Patrol 4 (31OCT39 - 12NOV39)

= Patrol 4 =

October, 11th 1939

Of my four officers, two have reached the rank and experience required to gain command of their own subs : I am thus dismissing Kurt Forschner (Oberleutnant zur See) and Johann Kuhn (Leutnant zur See) and hope them success.

--

October, 31th 1939

Twenty days. It only took fourteen to prepare our little
type IIA submarine for its next patrol but we had to wait
for our new watchman officer to come to us. Franz Bohm
also successfully passed required exams for his mechanic
specialization.

01:38 - We depart for our third patrol. Sky is cloudy,
but no rain and again we depart at night to avoid any
risk of aerial attack.

05:53 - U-25 reports one merchant sunk for 6000 tons,
and 4 torpedoes malfunctions with use of contact pistols,
grid BF 7832.

10:06 - Reached exit of Kaiser-Wilhelm Kanal. Setting
course for ordered patrol area : AN47. Range to area
is 1090 Km, for about 58 hours. Should put us in a
high-trafic area.

18:01 - U-25 reports convoy north of Finisterre in grid
CG 22.

19:92 - U-25 reports 4 failures in stopped ships,
and they got shot at short range. Grid CG 22.

19:42 - BdU orders due to losses to mines to use the
French-England Kanal as shortcut. We are now ordered
to use the North Sea in order to reach the Atlantic.

--

November, 2th 1939

20:10 - Reached AN47 patrol zone. Starting patrol at
1/3 ahead speed. Partial clouds, no precipitation, and
good visibility. The hunt starts.

--

November, 3th 1939

21:18 - Finished patrolling designated area. Not a
single ship nor any contact. Moving south near coast
to look for coastal ships or better.

--

November, 4th 1939

00:47 - U-25 reports broken crosspiece of forward
torpedo hatch, might not be able to dive anymore.
Located in grid CG 22, going back to port.

13:08 - Aircraft spotted while patrolling east of
Dundee and Rosyth. Dived to 70 meters, heard two
depth charges being dropped by plane or planes.
Staying submerged until night.

21:02 - Lehmann Radio News reports that the USA
have passed a neutrality act. I'm eating the last
banana on the ship. On each patrol. the last banana
is kept religiously for me by the crew and I have to
get upper deck whatever the water conditions to eat
the last banana, which is expected by the crew. Of course,
I am all alone on the deck even under heavy rain and
winds when the banana time comes. Traditions, traditions.

21:34 - Ship spotted south. Moving to attack position.

21:39 - SHip is going all lights off near the coast.
Launching attack. Since I am still on my banana time,
I am letting our new officer make the attack and handle
it.

21:48 - Stopping engines. Ship at 4 Km.
Sending torpedoes 2 and 3 (type I) set for 7 meters deep,
keel at 7.3 meters.

21:52 - Both torpedoes did miss. Attacking with tube 1
and type II torpedo.

21:56 - Torpedo sent. One meter higher than the two
previous ones.

22:01 - Third torpedo did miss. Leaving the ship go.
That one has too much luck.

23:50 - Ship contact report. Going NW at medium speed.

23:56 - Diving and setting full ahead course for
intercept. Tubes 2 and 3 reloaded. Hydrophone contact.

--

November, 5th 1939

00:17 - Periscope check. 3/4 Moon with good visibility,
it's not fully dark and should allow identification of
ship. Sea is rather calm. should do good. Cook is
preparing coffee for the command room, the smell is
good. Makes us forget our bilge rat stench.

00:31 - Great. The ship is a Schooner, a 17-ton little
cruise ship... Giving up on attack.

01:38 - Combat ship spotted. Preparing attack.

02:06 - contact lost. Nothing on periscope. Surfacing.

--

November, 7th 1939

09:22 - Aircraft attacking us. Ordering Flak to fire
back. Done two passages, we did not hit even once.

09:25 - Plane gave up on attacking us. Sending patrol
report and diving until next day.

09:58 - radio message ; Received orders to continue
with patrol into suspected areas of enemy concentration.

--

November, 8th 1939

05:19 - Spotted ship going north, under 5 Km of our
position. Quite dark, but ship is going fast with all
lights off. Attacking. Sending last two torpedoes
to target. Since lack of light doesn't allow for
identification, we set depth of torpedoes to 2 meters
and impact.

5:23 - Torpedo 2 did impact the ship. She's going down.
Surfacing and closing to check for survivors.
Torpedo 1 still on its way, slower.

5:25 - Found survivors. Ship identified as SS Northon,
Cargo, 2245 tons. Was empty and coming back from
cargo delivery. Crew of 33, none missing. Reported by
radio their position.

05:27 - Out of torpedoes. Sending patrol report and
heading back to Kiel. About 2000 Km to go, around
145 hours at current standard ahead speed.

10:04 - Aircraft spotted. Depth under keel over
100 m, ordering crash dive.

21:02 - Radio reports an assassination attempt on
Hitler has failed.

--

November, 10th 1939

12:34 - Received orders from BdU to revert to magnetic
pistols when firing torpedoes.

--

November, 12th 1939

12:54 - Reached Kiel. End of fourth patrol.