U-13 - 1st War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with the help of Robert Derencin and Andi Forster

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Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
10 Sep 39		52°11'N, 1°42'E	MAGDAPUR (Mine)	8,641	British
16 Sep 39		52°11'N, 1°42'E	CITY OF PARIS (Mine)	10,902	British
24 Sep 39		52°11'N, 1°42'E	PHRYNÉ (Mine)	2,660	French
			Total = 22,203
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.

				Kriegstagebuch  "  U  13  ".
				from 25.8. - 31.8.1939.
				© U-boat Archive 2024 - all rights reserved

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

	- 1 -
		25.08.39	Wilhelmshaven	Cast off from the adjustments mole.  Conning tower number painted over.  From the Jade Bell Buoy headed to a point 7 nm north of Norderney Lightship at 11 knots.
		05.50	E 2-3, clear sky, Sea 1-2, sunshine, Vis. good
		11.00	7 nm north of Norderney Lightship	Carried out test dive.  Several vessels in sight moved off on course 350°, then steered changing courses.
		13.25		Heard sounds, as from hard, bright blows against the side of the hull.  Apparently artillery shooting in the distance.
		15.59		Blew, to ventilate the boat.
		16.03	S 1-2, clear sky, Sea 1, sunshine, Vis. good	Crash dive due to an oncoming tanker.  Came to course 250°.  Did not run further to the north because many steamers pass very far to the north so that the detour would be too great.
		18.35		Surfaced, headed on SW course to a point 7 nm north of the Borkum Riff Lightship.
		19.04 - 20.07		Crash dive for steamer.
		23.02	7 nm north of Borkum Riff Lightship	Course changed to a point 7 nm north of the Terschelling Bank Lightship.
			S 1-2, clear sky, Sea 1, very bright moon, beacons visible very far off	From 20.00-04.00 hours hardly disturbed by vessels, nearly held course.
		26.08.39	7 nm north of the Terschelling Bank Lightship.	Numerous steamers in sight. Several avoidance maneuvers up to the beginning of twilight.
		03.38	ESE 2, overcast, Sea 1-2, Vis. medium	From 04.10 hours headed for Center Waiting Station A.
		06.21		Crash dive for (probably German) flying boat.
		06.30		Surfaced.
		07.34		Crash dive for steamer.
		09.11		Surfaced.
		09.27		Crash dive for fishing cutter.
		12.23 and	SE 2, Sea 1-2, misty, Vis. moderate, then bad	)  Crash dive for fishing cutter.
		14.50		)  Each time 1 hour submerged cruise.
		16.30	SW 1, Sea 1-2, Vis. moderate to bad	Dived 6 nm off Waiting Station A.
				Ran to position .
		18.30		Reached Waiting Station A.  Very heavy steamer traffic out of the Channel and the English harbors.
		21.26	WSW 1, Sea 1-2 (Swell), Vis. good, very bright moon	Surfaced, improved ship's position by radio bearings and bearings from Smith Knoll Lightship. Numerous avoidance maneuvers, 3 crash dives.

