[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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U 115
- KTB -
First War Patrol
(17th war patrol overall)

Wednesday, 7 July 1943 - North of Iles Crozet -

0823 - Qu.4689JB - Large Tanker 12858ts, bearing 309°, on course 253°, 17kn. No prior radar contact.

Decision not to attack. Reasons:
1. Unfavourable sea state (6 medium swell);
2. Problems with compressor;
3. Unclear ship identification;
4. Only 2 EtoFat for devensive action remaining.

Cmdr.: Torpedoing our own supply ship would be a fatal mistake!

Passing tanker at distance of 3000m to our port beam on opposite course.

0839 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
Tanker 12000ts in Qu.4689JB, 258°, 17kn. No attack due to sea state 6, unclear compressor and uncertain ship ID. 430cbm. 2 EtoFat. ESE7/6, overcast, light haze, visibility ~3.5nm, ~1000mb. Heading toward supply ship. - RST -

1030 - Morning Dawn.

1140 - Sunrise.

1200 - Qu.4699JB - Days Run: 185.8nm - ↗ 24h
Total: 11379.7nm (63tg 22h) - ↗ 10956.9nm (57tg 07h 05') - ↘ 422.8nm (6tg 14h 55')
Course 87°; 429cbm (3cbm in 24h); Battery 82.9%; 2xEtoFat; 8xBold.
ESE7/6, overcast, light haze, visibility ~3.5nm, ~1000mb (Weather & Sea unchanged in 3d 12h)

1949 - Qu.5496JB - Radar contact bearing 0°, E=6000; Shadow ahead, stationary.

1954 - Vessel is identified as Merchant Raider IX "Michel" (Ship 28; Kapitän zur See Günther Gumprich). Giving Recognition Signal, answered and confirmed.

Decision to attempt supplying at the Leeward side of Supply Ship. Water Depth 20m. Fuel hose connection done by crane. Supplying of provisions by rope connection. Charging batteries.

Messages transferred by Supply Ship (see Annex II to KTB).

2124 - Sundown.

2305 - Setting in darkness - Provisioning completed. Leaving Supply Ship (for details of Supply refer to Annex I to KTB).

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115

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

+++++++

U 115
- KTB -
First War Patrol
(17th war patrol overall)

Wednesday, 7 July 1943 - North of Iles Crozet -

Annex 1

S u p p l y :

1.) Meeting was good (including Recognition Signal exchange).
2.) Fuel oil transfer according to plan and smoothly (83 cbm taken on in 3h).
3.) Provisions transfer considerably complicated because in addition to inflatable boat as cargo boat only 1 small boat from the supplier as towing boat (Launch of the motorboat and torpedo loading not tried because of the poor sea state). Doctors visit done.
4.) Signal personnel at tanker at a strength of 1:1 was sufficient but is not enough for group supply.
5.) Beyond fuel and provisions the supplier was not fitted out for supply (hardly any spare parts etc., i.e., Repair of compressor not possible).
6.) The kindness of the supply ship Captain to the last crew member was exemplary.
7.) Supply was great for morale of own boat and for the raider crew.
8.) Weather and Sea conditions throughout were consistently poor with high winds, overcast and swell.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115