View source for Wolfpack Vorwärts

{{Short description|Wolfpack of German U-Boats}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{One source|date=November 2014}}
'''''Vorwärts''''' ([[English language|English]] : "Forwards") was a [[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|wolfpack]] of [[Nazi Germany|German]] [[U-boat]]s that operated from 25 August to 26 September 1942, in the [[Battle of the Atlantic]] during World War II. They attacked several convoys, principally [[Convoy ON 127]], sailing from [[Liverpool]] to [[New York City|New York]], and sank fifteen ships for a total of {{GRT|79,331|disp=long}}, and damaged nine ({{GRT|81,141}}).<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/ops/wolfpacks/41.html
 |title=Wolfpack Vorwärts
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=21 January 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121144400/http://www.uboat.net/ops/wolfpacks/41.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

==U-boats, commanders and dates==
* {{GS|U-604||2}}, [[Horst Höltring]], 25 August–1 September
* {{GS|U-609||2}}, Klaus Rudloff, 25 August–1 September
* {{GS|U-756||2}}, Klaus Harney, 25 August–1 September (sunk)
* {{GS|U-409||2}}, Hanns-Ferdinand Massmann, 25 August–2 September
* {{GS|U-659||2}}, Hans Stock, 25 August–11 September (damaged)
* {{GS|U-92|1942|2}}, Adolf Oelrich, 25 August–17 September
* {{GS|U-411||2}}, Gerhard Litterscheid, 25 August–18 September
* {{GS|U-91|1941|2}}, Heinz Walkerling, 25 August–26 September
* {{GS|U-407||2}}, Ernst-Ulrich Brüller, 25 August–26 September
* {{GS|U-380||2}}, Josef Röther, 2–25 September
* {{GS|U-404||2}}, [[Otto von Bülow]], 2–26 September
* {{GS|U-584||2}}, Joachim Deecke, 2–26 September
* {{GS|U-594||2}}, Friedrich Mumm, 2–17 September
* {{GS|U-608||2}}, Rolf Struckmeier, 2–15 September
* {{GS|U-96|1940|2}}, [[Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel]], 3–25 September
* {{GS|U-211||2}}, Karl Hause, 3–26 September
* {{GS|U-218||2}}, Richard Becker, 4–15 September
* {{GS|U-461||2}}, Wolf-Harro Stiebler, 16–20 September

==Ships hit by this Wolfpack==

===''Abbekerk''===
''Abbekerk'', an unescorted 7,906-ton Dutch merchant ship en route from [[Port of Spain]], [[Trinidad]] to [[Liverpool]] with 9,489 tons of sugar, general cargo and mail, was inspected by the Norwegian convoy escort {{HNoMS|Eglantine|K197|6}} about {{convert|15|nmi|km}} south-east of Convoy ONS-122 at 13:40 on 24 August 1942. Soon after it was spotted by ''U-604'' which was searching for the convoy. The U-boat pursued the ship for more than 12 hours before firing a spread of three [[torpedo]]es at 03:48 on 25 August. One struck the ship, which stopped. At 03:56 ''U-604'' hit it again and the ship sank after two boiler explosions. All the crew except two managed to abandon ship in two [[Lifeboat (shipboard)|lifeboats]], which set sail for Ireland, and the 62 men were later picked up by {{HMS|Wallflower|K44|6}}.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2089.html
 |title=Abbekerk (Motor merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=31 August 2009
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831224652/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2089.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

