U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Aug 25th 1944 - Trondheim - after Patrol 28

We arrived in Trondheim yesterday afternoon. Another patrol in which we had our heads banged by the numerous and aggressive escorts. We ended up with scopes, sonars, radar and batteries destroyed or damaged, but got away with it.

While our mission was to concentrate on the escorts we lost focus when we discovered that there was a large passenger liner in the center of the convoy. We had to get that one! With that we lost much of the advantage on the escorts as we had to proceed with some speed inside the convoy to reach the liner. This attracted a number of escorts from all directions. In the following melee' I made a couple of mistakes. A TI was fired instead of a Falke IV as intended. A TI aft shot was misjudged, and missed, so we lost some of our headstart. Anyway, after having secured 3 hits on the liner with conventional torps we went down for reloading. At that time we had at least sunk one and paralyzed two other escorts.

We proceeded slowly on opposite course of the convoy. However, when it had passed us over we were discovered again. We went to periscope depth and were able to hit a couple of more before we had to go down again. They were too many. Anyway, we ended up with scopes, batteries, radar and sonar destroyed or damaged and went deep. With a combination of speed, course and depth changes we were off the hook after a couple of hours. The Bolds worked beautifully! At one stage we had considerable leaks but our excellent repair crew saved us for another day.

On the surface again I set course north-west at maximum speed. We had earlier received a message that all French bases were being abandoned so it was back to Trondheim.

Alas, we had surfaced too soon! Suddenly there was artillery fire coming from aft, a destroyer! Now comes the beauty of the homing torpedo: We had one left in a forward tube and without any optics to assist in a firing solution I set up a manual aim for it to cross our wake a few hundred meters aft of us. There it ought to catch on to the destroyer that was fast overhauling us. It did!

After that we made a wide detour North of the Shetlands for Trondheim. Fortunately, nothing was encountered on this route but, we came back with almost half our conventional torp load.

Even if we were badly battered on this patrol I believe the concept is valid. If there had been more U-boats we would have let the others concentrate on the big fish in the convoy. As I see it, the ideal number of escort hunters for each convoy would be 3. One up front to draw off and destroy the forward screen and one on each side to pick off the other escorts as they are speeding forward to join the action.

Further down the convoy track could be placed any number of conventionally-armed boats to take care of the now more or less escort-less merchants.

The new torpedoes are working quite well, even if some items need to be considered. The target speed need to be within 12-20 knots. First, it needs a signal (noise) to hook on to the target, a certain speed, that is. Secondly, the target cannot move too fast as the torpdo shall not be able to catch up with it. This speed range is actually quite feasible. An escort shall usually move faster than 12 knots as it zig-zags around the convoy. It also needs to consider the threat from conventional torpedoes. When hunting it cannot move as fast as 20 knots as its passive sonar shall be screened by engine and outside noise and its maneuverability decreases.

The enemy is said to have developed a counter-measure against homing torpedoes - The Foxer. This in itself is an advantage for us as it gives off noise which screens ours and puts a limit on the escort's speed. It is also quite cumbersome to handle as it is towed behind the vessel like a mine-clearing device. A factor to be considered is the possibility of "friendly fire", that the torp can home back on the U-boat. This is possible but can be minimized by correct tactics. First of all, my experience is that the torp should be fired as early as possible, mainly to have it done so that the attention can be switched to eventual other targets. It is less effective within a convoy as it can hook up to a merchant instead of an escort.

Finally, it is not a sure killer and shall normally not sink a merchant. But it shall almost always paralyze an escort and therefore hinder it in its mission - to protect the convoy. On this latest patrol there were 3-5 escorts which were seemingly not sunk, but left still in the water. The homers often damage their propulsion and steering systems.

Fred

Below:

Captain's report.

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Nov. 161924 1944 - AN27 - Patrol 29

We left Trondheim on afternoon Nov. 12th for grid BE33 - Bristol Channel Approaches - but are now halfway across the North Sea on our way back to Trondheim.

