U-333 - 3rd War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with help from Andi Forster

Departed	Date	Arrived	Date	Days at Sea
La Pallice	11 August 1942	La Pallice	24 August 1942	14

 

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Ships Attacked

None

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  333  "         Beginning:  27.5. 1942.   Ending:      24.8. 1942.
			Kommandant:	Kapitänleutnant    C  r  e  m  e  r.
				Distribution:     3. U.-Flottille Copy No. 1. 2. A.d.U.-Boote     "      " 2. B.d.U.     "      " 3, 4, 5.       Enclosures:     To Copy No. 1-4                1 Track chart
				© U-boat Archive 2024 - all rights reserved

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

	- 1 -
		27.05 - 10.08.42		Shipyard period at La Pallice.
		11.08.42
		19.30		Sailed from La Pallice.
		19.45		Made fast in the lock.
		20.10		Cast off in the lock.
		20.50		Trim test.
		21.15		Taken in convoy by Sperrbrecher.
		22.30		Released from Sperrbrecher convoy.
		24.00	W 3-5, Sea 3, partial overcast, light W-Swell
		12.08.42		Headed for BE 83 in accordance with Outbound Orders.
				Detection with vertical antenna during night transit every 2 minutes.  Did not dive, because taken as German land-based radar.
		04.00	BF 9281
			WSW 3-5, Sea 3, 3/10, Stratocumulus, W-Swell
		06.22		Dived.  Submerged transit.
		13.30		Point "Hand".
		22.40		Surfaced.
		24.00	BF 9192
			NW 2-3, Sea 1-2, long Swell, Stratus 6/10
		13.08.42		Headed for new objective square AK 96 in accordance with Radio Message.
		04.00	BF 8393
			W 2-4, Sea 2, medium Swell, partial overcast
		06.30		Dived, submerged transit.
				Day's run:  Surfaced      87 nm
				Submerged  26.5 nm
		22.30		Surfaced.
		24.00	BF 8283
			W 2, Sea 1, long Swell, partly cloudy
		14.08.42		Fu.M.B. receiver after 8 hours continuous operation resistor burned out.  With the cross antenna the boat is not ready to crash dive.
		04.00	BF 8191
			NW 2, Sea 2, medium Swell, overcast, Vis. bad
		06.42		Dived, submerged transit.
				Day's run:  Surfaced      90 nm
				Submerged  26 nm
		22.33		Surfaced.
		24.00	BF 7373
			NW 3, Sea 2, overcast, Vis. changing
		15.08.42
		04.00	BF 7281
			W 0-2, Sea 1, long Swell, cloudy, low cloud deck, drizzle, Vis. medium
		06.55		Dived, submerged transit.
				Day's run:  Surfaced      97.5 nm
				Submerged   24.8 nm
		22.45		Surfaced.
		24.00	BF 7171
			W 1-3, Sea 1, medium Swell, overcast, Stratus, 10/10, Vis. medium

	Sun and Moon Data 11.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 12.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 13.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 14.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 15.08.42

