SM U-43 - 7th 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

Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
16 Apr 17	08.00 - 12.00	52°24'N, 16°11'W	ENDYMION	1,345	Russian
16 Apr 17	16.00	52°06'N, 16°20'W	TOWERGATE	3,697	British
16 Apr 17	23.00	51°38'N, 17°15'W	ANNE	240	Danish
20 Apr 17	11.30	50°55'N, 16°19'W	SAN HILARIO	10,157	British
20 Apr 17	16.40	50°26'N, 16°32'W	AUGUST	1,596	Russian
22 Apr 17	23.00	50°24'N, 18°53'W	WOODWARD ABRAMS	744	American
24 Apr 17	22.00	51°06'N, 15°17'W	CORDELIA	613	Swedish
25 Apr 17	02.00	51°10'N, 14°58'W	ABOSSO	7,782	British
26 Apr 17	11.00	51°26'N, 17°36'W	EHRGLIS	238	Russian
26 Apr 17	23.00	50°30'N, 18°10'W	HEKTORIA	5,002	Norwegian
3 May 17	07.30	54°16'N, 3°54'E	EMMA (Prize)	183	Dutch
3 May 17	07.30	54°16'N, 3°54'E	CONCORDIA (Prize)	173	Dutch
			Total = 31,770
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.

			G  a  n  z  G  e  h  e  i  m  !
			===================
			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h
			S.M.Unterseeboot  "U 43".
			Kommandant  :  Korvettenkapitän    J  ü  r  s  t  .
				Beginning:  8. April 1917
				Ending  :      4 May 1917.
				© U-boat Archive 2023 - all rights reserved

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

	- 1 -
		08.04.17	Emden
			Outer harbor
		01.15 pm		After completing outfitting cast off and steered down the Ems.
		03.00 - 05.00	Borkum Roadstead	Test dive, meeting with Flottillenchef.
		05.00		Proceeded through the Hubertgat with "U-50" escorted by a Flottillenboot, then taken under escort by a formation from the Vorpostenflottille and boats of the XIX.Halbflottille.  Proceeded behind search gear.
		11.00	006 epsilon VII	Search gear was taken in, at depth 18 meters headed out of the blockade area.  While proceeding submerged a bearing in the starboard double dynamo was warm, it took until 9 April at 3.00 pm to install the spare bearing.
				signed in draft Jürst
		09.04.17	North Sea
		12.30 pm	SW 4, squalls	Surfaced, headed for Terschelling Lightship
		03.50 - 06.30	WSW 4	Doggerbank South Lightship abeam, dived due to reported U-boats, then continued transit to the north.
		07.30		Met "U-24", gave navigation fix and mine information.  His radio transmitter was out of service.  On request sent:  Objective Terschelling , then 10-meter limit, because I have no mine deflector.  U-24.  Position report.
			122 gamma VII
				On the route Terschelling - Doggerbank Lightship met several fishing trawlers.
				signed in draft Jürst
		10.04.17	North Sea
		08.30 am	NW 5	Met "U-46", gave instructions for steering in the Ems, position report.  Entered the mined area.
			091 gamma IV
		11.00 - 12.20 pm		Several fishing cutters in sight.  Test dive, vents for over deck tank V were stuck in the closed position, were wedged open.
				signed in draft Jürst
		11.04.17	North Sea	No vessels met.
			N 2, Swell
				signed in draft Jürst

	Sun and Moon Data 08.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 09.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 10.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 11.04.17

