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U-65, IXB cont'd
2. Flottille, Lorient Orders: Patrol DH 53 December 12, 1940 Current position: BF 76 10:35 Test dive to 170m 10:52 Boat surfaces 10:53 Surface attack drill 11:00 Continue course 204, 8 kts 11:10 No reports from BdU. Discover radioman forgot to change settings to war frequencies. 11:11 Dived to regulate torpedoes. Underwater attack drills, emergency repair drill. 12:16 Surface. Continue course 204, 8 kts. Normal boat routine. Sun fix. Dec. 13 Current position: CG 22 12:44 Radio BdU positional and status of boat report. Course 210, 8 kts. 14.16 Crash dive, drill. 14:19 Periscope depth, depth keeping drills, maneuvering/navigational drills. 14.23 Surface. Resume new course 210, 8 kts. Dec 14 20:00 CG 43, Radio report of merchant steamer 36 km NE our position, course N, slow. U-65 17 kts, NE intercept course, hoping to sight ship in light fog. Sky partially overcast, bright moon. Dec 15 00:09 Submerge for hydrophone check 00:12 Sound contact, 343, merchant. 00:14 Surface, U-65 gives chase 17 kts 00:21 Ship spotted, 350, long range. U-65 closes in, speed reduced to 1/3. 00:25 Ship blacked out, single merchant, have every reason to assume enemy. Deck gunned manned. I am attacking. 00:31 Coastal freighter sinking, 1870 GRT. CG 43. Very large explosions onboard; ship obviously carrying volatiles. U-65 resumes base course and speed. Normal boat routine and drills scheduled. 08:45 CG 46. Weather has turned worse. Visibility practically nil. Overcast, thick fog, slashing wind. Set speed for 8 kts, U-65 only doing 6 kts in heavy running sea. 12:46 Have decided to dive and give crew well-earned rest for remainder of day. Light underwater drills scheduled. Dec 16 Current Position: CG 49 06:45 Surfaced to recharge batteries and replenish oxygen. U-65 tries to make headway in very heavy sea. Watch crew forced to use safety collars and chains. Position dangerous. We press on. |
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U109 IXB. Patrol 3. Part 5.
Comtinued from 20.nov.41
21.nov.41 BC52 Convoy was finaly relocated. After completing an end run, a surface attack was commenced from 45 degrees forward of the convoy, from starboard. One TI G7A was fired, long range, at a C2 Cargo, followed immediately by a dive to 99 meters. No impact was heard, nor was the end run detonation. Conclusions: The attack should have commenced from 30 degrees. The 45 degree approach left us too far from the target. 2 electric torpedoes remained unfired, as the range was too great. U109 continueing persuit. Save & Exit. |
die Elster (U-46) patrol 4, report 1
Ob.lt.z.s Walter Zantow
U-46, VIIB 7. Flottille, St. Nazaire 18.10.1940 1014 AL06 Clear, visibility 16 km, wind 1m/s. A 4700 BRT mittleres frachtdampfer, initial course 258, speed 7, sunk by gunfire. 37 88 mm shells used, as well as 87 20mm cartridges. 12 G7e's and 2 G7a's left. I am continuing towards the convoy Bleichrodt is shadowing. No other sightings to report. Zantow |
U-64 IXB Patrol No3
21 January 1940
00:01 hours U-64 left Wilhelmshaven for grid BE29 24 January 1940 Grid AN41 17:55 hours Ship seen 17:58 hours Positive ID: Medium merchant 06 18:10 hours Opened fire 18:14 hours Ship sunk after 33 105mm shells 25 January 1940 Grid AN14 00:10 hours Ship seen 00:16 hours Positive ID: Small freighter 00:23 hours Opened fire 00:26 hours Ship sunk after 30 105mm rounds 03 February 1940 Grid AM78 07:52 hours Ship seen 07:59 hours Positive ID: Large merchant - opened fire 08:04 hours Ship sunk after 36 105mm rounds 19 February 1940 Grid AN44 09:31 hours Ship seen 09:34 hours Positive ID: Elco torpedo boat - periscope depth 12:26 hours Grid AN18 sound contact merchant closing 13:01 hours Positive ID : Heavy merchant 01 13:21 hours 2 TI (bow) fired - range 790m - impacts 13:22 hours 1 TI (bow) fired - range 650m - impact - ship slowing down 13:28 hours Ship sunk - surfaced 21 February 1940 Grid AN13 17:07 hours Ship seen 17:13 hours Positive