German submarineU-204

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-204
Ordered	23 September 1939
Builder	Germaniawerft,Kiel
Yard number	633
Laid down	22 April 1940
Launched	23 January 1941
Commissioned	8 March 1941
Fate	Sunk by British warships, 19 October 1941
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIICsubmarine
Displacement	769tonnes(757long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in)o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in)pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 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	2 shafts; 2 ×diesel engines; 2 ×electric motors;
Speed	17.7knots(32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500nmi(15,700km;9,800mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth:250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes(four bow, one stern); 14 ×G7e torpedoesor26 TMAmines; 1 ×8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun(220 rounds); 1 x2 cm (0.79 in) C/30AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla; 8 March – 19 October 1941;
Identification codes:	M 37 084
Commanders:	Kptlt.Walter Kell; 8 March – 19 October 1941;
Operations:	3 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 24 May – 27 June 1941; 2nd patrol:; 22 July – 22 August 1941; 3rd patrol:; 20 September – 19 October 1941;
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk; (17,157GRT); 1 warship sunk; (1,060 tons);

German submarineU-204was aType VIIC U-boatof theKriegsmarineduring World War II. The submarine waslaid downon 22 April 1940 by theFriedrich Krupp Germaniawerftyard atKielas yard number 633,launchedon 23 January 1941 andcommissionedon 8 March under the command ofOberleutnant zur SeeWalter Kell.

She was sunk on 19 October 1941 by British warships.

Design

German Type VIIC submarineswere preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-204had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[3]She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hulllength of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeamof 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraughtof 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerftF46 four-stroke, six-cylindersupercharged diesel enginesproducing 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, twoAEGGU 460/8–27double-acting electric motorsproducing 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).^[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[3]When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).U-204was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes(four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes,one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun,220 rounds, and a2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplementof between forty-four and sixty.^[3]

Service history

Part of the1st U-boat Flotilla,U-204carried out three patrols in the North Atlantic.

First patrol

U-204's first patrol began when she leftKielon 24 May 1941; she travelled through thegapbetweenGreenlandandIceland(theDenmark Strait) and sank the Icelandic fishing boatHolsteinnwith gunfire, south of Iceland on 31 May – Kell did not want news of the U-boat's presence to be broadcast. She then sankMerciereast ofNewfoundlandon 10 June. She docked atBrestin occupied France, on the 27th.

Second patrol

Nearly a month passed before the boat sortied again. On 2 August she spottedAllied convoy SL81and called for support. WhenU-401arrived the following day, they attacked together but without success.^[4]On 18 Aug she joined a wolfpack searching forConvoy OG 71and shortly after 0100 the next day she struck HNoMSBathwith two torpedoes into the starboard side of her engine room and causing the destroyer to sink within three minutes at about 400 nmi (740 km; 460 mi) southwest of Ireland. Eighty-four ofBaths crew including herCO Lieutenant CommanderFrederik Melsom were killed plus two others later died after rescue; the death toll was compounded by the fact that twodepth chargesexploded when the vessel went down.^[5]

Third patrol and loss

Having left Brest on 20 September 1941, she sank the Spanish sailing shipAingeru Guardakoawith a single torpedo on 14 October, thinking she was a British submarine chaser. She then sankInverleeon the 19th. On the same day, she fell victim to a British anti-submarine sweep fromGibraltar.She was sunk by depth charges from the corvetteHMSMallowand the sloopHMSRochester.

Forty-six men died; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-204took part in threewolfpacks,namely:

West(5 – 16 June 1941)
Kurfürst (16 – 20 June 1941)
Breslau(5 – 19 October 1941)

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage^{[Note 1]}	Fate^[6]
31 May 1941	Holsteinn	Iceland	16	Sunk
10 June 1941	Mercier	Belgium	7,886	Sunk
19 August 1941	HNoMSBath	Royal Norwegian Navy	1,060	Sunk
14 October 1941	Aingeru Guardakoa	Spain	97	Sunk
19 October 1941	Inverlee	United Kingdom	9,158	Sunk

References

Notes

^Merchant ship tonnages are ingross register tons.Military vessels are listed by tonsdisplacement.

Citations

^Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-204".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved23 July2012.
^Helgason, Guðmundur."Patrols by U-204".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved23 July2012.
^^a ^b ^c ^dGröner 1991,pp. 43–46.
^"HMS Wanderer (D74)".Naval-history.net.Retrieved16 January2013.
^Edwards (2009), p.22-23
^Helgason, Guðmundur."Ships hit by U-204".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved9 December2014.

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.
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]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler.ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Edwards, Bernard (2009).The Cruel Sea Retold.South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military.ISBN 978-1-84415-863-8.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991).U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels.German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-204".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved9 December2014.
Hofmann, Markus."U 204".Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 – u-boot-archiv.de(in German).Retrieved9 December2014.

35°46′N6°02′W/ 35.767°N 6.033°W/35.767; -6.033

[tonnage-6] Merchant ship tonnages are ingross register tons.Military vessels are listed by tonsdisplacement.

[uboatnet-1] Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-204".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved23 July2012.

[patrols-2] Helgason, Guðmundur."Patrols by U-204".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved23 July2012.

[FOOTNOTEGröner199143–46-3] Gröner 1991,pp. 43–46.

[4] "HMS Wanderer (D74)".Naval-history.net.Retrieved16 January2013.

[5] Edwards (2009), p.22-23

[7] Helgason, Guðmundur."Ships hit by U-204".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved9 December2014.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[Note 1]

[6]

v t e Type VII submarines
Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36
Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102
Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210
Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1011 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308
Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218
Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062
Preceded by:Type II Followed by:Type IX List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in October 1941
Shipwrecks	2 Oct:I-61 4 Oct:U-111 6 Oct:Thistlegorm 7 Oct:Blokshiv No. 1 8 Oct:SSRosalie Moller 17 Oct:HMSGladiolus,Lingfield 18 Oct:HMSBroadwater 19 Oct:Tower Field,U-204 21 Oct:Johannes C Russ 22 Oct:RFADarkdale 24 Oct:Carsbreck 25 Oct:HMSLatona 26 Oct:English Trader,Herta Engeline Fritzen 27 Oct:HMSCossack 28 Oct:V 309Martin Donandt 31 Oct:USSReuben James Unknown date:HMSTetrarch,Kalev
Other incidents	14 Oct:HMSLiverpool 21 Oct:HMSGnat,I-7,I-66 23 Oct:HMSCossack
194019411942 September 1941November 1941