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Post by crushedhat on Feb 26, 2022 22:47:58 GMT
January 1940 Patrol Status
Jan Events: 2nd, Soviet offensive halted by Finns 17th, Soviets driven back in Finland
U-Boat Status for month (Type IX patrols are two months long, Reports due the end of the second month) U# Type Rank Kommandant Player Patrol Assignment 37 IXA KptLt Siegmund von Margur Siegmund Jan-Feb British Isles (M) 39 IXA KptLt Luka Borchars Arianus Dec-Jan British Isles (M) 41 IXA KptLt Wilhelm Schultze chefed Refit 45 VIIB KptLt Georg Horst Andy Jan British Isles (M) 46 VIIB KptLt Willi Gering Donitz Jan British Isles (M) 48 VIIB KptLt Til Werthner silentwolf Refit 50 VIIB KptLt Joachim Helmert crushedhat Jan British Isles (M) is a mining mission.
Required information for end of Patrol Report: U-Boat # Patrol Month(s) Patrol Location Patrol # for this Kommandant Successful Patrol (Y/N) Number of freighters sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) Number of Tankers sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) Number of Capital Ships sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) Tonnage sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) Refit Time Award Requests
Optional information for End of Patrol Report: Patrol narrative
End of Patrol Reports for Jan 40 due no later than Midnight, 5 March 2022 your time.
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Post by Donitz on Feb 27, 2022 16:44:26 GMT
U46 Only needed a 1 month refit after November Patrol. We are ready to set sail in January and await orders which we haven't yet been given.
KptLt Willi Gering
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Post by Donitz on Mar 1, 2022 8:41:45 GMT
U46 - Ok if I haven't had a patrol assigned today I will roll my own.
KptLt Willi Gering
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Post by Donitz on Mar 3, 2022 15:46:44 GMT
January 1940 – Patrol Report – Patrol British Isles (M)
U-Boat 46
Patrol Month(s) January 1940
Patrol # for this Kommandant Patrol 3
Successful Patrol Y
Number of freighters sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) – 1/3
Number of Tankers sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) - 0/0
Number of Capital Ships sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) – 0/0
Tonnage sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) 5,000/14,700
Refit Time - One Month
Award Requests – None
The outward journey to the west of the British Isles were uneventful. With our tubes full of mines we couldn’t even run torpedo drills. We approached the Bristol Chanel area, this was our second minelaying operation in this area. We successfully laid the mines under cover of darkness without any incident. Now we can load our eels and go hunting and this raised the spirits of the crew.
Tedious days passed without any contacts. We did detect a ship once but it was moving too quickly and on a heading that made an intercept course submerged impossible.
More days past and at dusk of our last day we were beginning to make the boat ready for the journey home when a contact was reported. An intercept course was plotted and several hours later we were at periscope depth and identified a single freighter heading towards Liverpool. I identified it as the Stonepool a 5,000 ton British Steam Merchant ship. We moved to close range and surfaced. The crew quickly swarmed on deck to man the deck gun. Panic could be seen on the Stonepool as sailors were trying to ready their life boats. We had stopped giving warnings to lone merchant ships, we were at war. As soon as the gun was ready we fired. The first salvo hit damaging the freighter and then the second salvo hit the engine room, fire could be seen all over the ship and it was only a matter of time before she would sink.
We cleared the deck and submerged. In high spirits we started the journey home which was uneventful. Our 3rd patrol and our third ship sunk. Whilst they have all been small it can only be a matter of time before we get some bigger prizes.
3rd Patrol Crew Improvement 2WO Expert -1drm on deck gun and Flak to hit rolls
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Post by crushedhat on Mar 4, 2022 0:35:05 GMT
U-50 enters the harbor at Wilhelmshaven, 2 pennants flying from the periscope.
