Kapitänleutnant Stefan Michael
Grabowski
Patrol # 5
Duration: | 16.05.1940 - 11.06.1940, 26 days on sea |
Patrol Area: | AN38 |
Ship: | U 114, The Octopus |
Type: | VII B |
Flotilla: | 9. Flotille, Brest |
16 MAI:
1300 Departed dock at Brest enroute to rendezvous point. Sunny day
with southeast breeze of under 10 knots makes this an ideal day for beginning
a patrol.
1600 Reached patrol area for rendezvous. Received "Gustav" and replied
with "Anton" light signals. Proceeded to break point.
2000 Reached break point, departed escorts and continued to AN3833
17 MAI:
Day becoming rough. Enroute to patrol point.
18 MAI:
2200 Arrived patrol point, radioed BdU our arrival, began to patrol
lair by submerging by day and replenishing oxygen by night. Batteries should
be no problem since we will move little, remaining stationary and waiting
for the ships to come to us.
20 MAI:
1300 GHG's record screws. wait until nearby the look through periscope.
Small tanker 3000 GRT flying a British flag. We surface at 3000 meters and
call gun crews to stations.
1315 Sunk ship with 28 rounds. return to 14 meters.
1505 GHG's again, sound heavy. Tracked a Brit. 10,000 ton tanker in
the periscope. Waited until 3000 meters, surfaced and sunk ship with 35 rounds
in 20 minutes.
28 MAI:
0729 Screws-3000 ton merchant with British flag. 25 rounds at 2000
meters, sunk in 15 minutes.
MAI 31:
1400 Screws-light, periscope shows British 1000 GRT Merchant. Surface
at 3000 meters distance and call crews to stations. 20 rounds (these boats
are built tough) and sunk.
01 JUN:
0350 Screws on GHG's. Periscope shows 5000 GRT merchant. Radio sounds
that she is the merchant "NOSEX" obviously British. Surfaced at shelled 22
rounds into her before sinking.
2130 GHG's again, this is an active place without escorts or much
air patrol. Groener shows a 5091 Ton merchant of British registry. 25 rounds
into her places her on the bottom.
02 JUN.:
1400 Heavy screws to south. Periscope shows big tanker abeam and heading
south. Have to run after this one.. Surface and pursuit.
1530 Close range shows 8,000 GRT to be American. We let her go and
return to AN3833
03 JUN:
0500 Tanker, 6000 GRT heard. Surfaced, gun crews called and 28 rounds
are expended before this ship goes down.
06 JUN:
1215 Screws, and they are heavy. Periscope up and a 12,000 tonner
is sitting nicely to our west. we begin pursuit
1330 Within 2000 meters we slow and watch as she takes evasive moves
for torpedoes. we merely shot our deck gun, placing 37 rounds into her and
she is still afloat. We are out of deck ammo; time to break out the eels.
1502 Maneuvering is easy with her letting off that amount of steam.
They are already abandoning ship, but she lists only slightly. We UZO her
into the TDC and shoot 1 forward eel that is a dud and pass by her too fast
for another forward shot, waiting for a solution to shoot an aft eel into
her-dud. Turn for position and shoot two forward, one hits, another a dud.
That one eel broke what was left of her back and she slowly goes down.
1913 Ship sunk. Too much ammo used on her, didn't want a final coup,
rather waited to see what would happen. It was a slow death, we mourned the
loss of a gallant British ship who wouldn't die. We reload the two outside
eels and head back to our "lair"
07 JUN:
0300 GHG's register a 4,000 tonner. British merchant. One forward
eel is out for maintenance. We stay under, shooting off 2 eels in a fan.
One dud, one went far to the right of course, turned on our heels and shot
the aft eel and surfaced, crew to bridge while we reload. Diesels are started
in order not to lose her in the limited visibility. No need, she is listing
badly, sinking within minutes. 500 KC indicates her Canadian registry to
match with the flag we spotted.
08 JUN:
1929 Heavy ship on GHG's. Periscope shows 10,000 GRT Canadian tanker
in range. Wait to 2000 meters and surface to let a fan of 4 go into her.
3 explode, one goes off course. Ship sinks in 40 minutes.
09 JUN:
1300 Only 3 eels remain, food beginning to run low. We radio to depart
station and head home, hoping to find an easy victim enroute.
1600 Little time passes as we sight our final victim, a 6000 GRT Canadian
merchant One eel in front and two in the aft make this an awkward shooting
configuration. We dive and wait for a position that will be handed to us
on a platter, shooting our remaining forward eel, which misfires and explodes
prior to the ship. Having sighted us, she now takes evasive action as we
surface to get into position to fire the aft.
1800 we are within 2000 meters and closing when we are being shelled
by that merchant. Perhaps a Q--ship, but no false panels. we decide to not
get closer and turn away, shooting an eel out the aft and reloading as fast
as possible. A hit, she lets off steam and lists remaining in position. We
dive and reposition ourselves for a final eel. Ready....LOS! there she goes,
straight to the target and within seconds, a hit. Sinking another ship from
the UK. We watch her go down and depart for home. What an area, what a patrol!
11 JUN:
1245 Arrive in escort area
1522 Arrive in pens-finishing this patrol and receiving urgent message
to see the CO. Some talk around the docks say I am in for a promotion, but
what?
PATROL RESULTS
Merchants |
Escorts |
Warships |
BRT |
|
Patrol results: | 11 |
0 |
0 |
67.091 |
Total career results: | 19 |
0 |
0 |
137.091 |
DECORATIONS
U-boat badge |
1939 Iron Cross |
1939 Iron Cross |
The Navy Roll |
Knights Cross |
Knights Cross |
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