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Type II-B German U-Boat

The Type II-B was a slightly improved version of the original ‘dugout canoe’ primarily with increased bunkers and radius.  Only a handful were built; U-7 through U-24 plus U-120 and U-121.  They were used mainly for training.  The Type II-B carried six torpedoes or eight mines.

    
Displacement:    279/329 tonsLength:                  140′ 0″Beam:                    13′ 6″Draft: 12′ 9″
Power (diesel):       700hpPower (electric):     360hpSpeed (diesel):     13 knotsSpeed (electric):  7 knots
Bunkers:   21 tons diesel fuelRange (diesel):  1,300 miles @ 12 knotsRange (electric):   43 miles @ 4 knotsCrew:   25 men
Deck gun:   NoneAA guns:    single 20mm  *Tubes (fwd):  threeTubes (aft):   None

           *  NOTE – AA armament was increased to four (2 x 2) 20mm when operationally deployed.

U-120 andU-121 were being built for the Royal Yugoslavian Navy when war broke out, acquired by the Kriegsmarine. Their conning towers were different that the other Type II-B boats; more similar to those on the Type II-D boats.

History of the German Submarine U-7
TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BGermania Werft (Kiel)29 June 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
18 July 1935M1672318 February 1944
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
Diving accidentWest of Pillau54º 25’N x 19º 50’E

All hands lost (See below for names)

Commanders of U-7 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
FreiwaldKurtKpltU-33 and U-181
HeidelWalterKplt13 Jan 1940U-55KIA aboard U-55
SchrottKplt13 Jan 1940U-551KIA aboard U-551
OttoSalmanKKTrainingU-52
ReederGüntherKpltTrainingU-214
SchmidtHeinrichKKTrainingU-663KIA aboard U-663
SchrenkHansKpltTrainingU-901
BrüllerErnst-UlrichKpltTrainingU-23 and U-407
KuhlmannHans-GüntherOblt zSTraingingU-580and U-166
KIA aboard U-166
KOITSCHKASIEGFRIEDKpltTrainingU-616POW from U-616
LoschkeGüntherOblt zSTrainingKIA aboard U-7

SIEGFRIED KOITSCHKA (225-+-1986)

 

NOTE – Sharkhunters Member’s names appear in bold capital letters followed by their Membership Number

The first Skipper of U-7 was Kapitänleutnant Kurt Freiwald but the first combat commander was Kapitänleutnant Walter Heidel who later commanded U-55 where he was killed in action. 13 January 1940, command passed to Kapitänleutnant Schrott who later commanded U-551 where he was killed in action.

U-7 was attached to the 1st U-Bootflottille which was then based in Kiel. She made Feindfahrten (war patrols) over 24 August through 8 September and also 18 September through 3 October of 1939; then 13 through 28 January 1940 and other patrols covering 3 March to 18 May of 1940. During one of these latter Feindfahrten, the crew of U-7 occupied a Norwegian lighthouse on Marsten Island.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-7 (Heidel commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
22 Sept. 1939ARENSIDEEnglandFreighter2,694 tons
28 Sept. 1939SOLASNorwayFreighter1,368 tons
29 Sep. 1939TAKSTAASNorwayFreighter1,830 tons

U-7 was transferred to the 21st U-Bootflottille as a schulboot (school boat) and the Commanders who trained aboard her are listed above.

 

Men lost on U-7

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKLAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANK
van AckernHeinrichMasch GFRBernertGünterMasch Mt
BiechelyJohannBoootsmannvon BorstelWilfriedMasch Mt
DreschlerRobertFähnrich INGDziallasKurtMasch Gfr
EngelFriederichMasch MtFriedbergDieterLt zS
FriederichWalterOberstuermannGrenzerHelmutMech Ogfr
HornGünterMasch GfrJarczokHerbertBootsmns Mt
KnaussWilhelmMtr GrfKnocheKlaus PeterLt ING
KnöllerWernerFähnrichLeykaufHermannFunk Gfr
LöschkeGüntherOblt zSMatzatBrunoOb Masch
RekusKarlMasch MtRohmHerbertFähnrich ING
SchulzHeinzBootsmns MtSeifriedHermannObersteuermann
VollmerWalterOberFähnrichWeinhöbelHaraldFähnrich
WesnigkWernerMasch Mt

Deepest thanks to our friends at the U-Bootskameradschaft Kiel for allowing us to bring their sacred book containing the names of all 28,863 U-Bootfahrer who were lost in action during World War II here to the USA where we carefully copied all the names of the fallen and list them here on our site.  Ours is the only website in the world that lists all these names.

History of the German Submarine U-8

Much of this information, the data, the photos etc. comes directly from the veterans, the veterans’ organizations and is the most accurate available anywhere …much of this information is not even known elsewhere.

TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BGermania Werft (Kiel)16 July 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
5 August 1935M069942 May 1945
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
Scuttled by her crewWilhelmshaven Harbor

No men lost

 

Commanders of U-8 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
GrosseHaraldKpltU-22, U-34 and U-53KIA aboard U-53
KentratEitel-FriederichKpltU-74 and U-196
MichelKpltDec 1939May 1940
KellWalterOblt zS9 July 194018 Dec 1940
HeinsöhnHeinrichOblt zS18 Dec 194029 April 1941U-573 and U-438KIA aboard U-438
BorcherdtUlrichKplt29 April 194122 May 1941
SteinhausOblt zSU-802
LEHMANN-
WILLENBROCK
HEINRICHKpltTrainingU-96 and U-256
StieblerWolfKKTrainingU-17, U-21, U-61 and U-461POW aboard U-461
DeckertHorstKpltTrainingU-73
WernerAlfredOblt zSTraining>U-921KIA aboard U-921
KellWalterKpltTrainingU-204KIA aboard U-204
PetersGeorgKKTrainingU-11, U-6 and U-38
IversenOblt zSTrainingU-1103
HoffmannRudolfKpltTrainingU-845
KrieghammerJürgenOblt zSTraining,b>U-150

  
Kentrat                                                     LEHMANN-WILLENBROCK (120-+-1985)

NOTE -Sharkhunters Member’s names appear in bold capital letters followed by their Membership Number.

The first Skipper of U-8 was Kapitänleutnant Harald Grosse but the first combat commander was Kapitänleutnant Eitel-Friederich Kentrat and other Skippers as shown above.

U-8 was initially attached to the Schuflottille U-Abwehrschul but with the outbreak of World War II, she was transferred to the 1st U-Bootflottille which was then based in Kiel.  She made only one Feindfahrt (war patrol) in the North Atlantic and this patrol was cut short due to the severe wounding of Kplt. Kentrat. U-8 hastily returned to port and in December 1940 she was attached to the 24th U-Bootflottille as a schulboot then transferred to the 22nd U-Bootflottile also as a schulboot.

At the end of the war, the crew scuttled U-8 under the unofficial Operation RAINBOW but sometime between 1947 and 1953, U-8 was raised and broken up for scrap.

During her life, U-8 made no attacks and sank no ships.

Deepest thanks to our friends at the U-Bootskameradschaft Kiel for allowing us to bring their sacred book containing the names of all 28,863 U-Bootfahrer who were lost in action during World War II here to the USA where we carefully copied all the names of the fallen and list them here on our site.  Ours is the only website in the world that lists all these names.

History of the German Submarine U-9


Conning tower emblem U-9

Much of this information, the data, the photos etc. comes directly from the veterans, the veterans’ organizations and is the most accurate available anywhere …much of this information is not even known elsewhere.

