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Post by silentwolf on Nov 12, 2023 2:58:44 GMT
1 March 1941
Our flotilla is currently based out of La Rochelle. We have destroyed 441,800 tons of enemy shipping.
We will target the shipping lanes and strangle the enemy into submission!
NOTE: Our flotilla is based out of La Rochelle. Any new Boats entering the game will begin their patrol in Wilhelmshaven but end their patrol in La Rochelle (Last patrol box will be ‘Bay of Biscay’). Once a Boat is in La Rochelle, future patrols will begin and end there (First and last patrol box will be ‘Bay of Biscay’).
God speed and good hunting!
Patrol Assignments:
U-45 (VIIB) KKpt Shroeder - Atlantic
At Sea:
Active U-Boat Status:
U-39 (IXA) KKpt Borchers - Refit, ready Apr 1941
U-45 (VIIB) KKpt Shroeder - On Patrol
U-46 (VIIB) KKpt Hess - Refit, ready Apr 1941
U-96 (VIIC) KKpt Bonhoeffer - Ready April 1941
Lost U-boats:
U-28 (VIIA) KKpt Bonhoeffer - Replaced by U-96 (VIIC), Mar 1941
U-37 (IXA) KptLt List - Sunk, Nov 1939
U-38 (IXA) KptLt von Margur - Presumed lost, did not return from Apr-May 1940 patrol
U-52 (VIIB) KptLt Engel - Presumed lost, did not return from May 1940 patrol
Required information for end of Patrol Report: U-Boat # Patrol Month(s) Patrol Location Patrol # for this Kommandant Successful Patrol (Y/N) Number of freighters sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) Number of Tankers sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) Number of Capital Ships sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) Tonnage sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant) Refit Time Award Requests
Optional information for End of Patrol Report: Patrol narrative
* Boats overdue for 2 consecutive months will be presumed lost.
End of Patrol Reports for March 1941 due no later than Midnight, November 18th.
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Post by crushedhat on Nov 18, 2023 17:44:15 GMT
30 Mar 1941, La Rochelle, U-45 enters the port of La Rochelle with one pennant flying from a periscope that is bent at a strange angle. The hull doesn’t appear to be in much better shape and there are clearly injured among the men standing on deck.
U-Boat #: U-45 Patrol Month(s): Mar 41 Patrol Location: Atlantic Patrol # for this Kommandant: 9 Successful Patrol (Y/N): Y Number of freighters sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 0/11 Number of Tankers sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 1/2 Number of Capital Ships sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 0/0 Tonnage sunk (This Patrol/Cumulative for this Kommandant): 8,000/82,900 Refit Time: 1 Month standard + 3 months for 7 Hull hits – 1 month for KKpt, ready Jul 1941 Award Requests: WBB for injured crew
Crew Advancement: 2WO ObFhzS Klaus Lister now “experte.” Promoted to LtzS effective 1 Apr 41.
Narrative:
2 Mar 1941, La Rochelle, France KKPt Albert Shroeder stands on the bridge of U-45. With Marta and the children back in Germany, he has no one on the pier to distract his attention rom the upcoming mission. Shroeder is free to focus his thoughts there as his officers and crew are by now seasoned enough to handle the mundane tasks os setting sail without his supervision or involvement.
9 Mar 1941, Atlantic Ocean, night KKpt Albert Shroeder looks through the periscope, his arms draped over the handles. Swinging it slowly he takes in the ships of the nearest column of the convoy; a large 8,000 ton steam merchant and three smaller freighters. Concentrating on the large ship as well as the largest of the others, a 5,000 ton motor freighter, Albert gives the data to his 1WO who performs the necessary calculations and issues them to the forward torpedo room. A moment later, four deadly eels are racing toward their targets.
After what seems an interminable time, Funkobergefreiter Friedrich Radener looks at his Kapitan and holds up one finger while shaking his head. Only one torpedo found its mark, and that one was a dud. At least the Tommies have no better luck as U-45 quietly slips away.
Later that night Racing ahead to intercept the convoy, Shroeder decides to concentrate all four bow torpedoes on one target, an 8,000 ton tanker. This time proves successful as the target breaks apart under a series of massive explosions.
The British too, experience more success. Only after suffering through several attacks, and pushing U-45 below her maximum dive depth, does Shroeder and his crew escape. He cost is extensive damage to the hull.
26 Mar 1941, Atlantic Ocean, night Another convoy and KKpt Albert Shroeder decides to concentrate his last four bow torpedoes on the largest ship in the near column, a tanker of 9,900 tons. While two of the four eels hit, they prove insufficient to sink the large vessel. Though the damage is enough to bring the wrath of the Royal Navy down on U-45.
The already damaged hull is further compromised and equipment torn form its moorings by the violent shaking of the wabos inflicts cuts and bruises on several of the crew.
Later that night After eluding the attacking escorts, it is little trouble to find the injured tanker. Unfortunately, it is still under escort so Shroeder orders a submerged attack. The stern torpedo room being the only one with eels, a lone 7e is fired, and misses. At least it calls no attention to U-45’s presence.
Still later that night Once more catching up to the tanker, and it still being under escort, KKpt Albert Shroeder orders the last torpedo fired in hopes of sinking the obstinate enemy. Victory is not in the cards for U-45 and, with a heavy sense of disappointment, no more torpedoes, and heavy damage to the hull, Shroeder orders a course for La Rochelle.
27 Mar 1941, Celtic Sea, night The lookout’s cry of “ALARM!” comes too late. While men scramble to bring the 20mm to bear, the guns of the Beaufighter rake U-45’s conning tower. Men scramble to get the seriously injured below even as the ocean washes over the diving U-Boat.
The damage to the conning tower proves more serious than it first appeared and a massive effort is required to avoid the control room being flooded (OOC - the original plus four additional rounds of flooding). At least the gunners got their licks in, the Beaufighter leaving while trailing oily smoke.
After determining the periscope is beyond repair, Lt (Ing) Max Gotha informs his Kapitan, “Any more stress on the hull and we’re all for a watery grave.” (OOC – Hull at 7 out of eight points of damage.)
30 Mar 1941, Bay of Biscay, night Maybe it’s being aware of the precarious condition of the hull, or maybe it’s the experience of a couple of days ago. Whatever the reason, the lookouts are more alert tonight and notice the distant patrol craft in time for U-45 to dive and avoid detection.
30 Mar 1941, La Rochelle U-45 enters the harbor with one pennant flying from her periscope. Those watching from the pier can see the extensive damage to the hull, ass well as the fact that some of the men standing on deck are bandaged. Perhaps more telling, and certainly more concerning to those who don’t see their loved ones, are the gaps among the formation.
KKPt Albert Shroeder lets his 1WO, LtzS Rudolf Hintzman supervise mooring the Boat as he heads below to prepare a rigorous training program for the crew’s time ashore. “Eight out of fourteen torpedoes fired missing is unacceptable,” he tells himself.
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