German submarineU-205
History | |
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Name | U-205 |
Ordered | 16 October 1939 |
Builder | Germaniawerft,Kiel |
Yard number | 634 |
Laid down | 19 June 1940 |
Launched | 20 March 1941 |
Commissioned | 3 May 1941 |
Fate | Sunk 17 February 1943 byHMSPaladinat 32.56N, 22.01E |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIICsubmarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Test depth |
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Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[1][2] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 38 350 |
Commanders: | |
Operations: |
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Victories: |
1 warship sunk (5,450 tons) |
German submarineU-205was aType VIICU-boatof theKriegsmarineduring World War II. The submarine waslaid downon 19 June 1940 by theFriedrich Krupp Germaniawerftyard atKielas yard number 634; launched on 20 March 1941; andcommissionedon 3 May 1941 under the command of Franz-Georg Reschke.
She was sunk on 17 February 1943 byHMSPaladinat32°56′N22°01′E/ 32.933°N 22.017°E.
Design
[edit]German Type VIIC submarineswere preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-205had 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-cylindersuperchargeddiesel 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-205was 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
[edit]Part of the3rd U-boat Flotilla,U-205carried out two patrols in the North Atlantic. Joining29th U-boat Flotilla,she carried out a further nine patrols in the Mediterranean.
First patrol
[edit]U-205's first patrol began when she leftTrondheimon 24 July 1941; she travelled through thegapbetweenGreenlandandIceland(theDenmark Strait) and docked atBrestin occupied France, on 23 August 1941.
Second patrol
[edit]LeavingLorienton 23 September 1941,U-205was attacked and damaged by aircraft on 27 September and returned to port, arriving in Lorient on 2 October 1941.
Third patrol
[edit]On 3 November 1941U-205left Lorient and joinedWolfpack Arnauld.Breaking through the Gibraltar barrage,U-205joined the 29th U-Flotilla in La Spezia on 10 December 1941.
Fourth patrol
[edit]U-205left La Spezia on 5 January 1942 and returned on 10 February.
Fifth patrol
[edit]Having left La Spezia on 17 March,U-205reached Salamis on 6 April 1942.
Sixth patrol
[edit]Sailing from La Spezia on 6 May 1942,U-205reached Salamis on 8 June 1942.
Seventh patrol
[edit]On the return leg,U-205successfully attacked the British light cruiserHMSHermioneon 16 June 1942, guarding convoy MW-11 killing the ship's cat 'Convoy' and 87 of his crew-mates. The U-boat docked in La Spezia on 23 June.
Eighth patrol
[edit]On 3 August 1942,U-205sailed from La Spezia forPula,arriving there on 10 September 1942.
Ninth patrol
[edit]Pola, 20 October 1942 – La Spezia, 19 November 1942 and La Spezia, 20 November 1942 – Pola, 24 November 1942
Tenth patrol
[edit]Pola, 12 January 1943 – Salamis 26 January 1943
Last patrol and sinking
[edit]Leaving Salamis on 2 February 1943,U-205was manoeuvering to attack a convoy offApollonia, Cyrenaicaon 17 February 1943 when she was spotted by aBristol Blenheimbomber of theSouth African Air Forceand attacked by BritishdestroyerHMSPaladinat32°56′N22°1′E/ 32.933°N 22.017°E.Forced to surface bydepth charges,U-205's crew abandoned ship after opening the sea vents. A boarding party from HMSPaladinmanaged to salvage documents and radio equipment. A second warship,HMSGloxinia,attempted to tow the still-floating submarine to the beach, but failed.U-205sank about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) off shore.
Wolfpacks
[edit]U-205took part in onewolfpack,namely:
- Arnauld (5 – 18 November 1941)
Aftermath
[edit]U-205is widely believed to be the submarine with the erroneous numberU-307inPeter Keeble's bookOrdeal by Water,in which he describes his dive to recover encrypting equipment from a sunken U-boat.
Summary of raiding history
[edit]Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (Tons) |
Fate[4] |
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16 June 1942 | HMSHermione | ![]() |
5,450 | Sunk |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-205".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved3 February2012.
- ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Patrols by U-205".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved3 February2013.
- ^abcdGröner 1991,pp. 43–46.
- ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Ships hit by U-205".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved9 December2014.
Bibliography
[edit]- 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.ISBN1-55750-186-6.
- 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.ISBN3-8132-0514-2.
- 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.ISBN0-85177-593-4.
- Jak Mallmann Showell,Enigma U-boats,2000, p. 95.
External links
[edit]- Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-205".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved9 December2014.
- Hofmann, Markus."U 205".Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 - u-boot-archiv.de(in German).Retrieved9 December2014.