German submarineU-371

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-371
Ordered	23 September 1939
Builder	Howaldtswerke,Kiel
Yard number	2
Laid down	17 November 1939
Launched	27 January 1941
Commissioned	15 March 1941
Fate	Sunk on 4 May 1944
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	17.7 knots (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 ×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 15 March – 31 October 1941 23rd U-boat Flotilla 1 November 1941 – 14 April 1942 29th U-boat Flotilla 15 April 1942 – 4 May 1944
Identification codes:	M 40 472
Commanders:	Kptlt.Heinrich Driver 15 March 1941 – 5 April 1942 Oblt.z.S.Karl-Otto Weber 26 March – 6 April 1942 Kptlt.Heinz-Joachim Neumann (acting) 6 April – 24 May 1942 Kptlt.Waldemar Mehl 25 May 1942 – 4 April 1944 Oblt.z.S.Horst-Arno Fenski 5 April – 4 May 1944
Operations:	19 patrols: 1st patrol: 5 June – 1 July 1941 2nd patrol: 23 July – 19 August 1941 3rd patrol: 16 September – 24 October 1941 4th patrol: 4 December 1941 – 10 January 1942 5th patrol: 4 – 25 March 1942 6th patrol: a. 21 April – 9 May 1942 b. 1 – 7 July 1942 7th patrol: a. 5 – 18 September 1942 b. 12 – 16 October 1942 8th patrol: 1 – 4 December 1942 9th patrol: 7 December 1942 – 10 January 1943 10th patrol: 14 February – 3 March 1943 11th patrol: 7 April – 11 May 1943 12th patrol: 3 – 12 July 1943 13th patrol: 22 July – 11 August 1943 14th patrol: 21 August – 3 September 1943 15th patrol: 7 – 28 October 1943 16th patrol: 15 – 23 November 1943 17th patrol: 22 January – 13 February 1944 18th patrol: 4 – 25 March 1944 19th patrol: 23 April – 4 May 1944
Victories:	8 merchant ships sunk (51,401GRT) 2 warships sunk (2,286 tons) 1 auxiliary warship sunk (545GRT) 2 merchant ships total loss (13,341GRT) 4 merchant ships damaged (28,072GRT) 2 warships damaged (2,500 tons)

German submarineU-371was aType VIICU-boatofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarineduringWorld War II.The submarine waslaid downon 17 November 1939 inKiel,launchedon 27 January 1941, andcommissionedon 15 March under the command ofOberleutnant zur SeeHeinrich Driver. After training,U-371was ready for front-line service with the1st U-boat Flotillafrom 1 July 1941.

Operating mostly in theMediterranean Sea,in 19 patrols between June 1941 and May 1944 the U-boat sank 11 ships totalling 51,946 GRT and 2,286 tons, including the AmericandestroyerUSSBristol,and damaged six more totalling 28,072 GRT and 2,500 tons.

U-371was sunk at 04:09 local time on 4 May 1944 in the Mediterranean north ofConstantine,in position37°49′N05°39′Eby a force of American, French and British destroyers. Three men were killed, with 49 survivors.

Design

A cross-section of a Type VIIC submarine

German Type VIIC submarineswere preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-371had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.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).

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).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-371was 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.

Service history

U-371was ordered by theKriegsmarineon 23 September 1939. She waslaid downabout two months later at theHowaldtswerkeyard in Kiel, on 17 November. Just over a year and two months later,U-371waslaunchedon 27 January 1941. She was formally commissioned later that year on 15 March.

First patrol

U-371left Kiel on 5 June 1941, under the command ofKapitänleutnantHeinrich Driver, and sailed out into the north Atlantic. She sank two merchant ships; the British 6,373 GRTSilverpalmon 12 June and the Norwegian 4,765 GRTVigridon 24 June, position 54.30N- 41.30W whilst on a voyage from New Orleans, LA, USA via Bermuda to Belfast, Northern Ireland and Manchester, England with 6,000 t general cargo including 1.000 t spelter, 600 t copper and 752 t iron and steel. 47 persons on board. 21 crew, one gunner and 4 passengers died. before U -371 arriving atBrestin France on 1 July.

Second patrol

The U-boat sailed from Brest on 23 July 1941 to patrol between the coast of Portugal and theAzores.Early on 30 July she sank two more merchant ships south-east of the Azores, both from Convoy OS-1; the British 6,935 GRTShahristan,and the Dutch 7,049 GRTSitoebondo.She returned to Brest on 19 August.