===''Capira'' & ''Bronxville''===
At 10.05 hours on 31 August ''U-609'' fired torpedoes at [[SC convoys|Convoy SC-97]] and sank two ships. The first was ''Capira'', a 5,625-ton merchant ship owned by [[United States Lines]], but [[Flag of convenience|flagged]] in Panama. The ship, loaded with trucks, tractors, steel mats, bulldozers, and 250 bags of US mail, was struck in the engine room, which immediately flooded. The ship sank in 20 minutes, killing five of the crew, but 36 men and 13 [[United States Navy Armed Guard|armed guards]] escaped in lifeboats and rafts. Of these, 33 were soon picked up by the British rescue ship ''Perth'', and the remaining 16 by a [[corvette]].<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2111.html
 |title=Capira (Steam merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=9 August 2022
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809134313/https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2111.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref> The second ship was ''Bronxville'', a 4,663-ton Norwegian merchant ship carrying general cargo, including 531 tons of explosives. All 39 hands survived and were picked up by the British rescue ship ''Perth''.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2110.html
 |title=Bronxville (Motor merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=7 September 2008
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907211037/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2110.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref> The next day, 1 September, ''U-756'' was sunk with all hands by [[depth charge]]s from the corvette {{HMCS|Morden|K170|6}}.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://www.uboat.net/boats/u756.htm
 |title=The Type VIIC boat U-756
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=30 January 2010
 |archive-date=3 January 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103085433/http://www.uboat.net/boats/u756.htm
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

