[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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Wednesday, 10 September 1941 - Bay of Biscay -

0102 - Incoming F.T.: From U 207:
Group "Markgraf": Torpedo failure against Troop Transport. Pursue not possible due to high speed. - Meyer -

0200 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
On 9 Sept., at 0425h, sunk Cargo Ship of 2872ts, in Qu.4537BF. Still have 10 internal eels and 25.5cbm. Will be Point Luci2 on 11 Sept., 0430h. SW5/4, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 5sm, >1000mb. - RST -

0214 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Escort will be Point Luci2 on 11 Sept., 0500h.

0222 - Point Lore. New course 90°.

0447 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged in 35h.

0501 - Incoming F.T.: From U 81:
Group "Markgraf": On 9 Sept., at 0655h, sunk SS Empire Springbuck 5591ts from Convoy "Greger", in Qu.6886AD. Was straggler from convoy SC.42, is running along the Greenland east coast on a northerly course. Current position of convoy is AD 6835. - Guggenberger -

0920 - Qu.5196BF - ALARM! Diving from one twin engine airplane approaching from 345°true on course SSW. Sighted at E=7000, diving at E=6000. Bridge watch says that airplanes turned toward boat just as they closed the conning tower hatch. At T=40, 4 bombs, light vibrations, no damages.

0925 - A-Meter, 135rpm, 3kn. Boat remains submerged.

1058 - Reception Depth.

1100 - Surfaced after 1h 40' and 5sm. Battery 8900Ah.
SSW6/5, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 4sm, >1000mb.

1200 - Qu.5278BF - Days Run: 193.9sm - ↗ 185.4 (20h 35') - ↘ 8.5sm (3h 25').
24.6cbm (2.7cbm/24h). 8900Ah. 10 internal torpedoes (2xEto, 8xAto). 10.5cm: 55xSpG+24xLkG. M.G.-C/30-2cm: 7820.

1201 - First status request for U 501 (Förster).

1312 - Qu.5279BF - ALARM! Diving from two pair of twin engine airplanes approaching from 005°true on course south. Sighted at E=6000, diving at E=5000. At T=25, four and at T=30, another four well placed bombs, strong vibrations, no damages.

Cmdr.: This shows that,
1. the Bay of Biscay has the expected strong enemy air cover,
2. the decision to travel surfaced by day was the right one and
3. that the boat should dive at minimum at E=6000 to approaching aircraft, in order to reach a relatively safe depth from bombs (~40m).

1320 - A-Meter, 135rpm, 3kn. Boat remains submerged.

1347 - Surfaced after 35' and 2sm. Battery 8800Ah.
ESE7/6, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 4sm, >1000mb.

1356 - Reducing speed due to the swell continually washing over the bridge.

1401 - Second status request for U 501 (Förster).

1422 - Incoming F.T.: From U 81:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42:
In second attack run, sunk Sally Maersk, 3252ts. - Guggenberger -

1436 - Incoming F.T.: From U 82:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42:
Sunk Catapult Ship Empire Hudson, 7465ts. Miss on Skeena. - Rollmann -

1453 - Incoming F.T.: From U 432:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42:
Sunk 2 ships with 4318ts. - Schultze -

1502 - Incoming F.T.: From U 111:
Southern Boats: Sunk 1 ship of 5719ts northeast of Brazil. - Kleinschmidt -

1604 - F.T.1600/10: From B.d.U.:
B-Dienst reporting a neutral convoy southwest of Pen March, on course ESE, speed 5kn.

1801 - Norddeich Radio sending report about first advances of the XIX. Mountain Troop Corps against strong Soviet resistance at Liza, Karelia. Also, the German Blockade Runner "Annelise Essberger" arrived in Bordeaux from Dairen, China.

1934 - Sundown. ENE7/6, partly cloudy, light haze, visibility 4sm, >1000mb.

1955 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
Was bombed twice by aircraft on Path Herz - no damages. Diving for submerged cruise. Will be at Point Luci2 on Sept.11, 1200h. - RST -

2000 - Diving for submerged cruise at T=50, 105rpm, 2kn, silent running.

2231 - O₂=20%.

Boat operating acc. Op.-Orders as per B.d.U.-F.T.0214/10.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

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Thursday, 11 September 1941 - Bay of Biscay -

Throughout the night sound contact with convoy 1600/10.

0411 - O₂=19%.

0436 - Sunrise.

0450 - At reception depth.

0500 - Surfaced after 9h and 21sm. Battery 7400Ah.
Weather unchanged since Sundown Sept.9.

0501 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
B.d.U. announcing the additional cyphering of the grid indicators, in order to ensure that the enemy is unable to gain any information on U-boat dispositions from the Communications Service, especially, the enemy air reconnaissance.

0505 - F.T.2103/10: From U 432:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42 now in AD 6624, changed course to NE. Have sunk one ship of 1231ts. Taking over as contact keeper. - Schultze -

Incoming F.T.: From U 82:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42:
Two ships torpedoed: Empire Crossbill, 5463ts, sinking. Scania, sinking not observed but falling behind convoy. - Rollmann -

0513 - Incoming F.T.: From U 207:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42:
Sunk two ships with 9727ts. - Meyer -

0521 - Boat ventilated.

0549 - Incoming F.T.: From U 82:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42:
Sunk two ships with 12434ts. - Rollmann -

0555 - L.I. reporting fuel reserve of 24cbm (10%).

Clouds rolling in, the barometer is falling, wind and sea are becoming less: East6/5, overcast, hazy, limited visibility, ~1000mb.

0800 - SE6/5, overcast, hazy, limited visibility, ~1000mb.

0900 - New course 42°. First beacon light of Lorient coming into sight.

0908 - Incoming F.T.: From U 433:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42:
"Q" ship in the convoy, fired 3 misses, depth charged. Air patrols also at night. - Ey -

Incoming F.T.: From U 432:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42:
Still 25 ships in convoy, 2 destroyers, 5 corvettes astern. Flying boats. - Schultze -

0930 - New course 20°. Three German Mine Sweepers to our port beam on opposite course.

0938 - Incoming F.T.: From U 569:
Group "Markgraf": Convoy "Greger"/SC.42:
Requesting beacon signals from shadower. - Hinsch -

0952 - Three Ju87-Stuka to our port beam on course SW.

1002 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
To U 575: Heydemann: Join Group "Markgraf" and operate on Convoy "Greger"/SC.42!

1008 - Incoming F.T.'s: From Group "Markgraf:
Further success reports from boats operating on Convoy "Greger"/SC.42.

1016 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
To Group "Seewolf": U 69, 94, 557, 561, 565, 95, and 98: Attack area is extended to the North and Northeast, as according to several aircraft sighting reports, the enemy is aware of the patrol line and can avoid it.

The boats are now between Ireland and 20° West from 53° to 56° North.

1023 - Two Hospital Ships to our port beam on opposite course.

1040 - Point Luci2 - Wind and Sea dying down somewhat, turning to South. Entering port together with U 106 (Oesten). Passed many burning ships and ship wrecks along the way. Harbor is protected by a pair of Me110.

Cmdr.: There seems to have been an enemy air raid on Lorient harbor!

1052 - A single Fw200 Condor is crossing our bows on course East.

1145 - Lorient - SSE4/3, overcast, hazy, visibility 3sm, ~1000mb.
Making fast and mooring boat at Isère.

Handing over of two prisoners of war to the Military Police.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.