U-19 - 6th War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with help from Andi Forster

Departed	Date	Arrived	Date	Days at Sea
Kiel	18 January 1940	Wilhelmshaven	28 January 1940	11

 

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Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
23 Jan 40	08.43	55°39'N, 1°35'W	PLUTO	1,598	Norwegian
23 Jan 40	08.48	55°39'N, 1°35'W	BALTANGLIA	1,523	British
25 Jan 40	21.12	55°37'N, 1°31'W	EVERENE	4,434	Latvian
25 Jan 40	21.27	55°37N, 1°31'W	BEAVERDALE	1,300	Norwegian
			Total = 8,855
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.

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				Copy No.
			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h    "  U  19  "
			=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=
			Kommandant:  Kaptlt.    S  c  h  e  p  k  e
			Beginning:               18.1.1940
			Concluding:             28.1.1940
			Enclosures:  4 Torpedo firing reports
			2 Torpedo shooting sketches
			1 Track chart
				© U-boat Archive 2024 - all rights reserved

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

	- 1 -
		18.01.40
		22.40	Kiel	Ready for sea, cast off from the U-boat Base, transit through the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal by the tug"ORKAN", 50-meter line.  This method of towing is a great relief for the boat.
			SE 2, Vis. clear, -20°C
		19.01.40	SE 2-3, -16°C	Continued transit through the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal
		07.55		Made fast in the Brunsbüttel Lock.
		09.20	SE 3, -14°C, clear	Ran behind Speerbrecher in tow of the tug "EISFUCHS" down the Elbe.  Made good progress.
		11.25		Cuxhaven abeam.  Gave outbound report.
		12.00		Day's run 45 nm
		13.00		Gave over ice protector.  Went alongside Speerbrecher and attached tackle to the ice protector with the cargo boom.  Ice protector came away well, however the slip hooks were missing.
		13.40	As before	Elbe I abeam, ice extends 2 miles further, water is running out.
		18.00		Norderney abeam.
		18.42		Test dive, balanced the boat.
		22.30		Beginning Route I.
		20.01.40	Western North Sea
			SE 2, Sea 1, -8°C	Continued transit on Route I.
		06.30		Exit of Route I, came to course 284°.  Headed for the operations area.
		08.05	AN 6571	Dived.  continued transit .
		08.37 - 08.43		Surfaced, ventilated the boat.  The cook had roasted too pungently.
		12.00	AN 6499	Day's run 195 nm , 8 nm
		14.54 - 15.18	E 3, Sea 2	Surfaced, ventilated the boat.
		18.05	NNE 2, -2°C, bright moon	Surfaced, continued transit , course 289°.
				Sighted 2 fishing trawlers avoided .
		20.00	AN 6481
		24.00	AN 5664
		21.01.40
		04.00	AN 5339
			N 2, Sea 2
		06.30	AN 5525	Came to course 349°.

	Sun and Moon Data 18.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 19.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 20.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 21.01.40

	- 2 -
		continued
		21.01.40
		08.00	AN 5288
		08.40	AN 5284	Dived, continued transit .
		12.00	AN 5281	Day's run 137 nm , 16.5 nm
		16.00	AN 5249
		18.12	NE 3, Sea 3	Surfaced, nothing to see, neither patrol vessels or lights or anything like that.
		20.00	AN 5245	Continued transit along the edge of the warning area.
		24.00	AN 5241
		22.01.40	English coast
		04.00	AN 5133	Still nothing seen.  Ran at low speed to the north, to find a passage through the warning area.
			NNE 4-5, Sea 3, Vis. changing
		08.00	AN 4775
		08.47		Test crash dive.  Then the entire day back and forth across square 4742, because convoy traffic through the warning area is suspected here.
		12.00	Heavy Swell	Day's run 56 nm , 12 nm
				During the day 6 detonations at great range.
				By the morning navigation fix, midday latitude, as well as an evening observation calculated a navigation offset of 8 nm to the NNW.  Nothing observed while surfacing at midday.
		18.03	NNW 2-3, Sea 2, Swell	Surfaced.  Ran slowly to the south on the surface, to monitor off the Firth of Forth.
		20.00	AN 4772	Nothing seen.  I decide if nothing more comes in sight, to break through the warning area.
		24.00	AN 5133
		23.01.40	English east coast
		03.01		Because still nothing is seen and a longer wait seems pointless, at GF to a place that seems favorable to break through with the greatest water depth.
		04.00	AN 5163
		05.00	AN 5248	Came to course 244° and passed the warning area at highest speed.
			Bright moon
		07.00	AN 5195	Western edge of the warning area.
		07.30	AN 5191	Ahead to starboard there are numerous lights that quickly grow larger.  Initially suspected fishermen, that fish off Longstone.  Ahead to port 2 larger steamers are recognised.  Tried to run after them at high speed, however this was hopeless because it was already starting to get dark behind me and steamers sailed away.

