U-7 - a small U-boat type IIB , from the Second World War . An order for construction was given on July 20, 1934 . The boat was laid at the shipyard of the Germaniawerft shipbuilding company, Kiel on March 11, 1935 under serial number 541. Launched on June 29, 1935 . July 18, 1935 adopted and adopted under the command of Lieutenant Kurt Freivald joined the Unterseebootsschulflottille. [one]
| U-7 | |
|---|---|
| Ship history | |
| Flag state |  Germany |
| Port of registry | Kiel , Wilhelmshaven |
| Launching | June 29, 1935 |
| Withdrawn from the fleet | February 18, 1944 |
| Current status | sank February 18, 1944 west of Pillau |
| Main characteristics | |
| Type of ship | Small DPL |
| Project designation | IIB |
| Speed (surface) | 13 knots |
| Speed (underwater) | 7.0 knots |
| Immersion depth | 150 m |
| Crew | 29 people |
| Dimensions | |
| Surface displacement | 279 t |
| Underwater displacement | 328 t |
| The length is the greatest (on design basis) | 42.7 m |
| The width of the body naib. | 4.08 m |
| Height | 8.6 m |
| Average draft (on design basis) | 3.90 m |
| Power point | |
| 6- cylinder 4-stroke "MWM" RS127S 2x350 hp electric motor "Siemens" 2x180 hp | |
| Armament | |
| Artillery | 1 x 2 cm / 65 C / 30 (1000 shells) |
| Torpedo mine weapons | 3 TA caliber 533 mm 5 torpedoes or 18 min TMB or 12 TMA |
Content
Service History
She made 6 military campaigns, sunk one ship (2 694 gt ) and irreparably damaged one more (1 830 gt). Sank on February 18, 1944, west of Pillau, presumably due to a diving accident.
First trip
On August 24, 1939, the U-7 left Neustadt , and, passing through Kiel , went on its first trip, with the task of observing freight traffic in Kattegat .
On August 26, 1939, the bow wheels were repaired in 7 hours right on the boat in the boat.
On August 29, 1939, she briefly went to Kiel for refueling.
September 8, 1939, having completed the campaign, finally returned to Kiel . [2]
Second Campaign
On September 18, 1939 , U-7 set off on a second expedition with orders to control the smuggling of goods bound for Britain on neutral vessels along the southern coast of Norway . For eleven days, she stopped 10 ships and as a result destroyed two of them.
- At 2:30 p.m. on September 22, 1939, about 15 miles (25 km) north of Marsten Island, an Akenside freighter (commanded by John Thomas Nelson) was stopped by machine gun fire. The team immediately gave an alarm and left the boat in boats . The captain and 25 crew members were hoisted aboard the Norwegian torpedo boat Storm and a flying boat from the island of Marsten (?), And then landed in Bergen .
- At 7:45 a.m. on September 29, 1939, warning shots from a 20 mm cannon stopped the Takstaas neutral freighter (under the command of Christian M. Eltvedt) about 10 miles (17 km) from the Marsteinen lighthouse near Bergen . After studying the papers, Heidel gave 20 minutes for the crew to leave the ship in two boats , as he discovered that the ship was sailing to England. At 8:55, the U-boat launched a torpedo that hit the center of the ship on the starboard side and caused significant damage. However, the ship loaded with wood refused to sink and remained afloat. The boat began to describe the circles around the ship and shoot it from a 20-mm cannon, aiming at the waterline, but soon a Norwegian plane appeared, forcing the submarine to sink. A little later, the boats were towed to Sund on Korsfjord by the Norwegian torpedo boat Storm , and then under their own power reached Bergen . A few hours later the damaged ship was towed by a Norwegian tugboat, but it broke in two and the bow sank. The aft was still towed to the shore, and most of the cargo was saved.
On October 3, 1939, U-7 completed the campaign, arriving in Kiel . [3]
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Campaigns
On March 3, 1940, U-7 left Wilhelmshaven with an order to patrol the southern coast of Norway for smuggling, but was withdrawn due to preparations for Operation Weserubung, and returned to Wilhelmshaven on March 8 . [four]
On March 14, 1940, U-7 again left Wilhelmshaven to patrol the coastal waters of Denmark , however, during the time spent at sea, it did not find a single target, and on March 19 returned again to Wilhelmshaven . [five]
On April 3, 1940, U-7 left Wilhelmshaven to participate in Operation Weserubung , and, together with U-10, made up the Ninth Group .
On April 11, 1940, as part of the operation, it landed a landing group to capture the Norwegian lighthouse Marstein .
On April 14, 1940, she refueled in Bergen , Norway from a supply vessel Carl Peters .
April 21 at the end of duty came to Kiel . [6]
Sixth trip
May 7, 1940 U-7 left Kiel on her sixth and final campaign. The submarine was ordered to patrol the coastal waters of the Netherlands to support the German invasion of the Lower Lands .
