Quote:
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)
Monday, 12 July 1943 - Indian Ocean -
Annex 2.2
Radio Messages transferred by Schliemann:
U-boat Situation.
B. Central Atlantic:
Convoy operations planned with the U-boats sent to the Central Atlantic have failed. Boats forming Group "Trutz" were operated against 2 E.-bound and one W.-bound convoy. Except for the sightings and attacks by carrier-borne aircraft reported by "Trutz" boats on 4.6., these boats did not have any further contact with the enemy between 1.6. and 29.6. It is believed that the first convoy expected during the period 4-6.6. evaded the "Trutz" line to the south. The second, E.-bound convoy, which was the same as that attacked by U 572 on 22 June in DH 4133, also passed Group "Trutz's" patrol line far to the south. Nothing is known of the route followed by the third, W.-bound convoy.
It is believed that in each case the patrol line was located by high-flying carrier-borne aircraft and then skirted. (See War Diary of 2.7.) This is confirmed by Lieut(s.g.) Krech, the experienced Commanding Officer of U 558. The sea area in which the U.S.A. - Gibraltar convoy route lies permits the convoys to make extensive evading movements without greatly prolonging their passage and there therefore seems no purpose in sending another group to the Central Atlantic to intercept U.S.A. - Gibraltar convoys while boats cannot detect enemy Radar transmissions from aircraft. Apart from the uncertainty of finding the convoys, constant high pressure weather conditions and the presence of enemy aircraft carriers with the convoy make conditions of operations so difficult for the U-boats, that they are not likely to meet with success.
The diversion of Group "Trutz" into Groups "Geier 1-3" on return passage did not lead to any success.
Of the 16 "Geier" boats there are at present 3 in the operations area W. of Spain. The remaining boats are returning to W. France owing to strong air activity and damage received on the England - Gibraltar convoy route.
In retrospect, it can be said that, when the North Atlantic U-boats still well off for fuel were sent to the sea area W. of the Azores, an attempt was made to achieve some success with these boats in some sea area outside the America - England convoy routes. From the start there were no illusions as to the difficulties of finding convoys in this area without reconnaissance by our own aircraft.
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)
Monday,
12 July 1943 - Indian Ocean -
Annex 2.3
Radio Messages transferred by Schliemann:
U-boat Situation.
C.
Southern Operations Area:
The operation of all available type VIIC and IXC boats, which could be supplied by U-tanker, in remote operations area in the
Caribbean, and off the Brazilian and W. African coast, has begun to take effect during the last few days. On the way to their operational areas, these boats did not sink a single ship, a clear proof of the fact, that there are actually no independently-routed ships in the N. and Central Atlantic.
After a short period in their operational areas, the boats have so far scored the following successes:
In the Caribbean:
2 steamers from convoys
1 cargo sailing vessel by U 759 in EC
Off the N. coast of Brazil:
1 steamer by U 590
3 steamers from a convoy and one independent ship by U 510 in EP
5 steamers from a convoy by U 185 in FC
Off the E. coast of Brazil:
1 steamer by U 172 in FD 70
Off Rio:
4 steamers by U 513
Off Freetown:
1 ship by U 618 in ET 50
Off Lagos:
2 steamers by U 508 in EV 60.
It can be seen that in general, traffic is by convoy even in these areas and according to present experience, the escort is very poorly trained. The constant air activity is unpleasant, although is it by no means as strong or as dangerously effective. It remains to be seen how long the U-boat crews will be able to stand being submerged all day with few opportunities to surface in these operations areas, in the Equatorial zone, where the weather is particularly hot and damp at this time of year. Although the risks are much fewer than in the N. Atlantic, operation in those waters requires extreme endurance on the part of the crews. The length of time spent in the operational area will ordinarily be governed by the state of health of the technical personnel, who usually have to work in temperatures of
40 - 50 degrees celcius. On the whole, however, all Commanding Officers and crews like to go to these areas, in spite of the trials involved, because chances of success are so much greater than in the convoy operations on the England - American routes.
The first wave of boats which have arrived in these operational areas, will be relieved by a second and a third wave. Unfortunately, much depends on the tanker situation, which is at present bad (U 462 has returned to port, as she was forced to turn back on her way out through Biscay, owing to bombing attacks). Only small supplies of fuel and provisions can be provided fairly far N. in the Central Atlantic.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115