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I've enjoyed very much the lecture, and hoping to read about future exploits of Kapitanleutnant Konig on a Type XXI!!! :D |
last voyage part 5
With my command cap tucked under my left arm, and my reports folder in my right hand, I accept the glass awkwardly with my left hand and ask, "Begging your pardon Sir, but I don't think you have seen my reports yet; there may not be enough left to congratulate."
I place the folder on the desk in front of him and I notice (hard to read because it's upside down) an official correspondence with my name on it. A shiver of fear runs through me, because it's probably my execution order, and this champagne is a last rites sort of gesture on the part of the CO. "Nonsense." He says matter-of-factly. "Two things prevail." "We got a transmission from you a few days ago. We sent a reply, but you never answered. We presumed the worst." He looks at the official folder I placed on the desk and says, "If those reports contain what your wireless report did, then I already know what I need to, and the rest is just a formality." Between sips of champagne I ask, "What's the second part?" "This." he says and hands over the official memo. I haven't begun to read it when the Officer takes another memo from his desk, crumples it into a paper ball, and throws it into the fireplace, which, for the first time, I notice is burning nicely. A few months hence that fireplace will be eating a lot of paperwork... I ask "Was that....?" "The three star announcement? Yes. You made it back, we don't need to take things that far. "I have already taken the task of condolence letters to the families of your dead crew. I hope you don't mind, but we saw to that after you made your last radio report." "Well, I don't think the boys will regret missing the papers again this time." As I finish my drink I read the memo I was given. I skip down to the part that says, "Forthwith is assigned as Commanding Officer of the type XXI class, U-2503!" "Well Herr Kaleun, you have made quite a name for yourself. You have amassed enough renown to come to the attention of some very influential persons at headquarters. They have decided that your tonnage count is enough to trust you with the latest design, and so, when you have gotten yourself and crew cleaned up I will be taking you down to the docks to introduce you to your latest command." "Ack! My crew! I left instructions for them to fall in for muster in the parade square, and they've probably been waiting around for the last ten minutes now, wondering what's happened." "Look." He begins, "It's 0800, Norway time, go take care of your crew and meet me back here tomorrow morning at the same time. You and your crew will not be going back into battle for a few weeks now anyway. I have scheduled some training time for you to get used to the new boat first. It is a very different breed of fish. And not without its troubles." A raised eyebrow from me. He continues "The sister ship that sailed up with, U-2511, still requires more shakedown. Korvettenkapitan Schnee is in command and he is currently tasked with getting her into shape. Things are not so well with the new XXIs, they were, shall we say?...rushed into production." I nod in understanding, and he continues. "U-2503 is more combat ready, but I need a captain and crew who are well trained in the quirks of this new design before I can commit them to battle. I am sure that I can count on you Herr kapitanleutnant, for your understanding, and success." After I am dismissed, I head to the parade square to confer with my new Exec. I tell the officers and men nothing in particular, but that they have the rest of today off, and are to muster in the square at 10 am, tomorrow morning. And no heavy partying! I also tell them to reset their watches to the proper time. We have been cut off from the normal cycles of life, of night and day for so long that nothing feels real anymore. I detail the (former) Ensign to return to U-110 with a select crew of engineering techs, to finish closing the last rites of the boat. Not right away, of course, they get some time to clean up first. The next morning, after breakfast, I gather my newly promoted 1WO and Chief Engineer and we head, washed, shaved, and in clean uniforms for a change, over to the offices of the C-in-C, U-boats, Norway, for my formal Acceptance of command, and a surprise for my 2 officers who know nothing of the reasons I've dragged them here. The CO tells us that before we begin, he would like to see the remains of the infamous U-110, so we all pile into his Mercedes Cabriolet staff car (black), and are chauferred a short, ten minute drive back to the U-pens. The guard on duty salutes the senior officer present, and opens the door for us. We all clear the hatchway and step inside, and the guard then closes the door behind us. My chief hits a few switches on the nearest wall, and a few more lights come on overhead. She's sealed in and resting on chocks and at the moment, the pen has been pumped dry. Looking down on the shredded remains of her rusting carcass, I proclaim with a sweeping gesture, "Our Boat." From the engineer, "May she rest in peace." From the 1WO, "Because she's certainly in pieces." From me, "Do you guys mind? I'm really hurting here. I loved this stinky, rusty, moldy, ole' tub, and I will not have you disrespecting my pain." "Sorry, Sir." From my crew. "Nah, it's ok. She really is junk now. I'm not nearly busted up as I could be." I said, thinking about the promise of U-2503. "So this is U-110, huh?." Says the CO. Korvettenkapitan 'something or other'. He leans closer and takes a good long look at the upper deck. The shredded foreship, missing deck gun and jumping wires. It looks stupid with the snorkel canted at 45 degrees. Like a tree falling in the woods that refuses to go all the way to the forest floor... "Wow, you really didn't bring back much, did you?" He laughs. "Let's go take a look at what's left, shall we?" The engineer grabs a flashlight from a nearby tool box and we all trudge down the stone stairs into the basin, to study the remains of U-110, type VIIC, glorious old wreck... |
:salute: Cheers to the old boat!