In several unsuccessful attacks, the U-boat used all of its torpedoes , and on May 15, 1940, went to Wilhelmshaven to replenish ammunition and supplies, and went to sea the next day.
On May 17, 1940, due to a diesel engine breakdown, she was forced to interrupt duty and return to the base in Kiel . [7]
Fate
Sank on February 18, 1944, west of Pillau, presumably due to a diving accident, all 29 crew members were killed.
Commanders
- July 18, 1935 - October 3, 1937 - Chief Lieutenant Zur See (from October 1, 1935 Captain-Lieutenant ) Kurt Freivald ( German Oberleutnant zur See Kurt Freiwald )
- February 10, 1938 - February 5, 1939 - Oberleutnant zur See Otto Salman ( German Oberleutnant zur See Otto Salman )
- December 18, 1938 - October 13, 1939 - Lieutenant Zur See Werner Heidel ( German: Oberleutnant zur See Werner Heidel )
- May 31, 1939 - July 2, 1939 - Oberleutnant zur See Otto Salman ( German Oberleutnant zur See Otto Salman )
- August 2, 1939 - October 1, 1939 - Oberleutnant zur See Otto Salman ( German Oberleutnant zur See Otto Salman )
- October 14, 1939 - October 1940 - Chief Lieutenant Zur See (since January 1, 1940 Captain-Lieutenant ) Karl Schrott ( German Oberleutnant zur See Karl Schrott )
- October 25, 1939 - November 13, 1939 - Ober-lieutenant zur See (from November 1, 1939, captain-lieutenant ) Otto Zalman ( German Oberleutnant zur See Otto Salman )
- October 1940 - January 1941 - Chief Lieutenant zur See Günther Reeder ( German: Oberleutnant zur See Günther Reeder )
- January 1941 - February 1941 - Lieutenant Zur See Ernst-Ulrich Brüller ( German Oberleutnant zur See Ernst-Ulrich Brüller )
- February 1941 - March 29, 1941 - Lieutenant Zur See Günther Reeder ( German Oberleutnant zur See Günther Reeder )
- March 30, 1941 - June 16, 1941 - Lieutenant zur See Hans-Günther Kuhlmann ( German Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Günther Kuhlmann )
- June 17, 1941 - January 15, 1942 - Lieutenant zur See Heinrich Schmid ( German Oberleutnant zur See Heinrich Schmid )
- January 16, 1942 - October 7, 1942 - Lieutenant tsur zee Siegfried Koitschka ( German Oberleutnant zur See Siegfried Koitschka ) ( Knight of the Knight's Iron Cross )
- September 1942 - December 1942 - Lieutenant zur See Otto Hübschen ( German: Leutnant zur See Otto Hübschen ) (Acting)
- October 8, 1942 - January 1944 - Lieutenant Zur See (since February 1, 1944, Lieutenant Zur See) Hans Schrenk ( German Oberleutnant zur See Hans Schrenk )
- January 1944 - February 18, 1944 - Lieutenant tsur zee Gunther Löschke ( German Oberleutnant zur See Günther Loeschcke )
Flotillas
- September 1, 1935 - August 31, 1939 - Unterseebootsschulflottille (training)
- September 1, 1939 - September 30, 1940 - Unterseebootsschulflottille (military service)
- October 1, 1940 - February 1, 1940 - Unterseebootsschulflottille (training)
- March 1, 1940 - May 31, 1940 - Unterseebootsschulflottille (military service)
- June 1, 1940 - June 30, 1940 - Unterseebootsschulflottille (training)
- July 1, 1940 - February 18, 1944 - 21st Flotilla (training)
Sunken ships
| Title | Type of | Affiliation | date | Tonnage ( gross tonnage ) | Cargo | Fate | A place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akenside | cargo ship | Great Britain | September 22, 1939 | 2 694 | 2000 tons of coal | sunk | |
| Takstaas | cargo ship | Norway | September 29, 1939 | 1 830 | lumber | sunk |
See also
- List of submarines of the Third Reich
Notes
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur U-7 . German U-boats of World War II . Uboat.net. Archived on April 17, 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur Trekking Data U-7 (First Campaign) . U-boat patrols . Uboat.net. Archived on April 17, 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur Trekking Data U-7 (Second Campaign) . U-boat patrols . Uboat.net. Archived on April 17, 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur Trekking Data U-7 (Third Campaign) . U-boat patrols . Uboat.net. Archived on April 17, 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur Trekking Data U-7 (Fourth Campaign) . U-boat patrols . Uboat.net. Archived on April 17, 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur Trekking Data U-7 (Fifth Campaign) . U-boat patrols . Uboat.net. Archived on April 17, 2013.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur Walking Data U-7 (Sixth Walk) . U-boat patrols . Uboat.net. Archived on April 17, 2013.