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09-26-22, 04:22 AM
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#1 | |
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The Old Man
 Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Posts: 1,580
Downloads: 29
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On B.d.U.-Staff as 1. Admiralstabsoffizier operativ (A I op) 'Geleitzugs-Asto'
Quote:
+++++++ Saturday, 26 September 1942 - Paris, Avenue Maréchal Maunoury Current Operations: Convoy No.55 (most likely RB-1) As further pursuit of the fast convoy when contact had been broken and the weather was deteriorating promised little chance of success, the order was given that all boats who were not in a favorable position should break off the pursuit. This unscheduled convoy again shows how difficult it is to attack a fast formation. Our boats have a maximum continuous speed of about 14 knots., but this does not often give them sufficient superiority to get ahead of the enemy and take up an attack position. Underwater attack is also very difficult as it is only rarely possible to get into a favorable position for firing at a target that keeps making wide zigs, especially as the destroyer escort and its location gear force the submarines to take avoiding action underwater. Despite the lack of success during the first 2 days, the operation was continued without considering the large consumption of fuel, and finally a real success was achieved. No losses, no major damage. On 27 Sept., planes are busy seeking survivors and this suggests that the steamers sunk were troop transports. U 107, 333, 406, 87, 590 have refueled from U 460. It is intended that these boats shall operate in the Freetown area. Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down one Hurricane fighter and three Spitfire fighters near El Daba, Egypt between 0910 and 0916 hours. In his second sortie of the day, escorting Stuka dive bombers to El Hammam, Egypt, he shot down four enemy fighters between 1656 and 1710 hours. His score stands at 158 kills by the end of the day. When he returned to base, he was observed to be extremely exhausted, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. His superior Eduard Neumann, is grounding him for some days to give him a chance to rest. Our troops begin another "final" attack in Stalingrad. Soviet troops launch the Tuapse Defensive Operation in the Caucasus region of southern Russia. Bogue-class escort carrier USS Bogue is placed in commission as an Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier, at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, with Captain Giles E. Short in command. The Manhattan Project is given permission to use the highest wartime priority rating by the United States War Production Board. RST
KvtKpt.& A I op (convoy staff officer)
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09-27-22, 04:23 AM
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#2 | |
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The Old Man
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Posts: 1,580
Downloads: 29
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On B.d.U.-Staff as 1. Admiralstabsoffizier operativ (A I op) 'Geleitzugs-Asto'
Quote:
+++++++ Sunday, 27 September 1942 - Paris, Avenue Maréchal Maunoury Radio Message to all boats: C-in-C Navy has again issued a personal and definite order that all submarine commanders are to conform most carefully with the orders for the treatment of neutral ships. Infringement of these orders will lead to unforeseeable political repercussions. This order is to be brought immediately to the notice of each and every Commander. Reports on the enemy: 1) U 262 (Kptlt. Günther Schiebusch): Bombs dropped in AF 4799. Proceeding to Bergen because of damage. 2) U 513 (Korvkpt. Rolf Rüggeberg): Convoy reported consisted of about 61 (doubtful) steamers, 6 destroyers; it made zigs between 25° and 85°, speed 7 knots. Air escort while making a daylight attack in BC 4128 submarine was picked up; depth charges were dropped. 3) U 177 (Korvkpt. Robert Gysae): 26 Sept., anti-submarine group in AL 6540, fast single ship, camouflaged super-structure, destroyers in quarter-line on either side. Ships were well handled, no chance to attack. 4) U 552 (Korvkpt. Erich Topp): Reported several patrol vessels in CG 58, some showing lights like neutrals. At night continuous horizontal locating (horizontally polarized radar transmissions). 5) U 514 (Kptlt. Hans Jürgen Auffermann): Sighted convoy at 0010h in FA 2948, 4 vessels on a northerly course. Submarine sank 2 freighters of 4,000 and 6,000 tons. Forced to move away. Our Luftwaffe unit III./KG 4 (flying He111 bombers), flew its last bombing sortie over Stalingrad. The unit will soon be transported out of its base in Morozovsk for Germany, to undergo glider towing training. One of our Ju88A-4 bombers and a Bf109-G2 fighter piloted by Horst Loose, where shot down today over Stalingrad, by Lydia Litvyak ('The White Rose of Stalingrad'), flying a Yak-1 fighter. RST
