U-9 - 7th War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with help from Andi Forster

Departed	Date	Arrived	Date	Days at Sea
Wilhelmshaven	16 May 1940	Kiel	30 May 1940	15

 

Click the icon to download a KMZ file displaying the U-boat track, significant events and locations for this patrol.  You must have Google Earth loaded on your computer to view this file.  Download Google Earth here

 

Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
23 May 40	12.54	51°18'N, 2°36'E	SIGURD FAULBAUM	3,256	Belgian
			Total = 3,256
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  9"
				=============================
				Kommandant:  Oblt.z.S.    L  ü  t  h  .
				Beginning:    16 May 1940.
				Concluding:  30 May 1940.
				© U-boat Archive 2024 - all rights reserved

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

	- 1 -
		16.05.40
		07.00	Wilhelmshaven, U-boat Base	Boat outfitted for war patrol.
		15.00	"                    "	Ready for sea.
		15.40		Cast off from the lock, ran with mine escort up to Baltrum.
		21.15	Norderney Lighthouse	Abeam.
		24.00	NE 3, bright moonlit night, Vis. 6000-8000 meters	Transit to Route 1α.
		17.05.40
		04.00	Route 1
			N 2
		04.48		Dived and after balancing the boat put it on the bottom depth 40 meters.
		12.00		Day's run:  Surfaced 135 nm
		14.00	20 nm before the exit of Route 1α	Surfaced.
				Drifting mine 500 meters abeam.
				In the radio broadcast comments to the Wehrmacht Report it was heard: " . . . a U-boat had sunk a tanker and an armed steamer  . . . It shows that our U-boats will soon take advantage of these rich areas . . ."  This talkativeness can cost us U-boats dearly and rob our success.
		15.22	N 2	Dived.  Now I will dive out of Route 1α, move off with the current and surface at darkness.
		20.00 - 22.00		Worked on the torpedoes.	.
		22.00	NE 2, 6 nm off the exit of Route 1α	Surfaced.  Proceeded into the operations area.
		24.00	AN 6884
			Bright moonlit night
		18.05.40
		02.00	AN 8224	60° ahead to port a periscope with a wake coming towards us in the dark horizon.  Bright moon to starboard, turned away hard to starboard.
		02.35	Terschelling Bank Lightship	Abeam, burns as in peacetime.
		04.00	AN 8254
			Twilight
		04.30	AN 8254	Dived, after balancing the boat put it on the bottom depth 29 meters.
		06.00		Current now sets in.  Proceeded submerged to the south.
		11.00	AN 8278	Put the boat on the bottom depth 27 meters.
		12.00	AN 8278	Day's run:  Surfaced 77 nm, Submerged 26 nm
		17.00	AN 8278	Surfaced.
		19.00	AN 8217	Dived, continued on with the current.
		20.00 - 22.00		Worked on the torpedoes.
		20.00	AN 8541

	Sun and Moon Data 16.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 17.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 18.05.40

