U-26 - 4th War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with the help of Andi Forster

Departed	Date	Arrived	Date	Days at Sea
Wilhelmshaven	13 April 1940	Trondheim	18 April 1940	6
Trondheim	19 April 1940	Wilhelmshaven	25 April 1940	7
				13

 

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Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
21 Apr 40	07.49	62°51'N, 5°07'E	CEDARBANK	5,159	British	AP-1
			Total = 5,159
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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			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h
				"  U  2  6  "
				for the period
			from 2 to 28 March 1940.
				XXXXXX
		2. - 4. March 1940.
			Wilhelmshaven	Cleared the boat.
			base
		5. - 7.3.1940.
			Wilhelmshaven	Overhaul work.
			Westwerft
		8. - 23.3.1940.
			Wilhelmshaven	Dry-docked, overhaul work.
			Westwerft
		24. - 28.3.1940.
			Wilhelmshaven	Overhaul work.
			Westwerft
				On board, 9. August 1940.
				Kommando der 2. Unterseebootsflottille.
				I.V.
				© U-boat Archive 2025 - all rights reserved

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

			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h
			========================
			of the Unterseebootes  "U  26"  for the period from
				29.3. - 12.4.1940
				- 25.4.40
			Kommandant:  Kapitänleutnant    S  c  h  e  r  i  n  g  e  r  .

	- 1 -
		02.03.40	Wilhelmshaven Base	Cleared the boat.
		03.03.40	- " -
		04.03.40	- " -
		05.03.40	Wilhelmshaven, Jade
		08.30		Cast off from the base.
		08.55		Made fast III. Entrance.
		09.05		Cast off from the III. Entrance.
				Up to 11.50 hours on various speed settings and lineups took field measurements in the boat.
		12.05		Made fast III. Entrance.
		12.15		Cast off from the III. Entrance.
		13.02		Made fast at the Westwerft U-boat Pier.
		06.03.40	Wilhelmshaven Westwerft
		07.03.40	- " -
		08.03.40	- " -
		09.55		Cast off from the U-boat Pier.
		10.20		Dry-docked in Ship's Lift 10.
		09.03.40	Wilhelmshaven Westwerft
		10.03.40	- " -
		11.03.40	- " -
		12.03.40	- " -
		13.03.40	- " -
		14.03.40	- " -
		15.03.40	- " -
		16.03.40	- " -
		17.03.40	- " -
		18.03.40	- " -
		19.03.40	- " -
		20.03.40	- " -
		21.03.40	- " -
		22.03.40	- " -
		23.03.40	- " -
		24.03.40	- " -
		25.03.40	- " -
		26.03.40	- " -
		27.03.40	- " -
		28.03.40	- " -

	- 2 -
		29.03.40	Wilhelmshaven Westwerft
		30.03.40	- " -
		31.03.40	- " -
		01.04.40	- " -
		02.04.40	- " -
		03.04.40	- " -
		04.04.40	- " -
		05.04.40	- " -
		06.04.40	- " -
		07.04.40	- " -
		08.04.40	- " -
		13.45	- " -	Cast off from the U-boat Pier.
		14.02		Dry-docked at Ship's lift I.
		09.04.40	- " -
		08.05	Jade	Un-docked Ship's Lift I.
		08.48		Trim test in the dock pit.
		09.40		Surfaced.
		10.10		Made fast III. Entrance.
		10.43		Cast off from the III. Entrance for shipyard sea trial.
		13.06		Dived.
		14.50		Surfaced.
		16.05		Anchored 1000 meters south of Buoy F.
				Radio Direction Finder calibration.
		18.45		Weighed anchor.
		19.30		Made fast in the III. Entrance.
		20.15		Cast off from the III. Entrance.
		20.50		Made fast at the U-boat Pier Westwerft.
		10.04.40	Wilhelmshaven Westwerft
		11.04.40	Wilhelmshaven Westwerft
			Jade	2nd sea trial.
		08.00		Cast off from Westwerft.
		08.35		Made fast III. Entrance.
		08.53		Cast off from the III. Entrance.
		09.15		Dived.
		09.45		Surfaced.

	- 3 -
		continued
		11.04.40
		16.12		Made fast III. Entrance.
		16.26		Cast off from the III. Entrance.
		16.45		Made fast at the base.
		12.04.40	Wilhelmshaven Base	Outfitted the boat.
		15.00		Trim test and put to sea.

