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Post by crushedhat on Mar 9, 2017 6:38:44 GMT
The last contact with U-86 is 14 March 1943, the same day radio intercepts report an attack on an Allied convoy with RN claims of having sunk a U-Boat. U-86 doers not return from her 17th war patrol. U-Boat Name and ID Number: U-86, Ra’n Successful Patrol: No Number of Freighters Sank: 0 Number of Tankers Sank: 1 Number of Capital Ships Sank: 0 Total Tonnage Destroyed: 7,000 Refit Time: U-Boat sunk Award Requests: WB in Gold for entire crew
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Post by andy254 on Mar 10, 2017 13:52:37 GMT
U-Boat ID & Name: U-159 - Tümmler U-Boat Class: Type IX C
Kommandant: Walter Rieflin RK EK (1.K) (KapitänLeutnant)
Patrol Number & Date - 4 - March-May* 1943 Patrol Assignment - Atlantic Successful Patrol - Yes Refit Time - Standard - RTD July 1943
Number of Freighters Sank - 6 Number of Tankers Sank - 5 Number of Capital Ships Sank - 0 Tonnage Destroyed (this Patrol) - 81,400t Ships Damaged - 0
Total GRT Destroyed - 188,800t **
* Patrol extended due to resupply ** Tonnage total not including sinking of HMS Eagle
Senior Crew
1st Wachts Offizier: Dieter Krafft EK (2.K) (Oberleutnant-zur-See) [Experte] 2nd Wachts Offizier: Ludwig Schmidt (Leutnant-zur-See) Leitender Ingenieur: Georg Henger EK (2.K) (Oberleutnant-zur-See) Doctor: Albrecht Braun (Leutnant-zur-See) [Experte]
Crew Quality: Veteran
Ships Destroyed: 14/3/43 Corrientes - steam merchant - 6,900t Bulysses - motor tanker - 7,500t 24/3/43 Stratford - steam tanker - 4,700t Anadara - motor tanker - 8,000t 30/3/43 British Influence - motor tanker - 8,500t Rothesay Castle - motor merchant - 7,000t 15/4/43 Beaverburn - steam merchant - 9,900t Fanad Head - steam merchant - 5,200t Beacon Grange - motor merchant - 10,100t 28/4/43 British Resource - motor tanker - 7,200t Triglav - steam merchant - 6,400t
Ships Damaged: None
In the event any of these ships have been sunk before, the U-159 has sunk a ship that looks just like it
Award Requests: KptLt Walter Rieflin - Oak Leaves (or Swords) to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross - for the sinking of over 175,000 tons of shipping ** ObLt-z-S Dieter Krafft - Iron Cross - 1st Class - for continued efficiency and success in torpedo crew management ObLt-z-S Georg Henger - Iron Cross - 1st Class - for continued efficiency and success in repair crew management Lt-z-S Ludwig Schmidt - Iron Cross - 2nd Class - for efficiency and success in gun crew management
** Tonnage total not including sinking of HMS Eagle
Patrol Report - Concise
01/03/43 - BF 6515 - La Rochelle - Departed on third patrol. 14/03/43 - CF 2334 - Mid Atlantic - Convoy. Night. Attacked, one tanker and one freighter sunk. 24/03/43 - CF 6631 - Mid Atlantic - Convoy. Day. Tailed until night. Attacked, one freighter and one tanker sunk. Detected. Two passes. Electrical engine damaged. Light flooding. 30/03/43 - CF 9727 - Mid Atlantic - Convoy. Day. Tailed until night. Attacked, one tanker and one freighter sunk. 13/04/43 - CF 2656 - Mid Atlantic - Convoy. Night. Attacked, three freighters sunk. Detected. One pass. Hydrophones damaged. 28/04/43 - BE 5591 - North Atlantic - Convoy. Night. Attacked, one tanker and one freighter sunk. 30/05/43 - BF 6515 - La Rochelle - Returned from fourth patrol.
