U-568

Type

VIIC

Ordered

24 Oct 1939

Laid down

27 Apr 1940

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 544)

Launched

6 Mar 1941

Commissioned

1 May 1941

Kptlt. Joachim Preuss

Commanders

1 May 1941

28 May 1942

Kptlt. Joachim Preuss

Career
5 patrols

1 May 1941	-	1 Aug 1941	3. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1941	-	31 Dec 1941	3. Flottille (active service)
1 Jan 1942	-	28 May 1942	29. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 6,023 GRT
2 warships sunk, total tonnage 1,850 tons
1 warship damaged, total tonnage 1,630 tons

Fate

Sunk at 0500hrs on 28 May 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north-east of Tobruk, in position 32.42N, 24.53E, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Hero and the British escort destroyers HMS Eridge and HMS Hurworth, after being located by a British Blenheim aircraft (203 Sqn RAF/S). 47 survivors (no casualties).

Loss position

See the 4 ships hit by U-568 - View the 5 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-568 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Grönland (10 Aug 1941 - 23 Aug 1941)
   Kurfürst (23 Aug 1941 - 2 Sep 1941)
   Seewolf (2 Sep 1941 - 8 Sep 1941)
   Reissewolf (21 Oct 1941 - 31 Oct 1941)

Attacks on this boat and other events

12 Aug 1941
U-568 attacked convoy ON 4 southeast of Iceland, sinking the British corvette HMS Picotee, but missing a freighter. The other escorts counterattacked and held the boat down while the convoy escaped. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 335)

17 Oct 1941
At 05.49 hrs, mid Atlantic, south of Iceland: the boat was sighted by HMCS Pictou on the port side of the convoy SC 48 and tried to escape at full speed on the surface into a rain squall. The corvette immediately pursued U-568, and fired six rounds from the 4in gun, all of which missed. At 06.02 hrs, the U-boat fired a stern torpedo, which was seen on HMCS Pictou to pass 15ft (5m) to port, and the boat dived shortly thereafter after turning sharply to starboard. U-568 had reached 40m (131ft) when the first pattern of five depth charges detonated at the diving point, and the second pattern of five charges detonated too shallow to cause any damage. No further attacks were carried out because HMCS Pictous Asdic broke down and HMS Highlander and HMCS Wetaskiwin were unable to obtain a contact. U-568 had already surfaced 45 minutes after the attack, sighted two corvettes, and escaped on the surface. (Sources: KTB U-568/ADM 237-164)

9 Jan 1942
The target of the attack by a Sunderland flying boat (230 Sqn RAF/X) on 9 January 1942 off Sidi Barrani, Egypt in position 32.22N, 26.54E, believed to have sunk U-577, was actually U-568, which suffered only minor damage. (Sources: 1990-11-01, FDS/NHB)

3 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-568 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.