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, 15 April 1943 - 12th U.-Flotilla Bordeaux (Korvkpt. Klaus Scholtz; ex U 108) -
Daily F.d.U. Briefing
O.K.M-Report:
a) RAF bombers conducted a raid on La Spezia, Italy.
B.d.U.-Report:
a) At 2211, U 648 (Oblt.d.R. Peter Arthur Stahl) is ordered per F.T. 2150/15/102, to occupy AL 13 as temporary attack area.
b) In view of the loss of U 526 (Kptlt. Hans Möglich) the following instructions are given, effective at once, for incoming and outgoing boats when sailing in convoy - as far as weather conditions permit:
1) All members of the crew are to wear life-jackets.
2) Boats will proceed with bulkheads ready to close, and ready to submerge with the exception of Kingston valves, watertight forecastle and watertight stern.
3) The whole of the free watch must remain on the conning tower and also all on watch, who are not definitely required below deck.
B-Dienst Report:
a) Major General Hastings Ismay reported to Winston Churchill on our experiments with rockets.
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)
Friday,
16 April 1943 - 12th U.-Flotilla Bordeaux (Korvkpt. Klaus Scholtz; ex U 108) -
Daily F.d.U. Briefing
O.K.W.-Report:
a) The first night fighter attack on London, carried out by thirty Focke-Wulf 190 aircraft, resulted in two bombs hitting the city, and four German pilots getting lost, thought that they were over France and landed at West Malling RAF fighter base in Kent where three were taken prisoner and one was killed crash-landing.
b) 13 British Spitfire fighters intercepted a large Axis air convoy off Tunisia, claiming to have shot down 7 SM.82 and 1 Bf 109 aircraft at the cost of only 2 Spitfire fighters.
O.K.M-Report:
a) Italians raised the wreck of the French Cruiser Foch at Toulon, France, for repair.
b) Convoy warfare in March has led to a considerable using up of U-boats. A large number of boats have returned owing to fuel and torpedo exhaustion and damage. The resulting gaps must be filled as quickly as possible, if the monthly sinking figures are to be increased. On 6.4, therefore, all boats of type IX about to put out were ordered to proceed to the North Atlantic in order to make up the number of U-boats needed there to intercept convoys.
The fact that sinking results (as far as can be seen) in the southern operational area have decreased (owing to absence of traffic caused by withdrawal of ships for operations in North Africa, and the frequent changes in isolated vessel and convoy traffic.) makes this order timely. Whether future events will justify it remains to be seen.
B.d.U.-Report:
a) At 0141, U 648 (Oblt.d.R. Peter Arthur Stahl) gives short weather report acc. F.T.2209/15/104.
b) U 177 (IXD2; Kptlt. Robert Gysae) reports on "Bachstelze" (observation device).
On the southbound passage from 33°N there were two take offs daily. Successful operation up to seaway 4 and medium swell. Critical point when landing, pitching of boat is no great hindrance as the landing platform is midships and static. It is advisable to wind in the last meter of wire by hand.
The Commander considers more discrimination in the choice of personnel and better training in engine maintenance necessary.
c) A meeting has taken place between U 154 (Oblt. Oskar-Heinz Kusch), U 159 (Kptlt. Helmut Friedrich Witte) and U 518 (Kptlt. Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann). The crew of U 167 (KrvKpt. Kurt Sturm) has been evenly distributed among the boats.
d) Since U 376 (Kptlt. Friedrich-Karl Marks) put out of La Pallice on 6.4., it has not reported. The boat was detailed to search for the crew of "Irene". Apart from aircraft sightings of U-boats, there is no information of any kind whatsoever from the Biscay area or W. of it. Several requests for a situation report remained unanswered. The boat must be presumed lost.
B-Dienst Report:
a) According to special Radio Intelligence reports, the SC 126 convoy was in BC 8485 at 2100 on 12.4., and is to have carried out a change of course.
b) The first release of a non-explosive "Upkeep" bouncing bomb took place at Reculver, off the North Kent coast in Britain, but the device broke up on hitting the water.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115