ID: Medium cargo 17:29 hours Opened fire 17:35 hours Ship sunk after 35 105mm rounds 23 February 1940 Grid AN14 14:59 hours Ship seen 15:02 hours Positive ID: Empire type freighter - periscope depth 15:18 hours 2 TI(bow) fired - range 4000m 15:21 hours Impacts 15:22 hours Surfaced 15:23 hours Opened fire 15:28 hours 1 TI(bow) fired - ceased fire after 43 105mm rounds 15:30 hours Impact 15:32 hours Ship sunk 26 February 1940 Grid AN48 02:34 hours Ship seen 02:39 hours Positive ID: Tramp steamer - periscope depth 02:53 hours 1 TI(stern) fired - impact - ship sunk - surfaced 27 February 1940 20:29 hours U-64 docked at port 38 days at sea 7 ships sunk 40936 tons No damages or casualties |
September 3rd, 1944, Bergen, 2100Z. 3rd Flotilla U-Boat 1004, a snorkel equipped Type VIIC departs on her first patrol with the objective to patrol the North Channel (Square AM-52). She is the last boat to depart on Phase 1 of BdU's Inshore Offensive.
Orders are to report when crossing the zero meridian, otherwise maintain radio silence. Target priorities are: Troop ships, merchants, major warships, escorts and lastly, naval auxiliaries. Internal torpedo loadout is 2-Falke acoustic homing, 3-FaT electric, 2-FaT air and 5-G7e electrics. Falke's are loaded in Tube IV and V. Air raid on Bergen commenced shortly after departure. 3 - 6 September transiting to patrol area on the surface. After being surprised in poor conditions a by searchlight equipped multi-engined bomber without getting a radar detection, remained submerged except during conditions of good visibility. Early on the morning of 7 September, radar detection's became essentially continuous and decided to proceed using snorkel. Dived shortly after noon and would not surface again until the morning of October 4th, for a total of more than 29-days submerged. 7 September 1944 1620Z AM-33 sank cargo ship 4707 GRT; 2 electrics with magnetic exploders set. (Later identified as SS Empire Citizen lost with all hands) 12 September 1944 Reached patrol area AM-52 averaging 100 km per day while transiting submerged at 30m and snorkeling 3-4 times per day to charge batteries and air out the boat. At 30 m it is just possible to use the heads and the BOLD tubes to dump the gash. 14 September 1944 0604Z AM-52 sank cargo ship 2429 GRT; 2 electrics with magnetic exploders set. (Later identified as SS Ciltvaria, 9-killed, 48 survivors) 14 September 1944 1842Z AM-52 attacked and sank a one-funnel destroyer, probably coming to aid the merchant sank that morning. 1 Falke from forward tube, one air FaT as coup de grace; missed, ship sank anyway. (Later identified as corvette HMCS Brandon 173 killed, 2 survivors) 18 September 1944 0045Z AM-52 attacked and sank cargo ship 7720 GRT; 3 FaT electrics (1 missed) with magnetic exploders. (Later identified as SS George Chaffey 17 killed, 42 saved). 22 September 1944 0600Z Commenced return for Bergen, 1 FaT air loaded forward and 1 Falke with electric reload aft. Considered that remaining torpedo loadout was inappropriate to continue operations in AM-52. Also weather had deteriorated to the point where it was battery charging was typically taking 90-minutes or more to complete. During the time on station, detected and attempted to close a number of contacts but was unable to prosecute due to low submerged speed and concerns about noise and battery usage. Much air activity and despite the utility of the snorkel-mounted radar detectors, a number of aircraft were spotted visually that were not detected electronically. This is cause for some concern and so started snorkeling mostly during periods of good visibility. 4 October 1944 0600Z Surfaced in AF-78 and proceeded to Base, arriving 1109Z 7 October 1944. No damage or casualties. Thanks to SH3 Commander for filling in the blanks. |
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@Randomizer
Great report and, Well done on the patrol! |
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@ Snestorm & Fish In The Water.
