[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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.

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

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Monday, 8 September 1941 - Western Approaches -

- Sixth week at sea completed -

0050 - Reached calculated interception point of ship contact report 2050/7 - nothing found.

0105 - Dived for sound check. At T=20 sound contact bearing 287°, E=12000, running away.

0110 - Surfaced after 5min. and 0.3sm and chased after sound contact running 2xH.F. and on course 155°.

0118 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
To all boats operating in the northern area:
Little sightings in area of operations. The general impression obtained is, that there are no longer any independents other than a few, very fast large steamers. The enemy appears to have gathered all shipping together in convoys.
- to be continued -

0133 - "Shadow Ahead"!. E=10000. Altering course to 180°. It is ship contact report 2050/7.

0145 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
Continued from F.T.0118/8: In addition to close escort with the convoys, long-range escorts or hunter groups are observed, which render shadowing or undetected approach extremely difficult. In addition, the long-range escort appear to carry out decoy maneuvers by firing star shells and using search-lights etc.
- to be continued -

0159 - On new course 155°.

Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
Continued from F.T.0145/8: Boat are ordered to fire at long range at the very first opportunity.
- End -

0220 - Boat is 4500m to the stbd. beam of the steamer, which runs with 7kn on course 155° and is identified as English merchant of 2935ts. Boat is moving ahead of steamer to set-up for an ambush with the deck gun.

0250 - Qu.6385BE - On course 110°, speed 1.6kn. Distance to steamer is 2600m. "Battle Stations!". Manning deck gun. "Weapons Free!".

Fired two star shells over the steamer. She radios that it is being shelled and returns fire with a deck gun mounted on the forecastle and on the stern. However, the shots are being fired intermittently and lie either too short or too long.

After 17 shots with the deck gun aiming at the enemy deck guns, internal explosions are observed on the steamer, in the general area of the deck guns. The steamer breaks in two and sinks.

Running to the sinking position and questioned 3 survivors in 1 boat. Steamer is English and of 3049ts. Supplied the survivors with provisions, first aid material and navigational information.

0315 - Running off on easterly course and high speed. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

0509 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged in 24h.

0750 - New course 90°.

1200 - Qu.4187BF - Days Run: 300.5sm - ↗ 300.2 (23h 55') - ↘ 0.3sm (5').
34.3cbm (9.7cbm/24h). Weather unchanged since Sunrise, 7.9.
12 internal torpedoes. 10.5cm: 55xSpG+24xLkG. M.G.-C/30-2cm: 7820.

1400 - Wind and sea are increasing and shifting to West. It's becoming partially cloudy.

1540 - SW5/4, partly cloudy. light haze, good visibility, >1000mb.

1930 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
On 7 Sep., 2230h, Refrigeration Ship of 4342ts sunk in Qu.6334BE. Have taken 2 Sea Officers as prisoner of war. On 8 Sep., 0255h, Merchant of 3049ts sunk in Qu.6385BE.
Have 32cbm and 12 internal eels. Will be at Point Lore in 24h. SW5/4, partly cloudy, light haze, good visibility, >1000mb. - RST -

1947 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Enter Lorient as of Point Lore without escort on Path Herz to Point Luci2. Report when 24h from Point Luci2.

1952 - Sundown. Weather unchanged since 1540h.

Cmdr.: Apparently, there are not sufficient escorts available for the leaving and returning boats. We need to enter Lorient with great caution!

Boat operating acc. Op.-Orders as per B.d.U.-F.T.1947/8.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.