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Post by keyboy on Dec 11, 2016 11:10:11 GMT
U-Boat Name and ID Number U-74 Stachelrochen KKpt – Volkhard Schreiber Patrol Assignment Spanish Coast Successful Patrol Yes Number of Freighters Sank 1 Number of Tankers Sank 1 Number of Capital Ships Sank 0 Total Tonnage Destroyed 12,500 Ships Damaged 0 Ships Destroyed Motor Tanker of 7500t - Bulysses and American Steam Merchant of 5000t - OgontzRefit Time Standard Award Requests KCO&S award requested Crew Names: Crew Status: EliteKKpt Volkhard Schreiber 1WO Goetzpeter Staufenbiel 2WO Adam Luedtke LI (Eng) Reinhold Kraft Doctor Herrmann Rieger Doctor - ExperteU-74 (Stachelrochen) enters La Rochelle on 30th October with two victory pennants flying from her conning tower.I ensured that on the 1st October 1941, U-74 and its crew set out for the Spanish Coast, before any other U-boats from the flotilla, and I would ensure we would spend every moment in this month enjoying the warmer climate. The passage to our assigned patrol station was uneventful apart from one easy crash dive and because the crew are so experienced, these moments pass very quickly and easily. During the evening of the 7th, the lookouts spotted a dim light on the horizon. I ordered the boat to dive and make a submerged approach, finding a large tanker, The Bulysses (7,500 tons) unescorted. I readied the deck crew as we surfaced and got in close. The gunners hit with a couple of salvos and within minutes explosions all over the tanker had spread the fire very quickly; the result of leaking oil. We retreated as it wasn’t long before the whole ship went up and the heat from the explosion almost burned all the hairs from my arms. After a few false sightings and the radar being moody, we saw no further action until the evening of the 15th. The watch commander had spotted flickering lights off the starboard bow and I was awoken to deal with the situation. We managed to get identification at around eleven thirty: A small American freighter, The Ogontz (5,000 tons) and Escort. My initial reaction was that of disappointment, due to the neutrality of the Americans. However, I remembered that one of my fellow u-boat Captains and his crew had been depth charged by an American vessel just some six months ago. As far as I was concerned, this small freighter was now a viable target, I gave the order to surface and fire at long range. The solution had already been plotted and so the improved G7a’s were fired from the bow tubes. Only three of the eels ran straight and true and all three made direct hits and detonated. They had installed what I think was a 4” gun onboard the small freighter and as she was sinking, they fired off a salvo and their tracer fire lit us up like a candle. Fortunately we were already in mid dive and I just hoped that the tracer fire wouldn’t help the escort get a bead on us. The fact that we fired from long range appeared to be the deciding factor to being not detected and we skulked away from the sunken freighter and its cargo of lumber After we had escaped into the night and early hours of the next morning, the XO presented me with a large rectangular box, whilst the majority of the crew who had quietly managed to fill the bridge, looked on. I opened the box and was surprised to find two quality swords and whilst I didn’t instantly understand the significance of the present or the cheers that were echoing around the ship, the XO confirmed it in words. “Congratulations Herr Korvettenkapitän, these aren’t the only swords that you will be receiving, because when we get back to La Rochelle, there is a KCO&S waiting for you.”The moment wasn’t lost on me, these great men that I had spent the last eighteen months of my life with, were my family and to show my appreciation we chased the good weather to ensure my family did not return to port looking all white and pasty as they did when they left. There were no further contacts during the patrol. With fuel getting reasonably low, I decided to head for home. The passage back to La Rochelle was uneventful. After shore leave and re-supply, U-74 will be ready to resume patrol in December. KKpt Volkhard Schreiber
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Post by silentwolf on Dec 13, 2016 3:42:10 GMT
U-Boat Name and ID Number: Schildkröte U-83 Patrol Assignment: Spanish Coast (11th Patrol) Patrol Date: October-November 1941 (re-supply at sea) Successful Patrol: Yes
Number of Freighters Sank: 4 Number of Tankers Sank: 2 Number of Capital Ships Sank: 0 Total Tonnage Destroyed: 35,800 (179,200)
Ships Sank: October 9th - Stonepool 5000t October 12th - Graigwen 3700t October 15th - British Gunner 6900t October 19th - T.J. Williams 8200t October 22nd - Spind 2100t October 31st - Beaverburn 9900t
Refit Time: 2 months, ready for patrol February 1942
Award Requests: Promotion for Experte 1WO Lt.s.Z Bruno Schroder
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Post by silentwolf on Dec 13, 2016 6:06:44 GMT
U-Boat Name and ID Number: Das Gespenst U-41 Patrol Assignment: Atlantic (7th Patrol) Patrol Date: October-November 1941 Successful Patrol: Yes
Number of Freighters Sank: 1 Number of Tankers Sank: 0 Number of Capital Ships Sank: 0 Total Tonnage Destroyed: 4,900 (124,800)
Ships Sank: October 21st - St. Elwyn 4900t
Refit Time: 2 months, ready for patrol February 1942
Replacements Requested:
Award Requests:
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Post by keyboy on Dec 13, 2016 12:07:40 GMT
November 1, 1941, Gentleman, from my quick glances at the reports you did well this month, sinking 53,200 tons of shipping, and 9 hulls. The first round tonight is on me, while the second round will be on the crew of the Das Gespenst. The third round will be supplied by KKpt Volkhard Schreiber who has been awarded the KCO&S. AwardsKnight's Cross with Oak Leaves and SwordsKKpt Volkhard Schreiber Knight's Cross with Oak LeavesNone Knight's CrossNone Iron Cross 2nd ClassNone Iron Cross 1st Class None U-Boat War Badge To the Crew of: NonePromotionsNone
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