[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

+++++++

Sunday, 27 September 1942 - Paris, Avenue Maréchal Maunoury

Radio Message to all boats:
C-in-C Navy has again issued a personal and definite order that all submarine commanders are to conform most carefully with the orders for the treatment of neutral ships. Infringement of these orders will lead to unforeseeable political repercussions. This order is to be brought immediately to the notice of each and every Commander.

Reports on the enemy:
1) U 262 (Kptlt. Günther Schiebusch): Bombs dropped in AF 4799. Proceeding to Bergen because of damage.
2) U 513 (Korvkpt. Rolf Rüggeberg): Convoy reported consisted of about 61 (doubtful) steamers, 6 destroyers; it made zigs between 25° and 85°, speed 7 knots. Air escort while making a daylight attack in BC 4128 submarine was picked up; depth charges were dropped.
3) U 177 (Korvkpt. Robert Gysae): 26 Sept., anti-submarine group in AL 6540, fast single ship, camouflaged super-structure, destroyers in quarter-line on either side. Ships were well handled, no chance to attack.
4) U 552 (Korvkpt. Erich Topp): Reported several patrol vessels in CG 58, some showing lights like neutrals. At night continuous horizontal locating (horizontally polarized radar transmissions).
5) U 514 (Kptlt. Hans Jürgen Auffermann): Sighted convoy at 0010h in FA 2948, 4 vessels on a northerly course. Submarine sank 2 freighters of 4,000 and 6,000 tons. Forced to move away.

Our Auxiliary Cruiser 'Stier' and supply ship 'Tannenfels, came across US Liberty Ship 'Stephen Hopkins' off of Dutch Guiana. Exchanging gunfire at the distance of 2 miles starting at about 0900 hours, 'Stephen Hopkins' sank about an hour later; only 15 men survived and will drift for a month before reaching the Brazilian coast. 'Stier', fatally damaged, is scuttled by her crew at 1140 hours; 2 men were lost.

Our Luftwaffe unit III./KG 4 (flying He111 bombers), flew its last bombing sortie over Stalingrad. The unit will soon be transported out of its base in Morozovsk for Germany, to undergo glider towing training.
One of our Ju88A-4 bombers and a Bf109-G2 fighter piloted by Horst Loose, where shot down today over Stalingrad, by Lydia Litvyak ('The White Rose of Stalingrad'), flying a Yak-1 fighter.

RST
KvtKpt.& A I op
(convoy staff officer)

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

+++++++

Monday, 28 September 1942 - Paris, Avenue Maréchal Maunoury

B.d.U. tells me that my wish has been granted and that I will take command of the brand new IXD2 type boat U 115 and her newly assigned crew. This boat is a further development of the type IX boat, with storage of 441 tons of fuel, which gives it an increased range of up to 31500 nautical miles at 10 knots. The two diesel engines with 2200hp each, propel the boat to a top speed of 19.2kn. This is mainly achieved by the installation of two additional diesel engines with 5500hp each, which serve as electrical charging generators.

B.d.U. also informs me, that my successor as 'Geleitzug-Asto', will be Kptlt. Adalbert 'Adi' Schnee (formerly, commander of U 201), and asks me to prepare a hand-over briefing by Wednesday, as 'Adi' Schnee will assume his new command, as of 1 October 1942.

I inform B.d.U., that it would be my esteemed honor and privilege, to fulfill my duty under his command once again, as commander of a combat boat, and agree that 'Adi' Schnee, is the ideal candidate for the position of 'Geleitzug-Asto'.

Convoy 56:
Still no contact, wind strong westerly, visibility poor. In the evening, boats are ordered to continue to stalk as far as AK 70 at low speed and to remain there cruising at the lowest possible speed. It is assumed that the convoy is still to the East. U 260 (Oblt. Hubertus Purkhold) was bombed by a Liberator in AK 9519. U 595 (Kptlt. Jürgen Quaet-Faslem) sighted a destroyer and detected location by means of her radar interception gear.

Luftwaffe bombers attack Colchester and Broadstairs, England.

Hans-Joachim Marseille is telephoned by Erwin Rommel, who wants him to accompany him to Berlin, for a speech at the Berlin Sportpalast. Marseille rejects the offer, citing his wish to save his leave time to marry Hanne-Lies Küpper later in the year.

The Ohio River Division of the US Army Corps of Engineers opened up an office in Harriman, Tennessee, to begin acquiring land, by purchase and the implementation of Eminent Domain, for Site X of the Manhattan Project.

RST
KvtKpt.& A I op
(convoy staff officer)