| German U-Boats built for the
Second World War from 1935 until 1945. Including U-Boat Histories, and
Losses, during the battle of the Atlantic Naval enthusiasts notice boards
available at bottom of page.
U570 after she had been captured by the British and renamed as HMS
Graph. ©Tony Davies
Reproduction of this photo is
available by permission of the owner, Photographic image size 10" x
7" approx , and mounted price £25 plus £3 post for UK £10
overseas, recorded airmail order photograph
here |
| Name |
Launch Date |
Fate |
| U1 |
15th June 1935 |
Used for crew training from 1935 and was only
put into action in March 1940. Patrolled off the coast of Norway until
taken into Wilhelmshaven for work to be done. She was supposed to return
to Norway but was lost en route. |
| U2 |
1st July 1935 |
Similar to U1, serving off Norway and
returning to Wilhelmshaven for work. Resumed training duties in July 1940
but sank after colliding with a fishing boat. |
| U3 |
19th July 1935 |
Used for training crews but when war broke
out she patrolled the North Sea. She sank 2 boats SS Vendia and SS Gun.
Resumed training duties in July 1940. Given over to Allied countries after the war. |
| U4 |
31st July 1935 |
Used for training initially then patrolled
the coast of Norway. She sank three boats SS Martti Ragnar, SS Walma and
SS Gertrud Bratt. Joined 4th U-boat group and then sank submarine HMS
Thistle. Given over to Allied countries after the war. |
| U5 |
14th August 1935 |
Used as a training boat initially. Patrolled
Kattegat then took part in Operation Hartmut. Joined 8th U-boat
group. Resumed training duties in July 1940. 19th March 1943 accidental
sinking with the loss of 20 crew plus the commander. 16 crew survived. |
| U6 |
21st August 1935 |
Used as a training boat initially. Patrolled
Kattegat. Took part in Operation Hartmut. Joined 8th U-boat Group. Resumed
training duties in July 1940. Given over to Allied countries after the war. |
| U7 |
29th June 1935 |
Patrolled Kattegat then went to Norwegian
coast where she sank SS Akenside, SS Solaas & SS Takstaas on 22nd,
28th & 29th September 1939 respectively. Took part in Operation Harmut,
joined 9th U-boat group. Resumed training duties in 1940 and was lost in a
diving accident on 18th February 1944. No survivors. |
| U8 |
16th July 1935 |
Used as a training boat initially. Patrolled
the Orkneys and Pentland Firth in May 1940. Resumed training duties in
July 1940. Scuttled towards the end of the war. |
| U9 |
30th July 1935 |
Reconnaissance of Eastern Scotland with U19.
Patrolling off Kinnairds Head on 18th January 1940 she sank first SS
Flandria then SS Patria. Ordered to lay mines in Moray Firth from February
1940 resulting in the sinking of SS San Tiburcio. Sank SS Linda off the
Orkneys on 11th Feb. Took part in Operation Hartmut. Patrolled Dutch &
Belgian coastlines in May 1940, sinking SS Viiu, SS Tringa and SS Sigurds
Faulbaums. Became a training boat and then joined 30th Flotille 1942-44.