	- 2 -
		16.08.42
		04.00	BE 9373
			NW 2, Sea 2, long Swell, overcast, drizzle, squalls
		07.00		Test dive.
		08.00	BE 9292
			NW 2-4, Sea 2, Swell, overcast, Vis. medium	Passed 13°W.  Tear in the cooling jacket of the starboard exhaust piping.  Highest speed 11.2 knots.  Repair is not possible.
		12.00	BE 9192	Day's run:  Surfaced      116 nm
			N 1-3, Sea 2, Altostratus, 8/10, Vis. good	Submerged    19 nm
		16.00	BE 9155
			WSW 2-4, Sea 2, long NW-Swell, Vis. very good
		16.23		Crash dive for "Liberator" starboard abeam.
				Operated on "Feiler" convoy in accordance with orders.
		20.00	BE 9145
			N 2, Sea 1, medium Swell, 0/10 Vis. very good
		24.00	BE 8364
			N 1, Sea 1, 8/10, medium Swell, Vis. good
		17.08.42
		04.00	BE 8372
			SSE 2, Sea 1, long W-Swell, overcast, Vis. bad
		07.35		Test dive.
		08.00	BE 8295
			Wind calm, Sea 0, misty, 10/10, Stratus, drizzle
		12.00	BE 8523
			E 1, Sea 1, overcast, drizzle, Vis. medium
		12.48		"Liberator" to port abeam.  Showed a small silhouette and out maneuvered on the surface.
		13.20		Smoke cloud in sight.  Turned towards to identify more exactly.
		13.34		Aircraft (biplane) astern to port.  At the same moment tripod mast in sight.  Out maneuvered the aircraft on the surface, because the tripod mast was very heavy and large assumed a cruiser.  Closed further, to determine course speed and ship type.  Suddenly crows nest in tripod mast over the horizon.  Attempted to run off on the surface, to hold contact on the smoke cloud.  "Liberator" ahead with course towards us.  Crash dive.  No aircraft bombs.
		15.20		At periscope depth for all around sweep.  "Liberator" in sight at about 200 meters.  Went to depth A -20 meters.  Suddenly 12 depth charges close by, destroyer propellers.  Went to depth A +90 meters.  Water intake in the head.  Packing in the hull shutoff valve was forced out.  Later provisionally repaired.  Water moved to the control room bilge man to man with buckets.  Additionally after 4 hours approximately 4-1/2 tons of water in the boat through leaks.  10 hour depth charge pursuit endured.  Depth charges lay further away.  Destroyers were very persistent.  At 00.32 hours surfaced at darkness.  On surfacing still 3 depth charges about 4000 meters away.  Ran off.  After the depth charge pursuit the starboard shaft clutch was grinding.

	Sun and Moon Data 16.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 17.08.42

	- 3 -
		continued
		17.08.42
				The shaft beats.  Repairs are not possible.  Operated on "Feiler" convoy.
		18.08.42
		04.00	BE 8428
			SW 4-5, Sea 3, overcast, showers, Vis. bad
		07.40		Test dive.  Beating in the shaft constantly increases.   Showers of sparks.
		08.00	BE 8444
			SW 4-5, Sea 2-3, medium Swell, rain showers
		12.00	BE 7691	Day's run:  Surfaced      87 nm
			WNW 3-5, Sea 2-3, medium Swell, rain showers	Submerged   35 nm
		16.00	BE 8745
			W 2-4, Sea 3, 3/10, Vis. good
		20.00	BE 8788
			W 2-4, Sea 2, cloudy, Vis. medium
		24.00	CF 2343
			WSW 2-4, Sea 2, cloudy, shower, Vis. medium to bad
		19.08.42
		02.30		Star shells ahead to port and starboard.  Operated on star shells, maneuvered ahead.  Artillery fire observed.  Assume convoy.
		04.00	CF 2356
			W 2-4, Sea 3, partly cloudy, Vis. medium
		04.25		Destroyer to starboard with sharp target angle to me, turned away, ran behind his stern towards the suspected convoy.  No ships seen, turned back.  Ran behind the destroyer and held contact.
		07.00		Was forced off by destroyer, dived, no sound pursuit.
		09.30		Surfaced.
		09.50		"Liberator" to port flying towards us.  Crash dive.
		11.00		Surfaced.  "Liberator" in sight, positioned asters.  Showed small silhouette.  Out maneuvered on the surfaced.  "Liberator" remains at the same range behind us.  Suspect he is holding contact on us.  Flew off after 2 hours, out of sight.
		12.00	CF 3115	Day's run:  Surfaced      174 nm
			NNW 2-4, Sea 3, partial overcast, Vis. good	Submerged    10 nm
		16.00	CF 3119
			NNW 2-4, Sea 1, long Swell, 7/10
		18.32		Water column to starboard from aircraft bomb, a "Liberator" about 3000 meters away.  Aircraft was first sighted after the detonation.  Flies towards me.  Crash dive.  Shaft beats more and more, during the crash dive with everything is ready to extinguish a fire in the diesel, so many sparks fly from the clutch.  Aircraft bombs.
		00.00		Surfaced.
		20.08.42
		01.07		I decide to return transit for the following reasons:
				1)  Due to the tear in the cooling mantel of the exhaust piping

