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U-552, patrol 7, end report
Leutnant. z.s. Alfons Dietzmann
U-552, VIIC 11. Flotille, Bergen Orders: Patrol BE34 3.10.1943, Bergen Action report. On 23.8.1943 0328 hours, grid AF77 two twinengined airplanes sighted coming straight at us at a range of 3000 - 4000 meters. No time for a safe A+20 dive, so Flak guns were readied. They made their approach at a dive of 45 - 55 degrees, making accurate hitting hard. Bombs dropped very close to the stern of the boat killing Matrosengefreiters Ernst Gusdorf and Kurt Weidenhammer. The boat was very badly damaged and I ordered the boat to dive to A-50. The bodies of Gusdorf and Weidenhammer were unfortunately swept to the sea as there was no time to haul them in. The boat slowly sinked to A-20, out of control, water flooding in as damage reports were collected. Four departments flooding, electrical engines knocked out, one of the batteries knocked out, malfunctioning equipment everywhere. Main bilge pump damaged, but working. Prepared the boat for surfacing and scuttling. Blowing ballast tanks raised the boat to periscope depth. I decided to stop there and let the boat sink again since at that point it started to look possible to control the flooding. This time I let the boat sink to A-30 and then ordered the ballast to be blown. This time we surfaced, prepared for surrendering if there were any enemies in sight. To our great relief the aircraft had left. Took a northeasterly course, away from the air bases in Scotland and back to base. At first we were only able to make 6 knots and diving would have been impossible, because the electrical engines were out. By 0607 hours starboard diesel was repaired and we headed NE at 14 knots. By 0828 hours port electrical engine was repaired and by 0831 hours there was a Metox warning. At this point there were still small leaks, water flooding to central room, but I ordered periscope depth anyways. At this point our 20mm Flakvierling was still not repaired, so fighting would have been even crazier. The boat was now able to keep periscope depth. At 1047 hours we surfaced and to our great joy found out that the weather had changed. It was now raining and the visibility had dropped to 800 - 1000 meters. Changed course back to home, speed AK. By 1358 stern batteries were repaired and leaking on the boat was stopped. By 1709 starboard electric engine was repaired and the boat's pressure hull looked terrible, but everything was functioning again. Situation report. Returned to Bergen 25.8.1943 0208 hours. The mechanics at the port looked at our poor boat and said that they had never seen anything in that condition and still floating. In the port we heard that U-505 has been lost after sinking an escort carrier. The loss feels even heavier than all of the previous losses of our waffenbrüders, since we were so close to death ourselves and lost two of our own crewmen. If our boat had had just a little more damage or if the crewmen would have been three minutes slower in repairing the electrical engine, or if the weather hadn't turned too bad for flying, we would have joined U-505 in the depths. Other boats have had great runs, but their victories give little consolation. I talked with my officers and we decided to break BdU's Standing war order 481 from now on. When we see airplanes, no matter how close or far, we dive and hope the pressure of water takes some power off of the explosions. We can't stop an airplane diving at us from a high enough angle. Even if we shoot it down, it has enough time to drop it's payload, and the plane might even hit our boat if we kill the pilot or the plane loses it's maneuverability. I managed to convince FdU Norwegen to accept my decision to give EK2 to everyone on the crew for their immense effort in repairing the boat. In spite of this some of the crewmen look extremely shaken and reluctant to go to sea again. Dietzmann |
After a several week layoff, U-46 and Kaptain Schlag are back patrolling the Atlantic.
