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pikke · 01-04-22, 03:54 AM

March 20, 1940 grid AN01
1918 U48 is now east of Dundee and there is no sign of that convoy. Instead we have a sound contact from the other side. Merchant, medium speed, moving away, bearing 268, long range. It seems to be moving north...I'll try to intercept and then come back searching for the convoy.

1938 Sound contact is now ESE of us but does not sound much closer...perhaps it's not going North but north-east? Let's change our course to ENE.

2012 U48 is now in grid AN47 and diving. If I guessed right our friend should be somewhere south of us...yes! Sonar just got contact: south of us and much closer. I think we will stay submerged and use sonar to get close.

2027 Target is a British Coastal Tanker. We spotted her through our periscope a couple of minutes ago and have changed course accordingly. She is going 9 knots and heading about 020. We are going to use our stern tube, a single torpedo should be more than enough for a small vessel like this. Pity the wind is too strong to use our deck gun. Tube five is ready: Eto, impact pistol, depth 3 meters. Open tube 5...let's raise our scope to get final range...about 500m...and AoB...about 80° red...fire!...torpedo away and running...lower periscope...5...4...raise periscope...2....1...Impact! Right in the middle!...no visible fire but scorch marks clearly visible on her lower hull...let's shadow her.

2048 She is down to 2 knots and very low on the water...I'd love for the wind to drop so I could use our deck gun...

2053 She is going down! Took a bit longer than expected. I'm glad I did not have to use another torpedo. No other contacts on sonar. Let's move away and go back searching for that convoy.
Ship sunk! MV Hilda (Coastal Tanker), 1343 tons. Cargo: Gasoline. Crew: 21. Crew lost: 3

2149 I think we may have found that convoy again. We dived for a sonar check and got a warship sound contact West of us. At first I thought she was coming our way to investigate our last attack but she is moving southward. U48 will surface and dash SW to try to get ahead of her.

2233 Yes, it's a convoy and I believe it's the one we attacked before. U48 is now in front of them. They are moving slow. Frigate in the lead. I think they rearranged ship disposition because I remember the large cargo being on the eastern side while now the biggest ship I can spot is right behind the leading escort. Weather unchanged, the waves should help us close in undetected. Rig for silent running! New heading 340! ahead slow!

2249 We are now past the leading escort and changing our course to get into firing position. I searched for the medium cargo but she is now last place of the westernmost column. Other targets around here are tramp steamers and small merchants. I may end up firing a torpedo to the closest small merchant if we remain undetected.

2257 It's time to attack. Tubes 2 and 3 ready: Ato running fast, impact pistol, depth 5 meters, spread 5 degrees...open tubes 2 and 3...raise periscope....must be quick, there is a tramp steamer closing on us and they may spot us...here she is...range about 400 meters...AoB...80 degrees green...fire!...both torpedoes away...Searchlights!...Lower periscope! Dive to 25 meters! Impact!...Again!...let's move inside the herd and sneak away. Ahead standard!

2306 There is chaos above...at least two warships came very close...but I bet the traffic out there is a mess...we are crawling east at 2 knots and will try to break away.

2321 Convoy is slowly moving away and perhaps there is a ship slower than the others. We have two warships sniffing around. U48 changed course slightly NE.

2351 Large cargo goes to the bottom! Warships have left the area and are now returning to convoy. We now just have to wait it out until these warships are gone.
Ship sunk! SS Breton (Large Cargo), 9217 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 51. Crew lost: 19

2359 U48 is back at periscope depth and will surface in a short while. I think we will break contact with this convoy, we sunk all the big preys and the only worthwhile ship remaining is that medium cargo. We also need to move in our external reserves, we have no torpedo in our stern tube right now. We did a good job today: four ship sunk for about 26000grt. Crew earned some rest and a good beer!

01-04-22, 03:54 AM	#6106
pikke Sparky Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Italy Posts: 152 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	U48 vs Convoy – part 2 March 20, 1940 grid AN01 1918 U48 is now east of Dundee and there is no sign of that convoy. Instead we have a sound contact from the other side. Merchant, medium speed, moving away, bearing 268, long range. It seems to be moving north...I'll try to intercept and then come back searching for the convoy. 1938 Sound contact is now ESE of us but does not sound much closer...perhaps it's not going North but north-east? Let's change our course to ENE. 2012 U48 is now in grid AN47 and diving. If I guessed right our friend should be somewhere south of us...yes! Sonar just got contact: south of us and much closer. I think we will stay submerged and use sonar to get close. 2027 Target is a British Coastal Tanker. We spotted her through our periscope a couple of minutes ago and have changed course accordingly. She is going 9 knots and heading about 020. We are going to use our stern tube, a single torpedo should be more than enough for a small vessel like this. Pity the wind is too strong to use our deck gun. Tube five is ready: Eto, impact pistol, depth 3 meters. Open tube 5...let's raise our scope to get final range...about 500m...and AoB...about 80° red...fire!...torpedo away and running...lower periscope...5...4...raise periscope...2....1...Impact! Right in the middle!...no visible fire but scorch marks clearly visible on her lower hull...let's shadow her. 2048 She is down to 2 knots and very low on the water...I'd love for the wind to drop so I could use our deck gun... 2053 She is going down! Took a bit longer than expected. I'm glad I did not have to use another torpedo. No other contacts on sonar. Let's move away and go back searching for that convoy. Ship sunk! MV Hilda (Coastal Tanker), 1343 tons. Cargo: Gasoline. Crew: 21. Crew lost: 3 2149 I think we may have found that convoy again. We dived for a sonar check and got a warship sound contact West of us. At first I thought she was coming our way to investigate our last attack but she is moving southward. U48 will surface and dash SW to try to get ahead of her. 2233 Yes, it's a convoy and I believe it's the one we attacked before. U48 is now in front of them. They are moving slow. Frigate in the lead. I think they rearranged ship disposition because I remember the large cargo being on the eastern side while now the biggest ship I can spot is right behind the leading escort. Weather unchanged, the waves should help us close in undetected. Rig for silent running! New heading 340! ahead slow! 2249 We are now past the leading escort and changing our course to get into firing position. I searched for the medium cargo but she is now last place of the westernmost column. Other targets around here are tramp steamers and small merchants. I may end up firing a torpedo to the closest small merchant if we remain undetected. 2257 It's time to attack. Tubes 2 and 3 ready: Ato running fast, impact pistol, depth 5 meters, spread 5 degrees...open tubes 2 and 3...raise periscope....must be quick, there is a tramp steamer closing on us and they may spot us...here she is...range about 400 meters...AoB...80 degrees green...fire!...both torpedoes away...Searchlights!...Lower periscope! Dive to 25 meters! Impact!...Again!...let's move inside the herd and sneak away. Ahead standard! 2306 There is chaos above...at least two warships came very close...but I bet the traffic out there is a mess...we are crawling east at 2 knots and will try to break away. 2321 Convoy is slowly moving away and perhaps there is a ship slower than the others. We have two warships sniffing around. U48 changed course slightly NE. 2351 Large cargo goes to the bottom! Warships have left the area and are now returning to convoy. We now just have to wait it out until these warships are gone. Ship sunk! SS Breton (Large Cargo), 9217 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 51. Crew lost: 19 2359 U48 is back at periscope depth and will surface in a short while. I think we will break contact with this convoy, we sunk all the big preys and the only worthwhile ship remaining is that medium cargo. We also need to move in our external reserves, we have no torpedo in our stern tube right now. We did a good job today: four ship sunk for about 26000grt. Crew earned some rest and a good beer!