F.d.U./B.d.U.'S War Log

16 - 31 May 1941

PG30289

	Date Position, Wind, Weather   and Sea State, Illumination, Events Time Air Pressure, Moonlight etc.
	16.5.   West Group boats are in the following positions:   U 111   AJ 6386   U 94   AJ 6678   U 556   AK 4487   U 97   AK 4876   U 93   AK 7275   U 98   AK 7385   U 74   AK 8486   U 109   AK 8312   The following are west of the North Channel:     U 65   AL 2848   U 96   AL 6346   In the area S.W. of the Faroes:     U 138   AE 9775     Outward bound:       U 43   BE 7585   U 46   BF 5499     On return passage:       U 201   BE 2365     In the southern area, off Freetown:       U 107   EJ 74   U 105   ET 49     In the supply area:       U 106   ER 53   U 38   ES 44   U 103   ER 39     On passage to operations area:       UA   DS 63   U 69   EJ 41   4 Italian boats (J 11, J 15, J 6, J 25) in patrol line from BE 1525 to BE 2415.   On return passage:     J 20   BE 2865   J 4   BF 4699   From the southern area:     J 3   CG 44   The order given to the Western boats on procedure in the blockade area has been altered as follows on the instructions of the Naval War Staff:
	- 73 -

 

	Date Position, Wind, Weather   and Sea State, Illumination, Events Time Air Pressure, Moonlight etc.
	Immediate action is permitted outside the blockade area: 1) In accordance with Standing war Order No. 101 paragraph II 4 b - d and 5. 2) Against enemy merchant ships in neutral convoy.  Warships sailing outside the blockade area, independent or as convoy escort, are only to be attacked if they are identified as enemy for certain or if darkened or if they take action first.       U 105 reported as sunk:     "Benwrakie" (6,434 tons) FD 36   "Bienvenue" (5,920 tons) ET 72   "Rodney Star" (11,803 tons) ET 47   The boat has one man wounded owing to a tube runner.  She has orders to hand over the wounded man to EGERLAND at point ROT and to refuel for return passage to Lorient.         17.5.   U 43 has been allocated as attack area the position vacated by U 201 in the disposition of the Western boats.  These boats are to form a patrol line from square AJ 6385 to AK 8485.           At present they are:  U 111, 94, 556 (43), 97, 93, 98, `09, 74.           U 65 has again been ordered to report the weather and again failed to reply.  There is grave concern about this boat.         18.5.   U 38, 103 and 106 reported supply carried out.  EGERLAND's torpedo stocks are thus used up except for 6 torpedoes.  A request has been made for another supply ship to be sent to the southern area for U-boats and approved by Naval War Staff.           U 66 reported 620 N. passed.       U 201 entered Lorient.       Air reconnaissance observed a convoy inward-bound at 1030 in AM 4842, course 700.  An escort unit reported the aircraft at the same time and gave the position as AM 4831, course 730.  U 128 and 96 were informed.  Another convoy was observed by aircraft in AM 1618, course 1600 at 1700.     19.5.   U 96 reported that she was returning and had sunk a 9,000 GRT tanker from a convoy and other tankers totaling 24,000 GRT from U 123's convoy.
	- 74 -

 