Patrol 10 Ordered to patrol grid DH77 Mid Feb. 1940- On station in and around DH77 Bdu sends contact report for large convoy several grids to the west. Ahead flank ordered and intercept made. As this was the first convoy contact U-46 was able to engage in this war. excitment was high. Seas were mildly rough, but skies were overcast and foggy and manual visual contact was made with convoy while submerged. Bow torpedo tubes were expended. It was then realized that no warship contacts were heard. Surface the boat, man the deck gun, we have an unescorted LARGE CONVOY!!! All torpedoes and deck gun shells were then expended. 50 000 tonnes of enemy shipping, primarily British were sunk. Return to Wilhelmshaven :arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::a rrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arr gh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh !::arrgh!: |
U-552, patrol 8, report 1
Leutnant. z.s. Alfons Dietzmann
U-552, VIIC 11. Flotille, Bergen Orders: Patrol AN43 http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/6...enairraid1.png Left Bergen 3.10.1943 1905 hours during an air raid. The port is well defended with heavy Flak and spotlights. http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/1...enairraid3.png Spotted at least five 4-engined bombers, probably Wellingtons. One was hit in the engine. http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/3...enairraid2.png Our escort opened fire and was slightly damaged. Otherwise the attack seemed to cause very little damage. Patrol results. At 2351 hours, 4.10.1943 a Metox warning. By 0021 5.10.1943 an A/S group of five destroyers seen on the periscope. Course estimated at 202 degrees (quite sure), speed 16 knots (unsure). At 0045 hours two FAT I and one Zaunkönig torpedo shot at a destroyer, which sank by 0053 hours. Because the Zaunkönig was shot from a bow tube we had to dive deep and don't know what torpedo hit the destroyer. Afterwards we were hunted by four A/S destroyers, which were very hard to lose. Intense pinging three times and some less intense pinging frequently. I had to launch seven BOLD's and it took an hour before they lost track of us. One destroyer seemed to stop and listen, while the others dropped DC's. I'm not sure how I managed to shake them from me, but I tried to figure out who was listening and avoid it, while at the same time trying to make sure I was aware if the attacking destroyer was sailing over me. Changing depth and course seemed to help and keeping RPM's at 70, but these destroyers were absolutely much better than anything we've yet countered. Slight damage to the pressure hull while scraping the sea bottom, at about 130 meters. Nine torpedoes left and continuing our patrol. |
U39 IX(A). Patrol 11. Conclusion.
19.mar.42 (Times given ZT - Zone Time).
CA62 (Heavy Fog. Wind 8 M/S.) Immediately following our last report (here). 0421: Ahead Standard. New depth 48 meters. 0422: (Passing 10 m). "Sound contact! Warship! 153! Medium speed & range! Closing!" 0423: New depth 98 meters. Silent speed. 0426: "Warship lost on 161!" 0427: (Passing 50 m). Depth charges. No damage, as charges fell astern. 0429: (Passing 60 m). Active ASDIC pinging heard. 0432: (Passing 70 m). Depth charges. No damage. "Warship lost on 159." 0437: Distant depth charges heard. "Warship lost on 199." 0525: All contact with enemy warship lost. 6.apr.42 AL44 2123: "Ship spotted! 335! Long range!" 2124: New depth 100 meters. Ahead full. (No torpedoes). 2126: "Contact! Warship! Constant distance! Medium Speed! 2209: All contact with warship lost. U39 remained undetected. 13.apr.42 (Medium fog. Wind 15 M/S.) AE97 (180 miles W of Færøerne.) 1606: "Ship spotted. 346. Long range." Dive. 1608: Ship IDed as merchant, who will also pass N of Færøerne. No action taken. 18.apr.42 AN23 0800: Passing Bergen. No sign of U552. 23.apr.42 AO77 1910: Docked at Kiel. U39 boarded by Commander Training Flotilla. Patrol results: Crew & Hull Integrity 100%. 12 of 12 torpedoes expended. (9 TII G7E, 3 TI G7A). 3 ships sunk for 22.293 GRT. U39's history to date: 11 war patrols completed between 1.sep.39 and 23.apr.42. 27 merchants sunk for 155.883 GRT. Retired from frontline status, to schoolboat 23.apr.42. End U39 IX(A) boat career. Begin U171 IXC boat career. U171 is scheduled to depart Kiel for fronline service, with the 2.Flotilla, on or about 17.jun.42. (Having internal stern tubes is going to be a nice step up.) |
11th patrol
U-46 Kaptain Schlag ----------------- Patrol Grid AN 68-- Ignored due to idiocy of Krigsmarine Commanders :har: Instead patrolled west of Scapa Flow down to the northern edge of the Irish Sea. Southwest of Loch Ewe, contact was made with a task force consisting of the HMS Hood and three destroyers. Could not get a firing angle on the HMS Hood so it was left to a later fate. U-46 then engaged a Convoy in the shallow depths north of the Irish Sea where one Granville-Type Freighter was sunk. Two Black Swan's then pursued U-46. Numerous depth Charge attacks resulted in moderate flooding and destruction of the coning tower, periscope, and flak gun. Black Swan escorts were dispatched via stern torpedoes as they circled behind at 90 degree angles to stern tubes. This seems an effective tactic in taking out escorts. Upon further thought, Kaptain Schlag thought a better approch would have been to engage the leading Swan escort before merchants, hopefully to eliminate one of the escorts. Then the other swan may have been dispatched at a later time. If this was accomplished, U-46 may have had a narrow window with which to surface and engage convoy freely. Kaptain Schlag then set sail for home sinking one small merchant on the way home and dodged several destroyers on patrol. Results: 2 Black Swan 1 Small Merchant 1 Granville-Typer Freighter total tonnage ~ 10.000 tonnes :arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::a rrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arr gh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh !::arrgh!: |