U-9 pre-warU-9 at sea early in the war
TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BGermania Werft (Kiel)30 July 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
21 August 1935M1306820 August 1944
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
Soviet aircraftCostanzia HarborDockside

No men lost

 

Commanders of U-9 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
LooffHans-GüntherKKU-1, U-27 and U-122KIA aboard U-122
MathesLudwigKplt19 Sep 1939U-6 and U-44KIA aboard U-44
SchulteMaxOblt zS19 Sep 193928 Dec 1939U-13POW aboard U-13
Lüth  *WolfgangOblt zS28 Dec 193930 May 1941U-13, U-43, U-138 and U-181
Deecke  **JoachimOblt zS30 May 194128 Oct 1942U-584KIA aboard U-584
Schmidt-WeichartOblt zS28 Oct 194215 Sep 1943U-3501
KlapdorHeinrichOblt zS15 Sep 1943U-2538
DehrmannLt zS31 Mar 19447 April 1944
PetersenKurtKplt7 April 1944
KaufmannWolfgangKpltU-10 and U-79


Lüth

NOTE – Sharkhunters Member’s names and Membership Number appear in bold capital letters.

*  Wolfgang Lüth was the second most successful combat submarine commander of World War II and he earned the Knights Cross with Oak Leaf, Crossed Swords and Diamonds.  He was the first U-Bootfahrer to earn this very high award.  More than a week after the end of the war, he was walking from the headquarters of Großadmiral Karl Dönitz in the naval academy at Flensburg/Mürwick late at night.  In the dark, the sentry challenged for the password. Deep in thought, Lüth did not hear the sentry and so did not return the password. Following the standing orders put in place by Lüth himself – the sentry fired, killing Wolfgang Lüth instantly. A Board of Inquiry quickly cleared the sentry of any wrongdoing. A rumor persisted that Lüth was so despondent at the crushing defeat of the Third Reich that he deliberately did not return the password, thereby wanting to be shot dead. Korvettenkapitän REINHARD HARDEGEN (102-LIFE-1985) knew Lüth quite well and he told us that this was not true – Lüth did not want to die; he was just so deep in thought that he did not hear the sentry. It was one of those terrible wartime accidents known as ‘Friendly Fire‘.

**  When Deecke was in command of U-584, he put four agents ashore in June 1942 at Ponte Vedre Beach, Florida (by Jacksonville) as the second half of Operation PASTORIUS, the plan to disrupt aluminum and aircraft production in the USA.

U-9 was initially attached to U-Bootflottille Weddigen then to the 1st U-Bootflottille based then in Kiel.  She had several mine laying operations in the North Sea – in particular off Cromarty Firth on 10 February 1940.  She operated off Norway in April 1940 during the Norway Invasion.  She operated off Holland in May 1940 then in October 1942, she was decommissioned, disassembled and taken by truck over the Autobahn then by barge down the Donau (Danube) river to Romania where she was rebuilt, recommissioned on 28 October 1942 and attached to the 30th U-Bootflottille operating in the Black Sea.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-9 (Lüth commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
18 Jan 1940FLANDRIASwedenFreighter1,179 tons
18 Jan 1940PATRIASwedenFreighter1,188 tons
11 Feb 1940LINDAEstoniaFreighter1,213 tons
?? May 1940SAN TIBURCO  *EnglandTanker5,995 tons
9 May 1940DORISFranceSubmarine   552 tons
11 May 1940VIIUEstoniaFreighter1,908 tons
11 May 1940TRINGAEnglandFreighter1,930 tons
23 May 1940SIGURDS
FAULBAUMS **
GermanFreighter3,256 tons
FLANDRIA SIGURD FAULBAUMS

*    SAN TIBURCO struck a mine in the field laid by U-9 over the night 9/10 February 1940.
**  SIGURDS FAULBAUMS was a German ship that had been captured by the British.
She was en route to England as a Prize of War when she was sunk by Lüth.

SHIPS ATTACKED BY U-9 (Petersen commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
5 Apr 1944unknown  +USSRfishing boatunknown
11 May 1944ZASCITNIK   ++USSRTorpedoboatunknown
17 May 1940unknown    +++USSRunknownunknown

+        Small fishing boat sunk by 20mm gunfire
++    Fired GNAT and observed large explosion after two minutes thirty-one seconds in a small convoy. There was a heavy oil smell in the area the next day.  Postwar records indicate that this was probably the Torpedoboat ZASCITNIK (T-411) but it is possible that it was a damaging hit of the Torpedoboat STORM.
+++   U-9 saw one torpedo hit and explode on the bow of the ship. No confirmation.

On 25 May 1944, they fired at a large ship of 9,000 tons and heard an explosion after eleven and a half minutes. There was no confirmation and this was probably an end-of-run detonation.

History of the German Submarine U-10

Conning tower emblem U-10

Much of this information, the data, the photos etc. comes directly from the veterans, the veterans’ organizations and is the most accurate available anywhere …much of this information is not even known elsewhere.

TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BGermania Werft (Kiel)13 August 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
9 September 1935M04324Not sunk
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
Not sunkNot sunkNot sunk

No men lost

 

Commanders of U-10 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
ScheringerHeinzOblt zS9 Sep 1935U-13 and U-26
PreussJoachimOblt zS28 Jan 1940U-568
RigeleHermannFKTrainingU-17, U-20, U-31, UD-1 & UD-3
SohlerHerbertKKTrainingU-46 and U-B
WeingärtnerHannesKKTrainingU-4, U-16 and U-851KIA aboard U-851
BrandtChristianOblt zSTrainingU-542KIA aboard U-542
SCHULZ   *GEORG WILHELMKpltTrainingU-64 and U-124
Mützelberg **RolfKpltTrainingU-203Killed with U-203
von RabenauW. R.KpltTrainingU-52 and U-702KIA aboard U-702
RuweidelKurtObly zSTrainingU-337KIA aboard U-337
KarpfHansKKTrainingU-632KIA aboard U-632
StrengerW.Oblt zSTrainingU-1023
LorentzGünterOblt zSTrainingU-63POW from U-63
AhlersKurtOblt zSTraining

       
SCHULZ (162-+-1986)           Mützelberg

NOTE – Sharkhunters Member’s names appear in bold capital letters followed by their Membership Number.

 

*  GEORG WILHELM SCHULZ (162-+-1986) was known as ‘Vatti‘ Schulz (Papa Schulz) by the men of the U-Bootwaffe because he was well liked and highly respected.  He is probably best known for his ‘Edelweißboot‘ (U-124) but in addition, he trained many of the best U-Boat Skippers – REINHARD HARDEGEN (102-LIFE-1985), Werner Henke, Joachin Mohr to name just a few.

**  We note that Rolf Mützelberg was killed with U-203, not killed in action (KIA) because he was not killed in combat.  In a safe area with a calm sea, Mützelberg stopped the boat and allowed his men to swim off the boat.  He dived off the bridge and failed to take into account the wide saddle tanks of the Type VII boat – he struck his head on the tank, killing himself in a sad accident.