 

			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h
			of the Unterseebootes  "  U  26  "
			Kommandant:  Kapitänleutnant Scheringer.
				Beginning:  13.4.1940
				Ending    :  25.4.1940

	- 1 -
		13.04.40	Wilhelmshaven
		15.00		Cast off from the base.  Carried out trim test.  For the dive at 15.35.
		16.15		Surfaced.
		16.40		Made fast I. Entrance.
		17.15		Cast off from the I. Entrance
				Until twilight fast anti-aircraft escort.
		20.00	Jade
			NNW 1-2, Sea 1, lightly cloudy, Vis. good
		14.04.40	Deutsche Bucht
		00.00	AN 6963
			NNW 2, light Swell, Sea 2, Vis. good
		04.00	AN 6681
			SW 3-4, Sea 2, clear sky, Vis. good
		05.32	AN 6641 [position is in error]	Put the boat on the bottom in 43 meters at Nordschill Bank.
		21.05		Raised the boat from the bottom.
		21.20		Surfaced.
		15.04.49	Deutsche Bucht
		00.00	AN 6521
			SW 3-4, Sea 2-3, cloudy, rain showers, Vis. medium, 992 mb
		04.00	AN 6169
			WNW 5-6, Sea 5, overcast, rain showers, Vis. bad to medium
		06.45	AN 6134	Crash dive for aircraft in 330°T.
				Flying boat at low altitude on easterly course.

	Sun and Moon Data 13.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 14.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 15.04.40

	- 2 -
		continued
		15.04.40
		08.00	AN 6131
		09.15		Surfaced.
		10.45	NW 8-10, Sea 8, low cloud deck, Vis. very bad	Crash dive for training.  Continued transit submerged at depth 30 meters.
		20.00	AN 4957
		21.10		Surfaced.
		16.04.40	Central North Sea
		00.00	AN 4921
			NW 6, Sea 5-6, heavily cloudy, rain showers, Vis. medium, 987 mb
		04.00	AN 4651
			WNW 3-4, Sea 2-3, overcast, Vis. medium, 980 mb
		06.40		Crash dive for training.
		08.00	AN 4381
		08.10		Surfaced.
		10.30		Crash dive!  Flying boat in sight in 180°T, on westerly course, altitude 300-400 meters.
		12.50		Surfaced.
		13.05	AN 2884	Sighted a drifting English barrage balloon.
		16.00	AN 2851
			NW 3, long Swell, lightly cloudy, Vis. good, 982 mb
		20.00	AN 2381
			N 3, long Swell, Sea 1, lightly cloudy, Vis. good, 989 mb
		20.48	AN 2351	Crash dive!  Aircraft in 350°T, course north, medium altitude.
		21.48		Surfaced.

	Sun and Moon Data 15.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 16.04.40

	- 3 -
		17.04.40	North Atlantic
		00.00	AN 2321
			N 3, Swell, moderately cloudy, moonshine, Vis. good, 985 mb
		04.00	AF 8715
			N 4, Sea 2-3, lightly cloudy, moonshine, Vis. good, 986 mb
		08.00	AF 8448
			NNE 5, Sea 4-5, lightly cloudy, Vis. good, 991 mb
		11.10		Crash dive for training.  Went to depth 50 meters.
		13.15		Surfaced.
		16.00	AF 8168
			NNE 5, Sea 4, medium cloudy, Vis. good, 994 mb
		17.59		Crash dive for training.  Went to depth 50 meters.
		19.37		Surfaced.
		20.00	AF 8214
			NNE 4-5, Sea 4, medium cloudy, Vis. very good, 999 mb
		18.04.40	North Atlantic
			Frohavet Fjord
		00.00	AF 5886
			E 1-2, Swell, cloudy, individual rain showers, moonshine, Vis. very good, 1000 mb
		04.00	AF 5945
			NE 2-3, Swell, medium cloudy, Vis. very good, 1002 mb

	Sun and Moon Data 17.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 18.04.40

