German E-Boat Logs – Part 3

2nd Pair (S140/142)

27th April, 1944

2316h
After dismissal from square 2636 bottom right corner turned on underwater telephone and proceeded at 36 knots on course 343 degrees.

28th April, 1944

0011h
15 knots

0033h
Stopped. Fixed position at 1 naut. mi. north of Y. Nothing sighted. After short conferral with S 142

0036h
Proceeded north at 20 knots.

0055h
Shadow at 70 degrees, stopped.

0059h
Arriving at 9 knots, sighted 3 small steamers (600-800 tons, motor stacks aft), running southeasterly course.

[Translator’s note: due to a tear in the page, times are missing from here to the end of this page.]

Short signal sent: “Convoy 7 naut. mi. north of Z, S140.”

Since arriving from direction of moon, S142 given permission to fire at range of ca. 200m in order to be able to shoot unobserved if possible.

S140
Double shot, position 80, forward speed 7 naut. mi. missed fore. Depth 3m., range ca. 1800m. Single shots, position 120, forward speed 3, Missed. Depth 2m., range ca. 1400m.

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0113h
S142 Double shot, position 80, forward speed 5 naut. mi., missed fore. Single shots, position 100 (110), forward speed 3 (1) naut. mi., missed.

0126h
Stopped square 2364 right top side, conferred with S142. I presume reason for misses is the varying slow speed of the vessels, but do not exclude the possibility of shooting under them (land craft tanks). 2 torpedo detonations observed on land.

0115h
Short code message received: “S140 report position. 5th E-boat flotilla.”

0130h
Short code message sent: “Convoy course south. S140.”

0127h
Proceeded at 24 knots, 125 degrees to attack with artillery fire.

0130h
Attacked firing all arms at the two vessels lying to the north, range 600-300m., our speed 24-9 knots. 60 rounds of 4cm ammunition fired per boat. Good position for hits, no return of fire.

0135h
Steered to 260 degrees via north. 36 knots. After 4 minutes I interrupted the fire, which was intended to show the other boats the position of the convoy, in order to permit them to attack without confusing them. Therefore

0138h
Short code message sent: “My position is 2365. S140”

0145h
Short code message sent: “Return commenced. S140.”

0200h
Radio telegraph message sent: “Convoy of three coast steamers. S140.”

No more vessels and steamer of the convoy were seen. The three vessels must have been the rear of the convoy and separated from the rest.

Square 2367 top left sighted white flashing buoy (AN), Square 2383 bottom center lighted buoy (F.w.).

0233h
Square 2397 – steamer shadow off port bow. 36 knots west, then changed course from 10 to 10 degrees [typo?] through 140 degrees. Until

0258h
Square 2626 left center pursued by two destroyers with flares and poorly aimed fire just at range of visibility and flares. Destroyers appear in the north.

0240h
Short code message sent: “Destroyer square 2389. S140.” Continued return via square 2664 bottom right side, then through Channel Islands.

0507h
Passed Cherbourg jetty upon return.

signed

Goetschke
Lieutenant and commanding officer S140.