-32-
 
 
      249
Copy No. 171
                                       11
Top Secret.
 
 
     
 
Current Order No. 63 of November 43.
 
     
  1)  The increasingly strong defence of the enemy, compels us to take full advantage and make a success of every opportunity of firing which occurs, even when take by surprise.  The T 5 is the weapon, qualified to make the U-boat the dangerous attacker and not the hunted, even in the case of clashes with the enemy.  
     
          Since in the Iceland channel up to 20° West and in the Bay of Biscay to 2° West, anti-submarine surface patrols are mainly to be reckoned with, cruises through the maritime area are to be made with as many T 5's as possible in the tubes.  
     
  2)  At night carry continually one bow and one stern tube, with T 5 if possible, ready to fire.  That is to say:  flood tubes, bow cap open.  
     
  +++Tube remains secured.  Immediate readiness for firing is to be guaranteed by adequately practised way of passing orders.  Reason for this alteration:  on one boat, as the result of a short circuit, a T 5 fell unintentionally into the firing installation.  
     
          Settings:  depth 4, firing angle 0 or 180, steering West-South, gyro angling spanners engaged.  Firing gear of the stern tube switched to the bridge.  
     
  3)  With unexpected targets, one should fire over the netcutter with positions between 20-160° ahead over the cam.  
     
  N.B.  In case our own U-boats should be operating in the same area, it must be remembered that firing is forbidden against U-boats unless definitely identified as the enemy.  
     
          The officer of the watch is responsible for giving permission to fire the torpedoes; if the C.O. is not on the bridge he must order a crash dive after firing.  
     
  N.B.  The C.O. retains full responsibility and may on occasions stop the officer ++ concerned from giving commands on grounds of lack of training.  
     
  4)  Draw off the water daily from the tubes which are flooded at night and draw out the torpedoes in order to carry out the daily routine.