Oberleutnant Ralf
Thomsen
Patrol # 3
| Duration: | 23.12.1939 - 06.01.1940 , 15 days on sea |
| Patrol Area: | AN63 |
| Ship: | U-113, The Laughing Sawfish |
| Type: | II C |
| Flotilla: | 1. Flotille, Kiel |
23.12.1939 03.15
Departure from Kiel harbour
Low weather conditions, very foggy, visibility lower than 1.000m, AA-guns
manned.
They sent us out one day before christmas. All planned holidays were canceled
and moral is flat. What a ridiglious idea! They gave us a little christmas-
tree with, to celebrate christmas on board. I will do the hell, to ruin the
moral of my men completly!
24.12.1939 03.12
Two radio messages received.
U 58 and U 34 are reporting two convoys on east course in AM63 and AN01.
Thank god we have something to do! Thoughts are now turned in other
directions.
All ahead flank on estimated course. - Still foggy.
25.12.1939 16.29
Surprised by a Sunderland in the fog.
Too near for a crash dive. All ahead flank and course set that aft is pointing
to airplane. Sunderland is coming in with heavy machine gun-fire, causing
two wounded at our AA-guns.
I WO jumps to the gun and is re-opening fire at the moment as the Sunderland
drops two bombs which shake our boat as mad. The airplane itself received
good hits, it is turning over the left wing and splashing in the sea with
no survivors.
LI comes up to report the damage:
Bilge-Pumps damaged, 6 hours for repair
Torpedo-tubes damaged, 6 hours for repair which can only be done on surface
Sound-detector damaged, 2 hours for repair
We are retreating with full ahead flank out of that area. The woundings are
not serious, but the men had lost a lot of blood.
25.12.1939 18.05
The II WO spottes a new Sunderland!
Crash dive to 155m. We are receiving two water bombs with no damage. I assume
that the Coastal Command has noticed our position. We will stay under surface
to get pumps and detector repaired.
26.12.1939 23.15
Returning to surface, beginning with repair on torpedo tubes.
27.12.1939 7.30
All repairs are finished, but no chance to get the convoys. I radioed the
facts and we were orderd to a new patrol area: AM 34. A neat place above
the scottish coast in the nearest range of all british air-bases.
Moral down due to all these cristmas gifts. I commanded a little "birthday"
celebration with 1/2 bottle beer for each, for surviving our first airplane
encounter.
02.01.1940 11.40
Operation area reached, beginning searching course. The new year has begun.
Let us see, what it will bring to us.
03.01.1940 10.30
The second shift reports a contact, bearing 90 degree. A french medium sized
merchant ship.
Although in bright day light, we are beginning an OS-attack with full speed,
because the merchant is not armed and very slow.
With an angle of 120 degree, a distance of 800m, we set a single shot with
T III G7e kontakt ingniter. What a fine "Fahrkarte!"
Merchant evades by changing course and speed.
03.01.1940 11.05
Second run:
Down to 350m, single shot with T III G7e kontakt ingniter. An explosion in
the mid, the ship is sinking slowly, live boats are set out, We asked the
survivals for ship name, donated maps, food and water and showed the way
to the near coast. They have good chances to survive.
Run away out of that area with full speed for safety reasons.
A fine hit! Right in the middle of the ship. Damaging engines and flooding cargo rooms. |
 |
03.01.1940 12.00
Radio message: French merchant "Soleil de Marseille" sunk 4.000 BRT
04.01.1940 16.20
Two contacts in 110 degree and 240 degree simulteanously!
We are engaging the larger target in 110 degree first. It is identified as
a large british tanker with 10.000 BRT named "Pride of Liverpool".
I decide for an MTB-like OS-attack with a double shot with T III G7e kontakt
ingniters out of 310m only, heading 70 degree.
With rudder hart right to evade bearly collision. An enourmos double explosion
with long flame midship, stopping the ship and sinking it immediately.
There have no survivors to be expected. Heading to other contact.
04.01.1940 19.55
After a long and intensive hunt with a lot of course settings and evading
manouvers we got the large norwegian mass goods freighter finally with a
double shot T III G7e and T I G7a, both kontakt ingniters, on a distance
of 800m. The ship stops ans is sinking, but we have to leave that area as
fast as we can. Airplanes have to be expected every minute.
04.01.1940 21.15
Radio message: British tanker "Pride of Liverpool" sunk 10.000 BRT and
unidentified norwegian freighter 8.000 BRT
04.01.1940 22.05
Chief is reporting massive problems with pumps relating to airplane attack.
I decide to return to base.
06.01.1939 09.30
Save return to Kiel harbour
Strategic issues:
The enemy is picking up. Convoy sightings, increased airplane activities
in the Northsea seem to be the beginning of the set up of a defense system.
But it seems that they have still problems, considering our results and
activities in AM 34, a nervecenter of their lines. Time is running away,
to get the chances.
Private commentary:
At the end is was not so a good idea to send us out one day before christmas.
The airplane encounter showed heavy impact on the morale of the crew.I'll
try to get holiday for the crew as much as possible....
PATROL RESULTS
Merchants |
Escorts |
Warships |
BRT |
|
| Patrol results: | 3 |
0 |
0 |
22.000 |
| Total career results: | 7 |
0 |
0 |
46.605 |