	Sun and Moon Data 21.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 22.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 23.01.40

	- 3 -
		continued
		23.01.40		Here spotted the darkened beacon of Longstone and the Farne Islands.
				Meanwhile, the lights coming from starboard are identified as numerous steamers.  I believe a large convoy is assembling.
				On closing the first steamers already have an aft target angle.
		07.43	NNE 2, calm Sea, Vis. clear	Dived due to increasing lightness behind me and went into the convoy.  In so doing tried to shoot at a large steamer.  Due to the progressing dawn very bad overview.
		08.40		A medium steamer is before the tubes.
		08.43	AN 5186 lower-right corner	1st torpedo shot:  Eto, enemy speed 8 knots, lead angle = 15, depth 4 meters.
				Detonation after 15 seconds = 225 meters shooting range.  Very strong concussion in the boat.  Steamer 3000-4000 ton size, not fully loaded.  Neutrality not distinguished, reddish paint, superstructure in the center, 1 smokestack in the center.  After the detonation the steamer hangs with the foreship out of the water up to the bridge.  Lifeboat sets off.
		08.45		A somewhat larger steamer about 5000 tons turns towards and comes into shooting position.  Neutrality not distinguished.  Steamer is quite long, black, deeply loaded.
		08.48		2nd torpedo shot:  Eto enemy speed = 5 knots, lead angle 10, depth = 4 meters.  Detonation after 37 seconds = 555 meters.
				In my hurry I was no longer able to set the depth to 7 meters. Hit amidships, steamer lays on its side quickly.
		08.55		First steamer is no longer distinguished.
		09.02		Second steamer sinks over the forestem.  A Norwegian steamer about 1500 ton size takes the crew off.  The rest of the steamers turn away and can no longer be reached.  Patrol vessels were not seen at first, there is no enemy defense.  We expect more regular traffic here. It appeared as if all the steamers (around 18 to 20 steamers ranging in size from 7,000 to 10,000 tons) had been released from a convoy and were now steaming southwards in a broken formation under the protection of the warning area; first the faster big ones, then the slower small ones.
		10.00		Went to deeper depth and reloaded torpedoes.
		12.00	AN 5194	Day's run 95 nm , 16 nm
		12.40		Went to periscope depth again, to observed further traffic and attack.

