Kommandant's Report U-330
Patrol #1

MY FIRST ITEM I MUST ADDRESS IS THE PROBLEM OF THE HAIRLINE CRACK IN THE RAW WATER INTAKE FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM OF THE PORT ENGINE. THERE IS SOME TALK AROUND THAT THE FRENCH, WHICH WE HAVE HIRED TO REPAIR THE BOATS, MIGHT BE SABOTAGING US. IN ADDITION, MY CHIEF ENGINEER, OBLT (LI) PAUL NOELKE HAD STUMBLED UPON THIS CRACK BY ACCIDENT AND, ALTHOUGH KEPT FROM THE MEN, NOTICED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD BEEN HEATED, AS WITH A TORCH, THEN COOLED QUICKLY TO PRODUCE THIS CRACK. PERHAPS THIS ALSO PLAYED HAVOC WITH OUR RAW WATER IMPELLER, WHICH WAS CHANGED IN PORT, THEN AGAIN WHILE OUT AT SEA, TAKING ABOUT 12 HOURS TO DISASSEMBLE, RETRIEVE THE LOST BLADES, THEN REASSEMBLE USING THE NEW IMPELLER.

NEXT, WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TORPEDOES. MANY OF OUR SHOTS WERE TEXTBOOK IN THAT WE ACHIEVED ALMOST A 90 DEGREE ANGLE, BUT STILL MISSED OUR TARGET, EVEN THOUGH WE SET THEM TO RUN SHALLOW (SEE ATTACHED SHOOTING REPORTS).

IN ALL, THE PATROL WENT WELL. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE TONNAGE THAN WE DID AND I FEEL THE BURDEN OF THE ENTIRE U-BOOT WAFFE RESTS ON MY SHOULDERS AT TIMES. THESE EELS WHICH MISSED EXPENDED OUR SUPPLY QUICKLY, FORCING AN EARLY RETURN TO BASE WITH PLENTY OF FUEL AND FOOD REMAINING. OBLT NOELKE HAD A TALK WITH THOSE IN THE TORPEDO ROOM ABOUT THIS AND THEY SWORE THEY CHECKED THE MECHANICS OF THE EELS REGULARLY, SO I QUESTION WHETHER THEY WERE SHOT THROUGH SCHOOL TOO QUICKLY AND ACTUALLY ARE MAKING MISTAKES, OR IF THE EEL PROBLEMS ARE AN INHERENT, MECHANICAL PROBLEM.

KOMMANDANT'S REPORT RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED AND SIGNED THIS DAY

31 OKT, 1939
OBLT. STEFAN MICHAEL GRABOWSKI
KOMMANDANT, U-330
9TH FLOTILLE, BREST

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