[Kapitän]

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)

Tuesday, 8 June 1943 - South-Atlantic -

- 5th week at sea completed -

0134 - Supply Ship comes into sight bearing 35°.

0230 - Widder still doesn't attack the steamer. Distance is now 7800m, visibility is 8900m.

0251 - Turning boat toward the stbd. beam of the steamer.

0253 - Qu.5555FS - Diving for submerged attack acc. B.d.U.-Standing Order No. 309, 310 & 311 (Pi39H) => Order No. 302 for T-1 and T-2.

0300 - "Battle Stations!".

0303 - Flooding tube III.

0320 - Qu.5555FS - Submerged Single Shot with tube III (B-Periscope): T-3/Pi39H (MZ); Running depth 5m; Vt30.
Target ship: Clan Type Transport 2359ts, draught 6.9m.
Target course 58°; Target distance 600m; Target angle green90°; Target speed 8.9kn; Firing angle α 352°.
Own course 329°; Own speed 1.6kn ahead.
Weather/Sea: SSE6/5, medium swell, clear, visibility 5.7nm, >1000mb.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.

=> Torpedo is a hit in the forecastle after 44 Sec.!

With speed settting 8.5 kn (actual speed of 7.5kn + 1), the hit would have been midships.

A big hole can be seen in the waterline of the forecastle. The steamer continues on with a distinct list to stbd, zig-zagging on a northerly heading. Two spotlights are searching the water.

0350 - The steamer seems to be lying stationary, but at 0400 continues on, on course ENE, speed 3-4 knots. The steamers dips into the sea washing over the forecastle, but always pops back up like a cork. The spotlights are now dimmed.

0405 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

0424 - Qu.5555FS top right - Over 1h after being torpedoed, the steamer finally sinks.

0433 - Surfaced after 1h 40min. and 4.4nm. - Weather and Sea unchanged.

0434 - Boat ventilated. Battery 97%. Running toward the sinking position.

Besides some debries and an oil patch, found one dead body. Pulled the body aboard and searched for identification. Afterwards, submitted the body to the sea.

0505 - Running back to Supply Ship.

0610 - Giving Recognition Signal and report about the sinking and giving personel details of dead person found, for sending to the Red Cross.

0615 - Leaving Supply Ship on course ESE and continued with outbound transit.

1200 - Qu.5912FS - Days Run: 139.3nm - ↗ 134.9nm (22h 20') -
↘ 4.4nm (1h 40')
Total: 6011.6 (34tg 22h) - ↗ 5755.2nm (30tg 23h 54') - ↘ 256.4nm (3tg 22h 06')
508cbm (2cbm in 24h); Battery 97%; 2xT-3, 2xEtoFat, 1xT-4; 9xBold; SSE6/5, clear, visibility 5.7nm, >1000mb (Weather and Sea unchanged in 7days, 20h) - Early Morning Dawn -

1300 - Sunrise. Weather and Sea unchanged in 7 days and 21h.

2045 - Qu.6748FS -

2356 - Sundown. Weather and Sea unchanged in 8 days and 8h.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115

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)

Wednesday, 9 June 1943 - West of St.Helena -

0520 - Qu.9215FS -

0619 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
Taken over from Supply Ship 76cbm and provisions. On 8.6., 0424, sunk English steamer 2359ts in Qu.5555FS. Have 507cbm and 5 eels. Weather and Sea unchanged for over a week: SSE6/5, cöear, visibility 7nm, >1000mb. Continue outbound transit acc. Op.-Orders. - RST -

0944 - Incoming Radio Reports:

From O.K.W.:
a) Tito was wounded by a German air attack.

From B.d.U.:
a) U 177, 197, 178, 196, 198 and 181 will supply from a ship from 20.6. in KS 77. Boats are to leave their attack areas in time for this. U 115 is making for Cape Town area.
b) U 409 (Oblt. Hanns-Ferdinand Massmann) has passed through the Straits of Gibraltar.
c) U 758 (Kptlt. Helmut Manseck) reported beating off an attack by eight carrier aircraft (identified as Martlet, Lysander (!) and Mustang) from USS Bogue escorting convoy GUS 9, with their powerful new quadruple flak gun and claiming one shot down and four damaged. The boat suffering only minor damage but seven men are wounded, forcing her to return to base. Boat is able to dive to 40 meters. She will remain where she is for another 3 days and is then to make her return passage in company with 2 other boats.
d) U 450 (Oblt. Kurt Böhme) now only needs medical assistance. U 341 (Oblt. Dietrich Epp) will remain with her until U 592 (M.O. boat; Kptlt. Carl Borm) arrives.

B-Dienst Report:
a) In an enemy U-boat situation report of 2.6., the enemy believes X U-boats to be N of 40° N and W of 40° W, and a further 20 boats patrolling between 57° N 43° W and 47°? N 35° W.
On 5.6., a large number of boats was believed possibly to be within 150 miles around 50° N 30° W. During the last few days there have not been more than 3-4 boats in the N. Atlantic and it seems possible that the enemy has been deceived by our planned radio traffic and suspects a large number of boats in the N. Atlantic, because of the many outgoing messages on radio services which cover the N. Atlantic area.

1200 - Qu.9269FS - Days Run: 188.5nm - ↗ (24h)
Total: 6200.1 (35tg 22h) - ↗ 5943.7nm (31tg 23h 54') - ↘ 256.4nm (3tg 22h 06')
507cbm (1cbm in 24h); Battery 97%; 2xT-3, 2xEtoFat, 1xT-4; 9xBold; SSE6/5, clear, visibility 7nm, >1000mb (Weather and Sea unchanged in 8days, 20h) - Early Morning Dawn -

1254 - Sunrise. Weather and Sea unchanged in 8 days and 21h.

1812 - Qu.9397FS - Smoke plume bearing 244°, E=13000. Identified as an English Playmaster Cargo of 2325ts, draught 7.0m; On course 232°, at top speed of 11kn.

2015 - At E=10000, going on parallel course and speed. Boat is postionend on the forward luff-side. In due course, approaching the steamers course track, while keeping distance of 10000-12000m.

2140 - Diving for submerged attack. S-Tiefe. Both periscopes in use.

2146 - Staying in position about 500m across the port beam of the steamer course track.

2154 - Steamer comes into sight at E=5800, has a deck gun on the stern and a twin-flak on either side of the aft bridge; also, upper deck cargo in boxes. Retracting B-Periscope. "Battle Stations!".

2207 - Flooding tube II.

2210 - Qu.9618FS bottom center - Submerged Single Shot with tube II (A-Periscope): T-3/Pi39H (MZ); Running depth 8m (1m below target draught); Vt30.
Target ship: English Playmaster Cargo of 2333ts, draught 7.0m.
Target course 232°; Target distance 500m*; Target angle red90°; Target speed 11.0kn; Firing angle α 008°.
Own course 322°; Own speed 2.6kn ahead.
Weather/Sea: SSE6/5, medium swell, clear, visibility 6.5nm, >1000mb.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.

=> Torpedo is a hit midships underneath the steamer after 35 Sec.! => 35 Sec. x 15.43m/s (30kn) => 540m*.

2219 - Steamer immediately looses headway after the torpedo impact and sinks on an even keel and loud underwater explosions.

2221 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

2230 - Surfaced after 50min. and 1.4nm. - Weather and Sea unchanged. Boat ventilated.

Running to the sinking position. Nothing found but some debris and an empty Carley float (no markings found).

2300 - Running off on course 115°.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115