Fun at the Archives
By I’m in DC, working on various research. Best part of archival research is the trivial anecdotes that you come across. Found this in Special Collections at the Washington Naval Yard:
Soon after reaching the Atlantic U-100 sighted a motor vessel proceeding alone towards America and zigzagging; she was described as being about 6600 tons, apparently new, with shining paint and bright decks. Two torpedoes were fired from a submerged position and the ship heeled over and sank.
U-100 surfaced and the Captain, followed by the Quartermaster, climbed out of the conning tower. Survivors in one or more lifeboats were observed, but before the Germans had time to get close to their victim, for some unexplained reason the U-boat began to submerge. The Captain pushed the Quartermaster down the conning tower hatch and slammed it shut, remaining himself on the bridge. The water rose higher and higher and the Captain had to hang on to the periscope for his life before the U-boat surfaced again. The crew were roundly cursed by their wet Captain.
Indeed.
The wet Captain in question was Joachim Schepke, one of the most successful U-boat commanders of World War II. Boats under his command are credited with sinking 36 ships displacing a total of 153000 tons. Sadly (or happily, depending on your perspective) Schepke was crushed to death on the conning tower when U-100 was rammed by a Royal Navy destroyer… UPDATE: See comments on this point.
Also, my co-blogger should be pleased to discover that the first Canadian vessel to force the surrender of a German U-boat in World War II was none other than HMCS Moose Jaw.