Tuesday,
8 June 1943 - South-Atlantic -
- 5th week at sea completed -
0134 - Supply Ship comes into sight bearing 35°.
0230 - Widder still doesn't attack the steamer. Distance is now 7800m, visibility is 8900m.
0251 - Turning boat toward the stbd. beam of the steamer.
0253 - Qu.5555FS - Diving for submerged attack acc.
B.d.U.-Standing Order No. 309, 310 & 311 (Pi39H) =>
Order No. 302 for T-1 and T-2.
0300 - "Battle Stations!".
0303 - Flooding tube III.
0320 - Qu.5555FS - Submerged Single Shot with tube III (B-Periscope): T-3/Pi39H (MZ); Running depth 5m; Vt30.
Target ship: Clan Type Transport 2359ts, draught 6.9m.
Target course 58°; Target distance 600m; Target angle green90°; Target speed 8.9kn; Firing angle α 352°.
Own course 329°; Own speed 1.6kn ahead.
Weather/Sea: SSE6/5, medium swell, clear, visibility 5.7nm, >1000mb.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.
=> Torpedo is a hit in the forecastle after 44 Sec.!
With speed settting 8.5 kn (actual speed of 7.5kn + 1), the hit would have been midships.
A big hole can be seen in the waterline of the forecastle. The steamer continues on with a distinct list to stbd, zig-zagging on a northerly heading. Two spotlights are searching the water.
0350 - The steamer seems to be lying stationary, but at 0400 continues on, on course ENE, speed 3-4 knots. The steamers dips into the sea washing over the forecastle, but always pops back up like a cork. The spotlights are now dimmed.
0405 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".
0424 - Qu.5555FS top right - Over 1h after being torpedoed, the steamer finally sinks.
0433 - Surfaced after 1h 40min. and 4.4nm. - Weather and Sea unchanged.
0434 - Boat ventilated. Battery 97%. Running toward the sinking position.
Besides some debries and an oil patch, found one dead body. Pulled the body aboard and searched for identification. Afterwards, submitted the body to the sea.
0505 - Running back to Supply Ship.
0610 - Giving Recognition Signal and report about the sinking and giving personel details of dead person found, for sending to the Red Cross.
0615 - Leaving Supply Ship on course ESE and continued with outbound transit.
1200 - Qu.5912FS -
Days Run: 139.3nm - ↗ 134.9nm (22h 20') -
↘ 4.4nm (1h 40')
Total: 6011.6 (34tg 22h) - ↗ 5755.2nm (30tg 23h 54') - ↘ 256.4nm (3tg 22h 06')
508cbm (2cbm in 24h); Battery 97%; 2xT-3, 2xEtoFat, 1xT-4; 9xBold; SSE6/5, clear, visibility 5.7nm, >1000mb (Weather and Sea unchanged in 7days, 20h) - Early Morning Dawn -
1300 - Sunrise. Weather and Sea unchanged in 7 days and 21h.
2045 - Qu.6748FS -
2356 - Sundown. Weather and Sea unchanged in 8 days and 8h.