German submarine U-259 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 25 March 1941 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack, launched on 30 December 1941, and commissioned on 18 February 1942 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Klaus Köpke. After training with the 5th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, U-259 was transferred to the 3rd U-boat Flotilla, based at La Pallice, France, for front-line service from 1 September 1942.
U-259 sank no ships in her short career, and was sunk off North Africa on 15 November 1942, during her second combat patrol, by a British Hudson bomber.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-259 had a displacement of 769t when at the surface and 871t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.1m (220.1feet), a pressure hull length of 50.5m (165.7feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), and a draught of 4.74m (15.55feet). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of NaNPS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23abbr=onNaNabbr=on propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-259 was fitted with five 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
U-259 sailed from Kiel on 29 August 1942, and headed out into the mid-Atlantic, joining Wolfpack Lohs from 3 to 22 September, and Wolfpack Blitz from 22 to 25 September, but had no success. The U-boat arrived at La Pallice on 5 October after 38 days at sea.[1]
U-259 departed La Pallice on 5 November 1942 as part of Wolfpack Delphin, entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait of Gibraltar, and joined Wolfpack Wal on 12 November.
On 15 November the U-boat was attacked by a British Hudson light bomber of No. 500 Squadron RAF, north of Algiers, in position 37.3333°N 8°W. U-259 was sunk with all 48 hands when one of the depth charges exploded on contact.[2]
U-259 took part in four wolfpacks, namely: