Training of boat and crew of U 113 (IXC)
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Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ... +++++ Sunday, 1 June 1941: - U.A.K. and 2nd Training Division (U.L.D.), Gotenhafen - Work-up's and Trials with the U.A.K. (Kpt.z.S.R. BRÄUTIGAM), the 2nd Training Division, Gotenhafen (Freg.Kpt. HARTMANN). Operation "Merkur": The invasion of Crete by German Airborne and Mountain Troops, is successfully concluded, with heavy losses on both sides. On 30 May, Colonel Campbell, the British commander at Rethymno, was forced to surrender his contingent. German motorcycle troops linked up with the Italian troops who had landed on Sitia. Today, on 1 June, the remaining 5,000 defenders at Sfakia surrender. By the end of December, about 500 Commonwealth troops will remain at large on the island. While scattered and disorganized, these men and the partisans will harass German troops for long after the withdrawal. Among the German paratroopers who landed on the first day was former world heavyweight champion boxer Max Schmeling, who held the rank of Gefreiter at the time. Schmeling will survive the battle and the war. |
The Calm Before the Storm Pt. 2
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Started a new career with Onealex 1.46 Leutnant z.s Erich Wegner, commanding officer of U-55 (VIIB) Current Date: Saturday, August 26, 1939 Attached to: U-Flotilla Wegener, Kiel In home base before patrol #2 Patrol Grid: BE96 +++++++++++ Patrol Log Entries 09:19, August 2, 1939 Radio message transcript: From: FdU To: Uboat commanders 2/VIII Common Orders During the patrols in appointed areas, improve your level of training by conducting weapon and identifying exercises Collect information constantly of detected warships Analyze intensity and distinctions of cargo shipping All the tasks must be executed as secretly as possible ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 07:59, August 4 1939 Radio message transcript From: FdU To: Flotilla Wegener 4/VIII Sobe Wegener Flotilla is to be transferred to Kiel, all the commanding officers are to be transferred to Salzwedel and Weddigen flotillas Back transfers will be considered later as necessary ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 08:41, August 8, 1939 Ship spotted in grid AN13 Weather report by 2WO: Light clouds, no rain, moderate visibility, wind speed 12 m/s, direction 359 Investigating contact ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 08:48, August 8, 1939 LI dove the boat to periscope depth, NAV charted a new heading at 236 degrees ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 08:50, August 8, 1939 New hydrophone contact detected, sonarman reports the contact as an unknown merchant moving away at a medium speed. Bearing is 261 at long range in grid AN13 Hydrophone contact was not visible during periscope sweep, so the tracking of the previous contact will continue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 09:02, August 8, 1939 Merchant contact's speed is now known to be 9.6 knots, however the class is unknown as her AOB is too severe to make any distinctions. TDC Readings: Speed: 9.6 knots Range: 1,500 meters AOB: 9 degrees to starboard Bearing: 355 Class: unkown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 09:07, August 8, 1939 Merchant contact is identified as a British 02 Type Ore Carrier, 8500 tons Simulated firing exercise and target analysis complete, breaking off contact ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12:01, August 8, 1939 Surfaced the boat in grid AM15, continuing on course to grid AL36 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 19:51, August 11, 1939 Reached AL36, starting weapon and crew exercises ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 07:23, August 12, 1939 Status Report transcript: 12/08/1939 07:23 From: U-55 To: FdU Position: Grid AL36 Torpedoes left: 14 88 mm shells left: 236 2 cm FlaK shells left: 2,000 Our provisions will last us for approximately another forty days before we are forced to return to base ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 08:29, August 12, 1939 Radio message transcript: From: FdU To: U-55 Message received. Continue as ordered. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 01:29, August 13, 1939 Completed exercises in grid AL36, we are now returning to base. We are expected to return in ten days at a speed of nine knots. