THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR

[lordroel]

Jun 8, 2022 13:23:35 GMT oscssw said:

Jun 8, 2022 3:53:24 GMT lordroel said:

Benedict Arnold doing good.

Well if he goes good a balance has to be maintain, America needs a great traitor.

Not really The Rock my friend.  We have more than enough NOW and (have had since the Nam Anti War Movement) None of  them fit to carry Benedict Arnold's sweaty athletic supporter although some of them would be delighted to do so.

Enough said!

I agree, lets not dirty this good thread with somebody like Arnold.

I do wonder if the battle between THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR is over, a certain admiral in the pacific sees more ships head towards the Atlantic due this battle.

[oscssw]

Jun 23,2022 at 13:59 UPDATE

THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR

Green is the new stuff Blue is old stuff I think is necessary to support new stuff

Please note you will find a few Green dates with blue log entries. This means I altered the chronology of events

There are also some Blue Dates with Green log entries or a combo Blue and Green. WIP still learning this business.

Let me know if you want a complete ATL year to date posting. 

12 DEC 1940 BB-55’s MARDET (Marine detachment) reports aboard under Captain Victor H. Krulak USMC. Krulak, future Co B Co. 2nd Parachute Battalion, Naval Battle of Vella Lavella, Raid on Choiseul, Battle of Okinawa, Battle of Inchon, Second Battle of Seoul, Battle of Chosin Reservoir, Vietnam. “BRUTE” Krulak reitred as Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
The rest of the leaders of BB-55 MARDET were
1st LT Nick Samuels 1st platoon BB-55 MarDet

2nd Lt Oscar Franklin Peatross AKA PETE 2nd Platoon “PETE” Peatross joined the Marine Corps on November 6, 1940, and due to his university degree he was selected for the Officer's Candidate School at Marine Corps Base Quantico. Volunteered for the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion when the Marine Raiders units were formed in February 1942 and took part in the intensive training at Camp Elliott under famous lieutenant colonel Evans F. Carlson.
The Second Marine Raiders sailed for Hawaii in May 1942 Peatross was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and appointed platoon commander with Company B. The 2nd Raider Battalion was subsequently ordered for Makin Island in the Gilbert Islands in order to destroy Japanese installations, take prisoners and gain intelligence. Peatross distinguished himself during that action on August 17–18 and received Navy Cross, the United States military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat.
Lieutenant Colonel Edson and his Raiders, in conjunction with the Marine Corps’ 1st Parachute Battalion, left their mark on the Guadalcanal campaign during the night of 13-14 September 1942. The intense and vicious close quarters fight is known as the Battle of Edson’s Ridge, or Bloody Ridge, and resulted in LtCol Edson being awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Pete’s awards Awards Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit Combat "V" (3) Bronze Star
WW II Service Makin Island raid, Carlson's patrol, Battle of Guadalcanal, Bougainville Campaign, Battle of Iwo Jima. He also served with distinction in Korea and Vietnam. Major General Oscar F. Peatross died on May 26, 1993

1st Sgt Carlo Morano was a veteran “China Marine”. The Sgt Morano USMC With 340 “China Marines” from Guam debarked in Shanghai in very early February 1927. The China Marines were transferred to Major Alexander A. Vandegrift's 3d Battalion of the 4th Marines when they landed in Shangahi on 21 March, 1927. He would serve as Vandergrift’s 1st MarDiv HQ Sgt Major and close friend and confident.
Pvt Carlo Morano (a tough and clever 17 year old from Arthur Avenue The Bronx) was one of the original “Teufel Hunden” Devil Dogs at Belleau Wood. He was also one of the SOB’s 1st Sgt Daly was “Motivating” when he yelled ‘Come on, You Sons of Bitches, Do You Want to Live Forever?”

Gunnery Sgt 3rd Platoon Sergeant Harry M Tully. Fuiture Marine Parachutist Tully used his marksmanship skill and “Johnson rifle” to pick off a number of Japanese snipers at Guadalcanal. He was pretty much a legend in a corps that worshipped rifle marksmanship.

Marine training for sea duty before the war was provided at sea schools established in Portsmouth, Virginia, and San Diego, California. Marines selected for this program had to meet three principal criteria: age (over 18); height (at least 5'8"); and a willingness to serve. Those selected attended a course of eight weeks' duration whose curriculum included the operation of ships' guns to which they would be assigned as crewmen, naval terminology, boat drills, damage control, emergency drills, fire-fighting, gunnery practice, shipboard ceremonies, sentry duties, naval etiquette, and duties of a landing party.
The duties of the detachment consisted primarily of maintaining the internal security of the ship, manning secondary gun batteries in action, and forming landing parties as needed. Seagoing Marines were called upon to demonstrate a high degree of proficiency in their assigned duties.
Assignment to sea duty, over the years, was always highly coveted, since it satisfied a Marine's basic requirements for travel and adventure, and carried the promise of some exciting action along the way, as part of a ship's landing party on foreign shores.
A Marine officer on board ship could anticipate assignment as the legal counsel or law officer for most courts-martial held on board and duty as a shore patrol officer. He also would have an assignment at a battle station, stand quarterdeck watches when in port, and be prepared to lead his detachment ashore when called upon to protect American lives and property.

23 APR 1941 0900 “Ching” Lee was holding Captain’s mast (a necessary waste of his time) on GM2
Ermes Effron Borgnino for fighting in the mess line on the 21st. “Ernie” was the ship’s very competent armorer, who kept Lee’s “Match star class” personal weapns in superb condition must not sway his judgement. The fact Lee considered Ernie” a very valuable PO whose superior work as ship’s armorer was vital to the ship’s fighting ability also had to be considered. That GM2 Ermes Effron Borgnino had never been before Lee at mast was a far more important point in his favor . The other sailor in the fight, Seaman 2nd Kevin Madrick, was all to familiar to Lee as he was a constant “guest of honor” at mast was another point in Ernie’s favor. The Chief Master At Arms investigation, approved by his XO Cmdr Stryker, made it clear Madrick started the fight and threw the first punch. Madrick was in Sick Bay with 2 cracked ribs, a sprained wrist and a “rebroken” nose. When released, by order of Madrick’s Mast, he would be a two week guest of the Marines, in the brig, a second home to Kevin. No use busting Madrick but he would do three months of restriction and extra duty. Lee would not order loss of his pay, a Seaman Second made little enough and that would really be cruel if not unusual punishment.

