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Old 11-03-21, 04:01 AM   #6002
pikke
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Default U48 - Type VIIb - 1st patrol - part 2

December 17, 1939 AN84
0748 The storm that follow us all the way here is relenting a bit.
Wind is down to 14 meters per second and it's not raining anymore.
U48 is now investigating a sound contact SW of our position.
Sounds like a merchant.

0757 Ship spotted through the periscope. it's a small cargo cruising northward at 7 knots. Changing course to intercept.

0812 Another British Passenger/Cargo. Will shot one eel from our stern tube. Increasing speed to pass in front of the target, lowering the periscope.

0818 Torpedo impact! Got her in the bow as intended. Will put some distance between us and then run on parallel course.

0852 Secondary explosion on the target. It's burning now, and is very low and slow.

0931 Passenger/cargo just exploded! That's another one down. U65 will now sail NE submerged. There is a warship contact closing...

0939 An ASW trawler came to investigate the area. U65 changed course to North. We will crawl away.

1012 Enemy ship is still back at the crime scene, possibly trying to rescue the survivors. It's raining again and we have a sound contact NNW of our position. Visibility is really poor so I'll take the risk and surface to make a quick dash toward it.

1038 AN73 We just dived to check with sonar and operator already picked it up. Sounds like a crippled merchant, lots of creaking noises.

1106 From the fog emerges a British large merchant crawling NNW at about two knots. No visible damage yet it does not look in good conditions. I'll shot just one torpedo and see if it's enough.

1109 Sonar operator just picked up a warship contact coming from the south at medium speed. Maybe the ASW trawler we met earlier?...mmm...change of plan. I'll shot two torpedoes to be sure and leave the area. Fire!

1110 One hit and one dud! Readying another tube...aaargh.

1111 Holding fire...secondary explosions are going off and she is burning from bow to stern. Warship didn't pick up speed yet and is still at quite the distance...let's wait a bit.

1115 Down she goes! Changing course to west and moving away before that warship reach this area.

1444 AN73 Sound contact south of our position. Moving to investigate. Still raining...

1522 Contact is now at short range but still not visible. Heavy rain and waves does not help...

1526 There she is! At a very bad angle...hard to starboard and back full...

1527 Almost impossible to mantain periscope depth...I'm guessing both speed and course here...finger crossed...fire!

1527 ...and miss...fire again!....Hit her! just in the back...almost missed again...bet her propellers are gone. No visible fires. Let's wait and see.

1533 This British tramp steamer is now dead on the water...I just shot two eels at hit...I hope I don't have to shot a third one.

1628 Secondary explosion started a fire. Steamer is very low on her back...

1748 At last! She is sinking very slowly. Clearing the area and moving NNE

1822 Weather suddenly improved: no clouds, no wind. U48 is operating on the surface, ventilating, recharging batteries and reloading torpedoes

2222 AN73 Lookout spots a warship coming from the north...lowering the boat to 6 meters and slowing down...let's identify it.

2227 ASW Trawler...with a merchant just behind it...moving at 8 knots, heading SSE. Changing our course to SW.

2231 Trawler turning our way! Did they spot us or just doing a search pattern? Diving to periscope depth.

2238 Trawler is just running a search pattern while the merchant is still on her usual course. For a moment I feared we had been spotted. Merchant looks like a Granville freighter. Will go no closer than a km from them and shot two eels at the cargo...or perhaps one each if that trawler is back on standard course.

2251 Trawler is back on standard course. I'll shot the Granville first and the trawler soon after. Tube one...fire! Tube two...hold!...Searchlights! Down scope, down to 25 meters...I hate shallow waters...changing course to W...did they spot us? or picked up our torpedo when we opened fire?

2252 Torpedo impact! At least we got that...Trawler is moving slightly south of us...perhaps they don't have a proper fix on us...changing course to WNW...

2254 Depth charges about 600 meters southeast of our position! let's keep crawling away...

2301 Trawler just did another run about a km away...the Granville seems to be slowing down...

2320 No more depth charges from the trawler, it's sniffing around about 1500 meters SE of us. Granville seems to be down to about 3 knots, zigzagging along her previous course. We will try to mantain contact and finish her off later.

2329 Sonar reports secondary explosions from our target...perhaps we need not attack her again.

2341 Granville is sinking! How nice! Trawler still lurking in the area but we should be safe enough. Changed course to north, speed two knots, raised to boat to 20 meters.

2358 Back at periscope depth. Trawler stopped searching around and is now leaving the area cruising south at medium speed. We will stay for a while more than surface again. I wonder if the lookouts spotted our periscope or if their sonar operator detected our torpedo in the water. That was thrilling...A busy day, four ship sank and a lot of frustrated trawlers. Not bad.
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