	- 4 -
		continued
		18.04.40
		08.00	AF 5934
			NW 2, Swell, medium cloudy, Vis. very good, 1009 mb
		08.30		Crash dive for training.  Went to depth 50 meters.
		10.32		Surfaced.  Ran into Frohavet.
		12.00	AF 6741
			NW 1-2, Sea 1, Vis. good
		13.58  |		Crash dive!  Dived for aircraft.
		14.18  |		Surfaced
		15.40  |	Trondheim-Fjord	Crash dive!  Dived for aircraft.
		16.00  |		Surfaced
		16.23  |		Crash dive!  Dived for aircraft.
		16.43  |		Surfaced
		17.33  |		Crash dive!  Dived for aircraft.
		17.48  |		Surfaced
		19.05		Made fast Trondheim
		19.04.40	Trondheim	Morning and afternoon work duties.  Offloaded ammunition and 3 2 cm anti-aircraft guns.
		19.55		Cast off from Trondheim.
		20.12		Trim test.
		20.30		Trim test ended.  Put to sea.
		20.04.40	Frohavet/North Atlantic
		00.00	AF 5996
			NNE 4, Sea 3, cloudy, Vis. good, 1114 mb
		04.00	AF 6714
			NNW 3-4, Sea 2, lightly cloudy, Vis. good, 1014 mb
		04.26	AF 6712	Enemy destroyer in sight on course 80°, 30° to port.  Own course 10°.

	Sun and Moon Data 18.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 19.04.40

	- 5 -
		continued
		20.04.40
		04.31		Dived.
		04.39		Destroyer recognized as an AFRIDI, moving back and forth at low speed.  Closed to 1300 meters.  Then the destroyer suddenly turned away and ran off in target angle 160°.  Course east.  Followed him hoping he would come back. Strong detonation noticed in the boat.
		05.08	AF 6478	2 destroyers in sight on easterly course.  They are two French torpedo cruisers type "ALBATROS".  No attack possibility.
		06.45		Surfaced when destroyers are out of sight.
		06.50	AF 6479	Masts and smoke clouds from warships in sight on westerly course.  Departing Moldefjord, apparently battleships and 1 cruiser.  Possibly "MALAYA", about bow left target angle 30°, range over 20000 meters.  Attempt to maneuver ahead fails, because the enemy passed out of sight in rain cloud.  Had probably turned away to the north.  Began return transit.
		08.00	AF 6475
			NNW 2-3, Sea 2, moderately cloudy, Vis. good, 1015 mb
		09.52	AF 6473	U-boat surfacing in 110°T.  By recognition signals determined that it was U-34.
		12.00	AF 6477
			NW 2-3, Sea 2, medium cloudy, Vis. good, 1016 mb
		16.00	AF 5625
			NW 2-3, Sea 2, medium cloudy, Vis. good, 1016 mb
		18.10	AF 5942	U-boat in sight 20 to starboard.  Because it was apparently a German U-boat sent Recognition Signal.  Boat dived.
		18.15		Dived.  We sent Underwater Telegraph Recognition Signal.  Recognition Signal was

Sun and Moon Data 20.04.40

	- 6 -
		continued
		20.04.40		answered but gave no name, instead the group for the text "U.T.E.S." [Underwater Telegraph Recognition Signal]
		20.00	AF 5944
		21.00		Surfaced.
		21.04.40	North Atlantic
		00.00	AF 5899
			NW 4-5, Sea 3, heavily cloudy, Vis. medium, 1015 mb
		04.00	AF 8254
			NW 2-3, Sea 2, heavily cloudy, Vis. good, 1017 mb
		06.55	AF 8274	Dived before convoy.  Consists of a large steamer, at least 6000 tons and two small gray painted steamers in 2 columns protected by 2 destroyers to each side ahead.  I ran from the starboard side to the port and fired a stern torpedo at 07.49 hours within the screen at a distance of 800 meters.  Hit at the after mast.  Initially little effect.  At first the destroyers did nothing.  After 10 seconds settled by the stern strngly.  A destroyer turned and ran towards me.  Distance 600 meters.  Went to depth 80 meters.  Destroyers heard continually.  Starboard exhaust gas valve does not hold tight.
		08.00	AF 8196
		10.35		Surfaced after the destroyer sounds were no longer heard.
		10.48	AF 8195	Dived before 2 English destroyers.  Came closer quickly and ran towards us.  Decision to attack could not be carried out because the boat was not in trim.  Boat cut under.
		12.00	AF 8198
		13.20		Surfaced.  Began return transit.

