U-9 - 3rd War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with help from Andi Forster

Departed	Date	Arrived	Date	Days at Sea
Wilhelmshaven	5 February1940	Helgoland	14 February 1940	10
Helgoland	17 February1940	Wilhelmshaven	17 February 1940	1

 

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Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
11 Feb 40	23.53	54°06'N, 2°50'E	LINDA	1,213	Estonian
4 May 40	01.45	54°26'N, 2°45'E	SAN TIBURCIO (mine)	5,995	British
			Total = 7,208
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.

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			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h    "  U  9  "
			-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
			Kommandant:  Oberleutnant zur See    L  ü  t  h
				Beginning:       22.1.40.
				Concluding:     17.2.40.
				© U-boat Archive 2025 - all rights reserved

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

	- 1 -
		22.01.40
		18.00	Wilhelmshaven	Back from remote patrol, made fast.
		23.01.40	West Werft	Dry-docked.
		27.01.40	West Werft	Un-docked.
		28.01.40	West Werft U-boat Wharf	Oxygen, lubricating oil, fuel oil loading.
		29.01.40	Abeam the U-boat Base	Radio direction finder calibration, afterwards mine, torpedo, provisions loading.  Radio direction finder receiver replaced because it is out of service.
		30.01.40	Abeam the U-boat base	Radio direction finder calibration.
		13.00	U-boat Base	Ready to put to sea.
				Due to worsening of the ice condition departure delayed.
		31.01. - 04.02.40	U-boat Base	Lay in readiness, ready to depart.
		05.02.40
		10.00	U-boat Base	Cast off.
			E 6, driving snow
		11.15	South Lock, Jade iced	Cast off.  Taken in tow by SCHLESIEN.
		13.50	Lightship F	Detached from SCHLESIEN.  Transit to Helgoland.
		17.15	Helgoland	Arrived.
		06.02.40
		08.00	Helgoland	Lay in readiness, anti-aircraft gun exercises.
			E 5-6
		14.30	SSE 3, misty	Departed on orders from B.d.U.  Proceeded to the north between Helgoland and the dune and then on Route Green.

	Sun and Moon Data 05.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 06.02.40

	- 2 -
		continued
		06.02.40
		20.00	SSE 3, misty	Drift ice in the center of Route Green.
		07.02.40	Central North Sea
		05.48	F 124	Proceeded outbound on Route Green on course 306°..
		07.30	F 65	Dived at the exit of Route Green, depth control training.
		08.00	F 65
			SSE 5
		09.05	F 6	Put the boat on the bottom at depth 51 meters.
		12.00		Day's run  175 nm  4 nm
		15.00		Proceeded at depth 12 meters on course 306°.
		18.00	E 2947	Surfaced, continued transit on course 306°.
			E 7, overcast
		20.00	E 2888
			Dark night, Vis. 1500 meters
		14.00	E 2592
		08.02.40
		04.00	E 2258
			Fog here and there, E 7
		07.30 - 08.00		Crash dive training.
		08.00	E 2062
			EbyS 5
		08.06	"       "	Dived, steered 306°, until Very Low Frequency Program Time ended.
			Vis. medium
		11.00	E 1884	Put the boat on the bottom at depth 79 meters.  Did not continue on submerged due to fear of uncontrolled navigation offset due to current.
		12.00	E 1884	Day's run  124 nm  10 nm
		16.00	"     "	Heard 15 depth charges at great range.  Work on the torpedo.
		17.30	"     "	Surfaced, continued on.  No ships heard by day.
			SE 6, twilight, overcast, light driving snow
		20.00	E 1766 Northern North Sea
			Very dark night.
		24.00	E 1407
			SSE 7, rain
		09.02.40
		04.00	E 1047
			SWbyS 3, misty
		06.40	E 746	Lights in sight bearing 280°T, northeasterly course.  Approached, turned away to port because it is getting light quickly and the lights belonged to 4 small patrol vessels.
			Twilight, Vis. good

	Sun and Moon Data 06.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 07.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 08.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 09.02.40

