Oberleutnant Manfred Buchmann
Patrol # 3

Duration:     18.12.1939 - 24.12.1939, 7 days on sea
Patrol Area:   AN55
Ship:   U-59, Crossed Swords
Type:   II C
Flotilla:   9. Flotille, Brest


18 Dez. 1939
Departed Port at 12:30 at high flood. I left with Oblt. Max Neumann (U-103), and together we met our escorts at St. Anne du Porzic (one barrage-breaker, two mine-sweepers). During this time we also had 2 Me-110's from JG 26 accompany us. We sent good wishes to each other and then moved off to our respective patrol quadrants.

20 Dez. 1939, 02:57
Arrived in patrol quadrant. No problems, but the weather was terribly foggy. Radioed our report.

21 Dez. 1939, 17:45
We received a message from U-20 that a convoy, located at AN0179, was heading out. Almost immediately following that, a message came from BdU instructing us to hunt for the convoy and attack! Hurrah! We are all very excited. Engines now at flank speed, plowing through the sea. The chase is on!

19:50
A little more than two hours since we changed course to head for the convoy, lookouts report a steamer almost directly ahead. It's travelling alone and apparently not part of any convoy. We decide to attack this ship first, as it is a tanker and 11.000 BRT! We approach on the surface at a great speed, firing three eels at her starboard side. Two duds, one hit! She is not going down yet, so I let the crew reload and I approach the other side. I fire two with one dud and one hit! The tanker is literally blown to pieces, and fire is everywhere. No chance for survivors. I'm still rather dismayed at our torpedo record; this isn't very hopeful. However, we now turn our attention to the convoy which should not be more than 6 or 7 hours away.

Volle Kraft voraus!

LI and rudder-men during the attack

22 Dez. 1939, 02:02
The area is very foggy, but shadows are seen by lookouts! I race to the bridge, then instruct my radioman to signal headquarters regarding our finding. It is located in exactly the spot that was mentioned, AN0179. Speed approximately 6 knots. I can see one ship ahead of us, a merchant of 3.000 BRT. We fire our last fish from a range of 570 meters and cross our fingers. We are rewarded by a spectacular explosion! However, starshells fly up from everywhere, so we turn around and get out of there as soon as we could, sending one last message to headquarters regarding the convoy's speed and direction. That's it as far as our torpedoes, and we are instructed to return to base.

24 Dez. 1939, 18:21
Return to base.



Personal Analysis:
I'm disappointed there is still a massive torpedo problem. The crew is disappointed as well, but what can I do about it? Nothing. I must sit around and hope things will get better. I must say I'm very pleased by the way the crew functioned during the convoy attack. It was especially difficult because of the fog, and we couldn't see too much. I did not see any escorts; then again I didn't see many other ships, either, so there could have been escorts and I didn't run into them because of the fog. I only realized quite how large the convoy was when the starshells went up all around.

PATROL RESULTS

Merchants

Escorts

Warships

BRT

Patrol results:

2

0

0

14.000

Total career results:

4

0

0

27.649

DECORATIONS

U-boat badge

1939 Iron Cross
2nd Class

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