Oberleutnant Michael Hoffmann
Patrol # 2

Duration:	18.11.1939 - 22.11.1939, 5 days on sea
Patrol Area:	AN41
Ship:	U-116, U-Flachs
Type:	II C
Flotilla:	9. Flotille, Brest

18.11.1939 11.45
We are leaving the escorts behind us. Our patrol area is AN41, right in the middle of the North-Sea. I'm a happy that we can leave the harbour. The technical problems with the boat in port are over. I'm not able to figure out, how my LI solved the problem with the soundsystem at least. He was all the time at the boat during these days and I'm thinking about an award for this grade of activity.

19.11. /14.14. AN4997
I WO reports a contact in 40 degree far out. By approaching we notify an american flag and identify the ship as the american 7.000 BRT tanker "Nine coronas". To get sure, we order him to stop and come onboard with the documents.
The captain of the ship comes grumbling to our bridge, swearing like a trooper and showing me the documents. No doubt, he is an american! We allow him to set course and he is leaving our ship. I have learned many new words of the anglo-american way of cursing.

20.11./14.15.
We have reached our patrol area and begin search course.

/14.19. AN4272
Convoy in sight, bearing 270 degree! In shadowing the course we get more informations. The convoy is made of 5 columns and 5 rows, but we can count only 20 ships. It seems that we are not the first to work on them. Sometimes 4 escorts can be seen. General course is 70 degree and they have 7 knots speed. We wired the Kontaktmeldung. We will shadow them for a night attack.

/15.35
Destroyer sets course towards us. We are trying to escape, but he is too fast. Out of a distance of 4.000m he is opening fire. I'm ordering a crash dive with immediate return for periscope depth for an attack.

/15.45
Sneak drive orderd. The destroyer (2.000 to) is 600m before us. I'm firing a double shot with G7e kontakt ingniters out of an angle of 352 degree. The soundman is reporting both as dud!
Out of a distance of 450m I'm firing the last G7a k.i., out of an angle of 345 degree. Soundman reports the torpedo is dud!
Crash dived. Although destroyer is pulsing ASDIC he has no contact. Second hs contact in 40 degree, but does not attack.

A perfect periscope-attack on a destroyer. This ship would have been sunk with flawless torpedoes!

/16.45
The hs sounds have disappeared, back to periscope depth I'm notifying a dramatic decrease of the visibility conditions below to 2.000m. Soundman reports convoy in 140 degree. We are emerging and setting full flank in the direction.

/18.30
It is as dark as in the ass of a bear! No sight of the convoy! Back to persicope depth for hydrophonic search. Contact in 243 degree. We are emerging and running in that direction. Meanwhile all tubes are reloaded.

/19.40 AN4431
We are back at the convoy with immediate sight of an escort. But visibility is still poor. Wired Kontaktmeldung: "Back to convoy, main course 210 degree, general speed 7 knots, well secured."

/20.00
We are breaking through the escort shield and attacking the convoy from the right. Only two columns in sight.

/20.10
Attacking the first target, a freighter with 7.000 BRT. Out of a distance of 900m a G7a k.i. is launched and on the way. Suddenly we were shelled without warning and we receive a direct hit in the central room, damaging the pressure hull. At the same moment soundman reports the torpedo as dud!
I'm firing the last two torpedoes and order a crash dive.
In diving soundman reports the torpedoes as dud! LI reports water in the ship! It is a crtitcal phase, HS-sounds reported out of 40 degree. We are directly under the convoy. LI can not hold depth, too much water is coming in. Change depth to 20m for emergency case, but we are able to maintain the boat.

/20.42
LI reports halt of water breaking in. My hair turned grey in the last half hour. But we managed it! We have hydrophonic contact to the convoy, but I decide for an immediate return ro base. 6 dud torpedoes! A direct hit out of the nowhere. The signs are enough, this patrol is not under a good sign.
Reported condition of the boat and BdU is ordering us back to base.

22.11./17.10
We have docked at the pier. We are wondering that we are still alive. Crew is very silent and not answering to the cheers from the pier. We are happy that we made it home. I think I shall order as much as holidays for my crew as possible. The morale is on the ground and we have to do something against it.
I'm wondering what my CO will say about 100% dud torpedoes!!

PATROL RESULTS

DECORATIONS

U-boat badge	1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class

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