New career U-105 IXB
New career begins
01 December 1939 U-105 IXB sailed from Wilhelmshaven for her shakedown cruise. Test dives , crash dives and other procedures tested Crew qualificartions were given. In the afternoon , U-105 docked in port. Some rest for the crew as the first war patrol will start tommorow , 2 December 1939. |
U-105 IXB Patrol 2
Patrol No2
Willi Framm and his crew were ready to sail off. 02 December 1939 16:12 hours U-105 left the friendly waters of Wilhelmshaven to engage the enemy for the first time. Orders are to patrol gord AM77 10 December 1939 Grid AM57 17:24 hours The first kill of the war : Medium merchant 01 sunk by 30 105mm rounds 16 December 1939 Grid AM52 13:19 hours. A RN fleet auxiliary vessel spotted. She was a repair ship , heavily armed. U-105 was armed with 22 TIs torpedoes all set at impact fuses. Kaleun Framm never trusted nor he ever will trust the magnetic exploders despite all BdU orders. Staying submerged 2 bow TIs fired hit the ship. She sunk after 5 minutes. All the training had results. 20 December 1939 Grid AM52 18:00 hours A small merchant was spotted in bad weather. U-105 dived to PD and set up a stern shot attack. The fisrt TI was a dud but the second split the target in half. 21 December 1939 Grid AM52 13:55 hours. A big enemy freighter spotted. Submerged to attack by the book. 2 bow TIs did the job perfectly. The large merchant was left burning DIW. 2 stern torpedoes finished her off. 14m/s winds made the use of the deck gun impossible. 22 December 1939 Grid AM52 19:00 hours. An other succeful attack by 2 TIs sunk an enemy ore carrier 25 December 1939 Grid AM52 22:48 hours An enemy coastal freighter was attacked by 2 stern TIs. The explosion that followed didn't match the size or the type of the ship. She turned out to be an infamous Q-ship. 26 December 1939 Grid AM52 07:31 hours The very fisrt convoy attack. Of 4 bow and 2 stern torpedeos fired we had 4 impacts and a large merchant was sunk. We were pinged by the enemy and DCs were dropped. U-105 dived to 150m and escaped unharmed. The men were a little afraid during the attacks but this is normal. 28 December 1939 Grid AM52 16:33 hours Enemy medium merchant 06 unescorted sunk by 2 bow TIs 29 December 1939 Grid AM35 13:19 hours U-105 came across a rare sight. 2 RN destroyers steaming in a steady course at 10kts. 1 bow TI was fired at each DD. Both took evasive actions when the eels were seen but they didn;t evade them. A V&W and a A&B class DDs sunk 02 January 1940 U-105 docked at home port. 32 days at sea 10 ships sunk 52665 tons no damages or casualties |
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U-552, patrol 8, report 2
Leutnant. z.s. Alfons Dietzmann
U-552, VIIC 11. Flotille, Bergen Orders: Patrol AN43 Statusbericht 11.10.1943 0800 AF77 clear, 15 - 16 km visibility, wind 7 m/s. Four torpedoes left. Finished patrolling AN43 and continuing free hunt towards the Faroes. Patrol results. 9.10.1943 At 2123 hours, grid AF78 two freighters seen at a range of 16 kilometers. Course estimated from sighting bearings as 75 degrees, speed 7 knots. On 10.10.1943 0024 hours one FAT I, one TIII and one Zaunkönig launched. The first ones hit a 10000 BRT freighter, stopping it eventually dead in water. A depth setting of 10 meters was used. The Zaunkönig hit a 1800 freighter at an approximate AOB of 130 degrees at impact time. A depth setting of 4 meters was used. The torpedo was heard hitting it's target, but not detonating. The 10000 BRT freighter was finished with a Zaunkönig, setting MZ, depth 4 meters, bearing 180, schusswinkel 0, range 2000 meters, speed of target 0, AOB 90 degrees port. After a run of 2 minutes 20 seconds impact and detonation. The ship sunk by 0157 hours. 10.10.1943 At 0333 hours, grid AF78 a frigate was seen at a range of 14 kilometers. In order to experiment with the new acoustic torpedoes I decided to attack. An approach was made surfaced until the frigate, misidentified as a Black Swan, noticed us and turned towards us at a fast speed. We submerged and turned for an aft torpedo shot. At 0353 hours a Falke was launched. Schusswinkel 0, bearing 180, range estimation 2800 meters, speed estimation 16 knots, depth setting 4 meters. The range and speed were very rudimentary guesses. However at 0355 hours an explosion was heard followed by secondary explosions and immediately the sounds of a sinking ship. Kriegsmarine Radio intelligence service later informed us that the ship was not really a Black Swan, but a Captain II class. Radar warnings. 8.10.1943 1214 AF76 9.10.1943 0622 AF75 1016 AF75 10.10.1943 1212 AF78 11.10.1943 0556 AF77 Observations. The acoustic torpedoes seem to work perfectly against fast targets and can be used as regular torpedoes against targets slower than the acoustic setting demands. However, if shot as a regular torpedo, the AOB needs to be good, or a dud might follow. U-105 and U-46 report successes against destroyers as well. Dietzmann |
@Fish In The Water
I loaded SH3 Commander and it popped up with a message saying Kaptain Schlag had been executed for treason. Death groans were later heard over my speakers.:wah: |
U171 IXC. Patrol 0.
