SM U-87 - 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

Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
23 May 17	xx.03	59°41'N, 3°07.5'W	BERNUSSE (damaged)	951	Dutch
23 May 17	xx.10	59°41'N, 3°07.5'W	ELVE	962	Dutch
26 May 17	07.00 - 07.20	55°55'N, 8°25'W	LUCIPARA	1,943	Russian
26 May 17	08.10 - 08.34	55°55'N, 8°25'W	SAINT MIRREN	1,956	British
30 May 17	04.37	49°34'N, 8°34'W	BATHHURST	2,821	British
30 May 17	05.15 - 06.08	49°34'N, 8°34'W	HANLEY	3,331	British
2 Jun 17	09.51	48°27'N, 8°31'W	ELIOFILO	3,583	Italian
2 Jun 17	12.53	48°16.5'N, 8°13'W	MISSISSIPI (damaged)	6,687	French
			Total = 22,234
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.Uboot  "  U  87  "
			Kommandant:  Kapitänleutnant Schneider.
				Beginning:  20 May 1917
				Ending:        8 June 1917.
				© U-boat Archive 2020 - all rights reserved

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

	- 1 -
		20.05.17	Wilhelmshaven
		xx.40 am	Torpedo Yard	Cast off for cruise to Emden.
		xx.11	War Lightship A of the Jade	300 meters abeam to starboard. Headed for the Ems via Point 14.
			NEbyE 3, Sea 2, Clear, Vis. good
		xx.18 - xx.49 pm	Borkum Roadstead	Trim test, then anchored.  Received orders from Führerboot for war patrol in accordance with F.d.U. Gg.443 O and 766 F.
		04.30		In company with 3 boats of the Vorpostenflottille behind deployed gear headed through the Hubergat via 061 epsilon, 024 epsilon, 004 epsilon.
				signed in draft Schneider
		21.05.17
		02.40 am	Eierland Lighthouse bearing 96°T 10 nm away	Torpedoboote came about.  Course 250°, 11 knots.  Beacon burns with correct identifier.  Course 270°.
		0x.xx		Course 0°.
		0x.x3	Terschelling Lightship	Abeam to starboard 5 1/2 nm away.
				Position report to "Arkona".
		0x.30		Course 305°.  To circumvent 033 gamma VII headed for Fair Island.
		07.00	EbyS 7, Sea 6, light mist	Entered the blockade area.
		0x.25 - 0x.35 pm		Test dive.
				signed in draft Schneider
		22.05.17
		02.00 am	044 epsilon III	Position and weather report to "Arkona".
		10.44 - 11.05		Dived for a destroyer.
		02.00 pm	Lat.    58° 19.5'N	Navigation fix.
			Long.    1° 04'W
			SSE 5, Sea 4, overcast, misty
		09.00	Fair Isle	Bearing 39°T, about 4.5 nm away.  Course 310°, 10 knots.
		10.05 - 10.15 pm		3 patrol vessels avoided to the north on the surface.
		11.30		Recognition Signal exchange with "U-49" on opposite course.
				signed in draft Schneider
		23.05.17	WSW 3, Sea 2, Swell, Vis. good
		xx.50 am		Course 260°.

	Sun and Moon Data 20.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 21.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 22.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 23.05.17

