vendredi 19 mars 2010

August, 25th 1939

 We are leaving for our second patrol at sea. It's half an hour after midnight and we are ordered to patrol area grid BF18.


September, 4th 1939


We attacked and sunk the HMCS Athabaskan at 19:44, a Tribal class destroyer cruising back to England.
BdU reported a tonnage of 1840 tons. Crew 221, lost 90.


September, 5th 1939


Attacked and sunk large merchant ship SS Umtata, 10616 tons at 22:00. Loaded with explosives. None of their crew survived. We had to dive as explosives were sending part of metal and pieces all around us to avoid damage.




September, 6th 1939


Attacked and sunk HMS Diamond, a C&D class destroyer cruising outband of England's north with another warship we could not identify because of distance. Time was 08:37. We dived to avoid attack from second warship that probably saved most of the crew of the Diamond.


Attacked and sunk SS Helvig, tramp steamer of 1996 tons transporting coal at 15:39. Crew of 29, lost 3.


September, 9th 1939


Attacked and sunk SS Thistlegen at 20:47. Granville-type freigher of 4755 tons carrying phosphates.
Crew of 78, lost 63.




September, 1th 1939


We are out of torpedoes. Radioed patrol report and while cruising back to home we found a passenger/cargo ship which we engaged with the deck gun. It took over one hundred shots to take her down, which took two hours. When she started to sink from the bow all we had was 6 projectiles left. She was transporting soldiers.


September, 14th 1939


We came back to Wilhelmshaven with six days of food left.
Six ship sunk for a total of 22816 tons.


Received the Uboat front clasp as a result and got promoted to Oberleuntnant zur See.

jeudi 18 mars 2010

August, 1st 1939
Received command of Uboat type VIIB U-52
U-Flotilla Saltzwedel


August, 2nd 1939
Ordered to patrol grid BF19
We are advised to do a five day shakedown patrol and come back to base.
Departing from 8.06E 53.30N (Willemshaven)


U-52
Our boat was ordered May, 15th 1937. She was finished constructing and laid down on March, 9th 1937. After tests, she was ready for patrols on February, 4th 1939. she was under command of Oberleutnant Wolfgang Barten from February 4th 1939 to August, 1st 1939 when she was moved to my command. Wolfgang is now in command of U-40, a type IX for long-range missions.

1116Z (local time 1216)
We are departing for shakedown patrol. Ordered to grid patrol area BF19 for 24 hours.
The KM Tirpitz is currently docked at Willemshaven.
I had installed the new hydrophones, the KDB model over the GHB. It offers twenty degrees on each side of the sub but since it's mounted over the submarine it is much more exposed to depth charges. We have heard of new batteries being worked on and they also are designing a new Uboat model based on our type VIIB.

070839 2057Z
Reached patrol grid. Spotted large merchant, Netherlands.
Patrolling for 24 hours and setting course back to Wilhelmshaven.

130839 1927Z (local time 1827)
Reached Wilhelmshaven. Ending first patrol.