Patrol 2 (30AUG39 - 10SEP3)

= Patrol 2 =

August, 10th 1939

U-22 is being prepared for its second patrol.
Dismissed Josef Sollig who is not cut for Uboat life,
and have him transfered to ground unit. Replaced him
with Bruno Wurdemann, Overfahnrich zur See with
machinist qualification. Johann Kuhn is gone for
flak operations training to add to its watchman duties.
I am letting the new machinist officer handle the
boat maintenance. He will serve as weapons officer
when required. A few new model torpedoes are available.
The TII being electric, it leaves no wake but its range
is only 5 Km compared to the 12.5 km of the type I.
As test, I have been asked to embark 5 TII torpedoes
and if possible, test them at sea.

--

August, 30th 1939

U-22 refit is complete. We now have 5 of the new TII
torpedoes loaded. We are ordered to patrol grid AN26.
Setting course going north to pass south of Norway
into patrol zone. While my crew doesn't know, I have
been given information that our armies will invade soon
Poland, for October 1st 1939 in a few days.

13:06 - U-26, 27 and 30 have been sent to sea at the
same time as us.

--

August, 31th 1939 01:01

German ship Corrientes has reached Las Palmas.
She is available in harbour for resupply duties.
We are almost south of Norway.

18:32 - War has started. Our armies have attacked
Poland and we are watching western powers to see how
they react. We are ordered not to attack English ships
except in defense or under special order. We are still
in route for patrol area. Will pass Kristiandsand in
six hours, and we will require about 59 hours to reach
patrol grid.

20:44 - Cargo ship spotted. About 7 km awaw, AoB 63
going E in Skagerrak.

--

September, 1st 1939

21:01 - radio reports Polish troops have attacked
a german radio station at Gliewitz.

20:01 - radio reports military operations are authorized
against all Polish vessels from now on. They are to be
considered hostile and attacked at our discretion.
All other vessels are to be considered neutral.

21:01 - Poland invasion complete.

--

September, 3rd 1939

02:12 - radio message
We are ordered to commence attacks against English
ships forthwith. Our orders are to attack merchant
shipping with English flag, while respecting revised issue
of Prize Regulations (signaling attack would only get
our targets try to evade us, how should be proceed
for submerged attacks then ?). Orders allow us to sink
ships without warning. So we'll attack then surface and
report by radio position and survivors, if any.

05:03 - we have reached patrol grid AN26. Slowing down
to 1/3 ahead and asking watchman officer to get up and
start watching the horizon for ships.

14:01 - radio message
Orders are to attack without warning troop ships
or material for war, any vessel escorted by enemy warships
or aircraft and finally, any vessel in direct support
of enenmy operations. Our patrol in AN26 is still going
on and no ship has been sighted yet. Weather since
beginning of patrol is very good : no clouds, sunshine,
and perfect visibility. Ordered navigating officer to
deck with sausages and he is grilling them for the
crew who is eating under sun on the deck.

14:10 - another radio message
More clarification about conduct of naval warfare.
We are ordered strict observance of rules of neutrality.
Prize regulations do not apply to armed ships forthwith.

15:51 - radio message
We are asked to attack British ships.

16:19 - Aircraft spotted! Bearing 131
Moving to combat positions.
Prepping boat for emergency dive, depth under keel 132 m.

16:22 - Plane dropped depth charge ahead of sub, is coming back for another attack, probably gun. Ordering emergency
dive.

16:32 - Coming back to periscope depth in order to be
able to receive radio messages. Staying below water
until sun goes down.

17:53 - radio messsage
France has declared war on Germany as of today 17:00
We are to take defensive action only if attacked,
and we are ordered not to take hostile action against
French vessels. We continue our grid patrol.

19:49
Received message from SS Athenia located 56.44N 14.05W
Ship is going down and asking for help (SSS).

21:00 - surfacing the ship. Battery down to 25 %

21:02 - radio message
Britain, France, Austria, New Zeland and Austria
have declared war on Germany. Still no ship in sight
and no hydrophone contact. Moon is almost full, weather
still good.