===Attack on Convoy ON-127===
[[Convoy ON 127]] comprised 32 ships, escorted by the Canadian [[Mid-Ocean Escort Force|Escort Group C-4]] consisting of the [[destroyer]]s {{HMCS|St. Croix|I81|6}} and {{HMCS|Ottawa|H60|6}}, and four {{sclass2|Flower|corvette|2}}s; {{HMCS|Amherst|K148|6}}, {{HMCS|Arvida|K113|6}}, {{HMCS|Sherbrooke|K152|6}}, and {{HMS|Celandine|K75|6}}. It was first sighted on 9 September 1942 by ''U-584'', which lost contact during the night, but ''U-96'' sighted the convoy again around noon on the next day.<ref name="ON-127">{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/ops/convoys/convoys.php?convoy=ON-127
 |title=Convoy ON-127
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=1 January 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101123027/http://www.uboat.net/ops/convoys/convoys.php?convoy=ON-127
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====''Elisabeth van Belgie'', ''Sveve'' & ''F.J. Wolfe''====
Between 16:31 and 16:33 ''U-96'' fired four torpedoes at four ships and hit three. The 4,241-ton Belgian merchant ship ''Elisabeth van Belgie'' sank with the loss of one man from its crew of 56.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2137.html
 |title=Elisabeth van Belgie (Steam merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=13 February 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213121220/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2137.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref> When ''Sveve'', a 6,313-ton Norwegian [[tanker (ship)|tanker]] in Admiralty service as a [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary]] was hit the subsequent explosion destroyed [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]], opened holes on the starboard side, and wrecked the steering gear. With the ship immobile and flooding, the 37 crew and two gunners abandoned ship in four lifeboats. They were picked up within the hour by HMCS ''Sherbrooke'', which then attempted to [[Scuttling|scuttle]] the wreck with shell fire. Eventually the ship was reboarded by four of the crew and four men from the corvette who succeeded in sinking her.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/2138.html
 |title=Sveve (Motor tanker)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=1 April 2006
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060401192316/http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/2138.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref> The third ship hit, the 12,190-ton British tanker ''F.J. Wolfe'' was damaged, but able to continue with the convoy.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/2140.html
 |title=F.J. Wolfe (Motor tanker)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=6 January 2009
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106133329/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/2140.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====''Empire Oil''====
''U-659'' attacked south-west of [[Iceland]], at 21:10 on 10 September, and hit the 8,029-ton British tanker ''[[List of Empire ships (O)#Empire Oil (I)|Empire Oil]]'' with two torpedoes, stopping her. All its crew of 53 survived, as the master, 12 crewmen and 6 gunners were picked up by HMCS ''St. Croix'', and 29 crewmen and 5 gunners by HMCS ''Ottawa''. At 01:47 the next day, ''U-584'' sank the drifting ''Empire Oil'' with two more torpedoes.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2147.html
 |title=Empire Oil (Steam tanker)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=5 September 2008
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905081235/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2147.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref> After her strike ''U-659'' was counter-attacked by the convoy escorts and seriously damaged. It was forced to abort the patrol and returned to France.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_2005.html
 |title=Patrol of U-boat U-659 from 15 Aug 1942 to 16 Sep 1942
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=20 November 2008
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120075509/http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_2005.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====''Marit II''====
At 00:16 on 11 September ''U-404'' fired three torpedoes and one hit the 7,417-ton Norwegian tanker ''Marit II''. ''U-608'' also fired torpedoes at 00:20 and claimed a hit. ''Marit II'' stopped, but after inspecting the damage, she continued and rejoined the convoy on 12 September. It was later repaired in New York and returned to service in February 1943.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2146.html
 |title=Marit II (Steam tanker)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=7 April 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407062533/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2146.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====''Fjordaas''====
''U-218'' fired five torpedoes between 01:35 and 01:40 on 11 September, and struck the 7,361-ton Norwegian tanker ''Fjordaas'' on the port side amidships opening a {{convert|30|by|60|ft|m|adj=on}} hole. The crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats, but remained close by as the [[Sea captain|master]], [[Chief mate|first mate]] and chief engineer inspected the damage. Its engines and steering gear were intact, so the crew boarded and managed to take her back to [[Glasgow]], arriving on 15 September.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2145.html
 |title=Fjordaas (Motor tanker)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=12 June 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612162819/http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2145.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====''Delães''====
At 11:50 on 11 September ''U-96'' attempted to stop the 415-ton [[Neutrality (international relations)|neutral]] Portuguese three-masted fishing [[schooner]] ''Delães'' by firing three shots from her [[deck gun]] across its [[Bow (ship)|bow]]. ''U-96'' then sank the vessel with shells when it did not stop. The Germans claimed to see no neutrality markings, that it had steered a suspicious course close to convoy ON-127, and believed they heard [[ASDIC]] signals from the ship. All 54 of the crew survived.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2141.html
 |title=Delães (Sailing ship)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=13 February 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213125041/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2141.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====''Hindanger''====
At 19:25 hours on 11 September the 4,884-ton Norwegian merchant ship ''Hindanger'' was torpedoed by ''U-584''. One man was killed, and the rest of the crew of 41 abandoned ship. The survivors were picked up by HMCS ''Amherst'', which reported that she sank the wreck with gunfire and a depth charge at 23:12. However, it is possible that the scuttling was unsuccessful, and the ship was actually sunk at 05:34 hours on 12 September by two torpedoes by ''U-608''.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2143.html
 |title=Hindanger (Motor merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=7 September 2008
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907210516/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2143.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====''Daghild''====
At 06:17 on 12 September ''U-404'' fired three torpedoes, and struck the 9,272-ton Norwegian tanker ''Daghild'' with one, making a hole {{convert|50|by|54|ft|m|adj=on}} in its side. However, she reached [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]] for repairs, and then proceeded to New York for further work.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2644.html
 |title=Daghild (Motor tanker)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=5 February 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205124746/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2644.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====''Empire Moonbeam'' & ''Hektoria''====
At 01:05 on 12 September, ''U-211'' fired torpedoes, and damaged two British ships; the 6,849-ton merchant ship ''[[List of Empire ships (M)#Empire Moonbeam|Empire Moonbeam]]'' was hit once, and the 13,797-ton whale factory ship ''[[SS Medic (1899)|Hektoria]]'' twice. Both vessels were sunk by ''U-608'' later that day. ''Hektoria'' was sunk at 03:51 with the loss of one crewman, while the master, 76 crewmen and eight gunners were picked up by {{HMCS|Arvida|K113|6}}. ''Empire Moonbeam'' was sunk at 04:59 with the loss of three of its crew, while the master, 44 crewmen, six gunners and one passenger were also picked up by ''Arvida''.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2151.html
 |title=Empire Moonbeam (Steam merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=15 June 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615211327/http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2151.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2155.html
 |title=Hektoria (Whale factory ship)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=5 February 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205124728/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2155.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====''Stone Street''====
At 14:36 on 13 September ''U-594'' fired a spread of three torpedoes at the 6,131-ton merchant ship ''Stone Street'', owned by the [[Waterman Steamship Corporation]] of [[Mobile, Alabama]], but sailing under the Panamanian flag. The ship was about {{convert|12|nmi|km}} from the main convoy having developed problems with its boilers. One torpedo hit the ship in the engine room, and she [[List (watercraft)|listed]] and finally sank at 15:50. The master, 39 crewmen and 12 armed guards abandoned ship in a lifeboat and raft. Eleven crewmen and two armed guards were lost. The U-boat surfaced and took the survivors on board to be questioned, and provided them with supplies of whiskey, food, cigarettes and matches before returning all but the master (who was kept as a prisoner) to their lifeboats. They were picked up on 19 September by the merchant ship ''Irish Larch''.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2161.html
 |title=Stone Street (Steam merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=29 January 2010
 |archive-date=12 June 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612162848/http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2161.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