We were taken off the escort hunter project but were able to scrounge together 4 extra homers in addition to the 1 already assigned for our 29th patrol.

We are a little p***** because of all the trouble we have had with enemies as well as local bureaucratics lately. We were blamed for returning a boat with only approx. 35% hull integrity two times in a row and not enough to show for it. We do have some ideas, though.

Anyway, almost across the North Sea on our way to BE33 we picked up radar signals from a group of warships. We were ready to pick a fight to give a little back for what we have received on the last two patrols, so we headed for them. However, they turned westwards and we were not able to catch up with them.

That was as well as east of the Orkneys we picked up another group of signals. Approaching them we could also register sonar signals from merchants - a convoy. As there were no more than four or five signal emitters we decided to give it a try - to prove our theories.

The convoy was heading south and we managed to get across its front to its starboard side. There we positioned us in front of its starboard screen and made us known. It was 5 of them and when it was all over we still had 1 homer left - and plenty of conventional ones for the merchants.

In a following fight we were pressed down by aircrafts 4 times. The second time we decided to stay surfaced as we were loading down spare torps and have very good AA equipment and crews. Unfortunately the deck gun crew was also on deck, having just started to fire on the nearest vessel in the convoy. Well, the three of them were killed by machine gun fire from the Catalina. OTH, we shot it down. After that sorry event, we dived when other aircraft showed up. In the end all but small merchants had been sunk by torpedo or gunfire. In the end there was no deck gun ammo left. It was not a large convoy but good enough.

We rounded it all up by returning to a Victory freighter. We had given it several torps earlier but it looked quite healthy in spite of being stopped. Suddenly it started off again at 5 knots. We used the last torp, a Zaunkønig, and it worked beautifully even at the ship's slow speed.

Stabsoberbootsman Vogel and matrosenhauptgefreiter Ebeling have been buried at sea. Stabsoberbootsman Wittenberg fell overboard after being hit by the Catalina and was lost.

Fred

Below:

1. Catalina on its way to the bottom of the sea
2. Other aircraft hunting us - Sunderland
3. Captain's log Patrol 29

Congratulations!

Fred

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Feb. 041253 1945 - AN14 - Patrol 30

Left Trondheim in the morning of Jan. 26th. Of all things we were assigned grid DH89 - that is just South of the Canaries - as our patrol area. How stupid is that, to use time and fuel on such distant areas when everything is going down the drain up here in Europe.

Anyway, it keeps us out of the hottest areas and I set up a course north of the Shetlands to proceed out in the Atlantic from there. Nice weather around the Canaries this time of the year. Went langsam fahrt to save fuel for the long distance. Who knows what has happened in the world when we are finished down there.

However, north-west of Ireland our engines started to act up. After a dive to avoid an enemy warship giving off a radar signal we were only able to achieve max. 11 knots on the diesels after we surfaced. Funny enough, we still get 12 knots on the schnorkel when submerged.

I decided to turn back to Trondheim, nothing doing to continue on such a long stretch with dubious engines. I reckoned we might rather find some targets on the way back. For that purpose I set a course between the Shetlands and Orkneys. That is usually a rich hunting area, having a little patience.

Almost there we picked up radar signals from warships in the south-east. At the same time, after having submerged, we got a merchant on the sonar from north-west. I decided to try to pick off the destroyers first. We proceeded northwards on full engine-power with the schnorkel up. That made them react! Problem was I let the schnorkel stay up a little too long so they got us well targeted with their guns resulting in damage to the periscopes. That made it a little complicated in the following round-about. Anyway, a mix of homers and conventional torps finally put them down. But not before we had a bad scare. The sonar operator suddenly warned that it seemed one of our homers had missed its target and came back on us!. So it did! I immediately ordered crash dive and not much later we could hear it whizzz over the aft deck...I ordered engines stop. Well, a lesson learned. The fun thing is that it turned back on its original target again, the second destroyer, and sank it. The merchant got away. We have now downloaded spare torps and are ready for new adventures. Laying low now.