	- 2 -
		continued
		18.05.40
		23.50	AN 8466	Crash dive for two aircraft, of them one turns towards us.
			Bright moonlit night
		24.00	AN 8469	Surfaced.
			NE 4
		19.05.40
		00.20	Aircraft overflew us in the direction of Dover
		00.50		Drifting mine 200 meters abeam.
		04.00	AN 8734
			NNE 4, twilight
		04.20	Steen Bank - Whistle Buoy	We have drifted 10 nm to the east within the Sands.  The identifier of the buoys does not agree with those given in the light list.  We steer by celestial navigation on a NW course out of the sands.  In places only 12 meters of water, ran at AK.
		05.03	Schouwen Bank	Have reached deep water and shot a few stars.
			Lightness
		05.23	AN 8732	Dived, put the boat on the bottom depth 30 meters, and determined the position of the ship by an exact navigation fix calculation.
		12.00		Day's run:  Surfaced 73 nm, Submerged 9 nm
		14.00	AN 8732	Surfaced, continued on.	.
			NNE 4, sunshine, cloudless, Vis. very good
		15.40	Thornton Bank Buoy
		16.00	AN 8753
		16.40	South end of Thornton Bank	To the south masts and 1 smokestack of a small steamer in sight.  Target angle 0-10°, northerly course.
		16.45	AN 8755	Dived.  If he continues on, I must get him; if he turns to the west, I can not get there submerged any longer.
		22.45	Operations area	Surfaced, one diesel uncoupled to charge, steered search courses with 1 diesel LF.
			AN 8754 lower-half
			AN 8755 lower-half
			AN 8757 upper-half
			AN 8758 upper-half
			5 nm north of Dyck buoy
		24.00	Very bright full moon night, Vis. 8000 meters, NE 4, cloudless
		20.05.40		Radio Message received:  . . . Scheldt Estuary, Vlissingen, Antwerp in German hands . . .
				By this we are here too late to catch fleeing ships
		00.20		2 shadows sighted steering on a westerly course for the Dyck Buoy.  Can no longer close in with AK.  It must be a destroyer.
		01.00		3 destroyer shadows from the Kwinte Bank steering to the NNE.  I attempt to remain to the north on the dark horizon, however am too slow with 1 diesel because the other one is charging.
		01.38		Aircraft over us, afterwards were shot at by destroyers

	Sun and Moon Data 18.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 19.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 20.05.40

	- 3 -
		continued
		20.05.40		with anti-aircraft fire.
		02.05		2 white light rockets in the direction of the West Hinder Lightship.
		02.40		The 3 destroyers come towards mt from the north, out of the dark horizon.  I am positioned in the moon, attempted at AK to run off to the west, later to the east.  Bearing steady, shadows close to 5000-6000 meters.
		02.54		Crash dive on southerly course, ran to the NW submerged, in so doing came to a 16 meter location NNE of the East Kwinte Bank.
				Even on this bright night our periscope can only be used against the moonlight, not against the dark horizon.
		04.00	2 nm northwest of Kwinte Bank	Put the boat on the bottom depth 25 meters.
		09.00	Sunshine, clear sky, Sea 3-4	Went to periscope depth.  Closed the steamer route with the southerly current.  At 12.00 hours the northerly current set in, setting me off from the Sands again.  With both motors KF I can just hold against the current, even gain a little.
		09.30	At buoy 10.5 nm east of the West Hinder Lightship, lightly misty	In the direction of Ostende 5-7 destroyers in sight on the horizon.  Sharp target angle, bearing steady, disappeared in the miss after 30 minutes.
				Held in place at the buoy.  Nothing to observe.
		12.00	Day's run:  Surfaced 52 nm, Submerged 16 nm	With the 2nd part of the northern current, set off 1 nm to the NW and put the boat on the bottom depth 28 meters, to save the battery, which otherwise I cannot fill over night.
				Nothing heard.
		22.40	NE 3	Surfaced.
				Anti-aircraft fire observed in the direction of Dunkirk.
				Tonight at 03.00 hours there should be German S-Boote off Zeebrügge.  They are expected to be here around 02.00 hours.  However I hope they do not cross my operations area, instead go over the Sands with their low draft.
				Boat turns away to the NE in the dark horizon, then I want to shift to the NW-edge of my operations area.
		23.30	Southern extension of the Thornton Bank	First bow and stern sea, then shadows of 3 S-Booten seen.  They come too early and run through my operations area. The first boat is noted Morsing briefly, not perfectly as Recognition Signal.  Did not answer.  A 4th small shadow comes at creeping speed towards the boat from the SW.
			Full moon night, at times moon through the clouds, overcast, Vis. 5000 meters		.
		23.40		Crash dive.
		24.00		Sounds were distant.  Surfaced.