Report submitted by
KptLt Walter Rieflin EK (1.K) Kommandant: U-159 - Tümmler
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Post by andy254 on Mar 10, 2017 15:50:26 GMT
From the personal diary of KptLt Walter Rieflin
February 28th, 1943
Tomorrow, we are at sea again. It feels like an eternity since we coasted back into port after quite a hair-raising patrol. I had received my Knight's Cross but the request for Oak Leaves was not forthcoming. I will assume the paperwork was lost and I will file it again. However, in the last week of our refit time, there was an incident in a cafe in La Rochelle about this involving some of my crew and those from the U-86 "R'an". One of their crew had gone on about the U-159 measuring in "Schepke tonnage" and our being "glory hunters". Seconds later, the accusing crewman found himself in the street outside the cafe exiting through the window rather than the door. The Feldgendarmerie managed to break up the fight that had spread into the street. In order to avoid the incident getting any worse, FKpt Radel and I agreed to replace the window and to sort out the disciplining of our respective crewmen ourselves. The four crew from my boat were confined to the base until we were to set sail again the following week but also received two bottles of wine for defending the honour of the "Tümmler". In the pens, the U-86 was adjacent to us also being readied for patrol. It looked like we were the only boats going out tomorrow. At the same time, FKpt Radel was inspecting his boat and upon noticing me, he walked over to my berthing. "I never could see what Karl could see in these big boats, Kaleun Rieflin. You might sink some more tonnage but with all of the time you are at sea, you and your crew miss out on all of the fraulein time", he jokingly remarked. "With respect, Herr Kapitan, at least we have our own doctor on board who can see to any health problems our crew members may have picked up in that department and ensure they are fit for action both on patrol and in port when we return", I riposted. He paused, looked at me, then grinned and laughed. "You're right on that one", he replied. "Anyway, I'll see you at the party in the bar tonight. First round is on me", he added. "As long as all of the others are not on me", I replied.
March 15th, 1943
Our two U-Boats sailed out of port at the same time as dawn was breaking on March 1st, the smaller Type VII being dwarfed by our Type IX. For the first time since taking command of my own boat, I left port with a mild hangover from my night's drinking with Kpt Radel. From what I recall, we agreed that the one who sinks the most tonnage on their patrol buys the drinks for the other upon their first night back in port. I commented I was at a disadvantage being away longer and having more torpedoes. He nodded and grinned again. We signalled each other "Good hunting" as we both set course to our different patrol areas in the Atlantic.
That was two weeks ago. The transit of the U-159 through the Bay of Biscay and into the Atlantic was uneventful. A lot of other crews had reported how harder things were getting during the transit. According to Abwehr intelligence reports, some maritime patrol aircraft were fitted with radar. On top of that, newer aircraft with longer range were assigned to patrolling the skies. The hunters were now becoming the hunted. Last night, we encountered our first convoy of the patrol. Opting for my preferred strategy, I did not move in close and instead kept at a reasonable distance. With chances of detection getting a lot higher, I did not wish to risk the lives of my boat or my crew unnecessarily. Narrowing down our possible targets, there were three freighters ranging in tonnage from 2,200t to 6,900t and a tanker of 7,500t. I ordered the forward tube doors open and targetted the largest freighter and the tanker, two torpedoes for each of them in turn. All four torpedoes hit their designated targets, the 6,900t "Corrientes" exploding and sinking rapidly, the 7,500t tanker being heavily damaged but still afloat.
"This is strange, Herr Kaleun. Either I'm losing my touch or I can hear another ship sinking", said my hydrophone operator. "Are you sure we have not sunk two, Bernhard?" I asked. "Quite sure, Herr Kaleun. This is some distance off and away from our trajectories had one of our torpedoes not found its target", he replied. "It sounds like some smaller ships - probably escorts - are responding", he added.