Third patrol

U-371departed from Brest on 16 September 1941, sailing south, and then through theStrait of Gibraltarinto theMediterranean Sea.After patrolling the coast ofEgypt,the U-boat arrived atSalamisin Greece on 24 October, having had no successes,officially transferring to the23rd U-boat Flotillaon 1 November.

Fourth and fifth patrols

U-371carried out two more patrols along the coast of Egypt and in the Eastern Mediterranean from December 1941 to January 1942 and again in March 1942, but sank no ships.

6th patrol

Now part of the29th U-boat Flotilla,U-371left Salamis again on 21 April 1942 under the temporary command ofKapitänleutnantHeinz-Joachim Neumann, and headed south to the coast of Egypt. However, on 7 May the U-boat was depth charged by twosubmarine chasersand was so badly damaged that she had to return to base. She arrived back at Salamis on 9 May.

7th patrol

Command ofU-371was now assumed byKapitänleutnantWaldemar Mehl,who took the U-boat from Salamis toPola,Venezia Giulia,in early July,not sailing on a combat patrol until 5 September when he took the U-boat along the length of theAdriatic Sea,and through the eastern Mediterranean to the coast ofBritish PalestineandFrench Syria,arriving back at Salamis on 18 September,and returning to Pola in mid-October.

Eighth and ninth patrols

The U-boat left Pola and sailed toMessinainSicilyon 1 to 4 December 1942,leaving on 7 December to attack the Allied shipping off the coast ofFrench Algeriaafter "Operation Torch",the invasion of North Africa. There, on 7 January 1943, she attacked Convoy MKS-5, sinking the Britishnaval trawlerHMSJura,and later the same day damaged the 7,159 GRT BritishtroopshipVille de Strasbourg.The U-boat then sailed toLa Speziain north-western Italy, arriving on 10 January 1943.

10th patrol

The Algerian coast now becameU-371's hunting ground, and she left La Spezia on 14 February 1943 to return there to sink the unescorted 2,089 GRT British merchant shipFintraon 23 February, and to damage the 7,176 GRT Americanliberty shipDaniel Carrollfrom Convoy TE-16, before returning to La Spezia on 3 March.

11th patrol

U-371departed La Spezia again on 7 April 1943, once more heading to the Algerian coast, where she sank the 1,162 GRT Dutch merchant shipMeropeon 27 April, before heading to her new home port ofToulonin southern France on 11 May 1943.

12th patrol

After leaving Toulon on 3 July 1943, on the tenth,U-371attacked Convoy ET-22A, damaging two American ships; the 6,561 GRT tankerGulfprinceand the 7,176 GRTliberty shipMatthew Maury,returning to Toulon on the 12th.

13th and 14th patrol

U-371's next patrol lasted from 22 July until 11 August 1943, during which she sank the 6,004 GRT British merchant shipContractor,part of Convoy GTX-5.U-371patrolled again from 21 August to 3 September 1943, but made no successful attacks.

15th patrol

Leaving Toulon on 7 October 1943,U-371once more haunted the Algerian coast, sinking the British minesweeperHMSHytheon 11 October, the AmericandestroyerUSSBristolon the 13th, and on the 15th torpedoed the American liberty shipJames Russell Lowell,damaging her so badly that she was declared a total loss. The U-boat returned to base on 28 October.

16th and 17th patrols

The U-boat's next patrol was short, lasting from 15 to 23 November 1943, and was unsuccessful.Her 17th patrol began on 22 January 1944, and took her to the western coast of Italy after the launching of "Operation Shingle",the Allied landings atAnzio.She made no successful attacks and returned to Toulon on 13 February.

18th patrol

U-371departed Toulon on 4 March 1944 and returned to the Algerian coast. On the 17th she attacked Convoy SNF-17, sinking the 17,024 GRT DutchtroopshipDempo,and badly damaging the 6,165 GRT AmericanC2 cargo shipMaiden Creek,which later broke in two after being beached. The U-boat returned to Toulon on 25 March.Three days later,U-371's commander, Waldemar Mehl, received theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross,before leaving the U-boat to serve on the staff ofFdUMittelmeer( "U-boat Command Mediterranean" ).On 5 April command ofU-371passed toOberleutnant zur SeeHorst-Arno Fenski,former commander ofU-410.

19th patrol

Under Fenski's command,U-371leftToulonfor the final time at about 19:00 on 23 April 1944, and headed back to the coast of Algeria, patrolling from 10 to 15 miles offshore.

