[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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Saturday, 6 September 1941 - West of Brest -

0151 - Incoming F.T.: From U 141:
Have sunk the British Patrol Boat "King Erik" 228ts off the coast of Iceland. - Schüler -

0600 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged since Sundown, 5.9.

1200 - Qu.5563BE - Days Run: 218.1sm - ↗ 214.9 (22h 20') - ↘ 3.2sm (1h 40').
49.2cbm (5.3cbm/24h). Weather unchanged since Sundown, 5.9.
14 internal torpedoes. 10.5cm: 81xSpG+28xLkG.
M.G.-C/30-2cm: 7820.

1600 - New course 68°.

2038 - Sundown. Weather unchanged in 24h.

B.d.U. canceled the operation against convoy "Gysae".
Group "Seewolf" is ordered to move to the north.

Boat operating again acc. Op.-Orders as per B.d.U.-F.T.0216/31.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

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Sunday, 7 September 1941 - Western Approaches -

0001 - New course 90°.

In accordance with orders from Naval War Staff (Skl.), preparations are to be made immediately to send German submarines into the Mediterranean. 6 boats are envisaged for a start. They are to operate from the base at Salamis against enemy supply lines, especially those to the coast of North Africa. Operational control is to be in the hands of Naval Group Command South.

0545 - Sunrise. NW1/1, clear, good visibility, >1000mb.

1150 - Boat is operating on Ship Contact Report 1140/7:
Position in Qu.6296BE, on course ENE, medium speed.

Cmdr.: Estimating that the speed of target ship is 9kn, we might be able to catch it in about 10h, before it reaches the enemy air cover zone. New course 81°, 2xH.F.

1200 - Qu.6276BE - Days Run: 239.2sm - (↗ 24h).
44cbm (5.2cbm/24h). Weather unchanged since Sunrise.
14 internal torpedoes. 10.5cm: 81xSpG+28xLkG. M.G.-C/30-2cm: 7820.

1635 - Speed is increased to Full Ahead. New course 70°.

1806 - Norddeich Radio reporting about the Soviet Cruiser "Maxim Gorkij" and the Soviet Battleship "Marat", firing at the advancing German 18th Army, from the Leningrad harbor and sea channel.

2010 - Smoke plume bearing 342, E=16000.

Cmdr.: It is the ship contact report 1140/7, running on course 67°, speed 8kn and has a field of view of 11000m. We caught up with it as calculated, even a bit ahead of schedule. We are positioned against the dark horizon with the half moon off to our stbd stern and the setting sun off to our port stern.

2021 - Sundown. Weather unchanged since Sunrise.

2030 - Reached the field of view of the merchant. New course 82°. Speed is still Full Ahead.

2050 - The radio operator is reporting a ship contact report in Qu.6316BE, course SSE, slow speed.

2100 - E=8500. New course 67°. The vessel is identified as a Refrigeration Ship of 4185ts, draught 5.8m. As can be ascertained at this distance and in the evening twilight, it seems to have one deck gun mounted on the stern and one on the bow.

2115 - E=9000. New course 53°.

The whole of Group "Seewolf" (U 206, 563, 568 and 77) have reported that they are returning to base.

2137 - Norddeich Radio sending O.K.W. report that the operations on the Eastern Front are progressing as planned. The RAF has flown air raids on northwestern Germany and the Norwegian coast. Dortmun-Beckum has civilian casualties. Night fighters and Flak shot down 11 enemy bombers.

2143 - Boat has reached forward stbd. position. E=7500. Slow Ahead.

2152 - Turned boat around hard to port. New course 156°. 50RPM, 1.5kn.

2155 - "Battle Stations!". Flooding tube V.

2208 - Qu.6334BE - Shot with tube V: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.5m; Vt44. Own course 156°; Own speed 1.5kn; Shooter: OFähn.z.S & I.W.O. Udo HARTENSTEIN.
Target ship: Refrigeration Ship of 4185ts, draught 5.8m.
Target course 67°; Target distance 3400m; Target angle green70°; Target speed 8kn; Firing angle α 350°.

Torpedo is a hit after 140 sec.! The steamer immediately loses headway, fires a star shell that lies short to stbd. and radios that it has been torpedoed (English steamer).

2214 - Shot with tube VI: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 3.5m; Vt30. Own course 156°; Own speed 1.5kn; Shooter: OFähn.z.S & I.W.O. Udo HARTENSTEIN.
Target ship: Refrigeration Ship of 4185ts, draught 5.8m.
Target course 67°; Target distance 3600m; Target angle green68°; Target speed 4kn; Firing angle α 10°.

The torpedo is a hit after 3min. 45sec.! The steamer stops with a list to stbd. Continues to radio "SSS".

2222 - Turning boat around hard to port. New course 0°. Manning deck gun.

2228 - "Weapons Free"!. Fired a couple of star shells over the steamer. No return fire.

2230 - After firing 9 rounds with the deck gun at the stern of the steamer, she radios the she is sinking, capsizes to stbd. and sinks.

2250 - Running to sinking position. Questioned 8 survivors in 2 boats. Steamer is of 4342ts. Took 2 Sea Officers prisoner of war and supplied the remaining 6 with provisions, first aid material and navigational information.

2300 - Ran off on southwesterly course and high speed. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

Boat operating on ship contact report 2050/7.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.