Excerpt of the General Radio Log.
 
 
"U  109"
 
     
 
To U-513, U-105, U-124, U-504, U-109:
  Malfunctions of fuel pumps and nozzles observed so far with synthetic production fuel oil require attempting to drive with more precise ignition with increased loading of the fuel pumps.  At the beginning of smoking take out the individual cylinder fuel nozzles and clean.
   
  Announced Italian was attacked by an English cruiser 16.00 hours in naval square BE 8481 and was scuttled.  Returning boats, as far as fuel situation allows, proceed there at highest speed and to take the crew on board if drifting.  Report anticipated arrival by Short Signal.  Bleichrodt, Schacht report position immediately.. 
   
  22.40 hours BE 9489 during attack on enemy warship formation forced to submerge by destroyers.  Asdic and depth charge pursuit.  Tube runner Eto Pi 2.  E 7, freshening, Sea 7, rain showers, at times bad visibility.  Serial No. 46 and 47 missing.
                                                                                               Bleichrodt.
   
1.) Vowe return transit, Bleichrodt continue outbound transit.  Do not participate in search action.
2.) Search boats expect likely strengthened enemy air.
3.) Report bearing signals from Condor aircraft immediately.
   
1.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.) New objectives:
  Bleichrodt ED 99.  Nissen and Mohr same square after supply.  Fechner and Schacht EH 60, Reeder and Bruns CF 70, Rudloff AK 60, all naval squares.
   
1.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.) Bleichrodt course of the sighted warship formation is missing.  Report again.
   
Formation ran off at high speed to the NE.
                                                                                               Bleichrodt.
   
1.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.) Circuits from 5 December 08.00 hours:  Reichenbach America II, Merten Coastal, Strelow and Hunger America I, Bleichrodt and Schacht report position tonight.  Afterwards switch to Ireland Circuit.
   
Bleichrodt, Schacht, Bruns, Fechner:
1.) For Pi 2 with switch setting MZ on against battleships aircraft carriers and heavy cruisers depth setting 3 meters below keel approved!
  Reason:  shooting under torpedo nets, which have been determined in individual cases.
2.) For shots against shallow targets  in flat seas, depth setting up to 2 meters approved, under no circumstances shallower, because otherwise danger of self ignition.
 
     
     
Click the flag to view the above page from the original German KTB
     
 
- 2 -
 
     
 
1.) For Reeder and Reichenbach same attack area as for Nissen, Mohr and Bleichrodt.
2.) For these 5 boats expanding of the operations area to the west in accordance with Staats situation report.
   
1.) Nissen, Mohr, Bleichrodt.  In the full moon period initially operate on traffic in accordance with Officer-Only Radio Message in strip south of the upper edge of square EE 90 and EF 70 up to the coast.  With increasing moon go closer to ED 99. [Trinidad]
2.) Staats tonight report detailed situation concerning traffic and other conditions in the sea area around ED 99 for outbound boats.
   
Un-repairable depth charge damage from 1 December:
Attack periscope out of service.  Tube 6 leaks.  Suspect flooding and drain piping torn outside the pressure hull.  Port negative buoyancy tank floods on its own.
Can flooded Eto - tube runner tube 6 - be ejected and can Pi 2 Etos despite strong concussion still be shot with MZ?  WSW 2, long W-Swell, overcast, bright night, 1030 mb, 125 cbm. Square DR 21.
                                                                                               Bleichrodt.
   
To Bleichrodt:
1.) With clear outer tube door eject tube runner.
2.) Pi 2 can no longer be shot with MZ in accordance with Pi 2 Instruction, Appendix Paragraph c, Roman Numeral 6.
   
From 25 December 19.30 hours - 26 December 10.00 hours in 2476 double, 1665 submerged single, 1559 three-miss on armed independent 4000-5000 GRT.  Course 320°, 245° and out of sight on 220°, 13 knots.  About 10 minutes after each torpedo ejection steamer threw 1-3 depth charges.  After ejection of torpedoes on the 3rd attack temporarily stop observed perfectly.  Suspect trap.  ENE 4, high Swell, 1020 mb, water temperature 29°C, bright moonlit night, 8 plus 6 torpedoes, 75 cbm, position 1685.  All EP.
                                                                                               Bleichrodt.
   
To boats in EE:
1.)  In sector between the lines KT 4855 to naval square DP 9855 and KT 4955 to naval square EP 1755 occupy Nissen northern sub-sector, Reeder southern sub-sector.
  Sector NW of the first named line occupied by Bleichrodt.  Sector south of the second named line occupied by Mohr.  In the ordered sector advance as close as possible to the center point of the sector.  Report immediately if traffic is observed.
2.) Reichenbach free to maneuver in area Dora Jot 40.
   
ReederMohr, Reichenbach, Nissen set off from operations area with 40 cbm.  Supply anticipated about in naval square CD 90.  Bleichrodt no supply.
Reeder take over task from Reichenbach.
Reichenbach operations area as requested.  As soon as Fu.M.B. is operable in naval square ED 99.
Mohr free to occupy previous area of Reeder.
 
     
     
     
 
- 3 -
 
     
 
Have begun return transit due to fuel inventory.
                                                                                               Bleichrodt.
   
1.) Wolfbauer at economical transit speed head for naval square DG 50.
2.) Bleichrodt transit via the same square at most economical speed.  160 nm day's run against the Trade Winds is too much.
   
Naval square DF 94.
                                                                                               Bleichrodt.
   
Bleichrodt from Wolfbauer 10 cbm supply on 12 January from 11.00 hours in naval square 5464 of the square west of FX. .  After completion Wolfbauer report inventory.
   
Return harbors are:
Brest for Geissler, U-441, Nazaire for BleichrodtWolfbauer.  Lorient Nissen.
   
Position 24 hours off return harbor.
                                                                                               Bleichrodt.
   
Bleichrodt position 23 January 07.30 hours off return harbor Nazaire.
   
U-109:
Escort positioned on 23 January at 08.00 hours Herz 438.  Escort . . . .
   
Bleichrodt requests Radio Beacon Group II.
   
U-109:
Radio Beacon Group II runs from now until 07.00 hours.
   
To 7. U.-Flottille:
07.15 hours taken in convoy.
                                                                                               U-109