	Sun and Moon Data 25.08.39
	Sun and Moon Data 26.08.39

	- 2 -
		continued
		27.08.39
		04.40	Wind 0, low Swell, flat water surface, Vis. good, later sunshine	Dived during twilight.  Little steamer traffic. Few fishermen.
		17.00	S 1-2, Sea 1, Vis. good, sunshine, clear sky	Received a Very Low Frequency Radio Message, Volume 0-1, therefore not decoded.  The entire day not a single Radio Message on Very Low Frequency received.  Up to now 27 of 80 Potash cartridges have been consumed.
		21.11	S 1, Sea 1, few clouds, Vis. good, moon mostly behind the clouds	Surfaced.  Shortly before Radio Messages received on Very Low Frequency.  3 fishermen, 2 steamers sighted, 1 avoidance maneuver and 1 crash dive up to 24.00 hours.
		28.08.39
		05.04	S 1, Sea 0-1, cloudy, misty, Vis. moderate changing, at times totally calm	1 steamer seen.  On Very Low Frequency no Radio Messages received, this afternoon heard 2 x with Volume 0-1, while other (French) transmitters were heard with Volume 4-5.  Despite utmost economy 12 potash cartridges were consumed.
		20.50	Calm, overcast, Vis. moderate	Surfaced, in accordance with Radio Message 1335/2 (received 16.18 hours) headed for the western edge of the new waiting station, very bad visibility, later fog.  Therefore multiple vessels sighted so late that a severe avoidance maneuvers and 3 crash dives were necessary.
		29.08.39
		01.55	W 1, very misty, Vis. very bad	Due to the heavy traffic, course changed for the southeast edge of the waiting station. (62°).
		02.20 - 03.40	Fog (Vis. 100 meters)	Came to LF.
		05.01	Square K 825	Crossed the limit of the new waiting station.
			W 0-1, Sea 1, overcast, misty, Vis. bad
		05.05		Dived.  Forward periscope is so heavily fogged from the inside (big drops of water) that observation is only limitedly possible under simple conditions.  Drying apparatus brings no improvement even after renewing the potash filling.  Intend to take it apart, as far as simple means allows, after surfacing in the evening.  G.H.G. out of service, apparently the receiver is flooded.  Repair is not possible with on board means.  Gyro-compass converter out of service, steered by magnetic compass until the converter was back in service (after about 2-1/2 hours) and the compass settled.
				The entire day no vessels sighted.

	Sun and Moon Data 27.08.39
	Sun and Moon Data 28.08.39

	- 3 -
		continued
		29.08.39
		12.59	WNW 1, Sea 1, overcast, Vis. moderate to medium, changing	In order to save the remaining 35 potash cartridges for the operation, which apparently is not imminent, surfaced outside the waiting station and ventilated the boat on changing courses.
		13.25	Square K 826	Dived.  Ran on southerly course into the waiting station.
		19.18		Radio Message 1515/11 received.  came to LF and course 60° (later 80°).  Gave up the intention to open up the periscope.
		20.50	NbyW 1-2, Sea 1, clear sky, bright moonshine, Vis. medium	Surfaced headed for a point 7 nm north of the Terschilling Lightship.
		20.55 - 21.47		Dived.  Multiple, some strong avoidance maneuvers.
		30.08.39
		Up to 12.00	NW 1, Sea 1, clear sky, sunshine, Vis. very good	3 crash dives.  Course shifted to the north of the steamer track.
		13.00		"U-20" sighted to the north.  From the dazzling sun ran towards it because it was recognized as a German U-boat.
		13.37	Square K 230	Dived.  Was held by multiple vessels.
		17.06		Came to GF .
		18.50	NE 1, Sea 1, clear sky, bright moon, Vis. good	Surfaced.  Headed for a point 7 nm north of the Norderney Lightship.  Was not disturbed by a single vessel.
		31.08.39
		00.50		Passed the longitude of the Norderney Lightship, set position lights.
		07.05	NbyE 1, Sea 1, clear, Vis. good	Made fast Wilhelmshaven Entrance I.
				Signed in draft:  Daublebsky v. Eichhain.
				Kapitän and Kommandant.

	Sun and Moon Data 29.08.39
	Sun and Moon Data 30.08.39
	Sun and Moon Data 31.08.39

			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h
			"  U  13  "
			from  2. to 6.  September 1939.
				© U-boat Archive 2024 - all rights reserved

