U-564 - 2nd War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with help from Andi Forster

Departed	Date	Arrived	Date	Days at Sea
Brest	16 August 1941	Brest	27 August 1941	12

 

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Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
22 Aug 41	23.31	40°45'N, 11°58'W	EMPIRE OAK	484	British	OG-71
22 Aug 41	23.31	40°45'N, 11°58'W	CLONLARA	1,203	Irish	OG-71
23 Aug 41	09.41 - 09.59	40°23'N, 32°44'W	HMS ZINNIA (K 98)	900	British	OG-71
			Total = 2,587
Note:  The positions in the table above and in the Google Earth patrol summary are derived from the KTB and in many cases do not match those set forth in authoritative references such as Jürgen Rohwer, Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two or the Uboat.net website.  The goal here is to present the picture relative to the U-boat and not the absolute position that the ship was attacked or sank.

 

This KTB uses the depth notation "depth T = xx meters"  Under this scheme, the actual depth was twice the depth given after T = so for example, if the KTB entry read "depth T = 50 meters, the actual depth was 100 meters.  This was intended to hide the actual depth for security purposes. This notation was used from about January 1940 to December 1941.  In these KTBs, depths written without using "T =", for example "dived to depth 35 meters" were not so disguised.

 

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			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h
			= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
			"U 564"
			Kommandant:       Oblt.z.S.  S  u  h  r  e  n.
			Beginning:	28.7.1941.
			Concluding:	27.8.1941.
				© U-boat Archive 2023 - all rights reserved

Click the flag to view the above page from the original German KTB

	- 1 -
		27.07.41	Brest	Cleared the boat, unloaded torpedoes, the cannon and the 2 cm Flak 30.  Shipyard meeting, began shipyard work. Kommandant to Lorient to brief B.d.U.
		29.07.41		Awarded 6 Iron Cross II.
		30.07.41		Departure of the 1st rest trip to Bénodet.
		02.08.41		Dry docked.
		06.08.41		Undocked.  Departure of the 2nd rest trip to Bénodet.
		08.08.41		High charging.
		11.08.41		Pier side testing.  Mounted the cannon and the 2 cm Flak 30.
		12.08.41		Shipyard trim test.
		13.08.41		Degaussing, radio direction finder calibration.
		14.08.41		Torpedo and munitions loading, took over the boat.
		15.08.41		Loaded provisions.
		16.08.41	West of Brest
		12.00		Farewell in the Naval basin.  At the same moment an English aircraft attack.
		12.55	Sunshine, few Stratus clouds, Vis. good	Departed, left with a Sperrbrecher and 8 patrol boats.  At the same time air combat over us.
		16.00	BF 5224
		17.08		Crash dive for an aircraft.
		20.00	BF 5166
			W 4, Sea W 3, few clouds, Vis. very good
		17.08.41	West of Brest
		00.00	BF 5158
			W 4, Sea 3, few clouds, dark, clear
		04.00	BF 4369
		08.00	BF 4357
			Freshening, extensive cloud deck, occasional rain
		08.47		An aircraft flying past in sight.
		08.52		Crash dive for another aircraft.
		10.58		Crash dive for an aircraft.
		11.38		Surfaced.
		12.00	BF 4347	Day's run:  Surfaced 140.3 nm  Submerged 19.7 nm.
		15.08		Surfaced.

	Sun and Moon Data 16.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 17.08.41

	- 2 -
		continued
		17.08.41
		16.00	BF 4268	Radio Message from B.d.U. position of convoy 12.00 hours AM 7143.
			Overcast, misty, rain, Vis. changing, slowly abating
				Intend to operate on it.
		17.11		Crash dive for an aircraft.
		19.40		1 aircraft bomb or depth charge.
		20.00	BF 4255
		21.30		Surfaced.
		18.08.41	Southwest of Ireland
		00.00	BF 4139
			Abating, dark, Vis. good
		04.00	BF 1777	Course adjusted based on contact keeper reports.
		08.00	BE 3981
			Few clouds, Vis. very good
		12.00	BE 3825	Day's run:  Surfaced 227 nm  Submerged 6 nm.
		14.22		Reported position on request of B.d.U.
		16.00	BE 3723
			WNW 4, Sea WNW 3, few clouds, Vis. very good
		20.00	BE 2697
		22.08		Test dive.
		19.08.41	Southwest of Ireland
		00.00	BE 2583
			Abating somewhat, heavily cloudy, rain in places, very dark night
		02.12		1 aircraft in sight bearing 320°T, course 150°.  Flies past.
		02.15		Star shells bearing 97°T.  That must be the convoy.  Held on to it.
		03.23		Still nothing in sight.  Apparently chased past.  Came to enemy course.
		03.55	BE 2892	Again star shells bearing 90°.  Therefore the convoy must still be east of us.
		04.45		Came to southeasterly course.
		05.13		Star shells bearing 100°T.
		05.25	WNW 3-4, Sea 2-3, few clouds, very dark night, faint marine phosphorescence	Morse from a blue lamp.