	- 2 -
		12.04.17	Atlantic
		05.00 pm	N 5, snow and rain squalls	Rounded Mukkle Flugga at a distance of 30 nm.
		09.30	NNW 5, snow squall	Avoided two fishing trawlers on the line Hebrides Faroes.
		11.00	WNW 4	Avoided 2 vessels with top lights.
				signed in draft Jürst
		13.04.17	Atlantic
		11.00 pm	WNW 1-2, Vis. very good	While test diving it was seen that the boat leaves an oil trace.  All tanks were carefully examined before in the dry-dock and pressurized.  Apparently leaks were caused by the seas and vibrations.  Until the oil trace is corrected the boat must operate beyond any enemy reaction.
				signed in draft Jürst
		14.04.17	Atlantic
		12.00 noon	NW 9, snow and hail squalls
				signed in draft Jürst
		15.04.17	Atlantic
		05.00 pm	NW 6, squalls	Passed 130 epsilon, through which traffic for the North Channel should go.
				signed in draft Jürst
		16.04.17	Atlantic
		08.00 - 12.00 am	N 4, Swell	Russian bark
			Lat.    = 52° 24' N	"  E  N  D  Y  M  I  O  N  "
			Long. = 16° 11' W	1345 tons in ballast for America sunk with artillery.
		04.00 pm	Lat.    = 52° 06' N	British steamer
			Long. = 16° 20' W	"  T  O  W  E  R  G  A  T  E  "
				3697 tons with cotton from America for Liverpool, in sight course 30°, dived, stern shot, hit beneath the bridge, sunk.

	Sun and Moon Data 12.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 13.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 14.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 15.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 16.04.17

	- 3 -
		continued
		16.04.17
		11.00 pm	Lat.    = 51° 38' N	Danish square rigged schooner
			Long. = 17° 15' W	"  A  N  N  E  "
				240 tons oil cake for Denmark sunk with explosive cartridge.  Boat capsizes while coming alongside, crew taken aboard.
				signed in draft Jürst
		17.04.17	Atlantic
		10.00 - 12.00 pm	W 3, Swell	Steamer followed, no attack possibility, had course 90°.
		09.00	N 3	Danish 3-masted schooner "  A  N  I  " 90 tons with salt for Denmark, sailing east.  Because the ship has no value, released with the crew from " A  N  N  E  ".
				signed in draft Jürst
		18.04.17	Atlantic
		06.00 am	WNW 2, Swell, Vis. very good	Steamer in sight, maneuvered ahead for submerged attack.
		10.30		Initiated submerged attack, miss due to turning away too late for a stern shot.  Opened fire, fire was returned.   The cannon cannot be used in the swell at high speed.  Night attack was not initiated because the steamer ran too fast and holding contact in the complete darkness is not possible.
				signed in draft Jürst
		19.07.17	Atlantic
		08.45 am	WNW 4, Swell, here and there fog, always misty	Steamer followed, size about 4000 tons.
		11.00 - 12.00 noon		Submerged attack (positioning difficult due to the low visibility) miss from 800 meters.
		10.30 - 11.00 pm	W 1, misty, after a brief twilight very dark night	Surface night attack on medium steamer, influenced by the two previous misses, uncertain attack while the light was still too bright, range was underestimated, missed.  Contact keeping impossible, proceeded at depth 25 meters.
				signed in draft Jürst

	Sun and Moon Data 16.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 17.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 18.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 19.04.17

	- 4 -
		20.04.17	Atlantic
		11.30 am	Wind calm	Surfaced, tanker in sight course 80°.  Opened fire, was returned.  Combat from 9000-6600 meters, from 7500 meters his impacts covered.  He runs on a zigzag course.  Individual hits were observed.  From his call for assistance was the British tanker
				"  S  A  N    H  I  L  A  R  I  O  "
				10157 tons.  Sent by Radio Message that our impacts lie short.  After a two-hour combat  he sent the Radio Message to Crookhaven:  "Good bye now".  Soon thereafter the boats were launched.  Closed submerged, bronze torpedo shot, then inflicted artillery hits in several compartments.  The ship sank in two hours.  Captain taken on board.  Several wounded were found in the boats.  From statements of the Captain the ship received 6 hits, among them one in the engine room.
			Lat.    = 50° 55' N
			Long. = 16° 19' W
		4.40 pm	Lat.    = 50° 26' N	Russian Bark
			Long. = 16° 32' W	"  A  U  G  U  S  T  "
				1596 tons with wood for England, sunk.
		xx.30 - 10.30		Dived before a steamer, not a target for attack.  Gave up shooting with artillery, because after surfacing 2 coastal steamers and a taker are in the vicinity.  When beginning surface attack, rudder failure.  Until completion of repairs steered with the aft hand rudder, the attack could not be carried out with this unsure means of control.  The attempt to follow tanker fails. Since he apparently sent a Radio Message before, I gave him a meeting place for the next morning.
				signed in draft Jürst
		21.04.17	Atlantic
		07.00 am	NW 1-2, Vis. very good	At lightness there was a small coastal steamer at the meeting point.  Avoided.  Tanker in sight.  Maneuvering ahead for submerged attack is not possible.  Attempted to stop with artillery, he ran away.  Combat broken off because there was no speed advantage and the presence of enemy warships in the vicinity (very strong Radio Message traffic) suggests prompt reaction.  To pull the destroyers away from the U-boat, feigned help for another steamer. Soon thereafter smoke