	- 2 -
		continued
		23.05.17
		xx.25 am		2 steamers came in sight on general course 180°.  I maneuver ahead at high speed to be able to shoot submerged in the morning.  Steamers Morse one another.
		xx.04		Dove, initiated attack.  During a stern attack against the first steamer, which proceeded in line abreast, I noticed I was too close to the second steamer and in danger of being overrun.  I had to turn away hard to starboard and surface at a range of 4000 meters to stop them with artillery.  They are two Dutch steamers with neutrality markings.  During the bombardment a yacht and 2 fishing trawlers come in sight.  The yacht opened fire from about 6000 meters.
		xx.30		Dove to close the steamers submerged.
		xx.03	[45 mm C/03 D wet heater compressed air driven]	Torpedo shot from tube III.  C/03, hit at the after mast.  Steamer begins to sink immediately.  Turned away for a stern shot.
		xx.10	[45 mm bronze torpedo = Schwartzkopff torpedo compressed air driven]	Torpedo shot from tube V, bronze, hit center.  During this the yacht fired at the periscope.  After the second shot went to depth 40 meters.  2 minutes later there followed another detonation, apparently a depth charge.  It was the Dutch steamers
			Lat.    59° 41'N	"  E  L  V  E  "        962 tons
			Long.    3° 07.5'W	and                   "  B  E  R  N  I  S  S  E  "        951 tons
				Rotterdam.  Cargo apparently coal.
		xx.45		Took an all around sweep.  One steamer was still afloat and was circled by the yacht and fishing trawlers.  Sinking was not observed.  However with the small size of the steamers and hit center it was taken as likely.
		xx.19	WSW 3, Sea 2, Vis. good, Swell	Surfaced, course 260°.
		xx.20 pm	Lat.    59° 41'N	Navigation fix.
			Long.    5° 40'W
		xx.40		Closed a smoke cloud to the north.  Turned out later to be a large fishing trawler with white smokestack and a very high Radio antenna.
		xx.40		2 fishing trawlers come in sight.  Pursuit was given up because apparently it was a patrol vessel line North Rona - Faroe Islands.
				Course 260°, 10 knots.
		xx.xx		Course 220°.  I intend to cut across the steamer route observed by S.M.S. "MÖWE" 120 nm from land
				signed in draft Schneider

Sun and Moon Data 23.05.17

	- 3 -
		24.05.17	SbyN 3, Sea 2, overcast, Vis. good
		xx.13 am		Dived before a patrol vessel.
		06.00		A bark comes in sight on N-course, to which the patrol vessel heads.  Sailing vessel sets his identification signal H. D. B. S.  A boat is sent over to him from the patrol vessel.  The sailing vessel is too small for a submerged attack, about 400 tons.  After a while the sailing vessel is released on a northerly course.  The patrol vessel heads for land.
				I follow the sailing vessel submerged until the patrol vessel is out of sight.
		xx.37		Surfaced.
		xx.50		Opened fire at 5000 meters.  After 4 hits the sailing vessel luffs and suddenly opens fire with 2 cannons from 3000 meters.  Impacts cover immediately.  The net deflector is shot away.  Quick dive.  While cruising submerged it turns out that the aft trim tank runs full and is under pressure.  A submerged attack is no longer possible, because the sailing vessel moved away quickly (suspect a motor).
		xx.42		Surfaced.  It was determined that the boat received a hit on the port side of the stern (7.5 cm).  The vent piping of the trim tank and the port net deflector were hit.  The trim tank itself is dented.  Net deflector was put in place with a block and tackle, the vent piping was removed and repaired.
		xx.38 pm	Lat.    58° 52.5'N
			Long.    9° 51.5'W
			SbyW 4, overcast, Vis. good, at times fog patches, Swells
				signed in draft Schneider
		25.05.17
		xx.30 am	SbyE 6, Sea 5, overcast, misty, Swells	Course 110°.  I intend to head for Inishtrahull.
		00.15 pm	Lat.    56° 03'N	Navigation fix.
			Long.    7° 58'W
		00.44		Dived for vessel in the company of a yacht.  It was distinguished as an outbound steamer on general course 300°, strongly zigzagging course.  Could not close for submerged attack.
		01.44		Surfaced.  Yacht had moved off on northerly course.  I intend to follow the steamer and shoot on the surface at night.  At the same moment observed a four-masted bark also on a general course of 300°.
				signed in draft Schneider

	Sun and Moon Data 24.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 25.05.17

