U-995 - 1st War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with help from Andi Forster

Departed	Date	Arrived	Date	Days at Sea
Bergen	18 May 1944	Trondheim	23 May 1944	6

 

Click the icon to download a KMZ file displaying the U-boat track, significant events and locations for this patrol.  You must have Google Earth loaded on your computer to view this file.  Download Google Earth here

Ships Attacked

None

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.

---

				K  r  i  e  g  s t  a  g  e  b  u c  h
				= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
				"  U  995  "
				= = = = = =
				1st Patrol.
				Kommandant:  Kapitänleutnant  Köhntopp
				Beginning:    25 April 1994
				Ending    :    23 May  1944
				D  i  s  t  r  i  b  u  t  i  o  n:
			Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine Copy No. 1 Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine Copy No. 2 Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine 2. Skl. B.d.U. Op. Copy No. 3 Kommandierenden Admiral der Unterseeboote Copy No. 4 Führer der Unterseeboote Norwegen Copy No. 5 Führer der Unterseeboote Ausbildung Copy No. 6 Kommando der 27. Unterseebootsflottille Copy No. 7 Kommando der 13. Unterseebootsflottille Copy No. 8
			Enclosures:
				© U-boat Archive 2023 - all rights reserved

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

	- 3 -
		25.04.44
		08.00	Kiel	Cast off.
		09.00	Kiel Lightship	Taken in convoy.  Proceeded in convoy until 26 April 24.00 to Point.
		27.04.44
		00.00		Transit to Kristiansand - South.
		11.00	Kristiansand	Made fast.
		28.04.44
		05.30	Kristiansand	Continued transit to Flekkefjord in convoy.
		09.45	AN 3524	English reconnaissance aircraft (Mosquito) over the convoy.
		10.30	AN 3524	2 enemy aircraft (Mosquito) at great altitude.
		13.36	Flekkefjord	Made fast.
				From 29 April to 15 May 1944 on 6 hour readiness.  Stand by boat Group Mitte.
		16.05.44
		04.00		Continued transit to Bergen in convoy.
		16.50	Bergen	Made fast Bergen U-boat Base.
		18.05.44
		19.00		Cast off Bergen U-boat Base.
		19.45		Taken in convoy.
		22.10	AN 2424	At Fedjuesen released from convoy.  Set off from the coast on course 275°.
		24.00	AN 2414
			N 3, Sea 2-3, medium Swell, partial overcast.
		19.05.44
		02.30		Deep dive test depth = 2A +10 meters.
		04.00	N 4, Sea 3-4, medium Swell, partial overcast	Proceeded submerged depth 40 meters.
				Came to course 341°.
		12.00	AF 8744	Day's run:     Surfaced       50.8 nm
				Submerged     27 nm
				Sound bearing 50°T.
				Went to periscope depth.  Swedish steamer "GLIMMAVEN" on southerly course.
		17.45		Surfaced.
		20.00	AF 7696
			NE 6-7, Sea 5, high Swell, 7/10
		20.33	AF 7695	Naxos detection, very loud.
				Dived.
		24.00	AF 7669	Incoming Radio Message:  To Borger, Niethmann, Köhntopp, Lehmann.
				Transit in named order via position line AF 4694 to 5871 and position line II AF 3832 to 6114.  Report and
				[typo AF 2832]

	Sun and Moon Data 18.05.44
	Sun and Moon Data 19.05.44

	- 4 -
		continued
		19.05.44		attack sighted enemy warships.
		20.05.44
		04.00	AF 7663	Surfaced.
			NE 3, Sea 3, Vis. medium, 5/10
		06.55	AF 8411	Crash dive for flying boat, type Sunderland.  Detection was not determined.  Aircraft flew towards the boat from the port side.
		06.57		One detonation.  No damage.  Boat was at depth 80 meters.  While getting inside Mtr.Gfr. Heinz breaks his left foot (double ankle fracture).  Foot is dislocated and badly swollen.  Foot is set and splinted with the aid of Morphine.
		11.55		To periscope depth.
				A Catalina abeam about 4000-5000 meters.
		12.00	AF 8174	Day's run:     Surfaced         46.4 nm
				Submerged    45.8 nm
		14.45		At periscope depth, the same picture.  To starboard at the same range there is a Catalina.
		15.15		As we continued to observe the aircraft through the periscope the Catalina flew at my periscope.  Went to depth 80 meters.  No bombs.
		16.00	AF 8171	The same picture.
			I make a course change from 12° to 80°, to shake off the flying boat, because I am nearly at an end with the battery.
		19.00		Surfaced, again came to course 12°.
		20.00	AF 8146
			NE 3, Sea 2, overcast, Vis. 4-5 nm
		21.50		Very loud Naxos detection.  Want to remain on the surface to charge.  Aircraft may not have detected me.
		21.52	AF 8116	Sunderland in sight approaching from astern to starboard.
		21.52		Crash dive.  No bombs.
		24.00	AF 8121
		21.05.44
		03.00		Surfaced.
		03.20	AF 5787	Enemy flying boat approaching in 240°T.  Detection was not determined.  I put the flying boat astern.