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 13:02, August 13, 1939 Radio message transcript: From: FdU To: 6th Flotilla 15/VIII Finish weapon exercises, all Uboats wil return to Kiel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 21:01, August 19, 1939 Radio broadcast transcript: From: Lehmann Radio News, Berlin To: On Air 19/VIII As rumored, already fourteen German submarines are in patrols in diffrenent zones of the North Atlantic Ocean ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 09:33, August 21, 1939 Several ship contacts were made transitting through the Skagerrak and the following seas en route to Kiel. No contacts were investigated further than simply logging the contacts in the log book. 09:33, 09:42 21/VIII- Two merchant contatcs in grid AN36 16:04 21/VIII- Merchant contact in AO41 20:18 21/VIII- Merchant contact in AO41 09:26 22/VIII- Merchant contact in AO48 19:44 22/VIII- Merchant contact in AO71 -BREAK LOG ENTRY- 21:31, August 22, 1939 Radio message transcript: From: FdU To: Uboat Commanders 22/VIII Operation Fritz was cancelled after recieving the signal operation Irmgard only for winter. The rest of the Uboats in the 3rd Flotilla must remain eastward from Rugen Island pending further orders -CONTINUE PREVIOUS LOG ENTRY- 23:45 22/VIII- Merchant contact in AO74 00:14 23/VIII- Merchant contact in AO74 06:26 23/VIII- Merchant contact in AO77 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 09:37, August 23, 1939 U-55 slipped back into her moorings and the crew transferred the boat to the dockyard workers PATROL HISTORY Patrol Number: 1 Start Date: 1/8/1939 Start Location: Kiel End Date: 23/8/1939 End Location: Kiel Submarine: VIIB Current Flotilla: U-Flotilla Wegener Current Emblem: N/A No ships sunk No aircraft downed No crew killed or wounded U-55 returned in perfect condition, no hull damage or destroyed systems Renown Earned: 110.6 Oberfahnrich z.s Wolfgang Eisenholtz, 2WO Awarded: Iron Cross, Second Class Oberfahnrich z.s Herbert Linder, LI Awarded: Iron Cross, Second Class Oberfahnrich z.s Adolf Kessler, 1WO Awarded: Iron Cross, Second Class Oberfahnrich Franz Linke-Stief, NAV Awarded: Iron Cross, Second Class Oberfahnrich Richard Ringlemann, Torpedo officer Awarded: Iron Cross, Second Class Bootsman Peter Weller Qualified in: Torpedoman’s mate Bootsman Jorg Kals Qualified in: Radio Communications KDB Hydrophone installed, 3 days install time Current date: Saturday, August 26, 1939 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NO MORE LOG ENTRIES +++++ And so, that concludes the first patrol of U-55 and her crew. Now, the war is fast approaching and U-55 will be leaving soon for her next patrol. |
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A journal entry from Erich Wegner's personal log book shortly after his last patrol +++++++++ 26 August 1939 Three days’ ago, I returned from my first patrol as commanding officer of U-55, something that I am enormously proud of. Many people do not realize the immense amount of skill it takes to pilot a boat to the North Atlantic and back over a course of twenty-two days. I remember first departing on the first of this month and how anxious I felt, but when we got out into open sea that all went away. I find that being out on the ocean and hearing the waves calms me down a lot, it is a great way for me to escape anxiety and calm my mind. First off, our orders were to gather intelligence on shipping in and around British waters. This we accomplished on 8 August when we ran into a O2 type Ore Carrier in grid AN13. We collected the intelligence we needed and conducted a firing exercise on the side, and the results from that said we needed to do better. So, when we reached our patrol grid of AL36 I drilled the crew relentlessly in torpedo firing and battle stations. Gradually we became better, as did our diving time. On August 13 we were ordered back to Kiel by FdU, and so we made our way to Kiel as quickly as possible. At a speed of 9 knots, we made it back on 23 August. I cannot describe the feeling of joy and pride I felt after stepping on to solid ground for the first time in twenty-two days. But when I got back to homeport and I looked all around me, I saw warships being loaded with ammunition and provisions as well as busy docks where ships were being fitted out for their next deployments. I knew immediately that we were heading to something big. However, I had this suspicion when we were still on patrol because on 19 August Lehmann Radio News said on a broadcast that fourteen U-boats were patrolling different zones in the Atlantic. On 13 August trainings and simulated war patrols had ended, so I had a gut feeling that this was the real deal. Then seeing all warships in port being prepared for immediate departure I just knew that we were heading to something. I saw the cruisers Leipzig and Nuremberg being prepared for immediate departure, as well as several U-boats. Most of these, however, were small type II coastal U-boats who would barely make it to the Baltic and back. Later that day, I was informed that the shipyard was fitting my U-Boat out with a new hydrophone: the Kristalldrehbasisgerat (KDB). This hydrophone was an improvement of the GHG (Gruppenhorchgerat) in that it was rotatable and hence able to provide more accurate readings from any direction. The disadvantage however was its extreme vulnerability to depth charges. And then yesterday I was approved for sixteen days of leave. So today I will drive to Wilhelmshaven to see my mother and father, whom I haven’t seen since May of this year. From my parent’s letters it seems like they are both doing fine. My grandmother is going downhill quickly though. Her hearing ability is rapidly diminishing, and she seems to be very confused about some things. My parents are taking care of her as her husband died in a job accident in 1937. Personally, I fear that my parents are being overworked by taking care of her and will have a crash soon. But both of my parents are as strong as iron and will make it through. We will see what the next two weeks will bring us. Signed, Leutnant z.s. Erich Wegner |
