A busy day – part 1
February 3, 1940 AN79
1013 U48 is now in grid AN79 and we just spotted a merchant ship on the horizon...seems a small vessel...weather is not perfect but good enough for a deck gun attack...we'll see once we identify her
1022 Target is sailing NE at about 7 knots...it's a small cargo, possibly a small merchant or a passenger/cargo...we will dive now and close in submerged...Periscope depth!
1052 We are running parallel about 500m off to the starboard...target is british small merchant...there seems to be a warship, possibly a torpedo boat, somewhere SW of us but should be too far to be an hindrance...we'll pop up and use our deck gun to sink this ship...Surface the boat! Man the guns!
1056 Did not take long....couple of shells and she was burning like hell...lots of secondary explosions too...sinking now...we changed course to the east, will put some distance from this spot then dive and check for warships tha may come investigating.
Ship sunk! SS City of Lichfield (Small Merchant), 1732 tons. Cargo: Explosives. Crew: 47. Crew lost: 14
1532 We were once again closing to the british coast when our lookouts spotted a warship closing on us at quite close range...we are now at periscope depth and trying to move out of the way since this ASW Trawler is coming straight to us...I don't think they spotted us, they did not increase speed or change course...I'll get ready our stern tube, if it comes too close we will be ready to defend ourselves
1555 This ASW Trawler is going to be in a perfect position...shall I attack or not?....
1559 I've decided, we are gonna sink this one...open tube 5...Ato running fast at 4 meters...impact pistol...aiming for mid ship....fire!...running time about 1 minute...
1600 Impact! Right in the middle! That should be enough...let's move away...
1601 ASW Trawler did not sink but it's coming our way! But it's very slow...let's lower our scope...
1604 ASW Trawler is stationary now but there are a couple of what sounds like torpedo boats rushing in...U48 is still moving away at 3 knots...
1617 Torpedo boats arrived just in time to rescue the crew from the Trawler...she got lower and lower on the water and is now finally sinking...what resilience though...we'll keep moving away and surface later.
Ship sunk! HMS Northern Dawn (ASW Trawler), 1100 tons. Crew: 38. Crew lost: 25
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