U 29 (Navy)
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U 29 (Kriegsmarine) ( previous / next - all submarines ) |
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| Type : | VII A |
| Field Post Number : | M-10 220 |
| Shipyard: | AG Weser , Bremen |
| Construction contract: | April 1, 1935 |
| Build number: | 910 |
| Keel laying: | January 2, 1936 |
| Launch: | August 29, 1936 |
| Commissioning: | November 16, 1936 |
| Commanders: |
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| Calls: | 7 patrols |
| Sinkings: |
11 merchant ships (62,765 GRT) |
| Whereabouts: | self-sunk on May 4, 1945 in the Kupfermühlenbucht near Flensburg |
U-29 was a German submarine of type VII A , which in the Second World War by the Navy was used.
history
The order for the boat was awarded to AG Weser in Bremen on April 1, 1935 . The keel was laid on January 2, 1936, the launch on August 19, 1936, the commissioning under Lieutenant Heinz Fischer on November 16, 1936.
After commissioning, the boat belonged to the “Saltzwedel” submarine flotilla in Wilhelmshaven until December 31, 1939 . When the U-Flotilla was reorganized, U 29 joined the 2nd U-Flotilla in Wilhelmshaven on January 1, 1940 . From January 1, 1941 to June 30, 1942 the boat served as a training boat for the 24th U-Flotilla in Memel . After being taken out of service from July 1, 1942 to October 31, 1942, it was again part of the 24th U-Flotilla as a training boat until August 31, 1943. Relocated to Danzig on September 1, 1943 as a training boat for the 23rd U-Flotilla , from December 1, 1943, it was part of the 21st U-Flotilla in Pillau as a school boat . On April 17, 1944, U 29 was decommissioned and assigned to the 4th U-Lehrdivision. After that it was used as a gun platform for the shooting training of aspiring submarine drivers until it was submerged.
U 29 undertook seven enemy voyages on which eleven ships with a total tonnage of 62,765 GRT and a warship with 22,500 t were sunk. In addition, from November 1937 to December 1937 in the course of the Spanish Civil War, the maritime surveillance of the Spanish coast was taken over by the boat. For this mission, the entire crew was awarded the Spanish Cross in bronze.
The boat sank the aircraft carrier HMS Courageous southwest of Ireland on its first use on September 17, 1939 . It was the first success of a submarine against a British capital ship in World War II. The entire crew was awarded the Iron Cross, second class. The commandant of the boat, Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart , also received the Iron Cross first class. The sinking meant that the Royal Navy no longer used their aircraft carriers for submarine hunting.
Use statistics
First patrol
The boat left Wilhelmshaven on August 19, 1939 and returned there on September 26, 1939. On this 39 day long operation in the North Atlantic west of Ireland three ships with a total of 19,405 GRT and an aircraft carrier with 22,500 t were sunk.
- September 8: Sinking of the British tanker Regent Tiger ( Lage ) with 10,176 GRT by a G7a torpedo . He had loaded 10,600 tons of gasoline and 3,400 tons of diesel and was on the way from Trinidad to Avonmouth . There were no dead.
- September 13: Sinking of the British tug Neptunia ( Lage ) with 798 GRT by artillery fire . He was from Falmouth and was on his way to salvage work in the Atlantic. There were no deaths, 21 survivors.
- September 14: Sinking of the British tanker British Influence ( Lage ) with 8,431 GRT by a G7a torpedo. He had loaded 12,000 tons of diesel and heating oil and was on the way from Abadan to Hull . There were no deaths, 42 survivors.
- September 17th: Sinking of the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous ( Lage ) with 22,500 tons by two G7e torpedoes. There were 515 dead and 687 survivors.
Second patrol
The boat left Wilhelmshaven on November 14, 1939 and returned there on December 16. No ships were sunk or damaged on this 32-day trip to the North Atlantic and a mine-laying task off Ann's Head , which had to be abandoned due to bad weather.