	Sun and Moon Data 19.05.44
	Sun and Moon Data 20.05.44
	Sun and Moon Data 21.05.44

	- 5 -
		continued
		21.05.44
		03.20		At 3000 meters I gave permission to open fire and drove a zigzag course.  At 500 meters I turn hard into the wind and went to AK.  Aircraft can not turn with, overflies the boat 10 meters behind the stern and throws 5 aircraft bombs.  Bombs detonate about 50-60 meters behind the boat.  No damage, also no personnel casualties despite heavy machine gun fire.  Impacts on the boat and on the over deck.
				The 3.7 cm failed after the 5th shot.  The cases were always only half ejected, the new cartridges jam continually, the 5th shot was a barrel burner.
				The munition burned, the cartridge stuck in the barrel and as a result the 3.7 cm was unusable.
				Under the circumstances a functioning 3.7 cm could have gotten the Catalina.  She was struck heavily by the twins. When approaching between 300 and 600 meters, one could observe numerous hits.  The aircraft does not approach again, but holds well outside the range of the weapons.
		03.33		Crash dove at a favorable opportunity. Changed course from 12° to 70° because the flying boat had certainly seen my course.
		04.00	AF 5787
		08.00	AF 5785
		08.45		Surfaced.
		09.12		Enemy flying boat abeam to starboard.
				Crash dive.  Changed course to 12°.  Defense is difficult due to the large and heavy working of the boat.
		12.00	AF 5791	Surfaced.
			N 6-7, Sea 5-6, partial overcast, squalls, rain, snow squalls, Vis. bad	Day's run:     Surfaced         54.9 nm
				Submerged    30.9 nm
		12.48		A Sunderland ahead.  Does not fly directly towards the boat, instead gets to port and attacks.  I decide to remain on the

	Sun and Moon Data 21.05.44
	Sun and Moon Data 22.05.44
	Sun and Moon Data 23.05.44

	- 6 -
		continued
		21.05.44
				surface despite the sea state because I only have a little in the battery, also the aircraft has approached to 4000 meters.
				Defense and defensive maneuvers are very difficult due to the large Sea.  The anti-aircraft crews are often under water.  Passing ammunition was difficult because water continually ran through the conning tower hatch.  Frequently the approaching aircraft could not be seen due to the spray.  Gave permission to fire at 3000 meters.  The shots are well placed, 1 engine of the Sunderland burns, hits in the wing, cockpit and fuselage.  The aircraft flies over the boat at the level of the torpedo hatch - bridge.  Altitude 12-15 meters and throws 5-6 bombs, that in part lie squarely (close) at the starboard side.  Severe concussion in the boat.  Boat swings hard in the longitudinal axis  and was covered by the water column.  Failures of the E-motors, fuses, main switch board.  The essentials are restored immediately.
				While departing hits are observed in the tail, one can see individual parts fly away.
				At the port twin Btsmt. Sachse was seriously wounded by 4 shots in the shoulder and a serious head wound, 4 others are lightly wounded.  Boat received numerous machine gun hits.  After recovery of the wounded emptied the magazines at the aircraft and dived.
				No bombs.
				Submerged blood transfusion of 200 cubic centimeters into the severely wounded man because his pulse was very weak and the blood loss was great.
			I decide to run to Trondheim to hand over the severely wounded and change course to 120°.
		16.00	AF 5791	Repaired damage submerged.
		17.50	AF 5792	Propeller sounds in the GHG (E-motors).  Sounds shift from port into the starboard sector.
				Continuous Adsic impulses.
				At periscope depth nothing is seen.  Sounds disappear in 70°T.

Sun and Moon Data 21.05.44

	- 7 -
		continued
		21.05.44
		17.50		Suspect enemy U-boat.
		20.00	AF 5793
		21.20		Surfaced.
		21.30		Detection on 190 Mhz.  Crash dived due to low hanging cloud deck.
		24.00	AF 5875
		22.55.44
		04.00	AF 5875
		05.20		Surfaced.
		05.25	AF 5878	Detection Wanze 210 Mhz.
				Crash dive for flying boat.  Flying boat came from astern to starboard.
				No bombs.
		08.00	AF 5887
		08.20		Surfaced.
		09.20		Detection on 215 Mhz.  Continuous clicking sounds in Naxos.  (probable detection in the 4 cm range).
		09.22		Surfaced.
		10.30		Surfaced.  Moved off at highest speed.
		12.00	AF 8342	Day's run:     Surfaced        94.8 nm
			NNW 4, Sea 4, Vis. bad, overcast, squalls	Submerged      48 nm
		14.00		Boat positioned off Kristiansund to hand over severely wounded.
		23.00		In convoy from Kristiansund to Trondheim.
		23.05.44
		07.30	Trondheim	Made fast in the U-boat Base.
			The behavior of the crew during the short patrol was good as were the anti-aircraft crews and technical personnel with quick repairs of the damage.
			The work of the Corpsman was exemplary.
				Kapitänleutnant and Kommandant.

	Sun and Moon Data 21.05.44
	Sun and Moon Data 22.05.44
	Sun and Moon Data 23.05.44

 

	Enclosure 1 to F.d.U. Norw. Gkdos ____
	Comments of the "F.d.U. Norwegen"
	on the K.T.B. of "U 995" from 25.4. - 23.5.1944
	1) Transfer voyage interrupted to hand over severely wounded near the base.  Decision is approved. 2) To 21 May:  Attack by the flying boat was defended well.  The good work of the anti-aircraft crews, the technical personnel and the corpsman  is recognized. 3) Since the first occurrence of strong air surveillance North Sea boats have had orders up to proceed to 66°N in accordance with Standing Order No. 14.

	Enclosures to U-995's KTB - click on the text at left to proceed to the document
Radio	Excerpt of the radio log
Chart	Track chart covering the entire patrol

---

Click the icons to view the associated records
	Return to the U-boat KTB page