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Old 12-23-21, 05:03 PM   #1
derstosstrupp
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Default Kretschmer’s Rules for U-99

The following are the rules laid down by Kretschmer for U-99. Great advice for the period in which Kretschmer operated (later, mid-1941 forward he’d have needed to update some of these had he not been captured):

1. Of primary importance in all U-boat operations is an efficient lookout system. During sea operations, the finest possible organisation is the first precept of success. A weak link in the system can mean the destruction of the ship and the death of its crew.

2. It is not enough that lookouts should sight every object that appears on the surface: they must sight in good time every object that appears in the sky. Aircraft are playing an increasingly important role in the enemy convoy organisation. They are a deadly menace to U-boats on the surface. We rely on lookouts to give us the time we need to dive and hide from detection or bombing at depths below twenty metres.

3. Lone ships not showing neutral flags or showing a red cross sign, and in every other way giving the appearance of behaving as a belligerent, should be sunk by gunfire if possible to conserve torpedoes for more difficult escorted targets. They may be torpedoed if gunfire is obviously impracticable.

4. Survivors are to be assisted if there is time and by doing so the U-boat is not exposed to undue danger. The crew should be made to realise that should U99 be sinking and there is time to abandon ship they would expect to be rescued by the enemy. That is precisely what the enemy have a right to expect from us.

5. Only attack convoys by day if it is not convenient to wait for darkness. Day attacks on escorted convoys presuppose the necessity for taking a calculated risk, and should be made only after the most careful consideration of all the factors involved, particularly those concerning the question of whether the results to be achieved make the risk worthwhile.

6. In normal circumstances, U99 will use daylight hours for shadowing a convoy and working up to a favourable attacking position by nightfall. A favourable attacking position is on the dark side of the convoy when there is moonlight, so that the convoy will be silhouetted to us, while our small bows-on silhouette will be almost impossible to detect.

7. When there is little or no moon, U99 will always attack from the windward side of the convoy. Enemy lookouts peering into a wind and sometimes rain and spray are less efficient than those with their backs to the wind.

8. U99 will abide by my principle that fans of torpedoes fired from long range are not guaranteed to succeed and are actually wasteful. It should not be necessary to fire in the first instance more than one torpedo for one ship.

9. The principle stated above makes it necessary that we should fire at close range, and this can be done only by penetrating the escort’s anti-U-boat screen and at times getting inside the convoy lanes. This should be the objective of all our attacks.

10. Once an attack has been opened under these conditions at night, we must not under any but the most desperate of circumstances submerge. As a general rule, I alone must decide when to dive. This instruction is based upon my belief that a surfaced U-boat can manoeuvre at high speed to avoid danger and, if necessary, can fight back with its speed and torpedo fire-power. If we are being chased, it is a general principle that once a U-boat submerges and loses the use of speed, it is at the mercy of the hunter.

11. Remember that at night on the surface, it is almost certain that you will see a surface vessel far sooner than it will see you. This applies to enemy destroyers and other anti-submarine vessels which might detect you with their ASDIC the moment that you dive, but would remain unaware of your presence if you ran away on the surface.

12. U99 will dive for two hours just before dawn each day at sea. This purpose of this is twofold: first, it will avoid the risk of running into ships and aircraft that we have not seen during the night and which might see us first; and secondly, it gives us a chance to use the hydrophones to sweep for unsighted ships. Additionally, it gives the crew an opportunity to relax, clean up and have breakfast in peace.
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Old 12-23-21, 05:31 PM   #2
Alpheratz
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Thanks for this stuff! Effective techniques for the early period of the war.
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Old 12-26-21, 11:16 AM   #3
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Thanks ! He blamed #10 not being followed for being captured.
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Old 12-26-21, 11:21 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpheratz View Post
Thanks for this stuff! Effective techniques for the early period of the war.

Yes and no. I.e., night surface attacks were the accepted sop well into 1944.
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Old 12-26-21, 11:55 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Pancoast View Post
Yes and no. I.e., night surface attacks were the accepted sop well into 1944.

Very true, I have tried to find their approach tactics during 1943-1944, with allied radar detection being in place and widespread. Do you know if they changed their surface approach or was it still the same as early war?

I know of the V-Tafel but I dont know if it was really used. https://www.subsim.com/radioroom//showthread.php?t=218641
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Old 12-26-21, 01:04 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SnipersHunter View Post
Very true, I have tried to find their approach tactics during 1943-1944, with allied radar detection being in place and widespread. Do you know if they changed their surface approach or was it still the same as early war?

I know of the V-Tafel but I dont know if it was really used. https://www.subsim.com/radioroom//sh...d.php?t=218641

Basic tactics were the same as far as I know; not much able to change there anyway. But in general they fired from much further distances. If at all.
With a little luck, an attacking boat had an escort(s) without radar, tied up with some other boat, etc.
The U-Boat Commander's Handbook referenced here a lot was wrote in 1943, so that has some good info. of that time period.
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