Sunk on 20th August 1944 by Soviet aircraft. |
| U10 |
13th August 1935 |
Used as a training boat initially. Patrolled
North Sea and Orkneys in 1939. Back in the North Sea she sank SS Kvernaas
and SS Ameland on 17th & 18th February 1940 respectively. Took part in
Operation Hartmut. Resumed training duties in July 1940. Given to Allied countries after the war ended. |
| U11 |
27th August 1935 |
Used as a training boat initially and then
used for tests returning to training school in March 1943. Scuttled on 3rd
May 1945 and then scrapped. |
 |
U-Boats pictured c.1937 include U12, U15, U16 and U18. ©
Tony Davies
Reproduction of this photo is available by permission
of the owner, Photographic image size 10" x 7" approx , and
mounted price £25 plus £3 post for UK £10 overseas, recorded airmail order
photograph here |
| U12 |
11th September 1935 |
Patrolled east coast of England in August
1939, sinking only two months later after striking mines in the Straits of
Dover. No survivors. |
| U13 |
9th November 1935 |
Patrolled the North Sea then laid mines off
Orford Ness in September 1939. These mines resulted in the sinking of SS
Magdapur, SS Phyrne on 10th & 24th September, damaged the SS City of
Paris on 16th. Patrolled north east coast of Scotland then the Kinnairds
Head area sinking SS Cairnmona on 30th October. Sank SS Start on 31st Jan
1940, then SS Fram on 1st Feb 1940. SS Anu was sunk on 6th Feb 1940 by
mines laid by U13 in Firth of Tay. Took part in Operation Harmut. Sank SS
Swainby on 16th April 1940. Sunk by depth charges from HMS Weston on 31st
May 1940. Some Enigma instructions were recovered, all 26 crew picked up. |
| U14 |
28th December 1935 |
Patrolled off Polish coast. Reconnaissance of
Scapa Flow and Orkneys in September 1939. Patrolled North Sea in January
1940 sinking SS Biarritz on 25th. Patrolled Kinnairds Head area in
February 1940, sinking SS Sleipner on 15th and SS Rhone, SS Osmed & SS
Liana on 16th. Patrolling near Zeeburgge she sank SS Vecht on 7th March
1940, the SS Borthwick, SS Abbotsford and SS Akeld on 9th. Took part in
Operation Hartmut. Became training boat in July 1940. Scuttled on 5th May
1945. |
| U15 |
15th February 1936 |
Patrolled east coast of England in August
1939 and laid mines off Flamborough Head which sank SS Goodwood and SS
Orsa. Patrolled the Channel in September 1939 and laid mines off Lowestoft
in November. Sunk after being rammed by the German torpedo boat Iltis on
30/31 January 1940. |
| U16 |
28th April 1936 |
Laid mines in Tees Bay in September 1939 then
patrolled Norwegian coast sinking SS Nyland on 28th September 1939. Laid
mines off Dungeness on 22nd which sank fishing boat Sainte Clair in
November. Heavily damaged by depth charges from HMS Puffin and HMS Caton
Wyke near Goodwin Sands. She sank the next day with the loss of all hands. |
| U17 |
15th November1935 |
North Sea patrols in August 1939 laying mines
off the south east coast of England. Patrolled Shetlands in January 1940
moving to the North Sea in February where she sank SS Rijnstroom on 2nd
March. Two days later she sank SS Grutto. Patrolled Norwegian coast in
April 1940 before becoming a training ship in May. Scuttled on 2nd March
1945. |
| U18 |
6th December 1935 |
Patrolled Polish waters in August 1939 then
moved to the Great Belt in September and then to the Orkneys in
October. Patrolling Kinnairds Head area she sank the fishing boat Wigmore
on 18th November 1939. Sank the SS Varild on 23rd January 1940. Patrolled
Shetlands in February 1940. Became training ship in March 1940 until
recommissioned in May 1943. Patrolled the Black Sea from May 1943-August
1944 possibly sinking 10 boats during this time. Scuttled in 1944, she was raised & repaired by the
Russians and commissioned into the Russian Navy after the war ended. |
| U19 |
21st December 1935 |
Recon of North Sea then patrolled east coast
of Scotland in August 1939. Mines laid near Inner Dowsing lightship on
17th October 1939. Three ships sunk SS Capitaine Edmond Laborie, MV
Deodata and SS Konstantinos Hadjipateras on 21st, 21st and 24th
respectively. Minelaying ops off east coast of England in November 1939
resulted in SS Carica Milica sinking on 18th. Patrolled northeast coast of
Scotland sinking SS Manx on 9th January 1940. Sank SS Baltanglia & SS
Pluto on 23rd January 1940 off Farne Islands and later on 25th the SS
Louvain & SS Gudveig. Patrolling Shetlands in February she sank MV
Daghestan on 20th. Sank SS Minsk and SS Charkow off the Moray Firth on
19th March 1940 and the next day SS Viking and SS Bothal. Took part in
Operation Hartmut. Training duties from May 1940 until April 1942.
Patrolled the Black Sea from January 1943 until September 1944. Sinking
three ships. Scuttled on 10th September 1944. |
| U20 |
14th January 1936 |
Patrolled Norwegian coast and then off the
Orkneys in September 1939. Mines laid on 21st November at Newarp Lightship
resulted in the sinking SS Ionian & SS Willowpool. Sank SS Magnus on
9th December 1939 near Peterhead then SS Sylvia on 13th January 1940.