Sun and Moon Data 20.05.40

	- 4 -
		21.05.40
		00.00		I ran at AK to the NW-edge of my operations area, to be safe from our own S-Booten.
		00.08		1 aircraft overflies us in the direction of Holland.  Reduced speed, to minimize bow and stern sea.
		00.17		1 aircraft over flew us at altitude 400 meters.
		01.12	West Hinder - Whistle Buoy bearing 0°T, 3 nm away	Even here the own S-Booten interfere.
				1 small shadow closes from ahead to port, 1 from ahead to starboard.
		01.30		Crash dive.
				Surfaced.
				Now at last I must charge the battery.  I shift between East Hinder and the Bligh Bank, also want to send a Short Signal as far to the north as possible.
		02.27		Sent Short Signal:  Strong surveillance, low traffic.
				No confirmation.
		02.48	West Hinder Whistle Buoy bearing 300°T, 3 nm away	Again a small shadows from astern to port and astern.
				Crash dive.
		03.10		Surfaced, continued to charge the battery.
		03.30	Full moon night, partly cloudy, misty in the W	Both diesels out of service.  Crash dive, boat put on the bottom depth 33 meters.  The suction filter for the cooling water was plugged with algae and shells, in this area I do not want to remain on the surface without propulsion.
		07.30		Proceeded submerged with 1 motor KF with the current to the south.  Nothing seen, nothing heard.
		12.00	Buoy to the north of Kwinte Bank bearing 90°T, 2 nm away	Day's run:  Surfaced 30 nm, Submerged 22 nm	.
			NE 4, clear	The Control Room Mechanic has fever with flu symptoms.  The crew swallows quinine once as a precautionary measure.
		15.25		2 medium-size tugs with changing courses seen in the direction of Ostende.  Disappeared on southwesterly course north of the Kwinte Bank.
		17.00	Buoy north of Kwinte Bank bearing 160°T, 2 nm away	Surfaced, took course for the buoy.
		17.25		Crash dive for 2 supposed destroyers in the direction of Ostende.
		17.40		Surfaced, destroyers were not heard, did not shift out.  Determined that the steeples in Ostende were taken as destroyers.  The destroyer at 20 May at 09.30 hours were the same steeples.
		19.13	Close to Kwinte Bank Buoy	Dived, boat put on the bottom depth 28 meters.
		22.05	Location of the buoy from bearings from Ostende bearing 90°T, 11 nm and from the West Hinder Lightship	Surfaced..  Steered search courses.  Bright fires observed in the direction of Dunkirk which is 25 nm away.
		22.30		Charged the battery.
		23.17	Full moon night, NE 4-5, Sea 4	Sent Short Signal once again, however this time:
				Light surveillance, light traffic.
				From 23.10 hours the diesels failed 4 times, because the suction for the cooling water . . .

Sun and Moon Data 21.05.40

	- 5 -
		continued
		21.05.40		was always plugged with Algae and shells.  I decide to move off to north of the Thorton Bank and await better weather, to charge the battery and then go back into the operations area with a full battery.  The problem seems to occur even in moderate swell in areas between the sands.
		22.05.40
		04.00	AN 8734
			NE 3-4	During this night the diesels fail a total of 8 times.  Duration of the malfunction 2-3 minutes.  East of the Thornton Bank the problem occurred only 1 time.  The battery is fully charged.  I came to opposite course back into the operations area.
		04.37	AN 8734	Crash dive.  U-boat came out on the dark horizon,  Suspect "U-62".
		05.00		Put the boat on the bottom because of the countercurrent.
		08.00		Continued to the south submerged.
		12.00	AN 8734	Day's run:  Surfaced 58 nm, Submerged 17 nm
		12.30	SW 2-3, Vis. medium	Surfaced, continued against the current.
		14.28	AN 8752	Dived, put the boat on the bottom.
		19.15	Cloudy. Vis. bad	Surfaced, continued to the south.
		22.20	In the vicinity of Kwinte Bank	Crash dive for aircraft.
		22.45		Surfaced.
		23.00		Observed detonations and fires in the direction of Dunkirk.
		23.10	Beginning of darkness	Light rocket from aircraft shot 4000 meters ahead of the boat.  Lasts about 5 minutes at 800 meters altitude and then illuminates our area uncomfortably well.	.
		24.00	Full moon night, Vis. between 1500-4000 meters, misty horizon in the east	Battery fully charged.
		23.05.40
		00.50	Kwinte Bank Buoy bearing 225°T, 2 nm away	Dived.  Boat put on the bottom, to be safe from the announced German Schnellbooten.
		04.30	Wind calm	Surfaced.
				At the Kwinte Bank back and forth in position.
		06.00		Dived.  Put the boat on the bottom.
		12.00		Day's run:  Surfaced 49 nm, Submerged 6 nm
		12.15	Kwinte Bank Buoy bearing 100°T, 2 nm away	Went to periscope depth.  Steamer in sight astern with target angle 70°, course 270° at 3000 meters.  Came to parallel course and initiate attack.
			Wind calm, misty, Vis. bad, about 2000-3000 meters
				It turned out that the steamer was being towed by a tug.  To initiate attack closed at GF on southerly-course.

