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German submarine U-99 (1940): Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 61°N 12°W / 61°N 12°W / 61; -12
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| rowspan="2"|7 March 1941
| rowspan="2"|7 March 1941
| ''Athelbeach'' <sup>†</sup>
| ''[[List of shipwrecks in March 1941#7 March|Athelbeach'']] <sup>†</sup>
| align="left"|{{flag|UK|civil}}
| align="left"|{{flag|UK|civil}}
| align="right"|6,568
| align="right"|6,568
| Sunk
| Sunk
|-
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| ''Terje Viken''
| ''[[list of shipwrecks in March 1941#7 March|Terje Viken]]''
| align="left"|{{flag|UK|civil}}
| align="left"|{{flag|UK|civil}}
| align="right"|20,638
| align="right"|20,638

Revision as of 16:50, 25 March 2019

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-99.
U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-99
Ordered15 December 1937
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number593
Laid down31 March 1939
Launched12 March 1940
Commissioned18 April 1940
FateScuttled, 17 March 1941, south-east of Iceland. Three dead and 40 survivors[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIB submarine
Displacement
  • 753 tonnes (741 long tons) surfaced
  • 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.50 m (31 ft 2 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Range
  • 9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 220 m (720 ft)
  • Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems		Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 17 046
Commanders: Otto Kretschmer
Operations:
  • Eleven
  • 1st patrol: 18–25 June 1940
  • 2nd patrol: 27 June – 21 July 1940
  • 3rd patrol: 25 July – 5 August 1940
  • 4th patrol: 4–25 September 1940
  • 5th patrol: 13–22 October 1940
  • 6th patrol: 30 October – 8 November 1940
  • 7th patrol: 27 November – 12 December 1940
  • 8th patrol: 22 February – 17 March 1941
Victories:
  • 35 ships sunk (totaling 198,218 GRT)
  • three auxiliary warships sunk – 46,440 GRT
  • five ships damaged – 37,965 GRT
  • one ship taken as a prize – 2,136 GRT

German submarine U-99 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 31 March 1939 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 593. She was launched on 12 March 1940 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Otto Kretschmer and was assigned to the 7th U-boat Flotilla based in Kiel and later in St Nazaire.

U-99 was one of the most successful German U-boats in the war, sinking 38 ships for a total tonnage of 244,658 gross register tons (GRT) of Allied shipping in eight patrols. She damaged five more ships and took one vessel as a prize.

Design

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-99 had a displacement of 753 tonnes (741 long tons) when at the surface and 857 tonnes (843 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 66.50 m (218 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-99 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

From April to June 1940, the crew of U-99 were under training, based at Kiel and St. Nazaire.

1st patrol

On 18 June, U-99 departed Kiel for operations in the North Sea west of Norway. She was attacked by an Arado Ar-196 seaplane from the German battleship Scharnhorst, having been mistaken for a British submarine. Two days later, U-99 was attacked by two aircraft; minor damage was inflicted.[3] She returned to Kiel on 25 June.

2nd patrol

U-99 departed Wilhelmshaven on 27 June to patrol southwest of Ireland. On 29 June, she was attacked by British aircraft. A crash dive was carried out with the result that the boat hit the seabed, causing some damage which was able to be repaired.[3] During this patrol, U-99 sank six ships. A seventh was captured.(The Estonian Steam Merchantman SS Merisaar, 2,348-ton, carrying a load of Timber inroute from New Orleans, to Cork, Ireland.)[4] An attack on the 5,360 GRT Manistee was called off on 7 July, when the armed merchant ship fired upon the U-boat.[5] On 8 July, over 100 depth charges were dropped by the escorts of Convoy HX 53, but U-99 escaped undamaged.[3] The patrol ended on 21 July.

Painting of Estonian merchant ship SS Merisaar's lifeboat approaching German submarine U-99 in July 1940
Date Ship Flag Tonnage[Note 1] Fate
5 July 1940 Magog †  Canada 2,053 Sunk
7 July 1940 Bissen  Sweden 1,514 Sunk
HMS Manistee  Royal Navy 5,360 Escaped
Sea Glory  United Kingdom 1,964 Sunk
8 July 1940 Humber Arm ‡  United Kingdom 5,758 Sunk
12 July 1940 Ia  Greece 4,861 Sunk
Merisaar*  Estonia 2,136 Captured
18 July 1940 Woodbury  United Kingdom 4,434 Sunk

† Convoy HX 52, ‡ Convoy HX 53, * sunk by German bombing, 15 July 1940

3rd patrol

On 25 July, U-99 departed Lorient for the North Atlantic. Four ships were sunk and three others damaged. On the 31st, the escorts of Convoy OB 191 dropped 20 depth charges on the boat without effect. Later that evening, a flying boat also attacked her, again without causing any damage.[3] The patrol ended on 5 August.