	- 4 -
		26.05.17
		02.10 am	Inishtrahull	bearing 122°T  ) 16.5 nm away
			Fanad Point	bearing 180°T  )
				Steamer was followed with all speed.  It must run at 12 knots and makes legs of up to 90°.
		02.35		Because the steamer makes a leg to port, I finally get to shoot from tube I.  C torpedo.  Depth setting 2 meters.  Range 400 meters, impact angle 90°.  Depth setting 2 meters because before had observed that the steamer beats with its propeller out of the water.  Miss.  Continued pursuit until 04.00 hours, then the steamer passed out of sight.
		04.00		Course 120°.  I intend to meet the sailing vessel sighted earlier in the evening.
		05.10		Sailing vessel comes in sight again, at the same time a three-masted fully rigged ship.
		06.23		Dived, to shoot the four-masted bark (submerged).
		06.52	SbyW 4, Sea 3, clear, Vis. good, high Swell	Shot from tube V.  Bronze, range 300 meters.  Miss.  Apparently the torpedo track was observed by the crew, which abandoned the ship hastily in two boats.  Because the miss was attributed to the high swell, surfaced at 4000 meters and took the sailing vessel under fire.  After several hits closed and hit the sailing vessel in the waterline.  It was the Russian four-masted bark
				"  L  U  C  I  P  A  R  A  "
				Marieham, 1943 tons size.  Cargo apparently coal.  Because sinking of the sailing vessel is expected, closed the full-rigged ship.
		08.10		Opened fire at 5000 meters.  After several hits closed and took the sailing vessel under effective fire.
		08.34		"LUCIPARA" sank.
		08.40		"  S  T  .    M  I  R  R  E  N  "
				Sank.  1956 tons gross, English.  Cargo 3400 tons coal bricketes for Santos (Brazil).  Names and cargoes were determined from the papers after the sinking which were brought from the boats.  Position of the wrecks:
				"LUCIPARA"    )    55° 55'N, 8° 25'W
				"ST. MIRREN"  )
				On the basis of observed courses, which coincide with those observed by MÖWE", I will continue to sail to seaward on these courses.
		11.15		Dived before a roughly 8000 ton size steamer, which came out of the mist quickly.  General course 150°.  Initially intended bow approach failed, because the steamer changed course again at the last moment.  Ran past the bow at high speed.

Sun and Moon Data 26.05.17

	- 5 -
		continued
		26.05.17
		xx.34 am		Shot from tube IV.  C/6 A.V., depth 2 1/2 meters, range at most 200 meters.  Miss.  Steamer immediately opened fire from a large stern cannon and ran off at highest speed.  Went to depth 30 meters.
		xx.54		Surfaced, course 300°.
		00.35 pm	Lat.    56° 19'N	Navigation fix.
			Long.    9° 17'W
				signed in draft Schneider
		27.05.17
		xx.xx am	SE 2, Sea 1, overcast, light mist, fog patches	Course 135°, 9 knots.
		xx.xx		Course 207°.  I intend to head for Point Y
		xx.25 - xx.45 pm		Test dive, after converting main ballast and auxiliary fuel tank port 2 and starboard 5 for use as ballast tanks.
		xx.xx	Lat.    54° 51.5'N	Navigation fix.
			Long.  10° 37'W
			NWbyW 4, Sea 4, overcast, Vis. good, Swell
				signed in draft Schneider
		28.05.17
		xx.xx pm	WbyN 3, Sea 2, Vis. clear	Closed a smoke cloud under land, which on getting closer was distinguished as a fishing trawler on a northerly course.
		08.10 - 08.45		Test dive.
			[Bell = Bull Rock]	Course 143°, 9 knots.  Intend to head for the coast between Skellig and Bell in large legs.
				signed in draft Schneider
		29.05.17
		00.00 am	NWbyN 3, Sea 2, clear, Vis. good	Course 33°.
		11.30		Course 105°.
		05.22 pm		U-boat in sight on course 270°.
		12.30		Dived because the conning tower suggests an enemy.  No answer to Underwater Telegraphy call,  U-boat also dived.  Course 180°.
		11.30		Surfaced, course for land.
				Under land [illegible few words]

	Sun and Moon Data 26.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 27.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 28.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 29.05.17

