[ConvoyHunting]

First patrol of the IXB U-64
01.03.1940 - 13.05.1940
Kaleun : Leutnant z.S. Georg Shulz
Days at sea : 74
Ships Sunk : 9
Tonnage : 36110
Wolfpacks/Convoy Battles : 2
Awards :
Leutnant z.S. Eugen Offermann (Wath Officer) - Iron Cross Second Class
Bootsman Fritz Zolke - Iron Cross First Class

01.03.1940
22:00 - Departed Wilhemlshaven for first war patrol.

04.03.1940
AN2131
23:12 - Visual contact with british Empire-type Freigther. Engaged during surfaced night attack, fired two torpedoes (two hits). Sunk for 6780. Fuel 95, torpedoes 20. Clouds clear, visibility unlimited, wind 0mps 303.
23:31 - Status reported to BDU : BB PSLG HRE DQU IEPO NVNO PLUE EITE IOAZ BQVY JEBK PYM PSLG

05.03.1940
AF7954
12:52 - Visual contact with british Medium Cargo. Dived to conduct submerged daylight attack despite the bad weather condititions. Fired two torpedoes, two hits. Sunk for 4795.Fuel 95, torpedoes 18. Precipitaitons heavy, visibility poor, wind 15mps 78.
22:12 - Status reported to BDU : BB QFBW GCJ VYN YALB GPJT SMJJ ZWDD CPZP WVJT INIU YCZC RVZ QFBW

10.03.1940
AM5484
06:12 - Visual contact with british small merchant. Proceed to surfaced attack with aft torpedoes. Fire one torpedo, one hit. Sunk for 3168. Fuel 85, torpedoes 17. Clouds partial, visibility moderate, wind 0mps 76
AM7322
21:32 - Operation area reached. Status reported to BDU : BB IOWD ITH NYB JQUE FOPM MVCZ DKLI CXIU RJOT XTHP YIKN XOTU ZUCY ESP IOWD

20.03.1940
AM7359
22:43 - Received radio message from BDU : "REPORT CURRENT STATUS VIA IRELAND CIRCUIT"
23:03 - Status reported to BDU : BB LMAZ SDH HZP RLUH IKYZ LZXN ULCW ORKQ RWDG XKN LMAZ
23:49 - Received "officiers only" radio message from BDU : "OPERATION AREA RELOCATED TO BE36"

23.03.1940
BE3622
03:54 - New operation area reached. Fuel 75, torpedoes 17. Clouds clear, visibility unlimited, wind 0mps 28.

28.03.1940
BE3654
18:56 - Visual contact with british coastal freighter. Since she wasn't armed, we proceeded to surface attack using deckgun. Sunk for 1869. Fuel 75, torpedoes 17. Clouds partial, visibility unlimited, wind 3mps 126.
BE3657
24:51 - Status reported to BDU : BB AKO ZZL LKT GNHS GIYW MTXM PEWP FUZZ LMQJ YQDR ZJIM JIN AKO

02.04.1940
BE3692
06:46 - Visual contact with british coastal freigther, not armed. Engaged with deckgun during surface attack and sunk for 1871. Fuel 70, torpedoes 17. Clouds clear, visibility unlimited, wind 0mps 243.
BE3658
21:42 - Status reported to BDU : BB WEG OAXG QMUG VTHC DYXM XAWI QALT KWFO XHDX LFG WEG

04.04.1940
BE3668
00:06 - Visual contact with british Graville-type freighter. Impossible to determined if she was armed or not. Deceided to proceed to a good position for a surfaced night attack. Fired two torpedoes, to hits. Sunk for 4709. Fuel 65, torpedoes 15. Clouds overcast, visibility moderate, wind 9mps 72.
BE3691
06:13 : Status reported to BDU : BB SDH BEYC VUYK YVKK YYGH XVTG CALH DKPJ TMZV DDJO TGH SDH

14.04.1940
BE3684
01:37 - Received radio message from BDU : "REPORT STATUS AND FUEL CONDITION VIA IRELAND CIRCUIT"
02:01 - Status reported to BDU through Ireland Circuit : BB BDO BHVS COJX DRXT FGXN FLYE NWGN CCUH QFF BDO
02:46 - Received radio message from BDU : "OFFICERS ONLY - RELOCATE PICKET LINE TO BE 39"
BE3922
05:52 - New operation area reached. Fuel 60, torpedoes 15. Clouds clear, visbility moderate, wind 11mps 297.

15.04.1940
BE3946
07:42 - Visual contact with british warship, bearing 036. Crash dive to avoid detection.

16.04.1940
BE3654
20:54 - Visual contact with british warship, crashdive.

22.04.1940
BE3646
20:55 - Hydrophone contact with at least 10 ships, supposed convoy heading ESE at 7 knots. Despite bad weather conditions and precipitations, I deceided to tryng to make visual contact and get close. Made visual contact with several british merchants, no escorts in sight. Get into the best surfaced attack position I can and fired six torpedoes to the closest targets, four hits and two miss. Managed to sunk one british Coast Freighter, 1870, and one british Empire-type Freighter for 6782 tons. After first impacts, searchlights were pointed into our direction, immediate crashdive. No sound contact with escort of any kind. The precipitation was heavy. Fuel 55, torpedoes 9. Clouds overcast, precipitation heavy, visibility poor, wind 15mps 108.
21:33 - Status reported to BDU : BB SFH CZPN BRUO OQKJ JEIV IAPZ XGMR GUFA KFEV WXIB WVMK GIAH RGU SFH
21:56 - Radio message received from BDU : "CONVOY REPORTED - STAY IN PICKET LINE IN OUR ASSIGNED GRID - CONTINUE OPERATION - SEND SHORT WEATHER REPORT VIA IRELAND CIRCUIT"
22:26 - Short weather report send via Ireland Circuit : QQ222226Z P UVPL BMLW ZJGJ SQLX JMEX PPVH

02.05.1940
17:52 - Radio message received from BDU : "OFFICERS ONLY - U-101 REPORTED 20 MERCHANTS OUTBOUND CONVOY BEARING SSW AT MEDIUM SPEED HEADING TO YOUR PICKET LINE - INTERCEPT AND SHADOW UNTIL GOOD ATTACK POSITION - REPORT IMMEDIATLY AFTER ACTION"
BE3637
02:22 - Visual contact at 20:32 with 20 ships escorted by four escorts, heading W at medium speed. Supposed to be the convoy reported by BDU. Shadowed convoy and sending beacon signals for 1H. Spot a good position for surfaced night attack. Fired seven torpedoes at three targets, four hits and three misses. Sunk two british medium cargos, 6782 and 4267 before crashdiving. We were spotted and depthcharged for more than two hours by escorts. Flooding in command room; attack periscope qnd deckgun destroyed. We managed to stop flooding evaded after long period of depthcharging by at least two of the escort ships. Hull is intact. Weather deteriorating. Fuel 50, torpedoes 2. Clouds overcast, precipitation heavy, visibility poor, wind 7mps 63.
02:34 - Status reported to BDU : BB GJJ GLBV HXQV LQUO AZUB UIPT PDTW DJQF PSLH BGAV UBYX YIP GJJ
03:07 - Radio message received from BDU : " OFFICERS ONLY - FREE TO RETURN BASE"

13.05.1940
21:06 - Docked at Wilhelmshaven, ending patrol.