Fred

Below:

1. Passing the inner guard vessel at Trondheim
2. Leaving Norway behind
3. Destroyer just having got it
4. There it goes

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Feb. 061031 1945 - AN14 - Patrol 30

Heading east into the North Sea now - returning to Trondheim. A somewhat frustrating patrol this. After the initial trouble with the engines one is now totally out. This night we either hit a mine or were bombed without warning when submerged. How that could have happened I do not know, we were lying still and only had the observer periscope above the surface - the night was totally black. There was extensive damage all through the boat and when everything was fixed the port engine was still destroyed. We now have only one, reduced-power, engine. Full power yields only 9 knots in the heavy seas.

Bootsman Volkmar Kettner was killed by concussion.

Fred

Below:

1. Night action
2. Only 9 knots in heavy seas
3. Status Report

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Mar. 310559 1945 - SE AL29 - Patrol 31

We left Trondheim on morning March 22nd. for another idiotic mission area - US East Coast! Well, at least we should have a couple of weeks of lazy cruising. I chose a track between Iceland and The Færoyes on economical speed. There are no more Milchkuhe now so we have to get back again on what we have onboard.

I had decided, if at all possible, to avoid any contact on the transport voyage but, as so many times before, it did not work out as we hoped. While passing through grid AL28 we received a report on an enemy task force SW of us. Only a little while later we picked up radar transmissions and - almost immediately - we were attacked by Avengers. With other words, a task force with a carrier in it.

We couldn't avoid this one as they were almost on top of us and besides - a carrier! Fortunately, the Avengers did not harm us very much before we were under. As we proceeeded slowly south-westwards sonar signals revealed at least 5 escorts. As it turned out it was 6. We had 5 homers and a good supply of TI's. Soon we had the first ones, Buckleys, in our scope. I took no chances but used Zaunkønig VI's on one them on a distance of approx. 2.000 meters, the first one I let on to us and caught him with a TIII bow deflection shot on 500 meters as he was approaching. Both hit. The one that got the TIII sank immediately, the other was stopped, a fierce fire in its aft section. The third came right after the first ones and was also stopped dead in the water with a Zaunkønig.

In all, there were six of them. Four were confirmed sunk, the others may have got away but they didn't bother us anymore, we could go for the carrier without interference. Eventually we sent 3 conventional torps into it. We now had used all our homers but still had 12 conventional ones left. In an officer's conference we decided to proceed towards our assigned patrol area on the US east coast.

We had just picked up our previous course when a new report ticked in - a large convoy north-east of us, quite near, heading SSE. Another conference and we found that we had to go for this one. I didn't like it with all our homers gone. It was bound to be plenty of escorts and they had proved very effective lately. The only good to say is that we had had an upgraded Bold installed in Trondheim. It's soon daylight, too! That is not good with this calm sea! We are proceeding north-east.

Fred

Below:

1. First victims
2. Two more
3. The fifth
4. The sixth
5. Typical result of homers - dead in the water
6. No peace - another convoy in north-east
7. Too good weather....

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr 012325 1945 - South AL26 - Patrol 31

Oh, boy - this is going to be a long way home. After having dispatched of the carrier task force we set course for the reported convoy. Unfortunately I had not noted that the RWR had been damaged in that skirmish so suddenly a Butler frigate showed up on the horizon. Visibility unlimited and totally flat sea! Before we had turned halway around we had been hit twice in the hull. This added to the main batteries and schnorkel already destroyed, as well as the deck gun. What batteries were left were quite low on power, we got approx. 3 knots submerged.