21:14 - U-14 reports having attacked Polish submarine
in grid AO94. Wreckage and oil found!

--

September, 4th 1939

06:34 - Sun is going up. Calm sea, nice orange glow
from sun. Our patrol of this grid is finished.
We have used 1/3 fuel. Setting course to get closer
to France-England Kanal, to catch shipping ships
going out of there. We should reach area within 51 hours,
which is 995 Km away.

10:32 - ship spotted bearing 066, medium speed.
Should pass within 600 m of us. Going to periscope
depth and setting heading for interception.

10:48 - flag seems English. Tubes 1 and 2 ready
for salvo shot. Looks like a large Tugboat.

10:53 - Ship is a large tugboat. Around 400 tons.
English : attacking. Using torpedo tube 1 set for
impact and 2 meter (keel is 2.5 m).

10:56 - In position for attack. Stopping engines,
waiting for ship to pass in front of sub at
exactly 0 degrees.

11:00 - Torpedo hit. Ship going down.
English tugboat for 420 tons.
No survivors.

11:00 - Ship identified as MV Alnwick,
422 tons. She had a crew of 25, but we
only found 5 survivors in raft boat. Sent
their coordinates and asked for their rescue.


11:02 - Resuming course to AN84.

11:31 - Aircraft spotted. Seems the Tugboat called
for help before going down. Ordering flak gun to
be manned on deck. Going flank ahead speed.

Depth charge 10 meters left of boat. Minor damage
to Bow Torpedo section. Repair crew doing repairs.
Some minor flooding on tube 1.

11:34 Plane still attacking. Dropped second depth
charge right of boat. Flak gunner requires training,
has not scored any hit.

Ordering crash dive.

12:01 - radio message ordering not to shoot
passengers ships if they are travelling alone or
in a convoy.

12:50 - surfacing.

13:46 - radio message. Orders against merchant
shipping remain.

21:01 - radio reports the RAF has attacked German navy.

--

September, 5th 1939

08:31 - received request for help message from
SS Bosnia, located 45.29N 09.45W

10:02 - SS Eidanger has picked up survivors from
SS Bosnia at 45.29N 09.45W

13:01 - SS Pluvoise has been stopped by German
submarine, at 39.42N 09.10W ; she is calling for help.

14:02 - SS Royal Sceptre sunk at 46.23M 14.49W
Calling for help for rescue.

21:02 - USA proclaims neutrality. German troops have
crossed the Vistula River in Poland.

--

September, 6th 1939

05:33 - We are ordered to observe the 1930 London
submarine Protocol article 22. We have to use extreme
caution when approaching enemy ships.

06:02 - Received call for help from SS Manaar at
38.28N 10.50W

06:53 - Reached grid AN84 west of Lowerstaft. Radio
reports contact ship north-east of our position.
Going full ahead speed to intercept.

07:58 - Diving to periscope depth to search for
enemy ship. Depth under keel very small, 17 meters.

08:20 - Coastal freighter. English. About 1.1k tons
Ship passed in front of sub, too late for impact shot
at 90 degrees. Setting both T2 torpedo depth to 8 meters,
to pass below ship and shooting at her from astern.

08:22 - Torpedo 1 and 2 hit ! Ship going down !

08:22  - Ship identified as SS Adherence, 1872 tons.
Its cargo was Aircraft. She had a crew of 26,
2 were lost in attack, we found 24 survivors in rafts.
Gave them food and reported their position for
rescue.


08:25 - Going away from sinking site at periscope
depth, 1/3 ahead until sun goes down. Sent patrol
report. Fuel at 1/3, one torpedo left.

09:16 - received radio message with congratulations
from BdU. Continuing patrol near England coast to
use last torpedoe.

09:23 - U-38 reports being fired at from steamer
in CG5573. Did sunk the steamer using torpedoes
for about 7000 tons. Advises other Uboats that
steamers are to be approched submerged as they are
armed for some or most.