19 MAY 1941 0730 BB-55 CO was on his second cup of coffee. He was sitting in his Captain’s chair on the STBD bridge wing factoring in what advanatges he could pull from 20 hours of daylight this far north?
Nothing much to be improved in the steaming formation. BB-55 was Guide with Brooklyn and her CXAM RADAR as AAW guard ship. The Can’s were in a “Bent line screen” about a quarter mile ahead with their Ping Jockies (Sonarmen) pulsing out on a staggered sched that made it real tough on the U-boays approach run. So far nothing to report. So far he had nothing to complain about the DDs. Lt.Cdr. Carl Hilton Bushnell, USN CO of Dunlap DD-384, a Mahan class ship with the latest Sonar was senior Screen Officer and he seemed to be doing a good job keeping Kearny DD-432 a Gleaves-class and class leader Benson DD-421 Benson class on station. Although the Cans’ sonars were good, aside from Dunlap they carried the older radar with which was less efficent or reliable than the CXAM.

All three DDs had been on the Nuetrality Patrol for quite a while and as to be expected were quite effective, as hunters but no one knew how good they would be as efficiant KILLERS yet. TG39.1’s DD’s had pretty full bunkers. Hewitt knew that two boiler plant ops were the way to go until something happened. He deliberately kept small boy maneuvering or radical speed changes down to the absolute minimum.

Hewitt had decided to maximize the flight hours of the TG39.1’s. They were looking for subs within 40 miles and surface raiders out to 90.
The Curtiss SOC Seagull biplane was reliable, if slow and had a good range of over 500 miles. As employed by Hewitt to search for surface raiders that gave them good loiter time as they patroled their forward wedge based on TG39.1s course. They also put that endurance to good use chasing down sub leads and generally keping a good ASW watch ahead of and around TG39.1. The problem was between his BB and CL he only had 6 operational aircraft now. Minimum was one in close looking for subs and 1, really should be two or three, out far looking for signs of subs abd surface raiders. Hewitt also wanted one SOC at 10 minutes standby if needed. That left three birds down for maintenance. 

Right on time Captain Victor H. Krulak CO of HIS Marine Det. Came up the ladder, braced to attention and saluted Ching Lee. Lee returned the salute with a smile, told him to relax and asked if he would care for some of this “sludge” his stewart’s called coffee. He knew why the Leather neck was here, target practice. Ching made it a point, if he possibly could spare the time, to burn some powder himself whenever the fantail was rigged for the Marine’s weapons practice. The “range” was run by the ship’s armorer, GM2 Borgnino, assisted by a few of the Senior Jarhead Noncoms. He had to break out (although his non rated crew and junior Jarheads did the grunt work) and account for the ammo expended. He often took the opportunity to test fire some of the many weapons he was resonsible for in the armory. Ching also made sure the ship’s boarding and “landing” parties practiced at the same time. Unlike a lot of Navy CO’s, he was a dedicated and acknowledge world class marksman. As such Ching knew the neccessity of “Keeping your eye in” for effective and safe shooting. Muscle memory was something that required constant practice.
Finding room for a target range was difficult even on a BB with a beam of a little over 100 ft. Ernie came up with the idea of rigging a 50 yd Pistol range on the fantail. This presented two obsctacles. First that was where the SOCs were stored on their Catapults. Damage to the aircraft or machinery back aft was not acceptable. Second, the fantain of BB-55, aft of turret 3 rapidly decreased in beam. His solution was to lay out his 4 position firing range at an angle. It ran from Port side just fwd of Turret 3 ( which was trained as far forward to STBD as possible with gun elevated ) to STBD side abaft the STBD Cat which was trained inboard pointing to port, paralel to the range. This gave Ernie 165 ft. Good for Pistols, shotguns and “Tommy” Guns. Needless to say no aircraft were stored on the STBD Cat and the port cat was trained outboard keeping it’s SOC as far as possible from the range. The two other SOCs were stored on their dolley’s and positioned well out of the way of the “range”.
Rifle and MG practice was done by streaming a target raft right aft to whatever distance was desired. Sea conditions had to be taken into consideration. The BB could usually maneuver to give the shooters a lee for their practice., especially if his BB was The Guide and TG39.1 liked to shoot also. The use of the A/C Craine and it’s associated winches made this evolution quick and safe. The target raft, a really broad beamed scow really could fit 4 standard targets abreast, was serviced by one of the Motor whale boats manned by both sailors and junior marines. The kids needed all the opne ocean boat practice they could get so once again Ching was combining a number of good trainig evolutions.
Needlessl to say, only a BB commanded by a dedicated marksman would go through this much trouble to keep his MARDET’s & his own shooting sharp.
19 MAY 1941 2100 U-123 Rendevous with U-105 15 miles West of HX-123. U-123’s Hardegen, OTC orders U-105 by signal lamp to a position just outside of radar range slightly ahead on Hx-123’s port side no later then 2330. Hardegen was relying on the fact the U-boat’s Borkum (FuMB 10) radar detection device would pick up the Convoy Escort’s radar pulses well beyond their return range. That would give them a precise bearing and a series of fixes over time would give them a rough but useful estimate of their distance, course and speed.
U-105 will conduct a surface attack on the convoy at 0050. Timing up this far North was tricky in late May. Nights were very, very short. The tables told him he had only between 0005 and 0215 to cinduct “night surface actions”.
19 MAY 1941 2305 U-107 reaches rendezvous. OTC orders U-107 by flashing light to move slowly toward HX-123. He expects to begin a three U-boats coordinated surface attck at 0050 20 May. U-123 will proceed to a position just outside of Radar range using his passive Borkum (FuMB 10) radar detection device to take station, on the Starboard of HX-123. U-105 and U-123 will strike first. U-107 will submerge and wait for the forward screening “Fegers” (Escorts) to be thinned to counter the “flank” attacks and then head in and, at his discretion, surface inside the convoy and inflict as much damage as possible.
The three U-Boat Rudel “AS” (Aces) were confident in the attack plan. Nothing new about it but it was deadly effective. U-107 would have to be handled with great efficiency and bodlness by Kapitänleutnant Günther Hessler (Karl Dönitz's son in law). Gunther was a good choice because he would know when he was about to push his luck too far and maneuver to fight another night.

