U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - Pre-War Patrol Preparation
 

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...


Monday, 21 July 1941 - Danzig -5th Training Flotilla (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE).

Testing of Navigational and Radio Equipment.

Right now, I am very toxic about my torpedo duds. In mid 1940, on a VIIB. Accidentally sunk a Norwegian ship thinking we were at war.

Yep, can be very frustrating ...

Was the Norwegian ship icon not in Green colour on the Nav map (F5)?

U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - Pre-War Patrol Preparation
 

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...


Tuesday, 22 July until Friday, 25 July 1941 - Danzig -5th Training Flotilla (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE).

Taking on of Provisions, Ammunitions and Torpedoes.

Ari and A/A ammunition:
- SK-C/32, 10.5cm: 150 x SpG; 30 x LkG
- 2 x M.G.-2cm-C/30: 8000 x PbG (1 x M.G.-2cm-C/30 instead of 1 x 3.7cm-SK-C/30).

Taking on of torpedoes:
- Tubes I-VI: G7e, K-b
- Bow above floor plates: 2 x G7e, K-b
- Bow under floor plates: 2x G7e, K-b & 2 x G7a, K-a
- Aft under floor plate: 2 x G7a, K-a
- Upper deck containers: 8 x G7a, K-a
Note: All torpedoes with fuse Pi-G7H (only AZ / Pi-1 without MZ).

U53 - Type VIIb - pre war shakedown patrol
 

August 1, 1939
Departed from Wilhelmshaven for a shakedown patrol.
Patrol area BF17.
Weather clear and sea conditions quite good.


August 5, 1939
U53 moved through the Channel and got to patrol area BF17.
Training target interception and attak positioning as well as crash dive drilling.


August 6, 1939
Patrol complete, no contacts. Moving back to Wilhelmshaven.


August 9, 1939
Back to home. Cruised through the Channel once again. Clear weather all the way through.

Working the crew hard to get them ready for what's to come in the days ahead.
But will anything be enough for what await us?
Will I be ready?
Time will tell.

U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - Pre-War Patrol Preparation
 

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...


Saturday, 26 July 1941 - Danzig -5th Training Flotilla (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE).

Final Repairs and Adjustments. Basin Trials.

U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - Completed Pre-War Patrol Preparation
 

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...


Sunday, 27 July 1941 - Danzig -5th Training Flotilla (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE).

Taking on of fresh food provisions and potable water.

Pre-War Patrol Preparations completed.

U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - Leaving Port
 

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...


Monday, 28 July 1941 - Danzig - N2/2, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb.

0800 - Casting off. Left for First War Patrol with U 113 and Thirteenth War Patrol overall.

Op.-Orders: Transfer cruise to the new homes base of the 2nd U.-Flotilla in Lorient. Supplementing of Fuel and Water in Kristiansand.

0815 - Taking on escort (M35 boat), 300m, 8kn.

0845 - Releasing escort. 2xH.F.

0955 - Lightship Hela.

1200 - Qu.9547AO - Days Run: 53.5sm (↗ 4h).
238cbm (2cbm in 4h). Weather unchanged since Danzig.

1401 - Norddeich Radio sending O.K.W.-Report about Kptlt. Jost Metzler (U 69) being awarded with the Knights Cross.

1500 - It's clouding-up, wind and sea increasing.

1615 - Qu.9455AO - NNE4/3, overcast, hazy, visibility 3-4sm, ~1000mb.

1836 - Norddeich Radio sending O.K.W.-Report about Operation "Barbarossa".

1954 - Sundown.

2000 - Qu.8466AO -

2400 - Qu.8455AO -

U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - On outbound transit
 

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...


Tuesday, 29 July 1941 - Baltic Sea

0408 - Sunrise.

0552 - Southern tip of Bornholm 4sm to our stbd. beam.

0720 - Qu.8358AO - South of Bornholm, German convoy on course 100°, 6kn.

1200 - Qu.7666AO - Days Run: 308.1sm (↗ 24h)
226cbm (12cbm in 24h). Weather unchanged from east since 28.7., 1615h.

1515 - Qu.7655AO -

1830 - Falsterbo (SVE) 7sm to our stbd. beam; Entering the Oere Sound.

1907 - Norddeich Radio sending O.K.W. report about successes at the Eastern Front.

2011 - Sundown.

2057 - Finnish Steamer to our port beam on opposite course, E=2000m, does not send radio message.

2145 - Island Ven/Bäckviken, 2000m to our port beam. Wind and Sea increasing.

2237 - SE6/5, overcast, light haze, visibility 3-4sm, ~1000mb - Helsingborg 3500m to our stbd. beam.

2337 - Entering the Kattegat.

U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - On outbound transit
 

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...


Wednesday, 30 July 1941 - Kattegat -

0000 - S7/6, overcast, light haze, visibility 3-4sm, ~1000mb -

0411 - Sunrise.

0423 - Another Finnish Steamer to our stbd. beam on opposite course, E=5000m, does not send radio message.

0450 - Island Anholt 10sm to our port beam.

0915 - Island Laesoe 3sm to our port beam.