*** As for me, cruising the Baltic on June 19th, 1941 in the U-149 - like the historical U-149, preparing for the go-word on Barbarossa. http://i.imgur.com/7MUbssU.jpg The real U-149 was one of a few Kriegsmarine units supporting the initial invasion of the USSR, and sunk one small M-Class Soviet submarine in the process. Let's see what my virtual U-149 can do! |
Patrol 8 completed. I am sailing out of Lorient even though I have not been assigned there officially. This was a new experience for me. I am pleased to say that I sank my first Auxiliary Cruiser during this voyage. It was traveling at 7 knots in a convoy guarded by a lone corvette. I fired a two-torpedo salvo at 1300 meters, steamers, high-speed, and struck the vessel amidships and toward the back. It exploded and sank immediately. I was glad.
I also sank my first corvette on this outing–by deck gun, if you can believe that. It was unintentional. I was stalking the same convoy I mentioned above and the winds were very calm at 2 m/s so I was moving torpedoes inside while maneuvering for position. Suddenly I was spotted. I realized that I was spotted because the ships began to zigzag. I knew the corvette would soon be after me, so I turned tail and ran. Yes, I know that I could have just dived and reset the torpedo movement, but I think someone on here said that was cheating so I was trying to get the torpedo inside before the corvette was on me. I set course 180º and soon the corvette was hot on my tail and firing. I took some damage, but I managed to keep him at bay until I got the torpedo inside. Then I figured, what the heck, I'll just kick it up to full speed and head around and back to his convoy before he can get there first. That's exactly what I did, although I took some more damage on my way back. Just as I was getting close to the convoy I realized that the corvette was no more than 3500 meters away and I thought that there was no way I was going to get a shot off and avoid having him shoot me. Then I thought... why hasn't he shot me already? Well, it seems Mr. Corvette ran out of bullets, and I hadn't actually noticed. Well, well, well, Mr. Corvette, the tables are turned. So I came about and we headed straight for each other. At about 1500 meters I turned 40º starboard and gave the gunner the green light. I hadn't counted on the corvette having additional rounds, but apparently he had some sort of what I assume was an anti-aircraft gun, and he started firing at me with that. However, after about 8 rounds, I put him underwater. Then I headed back to the unguarded convoy and had some fun. One of the ships opened fire on me, but it was a bad shot. I headed straight for that ship, and soon the gunner sank it. Then I fired off all the torpedoes I had, and even manned the anti-aircraft gun to fire more shots. I did what I could. Final results: 14 Merchants sunk for 76,745 tons. 2 Warships sunk for 14,800 tons. Hull Integrity at 49.82 percent. Promoted to Kapitan Lieutenant. Awarded Knight's Cross. Docked at Lorient. :rock: It is still not my base of operations. My commander back in Wilhelmshaven must be displeased, but I still got decorated. |
Just freshly transferred to St Nazaire with the 3rd Flotilla when it became available in 1940. First patrol took me over to Quandrant BE where I encountered 3 convoys within 2 days of eachother, with only corvette's escorting them.