Patrolling Orkneys she sank SS Faro, SS Fredensburg, SS England & SS
Hosanger all on 27th January 1940. Sank SS Maria Rosa on 29th Feb & SS
Mirella on 1st March near Lowestoft. Training ship from May 1940 until
27th May 1943. Patrolled Black Sea sinking seven boats. Scuttled on 10th
September 1944. |
| U21 |
13th July 1936 |
Patrolling North Sea in August/September
1939. Mine laying in Rosyth on 4th November 1939 which sank HMS Bayonet
and SS Royal Archer and damaged HMS Belfast. Patrolled Kinnairds Head in
November 1939 and sank SS Arcturus on 1st December. Patrolling off
Aberdeen she sank SS Mars and SS Carl Henkel on 21st December. Patrolling
Orkneys & Kinnairds Head in January 1940, sinking SS Vidar on 31st
near Pentland Firth, then SS Vid on 4th Feb. Diverted to Norwegian coast
she ran aground near Kristiansand and her crew were interned until the
German landings in Norway. Became training ship in July 1940 and scrapped
after 1944. |
| U22 |
28th July 1936 |
Baltic patrols in August 1939 then to the
Orkneys in September and sank SS Parkhill on 18th November 1939.
Minelaying possibly near Blyth in December which sank SS Mars on 27th. HMS
Loch Doon & SS Hanne were sunk on 25th & 28th December. SS Eston
sank on 28th January 1940 after hitting the same mines. Patrolling
Scottish coast she sank HMS Exmouth, in Moray Firth, and SS Tekla on 21st
January. Ordered to Cape Lindesnes she sank en route possibly after
striking a mine. No survivors. |
| U23 |
28th August 1936 |
Patrolled the North Sea and laid mines in
Firth of Forth in September 1939. Patrolled Orkneys and sank SS Glen Farg
on 4th October 1939. Laid mines in Cromarty Firth and Invergorden on 4th
November. In December she patrolled the Shetlands sinking SS Scotia on
8th. Patrolled the Orkneys and Kinnairds Head sinking SS Fredville, MV
Danmark & SS Bisp on 11th, 12th & 24th Jan 1940 respectively. She
sank SS Tiberton, HMS Daring & SS Loch Maddy on 14th, 18th & 22nd
Feb respectively. Became training ship in May 1940, then patrolled Black
Sea from June 1943 - September 1944. During this time she sank 8 or more
vessels. Scuttled on 10th September 1944. |
| U24 |
24th September 1936 |
Patrolled North Sea and laid mines off
Hartlepool on 27th October 1939. SS Carmarthen sank due to these mines on
9th November. Patrolled Black Sea from October 1942 - August 1944
resulting in 9 ships being sunk. Scuttled on 25th August 1944, she was raised & repaired by the
Russians and commissioned into the Russian Navy after the war ended.
Scrapped in 1960. |
| U25 |
14th February 1936 |
Patrolled in Mediterranean and sank SS Baoule
on 31st October 1939. Patrolling off Shetland in January 1940 she sank SS
Polzella and SS Enid on 17th and MV Pajala on 18th. Moved south to Spanish
& Portguese coasts sinking SS Songa en route on 22nd, then sank SS
Armanistan on 3rd Feb near Lisbon. Sank MV Cahstine Maersk on 13th near
Shetlands. Took part in Operation Hartmut. Joined 1st U-boat Group in
April 1940. Moving to the Atlantic she sank HMS Scoutstoun on 13th June,
then turned to the English Channel where she sank a tanker on 19th. En
route to patrol west coast of Britain she struck mine and sank 3rd August
1940. No survivors. |
| U26 |
14th March 1936 |
Minelaying operation off Portland in August
1939 which sank MV Alex van Opstal on 15th, SS Binnendijk on 8th October
and SS Elena R on 22nd November 1939.Sent to lay mine sin Gib she was
prevented by bright lights so patrolled the Med in October. Atlantic
patrol in January 1940 sinking SS Nidarholm on 12th near Ireland ad SS
Langleeford on 14th. On 14th February she sank SS Steinstad. Used for
transporting arms and ammo to Trondheim in April 1940, she also sank MV
Cedarbank on 21st near Alesund. Patrolled Bay of Biscay in June 1940
sinking SS Frangoula Goulandris, SS Belmoira & SS Merkur on 30th June
1940 near Fastnet. She located convoy OA 175 but was located by HMS
Gladiolus & HMS Rochester and depth charged. Forced to surface she was
then bombed by F/Lt W Gibson's Sunderland and scuttled on 1st July 1940.