	Sun and Moon Data 20.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 21.04.17

	- 5 -
		continued
		21.04.17
		08.30 am		clouds of fast running vessels were seen in this direction.
		01.25 pm		Met "U-67".
		03.35 - 06.45	NW 2	Dived before steamer course 80°.  Conning tower periscope is of limited use, the gear teeth of the magnification setting mechanism are broken.  At times observed with the control room periscope.  The steamer must have seen the swirl of the boat which formed while proceeding at depth 9.5 meters, he turned away.  Went to depth 25 meters for periscope repairs.
				signed in draft Jürst
		22.04.17	Atlantic
		02.00 am	SE 2-3	Destroyer passed behind the stern.
		11.00 pm		American schooner
				"  W  O  O  D  W  A  R  D    A  B  R  A  M  S  "
				744 tons with wood form America for Liverpool set on fire and blown up (310 nm from land).
				signed in draft Jürst
		23.04.17	Atlantic
		10.30 pm	SE 2-3, clear and Vis. good	Battleship of unknown class in sight (1 smokestack, 2 pole masts with fighting tops, probably not CANOPUS, painted light gray), attacked.  Ran on zigzag course, general course north.  Estimated speed 14 knots.  Shortly before completion of the attack run he changed course, range was estimated at below 2000 meters, 2 "C" torpedoes were shot, placed 100 meters after one another, impact angle 70°.  The ship ran off with course chage and strong smoking.  If a setting device were available a long range shot would have been set, [since it was not] the two torpedoes had to be used with a less certain range.  Radio Message was sent to all boats.
				signed in draft Jürst

	Sun and Moon Data 21.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 22.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 23.04.17

	- 6 -
		24.04.17	Atlantic
		10.00 pm	NE 2-3	Swedish bark
			Lat.    = 51° 06' N	"  C  O  R  D  E  L  I  A  "
			Long. = 15° 17' W	603 tons with wood from America for England was stopped and sunk.  The lifeboat used for the demolition was flooded, the 2nd boat could only accommodate 5 men.  Therefore, I sent the Captain and the enemy aliens into the boat and took 3 Swedes and 1 Dane on board. They should be dropped off at the first opportunity or sent to their home country to instruct others about the danger to shipping.
				When the lifeboat cast off, a large steamer came in sight.
				signed in draft Jürst
		25.04.17	Atlantic
		02.00 am		Maneuvered ahead on the favorable attack side and waited for darkness.  Night attack, hit at the after edge of the engine room.  Call for assistance:  British steamer
			Lat.    = 51° 10' N	"  A  B  O  S  S  O  "
			Long. = 14° 58' W	(sister ship of the "  A  P  P  A  M  ") 7782 tons.  "Sinking fast". Another vessel asked him to show a light.  The steamer settled noticeably deeper, moved off.  When the boat was 3000 meters away, a destroyer ran past the bow at close range.  Quick dive.  Remained submerged for the night.  The destroyer was apparently dispatched to protect the steamer.
		0x.45	NE 1	Surfaced.  Shortly thereafter a large steamer came in sight, dove, ran out of sight.  Surfaced and followed.  No attack or combat possibility because our speed advantage is not sufficient.  It is about 10000 ton sized Leyland steamer, Radio Message sent to all boats.
				The oil trace is nearly corrected.  I'm not moving the operations area closer to the coast because from the distress signals of the steamers [several] U-boats are under the coast and one still works 80-100 nm from Fastnet.  Furthermore,  the present operations area offers enough targets to attack, and here a longer artillery combat can be conducted without interference, plus I believe the sinking of ships at so great a distance from land is an effective deterrent for the ship's crews.
		03.30

