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Originally Posted by Kapitän
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
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Saturday, 16 January 1943 - Stettin
Conducting tactical exercises and training with the 4th Training Flotilla (Freg.Kpt. Heinz FISCHER), Stettin and AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. H. MÜLLER).
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Iraq declares war on the Axis powers.
British bombers attack Berlin.
Soviet troops capture Pitomnik Airfield west of Stalingrad, denying the 6.Armee the ability to fly in supplies and fly out wounded men.
U 214 (VIID; Kptlt. Günther Reeder) sighted 8 tankers putting out in EC 92 easterly course, speed 12 knots. Betrayed by splash of torpedo discharge during daylight attack. No contact.
Groups "Falke" and "Habicht" received orders to steer on a course of 330° at a speed of 6 knots on 1100, and to occupy the position lines "Falke" from AD 8835 to AK 6362; "Habicht" from AL 4171 to 7229 at 0430 on 17.1 as patrol channels. U 414 and U 268 exchange positions owing to reversed times of arrival. This move to the N.W. follows a Radio Intelligence report, according to which the last ONS convoy apparently deviated far to the N. as far as the new patrolled area.
As, according to Radio Intelligence report (special) the convoy New York/Gibraltar has been delayed for 6 days. Group "Delphin" received orders to proceed on a course of 285° at a speed of 6 knots by day and to remain in patrol channels at night. Intention: Perfect patrol of occupied channels and area gain for actions.
As it may be presumed with certainty that the expected HX and SC (convoy) passed unperceived, the boats of Group "Jaguar" are allocated the following operation areas until planned arrival of next convoys: In AJ: U 337 = 7655, U 413 = 7963, U 598 = 8491, U 594 = 8792, U 96 = 8887, U 123 = 8982, - In BC: U 266 = 2126, U 662 = 2257. This should ensure a further if not infallible patrol of this area used by the enemy for Greenland and Iceland convoys.
U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) continues exercises with the AGRU-Front Hela.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115 |
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
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Sunday,
17 January 1943 - Stettin
Conducting tactical exercises and training with the 4th Training Flotilla (Freg.Kpt. Heinz FISCHER), Stettin and AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. H. MÜLLER).
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U 66 (Kptlt. Friedrich Markworth) sighted 2 heavy cruisers and 4 destroyers on a course of 65° in DH 7297, speed 20 knots. Contact lost short time afterwards.
U 105 (Oblt. Jürgen Nissen) Situation: Nothing sighted for 8 days, apart from a destroyer, in area of Tobago Passage. Regular traffic to Port of Spain is therefore unlikely through this way. Boat sank a freighter in ED 5956. Night aerial activity experienced once without radar in ED 8653. Otherwise nothing confirmed. Return passage owing to fuel situation.
Current Operations:
As it is presumed that the boats belonging to Group "Falke" and "Habicht" are W. of the expected convoys, both groups proceeded on an easterly course with a speed of 6 knots at 1300.
U 414 (Oblt. Walther Huth) and U 631 (Oblt. Jürgen Krüger) were attacked several times in the course of the afternoon by enemy wheeled aircraft and search groups. As up to dusk the convoy had not been found, both groups turned on a course of 270° with speed of 6 knots at 1900. In this way the convoy was to be prevented from passing through unperceived by night.
At 2136 U 268 (Oblt. Ernst Heydemann) reported (T.O.O. 1600) a large convoy on a northwesterly course in AD 8947. Boat attacked and sank large tanker. Subsequently forced to submerge for 6 hours by aircraft and destroyers. According to boats estimate this was connected with a HX convoy. As U 268 was about 55 miles astern and contact was lost - also as Group "Falke" could not have reached the convoy until the next day in an area of heavy enemy air protection it was not detailed for action. Instead the boats U 614 (Kptlt. Wolfgang Sträter) and U 456 (Kptlt. Max-Martin Teichert) coming from the east and in approximately AE 70 were assigned for this task. "Falke" and "Habicht" also U 268 proceeded further to the W. and on 18.1 at dawn return back from reached AD 8735 to AK 1262 also AK 1371 to AL 2129 to 90° at a speed of 6 knots.
U 632 (Kptlt. Hans Karpf) fired 2 misses at an escort vessel in AD 8974. U 631 (Oblt. Jürgen Krüger) sighted unidentified craft on westerly course in AK 3267. No further contact with the enemy. Whether this refers to an escort craft has not been ascertained.
U 706 (Kptlt. Alexander von Zitzewitz) has taken on supplies from U 117 (XB; Korvkpt. Hans-Werner Neumann) and occupies BC 2318, depth 40 seamiles as action area. Further supplying from U 117 was not possible up to now owing to bad weather conditions. U 260 (Kptlt. Hubertus Purkhold) and U 440 (Kptlt. Hans Geissler) still expect replenishment of supplies. Latter received ordered to return owing to the small amount on the tanker.
U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts exercises with the AGRU-Front Hela.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115