30 MAY'41 1320 RADM Hewitt has a decision to make. USS Greer (DD-145) had been attacked on 3 MAY '42, by German U-boat, U-652, while she was tracking the sub SE of Iceland. Though the DD was not damaged in the attack, Greer's depth charges damaged U-652.
The attack led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to issue his "shoot-on-sight" order, directing the U.S. Navy to attack any ship threatening U.S. shipping or foreign shipping under USN escort on 7 MAY.
Just how much latitude did that give him to destroy the Nazi TG? He knew what "God damned Ernie King" would council (sink the bastards). What he didn't know was what the scum bag press, the bastards in the congress (especially the House) and the Isolationist US public would do. Well going out after sinking Bismarck and Prince Eugene might not be too high aprice to pay for ending his career. Hell, against all the odds he had made Admiral; so was terminating his career really all that much in exchange? Who knows in a real shooting war the old NAV might call him back. When it suited the Brass they were willing to forgive even if they NEVER Forgot.
He was really pissed the Nazi bastards had killed HIS men, the 1st SOC's aircrew. He'd have to think on this as the situation progressed.
30 MAY'41 1500 Capt. Ching Lee, LT Tolly and RMC O'Shea were in the TC discussing the shortcomings of "their" Tracking Compartment. The DRT was damn fine for keeping tarck of the surface action but not the Air Picture. LT Tolly recomended a Polar Projection plot. Lee agreed but where in the already tight TC would they squeeze it in and how could it be rapidly updated? Lee supected air actions would be very fast short fights in which he would have to make split second decisions. Once again he was troubled by the herresy that the place for the CO was in the TC not on the bridge or armored conning tower.
RMC O'Shea suggested using some of that new Plexiglass the latest status boards were made of with the Polar Projection compass rose circles and disatnce lines painted on the front. A sailor with a China marking "grease pencil" (same they used on the status boards) would fill in the info from whatever source. He thought if it was back lighted like the status boards, and hung vertically as high up on the bulkhead as possible. Maybe the Kid could be stationed behind the board with sound powered phones on so not to obscure the plot. Lee chuckled and said "Chief, you better find someone who could write backwards because I sure as hell can't read backwards." LT Tolly agreed with the RMC. CO BB-55 orderd LT Tolly to get with the EMs and SFs senior PO's and make it happen "yesterday". I'll talk to the CHENG (Chief engineer) and make sure those men and whatever they need are issued. LT. Tolly would get together with the QMC to come up with some standard plotting techniques and what symbols they could use for the Vertical Plot, shortly thereafter shortened to the VP.
LT Tolly also commented it would speed things up a lot if they had one of the Gun Boss's trained JO's in the TC to "Talk the Fire Direction Team down below onto targets. Again, there was the problem with space in the converted Chart House, especially with the "VP" and additional sailor to man it. At first Ching Lee thought one of the nonrated sailors, already assigned to the TC, on a pair of Sound Powered phones should be able to do the job. Maybe if the Gun Bass' JO was really necessary they could eliminate one of the junior sailor's billets in the TC? They would have to test it out as soon as possible. Like TG39.1 he was becoming convinced more by the hour that HIS BB was going to "Sink the Bismarck" pretty soon. The Limeys sure as hell don't look like they can do that job.

[lordroel]

Jun 23, 2022 18:02:45 GMT oscssw said:

Jun 23,2022 at 13:59 UPDATE

THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR

Green is the new stuff Blue is old stuff I think is necessary to support new stuff

Please note you will find a few Green dates with blue log entries. This means I altered the chronology of events

Is this on a previous update you posted.

[oscssw]

Jun 23, 2022 18:18:15 GMT lordroel said:

Jun 23, 2022 18:02:45 GMT oscssw said:

Jun 23,2022 at 13:59 UPDATE

THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR

Green is the new stuff Blue is old stuff I think is necessary to support new stuff

Please note you will find a few Green dates with blue log entries. This means I altered the chronology of events

Is this on a previous update you posted.

Some of it might be especially Ernie's Mast. 

Been spending a lot of time on Madeline's Thomas the Train.  As MY youngest Granddaughter She takes priority.  Besides, she's a lot cuter than you folks and she cleans my work bench every time she visits.  "Papa this place is a mess".  I'll clean it for you.

It could pass John T Stenruud III's Captain's inspection when she is done with it.  

[lordroel]

Jun 23, 2022 18:32:14 GMT oscssw said:

Jun 23, 2022 18:18:15 GMT lordroel said:

Is this on a previous update you posted.

Been spending a lot of time on Madeline's Thomas the Train.  As MY youngest Granddaughter She takes priority.  Besides, she's a lot cuter than you folks and she cleans my work bench every time she visits.  "Papa this place is a mess".  I'll clean it for you.

It could pass John T Stenruud III's Captain's inspection when she is done with it.  

You trained here well Senior Chief.

[oscssw]

Yup The Rock my friend; I trained under the best.    

[lordroel]

Jun 23, 2022 20:24:38 GMT oscssw said:

Yup The Rock my friend; I trained under the best.    

Well not want to derail this thread more so I just going to say, enjoy the time with them, the duel between giants can wait.

[oscssw]

Be advised the next chapter of "THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR" is a WIP. It will begin with a coordinated Wolf Pack attack and things will go down hill from there for poor old HX-123. No idea when it will be fit for your reading but I am learning a hell of a lot about the Type 9B U-boat that I will share with you as part of the ATL.

My real problem is that as I do the research for the ATL I find out there is a whole lot of really NEW interesting things about subjects I thought I knew well. Being me, once that NEW door is open I got to walk through it and take the path to the end.

How do you old ATL hands deal with this phenomenon?

[lordroel]

Jul 5, 2022 19:05:13 GMT oscssw said:

How do you old ATL hands deal with this phenomenon?

One step at a time.

[575]

Jul 5, 2022 19:05:13 GMT oscssw said:

Be advised the next chapter of "THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR" is a WIP. It will begin with a coordinated Wolf Pack attack and things will go down hill from there for poor old HX-123. No idea when it will be fit for your reading but I am learning a hell of a lot about the Type 9B U-boat that I will share with you as part of the ATL.

My real problem is that as I do the research for the ATL I find out there is a whole lot of really NEW interesting things about subjects I thought I knew well. Being me, once that NEW door is open I got to walk through it and take the path to the end.

How do you old ATL hands deal with this phenomenon?

Well its just the case of starting at one end and work Your way through! Shit like this happens all the time and is the fun about writing a TL and why I stopped planning something from A to Z before writing a letter. Just - don't - work!

Good luck with the TL - Your'e doing great.

[oscssw]

Friends be advised the next segment of "THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR" will be posted soon.

