U-743 - 1st War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with help from Andi Forster

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

				Copy No.   1
			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h  !
				"  U    7  4  3  "
			1st Patrol.
				Kommandant:  Oberleutnant z.See  K  a  n  d  z  i  o  r  .
				Beginning:  15 June 1944
				Ending    :  21 June 1944.
			Distribution:     Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine Copy No. 1 Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine Copy No. 2 Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine 2 Skl.B.d.U. -Op- Copy No. 3 Kommandierender Admiral der Unterseeboote Copy No. 4 Marineoberkommando Ostsee / F.d.U. Mitte Copy No. 5 Führer der Underseebootes-Ausbildung Copy No. 6 Kommando der 27. Unterseeboote-Flottille Copy No. 7 Kommando der   3. Unterseeboote-Flottille Copy No. 8     Enclosures:   1 Track Chart To Copy No. 2 - 8 1 Excerpt of the Important Radio Messages To Copy No. 2 - 8
				© U-boat Archive 2023 - all rights reserved

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

	- 1 -
		15.06.44
		07.45	Kiel	Cast off from ST LOUIS.
		08.05	Kiel	Passed the timber barrier - Sent passing report.
		08.55	Kiel Lightship	Taken in convoy.
		12.00	AO 7725
			WNW 4, Sea 2-3, short swell, 7/10, 1017 mb, Vis. very good
		15.42	AO 7725	Began transit in convoy to Kristiansand.  (Delayed because the [mine countermeasures] gear of the escort vessels is not ready).
		16.00	AO 7726
			NW 3-4, Sea 1-2, short Swell, 5/10, 1018 mb, Vis. very good
		20.00	AO 7517
			WNW 2-3, Sea 1-2, short Swell, 4/10, 1017 mb, Vis. medium
		21.48	Great Belt AO 7514	Passed Korsör.  Passing report sent to MSS Korsör.
		22.03	AO 7514	Beginning of twilight.  Set light.
		24.00	AO 7198
			WNW 2, Sea 1-2, short Swell, 4/10, 1017 mb, bright night, Vis. medium
		16.06.44
		03.35	AO 7241	Beginning of twilight.
		04.00	AO 7241
			WNW 4-5, Sea 2-3, light Swell, 5/10, 1016 mb, Vis. medium
		04.27	AO 7217	Extinguished lights.
		08.00	AO 4878
			WNW 3, Sea 1, flat Sea, 8/10, 1013 mb, Vis. very good
		12.00	AO 4575	Day's run:  Surfaced  201.0 nm
			W 2, Sea 1, flat Sea, 8/10, 1013 mb, Vis. good

	Sun and Moon Data 15.06.44
	Sun and Moon Data 16.06.44

	- 2 -
		continued
		16.06.44	Skagerrak
		15.23		Escort from the 19. M.S.-Flottille released.  Taken in convoy by an escort of the 16. Vp.-Flottille.
		16.00	AO 4547
			W 2, Sea 1-2, short Swell, 6/10, 1011 mb, Vis. good
		20.00	AO 4426
			NE 3, Sea 1-2, short Swell, 7/10, 1012 mb, drizzle, Vis. bad
		22.08	AO 4415	Beginning of twilight.
		22.10	AO 4415	Deep dive attempt to depth 2A +20 meters, with Crash dive.
		23.40	AO 4414	Surfaced.
		24.00	AO 3636
			NE 3, Sea 1-2, short Swell, overcast, drizzle, 1012 mb, Vis. bad
		17.06.44
		03.12	AN 3616	Beginning of twilight.
		03.44	AN 3616	Ran into Kristiansandsfjord.
		04.52	Kristiansand	Made fast Marviken - Naval outfitter - place for fuel oil and provisions supply.
				Day's run:  Surfaced       142.5 nm
				Submerged       4.5 nm
				147.0 nm
		18.06.44	Kristiansand
		13.40		Cast off from Marviken.
		13.52	Kristiansandsfjord	Gave passing report to MSS Kristiansand.
		14.00	Kristiansandsfjord	Taken in convoy for transit to Eigerøy.
		16.00	AN 3538
			W 1-2, Sea 1, flat Sea, 5/10, Vis. very good, 1015 mb
		20.00	AN 3279
			WNW 3-4, Sea 1-2, light Swell, 2/10, 1024 mb, Vis. very good

	Sun and Moon Data 16.06.44
	Sun and Moon Data 17.06.44
	Sun and Moon Data 18.06.44

