6-12-1940
Patrol Log.
Kptlt. Egon Roth.
As I am writing this My boat U-99 is steaming ahead standard south of Ireland through grid BF16 on our way to our preferred hunting grounds of AM51 and AM52, as I write this a freshly killed British merchantman lay sunken behind us as we slip off into the night. The choice to patrol through the northern Irish waters was a practical one due to the large amount of British shipping moving through here (Ironically to avoid risking being attacked in the "English" channel). Strangely enough much of the shipping there consists of lone merchantmen, sometimes in a pair but most often alone.
I cannot deny that U-99 is a good boat with a good crew, but, being a type VII as it is, the range and torpedo count hampers us to a frustrating degree. But that may soon change.
During the award ceremony for my last German cross I found myself the recipient of the unexpected honor of having my medal presented by "Uncle Karl" himself, this was for my latest patrol in the AM grid which totalled no less than 54,000 tons of enemy shipping (including one Tribal class destroyer), after the presentation ceremony Donitz and I spoke and he then asked me if there was anything he could do for us in light of our service to Germany, and I DID have one thing I wanted. I mentioned to him about my...reservations about the limitations of the Type VII in regards to endurance and firepower and how my crew and I were unhappy with how this limited our ability to patrol. Donitz nodded, told me he sympathized with our predicament and then went on about his business and I mine.
Two days later, as I sat in my office at the pens of Lorient I received a phonecall ordering me to the commandants office, once there I was approached by one of Donitz's officers from BdU who informed me that pending the results of U-99's next patrol I could become eligible for one of the new (and larger) ocean going type IX boats, and that if I performed well enough on this last mission then I would be ordered back to Willhelmshaven to assume command of my new boat with orders to sail her back to Lorient to resume duties once there.
I can only hope our past success over the last year will continue on this patrol, with luck perhaps I can convince BdU to allow me to transfer my crew with me, without them I wouldn't have had the successes I have, I look out for the boys under me.
================================================== ======
Hope that didnt suck TOO bad, lol
