[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

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

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Tuesday, 26 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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Soviet troops capture Voronezh, southern Russia.

Enemy reports a sunk ship still sticking out of the water in FB 9119.

U 358 (Kptlt. Rolf Manke) sank a fully loaded tanker of type "Nordatlantic" of 10,000 GRT, on a course of 90°, speed 11 knots in AK 2550.

U 594 (Oblt. Friedrich Mumm) encountered wreck of tanker "Kollbjoerg-Oslo" in AJ 3284 while operating on Convoy No. 3 (SC.117), and sank it.

Convoy No. 3 (SC.117):
As no contact messages were received up to nightfall, the convoy must according to dead reckoning, have passed the lines. U 384, 525, 707, 223 and 466 were to allocate to the Group "Haudegen" and if there was not contact, ordered to proceed to the S.W. at 0800 on 27th. If however, the convoy was still W. of the group it would have been intercepted during the night. Disposition in about AK 50 and 80 was intended for Group "Jaguar" until the low fuel supply was exhausted.
None of these orders were put into effect, as the group had been operating on destroyer sightings and hydrophone bearings of several boats, since 1900. The relevant W/T messages could not be picked up by the control station until 2400.
Subsequently, U 266 (Kptlt. Ralf von Jessen) and U 383 (Oblt. Horst Kremser) sighted a destroyer on an eastward course in AJ 3450 at 1800. U 466 (Oblt. Gerhard Thäter) reported a broad listening band from 260 to 290 from AJ 35 at 2120 and at 0237 destroyer and steamer noises were confirmed with certainty.
According to further hydrophone bearings, the boats must be on either side of the convoy. Both groups are operating at high speed. Direct sighting reports were, however, not received up to morning. The large number of boats coming up from all sides ensures the interception of the convoy at dawn.

U 444 (Oblt. Albert Langfeld) has begun the return passage owing to fuel shortage. Patrol lines occupied by Group "Landsknecht" are therefore shortened by one position to the southeast.

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts exercises with the AGRU-Front Hela.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115

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

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Wednesday, 27 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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The USAAF strickes Germany for the first time as B-17 and B-24 bombers attack Emden and Wilhelmshaven.

U 105 (Oblt. Jürgen Nissen) sank new American motor ship "Cape Indecision" of 8,000 GRT carrying aircraft parts and casked benzene from Charleston to Africa. General course 125°, speed 15 knots. Position of the sinking lies about 40 miles north of the straggler route confirmed by Radio Intelligence reports.

U 607 (Oblt. Wolf Jeschonnek) sank a tanker wreck in AJ 30 with 2 finishing shots.New positions for U 608, 89 and U 135 = AJ 89. A new disposition of another patrol line with the boats of Group "Landsknecht" still having adequate fuel supplies, is planned for the 5.2 in this area.

U 442 (Korvkpt. Hans-Joachim Hesse) and U 514 (Kptlt. Hans Jürgen Auffermann) each sighted a steamer on an easterly course in CE 8487 and CE 8157, in the patrol lines of Group "Delphin". The latter was left sinking by U 514 in CE 8198 (American ship "Charles C. Pinkney" of 6,800 GRT). Speed 14 knots, zig-zagging strongly. Ship was heavily armed.

As a result of the sightings reported by U 514 and U 442 the Group "Delphin" is to be split up to the N. and S. and will then be in patrol lines from CE 5774 to DG 4342. The boats received orders to cover as much sea as possible to the E. from 0600 to dawn in order to reach the anticipated isolated traffic.

According to recently acquired information from Special Radio Intelligence reports, the Trinidad-Gibraltar convoy, coming from the Caribbean steers a course first, north of Cape Blanco along the African coast.
The boats operating in DU 70 are therefore too far to the S. and have received orders (in order to intercept regular traffic on this route) to proceed to the N. of the present operations area with a daily reckoning of 150 sea miles, via the first position of DU 4351 to 5185 and further via the second position from DU 2231 to 2365. Subsequently, the following operations areas are to be occupied at a depth of 15 sea miles: U 518 = DH 9595, U 43 = 9912, U 218 = 9566, U 521 = 9672, U 66 = 9687. Convoy traffic may be expected in a NE/SW direction.
The boats form the Group "Rochen".

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) interrupts exercises with the AGRU-Front Hela and commences Torpedo Firing Training with the 25th Flotilla Danzig.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115