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Old 10-28-21, 02:49 AM   #5996
pikke
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Default U53 - Type VIIb - 3rd patrol - part 6

November 15, 1939 Grid Area AM53

0746 Sound contact! Possible merchant to the West. Up on the surface and dashing toward it. Cloud overcast, wind 11 meters per second, no rain.

0811 Sound contact is now SSW of us. Sounds much closer but no visual contact yet. Changing course to get into better position.

0817 Ship spotted! Looks like a large one. I'll try to establish how fast it's moving.

0822 Terget speed is 8 knots. We already are in a good position. U53 will now dive and move into firing position.

0829 Target is a British large merchant, distance 650 meters. Will shot two eels, spread 6 degrees.

0830 Hit her with both! Fires onboard, on the bow deck and around the funnel. Running parallel. No other sound contacts detected.

0849 Huge secondary explosion. Target has slowed down to 3 knots. Nose is now dipping into the waves quite often. Looking good...

0858 She is going down. Nice prey. U53 now moves away from the area.

1022 Ship spotted! Small cargo cruising West at 9 knots. Changed course to NW for a quick dash on the surface.

1035 Down to periscope depth and moving north to get as close as possible. Sea condition gives us no chance to use deck gun, so we will shot one eel. Target is a passenger/Cargo.

1052 Torpedo impact! Small fire visible on the target deck. U53 will now tail it.

1146 Fire keeps going on and off. Target slowed down to 6 knots.

1258 Secondary explosion. Target slowed down to 3 knots and much lower on her back. Waves are lapping her decks.

1330 She is sinking. I was beginning to fear I had to use another torpedo. There is a faint sound contact ENE of us. U53 will surface and move that way.

1452 Ship spotted at last! Seems like a large merchant sailing ESE. Diving and getting into firing position.

1523 Fire! Two eels, spread 5 degree, distance about 800 meters.

1524 One hit one miss! Argh! Running parallel...will that one hit be enough? it was right in the middle but it started no fire...We'll see.

1638 She is down to 3 knots and low on the water...good.

1750 Target is barely crawling at one knot but still afloat...Weather has changed: the sky is almost clear and sea seems less choppy.

1837 Can't wait anymore. Sea conditions seems good enough for a surface attack. If not so we will launch another eels, solution is ready. Up we go!

1841 No more deck gun shells and we had to use the flak gun too. She is now a sinking burning wreck. Reported to BdU. Clearing the area.

1933 Ship spotted! Possibly a Coastal tanker moving our way. Diving to avoid detection since we are quite close.

1944 Firing from stern tube at less than 500 meters. Cannot miss...I hope.

1944 Torpedo impact! big explosion, she is burning. Should be enough.

2109 She ended up with big fireworks! took long enough. Leaving the area on a SSW course, time to start our trip back home

November 16, 1939 AM53

0104 Sound contact! We just submerged for a quick check and we got this. Nice. Moving West to intercept.

0126 Ship spotted! Target is a Granville type freighter crusing on a West-East course at 8 knots. U53 is now heading North for a 90° attack.

0148 A dud! A frigging dud! We are turning and accelerating as fast as we can. I'll launch our last eel from astern. Must time it well, she is zigzagging already.

0154 Got her right in the back! Hope it's enough, we just have some flak ammo left...

0157 She stopped. Probably that one hit damaged propellers or engine. Let's wait and see

0235 She is now much lower on the water, her back almost level with the waves. That's good.

0341 She is going down. No sound contact in the area. Surfacing and moving toward our base. No eels and no deck gun shells. Reporting to BdU. Time to go home.

November 20, 1939 Wilhelmshaven

0441 Rain pour on U53 while docking at our base.
Time to rest for a bit

Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 13
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 54287 tons

Last edited by pikke; 10-28-21 at 02:53 AM. Reason: English keeps evading me, sorry
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