FWIW, I found my old copy of British Admiralty Publication C. B. 4178 "Notes on Submarines" Circa 1940. One of my problems is that as an OS and eventually E-8 I spent 26 years doing late 20th century Cold War ASW. I often have to rewrite passages because I applied what we did then to what was impossible in 1940. This pub has proven to be a big help keeping me grounded in 1940. It was a gift to me by RD-2 "Fast Eddie" Bardsley. A pretty good RD/OS, great shipmate and utter wild man on liberty. God rest his stout sailorman's soul. I miss him every day.

[lordroel]

Jul 17, 2022 12:57:12 GMT oscssw said:

Friends be advised the next segment of "THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR" will be posted soon.

Well i eagerly await what the THE SHOWBOAT and THE IRON CHANCELLOR are up to next.

[oscssw]

Your wish is my command my friend "The Rock". Hope you folks like it.

July 17,2022 at 11:23 UPDATE

THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR

[/font]

Green is the new stuff

Please note you will find a few Green dates with blue log entries. This means I altered the chronology of events
There are also some Blue Dates with Green log entries or a combo Blue and Green. WIP still learning this business.

Let me know if you want a complete ATL year to date posting

19 MAY 1941 2340 U-123 running on the surface with decks awash had successfully eluded the “Fegers” and was now in a position slightly ahead and to starboard of HX-123. The four forward Atos were prewarmed and in all respects made ready to fire. Kapitänleutnant Reinhard “Trommelschlag” Hardegen was on the bridge manning the “Battle sight” himself as he ordered the final minor adjustments to his Siemens built T Vorholt-Rechner S-3 fire control system. Target 1, bow Tube 1 Speed 7 kts, Angle on the bow 85 degrees to port, range about two kilometers (1.25 miles) Aal speed 40 kts. Depth 1.5 meters.
Target 2, bow tube 2, Target Speed 7 kts, Angle on the bow 90 degrees to port, range 1.5 kilometers (just shy of a mile) Aal speed 40 kts. Depth 1.5 meters.The setups for tubes 3 and 4 were just about the same with only a slight variance in the range to target.It all looked good for his four bow torpedo tubes armed with G7a T1A AKA"Ato,".

Hardegen preferred Ato with it’s decahydronaphthalene (Decalin) Wet-Heatero engine to the newer G7e T2 "Eto," with it’s 100 hp electric motor that drove a pair of contra-rotating two-bladed propellers. The current MK of the 40 knot Ato with it’s four-cylinder radial engine that drove a single six-bladed propellers was a great improvement of the Sept 1939 G7a. He considered it NOW mechanically very reliable and so was it’s 617 lbs. Ship killer Hexanite warhead. He could live with it’s tell tale bubbles but he would be Deus damnatus if he risked his crew, his boat and his life on an unreliable eel. He had to load some of the less reliable ETOs but he made sure most of his 22Aalloadout (he had 15 Atos and 4 ETOs left) were Ato’s. That is why he had loaded G7e T2s in his two aft tubes.

19 MAY 1941 2353 on the conning tower of U-123 “Trommelschlag” had just finished “Unloading” his forward tubes at CORNER BROOK, EMPIRE PENGUIN, Norwegion HELGOY and NEWBROUGH; all in the extreme starboard column of HX-123. Instead of diving and escaping the escorts wrath he called for 18 kts on his diesels to position himself ahead of the convoy for his next attacks. He would use the short night to his advanatge. Besides he would be aided by the much appreciated distraction of U-105’s Kaleu “Petruchios” attack on the port side of HX-123 that should take place very, very soon.

19 MAY 1941 2355 U-105 at periscope depth 5,000 yds slightly ahead off the port column of HX-123. Inside close after eluding Shoreham-class sloop HMS ROCHESTER. Fortunately for U-105’s Kaleu “Petruchios” and his crew Rochester was fitted with the type 127 ASDIC. The 127 had two transducers fixed into a bomb shaped casing and was mounted to the ship's bottom. One transducer looked ahead and the other looked abeam on both sides. There was no backplate on the abeam transducer, so both sides of the transducer sent out the same beam. The search procedure was to use the abeam transmitters for normal search. When an echo was heard, the ship was turned to pick up the target again. There was a fifty per cent chance of turning the wrong way. When the echo was recovered, its bearing was taken and the ahead transmitter was switched on from the beam transducer. The target was then tracked by weaving to and fro across the target.”

U-105 got lucky as HMS Rochester hunted for her faint contact in the wrong direction pulling her off station and ensuring U-105 would be able to get in her first attack unmolested. Very sporting of the Tommy’s chuckled “Petruchios” as he gave the order to Loose all 4 of his forward Aals. He fired two G7a T1A and two G7e T2s. Targets were the 4,096 ton DROMORE with “general cargo” and 7,964 ton EMPIRE SWAN loaded with “specialty” Steel and general cargo. “Petruchios” actual attack was the mirror image of U-123.

20 MAY 1941 0005 U-107 at Periscope depth with her electrics cut wayback to just allow steerage let HX-123 come to her. Kapitänleutnant Günther Hessler was handling his boat with both finesse and bodlness. His plan was to reach the inner coulmns by penterating HX-123 screen to where the tankers hid and fire a full 4 Aal spread from point blank range into as many tankers as he could identify. Then he would dive and reload his tubes. He would count on the chaos caused by the three boat coordinated attack to surface outside the screen, go to flnak speed reposition his boat ahead and then dive to Periscope depth try for another inside attack on the remaining tankers. If that failed there should be some cripples to kill before daylight and then with his boat’s superior speed and lack of air patrols do it all over again during the next dark period. This should put a smile on the fact of my Father in law, that is if the old bastard still knows how to smile, probably not Hessler thought.

20 MAY 1941 0015 and 0019 U-107 fired four G7a T1A Aals into the center two colums of HX-123 from within the convoy. The range was so short, his crew was so expert in maintaning his main armament that he actually hit the 4 tankers. BARBRO Norwegian 6,325 tons was loaded with Diesel, ATHELVICTOR British 8,410; ARDOUR British 7,124 tons; and BRITISH POWER British 8,451 tons carried PETROL/gasolene. Ardour exploded and sank quickly. Barbro took a fish in the engine room aft and went DIW (dead in the water) causing some confusion in her column. Athelvictor was hit but able to maintain convoy speed. British Power was hit in the bows and was reduced to 4 kts max speed.

