U-29
Type | VIIA | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ordered | 1 Apr 1935 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Laid down | 2 Jan 1936 | AG Weser, Bremen (werk 910) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Launched | 29 Aug 1936 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Commissioned | 16 Nov 1936 | Kptlt. Heinz Fischer | ||||||||||||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 7 patrols | 16 Nov 1936 - 31 Aug 1939 2. Flottille (front boat) 1 Sep 1939 - 31 Dec 1939 2. Flottille (front boat) 1 Jan 1940 - 1 Jan 1941 2. Flottille (front boat) 2 Jan 1941 - 30 Jun 1942 24. Flottille (training) 1 Nov 1942 - 31 Aug 1943 24. Flottille (training) 1 Sep 1943 - 30 Nov 1943 23. Flottille (training) 1 Dec 1943 - 17 Apr 1944 21. Flottille (school boat) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Successes | 12 ships sunk for a total of 67,277 GRT 1 warship sunk for a total of 22,500 tons | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fate | Used in the last months as range boat. Scuttled on 4 May, 1945 in Kupfermühlen Bay, wreck broken up in 1948. | |||||||||||||||||||
See the 13 ships hit by U-29 - View the 7 war patrols
Wolfpack operations
U-29 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Rösing (12 Jun 1940 - 15 Jun 1940)
Without name (20 Sep 1940 - 22 Sep 1940)
Attacks on this boat
17 Sep 1939
After the sinking of British fleet carrier HMS Courageous British destroyers attacked the boat with depth charges for 4 hours until the boat managed to slip away with minor damages (the destroyers had also expended all their depth charges). (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 90)
1 recorded attack on this boat.
General notes on this boat
17 Sep 1939. U-29 (Kptlt. Schuhart) sank the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous (22,500 tons) on 17 Sept, 1939 while returning to port after its patrol. 518 men perished on the carrier. After this loss the Royal Navy withdraws fleet carriers from U-boat search. The entire crew of U-29 was decorated for this victory.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-29 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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There was another U-29 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 11 Oct 1913 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 1 Aug 1914. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about the U 29 during WWI.