	Sun and Moon Data 21.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 22.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 23.05.40

	- 6 -
		continued
		23.05.40		Speed estimated at 5 knots.  At 1500 meters recognized that a second tug proceeded astern.  I want to shoot a double shot due to the bad visibility and the difficulty of estimating speed and the long range.
		12.54	AN 8757 lower-right	Double shot on steamer with 2 G 7e, depth 3 meters, from 1200 meters, target speed = 2.5 knots, target angle 80°.
			North end Buiten Ratel Bank
				Aim point forward 40 meters, aft 30 meters.  After 90 seconds = 1300 meters detonation, the 2nd torpedo was heard for 7 minutes, the boat cut under.
		12.57		At periscope depth.  Stern sank vertically, hit was located at the after edge of the bridge.  About 7 lifeboats were seen, the two tugs lie next to the steamer.  Boat ran of to the north against the current, because we have come too close to the sands.
		14.15		21 minutes after the hit the aftership has settled so far that the bridge and the smokestack were only still seen with the top edge above the water.  The bow juts out of the water at an angle of 50-60°.
				The two tugs have taken over the crew, a few lifeboats are seen empty with a few in tow course 270° for England.
		15.40	Kwinte Bank Buoy bearing 140°T, 4 nm away	Surfaced. Took course for the wreck, to determine the name, meanwhile a Radio Message was received:  New operations area "Grossand".
		16.40	Vicinity of Kwinte Bank	Met "U-62", turned over operations area.
		17.30		Searched in the floating wreckage of the steamer.  On a drifting empty lifeboat: "SIGURDS FAULBAUMS", Riga.  Fished out an English Sailing Handbook for the Norwegian Sea Coast.  From a second lifeboat, this name was painted over, salvaged a briefcase. Owner a Belgian "Roland Cornrille, from Ostende, Corps de Marine, 2. Escadrille B.P.S. No. 26, Arme Belge En Compange."  Content of the portfolio:  Textbooks of radio technology, letter, Nautical Handbook, inspection certificate for 19.11.1939.
				I believe that it was an important steamer, possibly a material transport:
				1.)  Because it was towed by 2 tugs.  As a neutral Latvian, he could have stayed in Ostende quietly.
				2.)  Because it was only lightly loaded, from this is could be concluded that he had loaded a lot of space-demanding equipment.  Additionally, in the water a bunch of slats were seen for tent construction.
				3.)  Because the owner of the portfolio was a Belgian soldier, which can be seen on his letter from the sender.  It is accepted that the larger part of the crew consisted of soldiers.
				4.)  A third lifeboat bore the inscription "Fiume" on the back and was constructed differently