From 9 September 1935, U-10 was attached to a training flotilla as a schulboot (training boat).  When war broke out, she assigned to a Front-Bootflottille as a Frontboot (combat boat) where she operated in the North Sea and the North Atlantic until June of 1940.  She was then transferred to the 21st U-Bootflottille based in Pillau as a permanent schulboot.  U-10 was decommissioned 1 August 1944 and was broken up for scrap after the war.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-10 (Preuss commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
17 Feb 1940KVERNAASNorwayFreighter1,819 tons
18 Feb 1940AMELANDNetherlandsFreighter4,537 tons
KVERNASS in portAMELAND in portthe end of AMELAND

 

Deepest thanks to our friends at the U-Bootskameradschaft Kiel for allowing us to bring their sacred book containing the names of all 28,863 U-Bootfahrer who were lost in action during World War II here to the USA where we carefully copied all the names of the fallen and list them here on our site.  Ours is the only website in the world that lists all these names.

History of the German Submarine U-11
TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BGermania Werft (Kiel)27 August 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
21 September 1935M27219Not sunk
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
Not sunkNot sunkNot sunk

No men lost

 

Commanders of U-11 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
RÖSINGHANS-RUDOLFKK21 Sep 1935U-48
PetersGeorgKKTrainingU-8, U-6 and U-38
StolzenbergOblt zSTrainingU-2543
SCHÜTZEVIKTORKK23 Aug 1939U-19, U-25 and U-103
DoberneckerGüntherOblt zSTraining

  
RÖSING (313-+-1987)                  Schütze

NOTE – Sharkhunters Member’s names appear in bold capital letters followed by their Membership Number.

 

U-11 was temporarily attached to the 1st U-Bootflottille then based in Kiel then quickly sent to a training flotilla as a schulboot (training boat).  She saw no combat, made no attacks, was decommissioned at Kiel, surrendered to the Allies in May 1945 and later broken up for scrap

 

Deepest thanks to our friends at the U-Bootskameradschaft Kiel for allowing us to bring their sacred book containing the names of all 28,863 U-Bootfahrer who were lost in action during World War II here to the USA where we carefully copied all the names of the fallen and list them here on our site.  Ours is the only website in the world that lists all these names.

History of the German Submarine U-12
TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BGermania Werft (Kiel)11 September 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
11 September 1935M178658 Oct 1939
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
MineDover StraitsUnknown

No men lost – all captured

 

Commanders of U-12 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
von SchmidtWernerKK11 Sep 1935U-15, U-25, U-40 and U-116
PauckstadtHansFKU-18, U-20, U-34, U-30 and U-193
von der RoppDietrichKplt8 Oct 1939

U-12 was on maneuvers 15 through 17 May 1939 then she went on operational patrol in the English Channel.  This Feindfahrt (patrol) was to run from 25 August 1939 through 20 October 1939.  This probably would have consisted of more than one Feindfahrt due to the length of time.  Type II boats near their home waters did not experience war patrols of two months duration.  The boat apparently struck a mine 8 October 1939 and was lost with all hands.

According to Oberleutnant zur See ERNST SCHMIDT (10-+-1983), an officer who served aboard U-345 and U-821, informed us that von der Ropp’s body washed ashore at Dunkirk soon after the sinking.  Perhaps a calculation of the tides and currents at the time could be used to determine the position of the wreck.

U-12 made no attacks and sank no ships during her brief time in the war.

Men lost on U-12

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKLAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANK
BölkeEmilSt StsBreiterHermannFunk Mt
EckersbergerAlfredFunk OgfrEhlerHarryMtr Gfr
FischerOttoSt OberstuermannFredrikssonWernerOberbootsmann
HähnelHenryMtr OgfrHeymühleWilliMasch Gfr
HornWernerMtr OgfrKohlischErnstMtr Ogfr
KresseWalterMasch OgfrLerchOttoMasch Ogfr
MayrMichaelMasch MtMeyerHansMech Mt
PeinKlausOblt zSRengJohannSt Masch
von der RoppDietrichKpltSchellenbergerFranzMasch Mt
SchmidFranzMasch OgfrSchymikEwaldMasch Mt
SoeteLudwigMasch MtStolteBrunoMasch Ogfr
ThölldenHansOblt zSWestphalHermannMech Ogfr
WittkeFriederichFunk OgfrZeidlerGeorgMasch Mt
ZschemischErhardMtr OgfrScholzHeinzStabs Ogfr
History of the German Submarine U-13
TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)9 November 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
30 November 1935M1542131 May 1940
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
HMS WESTON  (L-72)off London52º 27′ N x 02º 02′ E

No men lost – all captured

 

Commanders of U-13 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
von StockhausenHans GerrittKK30 Nov 1935U-65
LüthWolfgangFKU-9, U-138, U-43 and U-181
Daublesky von EichainKarlKpltSept 193910 Nov 1939
ScheringerHeinzKplt10 Nov 193930 Dec 1939U-10 and U-26
SchulteMaxOblt zS30 Dec 193931 May 1940POW from U-13


Wolfgang Lüth

U-13 had several Feindfahrten (war patrols) off the northeast coast of Scotland from September 1939 through April of 1940, including one mine-laying mission off Orfordness, England on 4 September 1939 and in the Firth of Tay on 12 December 1939.  another war patrol was taken in the area of the Orkney Islands in April 1940.

On 12 September 1939, U-13 rescued the crew of a downed German aircraft in the North Sea.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-13 (Daublesky commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
10 Sep 1939MAGDAPUR   *
EnglandFreighter8,641 tons
16 Sep 1939CITY OF PARIS  **
EnglandFreighter10,902 tons
24 Sep 1939PHRYNE  ***
FranceFreighter2,660 tons
30 Oct 1939CAIRNMONA
EnglandFreighter4,666 tons
MAGDAPURthe end of MAGDAPUR
CAIRNMONA

*     MAGDAPUR struck a mine in the field laid down on 4 September 1939
**   CITY OF PARIS struck a mine in the field laid down 4 September 1939; was damaged, not sunk.
***  PHRYNE struck a mine in the field laid down on 4 September 1939

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-13 (Scheringer commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
2 Feb 1940ANU  +EstoniaFreighter1,421 tons

+   ANU struck a mine in the field laid down 12 December 1939

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-13 (Schulte commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
20 Jan 1940unknown    Xunknownunknownunknown
31 Jan 1940STARTNorwayFreighter1,168 tons
1 Feb 1940FRAM
SwedenFreighter2,491 tons
16 April 1940unknown   XXEnglanddestroyerunknown
17 Apr 1940SWAINBY
EnglandFreighter4,935 tons
26 Apr 1940unknown    XXXunknownFreighter4,000 tons

X     Claimed a 4,000 ton steamer damaged by torpedo – no confirmation
XX   Claimed damage to an un-named destroyer of 1,870 tons – no confirmation
XXX Schulte saw one hit on the bow of a freighter of approximately 4,000 tons which blew off
the forecastle.  The ship sank in less than one minute.  No name was learned for this ship.

Additionally, on 28 April 1940 U-13 (Schulte) damaged the 6,999 ton British tanker SCOTTISH AMERICAN.

tanker SCOTTISH AMERICAN

History of the German Submarine U-14

     

TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)18 December 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
18 January 1936M284512 May 1945
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
her own crewWilhelmshaven harbor

No men lost

 

Commanders of U-14 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
OehrnVictorFK18 Jan 1936
WellnerHorstKpltU-16KIA aboard U-16
WohlfarthHerbertOblt zS
BigalkGerhardKpltU-751KIA aboard U-751
PurkholdHubertusKpltU-260
PetersenKlausKpltFeb 1942Jun 1942U-24, U-9 and U-3042
BortfeltOblt zSU-1167
HeidtmannHansKpltU-2, U-21 and U-559
KonenkampJürgenKpltU-375KIA aboard U-375
Kohntopp  *WalterKpltU-995
DierkeHans-JoachimOblt zS

      
Victor Oehrn                         Herbert Wolhfarth                   Gerhard Bigalk                   Walter Kohntopp

*  Walter Kohntopp was accused of not being aggressive enough when he commanded U-995, was busted from Kapitänleutnant to ordinary seaman and was put on an anti-aircraft gun aboard a minesweeper.

