Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapitän
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)
Sunday, 2 May 1943 - Bordeaux
- Loading of Cargo for transport to Penang in upper deck containers.
- Final Repairs and Adjustments. Basin Trials.
+++++++
Daily F.d.U. Briefing
O.K.W.-Report:
a) Japanese aircraft conducted a raid on Darwin, Australia.
O.K.M.-Report:
a) Order: In future do not report when Iceland-Faroes have been passed. Report by short signal when passing 61° North to the south.
b) U 183 (Kptlt. Heinrich Schäfer) has refueled from U 117 (XB; Korvkpt. Hans-Werner Neumann) and is returning.
c) As the Italian submarine (Leonardo da Vinci) did not keep her rendezvous for refueling, U 117 has turned back.
B.d.U.-Report:
a) Convoy No. 34:
At 0012, U 648 (Oblt.d.R. Peter Arthur Stahl) reports via ßß-Signal: "My position is AJ 3429, 41cbm.". Is not received by HQ, in general very poor signal volumes. At 0430, U-Stahl is passing a big Iceberg to Stbd. At 0600, U-Stahl repeats F.T. from 0012, is again not received by HQ. At 0815, in Qu.AJ 3497, U-Stahl crash-dives for training and remains submerged for torpedo maintenance until 1316.
During the morning of 2nd May weather was reported from the convoy area as wind south 5, visibility 6 miles. Towards evening the wind freshened to south 9, stormy, visibility up to 3 miles. One boat reported fog. The only news of the convoy came from U 628 (Kptlt. Heinrich Hasenschar), who reported at 0956 from AJ 8695 a wide band, probably a convoy, on a true bearing of 300°.
Only at 1720, U-Stahl receives F.T.1035/2/895: To Stahl: "Operate on Hasenschar-Convoy. Switch to Amerika-I circuit immediately.". This important F.T. was not received for the first time by U-Stahl until 1347, which is now operating on course 260° and 2xH.F. If the convoy steers North, U-Stahl should be positioned in front of the convoy at noon tomorrow. At 2000, U-Stahl position is Qu.AJ 3769, Wind South to West 7, Sea 7, visibility 2nm, 1003mb, the boat is shipping much water.
U 358 (Kptlt. Rolf Manke) reported that she had searched on a northerly course without success. U 260 (Kptlt. Hubertus Purkhold), who had sighted a star shell during the night of 1/2 May, searched from 30 to 40°, also without success. According to the report from U 628, the convoy has probably steered a course of 20-25° and speed of 7.7 knots by dead reckoning. This information was radioed to the boats as a clue. Boats were also informed that enemy courses of 10-50° and 6.8 knots might be reckoned on for further hunting of the convoy.
U 92 (Kptlt. Adolf Oelrich) had to move away as her Diesel coupling and thrust bearing were faulty, 2 cylinder heads had cracked. The operation is being continued with 29 boats.
B-Dienst Report:
a) Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Bogue (CVE-9) and her task group arrived at Banghor Bay, Belfast Harbor, where Bogue will have HF/DF radio detection gear installed (Huff-Duff).
b) The RAF Bomber Command reported to the British Air Ministry that it currently has 725 ready crews for operations; the number included 129 crews of Wellington bombers and 250 crews for Lancaster bombers.
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)
Monday,
3 May 1943 - Bordeaux
- Taking on of fresh food and water supply.
+++++++
Daily F.d.U. Briefing
O.K.W.-Report:
a) 487 Squadron of the New Zealand Air Force attacked a power station in Amsterdam. All 10 bombers dispatched were lost to Luftwaffe fighters.
b) US troops captured Mateur, Tunisia.
O.K.M.-Report:
a) Light cruiser Nürnberg arrived at Kiel; Torpedo Boats Jaguar and Greif, and Z4 Richard Beitzen had escorted her to Kiel from Norway. Later that day, Jaguar, Greif, and Möwe escorted minelayers out of Kiel for the North Sea.
b) Royal Navy began bombarding Pantelleria Island near Sicily.
B.d.U.-Report:
a) After the following boats have passed the approach points ordered on 16.4., they are to occupy the attack areas shown:
U 181 (IXD2; KrvKpt. Wolfgang Lüth) - KP 30, 50, 60 and KQ 10, 40. Focal point Lourenzo Marques.
According to reliable reports there is brisk outward and inward traffic.
U 198 (IXD2; Kpt.z.S. Werner Hartmann) and U 196 (IXD2; KrvKpt. Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat) - KP 80, 90 and KZ 10 to 30. U 198 is to steer N.E. and U 196 S.W. of the line running from KP 8480 to KZ 3990. Focal point off Durban. Italian submarine sank several ships in this area.