	- 3 -
		continued
		18.06.44	Southwest coast of Norway
		21.23	AN 3196	Released from convoy.
		23.38	AN 3181	Beginning of twilight.
		24.00	AN 3181
			NW 3, Sea 2, light Swell, 8/10, bright night, 1026 mb, Vis. good
		19.06.44
		00.44	AN 3145	Dived with Crash dive.  Began submerged transit.
		12.00	AN 4339	Day's run:  Surfaced       141.0 nm
				Submerged     14.8 nm
				155.8 nm
		13.22	AN 4336	Began snorkeling.  Alternating snorkeling with E-motors.
		16.00	AN 4332
			W 2-3, Sea 1-2, light Swell, overcast, Vis. medium to bad, 1025 mb
		22.00	AN 2892
			NW 2-3, Sea 1-2, flat sea, overcast, Vis. medium, 1025 mb
		20.06.44
		06.00	AN 2865
			NW 2, Sea 1, overcast, Vis. medium
		12.00	AN 2398	Day's run:  Submerged 63.5 nm
		14.00	AN 2398
			NNW 3-4, Sea 2, overcast, Vis. medium, slight Swell
		15.08	AN 2835	Surfaced, because with the medium to low-lying cloud deck I would recognize aircraft too late in the periscope and believe surprise is more dangerous than on the surface.

	Sun and Moon Data 18.06.44
	Sun and Moon Data 19.06.44
	Sun and Moon Data 20.06.44

	- 4 -
		continued
		20.06.44	Southwest coast of Norway
		16.00	AN 2398
			NW 4, Sea 2, light Swell, overcast, Vis. medium, 1017 mb
		18.58	AN 2355	4-engined aircraft in sight bearing 230°T, 230°R, 5000 - 6000 meters, from left to right (half in flyby, half in approach) - Aircraft!
				Radio Message Beta Beta:  Was attacked by aircraft square AN 2335.
				No detection.
				Approach.  I put the aircraft astern.  The twin 2 cm fire, the 3.7 cm does not.  Sprocket torn. "Liberator" carries on despite well placed 2 cm fire and at the same time as on-board weapons are shooting throws 4 bombs which fall in the water 40-50 meters ahead to starboard because the boat is turning to port with hard rudder.
				Heavy concussion.  The deluges of water break over the bridge together.  Besides minor failures the hull closure of torpedo tube II fails (material failure).
				The boat was reported clear to dive.  New approach.  In the course of which the aircraft shoots only on-board weapons.  The 3.7 cm is still not operable.  2 men lightly wounded, one severely wounded.
				3rd approach in a turn to port.  The fire of the twin 2 cm is well placed at the target.  Hits observed.  2 bombs fall at the level of the galley hatch, 20 meters away in the water.  Very heavy concussion.  The after-ship settles.  The fuel oil gravity feed tank tears loose.  The galley hatch jumps open.  Luckily the hatch back up is in place.  After a brief time the boat is reported ready again.  No further attacks.  3.7 cm now shoots single shots.  The aircraft holds contact out of range at 4000 - 5000 meters.  Send everyone below deck except the 3.7 cm operators who continue to fire.  A short time later also let these enter, came to opposite course from the aircraft and Crash dived to depth A meters.
		20.03	AN 2335	Dived with Crash dive.
		20.25	AN 2335	Began submerged transit to Bergen.  Boat cleaned up.  No damage repaired.

Sun and Moon Data 20.06.44

	- 5 -
		21.06.44	West coast of Norway
		01.00	AN 2336	Surfaced.
				Outgoing Radio Message 034:
				11. U-Flottille.  "Liberator" fended off, damage, 1 severely wounded, request escort, position 06.00 hours off Hellisøy.
				U-Kandzior.
		01.15	AN 2414	Dived.  Continued submerged transit to Bergen.
		05.45		Severely wounded deceased.
		07.04	Hellisøy	Passed.
		08.37	Hellisøy	Taken in convoy for transit to Bergen.
		11.10	Bergen	Made fast U-boat Base.
				Day's run:  Surfaced        57.0 nm
				Submerged     24.5 nm
				81.5 nm
				Total distance covered nm:
				Day's run:  Surfaced        541.5 nm
				Submerged    107.5 nm
				649.0 nm
				=======
				On board 21 June 1944
				Oblt.z.See and Kommandant.

Sun and Moon Data 21.06.44

	Comments of the Befehlshabers der Unterseeboote
	on the K.T.B. of "U-743" (Kandzior) from 15.6. - 21.6.1944.
	Immediately on the 1st patrol the boat was offered the routine "stale bread" of the last year.  The Kommandant proved up to the task and fought the attacks correctly.
		For the Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
		- The Chief of the Operations Department -

Click the icons to view the associated records
	Return to the U-boat KTB page