Third patrol
The boat left Wilhelmshaven on February 6, 1940 and returned there on March 12. On this 30-day and approximately 2,700 nm long undertaking in the North Atlantic as well as a mine-laying task off Newport , during which twelve mines were laid, three ships with a total of 10,499 GRT were sunk.
- March 3rd: Sinking of the British steamer Cato ( Lage ) with 710 GRT by a mine hit. He had loaded 400 tons of cargo and was on the way from Dublin to Bristol . There were 13 dead and two survivors.
- March 4th: Sinking of the British steamer Thurston ( Lage ) with 3,072 GRT by a torpedo. He had loaded 4,500 tons of manganese ore and was on the way from Takoradi to Workington . There were 26 dead and three survivors.
- March 4: Sinking of the British motor ship Pacific Reliance ( Lage ) with 6,717 GRT by torpedo. It had cargo and aircraft parts loaded and was on its way from New Westminster , Los Angeles , Halifax to Liverpool , Manchester and London . The ship belonged to convoy HX-19 with 44 ships. There were no deaths, 53 survivors.
Fourth patrol
The boat left Wilhelmshaven on April 17, 1940 for the Weser Exercise company and first went to Trondheim. It left Trondheim on April 27 and entered Wilhelmshaven on May 4. No ships were sunk or damaged on this 16-day expedition, on which supplies were delivered to Bergen and Trondheim and operated in the North Sea off Brettingnes .
Fifth patrol
The boat left Wilhelmshaven on May 27, 1940 and returned there on July 11. On this 45-day and about 6,500 nm long undertaking in the North Atlantic and the Biscay , four ships with a total of 25,061 GRT were sunk.
- June 26th: Sunk by artillery of the Greek steamer Dimitris ( Lage ) with 5,254 GRT. He had loaded 9,028 t of grain and was on the way from Villa Constitución to Liverpool . There were no dead.
- July 1st: Sinking of the Greek steamer Adamastos ( Lage ) with 5,889 GRT by artillery. He had loaded wheat and was on his way from Buenos Aires to Avonmouth . There were no deaths, 25 survivors.
- July 2nd: Sunk by artillery of the Panamanian steamer Santa Margarita ( Lage ) with 4,919 GRT. He was ballasted and on his way from Barry to Hampton Roads . There were no deaths, 39 survivors.
- July 3rd: Sinking of the British tanker Athellaird ( Lage ) with 8,999 GRT by two G7e and two G7a torpedoes. He drove in ballast and was on his way from Liverpool to Cuba . The tanker drove in convoy OB-176 with 28 ships. There were no deaths, 42 survivors.
Sixth patrol
The boat left Wilhelmshaven on September 2, 1940 and entered Bergen on September 5 , as the periscope was defective. The boat then left Bergen on September 11th and entered Lorient on October 1st . On this 25-day and approximately 3,400 nm long undertaking in the North Atlantic, the North Canal and the Hebrides , a ship with 6,223 GRT was sunk.
- September 25: Sinking of the British steamer Eurymedon ( Lage ) with 6,233 GRT by two torpedoes. He had 3,000 tons of cargo and 31 passengers on board and was en route from Liverpool via Cape Town to Java . The ship belonged to the disbanded convoy OB-217 with 38 ships. 20 crew members and nine passengers died, 42 crew members and 22 passengers were rescued.
Seventh patrol
The boat ran from Lorient on October 26, 1940, in Brest on October 31 with engine failure, after repairs on November 1, 1940 from Brest and on December 3 in Wilhelmshaven. No ships were sunk or damaged on this 40-day and approximately 4,900-nm long undertaking in the North Atlantic.
Whereabouts
The boat was decommissioned on April 17, 1944 in Gotenhafen . U 29 was then used as a training boat in the 2nd U-Training Division in Gotenhafen. From November 1944, it was to serve as a shooting range boat for the Higher Command of the torpedo schools. This did not happen until the end of the war. According to the rainbow order , U 29 was self- scuttled by its crew on May 4, 1945 in the Kupfermühlenbucht near Flensburg .
Famous pepole
- Engelbert Endrass : 2nd officer on watch from September 1937 to January 1938
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