	- 6 -
		continued
		29.05.17		Destroyer distinguished.
		02.00 pm		On course 225° took position ahead of a small steamer on course 320°.
		02.35		Dived.  Steamer ran at very low speed, had suspicious superstructure, high radio masts.  Because after a while it turned directly onto the opposite course it must be accepted that it was a trap (500 ton size)
		03.30	Bell  53°T	Distance from land 17 nm.
			Skellig 12.5°T
		04.12		Surfaced.
		05.08 - 06.38		Maneuvered for attack against freighter,  Did not shoot because it was very hight out of the water and small.  Had stern cannon manned.  General course initially 270°, then 360°.
		07.20  - 08.55		Dived before 3 destroyers each with 4 equally high smokestacks, which came in sight on after another on general course north.  Construction American.  On the last the American flag was recognized perfectly.  At the same time a small small steamer on a SE course came in sight.
		08.55 - 09.40		Attempted to maneuver ahead on the surface.
		09.40 - 11.20		Dived.  Did not reach shooting position because the steamer proceeded on a very strong zigzag course.  Stopping on the surface was not prudent due to the presence of the destroyers and the proximity of land (12 nm).
				Maintained a S-course.
		11.20		Surfaced, course 180°.  Charged the battery.
		11.47	Fastnet  61.5°T  )	Distance 15 nm.
			Bell        330°T  )
				I intend to go to Point X because only two small steamers were observed between Fastnet and Skellig.  A maneuver ahead on the surface so close under land is nearly always impossible due to patrolling warships, they force one to remain submerged.  The boat with a new crew is still not broken in enough to be able to work without a watch keeping failure.  Additionally after each blowing there is a strong oil trace, apparently from a leak in the pressure water piping.
				signed in draft Schneider
		30.05.17
		10.08 am	NW 3, Sea 3, overcast, Vis. good	Course 125°.
		01.20 pm		2 steamers in sight with general course 80°.  Maneuvered ahead on the surface.
		03.38		Dived for submerged attack.
		04.37		Shot from tube III, C/03, hit at the bridge.  An attempt to get into shooting position on the second steamer does not work.
		05.15		Surfaced.  Fire opened on the 2nd steamer at 6000 meters.  After several hits

	Sun and Moon Data 29.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 30.05.17

	- 7 -
		continued
		30.05.17		closed up.  Because 2 patrol vessels were closing quickly and had already opened fire at long range, I decide to shoot the 2nd steamer with a bronze torpedo to sink it.
		06.08 pm		Shot from tube V, bronze, hit center.  Steamer began to settle slowly on an even keel.  Went close to the 1st steamer once again and gave him several shell hits in the foreship, then moved off from the patrol vessel on a westerly course on the surface.
				There were the English steamers:
				1.)  "  H  A  N  L  E  Y  "        3331 tons
				armed, small stern cannon.
				2.)  "  B  A  T  H  U  R  S  T  "        2821 tons
				Both coming from Dakar with grain, copra and palm kernels for England.
		06.48		HANLEY sank.
				Patrol vessels stay at the boats and are soon out of sight.  So I come to course once more for "BATHURST" to see if it sank.  Nothing more was seen of the ship, therefore it must have sunk also.
				Sinking location:
				Lat.    49° 34'N
				Long.   8° 34'W
		09.00		Course 250°.
		09.20	SSW 4, Sea 4, overcast, light mist	Dived before destroyer on opposite course.
		10.04		Surfaced.  Course 230°, 9 knots.
				signed in draft Schneider
		31.05.17
		06.20 am		Turned away before 2 destroyers on SW course.
		10.06	SSW 6, Sea 5, Swell, overcast, Vis. good	Dived before small steamer on crossing course.  Boat steered very roughly.  Did not reach attack position.
		11.03		Surfaced.  A steamer with 3 masts, 1 smokestack comes in sight protected by 2 fishing trawlers and 1 destroyer, general course 220°. While attempting to maneuver ahead on the surface, the steamer sighted at 10.06 hours comes in sight, closed and opened fire with the cannon.  Impacts lie well.
		11.28		Dived.  Attack on the steamer with 3 masts is not possible.  Went to depth 30 meters.  On several occasions took an all around sweep.  One destroyer remained in sight up to 05.00 hours
		05.25 pm	SSW 7, Sea 5, Swell, overcast, Vis. good	Surfaced.
		06.xx		[illegible line concerning a vessel coming in sight]

	Sun and Moon Data 30.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 31.05.17