20 MAY 1941 0025 U-107 surfaced and opened fire for 5 minutes on the two inside columns with her Secondary armament of one 4.1 in deck gun, one 20 mm AA and two MG34 machine guns. This caused the merchies to exchange fire, all of which missed U-107 but did pepper other ships of the convoy, causing mass chaos. Kapitänleutnant Günther Hessler ordered 107 down deep and silently let the convoy pass over him until he deemed, judging by his sound gear, they were well passed.

20 MAY 1941 0035 U-107 came to Periscope depth. Kapitänleutnant Günther Hessler did a thorough Periscope recon and then ordered his boat onto a course that would keep his boat out of Radar range of the convoy and bring him to a position 15 miles ahead of his estimated convoy track by 1000. Both of his Rudel (Wolf-pack) would meet him there.

20 MAY 1941 0120 U-123 running on the surface Kapitänleutnant Reinhard “Trommelschlag” Hardegen and his lookouts expected to see an escort charging down on them any second. Their passive Borkum (FuMB 10) radar detection device was of little use this close to so many escort transmitting radars Reinhard smiled. In this case the MK-1 Eyeball was still the superior sensor. They were “rewarded” with the sight of the bow wave of HMS corvette AURICULA closing slowly from aft. Tubes 5 & 6 were loaded with G7e T2 "Etos. Taking over the Battle Sight “Trommelschlag” started passing data to the control room. There was just enough of a bearing drift to satisfy him AURICULA did not hold him yet. He ordered the boat to come to port until he could count on a good target angle for his Aals.

20 MAY 1941 0127 U-123 fired both stern torpedoes at high speed, shallow depth and immediately resumed his previous course. 3 minutes later he saw a fire ball followed by a double explosion in the direction of AURICULA. The 1,015 ton, 208 ft Corvette with a crew of about 90 men was just “gone”. He thought the double explosion was both his Aals but the second one was actually the depth charge mag going up. The second Eto motored on close enough to the convoy to give a few lookouts quite a start before it sank. Skipper ordered all tubes reloaded immediately.

20 MAY 1941 0140 U-123 came to Periscope depth. Kapitänleutnant Reinhard “Trommelschlag” Hardegen was to be the clean up man. He would put down the cripples. He conducted a thorough Periscope low level recon, followed by a high level sweep finding nothing. Sound had only distant noise in the general direction of HX-123. He then ordered the boat surfaced to decks awash and had ordered 360 degree search by his passive Borkum (FuMB 10) radar detection device, getting a few very low probabilty hits on escort radars, just on the edge of possible detection. Down to Periscope depth for another 15 minutes then surfaced. Two FuMB 10 sweeps came up with nothing in detcatble range but another good bearing to the convoy. Hardegen ordered the boat on a race track course at slow speed while charging batteries. Before he left the bridge he told his watch officer there should be at least three stragglers. Notify him imediately and they would do a little more killing for the “father Land” this fine night. His orders were to sink the stragglers and then rejoin his pack mates for an attck at 1000. If the stragglers were troublesome, he would need most of his 18 kts to make that “Date”.

20 MAY 1941 0215 U-123 lookout reported contact . Tanker MS Barbro took two more Aals to sink.

20 MAY 1941 0245 U-123 British Power also took two Aals. Tankers died hard. Kapitänleutnant Reinhard “Trommelschlag” Hardegen ordered his boat onto a course that would keep his boat out of Radar range of the convoy and bring him to a firing position 15 miles ahead of his estimated convoy track by 1000. Speed would be 15 Kts and batteries would be on charge for most of the trip. He ordered his watch officer to keep a close watch on the passive Borkum (FuMB 10) radar detection device and not hesitate to call him when they got a spike. Once he started getting FuMB 10 strikes he could get a pretty fair estimate of HX-123 course and speed and thereby refine his stationing solution. He then ordered all crew not absolutely required on watch to get some sleep and did the same himself. Just as he had to conserve his battery charge he had to conserve the strength of his sailors. Tomorrow would be another busy day.

20 MAY 1941 0300 USCGC Muskeget (WAG-48) was two weeks into a three week weather patrol southeast of Greenland. BM2C Coxswain “Dean” Katsoris had the “Mid” again. The naturalized Greek American had joined the USCG during the really tough days of the Great Depression and found he really loved the sea and dedication of the USCG to life saving. He was hooked and he was a lifer at 24. He didn’t much care for weather ship duty but it sure beat Lightship duty and was certainly a step up from Buoy Tender duty so he made the best of the time until he could transfer back to duty with the 36-Foot Motor Lifeboat-Type T at a USCG Station. Muskeget, being a hasty conversion during an explosive increase in the size of the USCG, had to make do with whatever gear she could get and that included boats. Lack of the customary ship’s boats was partially rectified by the issue of an available 36-Foot Motor Lifeboat-Type T.

Dean loved being Coxswain of a $15,000, 36 ft type T life saving boat. The worst the weather, the better he liked it. Compared to the older Type H the Type T had a more powerful motor, heavier and stronger scantlings, and a stronger hull form. The Type “T”displaced 19,246 lbs, had a length of 36’ ft 6 inches oa., Beam of 10 ft 4.5 inches max and draft of 3ft 3 inches.
Her power came from a monster Sterling Petrel Model L-6, six cylinder, four cycle engine of 90HP at 1000RPM, weighing about 1500lbs. The motor was an L-head type, with pistons of 5 ¼" bore and 6" stroke. A substantially oversized clutch and reverse gear were provided to handle the three-bladed, 28" diameter/15" pitch propeller. For the first time, an electric starter was provided. The increase in horsepower over the H type provided a propulsion power reserve for heavier duties such as towing and still had a cruising radius of 280 miles at 8 knots.
The superb hull form, power plant and self-bailing system made the Type “T” an almost unsinkable sea boat. The Type “T” repeatedly brought home her three man crew and as many as 30 rescued “passengers” even after capsizing, she self righted and both cockpits were cleared of all water in approximately 13-14 seconds. In Dean’s opinion a Type “T” with him as coxswain could handle the the worst of North Atlantic weather.