	Sun and Moon Data 24.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 25.04.17

	- 7 -
		continued
		25.04.17
		03.30 pm		Meeting with "U-93", exchanged news.  Steamer in sight, dove to attack.  No shooting opportunity for bronze torpedo.  Surfaced for combat.  Steamer "SWANMORE" runs 11 then 12 knots, "U-43" can only get up to 12 knots later due to engine trouble.  After a while "U-93" joins in the combat.  The position of the steamer is favorable for bombardment because it can be shot from both sides.  No boat can be shown the stern without significant loss of  speed, also it cannot run on a zigzag course.  Several hits were observed, also from "U-93" a 10.5 cm hit in the waterline, from which the ship shows a significant list.  One hit carries away the ready ammunition.  "U-93" ceases fire despite his probable speed advantage instead of forcing the enemy towards "U-43".
				As a result the enemy shows us the stern and increases the range.
				The hit probability against the small target from 8800 meters and increasing range was so slight that I broke off what had been a promising combat.  From a Radio Message of the steamer "U-93" had seen he had no more ammunition.  By conservative estimate the steamer received 10 hits, it is not out of the question that he may still be hindered in

Sun and Moon Data 25.04.17

	- 8 -
		continued
		25.04.17
				reaching a harbor from the hole in the waterline.  (It was later reported that it was sunk by "U-50" shortly afterwards.)
				Turned away when a second vessel closed.
				signed in draft Jürst
		26.04.17	Atlantic
		11.00 am	NNE 1, Swell	Russian schooner
			Lat.    = 51° 26' N	"  E  H  R  G  L  I  S "
			Long. = 17° 37' W	238 tons, with wood from America for England set on fire.
		10.00 pm		Steamer in sight, due to his raked high masts initially taken for a patrol vessel then distinguished as a freighter course 30°.  Dived, bow shot, hit in the after cargo hold, set on fire.
				It is the Norwegian steamer
				"  H  E  K  T  O  R  I  A  "
			Lat.    = 50° 30' N	5002 tons, cargo petroleum.  3 lifeboats are fully occupied.  He is engulfed in bright flames, which flare up in raging explosions.
			Long. = 18° 10' W
				Set course for home, initially on the observed route for the North Channel at low transit speed.
				signed in draft Jürst
		27.04.17	Atlantic	Continued transit.
			E 1-2
				signed in draft Jürst
		28.04.17	Atlantic
			W 1-3	Sent report concerning sinking, position, starting the return transit.
				signed in draft Jürst
		29.04.17	Atlantic
			NW 5	Nothing seen on the route to the North Channel, transit to the Shetlands.
				signed in draft Jürst

	Sun and Moon Data 25.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 26.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 27.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 28.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 29.04.17

	- 9 -
		30.04.17	Atlantic
		11.30 - 12.30 pm	NW 3, Swell	Avoided a small auxiliary cruiser (coastal passenger steamer) submerged 100 nm west of St. Kilda.
				signed in draft Jürst
		01.05.17	North Sea
		06.00 am	SE 2	Rounded the Shetlands, course for the Dogger Bank South Lightship.
				signed in draft Jürst
		02.05.17	North Sea
			W 4-5, rain, misty	Reported position.
				signed in draft Jürst
		03.05.17	North Sea	Left the mined area.
		07.30 am	Calm, misty	2 Dutch fishing trawlers under suspicion of spying (in accordance with Admiralstab A 6929/0 of 19.3.17 manned with Prize commandos to bring into the Ems.
		08.00 pm	Fog	Steered for the Terschelling Lightship with U.T.
		09.30		Went to depth 20 meters to pass the barrier
				signed in draft Jürst
		04.05.17	North Sea
		0x.15 am	Continuous fog	Surfaced, taken under escort by the Vorpostenflottille and proceeded to the Ems.
		06.00		Taken by the guide vessel, steered for the Ems.
				signed in draft Jürst

