Type | VIIB | |||||||||
| Ordered | 16 Jul 1937 | |||||||||
| Laid down | 2 Nov 1938 | F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 590) | ||||||||
| Launched | 19 Oct 1939 | |||||||||
| Commissioned | 21 Nov 1939 | Kptlt. Werner Heidel | ||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 1 patrol |
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| Successes | 6 ships sunk, total tonnage 15,853 GRT | |||||||||
| Fate |
Sunk on 30 January 1940 in the Celtic Sea south-west of Isles of Scilly, in position 48.37N, 07.48W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Whitshed, the British sloop HMS Fowey and a British Sunderland aircraft (228 Sqn RAF/Y). 1 dead and 41 survivors. | |||||||||
| Loss position | ||||||||||
The wreck of U-55 lies about 90 miles south-west of Isles of Scilly.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-55 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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There was another U-55 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 18 Mar 1916 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 8 Jun 1916. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about SM U 55 during WWI.
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