+++++++
Pre-War Patrol Briefing:
a) Since 11.42: Deckgun also as Flak.
b) Since End1942: A/C with Rockets RP-3.
c) Since 8 Jan.1943: B.d.U.-Standing Order No. 307:
Inspection/Replacement of Pistol G7H after Wabo Attack.
d) Since 8 Jan.1943: B.d.U.-Standing Order No. 308:
Closing of Torpedo Tubes during Deep Dive.
e) Since 30 Jan.1943: B.d.U.-Standing Order No. 510:
Test Run of Main Diesels at AK for 30min., every 4 days.
f) Since March 1943:
1) Forward Projectile "Hedgehog": Range/Distance 230-260m; Effective Range/Radius 30m; Sinking Speed 13m/s.
2) Mark24 Mine "Fido" (Homing) Torpedo: Depth 15-45m; Speed 12 kn for 10 min; Range 3700m.
g) Since 1 April 1943: B.d.U-Standing Order No.309:
Depth Setting of Pi-2/39H at MZ-Setting.
h) Since 14 Apr.1943:
1) New Allied Radar 271-Mark-III (9.7cm Range), can detect Uboats a distance of 12nm.
2) Submerge for about 30 minutes on confirmation of a/c radar (also, Magic Eye).
3) A/C equipped with Leigh Lights for night attacks.
i) Since 1 May 1943: B.d.U-Standing Order No.306:
Op.-Order for use of FAT-Torpedoes.
j)
As of 3 May 1943: B.d.U-Standing Order No.305:
Op.-Order on loading of Upper Deck Containers.
k)
Report on enemy a/c A/S activity:
1) On 28 April, U 504 (Kptlt. Wilhelm Luis) was attacked by aircraft without previous radar location in BF 49 after a suspicious looking trawler group had passed. The boat presumes cooperation. Also, U 437 (Oblt. Hermann Lamby) was heavily bombed during the night in BF 7281 (outbound). The boat was temporarily out of control and submerging was restricted. Help was urgently needed and all boats in the vicinity were ordered to proceed at high speed to the area to render assistance. Destroyer and fighter protection was also requested.
Today, U 415 (Oblt. Kurt Neide) was bombed 3 times by a plane in BF 74 while homeward bound. Despite much damage she was still able to dive. Boat has requested escort from outer point "KERN".
During the period November 1942 to January 1943 enemy a/c A/S activity had little result, but since February its effect has increased to an alarming extent. It is not known whether this is due to improved location gear or to the use of more suitable types of a/c. The fact is that during the last two months there have been more U-boat sighting by English aircraft, and more U-boats have been attacked.
The night attacks repeatedly reported recently make it necessary for the boats in the Biscay area to be given permission to proceed on the surface during the day only to recharge batteries, and submerged at night.
Every effort is being made to produce apparatus able to intercept the radar equipment presumably used by the enemy.
2) G.O.C. Atlantic Air Forces gives the following information on English air operations in his Reg. No. Most Secret 853/43:
"Average sortie of enemy sea reconnaissance during the last 3 months was 35 - 40 planes daily from the following bases:
- Beaulieu (near Southampton) - unknown number of Halifaxes and Liberators
- Talbenny (near Milford Haven) - 23 Beaufighters
- Chivenor (Cornwall) - 36 Whitleys and Wellingtons
- St. Eval, Trevose Head - 73 Wellingtons
- Mount Batten - 14 Sunderlands
- Pembroke Dock - 12 Sunderlands
- Poole - 12 Sunderlands
Concentration by day W. of 10° W, by night in inner Biscay. Largest number of aircraft during the afternoon. When convoys were sailing N. and S. between Gibraltar and England reconnaissance was reinforced to about 50 aircraft daily. English reconnaissance aircraft keep radio silence S. of 49° N., so that it is not possible to discover in what areas they are concentrating.
Ther is no particular increase in activity observed during the last few weeks."
3) It should be noted here that when convoys are going through it is almost impossible for U-boats to operate on the surface owing to constant air activity.
Experience shows that aircraft A/S activity increases when there are a number of U-boats on return passage through Biscay after major convoy operations. Action by Ju 88's type C6, available to G.O.C. Atlantic Air Forces, against A/S aircraft is possible only to a restricted extent.
4) G.O.C. Atlantic Air Forces states in his Reg. No. 853/43, para. 4):
"The Ju 88 C6 is inferior to the Beaufighter (a further 2 Ju88's lost on 22 on U-boat escort off the Spanish coast) and no longer superior to modern A/S aircraft Boeings and Fortress II. Reasons: too slow, unsuitable armament, water-cooled engines sensitive to gunfire".
5) It is clear from G.O.C. Atlantic Air Forces' report that no improvement can be expected in the near future in countermeasures to the ever increasing enemy aircraft anti-submarine hunts, which are now making themselves felt immediately off our own bases. There will be further losses.
Cmdr.:
When we arrived in Bordeuax 3 weeks ago, the escort path was patrolled by Bf110's.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115