18.jun.42
AO77 2120: Underway from Kiel. 24.jun.42 AN24 0510: Docked at Bergen for a brief topping off of fuel reserves, prior to commencing our first war patrol. U171 will remain until 25.jun, due to a backup at the fuel reserves. On enquiring about U552, we were informed that Kaleun Unger (I'm still in '42) was last heard from on 21.jun, when he sunk a ship in AE86. |
U171 IXC. Patrol 1.
25.jun.42
AN24 (85 miles N of Færøerne). 0020: Underway from Bergen, enroute to DA86 (Gulf Of Mexico, S of Galveston). 0840: Exiting Fjords, via northern route (2 X longer than the southern ferry route). 29.jun.42 AE93 2243: "Aircraft spotted! 284! Medium range!" A L A R M ! Crash dive. Weather is Overcast, Light Fog, Wind 15 M/S. Torpedo Tube damaged. Aft Torpedo damaged, and flooding! Empty Decoy Launcher damaged. Flak Gun Damaged. Hull damaged! 2250: CE advises not to pass 70 meters. 2300: Set course for Lorient. 30.jun.42 0120: Surface and conduct repairs. Ahead Standard (10 - 11 knots) 1.jul.42 AE97 1048: "Aircraft spotted! 068! Medium range!" "We're under attack, sir!" Ahead Flank! Full Right Rudder! Following his strafing run U171 crash dived, without further damage or injury. 1049: "Sound contact! Medium speed merchant. Moving away. Long range." 1120: "Sound contact lost." 1300: Surface. Ahead Standard. 9.jul.42 BF61 0325: Docked at Lorient. Patrol results: 0 of 14 torpedoes expended. No ships sunk. Crew Integrity 100%. Hull Integrity 59%. |
Lt z.s. Hans Kramer
U32 Type VIIb Personal diary. A rather ignominious start to our war, unfortunately. We sailed from Wilhelmshaven during the early morning of 21 August 1939 with orders to patrol the Atlantic entry to the English Channel. All was well and various drills were carried out to a high standard. Radio communications kept us informed of the situation and I'm pleased to report that on the outbreak of hostilities with Britain, we were ideally placed to announce U32's entry into the war. Our success, however was blemished when a malfunction sent us on an uncontrolled decent to over 100 metres, where we collided with the sea floor. Moderate internal damage was sustained and subsequently repaired in good time and we were able to make for the surface. Not knowing the state of the pressure hull it was decided to immediately return to port. I regret that we docked with 8 serviceable torpedoes remaining. The boat is now due for service and should be seaworthy again within a month or two. Patrol ends with 9012GRT in the form of 2 Trawlers, 1 medium cargo vessel and a freighter. * I managed to dive into the sea floor at x128 TC... doh! |
U-552, patrol 8, end report
Leutnant. z.s. Alfons Dietzmann
U-552, VIIC 11. Flotille, Bergen Orders: Patrol AN43 Statusbericht 23.10.1943 Back in Bergen, having seen no ships at all since our last report. In the officer's mess I hear that U-171 and U-37 have had no chance of launching their torpedoes during their last patrol. U-171 was badly damaged in an air attack, while U-37 had a diving accident with slight damages. We came back with four unused torpedoes. I was awarded the Ritterkreuz for having sunk 100 000 BRT of enemy shipping during my eight patrols. Times have really changed. In the happy times a type IX could have come back from just one patrol with that kind of tonnage. Now most of the experienced commanders are either at desk jobs or dead and new commanders have a tough time to collect the experience they need. Enemy report. We sailed around the Faroe islands and saw no ships. Air activity was very heavy. We got Metox warnings in grids AF77 (one warning), AE99 (six), AE98 (one), AE94 (one, and got bombed once just after surfacing, but got away with no damage), AE91 (one), AE64 (three), AE62 (one) and AE38 (one). Only one of the warnings came during night time, but evenings and mornings can be dangerous. http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8...enginedive.png Apparently the enemy is now flying single-engine airplanes from a base at the Faroes. It looks like there is a more quiet route to the North Atlantic in the northernmost AE grids. The route is not totally free of air patrols, so caution is needed in there as well. Dietzmann |
My current career with U-105 just crashed.