WAG-48 was formerly SS Cornishm, built Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation,Baltimore, Maryland, launched 10 February 1923. She was classified as a Patrol vessel and weather ship. She was 370 gross register tons, displaced 1,827 tons, length 233 ft 6 overall, beam 40 ft 2 in, draft 24 ft 3 in. Propulsion was one Hooven, Owens, Rentschler Company triple-expansion steam engine; two; Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation single-ended Scotch boilers, 190 psi; one screw; 1,300 shaft horsepower for a wopping 11 knots.
In may 1941 she was crewed by 116 officers and men. However over 50% of those “Coasties” had less than 6 months service.
She was newly fitted with a QCL sonar, no trained operator, no spare parts but they did have a manual and one of the RMs was “chosen” by his chief to “learn how to use and fix that “F”n thing in your spare time”; no radar.
For armament WAG-48 had one single 4"/50, two single 50 Cal M2 HMGs and two Lewis machine guns; two depth charge rails and various obsolescent small arms.
Dean was there standing his watch because since 1939, United States Coast Guard vessels were being used as weather ships to protect transatlantic air commerce. The Atlantic Weather Observation Service was authorized by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on January 25, 1940. Originally five 327 ft cutters were used in weather patrol, usually deployed for three weeks at a time, then sent back to port for ten days. As World War II approached, cutters were needed for the war effort and six cargo vessels including WAG-48 replaced them. The ships were all “good sea boats”ideal for North Atlantic storms modified with guns and depth charge racks, and crews were trained Coast Guard style OJT and regularly drilled in gunnery .The former cargo ships had top speeds of 10-12 knots, significantly less than U-Boats, which could reach 16 knots on the surface. The US Weather Bureau recognized their observations as "indispensable" for the war effort. So there he was when History decided to screw him “Right Propper” in the form of TG Brinkmann on Operation Rheinübung.

20 MAY 1941 06000 Commodore R-Adm Rogers somberly finishes his journal entry with the following comments on “HIS convoy”. A bad night. The wolf pack, probably 5 boats, including at least one type Nine B who had the audacity to surface inside the convoy and torpedo 4 of my tankers. One tanker sunk, one damaged but able to stay with HX-123. I left two behind. Both are now sunk. The type Nine B then opened up with her deck guns. I have no idea how many ships she hit because the merchant ship gun crews opened up and spent the next ten minutes hitting everything but the U-boat. We were lucky we only had two minor collisions but it has taken my escorts the rest of the night to round up my flock and get them in formation again. I also lost an escort and four freighters.

Three of my escorts dropped on possible U-boats but there is no sign they did any real damage so I am sure we will be visited by the “pack” again, probably at full dark today. I have decided not to send two of my American Destroyers out on scouting missions to try to keep the U-boats submerged because I need them in the screen and my other escorts do not have the speed to both scout and still get back to HX-123 when we are attacked.
I really feel the loss of Ramillies and her Supermarine Walruses. The ugly biplanes would be worth their weight in gold now for ASW and scouting. It’s Crew of 4 Cruising speed: 92 mph Range: 600 mi at 92 mph made them outstanding for this purposes. Their twin .303 in Vickers K machine guns and 2x 250 lb Mk.VIII depth charges might be useful but their scouting was their real value.

20 MAY 1941 1000 U-107 and 105 were in position and waiting for their pack mate.

20 MAY 1941 1035 U-123 made the rendezvous and the three boats of the Rudel began the submerged approach using minimal battery power. There was so little “Night” this far north in May that they could not employ their preferred surface attack. So be it. They would do it the hard way. First step was to form a line with the boats spaced far enough to allow attacks on both sides of the convoy. Second task would be getting through “The Screen” of outside escorts. The escorts were both weary and thinned now which should help. The “Pack” was also in luck because the thermocline was close to the surface, ideal for both attack and evasion.

20 MAY 1941 1245 U-123 and 107 would attack the left of the convoy leaving U-105 to take out the right side for her killing. Coordination could not be split second and everything was subject to change based on what the Brits did but it was a good tried and true plan especially with NO aircrfat to worry about. BdU had informed the Rudel’s U-boats of Ramilies casualty and return to Halifax.

20 MAY 1941 1255 U-123 Kapitänleutnant Reinhard “Trommelschlag” Hardegen brought his boat above “The layer” to allow his sonar a few minutes to gather what intel it could. The closest escort was now outside U-123 and he elected to come up to Seerohr depth and have a look for himself. He came up slowly and made a quick but thorough 360 sweep, confirming his sonar picture and then steadied the search scope on the convoy’s outer line of merchant ships. He would drop below the thermocline and close before he attacked.

20 MAY 1941 1305 U-107 Kapitänleutnant Günther Hessler (Uncle Carl’s son in law) was at perascope depth marking the positions of a Corvette guarding his approach to the outer column of HX-123. He ordered his Ato’s warmed up and started a Vorhalterechner solution on the escort. If he had to he’d smash the escort, surface and conduct a high speed daylight surface attack on the convoy using all but one of his Aals and then turn out at flank speed and not crash dive until another escort got too close. At best he would hit four freighters, draw the depleted escorts after him and away from the convoy which would give U-123 and 105 a free hand to really smash this convoy. At worse he’d kill a corvette and a few freighters but the Convoy escorts would not be lead out of station. So be it.

20 MAY 1941 1315 U-105 Hans “Petruchio” Becker AKA Kaleu “Petruchios” listening gear was tracking an escort, with twin screws most likely one of the American ancient destroyers. He also had another escort, single screw that might be either a Corvette or an old prewar sloops. Both had good “Asdic” and might have radar. The old Feger had speed but a large turning circle and an unreliable steam plant. The sloop was slower BUT, very big BUT, could turn inside his Type IX. Both had K guns and wasserbombs racks. He had no idea how many of the bombs they had left. He did know he had an almost full battery charge, reliable Aals all Atos in the tubes now, a well trained and very disciplined crew and his boat was in good mechanical condition. AND he had the shallow thermocline. Too bad it would have to be a submerged attack; just too much daylight up here in May for his liking. The plan was for him to delay his attack until his two packmates had got the Convoy’s attention with blood and fire. That should draw off some of the escorts from this side of the convoy giving him a golden chance to empty his tubes in liesure at close range. All things were possible with this boat and crew.

20 MAY 1941 1430 U-107 and U-123 were in easy Aal range of the Port side column, as planned U-107 would attack the tail and work forward, U-123 would attack the leading merchies and work aft.

