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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