Of the few type XXI boats that actually passed through the training U-flotilla's only U2511 and U3008 are listed as going on a war patrol. Of the ones that reached a Norwegian port, U2502, U2513, U3017, U3014 and U3515 at Horten, U2529 at Kristiansand, U3035 at Stavanger, U3514 at Bergen arrived within the last few days of the war and only under went diving tests and snorkel trials, although
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Hi John, you have set yourself a enormous undertaking, one I am not sure can be answered with any confidence, even with extensive research in the U-Boat Archives in Germany. There are so many variables regarding U-boat commanders and their careers. Such as when they trained, what type of boat they were given, where they were designated to operate and especially at what period of the war they ente
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Hi Caz, I'm afraid treatment of U-boat Pow's is not a subject I have researched in any depth. My understanding is all were searched for any thing of anything that of interest, and I guess like all the forces involved in the conflict had some who took some items illegally, as shown in the various items available on sites like E-bay etc. You say have some initialled, therefore the U-boat
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Hi, Historische-marinearchiv site lists all U-boats crew members names, but probably the best source for post war details would be the U-boat Archiv in Cuxhaven in Germany, contact details are on this site. John
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Many thanks. John
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This boat along with U56 and U83 were stationed at Helsingor on June 24th 1941, put on standby against possible Russian naval intervention during the opening of operation Barbarosa. This did not materialise, however apparently before U125 was transferred away on July 10th she undertook a one day patrol during her stay. Was it a planned war patrol?. John
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Looking further, U123 was in action against convoy ON-154 at this time, so on checking the boats in the two 'packs' Spitz and Ungestum, deployed against this convoy only enlarged the list of possible suspects as U591, U664, U406 and U203 were all within BD 98 on the 29th. Checking them alas no mention of any exchanging signals with U123.
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Hi Scott, yes I have used this sits many times, however in U123 9th patrol, it mentions two U-boat sightings, the second actually exchanging recognition signals but fails to number the boat. There is no corresponding KtB's for U410 or U621. Regards John
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This boat listed in U-boat Archiv while on her 9th patrol on December 29th at 06:05 in Grid BD98 and at 14:20 in Grid BD9793 encountered another U-boat, although only in the second meeting were recognition signals were exchanged, the other boats identity is not listed. Looking at boats near the this position only U410 in Grid BD83 and U621 in Grid BD58, times not stated, on the 29th being anywher
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Hi Charlie a excellent display of photographs, regarding your mystery object, being on the port side what comes to mind are firstly a capstan head fitting, a bollard or perhaps the release handle of a watertight lid for a five man inflatable dingy. Regards john
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Many thanks. Regards John
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This ship was sunk by U103 on 05.02.1942, there are conflicting details of how many torpedoes were fired at her, one or two plus artillery later. Is the number known from her KtB? John
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This I believe being Sperrmittel-Versuchs-Kommando was part of some U-boats training programme in 1940 before they passed as Front boats. What was its purpose?. John
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Hi Urs, you are right, but they had meagre results with only U140, U144 and U149 managing to sink three submarines between them, U14, U18, U22, U139, U142, U145 sank nothing, the U57 returned from her patrol on September 2nd. I haven't done any research on Type VIIC operations in the Baltic. Regards John
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Hi Ken, you are right about the type IIB, but they were only operating within the Black Sea where the six boats sent managed to sink forty ships in the fifty seven patrols carried out. In the Arctic it was the type VIIC and VIIC/41 which took the battle on the convoys you mention to Murmansk, where between 1914 and 1945 some 103 boats sank eighty-three merchant and thirty-four warships in as you
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Hi Debbie, I have a copy of the book 'Will Not We Fear' by Warren & Benson 1961, although there are copies still on sale on Amazon. This book tells the Story of Seals last patrol, capture and fate of her survivors. You were right after transfer from Kiel they were sent to Poland at POW camp Stalag XXA, this being an old fort dating back to 1382. as you can imagine the conditions wer
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Hi, Is it recorded why the sinking of the U-boats in deep water in the allotted time was made, seeing it was the worst time for weather conditions, which put extra hazard on the towing ships crews. As a result over half the U-boats from Loch Ryan either sank before reaching the site either sinking still under tow or had to sunk as the tow lines broke. Presumably the weather being reason none of t
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This U-boat was lost to a British air laid mine off Lorient on 14.04.1943, but unlike all other U-boats lost to air laid mines, she is just recorded as lost to an air laid mine, not named generally like all the others. I noted she was lost not too far from U171 which was lost the year before [09.10.1942]to a mine in a field given the name 'Artichokes'. Painstaking researching RAF squad
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Hi Andrey, to add to the previous list, The Arctic convoys : Vice admiral B.B. Schofield, 1977. John
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Hi three U-boats U514, U515 and U516 all sailed from Kiel on 12/0842, all then arrived at Kristiansand on the 13th, after replenishing fuel and stores all sailed on the 15th. The boats individual patrol records show for U515 and U516 the transit dates from Kiel to Kristiansand are included in the patrol sail and return dates, while for U514 they are not. Was there a particular reason for this? Jo
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Hi, there are two I know of, U111 sunk by HM Trawler Lady Shirley and U551 sunk by HM Trawler Visenda, trawlers tended to be between 160 - 180 feet in length. John
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Many thanks for the detailed answer to my question, as to Lenton, his book covering the extensive range of naval ships and miscellaneous support vessel I have only had to refer to it on a couple of occasions, but found the answer. Seeing there were roughly around fifty naval tugs, it would seem one as been missed. Regards john
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Hi, This boat was sunk in Operation Deadlight in 1946. she had two aborted attempts before finally being towed out to be sunk. On February 9th and 10th three naval tugs were deployed for the task, HMS Prosperous, HMS Sparkler and HMS Exploiter. The last one is not listed in Lenton's book 'British & Empire Warships of WW2. Is any details, type and pendent number listed? John
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Hi, Are the two patrol numbers know when Dr Bernbeck sailed on with U124 and the patrol Dr U. Sendler sailed on U124? John
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Ooops, typo HMCS Outremont saved 24. j
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The general total regarding the fate of her crew on her loss is six were killed and 44 were taken prisoner. Here lies the problem of who rescued these men. Of the few sources of which names the ships that were involved, conflicting number arise. While most agree on the total of 44 rescued, however the ships names of who rescued them are absent. Of the sources I have that mention ships names diffe
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Hi I don't have much on German surface units, U-boats being my main hobby, however the book by Lawrence Patterson give a good account on the small surface units within the Kreigsmarine. Mentioned of the R-boats that operated in the Channel area at the time in question are from April 1940 under the control of FdM West, commander Kzs Friedrich Ruge. The 2nd R-Flotilla, with 8 R-boats. Establ
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Hi looking at Groner's, the vessel most resembles a motor-minesweeper of the R1 (Type1930-33) type. John
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Hi, this boat when sunk is listed as having one U-boat command technicians, a radar expert on board plus two other assistants with him in his attempt to solve the cause of enemy aircraft and naval ships from detecting the U-boats so regularly. However the boat was detected and sunk. Dr Greven and the others all survived the sinking. Question are these three included in the crew compliment number
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Further research of the attack on HMS Pink, torpedoed and damaged on June 27th 1944 produced a total of 15 U-Boats in the Channel area during June 1944. Of which six were lost before the attack on Pink with another seven U-boats returning after the attack, but none of these reported making any attacks on that date [27th]. Of the two U-boats left, U1191 survived after the date Pink was hit until
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