German submarine U-99 (1940) explained

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 of Allied shipping in eight patrols. She damaged five more ships and took one vessel as a prize.U-99 was sunk on 17 March 1941 by British destroyer HMS Walker while attacking convoy HX 112.

Design

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-99 had a displacement of 753t when at the surface and 857t while submerged. She had a total length of 66.5m (218.2feet), a pressure hull length of 48.8m (160.1feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.5m (31.2feet), 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 BBC GG UB 720/8 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-99 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 one 2cm (01inches) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

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

First patrol

On 18 June, U-99 departed Kiel for operations in the North Sea west of Norway. An Arado Ar-196 seaplane from the German battlecruiser attacked her, having mistaken her for a British submarine. Two days later, U-99 was attacked by two aircraft; minor damage was inflicted.[1] She returned to Kiel on 25 June.

Second 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.[1] On this patrol U-99 sank six ships and captured one, the Estonian cargo steamship Merisaar, carrying a load of timber from New Orleans, to Cork, Ireland.[2] An attack on the was called off on 7 July, when the defensively equipped merchant ship returned fire.[3] On 8 July, over 100 depth charges were dropped by the escorts of Convoy HX 53, but U-99 escaped undamaged.[1] The patrol ended on 21 July.

DateShipNationalityTonnage[4] Fate
5 July 1940Magog † Canada2,053Sunk
7 July 1940Bissen Sweden1,514Sunk
United Kingdom5,360Escaped
Sea Glory United Kingdom1,964Sunk
8 July 1940Humber Arm ‡ United Kingdom5,758Sunk
12 July 1940Ia Greece4,860Sunk
Merisaar Estonia2,136Captured as prize
18 July 1940Woodbury United Kingdom4,434Sunk

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

Third 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.[1] The patrol ended on 5 August.

DateShipNationalityTonnage[5] (GRT)Fate
28 July 1940Auckland Star United Kingdom13,212Sunk
29 July 1940Clan Menzies United Kingdom7,336Sunk
31 July 1940Jamaica Progress United Kingdom5,475Sunk
Jersey City † United Kingdom6,322Sunk
2 August 1940Alexia †, ‡ United Kingdom8,016Damaged
Lucerna †, ‡ United Kingdom6,556Damaged
Strinda †, ‡ Norway10,973Damaged

† Convoy OB 191, ‡ Damaged

Fourth 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.[1]

DateShipNationalityTonnage[6] (GRT)Fate
11 September 1940Albionic United Kingdom2,468Sunk
15 September 1940Kenordoc † Canada1,780Sunk
16 September 1940Lotos † Norway1,327Sunk
17 September 1940 ‡ United Kingdom2,372Sunk
21 September 1940Baron Blythswood * United Kingdom3,668Sunk
Elmbank * United Kingdom5,156Sunk
Invershannon United Kingdom9,154Sunk

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

Fifth 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.

DateShipNationalityTonnage[7] (GRT)Fate
18 October 1940 United Kingdom6,055Sunk
United Kingdom4,815Sunk
Niritos Greece3,854Sunk
19 October 1940 † United Kingdom3,106Damaged
United Kingdom5,154Sunk
Norway1,643Sunk
Thalia Greece5,875Sunk

Sixth patrol

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

DateShipNationalityTonnage[8] (GRT)Fate
3 November 1940Casanare United Kingdom5,376Sunk
18,724Sunk
4 November 1940HMS Patroclus11,314Sunk
5 November 1940Scottish Maiden † United Kingdom6,993Sunk

† Convoy HX 83

Seventh patrol

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

DateShipNationalityTonnage[9] (GRT)Fate
2 December 194016,402Sunk
Samnanger Norway4,276Sunk
3 December 1940Conch † United Kingdom8,376Sunk
7 December 1940Farmsum ‡ Netherlands5,237Sunk

† Convoy HX 90, ‡ Convoy OB 252

Eighth 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.

