Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapitän
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
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Friday, 15 January 1943 - Stettin
Conducting tactical exercises and training with the 4th Training Flotilla (Freg.Kpt. Heinz FISCHER), Stettin and AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. H. MÜLLER).
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Two companies of "Loreto" combat engineers battalion of the Italian Air Force are transferred by ship from Sicily, to Tunis; the remaining two companies of the 1st Air Force Assault Regiment "Amedeo d'Aosta" will remain in Sicily to repair airfields.
Our Luftwaffe raids Telepte Airfield in Tunisia three times and Youks-les-Bains Airfield in Algeria once. The enemy claims that a total of 15 of our aircraft are shot down during these attacks.
General:
Neither the "SC" nor the "HX" convoy (Group "Jaguar") were contacted. Unfortunately delays in refueling reduced Group "Jaguar" to 6 boats. Probably "SC" and "HX" passed to the north of the submarine disposition.
These two convoys bring the total up to four that have been missed since 31.12. It must be assumed that the enemy has left the convoy routes that he has been sailing for nearly 5 months and is again scattering his convoy routes. This development is a great drawback to attacks by our boat, but was only to be expected. As has already been emphasized, it was quite inexplicable why the English stuck so stubbornly to almost the same convoy routes for six months, which greatly simplified finding the convoys.
Probably the convoy routes to the north have been moved into the patrol areas of the Greenland and Iceland units. The next step for us to take is to make long dispositions with numerous boats so as to find out exactly what detours the enemy is making. Groups "Falke" and "Habicht" have been given a disposition for 16.1 against the "ONS" convoy with this end in view. If this operation is again unsuccessful, it will be necessary to patrol farther to the north, preferably in the area S.E. of Greenland.
The Pentagon, the new building in Virginia, United States, and the future home of the US Department of War, are dedicated.
U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) installs Ice Protection Gear in Danzig.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115 |
Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...
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Saturday,
16 January 1943 - Stettin
Conducting tactical exercises and training with the 4th Training Flotilla (Freg.Kpt. Heinz FISCHER), Stettin and AGRU-Front, (Kvt.Kpt.-Ing. H. MÜLLER).
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Iraq declares war on the Axis powers.
British bombers attack Berlin.
Soviet troops capture Pitomnik Airfield west of Stalingrad, denying the 6.Armee the ability to fly in supplies and fly out wounded men.
U 214 (VIID; Kptlt. Günther Reeder) sighted 8 tankers putting out in EC 92 easterly course, speed 12 knots. Betrayed by splash of torpedo discharge during daylight attack. No contact.
Groups "Falke" and "Habicht" received orders to steer on a course of 330° at a speed of 6 knots on 1100, and to occupy the position lines "Falke" from AD 8835 to AK 6362; "Habicht" from AL 4171 to 7229 at 0430 on 17.1 as patrol channels. U 414 and U 268 exchange positions owing to reversed times of arrival. This move to the N.W. follows a Radio Intelligence report, according to which the last ONS convoy apparently deviated far to the N. as far as the new patrolled area.
As, according to Radio Intelligence report (special) the convoy New York/Gibraltar has been delayed for 6 days. Group "Delphin" received orders to proceed on a course of 285° at a speed of 6 knots by day and to remain in patrol channels at night. Intention: Perfect patrol of occupied channels and area gain for actions.
As it may be presumed with certainty that the expected HX and SC (convoy) passed unperceived, the boats of Group "Jaguar" are allocated the following operation areas until planned arrival of next convoys: In AJ: U 337 = 7655, U 413 = 7963, U 598 = 8491, U 594 = 8792, U 96 = 8887, U 123 = 8982, - In BC: U 266 = 2126, U 662 = 2257. This should ensure a further if not infallible patrol of this area used by the enemy for Greenland and Iceland convoys.
U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) continues exercises with the AGRU-Front Hela.
RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115