	- 8 -
		continued
		31.05.17		General course 80°.  Attack not carried out because weapons use is impossible.  Boat can only be held at attack depth poorly.
		08.05		Surfaced.  Boat went seaward.  Charged the battery.
				signed in draft Schneider
		01.06.17
		06.00 am	WbyS 5, Sea 5, high Swell, clear and Vis. good	Course 315°, 7 knots.
		08.35 pm	Lat.    48° 38.5'N	Navigation fix.
			Long.   9° 35.5'W
		07.17		Dived before steamer on general course 80°.  Initiated attack.
		08.19		Shot from tube III, C/03, distance 300 meters, 90° impact angle, miss.  Torpedo passed behind.  Running track was observed from the steamer.  Stern cannon was manned.  The sea and swell are too high for a submerged pursuit.
		09.02		Surfaced.  Course 120°.  Enemy destroyer.  Radio traffic very close.
		09.35		Dived before destroyer on opposite course.
		10.40	WbyS 5, Sea 5, high Swell, Vis. good, squalls	Surfaced.  Course 120°.
				signed in draft Schneider
		02.06.17
		09.00 am		Dived before armed steamer with general course 80°.  Submerged attack.
		09.51		Shot from tube III.  Bronze.  Hit forward.  Steamer sank after 8 minutes.
		10.02		Surfaced. Closed the boats.  Took the papers on board.  It was the Italian steamer:
				"  E  L  I  O  F  I  L  O  "
				3583 tons, cargo ore from Sagunto for Falmouth. Sinking position:
				Lat.    48° 27'N
				Long.   8° 31'W
		10.25	SWbyW 4, Sea 4, overcast, Vis. good, rain squalls, Swell	Course 120°, 7 knots.
		10.30		Dived before armed steamer with general course 220°.  Submerged attack.
		11.11		Shot from tube II.  C/6 A.V., miss.  Torpedo was seen perfectly to make a sharp turn to the

	Sun and Moon Data 31.05.17
	Sun and Moon Data 01.06.17
	Sun and Moon Data 02.06.17

	- 9 -
		continued
		02.06.17		left.
		11.30 am	[Grafschaftsklasse = County Class]	Surfaced to attempt to stop the steamer on the surface.  However had to submerge again immediately because the smokestack and masts of a 3 smokestack cruiser, apparently County Class, and a large 2 smokestack steamer come in sight.  Attempted to reach attack position at highest speed, had to give it up at 12.20 pm because both shifted strongly.  A submerged attack was carried out from a favorable position on the steamer [the one sighted at 10.30 hours] on course 235°.
		12.53 pm		Shot from tube V, bronze, hit between the bridge and forward mast.  Steamer had a bow cannon and 2 stern cannons and fired blindly in the area with the latter two.  It was about 4000 ton size, green paint, lay high out of the water. Heavy Radio Telegraph rigging (Mövetyp).  After a while sets an emergency signal [illegible two letters - Nb?] and a French gaff flag.  He then began to settle deeper, sinking was not observed.  Moved off submerged because I did not intend to shoot a second torpedo at the not loaded steamer.  Given the increasingly bad weather in the course of the day and the distance from land (130 nm) it is hard to believe the ship will reach a harbor.
		03.20	WbyS 6, Sea 5, high Swell, clear and Vis. good	Surfaced.  Course 360°.  Two more steamers come in sight, however weapons use is impossible due to the high swell.
		05.35		Course 340°, 9 knots.
				I intend to begin return transit, because I only have one torpedo remaining.
		09.30		A destroyer on SW-course avoided on the surface.
		10.00		Course 315°.
				signed in draft Schneider
		03.06.17
		02.00 am		Position and success report to "Arkona" with net deflector antenna.  (Arkona did not answer).
		04.00 pm	Lat.    51° 04'N	Navigation fix.
			Long. 10° 57.5'W
		04.15 - 05.34	SSW 6, Sea 6, high Swell, light mist	Dived before a destroyer on SW-course.