	Sun and Moon Data 17.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 18.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 19.08.41

	- 3 -
		continued
		19.08.41
		05.50		Convoy in sight.  However we are positioned on the unfavorable horizon and must first get to the other side.
		05.57		Closed to attack.  However before reaching shooting range a shadow turns towards us, apparently a destroyer.  Moved off.
		06.03		Again ran in,  Convoy is just positioned between the moon (very narrow crescent) and us.
				At a range of about 6000 meters a destroyer turns toward us again.  He can not possibly have seen us.  As it later turned out, it was just a normal zig zag of the convoy.
		06.20		It is too bright to attack now, therefore moved off.
		08.00	BE 2883
			Overcast, Vis. good
		08.25		An aircraft in sight.
		08.29		Aircraft flies towards us.  Crash dive.
		08.30		Piston engines bearing 127°T heard in the G.H.G., furthermore a detonation.
		09.41		Surfaced.
		10.12		An aircraft in sight.
		10.14		Crash dived.
		10.24		Surfaced.
		10.59		Aircraft in sight on enemy course.
		11.00		Crash dived before another aircraft.
		11.07		Surfaced.  Because "U-201" give continuous contact keeper reports from the convoy, moved off somewhat further, so as not to be detected by aircraft.
		12.00	BE 5291	Day's run:  Surfaced     253.6 nm
			Clear shy, Vis. very good	Submerged      6.4 nm.
		16.00	BE 5292
			WNW 3, WNW 2-3, few clouds, Vis. very good
		20.06		A Sunderland bearing 90°T, course about 180° in sight.  Flies directly towards us.  Crash dived.
		22.17		Surfaced.
		23.15		The Sunderland is in sight again bearing 30°T.  Course 150° passes out of sight quickly in the darkness, must have soon turned back and comes in sight after 5 minutes bearing 170°T with course 310°.
		20.08.41	West of the Bay of Biscay
		00.00	BE 5644	Nothing seen of the convoy.
			Freshening a bit, very dark night

	Sun and Moon Data 19.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 20.08.41

	- 4 -
		continued
		20.08.41
		02.43		Dived for sound bearings.  Bearing in 76°T.
		03.11		Surfaced.
				Operated on sound bearing.  Nothing found.
		03.38		Dived one more time.  Nothing further heard.
		04.17		Surfaced.  Searched for the convoy in accordance with Radio Message from B.d.U.
		08.00	BE 5915
			Lightly misty, horizon indistinct
		12.00	BE 8313	Day's run:  Surfaced 126.5 nm  Submerged 3.7 nm.
		14.00		Bearing signals from aircraft at the convoy.  Other bearing signals from U-boats taken.  Results form a very unclear picture.  Suspect convoy is south of me.
		16.05	BE 8364	A U-boat in sight bearing 20°T, course about 90°.  U-106.  Shortly thereafter "U-201" comes followed by "U-126".  After discussing the situation the following search courses are agreed:  U-201 = 160°, U-106 = 140°, U-564 = 120° and U-126 = 100°.
			WSW 4, Sea WSW 4, overcast, murky, Vis. medium
		20.00	BE 9174	Searched the easterly sector without success.
		21.08.41	West of Portugal
		00.00	BE 9435
			Clearing, dark, clear night
		04.00	BE 9482
		07.40		A Sunderland in sight bearing 100°T, course west.  Crash dive.
		08.10	BE 9742	Surfaced.  Reported the sighting of the Sunderland by Radio Message.  I believe that I am located to the south of the convoy.
			Heavily cloudy, Vis. good
		11.05		A U-boat in sight.  "U-201".  Immediately afterwards U-75".  Spread out for favorable crossing angle of announced bearing signals.
		12.00	BE 9774	Day's run:  Surfaced 225.28 nm  Submerged 4.72 nm.
		16.00	BE 3363	Always searching for the convoy.
			Clear sky, few Cirrus clouds, Vis. very good
		20.00	BE 3518	Continued searching.
		22.08.41
		00.00	CG 1173	Still nothing seen of the convoy.
			Starry clear, very dark night
		04.00	CG 1277

