Wolfpack attack continues

19th October 1940: The Royal Navy seems to have no answer to Wolfpack attacks at night, which have decimated two convoys of supplies to Britain

The Kriegsmarine had planned and trained for coordinated joint U-boat attacks at night - and had now proved how effective they were.

The attack on SC7 continued into the 19th October. This time, the record of action is from the German perspective.

Otto Kretschmer (1912-1998) was one of a group of successful U-boat commanders who were propaganda heroes for the Nazis.

This was the war diary of Otto Kretschmer, commanding U-99, for the period around midnight 18th/19th October:

18.10

2330. Now attacking right wing of the last line but one. Bow shot at a large freighter. The vessel zig-zagged, with the result that the torpedo passed in front of her and hit instead her even bigger neighbour after a run of 1,740 yards. The ship, about 7,000 tons, was hit below the foremast and sank quickly by the bows with, I presume, two holds flooded.

2358. Bow shot at large freighter approx. 6,000 tons. Range 750 yards. Hit below foremast. The explosion of the torpedo was immediately followed by a high sheet of flame and an explosion which ripped the ship open as far as the bridge and left a cloud of smoke 600 feet high. Ship’s forepart apparently shattered. Ship still burning fiercely, with green flames.