Sun and Moon Data 23.05.40

	- 7 -
		continued
		23.05.40		than the first two.  Additionally the tugs took lifeboats with them, suggesting that the steamer was equipped with additional lifeboats. Apparently the ship went through the Sands, because with the slow tow speed of 2 knots being driven off course is feared.
		18.30	Low clouds, rain, WSW 2	Boat has reached the wreck.  It lies in 17-18 meters water depth.  The bow still juts out of the water 15 meters at 50-60°.  On the bow is the name "SIGURDS FAULBAUM".
			North end of Buiten - Ratel Bank
				Gave up the intention to have the steamer examined by the Watch Officer:
				1.)  In the current and the semi-sunken wreck I could easily have fouled the propellers while maneuvering.
				2.)  With the low cloud level I was too exposed to surprise airplane attacks.
				Moved off to the north.
		19.00	AN 8757 upper-half	Crash dive for aircraft.  Boat put on the bottom, due to opposing current.
		22.00	SW 1-2	Surfaced, proceeded to the north to the new operations area.
		22.30	AN 8755	Was overflown by aircraft.
		24.00	AN 8753
			SW 1-2, Vis. bad
		24.05.40
		02.14		A shadow comes towards us form the west out of the dark, suspect a U-boat.
		04.00	AN 8482	Avoided to starboard.
			Twilight, Vis. bad, SW 3-4		.
		04.25	AN 8482	Dived, put the boat on the bottom depth 41 meters.
				By plotting and celestial navigation fix I am at the latitude of 52°08'N off the English Warning Area.
				Shortly before high water, at strongest current tomorrow night I want to proceed through the Warning Area into my operations area.
		11.30		Proceeded at periscope depth, to hear Very Low Frequency Program Time.  Afterwards put the boat on the bottom.
		17.00		Surfaced, shot the sun, ventilated the boat.
		17.15		Dived, put the boat on the bottom.
		22.30		Surfaced for Program Time and to shoot the stars.
				Afterwards dived, waited for the time of heaviest current and high water, to pass through the Warning Area.

	Sun and Moon Data 23.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 24.05.40

	- 8 -
		25.05.40
		00.30	SW 1, moonshine, misty	Surfaced.  Transit through the English Warning Area at φ = 52°08'N on course 270°.
		01.45		Drifting mine 200 meters to starboard.
		02.05	AN 8472	Passed the English Warning Area.  Ran closer to the coast.
		03.00	AN 8471	2 shadows in sight to starboard in the moonshine, 1000 meters away.  Taken as a small cruisers or large destroyers with 1 smokestack.  Initiated attack.
			Moonshine, SSW 1
				Permission to fire at 1000 meters.  Tubes were not reported ready.  Reduced speed to a stop, at range 300 meters the tubes are still not ready, the outer tube doors can only be opened slowly, destroyers no longer have target angle 80°, instead decreased to 40° - 30° - 20° - , behind had target angle 0°, distance 600 meters.
		03.18		Crash dived, pity it was a beautiful opportunity.
		03.24		Destroyer propellers over the boat.  5 depth charges, lay close.  "Ready with Tauchretter".  AK ahead hard to port.
				Afterwards listening speed again.
		03.40		6 depth charges just as close.  Boat ran on zigzag course.  The boat was heavy, regulating tank was pumped out by compressed air, the resulting oil slick was noticed.
		04.30	AN 7693	As a result 5 depth charges, lay well.  With southerly current we moved off to the south, now I want to use the northerly current with N course.  1 motor KF, gyro compass, ventilator and all machinery except for the listening converter turned off.
		07.00		6 depth charges, lay very close.  When propeller sounds were over the boat, went to AK.  Depth charges lay close to the stern, then both motors stopped.  The boat continually touched the bottom at silent speed at depth 36 meters.  Since 06.00 hours all men sit in the engine room, the boat is 3° down by the stern, we do not come up.  Both E-motor bearings bang loudly, port E-motor has a strong singing tone.
				After 30 minutes the G.H.G. converter is in service again.  Forward diving plane gets difficult to move, rudders rattle, aft antenna is out of service.  The following machinery is out of service: depth sounder, speed measurement, air compressor, RPM indicator and crash dive system, magnetic compass swings strongly, deviation has increased to over 30°, air search periscope mirror, attack periscope dirty, blurry, main drain pump, starboard friction clutch out of service, emergency lighting.  Everything that was screwed down with wood screws in the radio room  has fallen, mirrors etc. kaput.  Piping from compressed air bottle group 1 to the high pressure connection leaks.  Short Wave transmitter, Under Water Telegraphy receiver, gyro compass, engine telegraph failed, however are in service again.  See the Kriegstagebuch Maschine concerning further failures.