	Sun and Moon Data 02.06.17
	Sun and Moon Data 03.06.17

	- 10 -
		continued
		03.06.17
		08.00 pm		Course 360°.
		10.30 - 11.06		Dived before 4 smokestack destroyer (American type) on NW-course.
				signed in draft Schneider
		04.06.17
		02.10 am		Crash dive, dived before destroyer.  Went to depth 30 meters.
		06.12	SWbyS 4, Sea 4, overcast, misty, rain	Surfaced.  Course 360°.
		02.45 pm	Lat.    53° 20.5'N
			Long. 11° 21'W
		08.00		Course 28°, 12 knots.  I intend to be north of Tory Island at lightness.
				signed in draft Schneider
		05.06.17
		01.00 am	NWbyN 2, Sea 1, clear and Vis. good	Course 50°.
		05.48 - 07.10		Turned away from a fishing trawler on general course 320° at the level of Tory Island.
		10.02		Course 310°, 9 knots.
		05.40 pm		Recognition Signals exchanged with UC-45.  When close by, exchanged experienced.
		07.40 - 08.05		Test dive.
		09.00	NE 4, Sea 3, clear and Vis. good	Passed St. Kilda Island to starboard at a distance of 30 miles.
		09.30		Course 46°, xx knots.
				signed in draft Schneider
		06.06.17
		02.00		Reported position to "Arkona".
		10.00		Course 78°, 11 knots.
		11.30 - 12.13 pm		Test dive.

	Sun and Moon Data 03.06.17
	Sun and Moon Data 04.06.17
	Sun and Moon Data 05.06.17
	Sun and Moon Data 06.06.17

	- 11 -
		continued
		06.06.17
		01.29 - 0x.13 pm		Turned away before a fishing trawler, apparently belongs to a patrol vessel line from North Rona to the Faroes.
		02.20	Lat.    59° 54'N	Navigation fix
			Long.   5° 08'W
			EbyS 6, Sea 6, overcast, Vis. good
		07.50 - 08.03 pm		Test dive.
		08.45		Course 120°, 10 knots.
				signed in draft Schneider
		07.06.17
		01.00 am		Skaddan Light [Fair Isle South] abeam to port 5 nm away, does not burn.  Between Fair Isle and the Orkneys no patrols observed.
		02.00	SE 5, Sea 5, clear and Vis. good	Course 150°.  I intend to head for the Terschelling Bank Lightship.
		02.00 pm	Lat.    57° 29'N	Navigation fix.
			Long.   0° 29'E
		07.15 - 07.30		Test dive.
				signed in draft Schneider
		08.06.17
		0x.44 am	Calm, [weather illegible]	[illegible 2-line entry]
				[illegible 2-line entry]
		03.1x pm		[illegible 2-line entry]
		05.3x		[illegible 2-line entry]
				signed in draft Schneider
		09.06.17
		1x.3x am		[illegible entry]

	Sun and Moon Data 06.06.17
	Sun and Moon Data 07.06.17
	Sun and Moon Data 08.06.17

	- 12 -
			Total distance covered:
			Surfaced	xxxx nm
			Submerged             xxx nm
			Total	xxxx nm
			===================
				signed in draft Schneider

	- 13 -
	Experiences
	===========
	on the Kriegstagebuch S.M.U-Boot "U-87".
	for the period from 20 May to 8 June 1917.
	General:           The cannon is only usable up to Sea State 3-4 because the boat is completely over washed from ahead even in flat seas and high speed           The interior illumination of the periscope must receive an external check point, so that the helmsman can check the periscope angle at any time.     Surveillance:          At Fair Isle only outbound on 22 May a patrol was met close under the coast at Orkney.  At the North Channel no patrol was met.  Between Fastnet and Bell destroyers carry out the patrol (American).  Also at Point X a destroyer was met.     Traffic:     Between Point X and the point given by "U-62" (K.d.B.E 3 No. 25) (49° 32'N, 8° 28'W) liveley outbound and inbound traffic was observed.  However, even there, 130 nm from land, patrols by destroyers and large fishing trawlers must be expected.     Machinery:   The main engines ran well during the entire patrol.  The temperature of the double dynamo was normal on the starboard side.  It varied between 45 and 55°C while the temperature on the port side increased strongly, especially in the last 8 days.  It varied between 59 and 69°C, depending on whether the fan was on or not. Even when charging was not attached, fans had to be used for one hour every second hour as the bearing temperature warmed up.  Then the bearing temperature dropped 8-10°C.  Torpedo lubricating oil worked well for the double dynamo bearing.  For lack of this oil drove without additional lubrication ring.  The high temperature on the port side could only be traced back to the beating [running unbalanced] of the double-dynamo shaft.  The vibrations on both sides are still so strong that often rows of brushes tilt.  On the port side the bolt to move the brush rocker came off, as a result the brushes were moved significantly out of the neutral shaft.           After about 10 days the propeller shaft stuffing boxes showed strong leaking. It was very difficult to tighten the stuffing boxes.  The leak was partially removed.           The cover attached above the main switchboard attached is completely inadequate. As a result the port speed controller was completely shorted, which was only due to dripping water.  In the stern compartment, the position of the limit switches for the aft diving plane proved to be incorrect.  They had to be removed because of too strong a short.  During the last

