[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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KTB - U 112

Friday, 31 January 1941 - West of Rockall Bank

0034 - Incoming F.T. 0030/31: From B.d.U.:
Convoy 1650/30 now in Qu.3894AL bottom left, on course 88°, speed 7kn.

0130 - "Smoke plume ahead, bearing 0°!" It is convoy 1650/28/30. Commencing overtaking maneuver.

0227 - Evading the port escort on a search pattern until 0235h, E=4000. Either a Tribal or V&W Destroyer.

Convoy consisting of about 20 ships, 1 Cruiser, 1 Aircraft Carrier and 3-4 escorts.

0235 - Contact report sent:
"Gustav Gelb!". Convoy 1650/30 in 3895AL bottom left. Course 88°. Speed 7kn. 20 ships, 1 Cruiser, 1 Aircraft Carrier, 3 escorts. - RST -

The cruiser is HMS Norfolk, the Aircraft Carrier is HMS Glorious.

0235 - Second contact report sent:
Convoy 1650/30 now in 3895AL bottom right. Course 88°. Speed 7kn. 20 ships, HMS Glorious and HMS Norfolk, forward sweeper and 1 escort to either side. NW2/2, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 8000, >1000mb. - RST -

0349 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Free to attack!

Cmdr.: "Even though, U-Kuppisch and U-Oesten must be close by, I receive the free-to-attack order."

0400 - The half moon is in the south. Decks awash. "Battle Stations!".

Surface attack with bow tubes. Own course 177°; Own speed 1.6kn. Shooter: Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O. Emmo MARBACH.

0424 - Shot with Tubes I+II, G7e, K-b/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 8m; Vt30kn.
Target ship: HMS Glorious.
Target course 89°; Target distance 5000m; Target angle red76°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 0°.

0425 - Shot with Tube III, G7e, K-b/G7H (contact fuse) and with Tube IV, G7a, K-a/G7H (contact fuse); Both running depth 4m and Vt30kn.
Target ship: HMS Norfolk.
Target course 89°; Target distance 2600m; Target angle red77°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 0°.

All 4 torpedoes are hits! HMS Norfolk capsizes to her port side.

Cmdr.: "I'm turning hard to port, to bring the stern torpedoes to bear. However, as the convoy is zig-zagging and the forward sweeper is running to our shooting position, I blow the tanks and run off on a northerly heading."

0444 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations!". Commenced torpedo loading.

- to be continued -

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

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KTB - U 112

- continued from 31 Jan. 0444h -

0517 - Tubes I-IV are reloaded.

Cmdr.: "It could be, that the Cruiser and the Aircraft Carrier have left convoy WS-5A, after 'Admiral Scheer' has attacked the convoy without success. If this is the case, the Aircraft Carrier could also be HMS Formidable."

0530 - The forward sweeper runs back to his station.

0539 - Qu.1774AM - "Battle Stations!". Turning toward the convoy beam.

0541 - Decks awash. Own course 176°; own speed 3kn.
Shooter: Ob.Ltnt.z.S. & I.W.O. Emmo MARBACH.

0555 - Shot with Tubes I+II, G7e, K-b/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 8m; Vt30kn.
Target ship: HMS Glorious.
Target course 89°; Target distance 5000m; Target angle red74°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 004°.

0556 - Shot with Tube III, G7a, K-a/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 5m; Vt30kn.
Target ship: Standard Tanker in front of HMS Glorious.
Target course 89°; Target distance 5000m; Target angle red82°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 356°.

0558 - Shot with Tube IV, G7a, K-a/G7H (contact fuse); Running depth 5m; Vt44kn.
Target ship: Large Standard Merchant in the port column.
Target course 89°; Target distance 4500m; Target angle red73°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle 009°.

0602 - Blowing tanks and turning hard to port. Running off on course 88°.

All torpedoes are hits! The tanker explodes and sinks within seconds - the sea is on fire for a while. HMS Glorious stops and sinks with load explosions over the forecastle. A fire breaks out on the torpedoed merchant but she continues on. The convoy is in disarray. The forward sweeper - a US-Clemson Destroyer - runs to the port column in search for us.

0623 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations!". Reloading of tubes I+II until 0640h.

- to be continued -