Date Ship Flag Tonnage[Note 1] (GRT) Fate
28 July 1940 Auckland Star  UK 13,212 Sunk
29 July 1940 Clan Menzies  UK 7,226 Sunk
31 July 1940 Jamaica Progress  UK 5,475 Sunk
Jersey City †  UK 6,322 Sunk
2 August 1940 Alexia †, ‡  UK 8,016 Damaged
Lucerna †, ‡  UK 6,556 Damaged
Strinda †, ‡  Norway 10,973 Damaged

† Convoy OB 191, ‡ Damaged

4th patrol

U-99 departed Lorient on 4 September for the North Atlantic; seven ships were sunk. The patrol ended on the 25th. U-99 was slightly damaged in an air raid on Lorient on 27 September.[3]

Date Ship Flag Tonnage[Note 1] (GRT) Fate
11 September 1940 Albionic  UK 2,468 Sunk
15 September 1940 Kenordoc †  Canada 1,780 Sunk
16 September 1940 Lotos †  Norway 1,327 Sunk
17 September 1940 Crown Arun ‡  UK 2,372 Sunk
21 September 1940 Baron Blythswood *  UK 3,668 Sunk
Elmbank *  UK 5,156 Sunk
Invershannon*  UK 9,154 Sunk

† Convoy SC 3, ‡ Convoy HX 71, * Convoy HX 72

5th patrol

On 13 October, U-99 departed Lorient to patrol the North West Approaches. Six ships from Convoy SC 7 were sunk and another was damaged. The patrol ended on 22 October.

Date Ship Flag Tonnage[Note 1] (GRT) Fate
18 October 1940 Empire Miniver  United Kingdom 6,055 Sunk
Fiscus  United Kingdom 4,815 Sunk
Niritos  Greece 3,854 Sunk
19 October 1940 Clintonia †  United Kingdom 3,106 Damaged
Empire Brigade  United Kingdom 5,154 Sunk
Snefjeld  Norway 1,643 Sunk
Thalia  Greece 5,875 Sunk

6th patrol

U-99 departed Lorient for the North West Approaches on 30 October 1940; four ships were sunk. The patrol ended on 8 November.

Date Ship Flag Tonnage[Note 1] (GRT) Fate
3 November 1940 Casanare  UK 5,376 Sunk
HMS Laurentic  Royal Navy 18,724 Sunk
4 November 1940 Patroclus  UK 11,314 Sunk
5 November 1940 Scottish Maiden †  UK 6,993 Sunk

† Convoy HX 83

7th patrol

On 27 November, U-99 departed Lorient for the North Atlantic. Four ships were sunk. The patrol ended on 12 December.

Date Ship Flag Tonnage[Note 1] (GRT) Fate
2 December 1940 HMS Forfar (F30)  Royal Navy 16,402 Sunk
Samnanger  Norway 4,276 Sunk
3 December 1940 Conch †  UK 8,376 Sunk
7 December 1940 Farmsum ‡  Netherlands 5,237 Sunk

† Convoy HX 90, ‡ Convoy OB 252

8th patrol

U-99 departed Lorient on 22 February 1941 to patrol in the North Atlantic; eight ships were sunk. U-99 was attacked herself, with severe damage inflicted. Kretschmer surrendered and scuttled the submarine with the loss of three lives.

Date Ship Flag Tonnage[Note 1] (GRT) Fate
7 March 1941 Athelbeach †  UK 6,568 Sunk
Terje Viken  UK 20,638 Sunk
16 March 1941 Beduin ‡  Norway 8,136 Sunk
Ferm ‡  Norway 6,593 Sunk
Franche-Comté ‡  UK 9,314 Damaged
J. B. White  Canada 7,375 Sunk
Korshamn ‡  Sweden 6,673 Sunk
Venetia †  UK 5,728 Sunk

† Convoy OB 293, ‡ Convoy HX 112

Fate

On 17 March 1941, U-99 had just fired the last of her torpedoes and sunk Korshamn when the Watch Officer spotted a destroyer, south-east of Iceland in approximate position 61°N 12°W / 61°N 12°W / 61; -12. He immediately ordered a dive, contrary to Kretschmer's standing orders,[6] but once the boat was under it was quickly fixed on ASDIC and attacked by HMS Walker and Vanoc. U-99 was driven deep by the attack but was nonetheless severely damaged. Kretschmer had no choice but to surface; immediately a barrage of fire greeted the boat. Kretschmer sent a message to Donald Macintyre, Walker's captain, "CAPTAIN TO CAPTAIN. I AM SUNKING [sic] PLEASE RESCUE MY CREW."[7] He then ordered that the boat should be scuttled. Forty crew, including Kretschmer, were rescued to become POWs. Three crewmen – the engineering-officer and two ratings – lost their lives.[8] The engineering officer re-entered the sinking U-boat and perished while opening the galley hatch, to hasten the boat's sinking and prevent the British from boarding it.[9]

Macintyre took Kretschmer's binoculars as a souvenir.[10]

Wolfpack operations

U-99 operated with the following Wolfpacks during her career:

  • Wolfpack 1 (20–22 September 1940)
  • Wolfpack 2 (17–19 October 1940)

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. ^ Kemp 1997, p. 69.
  2. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.
  3. ^ a b c d e Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IVVB boat U-99". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Merisaar". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Manistee (F104)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
  6. ^ Fairbank White 2006, p. 79.
  7. ^ Fairbank White 2006, p. 81.
  8. ^ C.B. 04051 (20) "U 99" Interrogation of Survivors. Naval Intelligence Division, Admiralty. April 1941. p. 7.
  9. ^ C.B. 04051 (20) "U 99" Interrogation of Survivors. Naval Intelligence Division, Admiralty. April 1941. p. 14.
  10. ^ Fairbank White 2006, p. 82–83.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs – The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. pp. 23, 27, 28, 32, 35, 42–44, 48–49. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |last-author-amp= (help)
  • Fairbank White, David (2006). Bitter Ocean – The dramatic story of the Battle of the Atlantic 1939–1945. Headline Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-7553-1089-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

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