U-14 was initially based at Memel (Klaipeda) when the war broke out and operated in the Baltic.  In September 1939, U-14 operated off Scapa Flow and later in September 1939, off the northeast coast of Scotland then back there again in February 1940.  Over January and February of 1940, U-14 patrolled off the coast of Holland, then off Norway in April 1940 during the Norway Action.

Wellner claimed sinking two submarines, one on 3 September 1939 and the other on 24 September 1939.  No confirmation.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-14 (Wohlfarth commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
25 Jan 1940BIARRITZ
NorwayFreighter1,752 tons
15 Feb 1940SLEIPNERDenmarkFreighter1,066 tons
16 Feb 1940RHONEDenmarkFreighter1,064 tons
16 Feb 1940OSMED
SwedenFreighter1,526 tons
16 Feb 1940LIANA
SwedenFreighter1,664 tons
 7 Mar 1940VECHTNetherlandsFreighter1,965 tons
 9 Mar 1940BORTHWICKEnglandFreighter1,097 tons
 9 Mar 1940ABBOTSFORD
EnglandFreighter1,585 tons

 

               

SS ABBOTSFORD

History of the German Submarine U-15
TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)15 February 1936
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
7 March 1936M069911 February 1940
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
ILTISNorth Sea54º 19′ N x 04º 47′ E

All hands lost – 23 men. See below for names.

 

Commanders of U-15 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
von SchmidtWernerKplt7 Mar 1936U-12, U-25, U-40 and U-116
BucholzHorstKplt25 Oct 1939U-195 and U-177KIA aboard U-177
FrahmPeterOblt zSU-15

 

On 5 September 1939, U-15 laid mines off Flamborough Head (England) then on 17 November she laid a minefield off Lowestoft.  In between these mine-laying operations, U-15 conducted Feindfahrten (war patrols) along the French coast and also in the English Channel over September and October of 1939.

U-15 departed Wilhelmshaven on 30 January 1940 with the German torpedoboat ILTIS as her escort.  There was an accidental collision between the two vessels resulting in the loss of U-15 and her entire crew.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-15 (Bucholz commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
10 Sep 1939GOODWOODEnglandFreighter2,796 tons
21 Oct 1939ORSAEnglandFreighter1,478 tons

NOTE – Both GOODWOOD and ORSA ran onto mines planted by U-15 off Flamborough Head on 5 September 1939.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-15 (Frahm commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
28 Dec 1939RESEARCHOEnglandTrawler258 tons

NOTE – RESEARCHO ran onto a mine in the field planted by U-15 off Lowestoft on 17 November 1939.

 

Men lost on U-15

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKLAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANK
AhrensKarlOber Masch MtBeckerEmilSt Obstrm
BienioschekWilhelmMasch MtCorneliusHeinrichOber Btsmt
FrahmPeterKapitänleutnantHinnerichsHelmutBtsmt
HübnerKarlMech GfrJohannsWilhelmMtr Ob Gfr
KähneFritzMtr Ob GfrKalweitMaxFunk Ob Gfr
LindstedtWilhelmMasch GfrMerkTheodorMasch Ob Gfr
MicusWilhelmOber MaschPanneckOttoMech Mt
RouxWilhelmOblt zSSachseGerhardOber Funk Mt
SchmidtHartmutOblt INGSöchtingHeinzFunk Ob Gfr
StöltingWalterOber Masch MtThielAlbertMtr Ob Gfr
TünschelWaldemarMasch Ob GfrWeberHeinrichOber Masch Mt
WestphalFritzMasch Gfr
History of the German Submarine U-16
TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)28 April 1936
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
16 May 1936M1301424 Oct 1939
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
HMS PUFFIN (L-52/K-52)
and HMS CAYTON WYKE (FY-191)
Goodwins Sands51º 09′ N x 01º 28′ E

All hands lost – 28 men. See below for names

 

Commanders of U-16 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
BeduhnHeinzKK 18 May 1936U-23 and U-25KIA aboard U-25
BehrensUdoKKU-24, U-17 and U-845
WeingärtnerHannesKpltU-4, U-10 and U-851KIA aboard U-851
WellnerHorstKplt4 Oct 1939previously U-14KIA aboard U-16

On 5 September 1939, U-16 conducted a mine-laying patrol off Tees Bay, England and a combat patrol off the Norwegian coast in September 1939.  She was on another mine-laying mission off Dover when she was lost.

Above Photos, left and right: HMS PUFFIN

According to one report, U-16 was attacked on 23 October 1939 by HMS PUFFIN and HMS CAYTON WYKE while she was on her mine-laying patrol but was not sunk.  It appears that one of her own mines detonated while being deployed on 24 October.

The wreck was discovered stranded on Goodwins Sands on 25 October by the Royal Army.  An attempt was made to board the boat at low tide but weather prevented this so a diving team came out the next day.  The boat appeared to have been slightly damaged down the portside and more extensively in the bows.  The casing abaft the conning tower was undamaged.  Two officers boarded the boat and found the conning tower hatch to be closed but not secured. Lieutenant Commander Furze climbed down until the water reached his shoulders, and he was able to bring up a variety of odds and ends but nothing of importance.  The tide began rising and no further progress could be made.  Weather prevented further access and it was 2 November 1939 before the boat could be approached again and by this time, the angle of list was rapidly increasing and the boat was silting up badly.  Nothing more was attempted and the boat was swallowed up in the sands.

According to official British reports we read:”Following detection of a submarine by the Loop indicator Station at St. Margaret’s Bay at about 1225Z on 24 October HMS PUFFIN and HMS CAYTON WYKE carried out a number of attacks between 1341Z and 1657Z with a limited number of depth charges set to fifty feet. After the last attack, a small amount of oil was seen. This was in approximate position 51º 10’N x 01º 29’E.  The ships remained in the area until dark but nothing further was seen. On the morning of 25 October 1939, U-16 was found stranded nearby on the Goodwins Sands. An officer who led a party out to inspect the submarine found the conning tower hatch open but owing to bad weather they did not enter the boat.  On the 26th, U-16 was sucked into the Sands where I suspect she remains today.  There is no evidence as to the fate of the crew and no bodies were found.”

Additional reports state:  “U-16 entered Kiel on 5 October 1939 and was taken over by the entire crew of U-14 which had to go into dock for major refit.  U-16 sailed on 16 October to lay mines off Dover.  The last report came from the boat at 0450 hours German time on 25 October saying ‘Seriously damaged; must scuttle’.  British records suggest there had been a contact at about noon of the 24th with HMS PUFFIN (LtCdr W. F. Hollins) and a few hours later with the trawler HMS CAYTON WYKE(Cdr. R. H. B. Hammond-Chambers) of the 1st Anti-Submarine Flotilla.  It is not certain whether the damage to U-16 resulted from depth charge attacks or from a mine.  However, during the morning of 25 October, five hours after sending her last message, U-16 was observed from a coastal station to be stranded on the Goodwins Sands.  An attempt to get aboard that evening proved too difficult and a diving boat was towed out early the next day.  A number of bodies in life jackets were washed up in Britain and France and one as far away as the island of Ameland.”