	Date Position, Wind, Weather   and Sea State, Illumination, Events Time Air Pressure, Moonlight etc.
	The British S.S. Piako, 8,253 GRT, was torpedoed in the Freetown area P.M. on the 18th.     Aircraft reported one inward and one outward bound convoy in North Minch.       The Italian U-boat OTARIA reported a convoy, course 700, in AL 8855 at 1000.  U-boat BIANCHI and BARBARIGO were in the vicinity.       Radio intelligence indicates that S.S. Starcon, 4,662 GRT was torpedoed in this area.           U 94 made contact with a convoy in AJ 6636 at 1655, course N.  She was ordered to stick to it.  All Western boats were ordered to operate and U 94 not to attack until other boats had arrived.         20.5.   At 0050 U 94 reported the enemy on a course of 3100, about 15 steamers and one auxiliary cruiser.  Further shadowers' reports showed that visibility was beginning to deteriorate.  It was thought that no other boats had reached the convoy and U 94 was ordered to make beacon-signals.  At 0400 she was given permission to attack.  She sank a 6,000 GRT ship, but then lost contact at 0545 in a fog. She pressed on and regained contact at 0905 in AJ 3773.  At 1026 U 556 requested beacon-signals and must therefore have been nearby.     By 1300 U 93 and by 1504 U 98 had reached the enemy.     Radio Intelligence reported 5 ships torpedoed.     At 1930 U 94 reported contact lost.  Convoy apparently dispersed.  She later added that the convoy's last course observed was 00 and that the auxiliary cruiser and the fast ships had made off independently.  Besides these she had observed a group of 5 probably slow ships.  U 98 and 556 started on their return passage, the former because of fuel shortage, the later because she has used all her torpedoes.  According to Radio Intelligence the following ships were torpedoed from the convoy, which had not yet dispersed.:     Tanker SAN FELIX 13,037 GRT   Tanker BRITISH SECURITY 8,470 GRT   S.S. ROTHERMERE 5,356 GRT   S.S. JOHN P. PETERSEN 6,128 GRT   S.S. DARLINGTON COURT 4,974 GRT       According to reports so far received from boats the following has been sunk:     U 94 1 ship 6,000 GRT (not included in Radio Intelligence figures) U 94 J.P. Petersen 6,128 GRT   U 556 2 tankers 22,000 GRT   U 556 1 ship 5,000 GRT
	- 75 -

 

	Date Position, Wind, Weather   and Sea State, Illumination, Events Time Air Pressure, Moonlight etc.
	6 ships totaling 43,965 GRT torpedoed, of which, according to boats' reports, 5 ships totaling 39,128 GRT sunk.     U 556 reported the total results of her patrol 7 ships totaling 49,900 GRT.       U 46 has been allocated a position in the disposition of the Western Group.         U 73 left Lorient for enemy patrol.         21.5.   U 93 made contact with a convoy at 0200.  She first reported 10 ships, later 18.  Course N.E., 10 knots.  This was probably a part of the scattered convoy, or the convoy itself.  The number of ships was greater, but this could be due to an error on the part of this boat or U 94.  Later U 93 reported 5 destroyers with the convoy.  She was given freedom to attack as soon as other boats did so and made shadowers' reports until 2100.           U 98 started on her return passage, having used all her torpedoes and sunk altogether 35,356 GRT.         22.5.   No further reports were received of the convoy.  All boats were ordered to report if they had reached it and, if they had no contact to make their position by short signal.  Position reports were received from U 46, 66, 557 and 94.  They therefore had no contact.  U 74 reported serious depth-charge damage and was forced to return (W. France).     Boats were ordered to move off to the S.W. to square AJ 60.           U 69 reported sinking S.S. EXMOOR, 4,999 GRT and TEWKESBURY, 4,601 GRT.       U 105 had supplied.       At 1710 U 111 sighted the convoy, apparently strongly escorted.  This confirmed my opinion that it was best for the boats to break off the attack now.  While all the boats were making for their new position, dummy radio traffic was started to deceive the enemy into believing that the attack was going on.  U 111 made dummy signals.  Radio messages were received from U 93, showing that she had not pursued the convoy and that her transmitter had been temporarily out of order, but was now working again.   The attack on the convoy was then concluded.  All boats taking part reported afterwards and according to these reports the results were:   U 94 1 ship unidentified 6,000 GRT   U 94 JOHN P. PETERSEN 6,128 GRT   U 556 2 tankers, unidentified 22,000 GRT   U 556 1 ship, unidentified 5,000 GRT
	- 76 -

 

	Date Position, Wind, Weather   and Sea State, Illumination, Events Time Air Pressure, Moonlight etc.
	U 98 1 ship unidentified 10,000 GRT   U 98 ROTHERMERE 5,356 GRT   U 109 1 ship, unidentified 7,000 GRT   U 93 1 ship, unidentified 10,000 GRT     Total: 71,484 GRT