KvtKpt.& A I op (convoy staff officer)
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KSDII-Ace/GWX 3.0 Gold/CCoM 10.0 + h.sie-patch; Windows 7 (64-bit); NVIDIA GeForce GTX650 (310.90) Last edited by Kapitän; 09-27-22 at 04:39 AM. |
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09-28-22, 02:23 AM
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#3 | |
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The Old Man
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Posts: 1,580
Downloads: 29
Uploads: 0
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On B.d.U.-Staff as 1. Admiralstabsoffizier operativ (A I op) 'Geleitzugs-Asto'
Quote:
+++++++ Monday, 28 September 1942 - Paris, Avenue Maréchal Maunoury B.d.U. tells me that my wish has been granted and that I will take command of the brand new IXD2 type boat U 115 and her newly assigned crew. This boat is a further development of the type IX boat, with storage of 441 tons of fuel, which gives it an increased range of up to 31500 nautical miles at 10 knots. The two diesel engines with 2200hp each, propel the boat to a top speed of 19.2kn. This is mainly achieved by the installation of two additional diesel engines with 5500hp each, which serve as electrical charging generators. B.d.U. also informs me, that my successor as 'Geleitzug-Asto', will be Kptlt. Adalbert 'Adi' Schnee (formerly, commander of U 201), and asks me to prepare a hand-over briefing by Wednesday, as 'Adi' Schnee will assume his new command, as of 1 October 1942. I inform B.d.U., that it would be my esteemed honor and privilege, to fulfill my duty under his command once again, as commander of a combat boat, and agree that 'Adi' Schnee, is the ideal candidate for the position of 'Geleitzug-Asto'. Convoy 56: Still no contact, wind strong westerly, visibility poor. In the evening, boats are ordered to continue to stalk as far as AK 70 at low speed and to remain there cruising at the lowest possible speed. It is assumed that the convoy is still to the East. U 260 (Oblt. Hubertus Purkhold) was bombed by a Liberator in AK 9519. U 595 (Kptlt. Jürgen Quaet-Faslem) sighted a destroyer and detected location by means of her radar interception gear. Luftwaffe bombers attack Colchester and Broadstairs, England. Hans-Joachim Marseille is telephoned by Erwin Rommel, who wants him to accompany him to Berlin, for a speech at the Berlin Sportpalast. Marseille rejects the offer, citing his wish to save his leave time to marry Hanne-Lies Küpper later in the year. The Ohio River Division of the US Army Corps of Engineers opened up an office in Harriman, Tennessee, to begin acquiring land, by purchase and the implementation of Eminent Domain, for Site X of the Manhattan Project. RST
KvtKpt.& A I op (convoy staff officer)
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KSDII-Ace/GWX 3.0 Gold/CCoM 10.0 + h.sie-patch; Windows 7 (64-bit); NVIDIA GeForce GTX650 (310.90) |
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09-29-22, 03:48 AM
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#4 | |
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The Old Man
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Posts: 1,580
Downloads: 29
Uploads: 0
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On B.d.U.-Staff as 1. Admiralstabsoffizier operativ (A I op) 'Geleitzugs-Asto'
Quote:
+++++++ Tuesday, 29 September 1942 - Paris, Avenue Maréchal Maunoury In the area around Route "Kernleder", searching for missing men from U 165 (FrgKpt. Eberhard Hoffmann). U 202 (Kptlt. Günter Poser): Spread missed a large tanker in ED 9839. Detonation against own side, probably an explosive float. At night bombs were dropped, cooperation suspected, moderate damage. U 177 and U 181 have been given GR 80 as approach point. It is intended that they shall operate in the area East of the Cape of Good Hope. Distribution of attack areas for new boats arriving in the Freetown area is as follows: Sectors with reference point Freetown: U 87, 145° - 80°; U 333, 80° - 30°; U 107, 30° - 330°. U 590 in ET 7235 to a depth of 400 miles. U 217 refueled in DE 8299 sufficiently to return at economy speed. U 507 did likewise in DT 74. RST