Thank you for your kind words. U-1004 is scheduled for another inshore patrol starting in November 1944. Historically, the patrol areas for the Third (November) wave of the Inshore Campaign were: Orkney's; (AN12,AN14, AN21, AN26) North Minch (Hebrides Straights); (AM36, AM38) North Channel (again) (AM52, AM53); English Channel; (BF23, BF24, BF25, BF26) Irish Sea. (AM64, AM65, AM67, AM68, AM91, AM92) Every time I have operated in off the Hebrides life has been short and ended violently and I have never sailed in the Ditch as portrayed in GWX. If I can get a consensus from the Member's here, I will take U-1004 where ordered and report the results. |
@randomizer
A very interesting read and your patrol very much in touch with BdU's and individual U-boats' war diaries, a very realistic touch :) I do hope to get a chance of patrolling with a snorkel -equipped boat myself eventually. I would try to follow BdU's orders and if I was killed I would probably start a new career from the month the last career ended - to finally see what the last months of the war are like in this game. Good luck on your patrols! |
die Elster (U-46) patrol 4, report 2
Ob.lt.z.s Walter Zantow
U-46, VIIB 7. Flottille, St. Nazaire 21.10.1940 1543 AM29 Clear, visibility 16 km, wind 1m/s. On 19.10.1940 1107 hours, grid AM23 a 300 BRT Kohlenschüte, initial course 278, speed 8, sunk by gunfire. 14 88 mm shells used, as well as 33 20mm cartridges. 12 G7e's and 2 G7a's left. Almost half of our fuel expended. Prien is shadowing another convoy we might have a chance to intercept. No other sightings to report. Zantow |
December 16, 1940 12th patrol cont'd
0700 U-65 makes 6 kts in heavy sea and headwind, weather brutal. Dec 19 1131 Weather finally clears. Light fog, cloudless, wind 15 m/s. Boat on 210 course, 8 kts. 1745 Work carried out on boat, exhaust valve repaired. Normal drills/routine scheduled. 2015 Dive. Underwater drills. No sound contact. Dec 20 0754 Surface. 8 kts base course 210. DH 37. 1242 Dive . Sound check: Nil. 1313 Surface, resume base course and speed. 1851 Boat reaches patrol grid: DH 53. Dec 24 1356 Morale is good. Men celebrate holiday on boat, give each other small presents. I got a new pair of clean socks and they're dry to boot! Dec 25 0809 DH 64 Large cargo ship sighted 11,000+ to NE. Appears neutral. Diving to avoid. Taking the opportunity for underwater attack drills, trim boat and maintenance. 1800 Surface. Resume course. Dec 28 0034 Ship sighted! Small merchant running w/out lights on N course, DH 35. I believe it to be British. Will attack. 0101 Maintaining parallel course to port of merchant, 6500m distance. Intend to get ahead of steamer and attack his port side with 2 G7a, AZ pistol, depth 3m. 0145. U-65 moves in to attack. Torpedoes fired! 0146 Steamer is hit with both torpedoes, radios "SSS" and current position. 0202 Merchant sinks DH 32, 2390 GRT. Men on board tried to launch life boats but they capsized in the huge waves. No survivors. U-65 withdraws. 1342 I cannot load externals; weather too rough. Current position: DH 32. Plotting NE zig-zag course in hope to find/locate more enemy shipping south of Spain. January 1, 1941. 0001 We celebrate the New Year, position CG 84. Zig-zag pattern toward the east. We really hope we can find some shipping and take the war to the Tommies in this brand new year. 2242 Ship lights sighted CG 85, W course. 2246 Have determined it's a neutral convoy comprised of two ships, no apparent escort. Have ordered U-65 on N course to evade detection. No sense letting these neutrals radio the British as to our position! |
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And a happy holiday to you and your gallant crew! :woot: |
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