U-boat patrols

Patrol info for U-31


DepartureArrival / FateDuration
16 Sep 1940Wilhelmshaven8 Oct 1940Lorient23 days

Commander

Officers *


Kptlt. Wilfried Prellberg

Daily positions, sinkings and allied attacks during the patrol of U-31


We have 22 daily positions for the 23 days U-31 was at sea.

Ships hit by U-31 during this patrol

Date U-boat Commander Name of ship Tons Nat. ConvoyMap
22 Sep 1940U-31Wilfried Prellberg Union Jack81faA
27 Sep 1940U-31Wilfried Prellberg Vestvard4,319nwOB-218B
 4,400

2 ships sunk (4,400 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.

General Events during this patrol

1940

28 Sep 1940. An enemy submarine was sighted by U-31. U-31 dived and heard a torpedo running which missed.

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Attacks on U-31 during this patrol

30 Sep 1940
An unknown enemy submarine fired two torpedoes at U-31 at 03.16 hours. The boat escaped by the narrowest of margins.

8 Oct 1940
U-31 evaded a spread of four torpedoes fired by HMS Trident about 15 miles (24 km) south of Lorient and was then forced to dive when fired on by her deck gun. Trident followed up with some explosive charges, but without result. This was the third time that U-31 had been attacked by an enemy submarine on this patrol. The commander wrote sardonically in the war diary: "Main task of this patrol was to play the target ship for British submarines.".

About this data
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* These are officers that later became commanders themselves.

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