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1942
U-boats that made it into the Mediterranean
During 1942 18 U-boats were sent towards the Straits of Gibraltar in an attempt to enter the Mediterranean. 16 of those managed to complete their passage while 2 failed to do so and turned away.
At the end of 1942 Germany had successfully put 42 U-boats into the Mediterranean. On Jan 1, 1942 there were 21 U-boats available for operations and 16 new boats came through Gibraltar that year.
However, losses in 1942 were 14 boats (133, 259, 301, 331, 371, 372, 374, 559, 568, 573, 595, 605, 652 and U-660) so the operational strength at the end of 1942 was not increased and stayed at 23 boats. Damages and maintenance then further reduced that number somewhat.
| U-boat | Entry date | Notes | Date of loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| U-73 | 14 Jan 1942 | 16 Dec 1943 | |
| U-561 | 15 Jan 1942 | 12 Jul 1943 | |
| U-572 | 15 Jan 1942 | Failed to make the passage during Jan 15-20, aborted. | |
| U-458 | 9 Oct 1942 | Wolfgroup "Tümmler" | 22 Aug 1943 |
| U-605 | 9 Oct 1942 | Wolfgroup "Tümmler" | 14 Nov 1942 |
| U-660 | 10 Oct 1942 | Wolfgroup "Tümmler" | 12 Nov 1942 |
| U-593 | 11 Oct 1942 | Wolfgroup "Tümmler" | 13 Dec 1943 |
| U-595 | 7 Nov 1942 | 14 Nov 1942 | |
| U-617 | 8 Nov 1942 | 12 Sep 1943 | |
| U-755 | 8 Nov 1942 | 28 May 1943 | |
| U-596 | 9 Nov 1942 | 24 Sep 1944 | |
| U-259 | 10 Nov 1942 | 15 Nov 1942 | |
| U-407 | 10 Nov 1942 | 19 Sep 1944 | |
| U-380 | 11 Nov 1942 | 11 Mar 1944 | |
| U-443 | 5 Dec 1942 | 23 Feb 1943 | |
| U-602 | 8 Dec 1942 | 19 Apr 1943 | |
| U-258 | 8 Dec 1942 | Failed to make the passage during Dec 8-10, aborted. | |
| U-301 | 9 Dec 1942 | 21 Jan 1943 |
U-boats lost in the Mediterranean in 1942
U-74. Type VIIB. Launched on 31 Aug 1940 and commissioned on 31 Oct 1940.
Sunk on 2 May 1942 in the Mediterranean east-southeast of Cartagena, Spain, in position 37.12N, 00.01E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Wishart and HMS Wrestler.
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 16 Dec 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 137.
U-133. Type VIIC. Launched on 28 Apr 1941 and commissioned on 5 Jul 1941.
Sunk on 14 March 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea south of Salamis, in position 37.50N, 23.35E, by a German mine.
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 23 Dec 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 81.
U-259. Type VIIC. Launched on 30 Dec 1941 and commissioned on 18 Feb 1942.
Sunk on 15 November 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north of Algiers, in position 37.20N, 03.05E, by depth charges from a British Hudson aircraft (500 Sqn RAF/S).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 10 Nov 1942. Days in the Mediterranean: 5.
U-331. Type VIIC. Launched on 20 Dec 1940 and commissioned on 31 Mar 1941.
Sunk on 17 November 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north-west of Algiers, in position 37.05N, 02.27E, by a torpedo from a British Albacore aircraft (820 Sqn FAA) and strafing by two British Martlet aircraft (893 Sqn FAA) from the British aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, after being badly damaged by depth charges and strafing from three British Hudson aircraft (500 Sqn RAF/C, L & Z).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 29 Sep 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 414.
U-372. Type VIIC. Launched on 8 Mar 1941 and commissioned on 19 Apr 1941.
Sunk on 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea south-west of Haifa, in position 32.28N, 34.37E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Sikh and HMS Zulu, the British escort destroyers HMS Croome and HMS Tetcott and a British Wellington aircraft (221 Sqn RAF/M).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 9 Dec 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 238.
U-374. Type VIIC. Launched on 10 May 1941 and commissioned on 21 Jun 1941.
Sunk on 12 January 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea south-west of Cape Spartivento, in position 37.50N, 16.00E, by torpedoes from the British submarine HMS Unbeaten.
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 11 Dec 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 32.
U-559. Type VIIC. Launched on 8 Jan 1941 and commissioned on 27 Feb 1941.
Sunk on 30 October 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north-east of Port Said, in position 32.30N, 33.00E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Pakenham, HMS Petard and HMS Hero and the British escort destroyers HMS Dulverton and HMS Hurworth, after being located by a British Vickers Wellesley aircraft (47 Sqn RAF/F).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 26 Sep 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 399.
U-568. Type VIIC. Launched on 6 Mar 1941 and commissioned on 1 May 1941.
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).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 10 Dec 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 169.
U-573. Type VIIC. Launched on 17 Apr 1941 and commissioned on 5 Jun 1941.
Badly damaged on 1 May 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north-west of Ténès, in position 37.00N, 01.00E, by depth charges from a British Hudson aircraft (233 Sqn RAF/M).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 20 Dec 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 133.
U-577. Type VIIC. Launched on 15 May 1941 and commissioned on 3 Jul 1941.
Sunk on 15 January 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north-west of Mersa Matruh, in position 32.40N, 25.48E, by depth charges from a British Swordfish aircraft (815 Sqn FAA/G).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 23 Dec 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 23.
U-595. Type VIIC. Launched on 17 Sep 1941 and commissioned on 6 Nov 1941.
Badly damaged on 14 November 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north-east of Oran, in position 36.38N, 00.30E, by depth charges from two British Hudson aircraft (608 Sqn RAF/C & D).
Beached and blown up by its crew later that day off Cape Khamis, in position 36.16N, 00.30E, after further air attacks by five British Hudson aircraft (500 Sqn RAF/F, L, K, W & X).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 7 Nov 1942. Days in the Mediterranean: 7.
U-605. Type VIIC. Launched on 27 Nov 1941 and commissioned on 15 Jan 1942.
Sunk on 14 November 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north-west of Oran, in position 36.20N, 01.01W, by depth charges from a British Hudson aircraft (233 Sqn RAF/B).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 9 Oct 1942. Days in the Mediterranean: 36.
U-652. Type VIIC. Launched on 7 Feb 1941 and commissioned on 3 Apr 1941.
Scuttled at 1050hrs on 2 June 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea in the Gulf of Sollum, in position 31.55N, 25.13E, by a torpedo from U-81, after being badly damaged by depth charges from a British Swordfish aircraft (815 Sqn FAA/L).
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 28 Nov 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 186.
U-660. Type VIIC. Launched on 17 Nov 1941 and commissioned on 8 Jan 1942.
Sunk on 12 November 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north of Oran, in position 36.07N, 01.00W, by depth charges from the British corvettes HMS Lotus and HMS Starwort.
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 10 Oct 1942. Days in the Mediterranean: 33.
14 U-boats lost in the Mediterranean in 1941.