DateShipNationalityTonnage[10] (GRT)Fate
7 March 1941Athelbeach † United Kingdom6,568Sunk
Terje Viken United Kingdom20,638Sunk
16 March 1941Beduin ‡ Norway8,136Sunk
Ferm ‡ Norway6,593Sunk
Franche-Comté ‡ United Kingdom9,314Damaged
J. B. White Canada7,375Sunk
Korshamn ‡ Sweden6,673Sunk
Venetia † United Kingdom5,728Sunk

† 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, southeast of Iceland in approximate position 61°N -12°W. He immediately ordered a dive, contrary to Kretschmer's standing orders, but once the boat was under it was quickly fixed on ASDIC and attacked by and . 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, Walkers captain, "CAPTAIN TO CAPTAIN. I AM SUNKING [sic] PLEASE RESCUE MY CREW." 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.[11] 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.[12]

Macintyre took Kretschmer's binoculars as a souvenir. However in 1955, he gave them back to Kretschmer.

Wolfpack operations

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

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage[13] Fate[14]
5 July 1940Magog Canada2,053Sunk
7 July 1940Sea Glory United Kingdom1,964Sunk
7 July 1940Bissen Sweden1,514Sunk
8 July 1940Humber Arm United Kingdom5,758Sunk
12 July 1940Ia Greece4,860Sunk
12 July 1940Merisaar Estonia2,136Captured as prize
18 July 1940Woodbury United Kingdom4,434Sunk
28 July 1940Auckland Star United Kingdom13,212Sunk
29 July 1940Clan Menzies United Kingdom7,336Sunk
31 July 1940Jamaica Progress United Kingdom5,475Sunk
31 July 1940Jersey City United Kingdom6,322Sunk
2 August 1940Strinda Norway10,973Damaged
2 August 1940Lucerna United Kingdom6,556Damaged
2 August 1940Alexia United Kingdom8,016Damaged
11 September 1940Albionic United Kingdom2,468Sunk
15 September 1940Kenordoc Canada1,780Sunk
16 September 1940Lotos Norway1,327Sunk
17 September 1940 United Kingdom2,372Sunk
21 September 1940Invershannon United Kingdom9,154Sunk
21 September 1940Baron Blythswood United Kingdom3,668Sunk
21 September 1940Elmbank United Kingdom5,156Sunk
18 October 1940 United Kingdom6,055Sunk
18 October 1940Niritos Greece3,854Sunk
18 October 1940 United Kingdom4,815Sunk
19 October 1940 United Kingdom5,154Sunk
19 October 1940Thalia Greece5,875Sunk
19 October 1940 Norway1,643Sunk
19 October 1940 United Kingdom3,106Damaged
3 November 1940 Casanare United Kingdom5,376Sunk
3 November 1940 18,724Sunk
4 November 1940 HMS Patroclus11,314Sunk
5 November 1940 Scottish Maiden United Kingdom6,993Sunk
2 December 194016,402Sunk
2 December 1940Samnanger Norway4,276Sunk
3 December 1940Conch United Kingdom8,376Sunk
7 December 1940Farmsum Netherlands5,237Sunk
7 March 1941Terje Viken United Kingdom20,638Sunk
7 March 1941Athelbeach United Kingdom6,568Sunk
16 March 1941Beduin Norway8,136Sunk
16 March 1941Franche-Comté United Kingdom9,314Damaged
16 March 1941J. B. White Canada7,375Sunk
16 March 1941Korshamn Sweden6,673Sunk
16 March 1941Venetia United Kingdom5,728Sunk
16 March 1941Ferm Norway6,593Sunk

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: U-99 . Helgason . Guðmundur . uboat.net . 17 November 2009.
  2. Web site: Merisaar . Helgason . Guðmundur . uboat.net . 17 November 2009.
  3. Web site: HMS Manistee (F104) . Helgason . Guðmundur . uboat.net . 17 November 2009.
  4. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  5. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  6. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  7. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  8. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  9. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  10. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  11. Book: C.B. 04051 (20) "U 99" Interrogation of Survivors . April 1941 . 7. Naval Intelligence Division, Admiralty.
  12. Book: C.B. 04051 (20) "U 99" Interrogation of Survivors . April 1941 . 14 . Naval Intelligence Division, Admiralty.
  13. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  14. Web site: Ships hit by U-99 . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 2013-12-11.

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