On 28 AprilU-371received a report of a large convoy and set course to intercept it. On the night of 2 May the U-boat planned to surface in order to top up her batteries by running on herdiesel engines,as she expected to contact the convoy within a few hours. Unfortunately on doing so, she found herself almost in the middle of the convoy, and immediately crash-dived to about 100 metres (330 ft). After an hour the U-boat surfaced again and headed toward the convoy, but was soon detected by the Americandestroyer escortUSSMenges.As the US ship closed to 3,000 m (3,300 yd)U-371fired aT-5 acoustic torpedofrom her stern tube, and immediately dived. TheMengeswas hit; the aft third of the vessel was destroyed, killing 31 men and wounding 25. However she remained afloat and was towed toBougiein Algeria and later repaired and returned to service.

Fate

U-371found herself being relentlessly hunted by the Americandestroyer escortsUSSPrideandUSSJoseph E. Campbell,theFree FrenchSénégalaisandL'Alcyon,and the BritishHMSBlankney.

WhenU-371first attempted to surface after crippling theMenges,depth charges forced her back down, while putting out all the lights, damaging thehydroplanes,and rupturing the trim tanks. The U-boat levelled off at about 200–215 metres (656–705 ft), leaking badly. The depth charge attacks continued at about 30-minute intervals, with increasing accuracy, and the U-boat sustained further damage.

At around 06:00 on 3 May,U-371attempted to evadeASDIC(sonar) detection by lying on the sea floor. This would also conserve battery power, which was becoming dangerously low. She lay on the sea-bed at around 240 metres (790 ft) for the rest of the day, hoping that the attackers would give up the hunt. Late that night though, the surface vessels could still be heard, and with the air quality in the boat rapidly deteriorating, the emergency lighting system out, and withU-371having taken on about 15 tons of water, the U-boat's commander decided that their only hope was to surface and attempt to escape in the darkness.

Blowing her ballast tanks only attracted the attention of the attackers, which began dropping depth charges again, and the U-boat was still stuck. The crew had to run from one end of the U-boat to the other while the engines ran at full power in order to break the grip of the mud before the U-boat finally began to surface. All torpedo tubes were loaded and readied for firing, and all guns were manned whenU-371,with her batteries practically exhausted, surfaced and ran for safety.

After fifteen minutes the enemy was seen coming up astern, immediately opening fire and scoring several hits. The U-boat returned fire, but the situation was clearly hopeless and most of her crew jumped overboard. As a last show of defiance the U-boat fired a T-5 acoustic torpedo from her stern tube, and managed to hit theSénégalais,causing some damage.

By this time, around 04:00 on 4 May 1944, only the commanderHorst-Arno Fenski,the Engineering Officer and a control room petty officer remained aboard. The latter two remained below to flood the tanks, which causedU-371to sink so rapidly that they were unable to escape and bothdrowned.

Wolfpacks

U-371took part in twowolfpacks,namely:

• Kurfürst (17 – 20 June 1941)
• Goeben (16 – 24 September 1941)

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
12 June 1941	Silverpalm	United Kingdom	6,373	Sunk
24 June 1941	Vigrid	Norway	4,765	Sunk
30 July 1943	Shahristan	United Kingdom	6,935	Sunk
30 July 1943	Sitoebondo	Netherlands	7,049	Sunk
7 January 1943	HMTJura	Royal Navy	545	Sunk
7 January 1943	Ville de Strasbourg	United Kingdom	7,159	Damaged
23 February 1943	Fintra	United Kingdom	2,089	Sunk
28 February 1943	Daniel Carroll	United States	7,176	Damaged
27 April 1943	Merope	Netherlands	1,162	Sunk
10 July 1943	Gulfprince	United States	6,561	Damaged
10 July 1943	Matthew Maury	United States	7,176	Damaged
7 August 1943	Contractor	United Kingdom	6,004	Sunk
11 October 1943	HMSHythe	Royal Navy	656	Sunk
13 October 1943	USSBristol	United States Navy	1,630	Sunk
15 October 1943	James Russell Lowel	United States	7,176	Total loss
17 March 1944	Dempo	Netherlands	17,024	Sunk
17 March 1944	Maiden Creek	United States	6,165	Total loss
3 May 1944	USSMenges	United States Navy	1,200	Damaged
4 May 1944	FFLSénégalais	Free French Naval Forces	1,300	Damaged

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.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.
• Kemp, Paul (1997).U-Boats Destroyed – German Submarine Losses in the World Wars.Arms & Armour.ISBN1-85409-515-3.

External links

• U-boat Archive:U-371
• Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-371".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved27 December2014.