KvtKpt.& A I op (convoy staff officer)
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KSDII-Ace/GWX 3.0 Gold/CCoM 10.0 + h.sie-patch; Windows 7 (64-bit); NVIDIA GeForce GTX650 (310.90) Last edited by Kapitän; 09-29-22 at 10:12 AM. |
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09-30-22, 05:14 AM
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#5 | |
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The Old Man
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Posts: 1,580
Downloads: 29
Uploads: 0
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On B.d.U.-Staff as 1. Admiralstabsoffizier operativ (A I op) 'Geleitzugs-Asto'
Quote:
+++++++ Wednesday, 30 September 1942 - Paris, Avenue Maréchal Maunoury Our Luftwaffe Ace "Jochen" Marseille has fallen: After a dive bomber escorting mission, the engine of Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Marseille's Bf 109G-6 fighter caught fire southeast of El Imayid, Egypt. Unable to make it back to his airfield due to black smoke entering the cockpit, our 22-year-old "Star of Africa" attempted to bail out, but while doing so he struck the vertical stabilizer across his chest and hip. He fell to his death 7 kilometers south of Sidi Abdel Rahman, Egypt at 1142 hours. For a moment, a horrific blow to our morale, which however, only strengthens our determination and resolve in seeing through our war effort until final victory. +++++++ Briefing and hand-over of my duties as 1. Admiralstabsoffizier operativ (A I op) 'Geleitzugs-Asto' (convoy staff officer) to my successor Kptlt. Adalbert Schnee (formerly, commander of U 201). In his new role, Kptlt. Adalbert ("Adi") Schnee, will take over my task of planning and organising operations against Allied convoys: Submarine situation and intended operations. Note: Submarine situation reports will be sent to Naval War Staff at pre-set intervals. They will set out a summarized assessment of the situation and the intentions of B.d.U. 1) Convoy situation in the North Atlantic: Contrary to convoy methods during the first six months of 1942, convoys are no scattered over a wider area. Even so, the spacing out is not nearly so great as in Autumn 1941, and remain within certain limits on either side of the Great Circle. Information gathered through Radio Intercept Intelligence and experienced gained on the timing of convoys have made it possible to track down convoys, especially when westbound. Prospects are still considered favorable on this respect. The successes scored against the convoy from 9-13 Sept. and the failure from 20-22 Sept. clearly show the decisive role played by the weather. When operating against North Atlantic convoys the medium sized submarines have the advantage. 2) St. Lawrence and Belle Isle Straits: The operations carried out by 3 boats have been very successful. Defences proved comparatively weak and were limited to direct convoy escorts. Further boats are to be sent out to make the most of this situation. 3) East coast of North America: Operations ongoing for some time; busy shipping well defended convoys close inshore in shallow water; good successes, but also caused several losses. Air patrolling is particularly strong. But when occasion arises it is planned that single boats shall lay mines. 4) Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea: Comparatively high losses have been suffered, probably through air attacks. Radar interception gear can certainly protect the boats at night, but it cannot facilitate attack. Thus it is intended to station at most single boats in this area if the occasion offers. The area concerned is that of Old Bahama Channel - Windward Passage - Jamaica, where the majority of convoys pass through. Climatic conditions and the necessity for lengthy submersion result in strain for the crew, so that a lengthy stay offers little chance of success. U 202 (Kptlt. Günter Poser) has been ordered to operate East of 52° West, off Trinidad, as electric compressor has broken down. 5) Area round Trinidad: West of Trinidad the conditions are rather similar to the above. The likelihood of contacting convoys is of course, greater near the port of departure. On the other hand, the area East of Trinidad has proved exceptionally favorable. Convoys have not yet been observed here, air patrolling is less, naval anti-submarine measures (destroyers) have been observed for the first time recently. The difficulty lies in picking up the obviously frequently varied approach courses of the single ships, and this accounts for the patchy nature of successes. It is striking that so far only a little eastbound shipping has been contacted. It is possible that this is only exceptionally routed via Trinidad. With the Freetown area, the area East of Trinidad will continue to be the focal point for large submarines. Medium sized boats can and will be employed there, provided previous refueling from submarine tankers is possible. 