U-boat Archive - U-628 3rd War Patrol

E x t r a c t o f t h e R a d i o L o g

3rd Operation of U-628 from 08.04 to 19.05.43.

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10.04	Coastal
ßß 05.48	My position is BE 61. Hasenschar.

16.04	Ireland
ßß 0x.34	Convoy in BD 9345. - U -

16.04	Ireland
0540/16/113	In addition to the convoy message naval square BD 9345 Franke reports NE-bound, 9 knots.

16.04	Ireland
ßß 23.31	1 destroyer BE 4542. - U-Bruns -

17.04	Ireland
ßß 07.53	Have contact on convoy. Hasenschar.

17.04	Ireland
ßß 08.14	Enemy in sight BE 4614, course 60°. Hasenschar.

17.04	Ireland
1831/17/150	07.47 hours naval square BE 4615 double fan plus stern. 2 hits on 2 fully loaded freighters, 1 Pi-failure, 1 double fan missed. 11.30 hours coup de grace with MZ on, depth 7 on 5000 ton freighter, deck cargo wood. Sagged amidships. Subsequently a 3 hour sound pursuit by 3 destroyers. On surfacing destroyed still afloat foredeck by artillery. Contact lost. 2 T3, 4 Eto, 2 Ato, 108 cbm. Hasenschar.

18.04	Ireland
0027/18/159	Submerged for aircraft and destroyer. Last convoy position 22.20 hours naval square BE 2799, course 20. Proceeding to ordered square. Sträter.

18.04	Ireland
0147/18/161	Boats on Koch-convoy:
	1.) In the morning of 18 April operation is broken off. Boats which can not approach during

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- 2 -

18.04
from 0147	the night or early tomorrow for a daylight attack from ahead do not continue, break off, report position and fuel and head for square in accordance with paragraph 2.
	2.) New position for Koch, Looks, Bruns, Hasenschar, Borchers, Ölrich, Gretschel, Sträter, Folkers, Manke is BD 51, day's run 220 nm.

18.04
ww 04.54	Short weather report. Hasenschar.

18.04	Norddeich
ßß 10.06	My position is BE 2581. Have 98 cbm. Hasenschar.

18.04	Ireland
1400/18/173	12.04 hours auxiliary cruiser and destroyer on N-course, naval square BE 4275. Borchers.

18.04	Ireland
2358/18/184	Gretschel-convoy naval square BE 1948, easterly course.

19.04	Norddeich
ßß 06.23	My position is BE 19. Begin advance according to plan. Hasenschar.

19.04	Ireland
1935/19/119	SSD. BE 1877, Question: Is hunt authorized for northeastward bound independent? Speed 10 knots. Hasenschar.

20.04	Norddeich
ßß 16.08	Approach order cannot be implemented because of weather conditions. Advance is delayed about 5 hours. Hasenschar.

01.05	America I
ßß 22.06	1 destroyer AJ 8899, northerly course. - U-628 -

01.05	America I
ßß 22.56	Convoy AJ 8899. - U-628 -

01.05	America I
ßß 23.25	Convoy AJ 8896, course 0°, speed 8 knots. - U-628 -

- 3 -

01.05	America I
ßß 23.36	Was driven off by destroyer. - U-628 -

02.05	America I
0956/2/237	From AJ 8695 weak sound bearing at 300°T, broad band, Convoy apparently steering 0°-20°. Operating on sound bearing. Both torpedo storage canisters dented from depth charge detonations. SbyE 7, Sea 6, freshening, overcast, Vis. 3-5 nm, + 6, 14 mb falling, 38 cbm. Hasenschar.

02.05	Group Frequency
09.58/2	Convoy at 23.25 hours in naval square AJ 8896, 0°, 8 knots, driven off. Hasenschar.

02.05	America I
2045/2/242	From AJ 8361. Search on convoy course NE-N unsuccessful. No sound bearings detected. As of now, suppose change of course to the east. SW 6, Sea 5, Vis. 4 nm, haze, +7°C, 09 mb steady. Hasenschar.

02.05	America I
2215/2/249	On Hasenschar-convoy.
	1.) If no contact on the convoy exists, operate on enemy courses of 10 to 50° and speed 6-8 knots. By sound bearing from Hasenschar convoy may be proceeding on course 30° degrees at 7.7 knots from naval square AJ 8889.
	2.) Utilize all means such as listening, and tacks to the left and right. Report every clue immediately. Convoy must be found again.
	3.) In this convoy every chance is to be taken. Do not lag behind in current weather conditions, so that all boats are in a favorable position when the weather improves. By 31 boats something can and must be accomplished.
	4.) Report fuel remaining with messages.