We had plenty of torps but all homers had been used earlier. Luckily the scopes were in order. However, that did not help much as a leak in the aft torpedo room left us hanging nose up around 30-40 meters while the repair crew was working hard at getting the water out. In the meantime the enemy vessel, a Butler, approached casually. The only thing that seemed to work properly today was the Bold decoy system. After some minutes the Butler started an approach run, at that time we had almost reached the surface, another Bold confused him. He stopped. In the meantime I had ordered full reverse. Slowly we backed away while turning our aft towards port. Miracously, he was lying still all the while we edged out to the 400 meters mark. I gave him a spread of two TIII's from the bow tubes. I was a little in doubt about using the TI or TIII on him. However, lately the enemy has been much better to sidestep our torps. That is, when he sees one is coming. Their new subchasers are much more maneuverable than the earlier main opposition, the destroyer. So, it was a choice between stealth and speed. I obviously made the right choice.

All well? Not at all. As soon as the Butler was down an Everts was hovering on the 1.000 meter line. We couldn't take much more now so I put the broadside towards him as he edged slowly forward. Due to our lack of submerged speed I could not let him as close as I usually do. Quite unexpectedly he approached us along a straight line, no zig-zagging. I gave him one TI deflection shot from the bow and one from the aft - on 600 and 500 meters. Luckily, both went off under him.

After that we kept down till it was dark. We are soon in the Iceland-Færoyes gap and has been attacked twice by aircraft in the dark, first by a Coastal Command Halifax and after that a Sunderland flying boat. First time we dived - received some damage. The second time we stayed up and shot down the Sunderland. Going against 8 fast-firing 20 mm automatic cannons is no joke. I do have a specially selected AA crew.

We should never have gone against that convoy in this weather.

Fred

Below:

1. Sunderland going down
2. Status report

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr 010839 1945 - Center AL35 - Patrol 31

This night we received another report on a large convoy not far away in the north-east - heading south-south-west. We made a wide detour towards south-east. Going on surface now - 15 knots. Weather is still too nice!

Was just attacked by a Wellington. Decided to stay up and defend ourselves. It didn't even get close before it went down in a dive, one engine on fire.

Shall dive now and lay still before we continue on the surface in the evening.

Fred

Below:

1. Wellington going down
2. Sitrap

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr 022045 1945 - North AL34 - Patrol 31

On the surface again. Last night we were attacked by a B-17 - we stayed up. Only superficial damage, quickly rectified. He left after one pass. Beautiful weather now, hope it continues. If so. we shall stay up during daytime, too.

Fred

Below:

1. Beautiful weather
2. New dangers

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr 10th 1945 - Trondheim - Patrol 31

We were back in Trondheim in the afternoon of April 8th. A sperrbrecher met us out in the fjord and escorted us to DORA - the U-boot bunker in Trondheim.

An inspection of U-65 showed it to be beyond repair with the spares and facilities presently available in Trondheim. Hull integrity was 10%. Little help is expected from Germany as the situation there is rather chaotic. The crew is being spread on other vessels and I am relieved of my command and transferred to Training, awaiting transport to Germany.

Fred

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Below:

1. Met by Sperrbrecher
2. Entering "DORA"
3. Finally home
4. Captain's log

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Sep. 16 1944 - Bergen Approaches - Patrol 5

Left Bergen this morning. Took over U-2502 in June, now on its 5th patrol. Have had serious problems with the diesels. The first patrol went fairly well but was not able to reach its designated max. surface speed. Bumped into a large convoy west of the Hebrides. Had a good load of homing torpedoes so we were able to fight off the escorts for a while. In the end we had to dive and got away only by going under the convoy. Even after having sunk some the escorts there were still a dozen chasing us. To engage escorted convoys now seems like suicide.

Patrol 2 and 3 were disappointments. Had to turn back on both occasions due to engine trouble. Patrol 4 almost ended in disaster. Lost almost all engine power to the extent that submerging in a normal way was impossible. It simply would not go under with the low surface speed. When crash diving we got under but were not able to control the depth. Fortunately this happened before we got into the Atlantic so we humped back to Bergen.

