[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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Thursday, 18 February 1943 - Danzig

At Danziger Werft AG, for Repairs and Overhaul.

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The construction for a large electromagnetic separation plant for enriching uranium, codenamed Y-12, begin construction at Manhattan Project's Oak Ridge site in Tennessee.

During a test flight from Renton near Seattle, a serious engine fire develops in the second XB-29 prototype aircraft. Test pilot Eddie Allen tries desperately to get back to the airfield but the huge bomber crashes into a packing plant killing the entire crew and a number of civilian workers in the building.

Down to only 13 flyable P-40 fighters, USAAF 33rd Fighter Group is withdrawn from Telepte Airfield in Tunisia.

Erwin Rommel submits a plan to Albert Kesselring and the Italian High Command for attacking the Americans guarding the Tunisian-Algerian border.

The Light Cruiser 'Jean de Vienne' is raised at Toulon, France and pressed into Italian Navy service under the new name FR.11.

U 506 (Kptlt. Erich Würdemann) situation: Up to 13th nothing found in vicinity of Capetown. Likewise in southern sector of operational area no traffic.

U 160 (Kptlt. Georg Lassen) will have freedom of action in the whole Capetown area up to and including KP.

Convoy No. 9 (ON.165):
The weather situation was particularly unfavorable for operations in the area of the convoy on 18th February. At midday southwest wind 9 with slight visibility, after passing storm depression. At 1716 U 403 (Kptlt. Heinz-Ehlert Clausen) again contacted the convoy in BC 3473. The boats reported continuous contact until the next morning. According to dead reckoning, the enemy was proceeding at less than 5 knots with westerly course. In addition to this boat U 266 (Kptlt. Ralf von Jessen) reported at 0257 on the morning of 19th February contacting the convoy in BC 3794. Since this report differed by 70 miles from the reports of U 403, it is assumed that the boats have very great deviations in fix, which is possible in view of the unfavorable current conditions in this area owing to the meeting of the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current. No further boats encountered the convoy. U 403 reported in BC 2676 an 8,000 ton steamer sunk. U 383, 226, 303, 403 and 607 had to break off operations owing to shortage of fuel. Operations against the convoy were continued with boats U 525, 186, 223, 358 and 707. Position of the convoy at 0953 on the 19th February was BC 2674.

U 522 (Kptlt. Herbert Schneider) will rendezvous with "Milkcow" U 461 (Kptlt. Wolf-Harro Stiebler) in CF 8155 for refueling, thereafter making for: U 461 - DG 23, U 522 CE 92.

U 108 (XB; Korvkpt. Werner Czygan) supplied U 511 (Oblt. Fritz Schneewind) with fuel.

Refueled from "Milkcow" U 460 (Kptlt. Ebe Schnoor): U 89 (Kptlt. Dietrich Lohmann) on the 16th February, U 614 (Kptlt. Wolfgang Sträter) on the 17th February. Tanker capacity 364 cbm provisions for 93 days.

At the Berlin Sport Palace, Goebbels announces the implementation of total war in Germany, bringing women into the industrial war effort.

The Gestapo arrest Hans Scholl and his sister Sophie, members of the "White Rose", for opposing the Nazi German regime. They will be tried for treason by Judge Roland Freisler, found guilty, and executed in Stadelheim Prison in Munich as traitors on 22 Feb 1943.

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts Torpedo Firing Training with the 25th Flotilla Danzig.

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RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115

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

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Friday, 19 February 1943 - Danzig

At Danziger Werft AG, for Repairs and Overhaul.

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The Führer departs the headquarters of Army Group South, which begins a counteroffensive toward Kharkov, Ukraine and Belgorod, Russia.

Rommel launches a surprise counter-attack at Kasserine Pass, Tunisia, overwhelming the fresh but inexperienced Americans.

U 182 (IXD2; Kptlt. Asmus Nicolai Clausen) has been in the Cape Town area for 14 days. She sank the English steamer "Blanashe" 4,836 GRT, on the 17th February in KZ 42, course 285°. No other traffic observed the whole time.

Convoy No. 9 (ON.165):
On the 19th also the weather situation was extremely unfavorable in the convoy area. Wind was S.E. 7 at midday, with low visibility from 2 - 3 miles. In the afternoon at 1554 U 525 (Kptlt. Hans-Joachim Drewitz) again contacted the convoy. The boat reported up to 5 steamers in BC 2939. According to two later reports of contact it was not 2938 but 2638. U 525 reported at 1950 for the last time the enemy in BC 2652 course 240 speed 4 knots. At the same time the boat fired a three-fan torpedo which missed.
U 707 (Oblt. Günther Gretschel) reported two destroyers at 1730 in BC 2595 with course N.E. convoy suspected there. Further reports on the convoy have not been received. Owing to fuel shortage of the boats the operation against the convoy was broken off at dawn on the morning of the 20th.
U 525 reported having sunk a single vessel of 6,000 GRT at 0508. This was probably a steamer separated from the convoy, since it was assumed that the convoy could not keep together owing to the continuously bad weather situation.
For this reason the boats were to patrol the area astern the convoy again in daylight, on the way to the supply rendezvous, in order to search out further solitary vessels.
Final Survey of Convoy No. 9:
The operation on the convoy was begun with 12 boats of which half were very low in fuel from the start and not able to carry out a long operation. The area was also unfavorable, in which the convoy was detected. The boats only had a small area for operations.
The bad conditions of weather and current in this area did not permit a successful operation. In spite of the fact that there was continuous contact with the convoy by U 525 from the afternoon of the 18th up to the morning of the 19th at 1000, it was not possible to bring up more boats. The reasons were the facilities lacking for fixes by the boats on account of low visibility and a continual heavy sea in an area where unfavorable current conditions must result in great deviation in fixes of the boats. The operation was being carried on in that area in which the Gulf Stream and Labrador Stream meet and, therefore, result in inestimable current conditions. The only possible means of counteracting these differences in fixes, i.e. by sending out beacon signals, was not successful although U 525 continually sent out signals from the convoy location. The signals were probably either not heard or only faintly heard by the other boats on account of the rough weather.
Sunk: 2 ships from this convoy, together 14,000 GRT.
Out of the 12 boats of this Group, 5 boats were up to the convoy. Two boats attacked the convoy, one boat hit a single vessel separated from the convoy.
U 201 (Oblt. Günther Rosenberg; ex U-Schnee) and U 69 (Kptlt. Ulrich Gräf; ex. U-Metzler, "The Laughing Cow") which were both up to the convoy at the beginning of the operation, have not reported any more since then. They may be assumed lost. No damage by enemy action was reported by the boats.

U 456 (Kptlt. Max-Martin Teichert) refueled from "Milkcow" U 460 (Kptlt. Ebe Schnoor). Tanker will be ready for supplying Group "Taifun" in BC 42 on 21st February at 1100.

U 268 (Oblt. Ernst Heydemann) was due to come into Brest on the morning of the 19th February. Boat has not yet arrived; orders to report on position not yet answered. In view of report on sighting by British aircraft from BF 5462 an attack is presumed, sub-chasers sent out to search, air force intends to send out 2 airplanes. No result yet.

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts Torpedo Firing Training with the 25th Flotilla Danzig.

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RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115