====HMCS ''Ottawa''====
At 02:05 on 14 September ''U-91'' fired two torpedoes at a destroyer and observed a hit. Then they saw another destroyer, made a full circle, and fired another torpedo at 02:15, which hit amidships and caused the ship to explode and sink immediately. They thought that they had sunk two destroyers, but in fact it was {{HMCS|Ottawa|H60|6}}, which was hit twice. Only 67 of its crew of 181 survived.

By now though the convoy was within range of aircraft from [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] and the escorts were reinforced by the destroyers {{HMCS|Annapolis|I04|6}} and {{HMS|Witch|D89|6}}, forcing the U-boats break off their attacks and disperse.<ref name="ON-127"/>

===''Olaf Fostenes''===
At 09:21 on 18 September, the unescorted 2,994-ton Norwegian merchant ship ''Olaf Fostenes'' was hit by one of two torpedoes fired by ''U-380'' on her starboard side. Another torpedo struck on its port side at 11:20 and sank it without loss. The crew of 36 abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The U-boat surfaced and asked for the master, but were told that he had been lost. The survivors set sail for Newfoundland, were spotted by an aircraft on 26 September, and soon picked up by {{HMS|Firedrake|H79|6}}.

===''Esso Williamsburg''===
On 18 September at 01:16, about {{convert|500|nmi|km}} south of [[Cape Farewell, Greenland]], ''U-211'' sighted the unescorted 11,237-ton American tanker ''Esso Williamsburg'' loaded with {{convert|110043|oilbbl|m3}} of [[Navy special fuel oil]] en route from [[Aruba]] to [[Reykjavík]]. The U-boat fired two torpedoes at the tanker, but missed, and then lost contact due to very poor visibility. ''U-211'' eventually reacquired her target, and at 00:26 on 23 September, fired a torpedo which struck its amidships, causing a violent explosion which set the ship on fire. Ten minutes later, another torpedo was fired but missed. At 01:05, a third torpedo struck the tanker on the starboard side amidships, engulfing the entire ship in flames. The tanker broke in two and ''U-211'' left the scene.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2203.html
 |title=Esso Williamsburg (Motor tanker)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=30 January 2010
 |archive-date=12 May 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100512073507/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2203.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

===''New York'' and HMS ''Veteran''===
At 23:57 on 25 September ''U-96'' fired two torpedoes at Convoy RB-1 south-east of [[Cape Farewell, Greenland|Cape Farewell]], and both hit the 4,989-ton passenger ship ''New York''. At 01.25 on 26 September, ''U-91'' sank ''New York'' with a single torpedo.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2216.html
 |title=New York (Steam passenger ship)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=30 January 2010
 |archive-date=13 February 2010
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213125705/http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2216.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref> Thirteen of her crew of 64 were picked up by the destroyer {{HMS|Veteran|D72|6}}, which itself was torpedoed by ''U-404'' at 10:36 the same day, and sank immediately, killing all 237 on board.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2211.html
 |title=Boston (Steam passenger ship)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=30 January 2010
 |archive-date=14 May 2009
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514162738/http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2211.html
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist}}

{{Uboat}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vorwarts}}
[[Category:Wolfpacks of 1942]]