The wreck was located in April 1960 by four amateur divers.  Two of them, Ronald McCaig and Thomas Hatton entered the wreck through the open conning tower hatch.  They got as far as the engine area but could not go onward due to a blockage.  On returning for another attempt the following day, the diving team was unable to find the wreck again.

EDITOR NOTE – All this makes one wonder if there was any loss of life at all aboard U-16 during the attack and sinking.  Apparently, all (or most) got off the boat safely only to perish later in the sea.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-16 (Weingärtner commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
28 Sep 1939NYLANDSwedenFreighter3,378 tons

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-16 (Wellner commanding)

<th”>TYPEGRT

DATENAMENATION
20 Nov 1939Ste. CLAIRFranceTrawler    57 tons

NOTE – Ste. CLAIR ran onto a mine in the field planted by U-16.

 

Men lost on U-16

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKLAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANK
BaumbachErichFunk mtBiekerHermannFunk Gfr
BrankeWalterBts MtDielforterKarlOber Masch Mt
EickmannAntonMasch MtFettPaulMasch Ob Gfr
HanfPaulMasch Ob GfrKeilHansMtr Ob Gfr
KrämerRolfMasch Ob GfrKretschmerFritzMech Mt
KuhnHeinrichSt Ob StmLinkeHansOblt ING
MahnkeFriedhelmMech Haupt GfrMaternaHubertBtsm
NoskeHeinzMasch Ob GfrSchneiderHugoMasch Mt
SchneidmüllerRudolfMasch MtSchreiberRudolfMtr Gfr
SchuchnaOttoMasch MtSobekSiegfriedMtr Gfr
TischerHeinzMtr GfrTomiczekGeorgMtr Ob Gfr
TrottChristianMasch Ob GfrTryanowskiErnstMtr Ob Gfr
WagnerAlfredFunk Ob GfrWellnerHorstKplt
WoschkeHeinz JoachimOblt zSWuestHansSt. Masch
History of the German Submarine U-17

    

TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)14 Nov 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
 3 Dec 1935M25322 2 May 1945
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
her crewWilhelmshaven

No men lost

 

Commanders of U-17 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
FresdorfKplt  3 Dec 1935
BehrensUdoKK  Nov 1939  June 1940U-7, U-16 and U-24
RigeleHermannFKTrainingU-10, U-31, UD-1 and UD-3
StieblerWolfKKTrainingU-8, U-21, U-61 and U-461
WollschlägerKpltTrainingUC-1, UC-2 and U-721
SchultzeWolfgangKpltTrainingU-512
BartschOblt zSTrainingU-18
CollmannHerwigKpltTrainingU-562
Jeppner-HaltenhoffHaraldKKTrainingU-24
SchmidtK.  H.Oblt zSTrainingU-37, U-1103 and U-3529
SitekOblt zSTrainingU-981
BaumgartelOblt zSTrainingU-142
HeydemannErnstOblt zSTrainingU-269
von ReicheKKTraining

U-17 was attached to the U-Bootflottille Weddigen and had several Feindfahrten (war patrols) in the North Sea as well as a mine laying operation off Dover on 5 September 1939.  On 26 April 1940 U-17 rescued the crew of a downed German plane off Norway.  In May 1943 U-17 was transferred to the 22nd U-Bootflottille, a training flotilla, and was a schulboot (school boat) for the rest of the war.

On 2 May 1945, she was scuttled by her own crew in Wilhelmshaven in Operation Regenbogen (Rainbow) against orders.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-17 (Behrens commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
 2 Mar 1940RIJNSTROOMNetherlandsFreighter   695 tons
 5 Mar 1940GRUTTONetherlandsFreighter   920 tons

 

SS RIJNSTROOMSS GRUTTO
History of the German Submarine U-18

Conning tower emblem U-18

TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel) 7 Dec 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
 4 Jan 1936M2345220 Nov 1936
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
torpedoboat T-156Flotilla LOHS
SUNK
10 Sep 1944
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
her crewCostanzia

 1st sinking – 8 Men Lost.  (names not listed because it was pre-war)

 2nd sinking – No men lost.

 

Commanders of U-18 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
PauckstadtHansOblt zS  4 Jan 1936U-12, U-20, U-30, U-34 and U-193
BauerMax-HermannKplt10 Dec 1938U-50KIA aboard U-50
MengersenErnstKK10 Dec 193820 Aug 1040U-143, U-101 and U-607
LinderHansKK20 Aug 194017 Dec 1940U-202
VogelsangErnstKK17 Dec 1940U-132KIA aboard U-132
WißmannFriederichKplt  9 Apr 1941U-518
von Rosenberg-
Gruszczynski
Hans-AchimOblt zS  9 Apr 1941  3 Jun 1941U-384
FleigeKarlKKDecember 1942April 1944U-4712
BartschOblt zSU-17
ArendtRudolfOblt zSApril 194410 Sep 1944

U-18 was initially attached to the U-Bootflottille Lohs.  On 20 November 1936, she was sunk in a collision with the German torpedoboat T-156 and eight men were lost.  she was salvaged the following year and returned to service in 1937.

She had patrols in the Baltic over August and September of 1939 which included an engagement with a Polish submarine on 3 September 1939 with no outcome.  She patrolled in the North Sea periodically from September 1939 to January 1940 which included one patrol off Northern Scotland in October 1939.

Ernst MengersenErnst VogelsangKarl Fleige

After combat in the early years of World War II, U-18 was reassigned to the 24th and 22nd U-Bootflottille as a schulboot (school boat) for another year.  Some of the Skippers listed here were training aboard U-18.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-18 (Mengersen commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
18 November 1939WIGMORE  *EnglishFishing boat   345 tons
23 January 1940VARLIDNorwayFreighter1,085 tons

*  WIGMORE was listed as part of an Icelandic fishing convoy.

U-18 was one of the six Type II-B boats that were disassembled in Germany, moved via rivers and autobahns to Rumania where they were rebuilt and recommissioned in Galati, Romania on 6 May 1943 as the 30th U-Bootflottille in the Black Sea.  She had seven Feindfahrten (war patrols) in the Black Sea until her crew scuttled her off Costanzia.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-18 (Fleige commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
23 June 1943LENINGRAD  *SovietFreighter1,783 tons
17 July 1943VOROSILOVSovietFreighter3,908 tons
29 August 1943unknown  **SovietQ-Ship   800 tons
18 September 1943unknownSovietFreighter   800 tons
  8 November 1943unknownSovietTanker2,000 tons
18 November 1943unknownSovietFreighter1,500 tons
17 February 1944unknown   ***SovietFreighter1,500 tons
24 April 1944unknownSovietTugboat   500 tons
24 April 1944unknownSovietBarge   600 tons
11 August 1944unknownSovietFreighter1,500 tons
13 August 1944unknownSovietGunboat   ??? tons

*  LENINGRAD was hit after a torpedo run of two and a half minutes
**   A “Q-Ship” is an ASW ship disguised as an old freighter to lure the submarine in close, a U-Boat trap
***   They fired through an open ASW net and observed a sinking ship

The unusually high number of “unknowns” and rounded off tonnage would indicate that there was no visual observation of ship sinkings and no confirmation from B-Dienst or other sources.

