the surface at full speed behind them. Wohlfahrt's War Diary contains these entries for 27 May 1941: 00:00, (wind) north-west 5, seaway 5, rain squalls, moderate visibility, very dark night. Surfaced. What can I do for Bismarck? I can see star shells being fired and flashes from Bismarck's guns. It is a terrible feeling to be near and not to be able to do anything. All I can do is reconnoitre and lead in boats that have torpedoes. I am keeping contact at the limit of visibility, reporting the position, and sending directional signals to call up the other boats. 03:52: I am moving around on the east side to the south, in order to be in the direction of the activity. I soon reach the limit of what I can do in view of my fuel supply. Otherwise, I won't get home. 04:00: The seas are rising ever higher. Bismarck still fighting. Reported weather for the Luftwaffe. Around 06:30 Wohlfahrt sighted and transferred the mission of maintaining contact with Bismarck to Kapitänleutnant Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat. He gave Kentrat Bismarcks position based on his observations of the star shells fired during the night, adding: "I have not seen her directly. You assume contact. I have no more fuel." Wohlfahrt then submerged and did not surface again until noon, a time at which radio signals were routinely repeated. That was when he heard for the first time the order radioed to him between 07:00 and 08:00 to pick up Bismarcks War Diary. He replied to the Befehlshaber der U-Boote ("Commander-in-Chief for Submarines") Karl Dönitz, asking that this mission be transferred to Kentrat, who received the radio order, "U-boat Kentrat pick up Bismarck War Diary," but was unable to locate Bismarck. The battleship had been sunk before Wohlfahrt had received the first message at noon. U-556 arrived at Lorient, in occupied France on 30 May 1941 after 30 days at sea, where Wohlfahrt received the Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz) from Dönitz personally. Second patrol U-556 departed from Lorient on 19 June 1941, and once more headed out into the Atlantic. However, on 27 June, she was sunk south-west of Iceland, in position , by depth charges from the British s , and . Five of the crew were killed and 41 survived. Wolfpacks U-556 took part in one wolfpack, namely: West (10 – 20 May 1941) Summary of raiding history References Bibliography External links