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

		02.09.39	Wilhelmshaven
		00.27	E 1-2, overcast, Vis. medium	Departed on 1st war patrol.  Boat dimmed.
		03.13		Passed Lightship F.
		05.55		Conducted a test dive at the longitude of Norderney.
				Very slow progress because of 5 crash dives and long periods forced to remain .
		24.00	Haacks Lightship bearing 172°, 9 nm
			NW 2, Sea 1-2, overcast, Vis. good
		03.09.39
		04.26	K 769	Dived.  Making for the northeast edge of stand by position.
			SE 3, Sea 2, overcast, hazy, Vis. moderate
		14.34		Surfaced.
		15.10 - 20.58		Dived.
		19.16		Radio Message 1310/43:  "Begin hostilities with England immediately" received.
		19.23		Radio Message 1350/61:  (Special measures) received.
		20.40		Stand by position reached.  to continue transit to operations area.
				Torpedoes withdrawn.  Mines loaded from reserve stowage.
		20.57	SW 2, Sea 1-2, partial overcast, moonshine, Vis. medium, changing	Surfaced.  Continued at 2 x GF, headed for the Aldeburgh Napes flashing buoy (though it was expected that it might be removed). Several times evasive maneuvers and crash dives for lighted vessels.
		04.09.39
		01.00	SW 1, Sea 1, cloudy, moonshine, Vis. medium	Took bearings from the Orford Ness and Southwold Lighthouses.  Later Shipwash Lightship and Aldeburgh Napes flashing buoy come in sight.  Position and identity of the beacons is correct, vessel lights set.
		02.03	Off Orford Ness	Because of several vessels about 3 nm east of the Aldeburgh Napes flashing buoy dived, continued .  Set to the east by the current.
		03.02		Passed Aldeburgh Napes flashing buoy at 80 meters on course 270°.  Checked its position by echo soundings, Orford Ness constantly plotted.  Southwold out of sight.  After reaching the deeper channel came to course 340° and began to deploy mines at LF.

	Sun and Moon Data 02.09.39
	Sun and Moon Data 03.09.39
	Sun and Moon Data 04.09.39

		continued
		04.09.39
		03.13 - 04.02	SW 1, Sea 1, partial overcast, moonshine, Vis. medium, current SW, low strength	Interval 5 minutes (= about 500 meters).
				On the west side of the channel (20-meter line) came to course 50° and deployed the 7th - 9th mines at larger intervals (8, 6, 10 minutes).
				Was not disturbed during the deployment, afterwards 1 evasive maneuver.
		04.45 - 05.45		Proceeding at HF, course 90°.  Afterwards came to 53° at LF.
		14.37		Surfaced.  Crash dived 4 times, of these 1 time at 19.42 hours for 2 large aircraft which had approached quite near from the dark clouds.
		15.10             +05527		Radio Message:  "Task executed".  Sent 3 times without receipt.  +2 V&W-class destroyers sighted on SW course at about 6000 meters distance.  No possibility for attack because target angle is too large.
		20.09	WbyN 1-2, Sea 1, subsiding, cloudy, Vis. moderate	From 20.09 hours proceeded uninterrupted at GF with charging.
		05.09.39
		07.31 - 07.50		Dived.
				Gyroscope suddenly turned very quickly by several 10's of degrees, then apparently indicated correctly again.
		11.34	Ems Estuary	Both engines stopped, because the depth sounder indicates 8 meters.  Probably by compass error to the Geldsackplate.  Went back on course 280°, then 0°. Did not dive for 2 steamers coming from the Ems.
		12.23		Crash dive for aircraft.
		1x.xx - 18.05	Southwest of Norderney Lightship	Proceeding submerged, numerous steamers.
				Made for Lightship F, not found, because up to 24.00 hours it is very dark.  Continued at KF and navigated by depth soundings, Jade channel buoy comes into sight directly ahead.  Recognition signals exchanged with patrol vessel.
		06.09.39	NW 1, Sea 0-1, overcast, very dark
		00.20		Ran aground abeam of Genius Bank on the port side of the shipping lane.  Boat lists strongly to starboard.  After pumping out the regulating tanks, the torpedo tubes and a part of the torpedo compensating tank got free by engine power.
		01.27	Wilhelmshaven	Made fast at the 3rd entrance.
				Signed Daublebsky von Eichhain,
				Kapitänleutnant and Kommandant.

	Sun and Moon Data 04.09.39
	Sun and Moon Data 05.09.39
	Sun and Moon Data 06.09.39

	Enclosures to U-13's KTB - click on the text at left to proceed to the document
Report	Report of mining operation
Sketch	Sketch of mining operation

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