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Post by crushedhat on Mar 13, 2022 16:53:17 GMT
March 1940 Patrol Status
Mar Events: 12th, Finland signs peace treaty with Russia 16th, German air raid on Scapa Flow causes civilian casualties 30th, Japan establish puppet government in Nanking
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 Refit 39 IXA KptLt Luka Borchars Arianus Dec-Jan Lost 41 IXA KptLt Wilhelm Schultze ChefEd Feb-Mar W. Africa Coast 45 VIIB KptLt Georg Horst Andy Mar British Isles 46 VIIB KptLt Willi Gering Donitz Mar British Isles 48 VIIB KptLt Til Werthner silentwolf Feb-Mar British Isles 50 VIIB KptLt Joachim Helmert crushedhat Mar 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 Mar 40 due no later than Midnight, 19 March 2022 your time.
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Post by silentwolf on Mar 15, 2022 15:44:18 GMT
U-48 Patrol Month: February & March (extended patrol) Patrol 3 for Kommandant KptLt Til Werthner Patrol Assignment:British Isles Successful Patrol:Yes Freighters sunk: 2/2 Tankers sunk: 1/1 Capital Ships sunk: 0/0 Tonnage sunk: 22,300/22,300 Refit Time: 1 month, ready May 1940
Awards Requested: none
"We sailed on February 3rd, at 09.00. It was a cold winter morning. Snowflakes fell from the gray sky, dancing with the wind before meeting their demise on the surface of the oily, green water of the harbor.
Transit to the patrol area went well. We ran on the surface at full speed for most of the journey. On a few occasions, I ordered a surprise crash dive - just to keep the crew on their toes. I needed the men to be sharp and on point at all times.
We reached the patrol area on the 9th.
This day also happened to be the fourth anniversary of my marriage with Ingrid.
I read a small card she made for me. It read "Hals und Beinbruch".
The first contact with enemy shipping was on the evening of the 21st.
We intercepted an unescorted tanker.
U-48 quickly closed in on the slow moving target. I ordered a forward attack from all four tubes.
Three of the eels detonated and an incredible amount of damage was inflicted upon 8500 ton "British Influence". The tanker blazed like a ball of flames. The carnage was extreme.
I couldn't help but feel pity for the poor souls that were lost. I also realized that the sinking of this vessel would greatly aid the war effort. Cutting the British supply chain will be the quickest way to win this war - and prevent the loss of German lives.
A resupply at sea was conducted on the 23rd.
We received fuel, provisions and two torpedos. The loading of torpedos onto a U-boat in the rolling sea is a dangerous task, and we were quite vulnerable for attack. The fog was dense and visibility low. The lookouts carefully scoured their assigned quadrants through strained eyes.
On March 4th, smoke columns from a convoy were spotted on the horizon. It seemed that luck had prevailed, as U-48 was in a perfect position to submerge and wait. The convoy would be within attack range just after dusk.
When the convoy was in range, we surfaced.
I targeted two ships within the firing arc. I fired two eels at a tanker and two at a large freighter. The crew of the tanker were extremely lucky, as both torpedos hit, but failed to detonate.
The men on board "Surrey" had found that their luck had run out. Both torpedos hit, and both detonated. The 8600 ton freighter was heavily damaged. She quickly fell behind the convoy. No escorts would come to her aid. We moved in quickly and sealed her fate with the 8.8cm deck gun.
On the 8th, an emergency crash dive was performed. A RAF spitfire came into close range but did not attack. I doubt we were even seen.
We would spend a few more days in the patrol area before beginning transit back to Wilhelmshaven. It seemed that we had experienced all of the action that would occur on this patrol.
Then, just 3 days away from home, at high noon, 5200 ton freighter, "Clearton", was intercepted.
Why would they be here?
Had her captain gone mad? Was she lost?
None of these things mattered.
I moved in at flank speed to attack and sink the freighter with torpedos and the deck gun.
We tethered to the dock on March 18th. The crew were eager to disembark, all except for LI Benedikt Hettinger. He truly loves the boat and his work. He has advanced to EXPERTE status and has become a valuable asset, indeed."
- KptLt Til Werthner
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Post by crushedhat on Mar 17, 2022 1:52:56 GMT
U-50 enters the harbor at Wilhelmshaven, 1 pennant flying from the periscope.
Patrol Report U-Boat #: U-50 Patrol Month(s): Mar 40 Patrol Location: British Isles Patrol # for this Kommandant: 4 Successful Patrol (Y/N): Y Number of freighters sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 0/5 Number of Tankers sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 1/4 Number of Capital Ships sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 0/0 Tonnage sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 7,00/70,000 Refit Time: 1 month, ready May 1940 Award Requests: None
Narrative:
1 March 1940, Wilhelmshaven Despite the cold spray being whipped up by a chill March wind spirits were high onboard U-50 as she set sail for her fourth combat patrol. Things had gone well so far and Kommandant and crew say no reason to expect otherwise this time. The enthusiasm did wane as weeks went by with no targets coming into view.
18 March 1940, Celtic Sea A lone ship appears on the horizon, unfortunately for her crew, backlit by the setting sun. “Alarm!” shouts KptLt Joachim Helmert, sending the lookouts scrambling below as U-50 noses down into the frigid waters. Approaching underwater, undetected, Helmert looks to Funkobergefreiter Friedrich Radener at the hydrophone.
“Sounds like only one ship, Herr Kaleun,” Radener tells his Kommandant.
