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it for much longer. Boats taking part will have to have new operating areas. Nothing is known so far of U 43 and U 49. According to a French report, a German U-boat is said to have been sunk. Both boats have been ordered to report their positions and intentions. |
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Later U 43 made a radio message. She was ahead of the convoy, but not yet in sight of it and was waiting for daylight to make an attack. |
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21.11 |
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U 49 did not report until much later. She was damaged by D/C's, and her bow torpedo gear unserviceable. As she has only one stern torpedo left serviceable, she has been ordered to return. U 41's gyro is temporarily out of action due to D/C's. |
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The attack on the convoy must be regarded as ended. The boats have been given a new operations area between 50 and 480 north, east of 120 west. The disposition originally planned cannot be carried out now as U 49 has to return home and the other boats have only a limited amount of fuel left. |
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U 53 reported that she was starting on her return passage. |
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U 31 and U 48 sailed, for the first time with anti-mine escort through the declared area. |
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In connection with a large-scale operation by our own battleships U 35, U 47 and U 33 have been kept back in the area west of the Orkneys. According to a sighting report, not entirely reliable, from an a/c, the Home Fleet is supposed to be in Scapa. |
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22.11 |
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U 38 lay off Westfjord for a few days. The weather was very bad and the boat observed no traffic. In accordance with orders she reported that she was proceeding north. |
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23.11 |
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U 43 made contact with a convoy 60 miles north of Cape Ortegal. Unfortunately there are no other boats in the vicinity. U 26 is the nearest, approximately in the latitude of Porto. As she has been in her operational area for a very long time, she presumably has only little fuel remaining. Cooperation must be attempted however. Unfortunately U 26 has only AFB on board, and shadower's reports will therefore have to be made with this clumsy and slow cypher system. |
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By evening U 43 was driven off and contact lost. |
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24.11 |
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U 33 reported that she had sunk a Q ship. Radio Intelligence reports received late this afternoon indicate that an enemy unit may have been sunk in connection with the operation of our surface forces, begun on the 22nd, north of the line Shetlands-Norway. Thus the enemy must know that there are German forces in this area. It remains to be seen what his reaction will be. As there is no clue as to what he will do, the 4 boats off the Orkneys and Shetlands have been left in their present positions. The deterioration in weather conditions will probably mean that the U-boat's action will be restricted. |
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