	Sun and Moon Data 17.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 18.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 19.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 20.08.42

	- 4 -
		continued
		20.08.42
				of the the starboard diesel the highest speed of the boat is limited to 11 knots.  Moreover the cracks were growing, so that an even lower speed setting had to be expected.  Therefore pursuit or following a convoy or an independent steamer was excluded by these speed settings, repair is not possible. In practice I have pursued and followed for 3 days in vain.
				2.)  After the depth charge pursuit there was a strong grinding in the starboard clutch.  The shaft beat and during submerged cruise a considerable noise was audible in the boat. This grinding was worse every day, so that during crash diving a heavy shower of sparks poured into the diesel room, fire danger existed. Repair was not possible, a cause could not be established.
		04.00	BE 8946
			NW 2, Sea 2, cloudy, Vis. medium
		07.19		Test dive.
		08.00	BE 8937
			NW 2, Sea 2, long Swell, cloudy, Vis. medium
		12.00	BE 9477	Day's run:  Surfaced      158 nm
			W 3, Sea 2, medium Swell, overcast, Vis. good	Submerged    15 nm
		16.00	BE 9456
			W 3-5, Sea 3, overcast, drizzle, Vis. medium to bad
		20.00	BE 9512
			WSW 4-6, Sea 3-4, overcast, drizzle, Vis. bad
		24.00	BE 9531
			W 3-5, Sea 4, overcast, Vis. medium
		21.08.42
		04.00	BE 9387
			W 2-4, Sea 3, overcast, Vis. medium
		07.05		Dived, submerged transit.
				Day's run:  Surfaced      195 nm
				Submerged   12.5 nm
		22.31		Surfaced.
		24.00	BE 7199
			W 2, Sea 1, light Swell, fog, Vis. 500 meters
		22.08.42
		04.00	BE 7295
			SW 2, Sea 1, long Swell, overcast
		07.15		Dived, submerged transit.
				Day's run:  Surfaced      93.5 nm
				Submerged     30 nm
		22.14		Surfaced.
		24.00	BE 8186
			W 2-3, Sea 1, Swell, few clouds, 2/10, Vis. very good
		23.08.42
		04.00	BF 8529
			W 2, Sea 1, overcast, Vis. medium
		07.05		Dived, submerged transit.
				Day's run:  Surfaced      99 nm
				Submerged   30 nm

	Sun and Moon Data 20.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 21.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 22.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 23.08.42

	- 5 -
		continued
		23.08.42
		22.15		Surfaced.
		24.00	BF 9187
			S 1, S 0-1, Sea 1, long NNW-Swell, overcast, 10/10, Vis. good
		24.08.42
		04.00	E 0-2, Sea 1, overcast, Vis. medium
		05.00		Point "Hand".
		08.00	E 2, S 0, partial overcast, Vis. medium
		11.00		Taken in convoy by patrol boat.
		12.00	SE 1-2, Sea 0-1, light overcast, slight Swell	Day's run:  Surfaced     150 nm
				Submerged    20 nm
		14.05		Taken in Sperrbrecher convoy.
				Made fast in the La Pallice lock.
				Cast off from the La Pallice lock.
				Made fast in the bunker.

	Sun and Moon Data 23.08.42
	Sun and Moon Data 24.08.42

	Enclosures to U-333's KTB - click on the text at left to proceed to the document
Chart	Track chart covering entire war patrol

	Comments of the Befehlshabers der Unterseeboote
	on the Kriegstagebuch of "U-333" from 27.5. - 24.8.1942.
	Because of mechanical failures and depth charge damage the patrol was prematurely broken off.  Speed restriction prevented a promising operation on the convoy on 19 August.
	Nothing to note.
		For the Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
		- The Chief of the Operations Department -

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