	Sun and Moon Data 20.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 21.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 22.08.41

	- 5 -
		continued
		22.08.41
		08.00	CG 1274
			Vis. very good, very slight Sea
		12.00	CG 1276	Day's run:  Surfaced 246.5 nm  Submerged 5.5 nm.
		12.58	Very slight Sea, clear sky, Vis. over 20 nm	5 smoke clouds in sight bearing 115°T, course about 120°.  An aircraft in sight bearing 115°T.  Course about 120°.
		13.30		1 aircraft in sight, probably a Sunderland.
		13.40		A U-boat in sight bearing 60°T.  Comes closer.
		14.50		A Sunderland in sight bearing 100°T.  Course about 130°.  Turns away to port and flies back.
		14.55		The U-boat out of sight bearing 0°T.
		15.00		1 aircraft in sight bearing 230°T on approach course.
		15.03	CG 1565	1 smoke cloud in sight bearing 100°T.  Soon more smoke clouds appear, a total of 4.  Finally after a long search the convoy.  Bearing signals of aircraft at the same time gave no clear picture.
		15.50		1 aircraft in sight bearing 150°T.  Very long range.
		16.00	CG 1595	Continuous contact keeper reports given.  Furthermore on request bearing signals for the Luftwaffe.  The aircraft escort of the convoy is in sight at a constant distance, once two aircraft at the same time.
			WSW 1, Sea WSW 1, few clouds, Vis. very good
		20.00	CG 1918
		23.21 [23.31]	Slight wind and Sea, few clouds, quite dark night	Initiated attack intending to shoot 4 bow shots and then after turning 1 stern shot.  Unfortunately however the outer tube door of tube II will not open.  Shot with tubes I, III, IV on 3 steamers, after turning with tube V on one proceeding somewhat detached.  After 6 minutes 50 seconds, 7 minutes 06 seconds and 5 minutes 40 seconds 4 torpedo detonations.
				Moved off to reload and shift to the other side.  The escort shoot star shells, however are placed very badly.
		23.08.41	CG 1953
			Weather unchanged., somewhat murky night
		02.00	CG 2744	Ran in for 2nd attack.  Shortly before reaching shooting position a U-boat in sight between the convoy and us.  Turned away because the line of fire is not clear.  While running off a tanker is in flames, prior to that a second steamer sunk.  Quite wild star shell firing by the escorts.  The entire horizon was brightly illuminated,

	Sun and Moon Data 22.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 23.08.41

	- 6 -
		continued
		23.08.41
				The convoy drew ahead past the burning tanker.  14 vessels were distinguished.
		02.27		Again ran in.
		03.35	CG 2772	4 shots from the same tubes.  After 3 minutes 10 seconds a torpedo detonation and flash observed.  Immediate star shells, this time very accurate, but apparently the boat was not noticed.
				Moved off to reload.
		04.00	CG 2775
			The horizon is still murky
		05.13		Ran in for the 3rd attack.  In so doing a destroyer comes quite close and forms a massed target with 2 other steamers.
		05.25	CG 2781	Shot from tubes I, III and IV on 2 steamers and 1 destroyers.  After 2 minutes 54 seconds/2 minutes 57 seconds/3 min 05 seconds heavy detonations and fiery glow.  1 steamer reverses after about 2 minutes, one other, probably the destroyer or an escort flies with an explosion and a large smoke cloud into the air.  Steamer sinks with stern erect against the sky.
				This time the defense is very late and meager, where by an escort illuminates with a searchlight.
				Moved off further from the convoy.
		06.55		Success report and request for return transit sent by Radio Message to B.d.U.
		07.33		Test dive.
		08.10	CG 2759	Surfaced.
			Slight wind and Sea, Vis. again very good
		10.52		From B.d.U. request for further contact keeping reports.  Pursued.  Received a contact keeper report from "U-106".
		12.00		Day's run:  Surfaced     263.3 nm
				Submerged    14.7 nm.
		13.19		4 orbs of light in sight.