03.05	America I
1143/3/261	Hasenschar-convoy:
	1.) "Specht" and "Star" 18.00 hours form reconnaissance line positioned naval square AJ 5333 to 6346 to naval square AK 4449. Group Specht in previous order

- 4 -

03.05
from 11.43	without Ölrich. Afterwards from naval square AJ 6348 groups "Star" in order Mäder, Happe, Stahl, Hennig, Neckel, Löwe, Poel, Pückler, Wenzel, Popp, Brodda, Mässenhausen, Witzendorf.
	2.) Do not report if line cannot be reached with highest speed. In that cast join up accordingly.

03.05	America I
16.50/3/269	Hasenschar-convoy:
	1.) Ordered reconnaissance sweep from 18.00 hours course 205°, speed 4 knots over ground. Stop at 00.00 hours in reached position. With significantly lower speed the convoy may not pass the patrol line until darkness. Monitoring of the specified area must be guaranteed in the darkness.
	2.) Looks and Borchers because his absance monitor Sträter's area too.
	3.) If contact is made earlier, operate on the report immediately without orders."

04.05	America I
ßß 16.21	1 destroyer AJ 6271. - U-628 -

04.05	America I
1640/4/281	Situation: Tonight 03.36 hours destroyer sighted momentarily. No sound bearings on convoy. 14.00 hours destroyer course SW, low speed. Both AJ 6271. Suppose stationary. Convoy not detected.
	W 6, Sea 5-6, overcast, altostratus, Vis. 8 nm, 0°C, 38 mb steady, 29 cbm.

04.05	America I
ßß 20.18	Convoy AJ 6271. - U-628 -

04.05	America I
ßß 20.58	Convoy on northerly course. - U-628 -

04.05	America I
ßß 21.22	Convoy on southerly course. - U-628 -

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04.05	America I
2124/4/282	Correction from Hasenschar.
	Short signal 20.58 hours incorrect, must mean: Convoy steers southerly course.

04.05	America I
2135/4	Convoy position after navigation correction naval square AJ 6272. Course 190°, speed 7 knots. Hasenschar.

04.05	America I
2050/4/290	1.) Group Specht and Star operate as new group Fink on Hasenschar message. You have never been so favorably positioned before.
	2.) Hasenschar attack only if another boat has contact. Report course.

04.05	America I
ßß 22.56	Convoy position in naval square AJ 6275, course 200°. Hasenschar.

04.05	America I
2213/4/298	Group Fink.
	I am certain that you will fight with all your might. Do not overestimate the enemy but strike him dead. Other boats report contact immediately, so that Hasenschar can also attack.
	Ob.d.M and B.d.U

04.05	America I
ßß 23.58	Enemy position naval square AJ 6277. Hasenschar.

05.05	America I
ßß 02.36	Convoy changes course to 225°, position AJ 6511. Hasenschar.

05.05	America I
ßß 02.42	Convoy position AJ 6436, course 200°. Hasenschar.

05.05	America I
ßß 03.11	Enemy position AJ 6436, Star shells over convoy. Hasenschar.

05.05	America I
ßß 04.03	Have lost contact, convoy at 02.45 hours in AJ 6436. Hasenschar.

05.05	America I
05.12/5	From Hasenschar. Correction: Short signal 02.59 hours must mean: Enemy changes course to 225°, not 285°.

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05.05	America I
from 0512	Short signal 04.03 square stated: AJ 6436.

05.05	America I
1902/5/267 2004/5/273	1.) 02.44 hours AJ 6436 one large freighter sunk, 1 medium freighter sinking presumed after explosion, 1 freighter left burning. 1 additional hit heard.
	2.) 05.02 hours in the shooting square corvette sunk. MZ on, depth 4 m. Atomized.
	3.) Just now in 6543 sank the "HARBURY" by artillery presumably damaged by me. 25 cbm.
	4.) Until now main transmitter failed. GHG still inoperable, proceeding to supply boat. Hasenschar.

13.05	Coastal
ßß 03.41	Convoy BE 4141. - U-628 -

13.05	Coastal
ßß 04.02	Course 40°, speed 11 knots. - U-628 -

13.05	Coastal
ßß 06.41	Convoy position 06.15 hours BE 1878, 45°, 10 knots. - U-628 -

13.05	Coastal
1133/13/25	At 08.55 hours convoy in BE 1855. At dawn a "Catalina". Resumed return transit because of fuel. Main transmitter temporarily out of service. SW 4, Sea 3-4, variable cloudiness, occasional rain squalls, Vis. 10 nm, +10°C, 10 mb rising. Hasenschar.

17.05	Coastal
ßß 15.04	Position 48 hours from meeting point with escort. - U-628 -