6) North - South Convoy Route ("SL" and "OS" convoys): It has been repeatedly possible to pick up "SL" convoys according to plan, though admittedly so far north pursuit could not be continued very long because of the appearance of air escorts. The drawback of operating against these convoys is that when a convoy has been missed the next one does not pass for about 10 days. Thus these operations are worth while only when carried out by submarines en route for the Freetown area, i.e. for medium sized boats only if they can be refueled. Accordingly Group "Iltis", which is at present operating here, is to proceed farther into the Freetown area after refueling. 7) Freetown area: Has again proved very fruitful. Despite numerous successes, a major change of the shipping route or a soft-laid reaction by the enemy in reply to the sinkings has not been noticed. A major change of route would not be possible either here or in Trinidad. It is intended that Group "Iltis" shall operate after refueling with other large boats. 8) Harbors in the Gulf of Guinea: No experience is yet available for these harbors. 2 large boats have left for this area, two Italian boats will also operate. 9) Intended operations for Cape Town and East Africa: Are given separately, also opinion on sanctioning attacks on the coast of Brazil. Group "Eisbär" (U 68, 172, 159, 504) U 179 and U 178 have been given operational freedom in the area bounded as follows, once the first surprise attack has been carried out: FE 9179 - GZ 1599 - coast of Africa. Southern boundary 40° South. U 179 has been ordered to wait in left half of GR 40 until attack is sanctioned. 10) Off Iceland: At present the first attempt to operate with submarines against Murmansk convoys. Light nights and powerful air patrolling prevent successful operations here during the summer. Despite this, it has been possible for single ships to remain off Reykjavik for a long time. It is intended to send out single boats here when there is an opportunity during the new moon period. When more reliable news that a "PQ" convoy will shortly leave port, several boats should also be available, providing they put out from home waters. 11) The situation in Coastal Waters and in the Bay of Biscay: Is governed as before by the danger of air attacks and mines. Although U 165 (FrgKpt. Eberhard Hoffmann) announced that she was entering on 28 Sept., she has not yet arrived. Air reconnaissance yielded no information. The loss of the boat must be assumed, probably through bombing attack. There was a reliable sounding radio announcement of submarine sinking by the R.A.F. in the Bay of Biscay. The repeated requests regarding the air forces and the naval forces under Admiral Western Defences can merely be emphasized once again. Luftwaffe bombers attacked Lancing and Colchester, England. RST
KvtKpt.& A I op (convoy staff officer)
__________________
KSDII-Ace/GWX 3.0 Gold/CCoM 10.0 + h.sie-patch; Windows 7 (64-bit); NVIDIA GeForce GTX650 (310.90) |
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10-01-22, 06:25 AM
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#6 | |
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The Old Man
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Posts: 1,580
Downloads: 29
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On transit to AG Weser, Bremen, Deutsche Schiff und Maschinenbau
Quote:
+++++++ Thursday, 01 October 1942 - On transit to Bremen, AG Weser, Deutsche Schiff und Maschinenbau Hans-Joachim Marseille is buried at the Heroes Cemetery in Derna, Libya. Albert Kesselring and Eduard Neumann each deliver an eulogy. +++++++ I depart Paris for Bremen, where I will meet the newly assigned crew of U 115, which is undergoing final construction at the AG Weser, Bremen, Deutsche Schiff und Maschinenbau. +++++++ Chief of the Department of Naval Operations, Admiral Kurt Fricke, is awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. U 202 sank an independently-routed ship of 3,000 GRT in EO 1465, course 300°. Slow aircraft on a west course in EO 1432. Boat is proceeding to EP 47. U 175 bombed in EO 1485. No casualties. U 584 dived in AL 7498 because of a destroyer. Radar observed. U 253 (Kptlt. Adolf Friedrichs) has not reported despite several calls. She may be lost. Boat made her last report north of Iceland on 24.9. She was then ordered to make for the Atlantic via the Denmark Straits in deep water. Nothing is known of the cause of her loss. (We will later learn, that U 253 was sunk on 25 September 1942 in the Denmark Strait north-west of Iceland, by a British mine. 45 dead, all hands lost). Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld, is named the commanding officer of the 1st Group of the Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 wing. RST