Under Fleige, U-18 concentrated her attacks in the area of the Batumi roadstead harbor. and off Tuapse in late 1943.  The conning tower emblem shown above was used when Fleige was commanding.

On 10 September 1944 U-18 was scuttled by her own crew off Costanzia as the Red Army closed in.

History of the German Submarine U-19

       

Front of conning tower U-19   Rear of conning tower U-19
                       

Another tower emblem         Mützenabzeichen (cap badge) of U-19

TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)21 Dec 1935
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
16 Jan 1936M2303610 Sep 1944
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
hew crewErekli, Turkey

No men lost *

 

Commanders of U-19 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
SchutzeVictorKPT zS16 Jan 1936U-11, U-25 and U-105
MeckelHansFKU-3
Müller-ArneckeWilhelmKK2 Nov 19392 Jan 1940
SchepkeJoachimKplt2 Jan 194026 Apr 1940U-100KIA aboard U-100
PrellbergWilfriedKK26 Apr 194020 Jun 1940U-31
LohmeyerPeterKK20 Jun 194018 Oct 1940U-138 and U-651
KaufmannWolfgangKplt18 Oct 1940   8 Nov 1940U-9 and U-79
SchendelRudolfKK8 Nov 194031 May 1941U-134 and U-2509
LitterscheidKplt31 May 194112 Jun 1941U-411
GaudeHans LudwigKplt20 Dec 1943U-3525 and U-2343
VerpootenOblt zS
OhlenbergWillyOblt zS

 

U-19 was initially attached to the U-Bootflottille Weddigen and the 1st U-Bootflottille then based at Kiel. In June 1940, she was transferred to the 24th and 22nd U-Bootflottille as a Schulboot (school boat) until April 1942.  This was one of the six Type II-B boats that were decommissioned and disassembled then shipped by rivers and autobahn to the Rumanian coast.  U-19 and the other five were reconstructed and recommissioned into the 30th U-Bootflottille based out of Costanzia, Rumania to attack Soviet shipping on the Black Sea.

 U-19 on patrol. Photos courtesy of a crew member of U-19

While with the 1st U-Bootflottille, U-19 had several patrols in the North Sea including mine laying off Yarmouth, England over the night of 16-17 October 1939 and again off Orfordness on 18 November 1939.

U-19 was recommissioned in the 30th U-Bootflottille on the Black Sea and patrolled there against Soviet shipping until the Red Army was closing in on their base.  This boat was sailed across the Black Sea and the crew scuttled her off the Turkish coast near Erekli.  The Skipper and three crewmen were interned in Turkey.  There is no record what happened to the other crewmen but apparently, they were repatriated.

Victor SchutzeJoachim Schepke

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-19 (Meckel commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
21 October 1939CAPITAINE EDMOND
LABORIE
FranceFreighter3,087 tons
21 October 1939DEODATA NorwayFreighter3,295 tons
21 October 1939KONSTANTINOS
HADJIPATERAS
GreeceFreighter5,962 tons

NOTE – the three ships above ran onto mines laid by U-19 on 17 October 1939.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-19 (Schepke commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
   9 January 1940MANX NorwayFreighter1,343 tons
23 January 1940BALTANGLIA EnglandFreighter1,523 tons
23 January 1940PLUTO NorwayFreighter1,598 tons
25 January 1940LOUVAIN   * BelgiumFreighter4,434 tons
25 January 1940GUDVEIG NorwayFreighter1,300 tons
20 March 1940MINSK DenmarkFreighter1,229 tons
20 March 1940CHARKOW DenmarkFreighter1,026 tons
20 March 1940VIKING DenmarkFreighter1,153 tons
20 March 1940BOTHAL DenmarkFreighter2,109 tons

*  NOTE – LOUVAIN flew the Belgian Flag but was actually the Latvian ship EVERNE

 

BALTANGLIA MINSK
CHARKOW VIKING

On 20 February 1940, Schepke fired at the 5,000 ton British tanker DAGHESTAN (photo right) but the torpedo detonated prematurely a few yards from the side of the ship, merely damaging her.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-19 (Gaude commanding)

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
14 February 1943KRASNYJ
PROFINTERN
SovietFreighter4,648 tons

On 23 March 1943, they observed one hit on a Soviet freighter of about 2,000 tons but could not observe further.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-19 (Ohlenberg commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
27 June 1944unknownSovietFreighterunknown
2 September 1944VARYO ETSC 410 SovietFreighter441 tons

*  One of the crewmen of U-19 was killed in March 1945 in an accident months after the boat was scuttled. He was Obermaschinist Walter Schmidt, born 12 March 1916.

History of the German Submarine U-20

   

Conning tower emblems of U-20.  The Olympic Rings signify that one of the Skippers was from Naval Class 1936.

TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)14 Jan 1936
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
 1 Feb 1936M2942110 Sep 1944
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
hew crewErekli, Turkey

No men lost

 

Commanders of U-20 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
EckermannHansFK1 Feb 1936U-A
RigeleHermannFKU-10, U-17, U-31, UD-1 and UD-2
PauckstadtHansFKU-18, U-34, U-30, U-34 (2nd time) and U-193
PaulshenOttoKKU-557KIA aboard U-557
StraterWolfgangKpltU-83 and U-614KIA aboard U-614
NolkeKurtKKU-263KIA aboard U-263
SchauenbergH.KKU-577KIA aboard U-577
DriverHeinrichKKU-23, U-145 and U-371
MöhleKarl HeinzKKU-123
von Klot-
Heydenfeldt
HarroKplt17 Jan 1940U-4 and U-102KIA aboard U-102
ZetzscheHans-JürgenKpltU-4, U-560 and U-591
SchölerClemensKplt27 May 1943U-24
GrafenKarlOblt zS1 Nov 1943

U-20 was initially attached to the U-Bootflottille Lohs and the 1st U-Bootflottille then based at Kiel.  In June 1940, she was transferred to the 21st U-Bootflottille based in Pillau as a Schulboot (school boat) until September 1942.  This was one of the six Type II-B boats that were decommissioned and disassembled then shipped by rivers and autobahn to the Rumanian coast.  U-20 and the other five were reconstructed and recommissioned into the 30th U-Bootflottille based out of Costanzia, Rumania to attack Soviet shipping on the Black Sea.

While with the 1st U-Bootflottille, U-20 had several patrols in the North Sea, particularly off Northeastern Scotland in October 1939 and also January 1940.  She laid mines off Yarmouth, England over the night of 21 November 1939.