1200 - Qu.4467AO - Days Run: 290.2sm (↗ 24h)
212cbm (14cbm in 24h). Weather unchanged from SW since 30.7., 0000h.

1313 - Skagen 8sm to our port beam.

1415 - WNW3/2, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb -
Entering the Skagerrak on course 275°.

1522 - Incoming F.T.: From U 109:
Only neutral traffic in Op.-Area on NW coast of Africa. - Bleichrodt -

1801 - Norddeich Radio reporting during the Japanese bombing raids (Operation 101) of Chungking, a US-Gunboat (USS Tutuila) was hit - no casualties.

1936 - Norddeich Radio sending O.K.W. report about success during Operation "Barbarossa" and no enemy air operations over Germany on this day.

2011 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
U-Bleichrodt being ordered to transit north with Days Run of 180sm. All other "Southern" boats are ordered to take up new positions in front of Gibraltar by 31 July.

2033 - Sundown - NNE3/2, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb -

Continuing outbound transit.

U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - Stopover in Kristiansand
 

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...


Thursday, 31 July 1941 - Skagerrak -

0145 - Diving for trial dive. Water depth 267m. 185rpm.

0202 - Boat is safe and secure at 2A-Meter. 135rpm.

0219 - T=20 (after 16min. from 2A-Meter). 100rpm, 2kn. Boat remains submerged.

0343 - O₂=20%.

0420 - Sunrise.

0430 - NNW5/4, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb -
Surfaced after 2h 45' and 7sm.

0433 - Boat ventilated.

0437 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
Will be at escort point K.-Sand 0445h. - RST -

0445 - Taking on escort (7sm from Kristiansand).
As we approach land, sea and wind are decreasing.

0520 - NW4/3, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb -
Releasing escort.

Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Escort will be escort point K.-Sand 0445h. Supplementing of fuel and water as planned.

0523 - Entering Kristiansand. Mooring boat.

0545 - Commencing supplementing of fuel and water. Also, charging batteries at 9500Ah.

0615 - Batteries charged (25min. for 500Ah). Fuel and Water supplemented. Fuel: 240cbm.

0630 - W4/3, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb -
Casting off. Leaving Kristiansand.

0700 - Releasing escort. 2xH.F. Continuing outbound transit along Norwegian coast.

1200 - Qu.3529AN - Days Run: 267.8sm - ↗ 260.8 (21h 15') - ↘ 7.0sm (2h 45').
237.4cbm (2.6cbm in 5h 30'). WNW4/3, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb.

1858 - Egersund 15sm to our stbd. beam.

2056 - Sundown. - W1/1, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb -

Continuing outbound transit.

Good to see you back at sea Kapitan, I do enjoy reading your reports:salute:

Thanks! Yes, good to be back! BdU called me back out of retirenment, after we lost three Uboat Aces in March.

And then we lost the Bismarck in May, and started Operation Barbarossa in June.

Have been testing and trialing my new boat and crew during this time, and ready to go out on patrol again.

It's been almost two years since the war began, let's hope, we'll be able to conclude it soon ....

U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - On outbound transit
 

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...


Friday, 1 August 1941 - West of Stavanger

0105 - Utsira 2sm to our stbd. beam.

0329 - Course 290°. Switching to "Norway"-Frequency.

0420 - Sunrise. Midnight Twilight.

0735 - Evaded German steamer on surface, bearing 35°, on course south, E=16000.

1140 - Qu.2355AN -

1200 - Qu.2355AN - Days Run: 330.7sm - (↗ 24h)
224.2cbm (13.2cbm/24h). Weather unchanged since 30.7., 2056h.

1202 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
La Spezia in the Mediterranean, has been opened for Uboat operations.

1600 - Qu.2236AN -

1801 - Norddeich Radio sending report the USA imposing an Oil and Kerosene embargo on non-British countries, which will heavily impact Japan.

2000 - Qu.7984AF -

2128 - Sundown. Midnight Twilight.
SSW4/3, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb.

Continuing outbound transit.

U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - Reaching Rosegarden
 

Saturday, 2 August 1941 - Northeast of Shetlands

0305 - Crossed Prime Meridian.

0428 - Sunrise. Midnight Twilight.
Wind and Sea increasing and shifting to West.

0745 - Reached crosspoint north of the Shetlands. New course 258°.

0800 - WNW7/6, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb.

1200 - Qu.7811AF - Days Run: 325.0sm - (↗ 24h)
210.1cbm (14.1cbm/24h). Weather unchanged since 0800h.

1401 - Incoming F.T.: From U 204:
Have contact to convoy SL-81. - Kell -

1501 - Norddeich Radio sending O.K.W. report about successes of the Kriegsmarine during the month of July 1941.

1802 - Norddeich Radio sending report about unsuccessful air raids of Konstanza, Romania, by the Soviet Air Force.

1950 - Reached Entry Point to Rosengarten.

2146 - Sundown. Midnight Twilight.
NW6/5, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 5-6sm, >1000mb.

2400 - Qu.7744AF - NE6/5, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 5-6sm, >1000mb.

Continuing outbound transit.