	- 14 -
	half of the patrol drove without the limit switches.           The lubricating oil in the control room tank assumed a dirty gray color after the first strong rolling movements.  Whether there was water in the oil could not be determined.  It was not used in the lubrication of the main engines.     Consumables:       ===========================================================                                                        Fuel oil                Lubricating oil   Taken   Consumed                                     88.3 tons                 2.8 tons   Remaining   __________________________________________________________________
	signed in draft Schneider

	- 15 -
	List
	of vessels sunk by S.M.Uboot "U-87"
	============================================================================ No. Date 1917 Position Nationality and name Size Cargo and Destination Type of sinking ============================================================================ 1. 23.05. 59° 41' N Dutch steamer "BERNISSE" 951 Coal for Rotterdam 1 bronze torp., 6 shells       3° 07.5' W                   2.     " the same Dutch steamer "ELVE" 962 Coal for Rotterdam 1 C/03 torp., 12 shells                           3. 30.05. 49° 34' N English steamer "HANLEY" 3331 Grain, palm kernels for England 1 C/03 torp., 53 shells       8° 34' W                   4. same the same British steamer "BATHURST" 2821 the same 7 shells, bronze torp.                   5. 02.06. 48° 27' N Italian steamer "ELIOFILO" 3583 Bronze ore for Falmouth 1 bronze torp.       8° 31' W                       6.     " 48° 16.5' N French auxiliary cruiser about 4000 tons   1 bronze torp.       8° 13' W           7. 26.05. 55° 55' N Russian four-masted bark "LUCIPARA" 1943 Coal for Marieham 58 shells         8° 25' W                       8.     " the same English thee-masted full-rigged ship "St. MIRREN" 1956 Bricketes for Santos (Brazil) 39 shells
	_________________________
	Total                          19547 tons
	=========================
		signed in draft Schneider

	- 16 -
	U-87                       20 May                         8 June 1917     During the journey the voltage of the anode battery fell to 70 volts.  Reception was brought in question. A spare battery is necessary.     H.A. and M.A.     [not understood word - Mastraen - possible mast antenna] too weak. Strong spray effect in antenna shaft due to moisture. Shaft is not tight during long cruising at to 35-40 meters.
	30.05.  03.00 am        "U-57"            400    -    Yes      400 nm  ) 30.05.  03.00 am        "Arkona"         400    -    Yes      990 nm  )     H.A. 28.05.  12.00 pm        "Brügge"       1650    4 half    -    960 nm  )     06.06.  02.00 am        "Arkona"         400    -    Yes     620    M. Antenna.                                                                                        Arkona "very loud"                                                                                        position unfavorable
	Take one spare anode battery.
	signed in draft Schneider

	- 17 -
	T  r  a  n  s  c  r  i  p  t  .
	Führer                                                                                                      24 April 1917.
	der Unterseeboote.
	xx.  No.  443 O.
	Ganz  Geheim.
	============
	Classified matter.
	Orders for U-87.
	1.  U-30 found very regular traffic between Norway and England (with courses 240° to 270°) - 60° - 60° 40'N, 1° - 3°E and [illegible about 7 words]
	UC-45 [illegible 5 lines concerning traffic and patrols]
	U-75  [illegible line concerning traffic from Bergen] The ships run to the north of the blockade area passing Muckle Fluga at night.
	2.)  U-87 should patrol . . .   [illegible 10 lines concerning patrol area.]

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