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Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote |
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Wilhelmshaven, on 23.10.39 |
B.Nr. Gkdos 884 |
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To the Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine, 1. Abt SKL |
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| Concerns: Attack on convoy. |
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Attached you will find a report about an attack by three U-boats under tactical control of a flotilla commander on a heavily escorted convoy in the Atlantic. It is the first attack of this type. As far as we can ascertain at the time it was carried out essentially correct. It shows how promising such a controlled operation of only three U-boats is. Without doubt it would have been an even greater success if there would have been no torpedo failures. |
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The description does make no pretence of a gapless completeness. It was compiled from received radio signals and radio messages from the U-boats and the B-Dienst reports. |
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Location: Atlantic Ocean in about 45°N and 12°30'W |
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Time: 17. and 18. October 1939 |
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Strength of convoy: 20 fast steamers |
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Strength of escort: 12 destroyers |
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Results: |
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a) Sunk: |
1. steamer YORKSHIRE |
10,183 grt |
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2. steamer CITY OF MANDALAY |
7,028 grt |
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3. steamer SAGAING |
7,968 grt |
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4. tanker, unknown name |
? |
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Total, more than |
25,179 grt |
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b) Losses: |
None |
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Torpedo failures: |
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Detonations after running the safety distance: |
2 |
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Attachment to BdU Gkdos 884. |
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Sequence of combat operation. |
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(Extract from the war diary FdU SKL) |
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17.10.39 |
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| 00.55 |
Radio signal from U-46 reporting the sighting of a large cruiser, course north, 14 knots. It could not be gathered whether the boat was shadowing or trying to regain contact. |
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U-46 reported at 08.51 convoy of 20 ships escorted by 12 destroyers, on a main course northeast. Boat was shadowing, lost contact for a while, regained it and shadowed until afternoon. Then English costal radio stations received reports of the torpedoing of 2 ships. At 20.00 hours, U-37 reported: "Convoy scattered, one ship sunk." She must therefore have reached the convoy. After the convoy had scattered, contact was lost. In order to regain it, U-37 ordered a reconnaissance line to be formed the following morning which is intended to pick up the convoy from the northeast. |
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| 18.10.39 |
At 00.29 hours, U-48 sighted the enemy again. She reported: "A straggler sunk. A second straggler steering a northerly course in BE 6789. Out of torpedoes." |
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The boat shadowed this ship. At 05.00 hours, U-37 gave the order to act on U-48's report, thus canceling the order for a reconnaissance line. At first light U-48 again sighted the convoy, which had apparently reassembled meanwhile. At 08.30 hours, a second U-boat was reported in sight of a ship. Therefore at least one more boat had reached the enemy on U-48's shadower's report. Towards midday aircraft appeared, contact was lost. U-37 ordered the boats which had been driven off to go to position "Black |
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Attack of U-37 (tactical leader), U-46 and U-48 |
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on a convoy on 17. and 18. October 1939 |
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in position 44°54'N/12°28'W |
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(times in MEZ) |
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The U-boats U-37, U-42, U-45, U-46 and U-48 had patrolled in station "Yellow" of operational order #8 at a distance of 55 to 110 nm to each other until 16 October, where they carried out attacks on merchants individually. On 16 October, they were ordered to move south to station "Black". Very likely U-42 and U-45 had been lost to enemy action between 13 and 15 October. |
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Therefore only the following U-boats participated: |
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U-37 with the flotilla commander Korvettenkapitän Hartmann as commander, U-46 and U-48. |
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According to the radio messages received, the sequence of the attack on the convoy: |
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| 17.10 |
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| 1. |
00.55 |
from U-46 |
Received 05.18 |
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Sighted enemy large cruiser |
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BE 9351 |
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Course 0°, speed 14 knots |
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| 2. |
08.51 |
from U-46 |
Received 10.40 |
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Sighted enemy convoy |
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BE 9373 |
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Course 40° |
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| 3. |
09.40 |
from U-46 |
Received 10.33 |
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Convoy consists of 20 ships |
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General course 0° |
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| 4. |
10.30 |
from U-46 |
Received 11.15 |
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Last observed position of the enemy in BE 9345 |
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12 destroyers |
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| 5. |
09.50 |
from Quessant |
Received 09.55 |
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SSS IMPERIAL STAR gunned |
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44° 54'N/12° 28'W (10,018 grt) |
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| 6. |
11.46 |
from U-46 |
Received 12.50 |
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Enemy in sight in BE 9294 |
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Course west, speed 14 knots |
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