U-20 was recommissioned in the 30th U-Bootflottille on the Black Sea and she had seven Feindfahrten (war patrols) in the Black Sea against Soviet shipping including minelaying off the Caucasus on 20 September 1943 and again on 27 February 1944.  She was with the 30th U-Bootflottille until the Red Army was closing in on their base.  This boat was sailed across the Black Sea and the crew scuttled her off the Turkish coast near Erekli.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-20 (Möhle commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
29 November 1939IONIAN   *EnglandFreighter3,114 tons
  9 December 1939MAGNUSDenmarkFreighter1,339 tons
10 December 1939WILLOWPOOL  *EnglandFreighter4,815 tons
13 January 1940SYLVIASwedenFreighter1,524 tons

   * IONIAN and WILLOWPOOL ran onto mines laid by U-20 on 22 November 1939.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-20 (von Klot Heydenfeldt commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
27 January 1940FARONorwayFreighter844 tons
27 January 1940FREDENSBORGDenmarkFreighter2,094 tons
27 January 1940ENGLANDDenmarkFreighter2,319 tons
27 January 1940HOSANGERNorwayFreighter1,591 tons
29 February 1940MARIA ROSAItalyFreighter4,211 tons
1 March 1940MIRELLAItalyFreighter5,430 tons
FREDENBORGPESTEL

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-20 (Schöler commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
30 September 1943unknownSovietFreighter   800 tons

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-20 (Grafen commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
16 January 1944unknownSovietTanker1,500 tons
19 June 1944PESTELSovietFreighter1,850 tons
24 June 1944unknownSovietMTB      15 tons
24 June 1944unknownSovietMTB      15 tons
24 June 1944unknownSovietMTB      15 tons
24 June 1944unknownSovietMTB      15 tons
History of the German Submarine U-21
TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)13 July 1936
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
  3 Aug 1936M08136
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
scrapped, not sunk

No men lost

 

Commanders of U-21 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
FrauenheimFritzFK6 Jan 1940U-101
StieblerWolf-HarroKKU-8, U-17, U-61 and U-461
HerbschlebKarl-HeinzKpltTrainingU-85 and U-354
LohseBernhardKKTrainingU-585KIA aboard U-585
DohlerHansOblt zSTrainingU-606KIA aboard U-606
GeislerH-FObltzSTrainingU-152, U-3006 and U-3049
KügelbergOblt zSTraining
HeidtmannHansKpltTrainingU-2, U-14 and U-559
SchwartzkofW.Oblt zSTrainingU-2 and U-704

 

Fritz FrauenheimWolf-Harro StieblerKarl-Heinz Herbschleb

 

U-21 had operations in the Firth of Forth in September 1939. She laid mines off the Firth of Forth over the night of 4 and 5 November 1939.  She had operations off Northeastern Scotland in November 1939 and had two Feindfahrten (war patrols) in the North Sea.  There was a diplomatic incident of some kind when U-21 was damaged in a marine accident in late March 1940 off the Southwestern coast of Norway while deployed in support of the imminent German invasion of Norway. The entire crew of U-21 was interned by the Norwegians until the attacking German forces released them.

U-21 was returned to Germany for overhaul in mid-1940, then attached to the 21st U-Bootflottille based at Pillau t be used as a schulboot (school boat).  U-21 was decommissioned at Neustadt on 5 August 1944 then broken up for scrap in Danzig in February 1945.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-21 (Frauenheim commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
1 Dec 1939ARCTURUS NorwayFreighter1,277 tons
21 Dec 1939MARS SwedenFreighter1,475 tons
21 Dec 1939CARL HENCKEL SwedenFreighter1,352 tons
21 Dec 1939HMS BAYONET  * Englandnet tender605 tons
24 Feb 1940ROYAL ARCHER  *EnglandFreighter2,266 tons

 

   * HMS BAYONET and ROYAL ARCHER ran onto mines laid by U-21 on 4 November 1939.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-21 (Steibler commanding):=

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
31 Jan 1940VIDAR DenmarkFreighter1,353 tons
 4 Feb 1940VID YugoslaviaFreighter3,547 tons

 

SHIPS DAMAGED BY U-21 (Fraueheim commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
22 Sep 1939unknown (no confirmation)EnglandDestroyerunknown
21 Nov 1939HMS BELFAST EnglandCruiser11,500 tons

 

HMS BELFAST (seen here as museum ship in London today) ran onto a mine laid by U-21 on 4 November 1939.

 

History of the German Submarine U-22
TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)29 July 1936
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
20 Aug 1936M2617725 Apr 1940
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
minein the Skagerrak50º 00′ N x 09º 00’E

All hands lost.

 

Commanders of U-22 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
GrosseHaraldKplt21 Aug 1936Oct 1937U-8, U-34 and U-53KIA aboard U-53
WinterWernerKKOct 1937Oct 1939U-103
JenischKarl-HeinrichKpltOct 193925 Apr 1940KIA aboard U-22
Harald GrosseWerner WinterKarl-Heinrich Jenisch

Initially U-22 was a Frontboot (combat boat) attached to U-Bootflottille Lohs then transferred to the 1st U-Bootflottille in Kiel.  When she was based out of Memel, U-22 had operations in the Baltic Sea then to the North Sea where she patrolled off the Moray Firth over November 1939 and then a mine-laying mission off Newcastle on the night of 20 December 1939.

U-22 struck a mine in the Skagerrak and was lost with all hands.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-22 (Grosse commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
7 Sep 1939unknownunknownSubmarineunknown
20 Sep 1939unknownPolandSubmarineunknown

There was no confirmation – maybe just end of run detonations.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-22 (Jenisch commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
18 Nov 1939PARKHILLEnglandFreighter   500 tons
20 Dec 1939MARS   *SwedenFreighter1,877 tons
25 Dec 1939LOCH DOON   **EnglandTrawler   534 tons
28 Dec 1939HANNE  **DenmarkTrawler1,080 tons
21 Jan 1940HMS EXMOUTHEnglandDestroyer1,475 tons
21 Jan 1940MIRANDANorwayFreighter1,328 tons
28 Jan 1940ESTON  **EnglandFreighter1,487 tons

*  MARS struck a mine laid down by U-22 on 15 December 1939.
**  LOCH DOON, HANNE and ESTON struck mines laid down by U-22 on 20 December 1939.
      

         HMS EXMOUTH

 

SHIPS DAMAGED BY U-22 (Jenisch commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
21 Feb 1940STRATHCLOVAEnglandTrawler1,500 tons

The torpedo detonated prematurely some yards off the side of STRATHCLOVA and probably only chipped some paint; no real damage.

History of the German Submarine U-23


U-23 Conning Tower Emblem

TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)28 Aug 1936
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
24 Sep 1936 and again
3 June 1943
M0298410 Sep 1944
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
her crewoff Turkish coastunknown

No men lost.

 

Commanders of U-23 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMERANKFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
KRETSCHMEROTTOKpltSep 193823 Mar 1940U-99POW from U-99
BeduhnHeinzKplt23 Mar 1940Mar 1942U-25KIA aboard U-25
WahlenRolf-BirgerKpltMar 1942U-2514 and U-2541
Reichenberg-KlinkeKurtKpltU-217KIA aboard U-217
DriverHeinrichKpltU-20, U-145 and U-371
BrullerKpltU- 7 and U-407
GrafUlrichU-69KIA aboard U-69
AhrendRudolfOblt zSU-18
KRETSCHMER (122-1985)Heinrich Driver

NOTE – Sharkhunters Member’s names appear in bold capital letters followed by their Membership Number.

 

U-23 finished up maneuvers over 13 to 23 September 1939 then she was attached as a Frontboot (combat boat) attached to the U-Bootflottille Weddigen then transferred to the 1st U-Bootflottille in Kiel.  She undertook three Feindfahrten (war patrols) in the North Sea.  She covered Northeastern Scotland September 1939 and February 1940 then in the area of the Orkney and Shetland Islands over December 1939 and January 1940, laid mines in Cromarty Firth on 4 November 1939.

No one else is aware that U-23 under OTTO KRETSCHMER (122-1985) was ready to sail into Scapa Flow and attack the battleship HMS ROYAL OAK.  He was quite angry when he and the other Type II-B boats in the North Sea were ordered to stand away from the Orkney Islands to avoid making the Royal Navy aware that an effort was coming to sneak U-47 into the anchorage to sink the battleship. KRETSCHMER knew nothing of this plan even though Günther Prien was a good friend AND it was KRETSCHMER‘s own brother, flying for the Luftwaffe, who did much of the aerial reconnaissance over Scapa Flow for Prien’s mission.

