Kapitänleutnant Michael Hoffmann
Patrol # 11

Duration:	10.02.1941 - 23.03.1941, 42 days on sea
Patrol Area:	CF31
Ship:	U-364, U-Flachs
Type:	IX B
Flotilla:	9. Flotille, Brest

10.02.1941/12.00
We are leaving Brest under the shelter of our convoy. CF31 is our assigned patrol area. Again far away from the northern convoy lanes. Kvtkptn. Thomsen seems to see in me the specialist for southern comfort, err southern seas. But compared to Kronau-Wahrsteiner we had better luck. No more airplanes above us. The guys from JG 26 have left the area and what is left are the guys from Küstenfliegergruppe 406, 506 and 906 in Brest South. The Küstenfliegergruppe 106 is stationed in Brest Hourtin. All what they can do is watch the coastal waters, but there is no chance for fighter shelter in the Biskay. Vielen Dank Herr Reichsjägermeister!

15.02./08.39
After five boring days we have reached our assigned patrol area. The sky is very foggy and we are facing heavy seas. Radio traffic is very flat. Some convoy sigthings in the north.

17.02./11.21 CF3629
Airplane spotted! ALARM! We reach 155m and hear two Wabos splashing in the sea. No damage. Re-surfaced after 30 minutes in an empty sea with an empty sky above.

19.02./10.04 CF3189
After 9 days we have contact to a lonely ship! With full flank ahead we run in position.

/10.34
The contact is identified as the british freighter "Mac Leod" with 3.000 BRT. The crew is ignoring our signals to stop and leave the ship. All what we see is a man on the bridge making obscene gestures. Radio-man reports "SSS" with detailed position over all waves. Under these circumstances they will have no chance. We approach with "Dreimal Wahnsinnige" and are in a perfect position 600 m aways to 90 degree. The released T III finds it's target and the freigther is sinking in some minutes. Only trash is splattered over the sea. No surviors. To get the crew bussy I order to reload a stern torpedo to the bow.

20.02./03.55 CF2883
Contact farout!

/04.17
The dutch tanker "Gouda Star" with 9.600 BRT is falling to a double shot with T I and T III. The tanker was armed with a big deck-gun so no chance for warning them. We shot out of 800m distance to avoid collsions with explosion fragments, and this was a good idea. The first shot hit midships and punches a big hole in the hull with oil leaking out. The second torpedo explodes in an enourmus burst of flames and metall pieces. The sea is overall red and in flames. The crew did not perform very well in the first reloading operation, so I order again to reload from the stern to the bow.

24.02./08.35 CG5144
Four days have passed since our last encounter as the ALARM! rings through the boat. II WO has spotted an airplane. We go down to 155m but receive no Wabo's. This time we had the better eyes.

/13.56 CG5144
We have stopped a norwegian tanker named "Bergen". The crew has left the 1.000 BRT ship in two survival boats. With them in a safe range we open fire with the deck gun. Gun-crew reports problems with the target-reticle. After three missses I went down to the gun and sunk the tanker with 8 rounds. The crew is looking ashamed at me. I leave the deck without a word. We show the norwegian crew the way to the shore and wish them the best.

28.02./06.05 CG1915
We found the greek freighter "Yammaas" with 2.424 BRT. The crew has notified us and is leaving the ship without any commands from us. The gun-crew jumps down to the deck and is opening fire. The freigther sinks after 13 rounds. I say nothing to them , but they see in my face, that i have forgotten their last fault. The greeks in their boats refuse any help. So we leave the area. Hell, it seems that we are doing "Kaperkrieg" like in WW I!

07.03./11.15
Day after day of boring routine. Then the radio-man brings me a message and i can't belive my eyes. U-47 with his commander Prien is ordered to report status and location! Now they got the Bull of Scapa Flow!

14.03./06.50 CF3813
Out of a fog flare we run into a 8.000 BRT mass good freighter. It is the british "Tramper Star" with a mighty deck-gun on the stern. A double shot with T III and T I out of tube 3 and 4 brings them down. Ship is sinking very quick. No survivors. We have now reloaded all stern torpedos in the bow, but were are the convoys? Fuel is going down.

17.03./08.45
The radio-man comes with a new message. I can see at his face that again something bad happened. U-99 with his commander Kretschmer is lost! "Die Reihen der Asse lichten sich"

19.03/12.00
Due to low fuel I am breaking up and plotting course to Brest.

20.03./21.28 CF3276
In approaching a contact the enemy ship (estim. 2.000 BRT) opens fire out of 1.200m distance. I retreat to 1.300m distance and let our deck-gun do the job. The ship sinks after 12 rounds. In approaching the sinking place we found nothing which can identify this ship, it is too dark. No survivors.

23.03./12.40
We have docked in our pen. There is no great comitee to salute us. Kvtkptn. Thomsen tells me that Schepke is also lost. The U-boat arm has lost three of their best commanders while we were playing "Kaperkrieg". What a mess.

PATROL RESULTS

DECORATIONS

U-boat badge	1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class	1939 Iron Cross 1st Class	Knights Cross	Knights Cross with Oak Leaves	Knights Cross with Oak Leves and Swords	Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds

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