Hessler in U-107 decided the corvette would have to go but since it did not hold him he would hit the merchants first with his 4 bow tubes and maneuver to deliver a close range G7e T2 Aal at high speed and shallow setting (he preferred the electric for escort killing because it left no bubble train) from one of his stern tubes at the escort. Good chance she would eat the Aal. He still had his surface attack plan in mind but it looked like that would not be necessary.
Hessler in U-107 would fire from as far forward as possible at the last ship, he wanted to stay within Aal range as long as possible and still conserve his battery and that means NO high speed submerged “sprints” unless the life of the boat demanded it. The outer column ships appeared to be large and so he would have to use two torpedoes on each which meant unload the bow Aals, all G7a T1A ‘AKA"Atos,"maneuver fast and let the third target have one of his two stern G7e T2 "Eto s” He Must reserve one for any dangerous escort. He would duck below the layer and parallel the course of the convoy while his superbly competent crew reloaded and warmed up his Ato’s forwad and the G7e T2 Eto aft. He could be in a position to attack in as little as a half hour.
20 MAY 1941 1445 Hessler in U-107 came to periscope depth, did a quick 2 second sweep with the search scope found his position adequate and lowered the scope. He raised the attack scope and started passing data to the Siemens built T Vorholt-Rechner S-3 fire control system for the two tail end freighters.

20 MAY 1941 1448 Hessler in U-107 fired all four bow Aals and ordered a an emergency turn to starboard, did another 2 second 360 sweep “still clear” steadied up when his stern tubes were aligned and launched one of his G7e T2 Etos at the third rearmost freighter. He immediately ordered, down Seerohr and to take the boat down below the layer fast. Per his order the bow torpedomen were already reloading and the Stern gang would begin as soon as possible. He also called both torpedo compartments and stated “I need those Aals, yesterday. Lets us see how good you boys really are. A bottle of beer for each man if you do it in under 15 minutes starting NOW”. He thought we have a good crew, well trained, they just might win that beer but he doubted it.

20 MAY 1941 1451 to 1458 Hessler in U-107 heard 5 explosions and was surprised he missed with one of the Aals at that range and angle of attack. He was pretty sure the Eto had hit but one of his trusty Atos did not. There was nothing wrong with his fire control solution. The G7a T1A had been sabotaged by one of the brutally overworked slave laborers and the inspector, a not too bright, totally unqualified Nazi party hack, had done her usual slip shod examination. The slave laborer had died about two months before and the Party hack was still doing her bit for the Vaterland.

20 MAY 1941 1505 U-105 Kaleu Hans Becker brought his boat up for a quick update on the psoitions of the convoy and especially the two closest escorts. He made his low 2 second sweep and was astonished to see The Corvette bow on, with a massive bow wave. She was making an attack run straight at him. There was no sign of the old Ami Feger. He immediately hollared “Alarm, set up for an immediate bow shot. Use tubes one and two, minimum separation, high speed, shallow setting. No time for the S-3 fire control system, he figured the firing solution and passed it to the torpedo officer for input into the “machine”.

At that moment his sonar operator reported high speed screws on the starboard beam. Twin props closing very fast. He swung the search Seerohr to the new bearing and there was the old Ami destroyer with a bone in her teeth making directly for him at flank speed.
It was NOW taking too long for the Aals to be prepped. His only chance was a crash dive immediately and he was about to order it when the ready lights on the Aal status board turned green for tubes 1 and 2. He ordered “Loose 1, loose 2”, waited for the Aals to clear the tubes and then ordered the an emergency, full plane down crash dive and an immediate course change 0f 30 degrees. Launch the “Bold”. (decoy). The combination of the turn induced knuckle with a Bold at it’s center just might confuse the RN asdic operators long enough for him to motor away. It took the the old can 3 minutes to reach datum, at which time she dropped a full depth charge pattern, K-guns and racks set shallow.
The Corvette had made a hard port turn about 30 seconds before Becker got his torps away. The problem with a “bow shot” from two tubes with MINIMUM separation is it has very little margin for a maneuvering target.
In fact, the two escorts had picked up U-105 almost 10 minutes ago because the thermocline the sub’s Kaleu was counting on was now ten meters lower here than when he had taken his last temperature reading 25 minutes ago. The U-boat “sonar” was really nothing but very sensitive hydrophones that were less than optimal when faced with a lot of noise making contacts in close proximity like a convoy. Therefore the sound man had to judge by esperiance, against this very noisy background when the active sonars of the escorts was approacing detection range.
The captains of Town-class DD HMS CHELSEA and Corvette HMS Begonia had set up a coordinated attack and prosecuted it flawlessly, that is if the corvette survived and they got the sub.

20 MAY 1941 1510 U-105 Kaleu Hans Becker and his crew were shaken from CHELSEA’s first pattern but their U-boat appeared to have suffered no major damage. Just as they began to inspect the boat HMS Begonia dropped another full pattern set to medium depth. Another fierce and violent shaking, deafening noise and the sound of tortured metal. The boat was now wounded but still functional. They still had a good chance to go deep, escape and then came the smell of chlorine gas. The Cheng informed Becker the aft battery compartment had taken shock damage and some of the cells had ruptured but the real danger was a moderate leak in the pressure hull at that point. Right now his DC crew was doing what it could to plug the leak but any increase in depth would defeat his crews efforts to keep seawater and battery acid separate. The boat was only at 30 meters, nowhere near deep enough to get under the RN wasser bombs.

He had had great hopes the Bold and knuckle would by him the time he needed to find the thermocline again and blind the RN sonar. Not now. The damaged after battery cells meant he had a lot less power to implement an escape routine. What to do? He could not hide. He could not escape. So the answer was simple; surface, sink the escorts and as many freighters as he could and then try to escape on the surface. This convoy was in bad shape for escorts. Would trhe commodore waste one of his few destroyers, only escorts fast enough to catch him on the surface, especially when his two other pack mates were slaughtering the opposite side of his convoy? Well worth the chance. So be it.
“OK Boys we have taken enough, now it is our turn. Battle surface, torpedo and gun action. Cheng can you still gove me 18 kts? “
Cheng “The diesels are not damaged I might even be able to give you 19 Kaleu”
Becker said mock sternly “I’ll hold you to that. Now fix our boat.” To the control room at large. “My plan is to sink both these God damned fegers on the way up and then unload the rest of our Aals at whatever merchant ships are within range. The deck guns will engage anything within range, escorts take priority. I want those tubes reloaded in record time, because we are going to do a lot more killing before we rest this day and a double ration of beer with supper. Cookie make it a really good one!”
Well he had done his best to give his crew hope. No doubt they would fight hard but he was quite sure he and most of them would be dead in a few hours. So be it. No one lives forever, especially U-boat men.