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Nice read ... also, nice personal touch on the report ... |
Training of boat and crew of U 113 (IXC)
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Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ... +++++ Sunday, 22 June 1941: - U.A.K. and 2nd Training Division (U.L.D.), Gotenhafen - Work-up's and Trials with the U.A.K. (Kpt.z.S.R. BRÄUTIGAM), the 2nd Training Division, Gotenhafen (Freg.Kpt. HARTMANN). Operation "Barbarossa": At around 03:15 on 22 June 1941, the Axis Powers commence the invasion of the Soviet Union with the bombing of major cities in Soviet-occupied Poland and an artillery barrage on Red Army defences on the entire front and the ground attack at 04:00. We are deploying 153 divisions, which include 104 Infantry, 19 Panzer and 15 Motorized Infantry Divisions in Three Army Groups, four divisions in Finland and two divisions as reserve under the direct control of O.K.H. These are equipped with 6,867 armored vehicles, of which 3,350–3,795 are tanks, 2,770–4,389 aircraft (that amount to 65 percent of the entire Luftwaffe force), 7,200–23,435 artillery pieces, 17,081 mortars, about 600,000 motor vehicles and 625,000–700,000 horses. Finland is contributing 14 divisions to the invasion, and Romania will deploy 13 divisions and eight brigades over the course of the operation. The entire Axis forces, 3.8 million personnel, are deployed across a front extending over 3000 km, from "Finland to the Black Sea". |
AGRU-Front & 5th Training Flotilla, Danzig/Hela
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Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ... +++++ Monday, 30 June 1941: Arrived at the 5th Training Flotilla, Danzig/Hela (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE) and AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. MÜLLER). Reichminister Dr. Todt, hands over the first 3 Uboat bunkers in St.Nazaire, after just 3 months of construction. Operation "Barbarossa": From 23 June to 02 July, the tank battle at Dubno - Lutsk/Luzk - Brody/Rivne is taking place. It is fought between the Panzer Group 1 of the Southern Army Group under Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt and strong armored forces of the Soviet Southwest Front under Colonel General Michail Kirponos. A total of 3,298 Soviet tanks (six mechanized corps) are fighting against 808 German (five tank divisions). The high command of the Wehrmacht, has allocated an additional seven divisions - the LI. and XXXIV. Army Corps - from the front reserve as reinforcements to the beleaguered 6th Army during the fighting. We are in progress of winning the battle, as the Soviet troops have been put back on the defensive and their tank formations have almost been wiped out (about 2,000 Russian against 95 German tanks lost). The 22nd Mechanized Corps lost 90% of its tanks, the 8th and 15th Mechanized Corps 85–90%, the 9th and 19th Mechanized Corps 70% each, and the 4th Mechanized Corps 60% of its tanks. The 9th, 19th and 22nd Mechanized Corps only have 66, 35 and 33 tanks left due to heavy losses. Our success over the strong Soviet tank units is enabling the rapid pursuit in the direction of Zhitomir and Korosten, where new Soviet counter-attacks are making the advance more difficult. General Potapov, the commander of the 5th Army, is further holding up our advancing troops by counter-attacks in order to save his own forces from the impending encirclement and to prepare the defense of Kiev. The battle for Kiev will not begin until mid-August. After the tank battle near Prokhorovka as part of Operation Citadel in 1943, the battle near Dubno-Lutsk/Luzk-Brody/Rivne, will have been the second-largest tank battle of the Second World War. |
AGRU-Front & 5th Training Flotilla, Danzig/Hela
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Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ... +++++ Tuesday, 1 July until Thursday, 3 July 1941: - 5th Training Flotilla, Danzig/Hela (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE) and AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. MÜLLER) - Loading of Fuel, Ammunitions and Torpedoes: Fuel: 208t = 240cbm (at 865kg/m³) 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) 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: not loaded (8 x G7a, K-a) All with fuse Pi-G7H (only AZ / Pi-1 without MZ) |
AGRU-Front
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Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ... +++++ Friday, 4 July 1941 - Hela - AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. MÜLLER). Taking on of food supplies and fresh water. Received operational orders for AGRU Front patrol: Take up position in Naval Grid AO81 and patrol grid for 24h. 1430 - N2/2, clear, visibility 16000, >1000mb. Casting off. Taking on of escort, distance 300m. 1515 - Released escort. 1620 - Lightship "Hela" to our port beam. 1730 - German type IIB boat 8000m to our stbd. beam, on course ESE. 2016 - Sundown. |
