Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapitän
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
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U 115
- KTB -
First War Patrol
(17th war patrol overall)
Thursday, 24 June 1943 - Off Cape Town -
- continued from 24 June, 0532 -
0540 - Qu.5384GR - On course 180°. Water Depth 131m.
0548 - A Sloop in relative bearing 70°, E=7700, approaching the boat at high speed at AOB 0°. Trying to evade on course 157° and A.K.
0550 - Qu.5384GR bottom center - The Sloop is coming up quickly. Diving at a distance of 6100m. T=10 after 70 Sec.
0553 - S-Tiefe, course 180°, rigging for Silent Running.
The Sloop is approaching the position where the boat was at T=10.
Cmdr.: Apparently a trap, the A/C not attacking but signaling our position to the Sloop.
0603 - The Sloop is 900m astern, drops 10 Wabos, and in due course another 40 Wabos in 4 runs astern until 0624. Each time the boat is in the Sloop's baffles, increasing speed to A.K. and thus, managing to gain distance to the Sloop.
0624 - Distance to the Sloop is 3000m. Sound contact with steamer bearing 300°, E=15500, on course 238°, speed 7kn.
0628 - The Sloop drops another 24 Wabos in 3 runs astern until 0640, E=4300.
0649 - The Sloop lies stopped 5000m astern, searching the water surface with searchlights.
0700 - Qu.5387GR center - Water Depth 124m. Distance to Sloop is 6000m. Secured from silent running. AGAIN, about 2min. after securing from silent running, the Sloop runs at high speed toward our position. Rigging for Silent Running again.
0708 - Sloop is 3200m astern, on a search pattern.
0714 - At a distance of 1500m, the Sloop starts firing with surface weapons at our periscope.
0717 - ASDIC! Water Depth is 118m. Diving to Reception Depth.
0718 - Boat is located by ASDIC. Secured from Silent Running, ejecting Bold (8 remaining), and diving deeper with A.K. At T=30, the first series of 12 Wabos, strong concussions, broken glass.
0722 - Rigging for Silent Running. At A+30, depth under keel is 10m. L.I. reports that the boat sustained another 2% hull damage (9% accumulation since leaving BDX): 9% => 91% of 230m = 209.3m safe max. diving depth).
From 0715 until 0745, another 40 Wabos in 4 runs, each time further astern (attacking the Bold?).
0745 - Sound contact with steamer bearing 267°, E=16000, on course 239°, speed 7-8kn. Setting for A+20.
From 0746 until 0752, another 20 Wabos in 2 runs astern. Distance is 3000m.
0755 - Setting for A-Meter.
0757 - 12 Wabos 3300m astern.
0805 - A-Meter. Lost sound contact with Sloop (again, lying still?). Steamer sound contact 0624 now located in Qu.5621GR bottom left, on course 205°. Setting for Reception Depth.
0815 - T=20.
0818 - At S-Tiefe, the Sloop is seen lying stopped 3900m astern. Steamer sound contact 0745 comes into sight, is a Clan-Type-Transport of 2350ts.
- to be continued - |
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
+++++++
U 115
- KTB -
First War Patrol
(17th war patrol overall)
Thursday,
24 June 1943 - Off Cape Town -
- continued from 24 June, 0818 -
0837 - Steamer sound contact bearing 259°, course 242°, speed 10kn, E=14500, located in Qu.5388GR center bottom left.
0852 - Qu.5387GR bottom center - The Clan-Type-Transport is now bearing 300°, on course 239°, speed 10kn, E=6000. The distance is too great for an attack and the boat cannot secure from Silent Running and increase speed, as the Sloop is still too close, about 5300m astern.
0855 - Steamer sound contact bearing 257°, course 242°, speed 10kn, E=16900.
0910 - Sound contact 0837 comes into sight, is identified as a Granville Class Dry Bulk Carrier of 2197ts.
Cmdr.:
Apparently, the steamers are now leaving Capetown in intervals of 20-50min.
0928 - The Granville Class Carrier is crossing our stern at a distance of 1200m, has a deck gun on the stern, and flying a Australian flag.
0929 - Boat is maneuvering into attack position, when a Flying Boat is sighted right over the boat on course SW.
0931 - Sound contact 0855 is identified as a Large Ore Carrier of 7333ts, draught 5.8m, max. speed 17kn. Seems to be the same one, that turned around and back to Capetown at 0325, after sinking the High Speed Cargo Star at 0144.
0938 - "Battle Stations!".
0943 - Qu.5621GR center top right - Flooding tube VI.
Submerged Single Shot with tube VI (B-Periscope): T-4 "Falke"/Pi39H (MZ); Running depth 6.8m (1m below target draught); Vt20.
Target ship: Australian Large Ore Carrier of 7333ts, draught 5.8m.
Target course 242°; Target distance 2000m*; Target angle green90°; Target speed 9.0kn; Firing angle α 000°.
Own course 152°; Own speed 1.6kn astern.
Weather/Sea: SSE4/3, clear, visibility 4-5nm, >1000mb; Water Depth 125m.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.
After the shot, flooding Tube V (EtoFat).
=>
Torpedo is a hit underneath the aft section after 3min. and 27 Sec.! => 207 Sec. x 10.29m/s (20kn) => 2130.03m*.
Steamer turns away to port on a southerly heading and then turns eastward, settles in the water and comes to a stop. Steamer is armed and has upper deck cargo in crates.
Cmdr.:
Looks like the steamer is trying to escape back to Capetown again.
0955 - The stern settles more and more in the water, lifting the bow out of the water. The Sloop picks up speed but doesn't approach. Closing tube V.
0958 - The steamer sinks by the stern, the bow standing straight up in the air as the stern hits the ocean floor
1001 - The Steamer silently slips beneath the waves. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".
1004 - Running off on westerly heading. All of a sudden, underwater explosions can be heard from direction of the sunk steamer.
1035 - On course 225°. Battery 71.4%; Compressed Air Supply 290Atü; CO₂ 1.7%.
0513 - Surfaced after 5h and 12.7nm. - Weather and Sea unchanged. Water Depth 153m.
1053 - Boat ventilated and Compressed Air Supply filled. 1/3-Ahead. Course 180°.
1057 - FuMB-Detection in 35°true, E=10800. Boat remains surfaced, suspect FuMB signal is coming from the Sloop.
- to be continued -