Sun and Moon Data 25.05.40

	- 9 -
		continued
		25.05.40		Now the rattling is so bad that I decide to put the boat on the bottom and let it drift without engines, especially since S-gear had not been detected and the two destroyers were always able to hear us easily again despite many zig-zags and creeping.  Additionally had the boat held only through pumping however ballast and regulating tanks have not been cleaned for 1 year and caused oil traces.  These were observed in the ballast tanks in the harbor and were accepted in the regulating tanks because after both pumping attempts the depth charges were well-placed.
		07.15		Told the crew to sleep at diving stations, the boat was strongly down by the bow.
				Given to all stations: "Boat is acting as if it has been sunk, surfacing intended at midnight."
		08.12		1 depth charge a bit further off.
		08.15		1     "         "       "        "        "
				Now S-gear is heard:  180 beats in 1 minute.
		08.35		4 depth charges well-placed.  Listening converter was shut off.  Crew does not budge.  No sound escapes to the outside.  The bow down attitude reaches 10-12°.
				New S-gear heard.
				42 double impacts in 1 minute.  Over us now continuous sounds are heard from a  destroyer proceeding slowly.
		11.00		1 depth charge a bit further off.  Crew receives 1 bar of chocolate and 1 potash cartridge with breathing tube.
				Kommandant, Chief Engineer and Watch Officer alternate watch in the control room.
		12.00		Day's run:  Surfaced 24 nm, Submerged 10 nm
				1 depth charge however far off.
				Now the listening gear was occasionally turned on on orders of the Kommandant.
		13.00		Destroyer propellers over the boat.
				S-gear heard, gropes for the boat, then it is vertically above the boat, like a depth sounder.
		15.00		3-5 destroyers over the boat.	.
		16.30		Sound is audible, as if a buoy weight has fallen on the foreship.
		17.30		S-gear again.
		19.10		Sounds again, as if weights were being drawn over the boat.
		20.00		Destroyer over the boat.  Some destroyers remain stopped each time at the boat and at times only proceed on engines after hours.
		21.30		Destroyer over the boat.
		22.30		Destroyer over the boat.  1 depth charge however far off.

Sun and Moon Data 25.05.40

	- 10 -
		continued
		25.05.40		At 23.30 hours it is first completely dark.  The moon rises at 01.00 hours.  Between 02.00 - 04.00 hours is the period of the strongest current and high water, provided I can get through the Warning Area.  Therefore I must surface between 23.30 and 00.30 hours.
		22.40		Sounds disappear.
				GHG-converter was started. Destroyers are still easily heard in the listening gear.
				I want to wait until they are over the boat again and run off, then, without using the loud machinery, pumps or the loud periscope motor, surface suddenly with compressed air and move off with E-motors.  A few star azimuths are calculated to be able to steer course 90° without the compass.
		22.50		1 destroyer goes to listening speed and then stops.
		24.00		GHG-converter shut off.  Destroyer over the boat.  S-gear.
				1 depth charge well placed and close.
		26.05.40
		00.10		GHG-converter was started. Sounds are easy to hear, however moving away.  Surfaced with compressed air, center and forward.
		00.25	AN 8471	Shadow of a stopped patrol vessel astern 300 meters away.  Suddenly the emergency illumination functions again and burns in the conning tower, so that a bright light penetrates upwards.  Closed the tower hatch.
			Dark night, cloudy, marine phosphorescence, SSW 1
				Searchlight of the destroyer moving off searches astern to port on the horizon.
				Showed the shadows the stern, moved off with both E-motors HF.  Both diesels are still ready to dive.  The north star was visible briefly.  From that the magnetic compass showed:  90° true is 125° magnetic.
		00.35		Shadow was clearer.  Continued on with both diesels HF.  Unpleasant marine phosphorescence.  Every few minutes stars rise [illumination flares] in the vicinity and searchlights illuminate.  There must be many patrol vessels in the vicinity.
		01.15	AN 8472	To all stations: "Boat runs in the English Warning Area."
			Cloudy, dark night, moonshine only rarely and weak	Now we feel safe.	.
				Every 10 minutes main ballast tank 1 is re-blown, the vent is leaking.
		0x.50	AN 8482	By piloting the Warning Area is passed.
				Drifting mine 50 meters abeam.
			AN 8483	Dived, put the boat on the bottom depth 52 meters.  Damage partly repaired.