“Up scope!” Helmert orders, snapping the handles down as the periscope rises. Scanning the surrounding area he announces, “Tanker. I make her to be 7,000 tons. Most likely headed for Cardiff or Bristol. We will surface and take her under fire with the guns first. 2WO ObFzS Wilhelm Stieg smiles, eager to shine as the 8cm and crew prove their worth. As it turns out, Stieg’s crew needs assistance form the torpedoes, four eels rushing toward the damaged tanker. While two are duds, the other two finish what the 8cm had begun.
Their spirits temporarily restored by their victory, the crew of U-50 leave the scene of burning oil, purposefully not thinking about the fate of the tanker’s crew.
26 March 1940, Wilhelmshaven The tanker on the 18th being the only encounter U-50 experiences this patrol, spirits are a bit more somber as she ties up next to the pier. Still, the sight of family and friends waiting for them, and the knowledge that they are all whole and intact to enjoy the reception makes the homecoming more than satisfying enough.
On the bridge, KptLt Helmert isn’t aware that he is actually scanning the crowd for someone until he spots the schoolteacher whose students had given him the flowers upon their last return. Without consciously willing it, a smile forms on his face as students, and teacher present him with another bouquet.
“Perhaps, Fraulein,” Helmert pauses, giving the teacher a chance to correct his assumption. When she does not, he continues, “You would have dinner with me?”
A slight smile forms on her lips and she blushes demurely as she answers, “I would like that.”
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Post by Donitz on Mar 18, 2022 12:19:59 GMT
March 1940 – Patrol Report – Patrol British Isles
U-Boat 46
Patrol Month(s) March 1940
Patrol # for this Kommandant Patrol 4
Successful Patrol Y
Number of freighters sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) – 2/5
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) 12,200/26,900
Refit Time - Two Month
Award Requests – None
We were sailing around Scotland towards its West Coast. It was just after dawn and 2WO Jacob Keppler was on watch. Cries of “Alarm Biene” came down from the tower. I was up early an in the Control Room. The tower was cleared and secured in seconds and the bow planes angled to send us into a steep dive. At 60 metres we levelled out. There were no immediate signs that we had been spotted. Perhaps, with the plan being to the west of us the sun in the pilots eyes had blinded him. We stayed underwater for an hour before we surfaced and made sure that the skies were clear.
For 2 weeks we hunted off the west coast of Scotland without any action. The at noon we spotted a Large Freighter. Looking through the identification books it was the Manaar,a 7,200T British Steam Merchant heading back to Liverpool. We submerged and closed before resurfacing and engaging this unescorted vessel. When will they learn. The Deck Gun roared but their was a lot of swell today and our accuracy was off. We did minor damage. Not wanting to wait around any longer than needed I ordered 2 torpedoes to be fired. From this range we couldn’t miss and they both exploded ripping the ship apart. Our job done we submerged and resumed our patrol.
A few days later, whilst submerged, we detect noise to our south west. We plot an interception course and track what appears to be several ships. Has the enemy realised that they need to travel in convoys for safety? We will show them that there is no safety from the Kriegsmarine.
It is day time and we rise to periscope depth and it is indeed of convoy of around 10 ships with escorts. Not wanting to miss an opportunity I decide to attack in daylight and order us to close to medium range targeting 2 small Freighters. These are two British Steam Merchant ships. The Esmond, at 5,000 tons and the Thirlby at 4,900 tons. We are outside their escorts detection ring and with Steam torps loaded in the front 4 tubes we reach a target resolution and fire 2 ells at each ship. Stop watches out and headphones on we listen for the explosions. The Esmond is hit twice but one eel fails to explode but the second does it’s job with a massive explosion. The other 2 targeted on Thirlby fail to find their target.
We detect an escort immediately heading our way. I suspect they saw the tell tale sign of the steam torpedoes in the daylight and are quickly moving on our position. We dive to 60m and wait. We hear depth charges being released and know they are close to our position. Suddenly the lights go out as explosions echo around us. They have found us. I order us to change our heading and get a damage report. We were lucky, we have minor flooding in the torpedo room.
The Destroyer turns around again and seems to know exactly where we are. Charges are in the water again and this time they are closer. Once the chaos of the explosions subside we appear not to have taken any internal damage but I have no doubt the hull has been reshaped.
Changing course to head further north we head the Destroyer turn again but this time it appears to be heading North west. We have stopped the flooding and running silent the destroying drops charges again but they are some distance off.
Staying silent we hear the destroyer return to the convoy. Once we are certain that we are safe we pump out the water and I order us to follow the convoy. We have lost contact with them in our escape and after several hours we still have failed to locate the convoy again. We surface and I can see that the hull has taken some damage but not as much as I feared.
The rest of our patrol see no further contact and the voyage home is uneventful. We sail into port with 2 pennants flying but I feel it could have been more.
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andy
Komandant
Posts: 52
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Post by andy on Mar 20, 2022 15:47:03 GMT
Patrol Report
U-Boat #: U-45 Patrol Month(s): Mar 40 Patrol Location: British Isles Patrol # for this Kommandant: 4 Successful Patrol (Y/N): Y Number of freighters sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 2/5 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): 49,800/70,400 Refit Time: 1 month, ready May 1940 Award Requests: None
Narrative:
Another British Isles patrol. Made short work of a Large Freighter found on its own. Got it with the deck gun at close range.
Late in the patrol, stumbled across a convoy with the very appealing target in the guise of Empress of Britain at 42,300t. We went all out for her and we launched a full set of torps sinking her without any issue. We were pursued and depth charged for a couple of cycles but, were fortunately able to finally dodge our pursuer and head for home.
Minor damage sustained including some initially significant flooding and some hull damage due to evading at lower depths than prescribed. Dive planes also suffered some damage but, repairs were able to be undertaken successfully.
No crew casualties on this mission.
Feels like the team are beginning to operate more consistently now. Here's to more future success.
Horst
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