11:43 - orders to only take defensive action
against French ships. We are not to stop those
ships and must avoid incidents at all costs.

13:34 - hydrophone contact. Warship bearing 140,
north of Lowerstaft. Depth under keel 23 meters,
not enough for evasion if attack. Going opposite
direction.

14:05 - hydrophone contact, merchant closing
and moving slow. Moving to intercept. Surfacing
to get closer.

14:19 - SS Rio Claro requests for help
at 46.30N 12.00W
Skill searching for merchant contact.
Excellent weather conditions : on clouds, no
precipitation but moderate visibility.

14:39 - Ship spotted. Moving to intercept.
Range about 5.2 Km

14:43 - ship looks like a Large Tugboat, around 420 t
About 4.7 Km away.

14:47 - ID complete. Boat is a Large Tugboat.
Torpedo in tube 3 set for impact, at 2 meters for
a keep depth of 2.5 meters.

14:49 - Torpedo on its way. Should impact within
3 minutes.

14:52 - Torpedo exploded before or after it reached
the ship. Out of torpedoes. Setting course back to
Kiel, submerged until night.

21:01 - radio message ; South Africa has declared
War on Germany.

--

September, 7th 1939

12:02 - radio message ; orders asks us to only operate
against merchant shipping. Navals ships are not to be
attacked. We are not to sink capital ships at this time,
as embarassing Great Britain might not let us negociate
them getting out of the war. BdU agrees that Uboat force
is not suited for such attacks.

14:11 - radio message ; SS Olivegrove calling for help.
Position 49.05N 15.58W

15:49 - We are 1400 Km to Kiel. Fuel should last enough
for 2700 Km. should reach Kiel within 68 hours at
current speed.

15:50 - radio message ; U-29 reports experiencing
premature explosions with T2 torpedoes set for
magnetic explosion. Our last T2 torpedo launch did
explode in such a way, while being set to explode with
impact pistol.

17:48 - radio message ; SS Gartavon calling for help
at position 47.04N 11.32W

--

September, 8th 1939

11:41 - radio message ; torpedo directorate advises
to set magnetic pistols set back two zones to reduce
sensitivity. Experts advise to use impact pistols on
ships below 3000 tons.

11:49 - radio message ; orders for U-Boats 37, 38,
39, 40, 41, 45, 46, 47, 48 and 52
Nothing for us.

12:01 - radio message ; orders for U-45, 48, 52, 40,
45, 47 and 48.

17:44 - U-26 is asked to report position. Might be
missing ?

18:45 - radio message ; SS Statendam reports having
rescued all hands from SS Winkleigh at position 48.06N
18.12W

--

September, 9th 1939

07:15 - radio message ; U-19 reports no fuel problems,
6 torpedoes left and position in grid BF 1311.

12:16 - radio message ; SS Regent Tiger asks for
help at position 49.57N 15.34W

12:22 - orders for U-32 ; ordered to proceed around
British Isles to BF 2219 and lay screen off Portsmouth.
U-31 goes to BF 1719 and U-35 through channel to BF 1467.

15:01 - radio message ; SS Breedi Ik reports having
rescued all hands from SS Kennebec at position 49.18N
08.13W

--

September, 10th 1939

13:16 - radio message ; order to all Uboats. Convoys north
of Brest may be attacked if escorted by French or French
and British forces.

16:05 - radio message ; U-26 reports 6 torpedoes left,
no fuel problems at position at grid BF 1724.

17:26 - radio message ; SS Magdapur calls for help
at position 52.11N 01.43E

17:55 - almost collided with Patrol Boat. They reversed
back in order to avoid hitting us at full speed.

19:22 - Reached Kiel. End of patrol 2.

Sent Kurt Forstner (Oberleutnant zur See) to learn
basic medic skills as we have no medic on ship.

Sunk two ships : Large Tugboat for 422 tons and
Coastal Freighter for 1872 tons. Total 2293 tons.