left with only one torpedo now.
22:36 - Second torpedo is a dud. We're out of
ammo. Setting course back to Kiel.
--
February, 20th 1940
14:31 - BdU reports U-54 has failed to report or
return to base for too long. Suspect enemy mine,
and that Uboat is lost.
--
February, 20th 1940
12:15 - Reached Kiel. Ending patrol 7.
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