Fortunately for us, the other escorts did not seem to notice us. From the hydrophone contact, some of the escorts were heavily depth charging an area well away from us on the other side of the convoy. We kept at periscope depth for a while, keeping track of the damaged tanker. After some time, the convoy had moved on ahead, leaving it as a damaged straggler. Checking for escorts, I found it had been abandoned. Weighing the odds, we surfaced and tailed it for an hour before I decided on the course of action.
"Leutnant Schmidt, it's time to see how well you have trained the deck gun crew", I said.
Over the megaphone, we informed the crew of the tanker that they had five minutes to abandon ship. For once, they did that and did it quickly. It only required one salvo of shots from the 105mm deck gun and the "Bulysses" started to sink. Following the incident where an American plane had bombed our sister ship - the U-156 - despite it displaying the red cross flag while carrying survivors from the RMS Laconia and despite open messages declaring its status as a rescue ship, our orders were that we were not to take on any survivors. There was nothing to say we couldn't give unarmed sailors a chance to live. I took some rest after our episode with the convoy. I awoke today quite refreshed and received the radio messages from B-d-U. My good mood was soon soured. Among the messages was one that U-86 had not reported in. A destroyer from the Royal Navy claims to have sunk a U-Boat in her last known patrol area, which was the same area where we had been the night before.
"Are you sure you decoded this properly, Herr Leutnant?" I asked. "Absolutely, Herr Kaleun", the young 2WO replied. "It might explain how that other ship was sunk last night and what the other escorts were responding to", he suggested. "It might, but we do have those decoys we could send up. The Royal Navy might have it wrong and it might just be her radio could be broken", I counter-suggested.
March 25th, 1943
We picked up a convoy yesterday. During the day, we shadowed it and attacked it during the night. Targets nearest to us were freighters ranging in tonnage from 1,100t to 5,200t and a tanker of 8,000t. Completely omitting what seemed like a trawler from my calculations, I chose to target the tanker and a 4,700t freighter. Of the two torpedoes targetted at the freighter, both of them hit, but it was enough to start sending the "Stratford" to the bottom. Only one hit the tanker, but it was also enough to cause the "Anadara" to start sinking. This time, however, we were detected and a Castle class corvette attacked us. On its first attack, its depth charges caused some flooding in a rear compartment and damaged one of the electrical engines. I took further evasive action, diving to just above test depth and jinking to starboard. This time, its depth charging was ineffective. By its third attack, we were nowhere near and it lost contact with us.
March 30th, 1943
Just days apart, we were directed to another convoy. Finding it during the day, we again successfully followed it until darkness fell when we attacked. Eligible targets were two freighters of 4,400t and 7,000t and two tankers of 8,500t and 12,800t. Knowing the risk of detection was increased, I took the gamble of hitting the convoy with both the forward and aft tubes, firing two torpedoes from the forward tubes at the larger tanker, the other two at the smaller tanker and the aft tubes at the larger freighter. Of the first two torpedoes, only one torpedo hit and it bounced off. It was one of the rare duds we had. Of the second two torpedoes, they hit and sank the "British Influence". Turning quickly around and firing the aft tubes, only one of them hit, not enough to sink the freighter but enough to damage it and slow it down. Miraculously, we avoided detection. We seemed to have completely surprised them. Waiting for the convoy to move on, we kept our eye on the "Rothesay Castle". Like the last straggler, it was left to its own devices. We tailed it for another hour, moved in to close range, surfaced and gave it the same chances that we gave the "Bulysses". They took their chances with the Atlantic rather than our gunnery skills. It took two salvos but the ship finally started to sink.