Performed two surface night attacks and a midday attack at periscope depth. Outran the escorts on the surface. 55, 000 tons sank. Next patrol grid takes me down to the Canary Isles. |
April 25, 1941–reporting from Corrientes. I have finished my 12th patrol, which sent me much further south than I've ever been. On my way to my assigned square I picked up a convoy and sank 5 ships before abandoning it because all my torpedoes were in external storage.
Two days later the weather was calm enough to bring the torpedoes in. I got a radar contact on another convoy, but I ignored it in order to finish my 24-hour patrol. From there I headed toward Freetown with only 6 torpedoes left. On my way I got a radio contact for a convoy and plotted an intercept. While in route to intercept it, I got another radio contact for the same convoy and I was able to plot a perfect course for the convoy and lie in ambush for it. In heavy rain I spotted a tanker at 600 meters and hit it with a two-torpedo salvo. It sank immediately for more than 10,000 tons. I dived to 170 meters and headed off surfacing some 5,000 meters from the nearest escort, but the weather had cleared and I was in easy spotting range. However, there was a straggler ship. I looked at it through the UZO and saw that the front of it was dipping into the sea. I decided to take a chance and headed straight for it at 8 knots. At 2,400 meters from the ship I was spotted by the frigates, and they opened fire, so I gunned the engine and lit up the hapless ship. I sank it and crash dived before the frigates could zero in on my position. Cruising at 150 meters I was set to re-engage the convoy when a frigate got in a lucky ping. I went to 190 meters to shake it off and then had to go around to the front again. I set up a perfect shot on a large ship of some sort and fired a two-torpedo salvo, but one of them clanged off the hull. I crossed my fingers and hoped that it would sink, but it never did. Cursing my luck I headed out and around the convoy again where I engaged some large ship with the last of my torpedoes. Both of them hit and from my 20 meter depth I heard the explosions light up the night sky. Throwing caution to the wind I dove to 180 meters at ahead full and then set course for Corrientes. Once I was some 12km from the convoy I surfaced and headed straight home, but as luck would have it I ran into two unescorted ships headed somewhere. So I went over to investigate and decided they were hostile when they opened fire. I manned the deck gun and sank both without so much as a scratch. Back on course to Corrientes, I ran into another two ships. Again, when I investigated, one opened fire on me. I sank it to avoid the shots. It was a coastal vessel–not even 2000 tons, but the other one was worth some 4800 tons. I had to resort to the anti-aircraft gun to finally put her down. End result: 112,895 tons. My first patrol with all T2 torpedoes. |
December 1940. Last patrol had more targets (two convoys) than I had fish to throw at them. Now, this patrol is absolutely barren (feast or famine, right?). I finally came across 1 lone ship, hit it with a fish and it started to sink by the stern, the back end of the ship nearly all the way in the water, then it stops sinking and just sits like that. I'm 2000 meters away and it's night time, and figure I'll surface and start hitting it with the deck gun to finish it off. Right after I get surfaced, man the deck guns and take a shot or two at it to get the range corrected, the merchant starts using his own deck gun on the back of his ship, which is already nearly in the water. He takes a couple of really wild shots, so I figure he's not going to hit me, then he nails my deck gun, killing all three of my guys. :stare: I then shot his gun off the back of his ship and shelled it until it sank. Made me mad that I lost those guys though, the first three (and only three) I've lost in this campaign. :nope:
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Another patrol finished. I left Corrientes and with no patrol grid assigned, I just headed up towards Ireland. I encountered a convoy along the way and sank some ships. Three interesting things happened to me. First of all, I launched my first two-ship salvo. I fired two at the ship in front of me and two at the ship behind me. All four scored and both ships sank immediately. I also sank my first troop transport. Underwater, I heard it closing moving fast. Using the two-bearing method I plotted a likely course that passed not more than 3 km from my position. I surfaced in heavy rain for a gulp of air and to move close to the planned intercept before going under again. I plotted another two-bearing course that roughly coincided with the first and gave me the ship's speed of right around 20 knots. I plugged this info into the targeting computer and maneuvered for the shot. At 400 meters I fired scoring two hits--amidships and stern. I think the ship must have been going 21 knots. It sank for 14,595 tons. The third interesting thing is I found two tankers in convoy–one behind the other. I salvoed the first and then headed for the second hoping it would zig port. It did, and I fired a second fore salvo, but both torpedoes missed.