Aerial photo of Scapa Flow (right)

 

U-23 was then assigned to the 21st U-Bootflottille based at Pillau where she was a Schulboot (school boat).  Later U-23 was decommissioned and disassembled, transported via autobahn and rivers to Romania where she was rebuilt and recommissioned in the 30th U-Bootflottille and operated out of Costanzia, Romania against Soviet forces based in the Black Sea.

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-23 (KRETSCHMER commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
4 Oct 1939GLEN FARGEnglandFreighter     876 tons
8 Dec 1939SCOTIADenmarkFreighter  2,400 tons
9 Dec 1939unknownunknownunknown  2,500 tons est.
11 Jan 1940FREDVILLENorwayFreighter  1,150 tons
12 Jan 1940DANMARKDenmarkTanker10,517 tons
24 Jan 1940BISPNorwayFreighter  1,000 tons
18 Feb 1940HMS DARINGEnglandDestroyer  1,375 tons
22 Feb 1940LOCH MADDYEnglandFreighter  4,996 tons
HMS DARINGLOCH MADDY bow (sinking)LOCH MADDY stern (salved)

LOCH MADDY was initially torpedoed by U-57 (Korth) and abandoned.  U-23 hit her again and she broke apart.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-23 (Wahlen commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
24 Aug 1943SC-207SovietMine sweeper   586 tons
15 Oct 1943unknownSovietunknown2,000 tons
23 Oct 1943unknownSovietFreighter1,000 tons
23 Oct 1943unknown  *SovietFishing boatunknown
?? Jan 1944unknownSovietFreighter1,500 tons
?? Jan 1944unknownSovietTanker2,000 tons
  5 Apr 1944unknown   **SovietMinesweeperunknown
29 May 1944unknown   ***SovietTanker1,800 tons
  2 June 1944unknown   ****SovietFishing boatunknown
  3 June 1944unknownSovietGunboatunknown

*       Fishing boat sunk by gunfire;
**      Minesweeper sunk by gunfire
***    The tanker was beached when U-23 hit her with one more torpedo;
****  Fishing boat sunk with hand grenades; they took three prisoners.

 

SHIPS DAMAGED BY U-23 (Ahrendt commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
   Sep 1944OITUZSovietFreighter2,686 tons

Ahrendt fired three torpedoes into Costanzia Harbor through the nets and reported two detonations near the dock of the Romanian destroyer REGELE FERDINAND and one detonation near a 6,000 ton freighter. Actually only OITUZ was hit and damaged but she was already damaged and this torpedo caused her to be a total loss.  The other torpedo hit a dock and damaged it.

History of the German Submarine U-24

      
U-24 Conning Tower Emblems    Mützenabzeichen (hat badge)

   

TYPEBUILDERLAUNCHED
II-BDeutsches Werft (Kiel)24 Sep 1936
COMMISSIONEDFELDPOST Nr.SUNK
10 Oct 1936 and again
14 Oct 1942
M2489710 Sep 1944
SUNK BYLOCATION SUNKPOSITION SUNK
her crewoff Turkish coastunknown

No men lost.

 

Commanders of U-24 include:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAMEFROMTOOTHER BOATSCOMMENTS
BehrensUdoU-16, U-17 and U-845
BorchertDietrichU-566
Jeppner-
-Haltenhoff
Harald19 Oct 193929 Oct 1939U-17
HeilmannUdo29 Oct 1939U-97
PetersenKlaus14 Oct 194210 Nov 1942U-9 and U-3042
SchölerClemens10 Nov 194215 Apr 1943U-20 (twice)
PetersenKlaus16 Apr 1943  7 Apr 1944
von RothenbergHardo RodlerU-71 and U-989KIA aboard U-989
HennigHelmutU-533KIA aboard U-533
Landt-HayenMartinApr 1944Aug 1944U-4705
LenzmannDieterU-3522
Udo HeilmannKlaus PetersenMartin Landt-Hayen

U-24 was attached to U-Flottille Lohs and U-Flottille Weddigen from 10 October 1936.  In August 1940 she was transferred to the 21st U-Bootflottille based at Pillau as a Schulboot (school boat) until April 1942. Later U-23 was decommissioned and disassembled, transported via autobahn and rivers to Romania where she was rebuilt and recommissioned in the 30th U-Bootflottille and operated out of Costanzia, Romania against Soviet forces based in the Black Sea.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-24 (Behrens commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
24 Sep 1939unknownEnglandDestroyerunknown

There was no confirmation – possibly end of run detonation.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-24 (Jeppner-Haltenhoff commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
  9 Nov 1939CARMARTHEN COAST EnglandFreighter   961 tons

CARMARTHEN COAST ran onto a mine in the field laid on 27 October 1939.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-24 (Schöler commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
31 Mar 1943SOVETSKAJA NEFT SovietTanker8,228 tons

 

SHIPS SUNK BY U-24 (Petersen commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
15 June 1943ZASCITNIK   * SovietMine sweeper   441 tons
17 July 1943EMBA  ** SovietTanker7,886 tons

*  U-24 reported one hit on an escort that broke in two and sank quickly.  The Soviets called it a minesweeper.
**  EMBA was already damaged and lying at a repair dock in Suchumi Harbor.  This hit destroyed her.

On 22 August 1943, U-24 claimed sinking a small tugboat and two small landing craft by gunfire and demolition charges.  Six prisoners were taken from the amphibs.  Soviet sources said only two small motorboats were sunk.

31 October 1943 U-24 claimed sinking one PC or minesweeper; Soviet sources indicate two mine sweepers were lost.

On 5 November 1943, they heard their torpedo hit a Soviet tanker but it was a dud.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-24 (Landt-Hayen commanding):

DATENAMENATIONTYPEGRT
12 May 1944unknown   *SovietPatrol boatunknown
12 May 1944unknown  **SovietPatrol boatunknown
27 May 1944unknown  ***SovietPatrol boatunknown

* Claimed sinking a patrol boat near Poti
** Claimed sinking a patrol boat near Batuni
*** Attacked a patrol boat already beached with 20mm cannonfire and set it on fire.

U-24 was scuttled in Costanzia Harbor in the face of the advancing Red Army on 10 September 1944 (possibly as early as 25 August 1944). U-24 was later raised by the Soviets and used for training their submariners.  It is assumed that U-24 was eventually broken up for scrap.

Acknowledgements

Deepest thanks to our friends at the U-Bootskameradschaft Kiel for allowing us to bring their sacred book containing the names of all 28,863 U-Bootfahrer who were lost in action during World War II here to the USA where we carefully copied all the names of the fallen and list them here on our site.  Ours is the only website in the world that lists all these names.

Many thanks to our good friend and Sharkhunters Member since 1987 GEORG HÖGEL (240-LIFE-1987)for all the conning tower emblems used in our monthly KTB Magazine and also here on the pages of our website. GEORG was Funkmaat (radioman) aboard U-30, the first boat into combat, the first to sink a ship (the liner ATHENIA) and the first into an occupied French port.  When that Skipper (Lemp) took command of U-110, GEORG was one of the former crew to transfer to the new boat under Lemp.  After the war, he was Professor of Art at a major German university.

GEORG HÖGEL