	Sun and Moon Data 30.04.17
	Sun and Moon Data 01.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 02.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 03.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 04.05.17

	- 10 -
			Total distance covered:
			Surfaced	4361 nm
			Submerged             221 nm
			Total	4582 nm
			===================
				signed in draft Jürst

	- 11 -
	List
	of vessels sunk by "U-43"
	============================================================================ No. Date Position Nationality and name Size Cargo and Destination Type of sinking Remarks ============================================================================ 1. 16.04. 52° 24' N Russian bark ENDYMION 1345 tons in ballast for America Artillery       16° 11' W                       2.     " 52° 06' N British steamer TOWERGATE 3697 tons Cotton Torpedo shot       11° 20' W                       3.     " 51° 38' N Danish schooner  ANNE 240 tons Oil cake for Denmark Demolition charge       17° 15' W                     4. 20.04. 50° 55' N British tanker         SAN HILARIO 10157 18000 tons heavy oil from America for England Artillery       16° 19' W   Bronze torpedo                               5.     " 50° 26' N Russian bark 1596 tons Wood from America for England Artillery       16° 32' W AUGUST                       6. 22.04. 50° 24' N American schooner WOODWARD ABRAMS 744 tons Wood from America for England Set on fire, demolition charge       18°53' W                                 7.     " 51° 06' N Swedish bark CORDELIA 603 tons the same Demolition charge       15°17' W                       8. 25.04. 51° 10' N British steamer ABOSSO 7782 tons   Torpedo shot       14°58' W                       9. 26.04. 51° 26' N Russian schooner EHRGLIS 238 tons Wood for England Set on fire       17°36' W                         10.     " 50° 30' N Norwegian steamer HEKTORIS 5002 tons Petroleum for the North Channel Torpedo shot       18°10' W
	=========================
	Total                           31404 tons
	=========================

	- 12 -
	Statements of the seamen brought along by "U-43"
	====================================
	Thomas Frdr. C  o  l  e , 39 years old, from Nottingham, England, Captain, tanker "SAN HILARIO" 10000 GRT with petroleum from Tampico (Mexico) for Queenstown for O'dre.  A twelve-pounder cannon on the stern, fired all ammunition, 90 shots, at the U-boat, refuses to provide any information concerning the route and objective, but took a long detour.  Gave an emergency signal by Radio Message with Crookhaven, Ireland in the morning of 21 April [typo 20 Apr?]. Should go back to Tampico again. According to statements of the men from the bark "CORDELIA" it was his wish after arriving in England to outfit a sailing ship with guns as a U-boat trap.  Otherwise he gave the men no further information. xxxxx Hokansson. 25 years old, Palmelund Öland (Sweden).  First Helmsman of the Swedish bark "CORDELIA" Göteburg, 548 GRT with wood from Moss Point in America for Cardiff.  Sunk by demolition charge.  Ship left England in December 1916, received provisions only in limited quantity.  Sugar not at all, bread very little     Nils Nordgren, 26 years old, Helsingborg (Sweden).  Second Helmsman of the Swedish bark "CORDELIA", says that the Captain of "SAN HILARIO" has not said anything that wasn't already known.     xxxxen Wiggo Jensen, 20 years old, Aarhus, Denmark, Seaman bark "CORDELIA" and     xxxxl Gust Hillberg, 28 years old, from Gaffle Sweden, Steward, made no statements of value.                                                            signed in draft Jürst

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