	Sun and Moon Data 25.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 26.05.40

	- 11 -
		continued
		26.05.40
		12.00		Day's run:  Surfaced 36 nm, Submerged xx nm
		19.00		Incoming Radio Message:  U-9 accelerate transit to West Hinder.
		22.41	AN 8483	Surfaced.
			SW 3, Vis. bad	Sent Short Signal:  Have begun return transit due to machinery damage and weapons failure.
				Main reason: out of service were:
				Air compressor	(crash diving limited)
				Main ballast tank 1
				Friction clutch (runs hot)
				Echolot depth sounder.
				Boat is unusable for listening speed.  Diesel and propellers vibrate strongly, the diesels have no reliability, especially since they are also heavily sanded from lying on the bottom.
				The outer torpedo tube door of tube II cannot be opened.  The piston can no longer be pushed through torpedo tube III, it is only still operable for surface firing, however, main ballast tank 3 must also be flooded, so that the boat has zero down angle during firing and surface running is avoided.
		24.00	AN 8439
		27.05.40
		04.00	AN 8249
		04.30		Dived.  After Radio Message Program Time put the boat on the bottom depth 30 meters.		.
		12.00	AN 8219	Day's run:  Surfaced 58 nm, Submerged 7 nm
		12.40                   Vis. very good, clear sky [atü = gauge pressure - absolute pressure minus ambient atmospheric pressure]		I want to shoot the sun, to finally have a good ship's position and proceed to 25 nm off the exit of Route 1α, so that I can come in tonight, because I can no longer dive often and must get back with a compressed air supply of 170 atü.
		16.00	AN 8213	Dived and put the boat on the bottom depth 38 meters.
		22.30	AN 8213	Surfaced, continued on.
			Bright twilight
		23.00	Dark twilight	Crash dive for approaching destroyer shadow.
		24.00		Surfaced, continued on.
		28.05.40
		02.00	Route 1α
		04.00		Dived, put the boat on the bottom depth 36 meters.
		12.00		Day's run:
				Surfaced proceeded to 10 nm off the exit of Route 1α
		16.00		Dived, continued submerged.  Tonight during darkness I want to pass the area off Borkum and Norderney.

	Sun and Moon Data 26.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 27.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 28.05.40

	- 12 -
		continued
		28.05.40
		23.30		Surfaced, continued on.
		29.05.40
		07.00	Helgoland, rain, misty, Vis. 1500 meters	Ran in.
		10.00		Departed, proceeded to Brunsbüttel behind a Sperrbrecher.
		19.00	Brunsbüttel	Made fast in the lock.
		20.00		Made fast alongside _________.
		30.05.40
		04.00	Fog.
		06.00	Brunsbüttel	Cast off.
		14.00	Holtenau	Made fast in the lock.
		14.30	Kiel	Made fast Tirpitz Mole.
					.
			E  x  p  e  r  i  e  n  c  e    R  e  p  o  r  t  . 1.) The Current Atlas can be put to good use in the East Area (at the exit of the Scheldt up to the West Hinder Bank). 2.) From Sea State 4 the intake side if the diesel cooling water piping was clogged by algae and shells. 3.) The boat was heavily sanded in the area, despite the boat laying in the bottom a few degrees bow down; the periscope may not be completely retracted, otherwise it will sand up. 4.) The shipping route north of the Kwinte Bank was no longer used.  It was accepted that the traffic from Zeebrugge - Ostende for England was directed through the Sands south of the Kwinte Bank, where U-boat attack is more difficult, especially since it was mentioned in the German Radio Broadcast in comments in the OKW Report on 17 May [Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Report] that now more U-boats would be sent into this area.  Unfortunately the steamer "SIGURD FAULBAUM" remains lying visibly jutting out of the water on the Buiten Ratel Bank and warns shipping. 5.) Own Schnellbooten must be prohibited from entering areas of U-boat operations, at a minimum, they must pass through the areas in the shortest possible time at the appointed time.  There, wherever enemy U-boat hunters turn up, a U-boat cannot engage in Recognition Signal exchange at night. 6.) The boat was subjected to a 21-hour listening, S-gear and depth charge pursuit.  The 31 depth charges seemed to lie at the limit of their destructive effect. [any closer and the boat would be destroyed] (Men were thrown out of their bunks, the pressure hull breathed strongly, the diesel mounting bolts jumped off.)   Without exception the crew behaved calmly, and tough in endurance.  It proved itself perfectly.  Above all the Chief Engineer, Oblt.(Ing.) Wiebe, Fk.Mt. Schunke, who made his 12th war patrol, carefully and cool-headedness spent

