German submarine U-39 (1938)
U-37, (an identical U-boat to U-39) at Lorient in 1940
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History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-39 |
Ordered | 29 July 1936 |
Builder | AG Weser, Bremen |
Yard number | 944 |
Laid down | 2 June 1937 |
Launched | 22 September 1938 |
Commissioned | 10 December 1938 |
Fate | Sunk on 14 September 1939 north-west of Ireland. No dead and 44 or 43 survivors (sources vary)[1][2] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type IXA submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in) |
Draught | 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
Complement | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 12 679 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: | No ships sunk or damaged |
German submarine U-39 was a
She was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 29 July 1936 as part of the
On 14 September 1939, just 27 days after she began her first patrol, U-39 attempted to sink the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal by firing two torpedoes at her. Due to a technical defect the torpedoes exploded before reaching their target. The U-39 was immediately hunted down by three British destroyers and disabled with depth charges. After the crew managed to resurface with the then sinking submarine all members were captured during the evacuation.[4][2]
U-39 was the first German U-boat to be sunk in World War II.[5]
Design
As one of the eight original
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph).
Service history
Patrol and Sinking
U-39 conducted only one war patrol during her entire career, as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. She left Wilhelmshaven with U-31, U-32, U-35 and U-53 all of which were also a part of the 6th Flotilla, on 19 August 1939, in preparation for the beginning of World War II. She headed into the North Sea and eventually circumnavigated the British Isles.[7] Prior to her sinking, U-39 was attacked in the North Sea on 10 September while en route to the British Isles. She was depth charged by an unidentified British vessel and was forced to dive to 100 meters (328 feet) to escape the attack.[4]
On 14 September 1939, after only 27 days at sea, U-39 fired two torpedoes at the British aircraft carrier
U-39 was the first of many U-boats to be sunk in World War II; at 58°32′N 11°49′W / 58.533°N 11.817°W.[4][5]
Aftermath
Four other U-boats joined U-39 on her ill-fated patrol, U-31, U-32, U-53 and U-55. According to a report by the Seekriegsleitung (German Supreme Naval Command) on 22 September 1939, U-32 and U-53 were heading back to their home port of Kiel while only U-31 and U-35 remained in the operational area north of the British Isles. According to plan, U-39 should also have made for Kiel. However, there had been no contact with the U-boat for several days. A lack of response from U-39, despite several requests to give her current location, began to fuel rumours that she was sunk. This belief was later confirmed by a British radio transmission detailing the arrival of the first German prisoners of war who were members of the Kriegsmarine, at a London railway station a few days later.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXA boat U-39". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ^ a b Kemp 1999, p. 60.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Type IX long range boats". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ a b c "U-39 The First U-boat to be Sunk in World War II". HMS Firedrake Page 20. HMS Firedrake.com. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-boat losses-1939". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-39 (First patrol)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ^ Rossiter, pp. 74-77
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 (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. p. 87. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
- 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.
- Rossiter, Mike (2007). Ark Royal: the life, death and rediscovery of the legendary Second World War aircraft carrier. London: Corgi Books. ISBN 978-0-552-15369-0.
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXA boat U-39". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 39". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 7 December 2014.