U-boat patrols

Patrol info for U-568

Date lookup for 17 Oct 1941


DepartureArrival / FateDuration
9 Oct 1941St. Nazaire7 Nov 1941St. Nazaire30 days

Commander

Officers *


Kptlt. Joachim Preuss
1WO

Oblt. Adolf Oelrich
Cdr training

Oblt. Rudolf Lemcke

U-568's position on 17 Oct 1941

Wolfpack operations during this patrol

U-568 operated with the following Wolfpacks during this patrol
   Reissewolf (21 Oct 1941 - 31 Oct 1941)

Ships hit by U-568 on this date

Date U-boat Commander Name of ship Tons Nat. ConvoyMap
17 Oct 1941U-568Joachim Preuss USS Kearny (DD 432) (d.)1,630amSC-48A
 1,630

1 ship damaged (1,630 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.
(d.) means the ship was damaged.

General Events during this patrol

We have no events listed for this date.

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Attacks on U-568 during this patrol

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)

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* These are officers that later became commanders themselves.

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