	- 3 -
		continued
		09.02.40
		08.00	E 627	From 07.00 hours took bearings on Burg Head Radio Transmitter.
			S 3, partly cloudy, Vis. good
		08.41	E 567	Dived, put the boat on the bottom at depth 70 meters.
		12.00	E 567	Day's run  151 nm  In the course of the day heard 12 depth charges.
		17.20	E 506	One fishing trawler bearing 110°T, SW-course, 7000 meters away.
		18.01	E 506	Surfaced, course 270°.
				Intention:  Arrive in the Moray Firth and Cromarty Firth and carry out task with ebb tide and NE-current, because according to the Nautical Handbook a long period of still water could not be expected. Use torpedo attack opportunities on the Kinnaird Head - Noss Head line, then deploy mines.
		18.10	E 506	Steamer bearing 240°, course SE.  Came to N-course, then SE course, to attack at darkness.
			S 5, beginning of twilight, Vis. good to the SW
		18.15	E 506	5 patrol vessels in open naval formation bearing 340°T, course SE.
			Dark horizon to the NW
		18.18	E 506	Crash dive.  Avoidance course 200°.
		18.30	E 505	Put the boat on the bottom at depth 70 meters.  Used the waiting period to load mines. [in place of the torpedo]
			Twilight
		18.50		Patrol vessels heard over the boat.  Bearings shift from 120° over 0° to 320°T.
		21.00	E 505	Surfaced, course 218° for Burg Head.
		21.25	E 445	6 patrol vessels bearing 230°T, course SE.  Avoided to the west.
			Starry clear new moon night, Vis. good
		22.04	E 444	1 small steamer bearing 270°, course SE.
			S 4
		24.00	E 321
			Strong Northern Lights
		10.02.40
		00.23	E 261	5 patrol vessels to port, 2 patrol vessels to starboard at low speed.
				Sounded the Smith Bank.
		01.15	E 200	1 steamer bearing 270°T, southerly course, at 15 nm Covesea Skerries and Tarbat Ness came in sight.  Radio bearings from Burg Head Radio Transmitter agree.  However at 01.00 hours heard the transmitter turn off.
			Northern Lights, dark night, Vis. clear
		02.15	E 79
			Northern Lights disappeared	Tarbat Ness lighthouse was strongly dimmed.  At Burg Head a vessel on northerly course.
		02.54 - 03.52	E 79	Boat ran from the SW to the lower-left corner of the deployment area and dove.  9 TMB deployed in depth 22-24 meters.
			S 2, Sea 2, current NE 0.5 knots
		03.20		1 distant depth charge heard.
		04.00

	Sun and Moon Data 09.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 10.02.40

	- 4 -
		continued
		10.02.40
		04.00	E 79	Surfaced on course 58°. Moved off and reloaded the torpedo.
			Very dark night, starry clear, hazy horizon
		04.15	E 140	1 patrol vessel bearing 330°T.
		04.21	E 140	1 patrol vessel, dimmed in 340°T.
		05.45	E 200	4 patrol vessels bearing 60-90°T and 2 patrol vessels bearing 20°T.  Avoided, moved off to the north.
		06.27	E 261	3 patrol vessels to the north.
				Avoided to the east, so that the boat can reach deep water before lightness.
		07.17	E 321	4 dimmed patrol vessels in the east, course SW, later to south and SE.  Avoided to the north and again came to the east, to get clear of the shallow Smith Bank.
			Twilight
		07.50	E 382	Crash dive.
			Beginning of lightness
		08.03		Put the boat on the bottom at depth 50 meters to let the crew rest.
		12.00	E 382	Day's run  105 nm
		19.45	E 443	Surfaced.  In the course of the afternoon:  21 depth charges heard.  Proceeded to the NE.
			NE 4, dark night
				Light in sight bearing 70°T
			[minesweeper]	Closed a 500 ton steamer, deck illumination was extinguished, only the side lanterns burned weakly, also closed a darkened patrol vessel,which had a green light visible over the whole horizon at the level of the side lanterns.  About 200 tons size similar to our Räumbooten.
				6 lights seen to the east.  They are fishermen with bottom trawls., they carry the Trinity lanterns.
		24.00	E 744
			NE 5, individual clouds
		11.02.40
		04.00	E 1047
			SE 4, overcast
		07.35	E 1169	Navigation improvement after celestial observation 8 nm to the north.
			E 4, twilight
				2 lights in sight on easterly course bearing 220°T.
				Distance 12 nm.  Maneuvered ahead to attack.
		08.00	E 1229	Dimmed steamer bearing 200°T on NE course.
				Initiated attack on him because he is ahead of the other two.
		10.05	E 1406	Dived to attack.  Steamer ran on course 40°, 9 knots.
		11.35

	Sun and Moon Data 10.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 11.02.40