Patrol Report U-Boat #: U-50 Patrol Month(s): Jan 40 Patrol Location: British Isles Patrol # for this Kommandant: 3 Successful Patrol (Y/N): Y Number of freighters sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 1/5 Number of Tankers sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 1/3 Number of Capital Ships sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 0/0 Tonnage sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 11,400/63,000 Refit Time: 1 month, ready Mar 1940 Award Requests: None
Narrative:
3 Jan 1940, Wilhelmshaven Spirits appeared to be high, both among those onboard U-50 and the crowd on the pier to see them off on their third war patrol. Spirits were high for good reason. The war was going well. Not just for the men of U-50, but for the Fatherland as a whole. Thus far Germany had suffered little consequence over the invasion of Poland last September and even the loss of Graf Spee last month couldn’t dampen the elation. Elation heightened by not so secret gloating over the Soviet’s problems in Finland. If any had concerns over what was happening regarding the Jews, they were keeping it to themselves.
13 Jan 1940, Celtic Sea Having sighted smoke shortly after sunrise, U-50 is now in position to attack a single Steam merchant and her escort. While the target is a modest 2,200 tons, it is the first target found after nearly two weeks at sea. KptLt Joachim Helmert debates using the steam driven torpedoes with their telltale wake in daylight, but decides that the greater reliability outweighs the danger. Given past performance and the fact that the patrol is now halfway over, he decides to fire a full salvo. While wo eels hit, Funkobergefreiter Friedrich Radener shakes his head, one of them being a dud. Helmert orders the boat to take evasive maneuvers as the escorting corvette begins a search pattern that ultimately proves unsuccessful.
That evening Coming up on the stricken freighter, still under escort, Helmert orders another four torpedoes readied. He tracks the target through the periscope as 1WO LtzS Rudolph Mann records the pertinent information. Satisfied that all is ready, Helmert gives the order and four more torpedoes streak toward the target. Smiles fill the tiny control room as a series of explosions are heard. Bringing up the periscope, Helmert whistles softly as he can find no trace of the target. The escort appears to be running in circles, allowing U-50 to slip away.
20 Jan 1940, Night, near the Channel Islands “Is he really so foolish?” LtzS Mann asks as KptLt Helmert orders the gun crew to stations. The object of their discussion is a tanker of 9,200 tons making its way without escort.
“Perhaps he feels that he is almost home,” Helmert answers his 1WO. “Let this be a lesson to us not to let down our vigilance until we are safely moored. As Mann voices his agreement, Helmert nods to ObFzS on the foredeck. A moment later the crack of the 8cm gun disturbs the night’s silence. Several more shots ring out as the Tanker’s crew scramble for the lifeboats, the rising flames silhouetting their desperate attempt for safety. Leaving the merchantmen to their fate, U-50 sails off is search of other prey.
24 Jan 1940 U-50 enter the harbor of Wilhelmshaven, 2 pennants flying form her telescope. As she ties up to the pier, a group of school children climb onboard to present KptLt Helmert with a bouquet of flowers, their pleasant scent providing a stark contrast to the aroma coming from the unwashed crew. Helmert notices the Children’s teacher and the way she smiles at him.
Crew Improvement Roll after 3rd Successful Patrol:
5TKiRvGg1-6
Crew improves to Veteran.1-6
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andy
Komandant
Posts: 52
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Post by andy on Mar 7, 2022 20:27:23 GMT
Boat: U-45. Patrol Month: January 1940. Patrol Location: British Isles Mine laying Patrol 3 for this Kommandant Successful Patrol (Y/N) Yes Number of freighters sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 3/3 LF22 Cedarbank 5,200t SF27 Clintonia 3,100t LF01 Sultan Star 12,300t
Number of Tankers sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant):0/0 Number of Capital Ships sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant):0/0 Tonnage sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 20,600/20,600t Refit Time: 1 month available March 1940.
Award Requests: None.
Narrative:
At last, luck was with us. Can't say I was pleased to be slotted for a mine laying mission but this was our best patrol yet.
Delivered our presents as required just off the West coast of Ireland.
Then encountered a number of targets of opportunity. Ending with a convoy engagement just prior to leaving for home port.
Accounted for three vessels and at no point were we detected giveng us a clean sheet with no casualties and no damage to the boat either.
It feels so good to be in the running again following our two lame duck patrols; this one was a welcome break and success!
Horst.
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