[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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KTB - U 113

- continued from 26 Dec., 1834h -

In Memoriam

Engelbert Endraß joined U 47 in December 1938 as Leutnant z. See. He was the I.W.O., when Günther Prien made his famous Scapa Flow attack and sank HMS Royal Oak.

It was Endraß who painted the famous snorting bull emblem on U 47's conning tower before they returned.

He stayed on U 47 until December 1939, and after some training courses took command of U 46, another type VIIB U-boat. After having sunk the British auxiliary cruiser Dunvegan Castle of 15,007 tons, Endraß was awarded the Knights Cross. After the seventh patrol, the Oak Leaves were added. In September 1941 he left U 46 and a month later took over the type VIIC Uboat U 567.

His closest friend was Kptlt. Erich Topp, Commander of U 552, who had been the XO on U 46, before Endraß took over command. When he heard that U 567 had been sunk with all hands, he wrote the following verses, quoting Hávamál:

"WHAT IS YOURS WILL be gone. Your kin will die,

And you yourself will die like them.

One thing, I know, will live forever:

The deeds of the dead in all their glory."

"I (Erich Topp) wrote these pages in the lonely wastes of the Atlantic when all hope had vanished that Engelbert Endrass might return alive from his last patrol."

The O.K.W. will not inform the German public about the death of Engelbert Endraß, until 3 months later on 31 March 1942, when the daily Wehrmachtsbericht will announce:

"The U-boat under the command of Kapitänleutnant Endraß, recipient of the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, has not returned from patrol. An outstanding U-boat commander is on eternal patrol with his brave crew.".

Lest we forget

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

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KTB - U 113

Saturday, 27 December 1941 - Northwest of the Azores -

Cmdr.: Today, U 130 (IXC), KvtKpt. Ernst Kals and U 109 (IXB), Kptlt. Heinrich "Ajax" Bleichrodt, will leave for Operation "Paukenschlag".

0030 - Weather is getting worse: Wind and Sea increasing and shifting North and in due course to West, overcast and light haze.

0340 - Qu.1277CE - On new course 251°.

0400 - Weather: W5/4, overcast, light haze, medium visibility, ~1000mb.

0544 - Incoming F.T.: From U 75:
Will arrive (Salamis) about 1000h, 28 Dec.! - Ringelmann -

0640 - Diving for torpedo maintenance and trial dive acc. B.d.U. Standing Order 507. 135rpm, 3kn.

0645 - T=50.

0700 - Commencing torpedo maintenance.

0839 - O₂ = 20%.

0937 - Sunrise.

1000 - Bow torpedoes serviced. Break until 1020h.

1150 - Stern torpedoes serviced.

1200 - Qu.1426CE - Days Run: 157.5sm - ↗ 142.0sm (18h 40') - ↘ 15.5sm (5h 20').
202.2cbm (2.6cbm/24h). On course 251°. Battery 8300Ah. 14 internal and 8 external torpedoes. T=50. O₂=20%. Lunch Break until 1300h.

1219 - O₂ = 19%.

1300 - Commencing of trial dive.

1318 - Boat is safe and secure at 2A-Meters.
(Critical depth begins at 158m)

1320 - 135rpm. Setting reception depth.

1335 - At reception depth.

1340 - Surfaced after 1h 40min. and 4.6sm (Total: 7h and 20.1sm). Weather unchanged since 27 Dec., 0400h. Battery: 7900Ah.

1349 - Boat ventilated.

Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
According to a report from Group North, British landings have been made at Aelesund and Nordfjord. U 156, 87, 135, also U 582 which has put into Drontheim in the meantime, have been ordered to proceed as quickly as possible to square AF 8490.

1400 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
First position and status request for U 75 (Ringelmann).

1845 - Sundown. Weather unchanged since 27 Dec., 0400h.

Boat operating acc. to Op.-Orders "Paukenschlag".

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.