Sun and Moon Data 23.01.40

	- 4 -
		continued
		23.01.40		Attempted to move to shift the operations area a little.
		16.00	AN 5194	Multiple patrol vessels continually cruise back and forth slowly 2 nm north between the coast and the warning area.  At first I have the suspicion that I am heard multiple times, because the patrol vessels run directly towards us.  Own listening gear gives very good results.
		18.37	AN 5183	Surfaced, multiple patrol vessels all around.  No steamers are seen. Because it is very bright, carefully maneuvered between the patrol vessels with different courses and ran along the steamer route to the NW.
			Full moon comes through the light overcast, Vis. good
		20.00	AN 5182	Nothing sighted except patrol vessels.
		24.00	AN 5157	Multiple avoidance maneuvers.
		24.01.40	English east coast, Longstone
		04.00	AN 5154 lower-left corner	Back and forth off Eyemouth, nothing sighted.
			Vis. was worse, SSW 2, light rain
		08.05	AN 5154	Moved off and closed Longstone again.
		08.47	AN 5157	Dived and put the boat on the bottom in 78 metes water. In doing this always listening.  I suspect we'll have to wait for the next convoy.  Intend to proceed to Longstone again, because there despite patrols the best attack opportunity is expected.
		12.00	AN 5157	Day's run 45 nm , 6 nm
		16.00	AN 5157
		18.27	AN 5157	Surfaced.  The same patrol vessels from the day before were sighted.  Patrol vessels patrol back and forth on the line from Holy Island in direction 50°T up to the warning area.
			SSW 2, Sea 2, Swell, light drizzle, otherwise Vis. good
				On course 130° and 150° broke through the patrol vessel line with diesels and proceeded south 4 nm east of Longstone.
		24.00	AN 5197	Moved back and forth on east-west course at low speed.
			NNW 2, wind shifting to the right
		25.01.40	AN 5197	Back and forth in position.
		04.00	NNE 2
		07.50	Vis, good and moonlit, early dawn	Small coastal steamer (1000 tons) went through on the same route to the south as the steamer formation of 23 January.  It seems too small for a torpedo shot considering the traffic expected there.
		08.23	AN 5197	Dived.  Ship's position taken from land bearings.
			NNE 2
		10.23	Vis. good, sunny	Identified 8 patrol vessels from sound bearings,

	Sun and Moon Data 23.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 24.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 25.01.40

	- 5 -
		continued
		25.01.40		coming towards us in a broad formation with heavy smoke.  At first I assume that we are being searched for and went closer to the coast to get outside of the search radius.  This succeeds.  The patrol vessels pass to the east, distance 2000-5000 meters.  Because I suspect that the patrol vessels will come back later and probably closer under the coast, I run into the searched strip.
		11.45		The patrol is heard getting closer again. The patrol is actually running north again as expected. Distance about 4000 meters. There are clearly 4 trawlers and 4 mine search boats (boats HALEGON-Class, 2 gun boats with 3 cannons).
		12.00		Day's run 123 nm , 22 nm
		12.30	AN 5197 v.K.	The patrol vessels have passed astern.  Went to the bottom, depth 78 meters, listened.  I suspect that the mine free route is searched, and then steamers will pass here again.  Decide to wait here.  Every passing steamer can be heard.
		18.23	AN 5197	Surfaced, took an all around sweep and found numerous patrol vessels.  The mine searchers from the morning, plus a few more patrol vessels.
			NNE 2, Sea 1-2, full moon
				The patrol vessel are positioned in a semicircle around us and can all be seen clearly in the bright moonlight. Since we ourselves have the rising moon behind us, the situation is unfavorable.
		20.00	AN 5195	Therefore I run off up moon to the northeast until I assume that I'll no longer be seen. The battery is being charged. The patrol vessels stay, sometimes with and sometimes without lights, along the coast, both north and south of Longstone. However, one by one they steam off in a northerly direction.
		20.35	AN 5195	More lights come in sight.  They are soon identified as the expected steamer convoy.  I slowly turn towards the steamers.  The first large steamers (7000-8000 tons) are approaching Lodestone.  I have no other choice now but to attack on the surface if I don't want to make do with the small ones at the end.  About 12-18 patrol vessels are ahead and behind the steamers.  There is only sill the possibility, of surprising the steamers from the side from the center of the moon at full speed. The following consideration was crucial for me:
			Brightest full moon, free of clouds, calm sea
				1.  With patrol vessels ahead and behind the steamers feel well protected.
				2.  An enemy U-boat is least suspected from the moon side.
				3.  By the time it is recognized as such, the torpedo is already out of the tube.

