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Re: U32
Posted by: Yves D ()
Date: December 08, 2006 08:25AM

The most extensive source for what you look for is « Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten » by Adm . Arno Spindler in 5 volumes. If you wish to have much more details on a specific action then the source is the boat’s log book or KTB.
Concerning this patrol you refer to, here is what is said in Spindler :
U-32, Kplt Hartwig
23nov-14dec1916
Sailed from Cattaro to operate W of Italy.
On 24th, passed Otranto Channel at 45m. depth, then she was gunfired by trawlers when surfacing and forced to dive again where she was depth-charged several times.
On27, s of Sicily, City of Birmingham (7498 t.) armed british steamer and french Karnak (6816 t.) who was misidentified as a troopship were sunk by torpedos fired from underwater.
28.11 in Sicilian Sea, fired unsuccesfully a torpedo against a zigzaging armed steamer.
30.11 in Thyrrenian Sea, italian sailing vessel S.Antonio (611 t.) was halted and scuttled. On Dec.1st were sunk italian s/v Cuori di Gesu (199t) and Lampo (59t). One day later, in Ligurian Sea, italian s/v Angela Madre S. (155 t) also sunk.
Dec.3, a torpedo made home in the british steamer Lucellum (5184 t). Damaged, she did not sink and made port.
On Dec.6, on her way back, italian steamer Campania (4297 t) was halted and sunk then italian s/v Carmelina Dominici the 8th
In the evening of 11, a torpedo was unsuccesfully fired against a steamer navigating without lights. The next day, 2 torpedos sent to the bottom british armed steamer St. Ursula (5011 t).
The same day in the afternoon, about 50 miles SE Malta, U-32 undertook a submerged attack against a french battleship unescorted and making important changes of course. KL Hartwig fired from a distance of 1500 m. but immediately after the torpedo had burst out the tube, he noticed on the battleship 2 flashes from heavy gun and ordered to dive deeper. When reachin 15 meters and after torpedo had run about 2000 m. according to the chronometer, a typical explosion was heard and Hartwig supposed he had hit the battleship. When he could have a look through the periscope, he only saw the battleship steering North and making a great volume of smoke.
The battleship was the french Democratie. The torpedo was seen to miss her by 20 m. behind. So, more likely, the torpedo exploded when hitting the ground at the end of its course.
On Dec.14, U-32 entered Cattaro.

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Subject Written By Posted
U32 GERARDI 12/08/2006 07:02AM
Re: U32 Yves D 12/08/2006 08:25AM
Re: U32 GERARDI 12/08/2006 11:50AM
Re: U32 Ron 12/08/2006 11:57AM
Re: U32 Ron 12/08/2006 05:45PM
Re: U32 GERARDI 12/21/2006 10:20AM
Re: U32 Michael Lowrey 12/21/2006 10:49AM
Re: U32 gerardi 12/22/2006 08:24PM


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