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Old 07-02-10, 04:20 AM   #1464
aj906
Helmsman
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
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November 1942

I've been patrolling at the entrance to the North Channel (not fun! but orders are orders) and hit upon a very large convoy. Fire off a salvo of four eels from c.2,000m. All duds. sneak away to reload and plot an intercept closer to the inlet of the Channel. Surfaced, ran at flank, over-ran the convoy, turned in to an intercept course and found then attacked the convoy. Four more eels - all duds. Fired off several choice profanities. Snuck out and repeated the procedure. Chased ahead again and got into a firing position then suddenly wondered what the depth under the keel would be. Answer: slightly less than stuff all. Oh well, nothing for it as the convoy is going to sail over me anyway. Four more eels - two duds. Medium tanker blew up immediately, whaling ship hit in what I'm assuming the engine room and lost propolsion. Hid under the whaler till the neighbours quitened down and took their firecrackers home then slid off back out into deeper water having fired another dud and live eel to finish off the whaler from my stern tubes. In all 14 eels fired, three hits and c.20K.

While I was happy to get away with thrice penetrating the destroyer screen and sinking a tanker and whaler, I was not impressed at the failure rate of the torps. They were TII set to impact in calm weather. Must say, I had a LOT of luck all things considered. Both the live eels were aimed at the whaler but I stuffed the calculations on the second eel and it slid behind the whaler to hit the tanker. So that was a bonus.

Upon return to Lorient I put in for a transfer to the Med. If life has to suck then it may as well suck in the warmer climes, surrounded by beautiful (and hopefully more accomodating than the French) women...!
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