	- 5 -
		continued
		11.02.40
		11.35	E 1349	Steamer was not seen or heard.  Surfaced.  Steamer in sight ahead bearing 110°T, 10 nm away.  He had either changed course or moved the masts.
		11.56		Dived, because the two first steamer were in sight abeam to starboard bearing 180°T with target angle 80°, 8000 meters away.  Maneuvered ahead to attack.
		12.00	Northern North Sea	Day's run  120 nm
			E 1409	Surfaced, maneuvered ahead to attack again.
			E 3, overcast, light driving snow	General course 80°.
		13.34	E 1529	1 aircraft in sight bearing 170°T over the steamer.
		13.36		A second aircraft bearing 90°T flying towards the boat.  Crash dive.
		13.39	E 1529	Surfaced, maneuvered ahead again.
			Driving snow
		16.00	E 1709	The steamer bears 220°T (ahead to starboard).
			E 3, overcast, driving snow has stopped, in the E and N clear horizon, sunshine	A three-masted schooner in sight ahead on the horizon.
		16.47	E 1769	Dived, and initiated attack from the south on the second steamer, which seemed larger.  Steamers proceeded in starboard echelon 800 meters apart.
			Shortly before sunset
		18.20	E 1769	Shot on the second steamer on general course 80°, target angle 80°, range = 500 meters.
			Twilight, E 3, Swell, partial overcast
				Hit center, loud detonation, foreship sank, steamer heels to port, after 4 minutes the stern rises vertically and sinks.  Steamer was about 2000-ton size.
		18.35	E 1769
			Breaking darkness	The first steamer stopped and now lays at the sinking location with set lights.
		19.00	E 1769	Boat moved off to the south submerged.  Ran on southerly course to the exit of Route II.
			Dark night
		20.00	E 1827
			E 3
		24.00	E 1940
			E 5, driving snow, misty
		12.02.40
		04.00	E 1876
			ESE 6, driving snow
		08.00	E 1869
			ENE 4, overcast
		08.07	E 1869	Dived.
		08.08		Incoming Radio Message from B.d.U.:  Return transit Route Blue.
				Came to an easterly course.
		12.00	E 1868	Day's run  174 nm  16 nm
				Heard 9 depth charges in the course of the morning .

	Sun and Moon Data 11.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 12.02.40

	- 6 -
		continued
		12.02.40
		18.03	E 2168	Surfaced, continued to the exit of Route Blue.
			NE 6, partial overcast
		20.00	E 2348
		24.00	E 2648
			NE 6, overcast
		13.02.40
		04.00	E 2947
			NNE 3-4, overcast
		08.00	N 2, partial overcast, twilight, Vis. moderate	Proceeded on Route Blue.
		12.00	N 2, partial overcast, snow fall	Day's run  155 nm  24 nm
		24.00	ENE 3, overcast	Transit on Route Blue.
		14.02.40
		04.08	Helgoland	Made fast, took over an ice protector.
		08.30		Put to sea for Wilhelmshaven.  Between Helgoland and Lightship F heavy pack ice.
		11.30	Lightship F	Abeam.  SCHLESIEN in sight coming down the Jade.  Ran up to Wangerooge to meet her.
		17.30		Went alongside Sperrbrecher VI because ice escort to Wilhelmshaven is not possible due to heavy icing.
		22.00		Went to Helgoland in tow of Sperrbrecher VI.  Until then the Sperrbrecher's engines had been out of service.
		15.02.40
		02.00	Helgoland	Arrived.  Lay in readiness.
		16.02.40	Helgoland	Lay in readiness.
		17.02.40
		08.00	Helgoland	Put to sea to meeting point with ice escort at the ice limit at Lightship F.
			Fog, Vis. 800 meters
		12.30	Close to Lightship F	Taken in tow by Sperrbrecher VII for Wilhelmshaven.
			Fog, Vis. 1500 meters
		17.00	Wilhelmshaven	Made fast U-boat Base.

	Sun and Moon Data 12.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 13.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 14.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 15.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 16.02.40
	Sun and Moon Data 17.02.40

	- 7 -
			E  x  p  e  r  i  e  n  c  e  s  .
			1.) Radio bearings were good in the southern part of the Deutschen Bucht.  At the exit from the Warning Area only accurate to 5-8 nm.   Could take bearings on the Burg Head Radio Transmitter in the Moray Firth at about 100 nm.  In the Firth of Moray the bearings were accurate to 1-2°.  Tarbat Ness and Covesee Skerries came in sight with peacetime identification at 15 nm.  On 10 February at 02.15 hours they were strongly dimmed and were only still visible at 3-5 nm.     2.) Some of the many patrol vessels observed were undoubtedly fishermen.  In square E 262 in 9 February a vessel with pilot lights was seen.  The patrol vessels carry at times top lanterns, a few had deck lights, others only side lanterns.  5 dimmed patrol vessels were observed.  One carried a green side lantern visible across the entire horizon.     3.) In the night of 9 to 10 February 2 steamers were observed on the north coast of the Moray Firth and one on the southern coast.     4.) All depth charges that were heard were not meant for the boat.     5.) Despite the many patrol vessels by night there was no difficulty penetrating the Moray Firth because most carried lights and the boat was not sighted.  Things can only get diffcult if a patrol vessel were lying stopped equipped with good listening gear and if more of them were dimmed.

 

	Enclosures to U-9's KTB - click on the text at left to proceed to the document
Torpedo	Torpedo firing reports
Mine	Mining Report

 

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