39 survivors. |
| U27 |
24th June 1936 |
Atlantic patrol in August 1939. Sank fishing
boats Davara & Rudyard Kipling on 13th and 16th September. Sunk by
depth charges from HMS Fortune and HMS Forester on 20th September 1939. No
casualties. |
| U28 |
14th July 1936 |
Atlantic patrol from August 1939 west of
Ireland sinking MV Vancouver City on 14th September. Sank MV Sliedrecht on
17th November then SS Royston Grange on 25th. Laid mines near Swansea in
December which sank SS Protesilaus on 21st Jan 1940. Patrolled English
Channel in February 1940 and sank SS P Margaronis and MV Eulota on 9th and
11th March respectively. Atlantic patrol again in May 1940 then sank SS
Sarmatia, SS Adamandios Georgandis and SS Prunella on 18th, 19th and 21st
June. Patrolling off the Minch in August she sank SS Eva on 27th and SS
Kyno on 28th. Sank SS Mardinian in convoy SC2 on 9th September and SS Maas
in convoy OA210 on 11th. Became training ship in November 1940 and sank on
17th March 1944. |
| U29 |
29th August 1939 |
Atlantic patrol in August 1939 sinking MV
Regent Tiger on 8th September. Neptunia sunk on 13th and MV British
Influence on 14th. Scuttled on 4th May 1945. HMS Courageous was sunk on
17th September off Ireland - 518 crew died. Laid mines in Bristol Channel
in February 1940 which sank SS Cato on 3rd March. SS Thurston and MV
Pacific Reliance sunk on 4th March 1940. Used to transport small arms and
ammo to Norway in April. 26th June she sank SS Dimitris and on 1st July
sank SS Adamastos. SS Santa Margarita and MV Athellaird were sunk on 2nd
July 1940. Patrolling west coast of Britain she sank SS Eurymedon on 25th
September. Became training ship in January 1941 until scuttled on 4th May
1945. |
| U30 |
1936/37 |
Scuttled just before the war ended. |
| U31 |
1936/37 |
Lost sometime during the war. |
| U32 |
1936/37 |
Lost sometime during the war. |
| U33 |
1936/37 |
Lost sometime during the war. |
| U34 |
1936/37 |
Lost sometime during the war. |
| U35 |
1936/37 |
Lost sometime during the war. |
| U36 |
1936/37 |
Lost sometime during the war. |
| U56 |
1938/9 |
Lost at sea during the war. |
| U57 |
1938/9 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U58 |
1938/9 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U59 |
1938/9 |
Surrendered in May 1945. |
| U60 |
1938/9 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U61 |
1938/9 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U62 |
1938/9 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U63 |
1938/9 |
Lost at sea during the war. |
| U93 |
launched 8th June 1940 |
Sunk By HMS Hesperus by depth charges 15th January 1941 |
| U120 |
1940 |
Scuttled towards the end of the war. |
| U121 |
1940 |
Scuttled towards the end of the war. |
| U137 |
1940 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U138 |
1940 |
Lost at sea during the war. |
| U139 |
1940 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U140 |
1940 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U141 |
1940 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U142 |
1940 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U143 |
1940 |
Surrendered in May 1945. |
| U144 |
1940 |
Lost at sea during the war. |
| U145 |
1940 |
Surrendered in May 1945. |
| U146 |
1940 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U147 |
1940 |
Lost at sea during the war. |
| U148 |
1940 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U149 |
1940 |
Surrendered in May 1945. |
| U150 |
1940 |
Surrendered in May 1945. |
| U151 |
1940 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
| U152 |
1940 |
Scuttled in May 1945. |
|
The Coning Tower of U-552.
Identified by Carl Proctor. |
U-552 returning from a patrol off the coast of
America in 1942. Wearing the white cap is Kapitanleutnant Topp.
Thanks to Carl Proctor for the image and the information |
|
The Captain of a German U-Boat |
Unknown U-boat. If you have any information :
USE
OUR MESSAGE FORM |
| |
|
Our message board system has now
been upgraded to a discussion forum at worldnavalships.com. Any
messages on this page are now archive messages kept here to service
those who left the messages originally. Click
Here to go to the new Forum |