	Sun and Moon Data 28.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 29.05.40
	Sun and Moon Data 30.05.40

	- 13 -
[Auer = Auergesellschaft maker of the potash cartridges]			the entire day at the listening device and was a good support for the Kommandanten. Furthermore, especially Zentrale Maat. Masch.Mt. Altenburger, who provided well considered service the entire time on his own initiative.   For 13 hours, the crew breathed with Auer-Potash Cartridges, which proved to be good.  A vexation was the much too narrow, pinching nose-clip on the breathing tube.  Care must be taken that sleepers do not lose the tube from their mouth.   The S-gear was mainly heard with the loud clock tick-like noise of 180 beats per minute.  It is believed that the boat was sometimes saved by ordering AK ahead, when the destroyer was over the boat, the depth charges hit close behind the boat and would otherwise have been even closer.   The enemy seems to throw depth charges with time fusing, because he crept at listening speed over the boat and about 30 seconds later the first charge went off.   It was believed that the enemy considered the boat lost from 08.35 hours, and then patrolled to preclude a possible escape and make everything ready to lift and tow.  Reasoning   1.) Only individual depth charges came since then, the last at 24.00 hours, perhaps to intimidate the boat and show that the monitoring is in order.   2.) The S-gear often felt for the boat, finally from above like a sounder.  It must be noted that the boat lay suspiciously down by the bow, with the bow at about 38 meters, with the tail only 25 meters deep.   3.) About 5 vessels were detected in the afternoon, each of which stopped and seemed to be listening, but no sounds came from the boat.   4.) Noises were clearly heard that suggest that several buoys were thrown to mark the dive location.   5.) When surfacing a patrol vessel lay at the diving location, chiefly to facilitate orientation for the destroyers patrolling at night.   6.) The escape of the boat was a pure luck, because there was the possibility of surfacing and escape for only an hour which the enemy could also calculate.  That the boat was not seen when surfacing 300 meters away is patrol vessel luck.   7.) It was accepted that the depth charges, even when well-placed, were lethally effective only in rare cases, that is to say when the pressure hull or outboard closures was damaged.     During the pursuit most of all the loud ticking of the S-gear and the and grinding of the destroyers over the boat were uncomfortable.  As a whole they placed high demands on the crew.  It is assumed the crew would not have be able to withstand a similar severe trial during their first war patrols, since this requires a lot of experience, training and, above all, comradeship.

 

	Enclosures to U-9's KTB - click on the text at left to proceed to the document
Torpedo	Torpedo firing report

 

	Comments of the Befehlshabers der Unterseeboote.
	1.) The patrol was carried out under difficult conditions with skill and cold bloodlessness.  The disengagement from the depth charge encirclement is a classic example of how to overcome a difficult situation with cool-headedness and initiative. 2.) On 21 May:   Confirmation of a short signal requires a longer time because it takes place with an encoded radio message. 3.) Simultaneous operation of S-Booten and U-boats must be tolerated, even if it is not possible to precisely specify the passing of S-Booten.
		Signed in draft  D  ö  n  i  t  z  .
		for the Befehlshabers der Unterseeboote
		- the Chief of the Operations Department -

 

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