	Sun and Moon Data 20.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 21.04.40

	- 7 -
		continued
		21.04.40
		15.30	AF 8426	5 smoke feathers in sight in 320°T.
				Attempted to maneuver ahead failed.  Low visibility weather from rain and show squalls.  After course change to southerly course suddenly at 21.40 hours steamer in sight again, recognized as 5 fishing trawlers.
		16.00	AF 8122
			NW 2, Sea 1, heavily cloudy, rain and snow squalls, 1020 mb
		xx.40		Crash dive and moved off.
		xx.15	AF 8168	Surfaced and continued return transit.
		22.04.40	North Atlantic
		00.00	AF 8192
			NW 2-3, Sea 2, heavily cloudy, rain showers, Vis. medium, 1020 mb
		04.00	AF 8125
			NW 3, Sea 2, medium cloudy, Vis. good, 1020 mb
		08.00	AF 8473
			NW 3-4, Sea 3, lightly cloudy, Vis. good, 1021 mb
		xx.30		Crash dive.  Aircraft in 90°T, own course 215°.
		xx.04		Surfaced.
		12.00	AF 7939
			N 1-2, Sea 1, medium cloudy, Vis. good, 1027 mb
		16.00	AN 2312
			N 1-2, Sea 1

	Sun and Moon Data 21.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 22.04.40

	- 8 -
		continued
		22.04.40	medium cloudy, Vis. good, 1028 mb
		18.30		Crash dive for aircraft.
		18.50		Surfaced.
		19.10	AN 2373 upper-left	Sighted a drifting mine, probably German.
		20.00	AN 2375
			NNW 1, Sea 0, lightly cloudy, Vis. good, 1027 mb
		30.36		Crash dive for aircraft.
		20.50		Surfaced.
		23.04.40	Northern North Sea
		00.00	AN 2845
			NNW 1, Sea 0, lightly cloudy, full moon, Vis. good, 1037 mb
		04.00	AN 4342
			NE 2-3, Sea 1, clear sky, Vis. very good, 1025 mb
		08.00	AN 4618
			SE 3-4, Sea 2-3, clear sky, Vis. very good, 1022 mb
		12.00	AN 4678
			SE 4-5, Sea 3, lightly cloudy, Vis. good, 1022 mb
		13.20	AN 4918	Fishing trawler in sight in 190°T.  Own course 162°, distance 8-9 nm
		14.45	AN 4945	Fishing trawler in 130°T.  Own course 162°, distance 8-9 nm.
		15.15	AN 4948	Fishing trawler in 240°T.  Own course 162°, distance 8-9 nm.
		16.00	AN 4973
			E 5, Sea 4,

	Sun and Moon Data 22.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 23.04.40

	- 9 -
		continued
		23.04.40
			medium cloudy, Vis. good, 1015 mb
		16.44		Dived for aircraft.
		18.35		Surfaced.
		20.00	AN 6122	During all around listening after diving a U-boat was heard.  U-boat was reported to B.d.U. by Radio Message.
			SE 5, Sea 3, lightly cloudy, Vis. good, 1015 mb
		24.04.40	Central North Sea
		00.00	AN 6183
			E 5, Sea 3, lightly cloudy, Vis. good, 1015 mb
		04.00	AN 6428
			SE 3-4, Sea 2-3, clear sky, Vis. very good, 1010 mb
		05.28		Dived. From 00.00 hours until diving zigzagged.
		08.00	AN 6456
		12.00	AN 6459
		16.00	AN 6467
		20.00	AN 6587
		21.45		Surfaced.
		22.15		3 fishing vessels sighted off Route I.
		24.00	AN 6822
			SE 1, Sea 1, overcast, misty, Vis. low, 1008 mb
		25.04.40	Deutsche Bucht
		04.00	AN 6839
			SE 1, Sea 1, overcast, misty, Vis. low, 1008 mb

	Sun and Moon Data 23.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 24.04.40
	Sun and Moon Data 25.04.40

	- 10 -
		continued
		25.04.40
		08.00	AN 6996	In the period from 08.00 to 11.00 hours passed several German patrol vessels and exchanged Recognition Signals.
			NE 2, Sea 0, low Swell, misty, Vis. bad
		11.08		Recognition Signal exchange with German aircraft.
		12.00	AN 9586
			ENE 1, Sea 0, misty, overcast, rain showers, Vis. bad, 1009 mb
		13.26		Dived for training.  Went to depth 12 meters.
		13.39		Surfaced.
		14.00		Lightship "F" abeam.
		16.00	Jade
		16.47		Made fast III. Entrance.
		16.59		Cast off III. Entrance.
		17.37		Made fast at the base.

Sun and Moon Data 25.04.40

 

	Enclosures to U-26's KTB - click on the text at left to proceed to the document
Chart	Track chart of entire patrol

 

	Comments of the Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote.
	Nothing to note.
		Signed in draft:    D  ö  n  i  t  z .
		For the Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
		- The Chief of the Operations Department -

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