U-48
Type | VIIB | |||||||||||||
| Ordered | 21 Nov, 1936 | |||||||||||||
| Laid down | 10 Mar, 1937 | Germaniawerft, Kiel (werk 583) | ||||||||||||
| Launched | 8 Mar, 1939 | |||||||||||||
| Commissioned | 22 Apr, 1939 | Kptlt. Herbert Schultze | ||||||||||||
| Commanders |
| |||||||||||||
| Career | 12 patrols | 22 Apr, 1939 - 31 Aug, 1939 7. Flottille (front boat) 1 Sep, 1939 - 31 Dec, 1939 7. Flottille (front boat) 1 Jan, 1940 - 30 Jun, 1941 7. Flottille (front boat) 1 Jul, 1941 - 31 Mar, 1942 26. Flottille (training) 1 Apr, 1942 - 31 Oct, 1943 21. Flottille (school boat) | ||||||||||||
| Successes | 51 ships sunk for a total of 306.875 GRT 1 warship sunk for a total of 1.060 tons 3 ships damaged for a total of 20.480 GRT | |||||||||||||
| Fate | She was scuttled on 3 May, 1945 off Neustadt, Germany. | |||||||||||||
See the 55 ships hit by U-48 - View the 12 war patrols
Wolfpack operations
U-48 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Rösing (12 Jun, 1940 - 15 Jun, 1940)
Without name (13 Aug, 1940 - 16 Aug, 1940)
Without name (20 Sep, 1940 - 22 Sep, 1940)
Without name (19 Oct, 1940 - 20 Oct, 1940)
Attacks on this boat
13 Apr, 1940
The boat, while attempting to attack the HMS Warspite destroyer screen was herself depth charged but not seriously damaged. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 152)
22 Mar, 1941
The boat was attacked by British destroyers with depth charges and suffered slight damages.
2 recorded attacks on this boat.
General notes on this boat
On 2 April, 1941 U-48 was badly damaged by an explosion on the sinking ship Beaverdale and was forced to return to base.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-48 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
 | We have an emblem for this boat! You can view it here. (The emblem on the left is not the emblem for this boat). |
 German U-Boat Losses During World War II Niestle, Axel Buy this title at amazon.co.uk See more sellers |
Books dealing with this subject include: Children of the Benares, Barker, Ralph, 2003 German U-Boat Losses During World War II, Niestle, Axel, 1998 Narvik, Dickens, Peter and Grove, Eric J., 1996  U-48, Alman, Karl, 1986 U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1, Wynn, Kenneth, 1998 U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2, Wynn, Kenneth, 1998 |
There was another U-48 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 3 Oct, 1915 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 22 Apr, 1916. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about the U 48 during WWI.