[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

+++++

Friday, 29 August 1941 - South of Iceland -

0542 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged since last Etmal.

0700 - Diving for torpedo maintenance and trial dive.

0706 - T=50, 65rpm, 1.6kn. Start of torpedo maintenance.

0851 - O₂=20%.

1007 - Bow torpedoes serviced. Break until 1030h.

1200 - Stern torpedoes services. Lunch break.

1200 - Qu.2938AL - Days Run: 126.9sm - ↗ 120.0 (19h) - ↘ 6.9sm (5h).
80.9cbm (2.6cbm/24h) +1.3 Reserve. 9000Ah. O₂=20%. 14+1 torpedoes. Weather unchanged since sunrise.

1251 - O₂=19%.

1300 - Start of trial dive.

1319 - Boat is safe and secure at 2A-Meter and reacts well at 135rpm.

1405 - Surfaced after 7h and 11sm.

1412 - Boat ventilated. Charging batteries at 8700Ah. Port diesel propulsion 285RPM, 7kn; Stbd diesel charging 495RPM.

1502 - Second status request sent by B.d.U. to U 570 (Rahmlow).

1504 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
All northern boats: Brake off search for U-Rahmlow and occupy previously held positions.
All western boats: Form patrol line from AL8591 to BE2239 in search for "Schüler"-convoy.

1513 - Battery charged: 1h for 1300Ah.

1627 - Boat is operation on ship contact report 1620/29. New course 180°. 2xH.F.

1639 - Steamer bearing 340°, E=9000, on course 265°, speed 7kn. English Belize-Class-Steamer of 1690ts, seems to be unarmed.

1653 - "Battle Stations" & "Weapons Free!", for the 10.5cm deck gun, at distance of 3200m.

Cmdr.: The steamer is armed after all. Returns fire with a deck gun mounted at the stern. However, the shots are irregular and very inaccurate. Two Flak-guns mounted at the aft bridge deck, are not firing. The radio operator is sending "SSS".

1700 - Qu.0241AL - After 31 shots with the deck gun, the steamer sinks by the stern (81 x 10.5cm shells left over).

Running to the sinking position. Nothing found but some debris. Running off on easterly course and high speed. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!"

1801 - Norddeich Radio sending O.K.W. report about German Luftwaffe Ju88's sinking 3 Soviet supply ships in the Baltic Sea and damaging 3 more.

2158 - Sundown. Midnight Twilight.
NW4/3, overcast, light haze, visibility 5sm, ~1000mb.

Boat operating acc. Op.-Orders as per B.d.U.-F.T.1504/29.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

+++++

Saturday, 30 August 1941 - West of Rockall -

0200 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
On 29.8., 1700h, sunk ship contact report 1620/29 with deck gun, Belize Steamer 1735ts, Qu.0241AL. 80cbm. 14+1 eels. NW4/3, overcast, light haze, visibility 5sm, ~1000mb. - RST -

0216 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Message received. Expect next status and weather report in 24h.

0532 - Sunrise. Weather unchanged in 42h.

1000 - New course 97°.

1200 - Qu.3946AL - Days Run: 157.4sm - ↗ 153.6 (21h 55') - ↘ 3.8sm (2h 05')
79.1cbm (1.8cbm/24h) +1.3 Reserve. 14+1 torpedoes. 81x10.5cm. Weather unchanged in 48h.

1201 - Third status request sent by B.d.U. to U 570 (Rahmlow). Boat is presumed lost.

(Historically, U 570 was surrendered to British forces on 27 August 1941 in the North Atlantic south of Iceland, in position 62.15N, 18.35W, after being damaged by a British Hudson aircraft (269 Sqn RAF/S). 44 survivors, no casualties. The boat is beached on 29 August 1941 at Thorlakshofn, in Southern Iceland after being towed from its capture 2 days earlier. It was deemed best to beach her there instead of the longer route to Reykjavik. U-570 became the British submarine HMS Graph on 5 October 1941. Decommissioned from active service on 21 June 1943. Stricken from records after running aground on the west coast of Islay, Scotland on 20 March 1944, while en-route to be scrapped. Wreck broken up in 1961.)

1203 - F.d.U. Mediterranean reporting on imminent arrival of an enemy task force in Gibraltar, most likely in support of increasing its air forces on Malta.

1307 - Norddeich Radio sending O.K.W. report on Radio Berlin about successful operations of our Finnish allies in Karelia and the re-capture of its capitol city of Viipuri.

1647 - Boat operating on ship contact report 1640/30. New course 223°. 2xH.F.

1945 - "Commander on bridge!". Smoke plume bearing 30°.
It is ship contact report 1640/30, a Canadian bulk freighter of 2923ts, on course 89°, speed 7kn, E=7000. Steamer has a deck gun mounted on the stern,

1955 - Turned boat around to bring the stern tubes to bear.

2005 - Flooding tube V. Decks awash. "Battle Stations!".

2012 - Qu.6214AL - Shot with tube V: G7a/G7H (K-a/AZ); Running depth 4m; Vt44. Own course 0°; Own speed 1.6kn; Shooter: OFähn.z.S & I.W.O. Udo HARTENSTEIN.
Target ship: Canadian bulk freighter, draught 7.0m.
Target course 89°; Target distance 2600m; Target angle red69°; Target speed 7kn; Firing angle α 10°.

Torpedo is a hit after 105sec.!
The steamer sinks on an even keel within 1min. and a couple of load underwater explosions.

2018 - Blowing tanks. Turning boat around and running to the sinking position. Questioned and supplied 3 survivors in one boat. Running off on an easterly course and high speed. "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

2045 - New course 77°.

2125 - Sundown. Midnight Twilight.
WNW6/5, overcast, light haze, visibility 5sm, ~1000mb.

2300 - U 143 (Gelhaus) reporting that at 1710h he had sighted a convoy in AM3551, proceeding west, but was then forced to submerge for several hours and lost contact.

2400 - SW6/5, overcast, light haze, visibility 5sm, ~1000mb.

Boat operating acc. Op.-Orders as per B.d.U.-F.T.0216/30.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.