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On the day of a U-boat setting sail what actually goes on prior to leaving for their mission?

I am sure it takes more than a morning to make sure the U-boat is sea-worthy, including loading the weapon stores, cramming as much food and water wherever there is space available, etc. But what specifically (even if it is a check list) does the crew do the day of departure? Do the officers meet over breakfast with the Flotilla commander, does the crew have a 'locker room' speech, or is it all pretty lax and as long as the crew was ready to depart none of it really mattered?

English answers preferable.

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    You have got to be kidding - just the Quartermaster's list of stores would be book length. If things weren't ready the day before, the ship isn't yet ready to sail.
    – Pieter Geerkens
    Commented Jul 20, 2017 at 3:58
  • Not concerned about the list of materials per se, but was there a 'last meal', or a meeting prior to last inspection that was used to rally up the crew.. In my head I am thinking of a locker room speech before a football game, though I also can imagine the whole process being pretty lax concerning the horrible conditions of living on a cramped U-boat for the next several weeks.
    – Chad
    Commented Jul 20, 2017 at 13:58
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    I'd imagine that this would vary almost by vessel and mission. I'm sure attitudes to departure would have changed between the early days of the Atlantic war and the desperate final days.
    – Steve Bird
    Commented Jul 21, 2017 at 7:23
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    seeing as they were sailors, they most likely slept off their hangovers after one last night getting drunk and visiting prostitutes before heading out to probably die.
    – jwenting
    Commented Jul 21, 2017 at 12:56
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    Keep in mind that U-Boats were removed from the water, put on rail dollies and move to well protected work bays. It would make sense to arm and provision the boats while in such dry dock, though I can't find a record of doing so.
    – TomO
    Commented Jul 21, 2017 at 22:27

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