[Leandros]

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Jan. 101455 1944 - AK18 - Patrol 23

Finally relatively safe. Fired one torp at a large merchant but could never confirm it sunk as a Flower corvette was already on us when I sent off the torp. Could have fired more torps on merchants but decided I needed what I had for self-defense. I was correct! First we were chased down but after having loaded what torps were ready I went up again. There were three escorts quite close and one approaching. Well, look at the score sheet when we are back in port - if we get there. This is getting tougher and tougher.

After we came loose from the convoy with no torps left we surfaced, but could soon see that another one was after us again - approx. 4 NM away, he had us on hos his radar, obviously. We had surfaced too soon! As we had nothing to defend ourselves with this time I right away went to periscope depth and snuck off on stealth speed perpendicular to our earlier course. As it came closer we stopped engines and lay still just below the surface. Luckily, it never discovered us but dropped a lot of things on the spot we had been when we dived, hedgehogs, too. After 6-7 passes, one quite close to us, it went back to the convoy. I gave it a few hours before we surfaced again.

Now the long way home. Filing a report again when, if, we get there.

Fred

P.S.: Ref. the status report a couple of escorts were also laying still (damaged) in the water when we left the area. Could not verify their destiny.