So far everything works nicely, except for the radar which is unserviceable but our mission can turn out to be a himmelfahrtskommando - AM 68. That is in the Irish Channel. B-17's came over when we left port. Stayed on the surface, AAA was effective. Four B-17's on fire, if not by us.

Fred

Below:

1. Patrol 1 - passed own convoy when leaving Bergen - T-boot Type 37
2. Patrol 1 - the escorts were after us like wild animals
3. Patrol 1 - finally up again
4. Patrol 1 scoreboard
5. First 4 patrols

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U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Sep 1944 - west of Scapa Flow - Patrol 5

We are nearing the Northern entrance of the Hebrides Channel. The boat is working beautifully. I originally intended to go north of the Shetlands but several reports of enemy task forces south of us changed my mind. Also I have hoped to hit a convoy to spend our torps on and not having to go into the assigned mission area, a hell-hole for a submarine.

On our way through the passage south of Scapa we have been able to ambush no less than four single destroyers. A V & W we could not confirm by sight but I knew it went down in a cloud of smoke. The tactic has been to pick radar signals in a narrow sound and then lay completely still till they are within firing range - 700-1.000 meters. Using TIII's on magnetic none of them knew what hit them.

An enemy convoy has been reported coming out of the northern entrance of the Hebrides Channel. We are on an opposite course.

Fred

Below:

Excellent weather for hunting.

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U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Sep. 230630 1944 - north of the Shetlands - Patrol 5

Heading for home at the surface as fast as we can while the bad weather lasts. The convoy we had hoped for passed north of us. Instead we picked up sonar signals from a heavy unit, probably a Southampton class cruiser. I took a chance and went full blast on schnorkel to interecept it but either it picked up the schnorkel on radar and gunned us - the distance was several kilometres - or our sonar signal, as suddenly we received some very serious topside damage, scopes stuck down and the schnorkel stucked up. It worked as a schnorkel, though. All installations on the bridge destroyed. It could have been an air patrol called in by the cruiser because of our very noisy advance.

Anyway, initially going north submerged a warship crossed ahead of us. Took up pursuit and as it registered us on the sonar it turned towards us. Fired a Zaunkønig with manual aiming from 20 meter depth and magnetic. It worked.

Now I just hope the bad weather keeps up till we have crossed the North Sea.

Fred

Below:

1. Shelled by cruiser.....
2. ....or bombed...
3. Going full blast for home. Schnorkel stuck up.

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U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Sep. 241349 1944 - Bergen Approaches - Patrol 5

We made it! Took a wide northerly detour to avoid enemyair patrols. The Vorposten-boot was ready to take us in even if no message had been sent by us, radio antennas destroyed!

The crew is keen to get out again after the numerous setbacks!

Fred

Below:

1. Guard boat met us
2. Scoresheet Patrol 5

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U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Oct. 131948 1944 - AM34 - Patrol 6

We're in the deep s*** now. Left bergen on the 8th and proceeded north of the Shetlands for the assigned patrol area BF16. That is in the Bristol Channel approaches. Took with us no less than six homers.

Ambushed some subhunters on the way till we hit upon a Southampton class cruiser with one escort north-east of the Hebrides. Launched a homer towards the escort on a distance of about 1.500 meters. It hooked on nicely. Before that I had veered out to starboard to get an angled shot at the cruiser when it passed us. The escort, a Captain, went down. Before that I noticed that we did not get up in speed on the E-engines, they had worked fine untill then. It didn't matter at the time because the cruiser continued right ahead and we gave it 3 torps on magnetic fuze under its port side. Went down in minutes.

After surfacing and checking the propulsion system it showed that we don't get any speed on the diesels, either. Max. 3 knots submerged, 4-5 knots surfaced. With or without schnorkel makes no difference. I have set a straight northerly course to get as far away from the air patrols as possible.

Fred

Below:

The scoresheet so far.

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