January 11, 1941 Grid AN14
0024 U48 is slowly making it's way back home. Weather is still windy and the waves don't make for a comfortable trip inside the boat...I think it's time to dive and stay down for a while to give the men some proper rest.
0348 Sonar contact! Warship closing at medium speed...talk about a proper rest...raising to periscope depth...let's see if we can spot her...
0357 not one but two warships...no visual contact yet...they are coming our way but not straight for us...let's wait for a while longer...
0408 Two destroyer going 15 knots...should pass some distance ahead of us...let's play it safe and move back slow...I don't want to tangle with them...
0419 destroyer are chugging along and getting away blissfully unaware of our presence...but we have a new sound contact NNE of our position...sounds like a merchant...we will wait till these guys are fully gone then surface and go investigate the new friend.
0526 U48 managed to intercept our merchant friend, our lookout just spotted it...we are in a good position already so we are diving now, I don't want to risk them spotting us and call for help.
0548 We are in a perfect position but also bobbing up and down in these huge waves so we must be carful not to broach the surface and get spotted...I've lowered the periscope and we are now going full at 20m to get even closer...we'll be back to periscope depth in a matter of seconds to raise the scope for a last check and fire. Target is a Granville type freighter yet again, that's three in a row. We will shot a single torpedo, impact pistol I guess.
0550 here we are...raise the scope...here is the target...let's adjust the AOB a bit...open the tube..aiming at mid ship...fire!...lower scope....tic tac tic tac...couple of seconds left...up the scope...Impact!...got her under the funnel...small fire going on...let's increase the gap and shadow her
0622 She is very slow now, about 2 knots, and waves are lapping her decks. Not burning anymore but still smoking...
0705 She is sinking now...another Granville goes down...let's resume our course to NE
SS Sheaf Mead (Granville-type Freighter), 4750 tons. Cargo: Textiles. Crew: 49. Crew lost: 48
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