April 13th, 1943
It was about a fortnight since our last encounter. We were nearing the end of our time in the Atlantic. We had two G7a FaT I torpedoes left and six G7e Fat II torpedoes, two of which were in the aft tubes. We had been directed to a convoy heading north through our patrol area and intercepted it during the night. Approaching from the starboard side of the convoy, we picked out four freighters ranging between 4,800t and 10,100t. Picking aside the three largest targets, I again opted for six torpedo attack, having pattern running set on them all. As it seemed to surprise the convoys we attacked, we might be in luck again. Of the two steam torpedoes fired at the "Beacon Grange", they both hit and sank the 10,100t freighter. Of the two electric torpedoes fired at the 9,900t "Beaverburn", only one of them hit, damaging it but not sinking it. Of the two electric torpedoes fired from the aft tubes, they both hit and sank the 5,200t "Fanad Head". We did not have time to congratulate ourselves as an escort destroyer had detected us. I immediately took evasive action but the depth charges hit us and made us "deaf in the water". Our hydrophones were knocked out. I took further evasive action, even planning to take us below test depth and deploy BOLD if it hit us again, but there was nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I took us up to periscope depth. The destroyer was nowhere near us. Also, the "Beacon Grange" had been left behind. Surfacing and tailing the damaged freighter for an hour by which time the convoy was safely out of range to return and cause us problems, I ordered the last two torpedoes to be loaded and for the gun crew to be ready. We moved to close range, gave them the chance to abandon ship and after five minutes, I ordered both torpedoes be fired and two salvos and fire from the deck gun at the freighter. It was enough to destroy the freighter and send her to the bottom with her cargo. B-d-U was informed that we were returning back to base. Expecting the routine acknowledgement, we instead received orders to rendezvous with a milchkuh for supplies and new orders. This did not go down well with the crew.
April 15th, 1943
We made our contact with the milchkuh, we were refuelled and given five FaT II torpedoes. Our orders were to continue our hunt in the North Atlantic and when out of ammunition to report any contacts to the B-d-U to be relayed to other U-Boats in the area while we still had enough fuel to remain in the patrol area.
April 28th, 1943
Almost two weeks later and on station in the North Atlantic, we finally detected a convoy. It was night when we were able to intercept it. The best targets we could identify were three freighters, ranging in tonnage between 4,800t and 6,400t and a 7,200t tanker. I ordered the forward tube doors open and went for firing solutions on the tanker and the largest freighter. One of the torpedoes missed the "British Resource", but the second succeeded in ripping a large enough hole in the tanker to cause it to start sinking. Of the two torpedoes fired at the "Triglav", both hit and were enough to sink that freighter also. I took her down to 100m and expected defensive action from the escorts. There was nothing. The hydrophone picked them up dropping wasserbombs away from us and the convoy moving off. After 30 minutes, I took her up to periscope depth. All that could be seen was flotsam and two sinking ships.
May 31st, 1943
With only one torpedo left, we arrived back in La Rochelle yesterday afternoon with eleven pennants flying from our periscope mast as a mark of what we had achieved on our three month patrol. All of my officers and crew had excelled themselves and nobody was reporting having any problems "below the waterline". How it might be in a month's time could be another matter. I didn't see the U-86 in the pens and assumed she was back on patrol. That was when it was confirmed that he had reportedly been sunk by a British destroyer. When I asked about the date and the time, the date was March 14th at sector location CF 2334. The mysterious contact we had picked up from the other side of the convoy was a ship that the U-86 had sunk and the response was the destroyers who were to ultimately sink the veteran of 17 patrols. Although I could not buy my fellow colleague a drink as promised, I made sure I drank to his memory last night.
# On a seaman's grave, no roses bloom. On a seaman's grave, no flowers bloom. The single greeting is a white seagull and a tear which a small maiden cries. #
WR
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Post by keyboy on Mar 12, 2017 20:42:44 GMT
April 1, 1943, Gentleman, from my quick glances at the reports you did well this month, sinking 7,000 tons of shipping, and 1 hull and some encouraging reports from the U-159 Tümmler which is still out on patrol. The first round tonight is on me, as we honour our fallen comrades of U-86 the Ra'n. AwardsKnight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and DiamondsNone Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and SwordsNone 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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