KvtKpt.& Cmdr. U 115
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KSDII-Ace/GWX 3.0 Gold/CCoM 10.0 + h.sie-patch; Windows 7 (64-bit); NVIDIA GeForce GTX650 (310.90) |
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10-02-22, 04:08 AM
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#7 | |
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The Old Man
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Posts: 1,580
Downloads: 29
Uploads: 0
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On transit to AG Weser, Bremen, Deutsche Schiff und Maschinenbau
Quote:
+++++++ Friday, 02 October 1942 - On transit to Bremen, AG Weser, Deutsche Schiff und Maschinenbau On transit from Paris to Bremen, where I will meet the newly assigned crew of U 115, which is undergoing final construction at the AG Weser, Bremen, Deutsche Schiff und Maschinenbau. +++++++ The new 1. Admiralstabsoffizier operativ (A I op) 'Geleitzugs-Asto' (convoy staff officer), Kptlt. Adalbert ("Adi") Schnee, holds his first B.d.U. briefing in his new role: Convoy action in the North Atlantic: a) Anti-submarine conditions being as they are (large number of enemy destroyers and corvettes, surface radar sets) and our own developments not keeping apace, it is essential to have the necessary large number of U-boats onto the convoys, if effective action is to be taken, enemy anti-submarine forces split up and continuous shadowing maintained. The convoy routes are uncertain, the sea areas are so extensive that the few boats which are still all that are available, have to be disposed in lines of no depth at all, so that, the weather conditions being bad on average, it takes a very long time before remaining boats have come up to the convoy on the basis of a sighting report. This means: First requirement: Convoy operations lasting several days must be possible. b) Experience of several convoys has shown that a successful action can only be fought as a rule in sea area outside the range of the enemy air force. Second requirement: Action in sea area without enemy air escort. c) Both requirements combined show that the most important condition is: To pick up the convoy early on the side of the Atlantic from which it starts (i.e. ON and ONS convoys in AL, HX and SC convoys in BB and AJ, lower third). d) The boats have so far been disposed to meet this requirement and they will continue to be so disposed. It has been found best to form U-boats leaving home ports and Western France at once into a disposition against ON convoys; after picking up a convoy they then proceed southwest, operating against it, and, after breaking off the operation (in the area of the Newfoundland Bank), the boats supply in about DC 90. This supply is necessary, because the boats' fuel stocks after the first operation would not permit a second operation. These refueled boats then form a patrol line northeast of the Newfoundland Bank, the distance off the Bank being determined by fog conditions, to pick up SC or HX convoys. e) U-tankers alone have made this procedure, which has already been used several times, possible. In practice a few U-tankers mean the same as considerably more U-boats. Mediterranean: The general situation in the Mediterranean has again made it necessary to send U-boats from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean to bring up the reduced numbers. Altogether 6 boats are to break through into the Mediterranean (U 438, U 660, U 605, U 89, U 593, U 458). They are to pass through the Straits of Gibraltar during the new moon period in October. The British codebreaking establishment at Bletchley Park and the US Navy's codebreaking department (OP-20-G), agree to a relationship of "full collaboration". The troopship Queen Mary collides with (and sinks) one of her escorts, the light cruiser HMS Curacoa, off the Irish coast with the loss of 239 lives. RST
KvtKpt.& Cmdr. U 115
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KSDII-Ace/GWX 3.0 Gold/CCoM 10.0 + h.sie-patch; Windows 7 (64-bit); NVIDIA GeForce GTX650 (310.90) Last edited by Kapitän; 10-06-22 at 02:23 AM. |
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