[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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Sunday, 19 April 1942 - Northeast of Lesser Antilles -

- Second week at sea completed -

0010 - Exchanging Recognition Signal and running to the Leeward (Stbd.)-Side of the Supply Ship.

0020 - Qu.7585DQ - Making fast at Supply Ship.
143cbm (3cbm/12h). Battery 10000Ah. 6Eto+12Ato. 10.5cm: 138xSpG, 29xLkG. NE1/1, clear, very good visibility (8-9sm), >1000mb.

Taking over from Supply Ship:
- 71cbm Fuel => Now have 214cbm.
- 2 Ato => Now have 6 Eto and 14 Ato. Also, loaded 2 external Ato under deck.
- Provisions and Fresh Water for 14 days (1100kg).

Crew going aboard Supply Ship in shifts, for a hot shower, a warm meal, washing laundry and a doctors visit.

0740 - Morning Dawn.

0800 - Casting off Supply Ship and running off at high speed on a westerly heading. (Note: Acc. h.sie-patch, next time re-supply can be done, is in 2 weeks time.)

0843 - Sunrise. Weather and Sea unchanged since Etmal, 18 April.

Distance to Supply Ship is 9sm. Reducing speed to 325RPM/11kn (1/3-Ahead).

0940 - On new course 225°.

1200 - Qu.7735DQ - Days Run: 183.1sm - (↗ 24h).
213cbm (1cbm/4h => 4cbm/24h). Battery 10000Ah. 6Eto+14Ato. 10.5cm: 138xSpG, 29xLkG. On course 225°. Weather and Sea unchanged in 24h.

1441 - Qu.7755DQ - On new course 270°.

1850 - Weather and Sea is deteriorating: NNE6/5, overcast, light haze, medium visibility, ~1000mb.

1946 - Qu.9955DP - "ALARM!". Crash diving from a pair of Catalina, direct approach from 225°true, E=6000.
At T=30, 7 well placed bombs, strong concussions.
At A-Meter, 3 and another 2 bombs. In total, 12 bombs in 3 attack runs. Suspecting that each Catalina can carry at least 6 bombs.

Cmdr.: The airplanes came from the general direction of Trinidad, distance is about 790sm, which is about the same distance our last airplane sighting was from England, in the Bay of Biscay. This would mean, that the Supply Ship is positioned outside the range of land-based enemy aircraft.

2015 - T=48. Commencing of torpedo maintenance. 135rpm/3kn.

2039 - Qu.9955DP -

2106 - Sundown.

2143 - O₂ = 20%.

2315 - Bow tubes serviced. Break until 2330h.

Continuing outbound transit acc. Op.-Orders.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.

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

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Monday, 20 April 1942 - East of Puerto Rico -

0100 - Stern tubes serviced.

0105 - A-20. Lights-Out for the crew, Silent Running.

0123 - O₂ = 19%.

0545 - Dismissed from Silent Running.

0623 - O₂ = 18%.

0700 - Beginning of Trial Dive acc. B.d.U. Standing Order No.507, 135rpm/3kn.

0717 - Boat is safe and secure at 2A-Meter.

0720 - Setting for Reception Depth.

0736 - At Reception Depth.

0738 - At S-Tiefe, it is still dark out, weather and sea conditions seem unchanged. Going back to Reception Depth.

0803 - Back to S-Tiefe. Morning Dawn.

0806 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
To all boats: When reporting sinkings, give exact details of the tonnage, postion, course and speed of the ship sunk. - B.d.U. -

0806 - Surfaced after 12h and 35.9sm.
NW7/6, overcast, light haze, medium visibility, ~1000mb.

0813 - Compressed Air Supply filled and boat ventilated. Battery 7600Ah.

Cmdr.: The Flak took some minor damage during the last A/C attack, which is quickly repaired. The light damage to the forward upper deck will be repaired as soon as the sea conditions allow.

0815 - 2x1/3-Ahead.

0849 - Sunrise. Weather and Sea unchanged since surfacing.

0900 - Outgoing F.T.: To B.d.U.:
Re-supply completed. Have taken over 71cbm, 2 Ato and provisions for 2 weeks. On 19 April, 1946h, attacked by a pair of Catalina in Qu.9955DP. Direct approach from direction of Trinidad, 12 bombs, only minor damages. Continue outbound voyage. Still have 211 cbm and 20 eels. NW7/6, overcast, light haze, visibility 3sm, ~1000mb. - RST -

0903 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
To all boats: As the northern approach routes to Lorient Jugendliebe and Bogenlampe have been closed owing to enemy mines laid closer to the coast, all U-boat traffic has been crowded onto the 2 routes Tannennadel and Uhunest, which lie close together and lead to the center of the Biscay coast. These two routes have been relieved by route Burggraf, which is in use as of today. - B.d.U. -

0911 - F.T. from B.d.U.: To U 506 and U 507:
Würdemann and Schacht: Steer for BA 90 (Gulf of Mexico). - B.d.U. -

0934 - Incoming F.T.: From U 459:
Supply of U-Scholtz carried out. 40 cbm in 10 minutes. Own stocks: 460 cbm, provisions for 60 days. U-Schulze and U-Cremer are lying off the tanker for the next supply. - von Wilamowitz-Möllendorf -

1001 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
RST: Message received. Continue acc. Op.-Orders. - B.d.U. -

1113 - Qu.9855DP -

1200 - Qu.9854DP - Days Run: 153.4sm - ↗ 117.5sm (11h 40') - ↘ 35.9sm (12h 20').
210cbm (3cbm/24h). Battery 7600Ah. 6Eto+14Ato. 10.5cm: 138xSpG, 29xLkG. On course 270°. Weather and Sea unchanged since 0800h.

1205 - Incoming F.T.: From U 654:
Sank "Arga", 4569ts, in CA 9892, course 150°. - Forster -

1213 - Incomig F.T.: From U 86:
U-boat decoy in CA 9913. Looks like a whale-catcher. Making a lot of smoke. Works together with a launched motor boat. - Schug -

1236 - Incoming F.T.: From B.d.U.:
To all boats: In area BE 3 boats (Cmdr.: U 82 - 587 - 252) have been lost during the last three weeks while attacking south-bound convoys. During the same period heavily escorted convoys in the area AM and AL have been successfully attacked by single boats, and losses have only occurred at convoys sighted in BE. It is suspected that the English sail especially well-escorted convoys, perhaps even a kind of U-boat decoy convoy, along the routes which he knows to be used by U-boats on their way out and back. All boats are therefore ordered not to attack when they sight a convoy in BE, but to move off and then report.
- B.d.U. -

1417 - Qu.9844DP - "ALARM"!. A single Catalina in 230°true, on course NE, E=6000. At A-20 no bombs.

Cmdr.: The airplane is flying right over our position twice (can be heard in the boat) but does not drop any bombs.

1432 - At Reception Depth.

1437 - Surfaced after 20 min. and 1.1sm.
Weather and Sea unchanged.

1509 - Compressed Air Supply Filled. 2x325RPM/9kn.

1806 - Qu.9755DP -

2112 - Sundown. SSW7/6, overcast, light haze, visibility 3sm, ~1000mb.

2215 - Diving for submerged cruise.

2222 - At A-20, 135rpm/3kn, Silent Running.

Continuing outbound transit acc. Op.-Orders.

RST

Kptlt.&Cmdr.