I won't try that again. Back in Lorient. |
July 10, 1941.
U-108 in Lorient. Patrol 14 finished. 11 Merchants sunk. 94,554 tons. 9 by torpedoes. 2 by deck gun. Hull integrity: 88.89 percent. 2790 Renown gained. IXB |
Quite negged out tonight.
Patrols 2 and 3 after sea trials went quite well, but 4 was awfully barren and 5 is going the same way. Having a day or two off to regroup my motivation :hmmm: A thought - can high TC affect the amount of contacts you receive from Bdu? (clutchin g at staws I think) |
Lorient
U-130 Patrol 15 complete. 10 merchants sunk. 92,667 tons. IXC 82.58 hull integrity. Career Total: 1,082,302 tons. Status: Retired. Fifteen patrols is enough. |
U-108 in Lorient
First patrol started on 2 April 1941. Now completed. 13 ships sunk. 87,866 tons. Promoted to Oberleutnant Hull Integrity: 88.49% The last kill was especially lucky. I had one torpedo left up front and so I closed on the convoy I had been following. I targeted the smallest ship I could find and let fly. About 20 seconds after I fired, I got pinged. I figured the ships would start zigzagging and they did because my shot missed the small ship. It hit the ship behind it, a larger 10,000 ton merchant and sank it. Better lucky than good, I guess. It's been awhile since I've had to deal with crew fatigue. I'll need to earn some medals and get things back where they belong. |
U-30 returns to Wilhelmshaven with Karl Richert aboard after patrol 5 on 11.4.40.
He sunk 9 allied ships (and 1 neutral :oops:) for 32,961 tons. 3 Swordfish aircraft were also shot down in one engagement. Was a dreadfully quiet patrol until we were almost at Gibraltar where we picked up some lone merchants. Richert foolishly didn't confirm the identity of an unlit freighter and it was a neutral - Bdu congratulated the good work in sinking it nevertheless :ping: The journey homeward was lacklustre too. The actions off Gib will be noted for future sailings :hmm2: Looking forward to the next patrol. |
Got myself into the middle road of a large convoy, May '40, just to have a look and observe. All of a sudden the Nelson appeared in a central column.
Despite Bdu orders it would've been rude not to, as it was just about to naturally cross my bow :ping: Put 4 into her and she went down after 12 minutes. Goebbels will be pleased, if not Doenitz :arrgh!: I tried to shadow the convoy and get in front again, but I made a silly mistake of not confirming it's course periodically and it gave me the slip. Having said that I did save (far enough away from the Nelson sinking) - maybe that's a bug I'm not aware of? Could the convoy have disappeared because I saved too close to it? Don't know; still learning :hmm2: |
U-108 reporting from Bessel.
Second patrol complete. 66,235 tons. Hull Integrity: 65.23% The weather was terrible every step of the way. Fortunately I finally found a 6 knot convoy and polished some ships off. There was an auxiliary cruiser, but I didn't try any shots. The only really interesting thing that happened was I had a Medium Cargo ship damaged, and I was trying to close for the kill with a deck gun. I was at about 6,000 meters when the weather cleared to 16 km and the ship opened fire on me. It also called for nearby destroyers. A frigate answered the call and started firing on me. I accelerated to 18 knots to try to close to 4,000 meters and open fire, but it soon became clear that the frigate was going to catch me, so under I went. Apparently while the frigate was firing it hit another merchant in the area that was unrelated to the convoy. That merchant returned fire and before long it sunk (gray). Later when I was back at the surface the frigate was burning merrily as it steamed its way through the night. |
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