I decided to raise vonHarris from the dead. I will start a new career in May 1943 with a IXC. |
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However those acoustic torpedoes of late 1943 are a welcome change to the diffculties of hitting zigzagging fast speed escorts.:Kaleun_Periskop: |
The story
28 April 1943
Grid CF98 13:00 hours U-150 was returning to her base when the IWO spotted the bodies on the water. U-150 stopped to investigate. They found Kpltnt vonHarris and two men his crew from U-505 which had been lost earlier this day. How did they ever make to the surface was unknown. The crew of U-150 fished them out of the water. They were unconsious but alive. 30 April 1943 U-150 docked at Lorient and noone could believe their eyes: vonHarris was coming out of the Uboot. A month later , June 1943 vonHarris was in command of U-507 IXC Uboot and ready to go out to sea despite all pieces of advice givem to him. The other two men followed him as well. More to come ....... |
Note: Tonnage Numbers for this career will be unrealistic as map contacts are enabled and use of weapons officer assistance in setting torpedo solutions is used.
----------------- Kaptain Schlag U-46 Type VIIB from Wilhelmshaven Left Port June 6th, 1940 Ordered To Patrol Grid DH71 U-46 left port and proceeded south through the english channel with relative ease with the invasion of France taking place. It would be a great idea for bdu to establish bases along the French west coast. U-46 reached its patrol grid with no incident. In fact no contacts were made with any vessels for several days in and around grid DH71. To ensure U-46 had enough fuel to patrol effectively, it sailed to the supply ship Corrientes in the Canary Islands. Ten days later, U-46 left for the Strait of Gibraltar where some 30.000 tonnes of enemy merchant shipping were sunk. Most were individual merchants however a three ship convoy consisting of two large merchants and one medium cargo was sunk by three torpedoes and around 80 88mm rounds. The U-46 then sailed to supply ship thalia where it resupplied. Kaptain Schlag then informed his crew of his plans to raid Gibraltar. U-46 entered along the western edge of the harbor 1 elco tp was spotted and a slow moving merchant contact later id'd as a tugboat was heard at the time. U-46 safely entered and although no visual contact was made, a Nelson Class Battleship was manually spotted i the harbor. Without aid of a map contact, Kaptain Schlag maneuvered his boat into a straight bow shot on hte Nelson. Four torps were fired of which two hit. This set off the port alarms and an armed trawler came in pursuit. Kaptain Schlag lured the Trawler into a trap by running silent towards shore and once close purposely increasing speed to flank. The trawler pursued and U-46 then turned north along the shore at 2 knts while the trawler ran aground a few meters behind. Kap'n Schlag then lined up two more torps for the coup de grace on the Nelson. Patrolling to the east of the harbor, two Southampton class cruisers and several destroyers were docked. One cruiser was sunk by 2 torps. On the way out one stern torp was put into a medium cargo but no sinking was observed. U-46 then sailed out of Gibraltar semi-casually as no warship contacts were unaccounted for and therefor no depth charge bearing vessels were present. The U-46 then sailed for the Thalia. Ten days later, U-46 set course for Wilhelmshaven. Bdu reported a task force leaving the strait of gibraltar for the Atlantic, but U-46 was unable to intercept as it was too far to the north. Contact was made with a large convoy which U-46 engaged in passing. Two torps sank one Granville-type freighter for ~5000 tonnes and one torp hit/missed an ore carrier leading to no sinking. U-46 was not discovered nor pinged !?!?! and despite safe precautionary descent to 93 meters, U-46 later ascended to p-depth and sent an astray torp at what was believed to be the previously hit ore carrier. It was noticed some escorts/merchants were severely on fire when we arrived. Glad to see someone else is fighting in this war too. No further contacts were made during the return trip and U-46 docked in mid-august 1940. Rough estimate for total tonnage sunk ~80-100.000 tonnes. Total tonnage this war ~218.000 tonnes. Kaptain Schlag ---------------------- PS: To other U-boat commanders, I am having trouble sending contact reports. I have tried sending them on surface while spotting an enemy vessel, however in the radio log no record appears of a message being sent. Any help would be appreciated greatly!:help: |
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BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/ima...ies/pirate.gif
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