Sun and Moon Data 25.01.40

	- 6 -
		continued
		25.01.40		4.  Although it seems hopeless to approach unseen, it seems safe to approach unhindered.
				5.  The patrol vessels 3000-4000 meters away cannot close quickly enough, to successfully repel the attack.
				At first wanted to break through the steamers, which were traveling at intervals of between 800 and 1000 meters, and shoot from the moon lee. However, I would have had to turn too much to reach the desired largest steamer.  Therefore I shot from the moon.  Steamer estimated as at least 7000 tons, a good 120 meters long, deeply loaded, 2 white rings around the smokestack, light high superstructure.  Neutrality not identified, apparently English.
		21.12	AN 5186 lower-right corner	3rd torpedo shot: G 7a / 40 knots
				enemy speed = 8, target angle = 90°
				61 seconds - 1220 meters, depth 4 meters.
				Hit aft 20 meters.  Very strong explosion cloud, gray-black, steamer sank slowly aft.
				I wanted to break through in ahead of the next steamer, but came too close to its bow and had to dive to ensure further success in the attack.
				Due to difficulty in depth control first shot at the next steamer.  This was estimated at about 3000-4000 tons.  1 smokestack, steamer was half loaded.
		21.27		4th torpedo shot:  G 7e, lead angle = 10°
				detonation after 29 seconds = 435 meters
				depth = 6 meters.
				The effect was tremendous, when the detonation cloud collapsed the steamer had disappeared.  There was another steamer and 1 patrol vessel lying close by.  Neutrality also not identified here.  All 4 steamers sank in a semi circle from 1-3 nm from Longstone.
				The illumination conditions make estimation very difficult.  However I definitely have around 20000 tons.
				After the attack went to depth 50 meters and moved off at HF.  A few depth charges heard at great range.  Apart from that, there was nothing heard after the attack.
				Began return transit
		23.49	AN 5195	Surfaced and went through in the same place as on the approach.
		26.01.40	AN 5248
			SSE 2, Sea 1, bright moonshine
		02.00		Passed the warning area.  Course 110°.
		04.00	AN 5283
		08.00	AN 5621

	Sun and Moon Data 22.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 23.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 24.01.40

	- 7 -
		continued
		26.01.40
		10.04	AN 5638	Test crash dive.  Continued transit submerged.
		12.00	AN 5663	Day's run 110 nm , 10 nm
		16.00	AN 6443
		17.36	AN 6446	Surfaced.
			E 3, Sea 2
		20.00	AN 6456
			E 4, Sea 3
		23.30		Received Radio Message:  U-19 Entry Route II Wilhelmshaven.
				Because the boat is on Entry Route I and the unexplained, suddenly arising lubricating oil loss does not allow any detour, ran in on Route I.
		24.00	AN 6573	Afterward transit on the route.
		27.01.40
		03.00	E 5, Sea 4, temperature dropping noticeably	Radio bearings are intermittant and inexact.  Passed the warning area.  Course for Lightship F.
		12.00		Day's run 202 nm , 20 nm
		13.50		Radio Message to B.d.U.:  Arrival 23.00 hours Lightship F.  Request tug assistance, because of heavy lubricating oil loss.
		15.15		Radio Message from B.d.U.:  Run into Helgoland.  Further orders to follow.
		20.45		Helgoland in sight.
		24.00	Helgoland	Arrived.
		28.01.40
		00.55	E 3, Sea 2, Vis. good	Made fast Helgoland inner harbor.  Ice protector should be taken over but was not ready, therefore left without ice protector.
		08.30
		11.10		Lightship F.  Ice escort not in position.  Therefore went through the ice up the Jade without escort.
				Main ballast tank I and III flooded and and with that made progress.
		14.20	Wilhelmshaven	Made fast Wilhelmshaven Entrance III.
		15.10		Made fast U-boat Base.
				Day's run up to making fast 53 nm .

	Sun and Moon Data 26.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 27.01.40
	Sun and Moon Data 28.01.40

 

	Enclosures to U-19's KTB - click on the text at left to proceed to the document
Chart	Track chart of entire patrol
Torpedo	Torpedo firing reports
Sketches	Combat sketches

 

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