20 MAY 1941 1520 the next pattern from HMS CHELSEA landed two depth charges within ten feet of U-105’s hull. The pressure hull stove in and failed catastrophicly, in flowed the water, down plumetted the boat. There were no survivors. Hand salute. Srike 8 bells slowly.

20 MAY 1941 1530 the Comodore, crews of CHELSEA and Begonia and the rest of HX-123 had little time to celebrate their vengeance because all hell was breaking loose. U-123 Kapitänleutnant Reinhard “Trommelschlag” Hardegen and U-107 Kapitänleutnant Günther Hessler (Uncle Carl’s son in law) were evening the score with a vengeance.

20 MAY 1941 1545 Hessler in U-107 was dropping fast to get under the thermocline and reload his tubes for another attack. He found the “layer” 12 meters deeper and not as “sharp” as it had been at his last reading a half hour ago. This was not good. How much further would it drop? How much less of a temperature gradient would it become? Best get his attack in ASAP. The reload was finished in just under 14 minutes and 23 seconds. The forward tube all Ato’s were being prepped, AKA warmed up NOW. The after Tubes got the ETO’s and were ready NOW. The battery charge was at 85% and it was now time to go up and first hear what they could an if practicable come to scope depth and put gently raised his search periscope for a 2 second sweep. Down scope. The convoy was still just within Aal range. He ordered the boat increase speed and a course change that would close HX-123. It would be a 7 minute run at half speed. He elected to stay at periscope depth but switch to the attack Seerohr .

At 4 minutes Hessler made another Seerohr sweep and noticed the outer column was missing two ships AND the expected escort was gone. CAIRNESK of 5,007 tons with carrying refrigerated food and general cargo had been hit by two Aals and sank very quickly with half her crew lost. The Panamanian registered COCLE of 5,630 shipping general cargo had been hit by only one of the two Ato’s (thanks to the slave laborer) and was able to maintain her place in the convoy. The Swedish GDYNIA of 1,636 tons ate the Eto and sank with only 5 killed. The Brit registered “Rescue ship” COPELAND of 1,526 tons carrying sugar had been busy and was still maneuvering to get back to her station in the convoy.
20 MAY 1941 1555 Hessler in U-107 began his attack run with a liesurely 5 second 360 degree sweep with the serach periscope up high for max range; nothing but merchies. Down scope. A few minutes later up scope and start feeding data to the S-3 on three freighters. Two were large and one was small. Down scope. Two minutes later upscope to confirm nothing had changed.
Nothign had Kapitänleutnant Günther Hessler (Uncle Carl’s son in law) of U-107 ordered “Fire tubes 1 and two” at target one. Waited to ensure the Aals cleared the tubes and then swung the bow to target two, steadied up and ordered “Fire three and four.” waited a few minutes and ordered hard right rudder and steadied up with his after tubes pointing at the smallest target and ordered one of his Etos “Fire Five” paused for a minute and ordered “Take her down to 110 meters and come to course 210.” Once steady at depth he ordered”reload all tubes.” U-107 would have to surface tonight to ship the spare Aals from topside into storage in the pressure hull. He quipped to the control room crew “So nice to conduct a Live Practice While on patrol.” He would not be quite so smug if he knew the murdered crew of U-105 made his life so easy.

20 MAY 1941 1540 U-123 Kapitänleutnant Reinhard “Trommelschlag” Hardegen brought his boat above “The layer” which was ten meters deeper and not anywhere as near well defined as it was a half hour ago for a hydrophone sweep to update his plot. The noise of the entire convoy this close made this a very difficult chore for petty officer. Best he could do is tell “Trommelschlag” the convoy was where it should be but the escort was gone.

20 MAY 1941 1544 U-123 “Trommelschlag” Hardegen ordered the boat up to Seerohr depth and have a look for himself. He brought the “Search Scope” up slowly, stopped it low and made a quick but thorough 360 sweep, confirming his sonar picture. He then raised the “Search Scope” up a few more feet. Hardegen steadied the search scope on the convoy’s outer line of merchant ships especially the forward ones. They all looked like big 2 Aal “boys”. Down scope, minor course change drop below the thermocline and, since there were no escorts, get real close before he attacked.

20 MAY 1941 1605 U-123 “Trommelschlag” Hardegen was at periscope depth and had passed the date to the S-3 for targets one and two. He then brought the boat to attack position for target 1 and ordered tube ome’s Ato launched at medium depth and high speed. He waited for the Aal to clear the tube and maneuvered to firing poistion for Tube 2 another Ato. Same settings fired and saw Aal one impact the target, good hit. Afew minutes later his second Aal finished off the already badly listing freighter. He did exactly the same thing with tubes 3 & 4 against target 2. Same results. He then maneuvered U-123 to unmask his after tubes, selected number 6 and sent the Eto off to target 3. He had taken a full 360 sweep after each launch still no escorts very, very strange. Becker in U-105 had really done his job drawing the escorts off station. Down scope, get quickly under the layer and motor off to the next pack rendezvous. He had taken enough chances this day. He only had three internal reloads left 1 Ato and two Etos and ordered them into the forward tubes. Tonight he’d have to surface and transfer the topside spare Aals below.

Hardegen did not know it but he had sunk the British EMPIRE SWAN of 7,964 tons with a load of specialty steel and general cargo and Swedish freighter KOLSNAREN of 2,465 cargom PHOSPHATES. The two Aals had just about blown the little KOLSNAREN out of he water with large pieces falling on her HX-123 mates. He only manged to damage the Norwegian HEINA of 4,028 ton carrying general cargo. She was target 3 and only got a single Aal. She was DIW and had become a straggler but her Chief engineer was sure he could get her up to Convoy speed and better in a bout 4 hours. The Commodore assigned her HMS VERITY, one of this WW I modified W-class escorts. She had the speed required and it was not as if his escorts had been overworked of late. An escort and 8 merchants sunk, damaged or left behind. At this rate he would be lucky to sail a dozen cripples into harbor in the UK. Out came the cork of the bottle and COMMODORE: R-Adm H H ROGERS MVO OBE had a very hard time putting it back in after just one drink, albeit a full tumbler of single malt.

[lordroel]

Jul 17, 2022 15:47:11 GMT oscssw said:

Your wish is my command my friend "The Rock". Hope you folks like it.

July 17,2022 at 11:23 UPDATE

That is a lot of green, Senior Chief.

[575]

A lot of Green but a good and exiting read - always go in "Das Boot" mode with any such! Very fine work.
Seems You had good use of the old handbook given you - such is priceless value when going into detail which You surely do. It just kept me glued.