U 113 - AGRU-Front
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+++++ Saturday, 5 July 1941 - Baltic Sea - AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. MÜLLER). 0240 - Wind and Sea increasing, shifting West. 0330 - Sunrise - W6/5, clear visibility 16000, >1000mb. 0621 - U 108 (Scholtz) reporting sinking of unescorted ship of 2486ts. 1130 - Qu.8199AO - Reached ordered patrol grid. 1200 - Qu.8199AO - Days Run: 270sm ↗ (21h 30') - since Danzig 219.9cbm (10.1cbm in 21h 30'); Weather unchanged in 14h 30' 1233 - Outgoing F.T.: To F.d.U.: Reached ordered patrol grid. 219.9cbm. NW7/6, overcast, hazy, visibility 3-4sm, ~1000mb. 1800 - Incoming F.T.: From F.d.U.: RST: Continue according to Op.-Order. 2036 - Sundown - SSW6/5, overcast, hazy, visibility 3-4sm, ~1000mb. 2100 - Qu.8155AO - Standing up and down in ordered patrol grid. |
U 113 - AGRU-Front
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+++++ Sunday, 6 July 1941 - North of Bornholm - AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. MÜLLER). 0051 - Trial Crash Dive. At T=10 in 35Sec. Water depth 80m. 0053 - T=70. Boat reacting good. 0104 - At reception depth. 65RPM, 1.6kn, Silent Running. 0303 - O₂=20%. 0337 - Sunrise. 0707 - Surfaced after 10.3sm and 6h 16'. NW1/1, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb. 0713 - Boat ventilated. 1005 - Qu.8333AO - Evaded Swedish Stella Destroyer on surface. Was on course WNW, 30sm NE of Bornholm. 1130 - Patrolled ordered patrol grid for 24h. 1200 - Qu.8411AO - Days Run: 133.1sm - ↗ 122.8sm (17h 44') - ↘ 10.3sm (6h 16') 217.4cbm (2.5cbm in 24h). 9300Ah. Weather unchanged in 4h 53'. 1323 - Qu.8419AO - Allowed a neutral steamer to cross our bows on course SSW. 1628 - Qu.8455AO - 1720 - It's becoming overcast and beginning to rain. 1801 - Report from Norddeich Radio about Operation "Silberfuchs", in an attempt to seize the Russian harbor of Murmansk. Attacks of the German 2nd and 3rd Mountain Division across the river Liza on July 6th, are repelled by the Soviet 14th and 52nd Rifle Division, reinforced by a Navy-Battalion. The battle is continuing. Cmdr.: "Seizing the harbor of Murmansk is of strategic importance in support of Operation Barbarossa!" 2020 - Sundown - NNW7/6, overcast, rain, limited visibility, <1000mb. Have to reduce speed due to heavy swell. 2140 - It's clearing up again, wind and sea shifting to West. 2320 - WNW4/3, clear, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb. |
U 113 - AGRU-Front
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+++++ Monday, 7 July 1941 - Baltic Sea - AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. MÜLLER). - Iceland is being occupied by US-Troops - Cmdr.: With the occupation of Iceland by US-Troops and the increased enemy air cover, operation in that area and the break-through into the Atlantic will become more precarious. 0120 - Qu.9455AO - 0327 - Sunrise. 0340 - Qu.9465AO - A Russian twin-engine airplane - identified as a Tupolev Tu-2 - flies over the boat from bow to stern on course West without attacking the boat and flies off again on course NE. 0800 - Lightship "Hela" to our stbd. beam. 0815 - WSW1/1, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 8-9sm, >1000mb - Coming into port. Battleship "Tirpitz" and Aircraft Carrier "Sydlitz" are anchored in Danzig (historically, Sydlitz was not refitted to an Aircraft Carrier until 1942 and never commissioned as such). 1000 - Mooring boat in Danzig. Since last Etmal - Days Run: 256.8sm ↗ (22h) 207.3cbm (10.1cbm in 22h). 9300Ah. Weather unchanged in 1h 45'. The totals of this AGRU patrol with U 113 and the 14th patrol overall are: Traveled surfaced: 649.6sm - 2 days, 13h, 14min. Traveled submerged: 10.3sm - 0 days, 6h, 16min. Traveled total: 659.9sm - 2 days, 19h, 30min. AGRU-Front successfully completed. RST Kptlt.&Cmdr. |
U 113 - 5th Training Flotilla
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+++++ Tuesday, 8 July until Thursday, 17 July 1941 - Danzig/Hela - 5th Training Flotilla (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE). Daily work routine throughout. |
U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol
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+++++ Friday, 18 July 1941 - Danzig - 5th Training Flotilla (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE). Taking boat out of dry dock and putting on charging station. Beginning of pre-war patrol preparation. |
U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - Pre-War Patrol Preparation
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+++++ Saturday, 19 July 1941 - Danzig - 5th Training Flotilla (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE). Taking on of Fuel Oil (240cbm at 850kg/m³) and Lubricating Oil. |
U 113 (IXC) - 1st War Patrol - Pre-War Patrol Preparation
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+++++ Sunday, 20 July 1941 - Danzig -5th Training Flotilla (Kvt.Kpt. MOEHLE). Trimming trials at Danzig roads and Test cruise at Hela. |
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