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 %