Sun and Moon Data 23.08.41

	- 7 -
		continued
		23.08.41
		13.20	[U-106 was there but did not shoot any Recognition Signals.]	Held on the light orbs in the belief that they were emergency stars from the shipwrecked.  In so doing a German U-boat came in sight, U-106.  This had shot Recognition Signals, of which I only saw the smoke still around.
		13.27		Crash dive for a destroyer.  At periscope depth 2 escorts, in the center one destroyer observed.  Destroyer was depth charging in series of up to 6, some with quite shallow settings, because the water columns were up to 10 meters high.  Moved off at silent speed.
		16.00	CG 5131
		19.30		Surfaced.  Continued to search for contact with the convoy.  Reported to B.d.U.
		20.00	CG 5132
			Wind 0, Sea 0-1, very dark, clear
		24.09.41	West of Cape Vincent
		00.00	CG 5915
			Freshening somewhat.
		02.20		Portuguese passenger ship "LEURENCO MARQUES" n sight.  Went brightly illuminated in the direction of Lisbon, whose light glow could already be seen in the sky.
		04.00	CG 5825	Radio Message from B.d.U. whereby Suhren should start return transit.
		08.00	CG 5872
			W 2, Sea NE 1, clear, Vis. good
		12.00	CG 8249	Day's run:  Surfaced     161.1 nm
			[typo probably CG 5849]	Submerged    23.1 nm.
		12.20		Reported starting return transit by Short Signal.
		15.20		2 mastheads in sight.  Maneuvered ahead.
		16.00	CG 5847
			Freshening somewhat, cloudy
		16.50		A sailing vessel in sight.  While attempting to avoid him, the Portuguese coast comes out.  Passed the sailing vessel at a distance of 800 meters.

	Sun and Moon Data 23.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 24.08.41

	- 8 -
		continued
		24.08.41
		18.03		Dived.  Closed the steamer.  It was a small Portuguese.
		18.47		Surfaced, continued return transit.
		20.00	CG 5825
		20.49	CG 5588	Crash dive for an aircraft.  At depth T = 20 meters [actually depth 40 meters] one bomb quite close.  Also a second at depth T = 40 meters [80 meters] a short time later.  Heavy concussion in the boat, however no failures.
		22.45		Surfaced.
		25.08.41	West of Portugal
		00.00	CG 5557
			Lightly misty
		04.00	CG 5272
		08.00	CG 2847
			NNE 2, Sea NNE 1, overcast, Vis. changing
		12.00	CG 2547	Day's run:  Surfaced     243.3 nm
				Submerged    17.5 nm.
		16.00	CG 2974
			Rain showers
		20.00	BF 7848
		26.08.41	Bay of Biscay
		00.00	BF 7823
			N 2, Sea N 1, cloudy, dark
		04.00	BF 7614
		08.00	BF 7528
			Slight wind and Sea, heavily cloudy, Vis. very good
		08.20		1 aircraft in sight.
		08.43		Crash dive for an aircraft.
		09.40		Surfaced.
		10.25		One aircraft in sight.
		11.17		1 aircraft in sight bearing 210°T, shortly thereafter a second bearing 270°T.  Crash dive for a third bearing 240°T.
		12.00	BF 4973	Day's run:  Surfaced 284 nm  Submerged 6 nm.
		16.00	BF 4686
			Clear sky, Vis. very good, slight sea
		20.00	BF 5411

	Sun and Moon Data 24.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 25.08.41
	Sun and Moon Data 26.08.41

	- 9 -
		27.08.41	Off Brest
		00.00	BF 5151
			Very dark night
		04.00		Recognition signals exchanged with the escort.
		06.03		Taken in convoy.
		08.00
		08.45		Taken in convoy by Sperrbrecher.
		10.20		Entered Brest.  Made fast berth 15.

Sun and Moon Data 27.08.41

	Enclosures to U-564's KTB - click on the text at left to proceed to the document
Radio	Excerpt of the Radio Log
Torpedo	Torpedo firing reports

	Comments of the Befehlshabers der Unterseeboote.
	- . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . -
	Very good patrol, shows that the generous use of torpedoes also at large range is sometimes correct if the escort makes approaching closer impossible.
		For the Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
		- The Chief of the Operations Department -

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