U 43 (Navy)

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U 43 (Kriegsmarine)
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Type : IX (A)
Field Post Number : M 24 266
Shipyard: AG Weser , Bremen
Construction contract: November 21, 1936
Build number: 948
Keel laying: August 15, 1938
Launch: May 23, 1939
Commissioning: August 26, 1939
Commanders:
  • August 26, 1939 - October 20, 1940
    Lieutenant Wilhelm Ambrosius
  • October 21, 1940 - April 11, 1942
    Lieutenant Captain Wolfgang Lüth
  • April 12, 1942 - July 30, 1943
    First Lieutenant Hans-Joachim Schwantke
Calls: 14 activities
Sinkings:

21 ships (117,036 GRT)

Whereabouts: southwest of the July 30, 1943 Azores sunk

U 43 was a German submarine of type IX (A) , which in the Second World War by the Navy was used.

history

The construction contract for the boat was awarded to AG Weser in Bremen on November 21, 1936 . The keel was laid on August 15, 1938, the launch on May 23, 1939. The commissioning under Lieutenant Wilhelm Ambrosius took place on August 26, 1939.

The boat belonged to the U-Flotilla "Hundius" in Kiel until December 31, 1939 as a training and front boat . After the reorganization of the flotilla, U 43 belonged to the 2nd U-Flotilla in Wilhelmshaven and Lorient from January 1, 1940 until its sinking on July 30, 1943 .

U 43 undertook 14  enemy voyages on which it sank 21 ships with a total tonnage of 117,036  GRT and damaged another one with 10,350 GRT. A ship with 9,131 GRT was classified as a total loss.

Use statistics

First venture

The boat left Wilhelmshaven on November 6, 1939 at 1:30 p.m. and returned there on December 14, 1939 at 12:30 p.m. On this 39-day trip in the North Atlantic , three ships with 11,772 GRT were sunk.

  • November 25, 1939: The British steamer Uskmouth (2,483 GRT) is sunk by artillery fire and a torpedo. He had loaded 3,900 tons of  coal and was on the way from Sunderland to Monaco . There were two dead and 23 survivors. ( Location )

Second venture

The boat left Wilhelmshaven on March 13, 1940 at 1:00 p.m. and returned there on April 6, 1940 at 10:15 a.m. No ships were sunk or damaged on this 24-day and approx. 2,500  nm above and 576 nm underwater expedition in the North Sea , the Shetland Islands and the Orkneys .

Third company

The boat was launched on April 12, 1940 at 17:43 for operation weserübung of Wilhelmshaven, and on April 23, 1940 at 23:00 there again one. It entered Trondheim on April 18, 1940 at 1:23 p.m. to unload supplies for the Wehrmacht , and left Trondheim on April 18, 1940 at 5:51 p.m. No ships were sunk or damaged on this twelve-day and approximately 1,750 nm above and 140 nm underwater transport company to Trondheim.

Fourth venture

The boat left Wilhelmshaven on May 13, 1940 at 2:11 p.m. and returned there on July 22, 1940 at 7:47 p.m. During this 71-day and approx. 12,000 nm over and 453 nm underwater undertaking in the North Atlantic, the Biscay and at Cape Finisterre , four ships with 29,456 GRT were sunk. U 43 was supplied on this voyage from June 18 to 19, 1940 in Vigo .

  • June 30, 1940: Sinking of the British steamer Avelona Star (12,858 RT) by a torpedo. He had loaded 5,630 tons of  frozen meat and 1,000 tons of  oranges and was on his way from Buenos Aires (Argentina) via Freetown to London . The ship belonged to convoy SL-36 with 41 ships. There were four dead and 84 survivors. ( Location )
  • July 9, 1940: The British steamer Aylesbury (3,944 GRT) is sunk by two G7e torpedoes. He had loaded general cargo and grain and was on his way from Buenos Aires (Argentina) to Avonmouth . There were no deaths, 35 survivors. ( Location )
  • 17th July 1940: Sinking of the British steamer Fellside (3,509 GRT) by a G7e torpedo. He was in ballast and was on his way from Middlesbrough to Sydney (Nova Scotia). The ship belonged to convoy OA-184 with 43 ships. There were twelve dead and 21 survivors. ( Location )

Fifth venture

The boat left Wilhelmshaven on September 9, 1940 at 11:15 a.m. and entered Lorient on October 18, 1940 at 6:30 p.m. On September 12, 1940 at 3:32 p.m., Bergen was called to repair the muzzle flaps. The boat left again on September 15, 1940 at 6:00 a.m. On this 37 day long and about 5,760 nm above and 670 nm underwater expedition in the North Atlantic, the North Channel and west of the Hebrides , a ship with 5,802 GRT was sunk.

  • September 25, 1940: sinking of the British steamer Sulairia (5,802 GRT) by a G7e torpedo. He had loaded 540 tons of  cargo and timber and was on his way from Glasgow to Montreal . The ship was a straggler of convoy OB-217 with 38 ships. ( Location )

Sixth venture

The boat left Lorient on November 10, 1940 at 2:00 p.m. and returned there on December 17, 1940 at 5:20 p.m. On November 11, 1940, U 43 had to return to Lorient because it left a heavy oil trail behind it. The boat left again on November 17, 1940 at 5:30 p.m. During this 30-day and approx. 4,500 nm above and 230 nm underwater undertaking in the North Atlantic, west of the North Canal, three ships with 8,017 GRT were sunk and one ship with 10,350 GRT was damaged.

  • December 2, 1940: The British motor ship Pacific President (7,113 GRT) is sunk by two torpedoes. It was ballasted and on its way from Leith (Scotland) to New York . The ship belonged to convoy OB-251 with 33 ships. It was a total loss with 50 dead. ( Location )
  • December 2, 1940: The British tanker Victor Ross (12,247 GRT) was sunk by three torpedoes. He was in ballast and was on his way from Liverpool to New York. The ship belonged to convoy OB-251. ( Location )
  • December 6, 1940: The Norwegian steamer Skrim (1,902 GRT) is sunk by a torpedo. It had an unknown cargo and was also on its way from Grangemouth and Aberdeen to Sydney (Nova Scotia). It was a total loss with 21 dead. ( Location )
  • December 13, 1940: Damage to the British motor ship Orari (10,350 GRT) by a torpedo. It had loaded 10,908 t of general cargo and was on its way from Melbourne to Avonmouth. There were no deaths, 65 survivors. ( Location )

Since the torpedo hatch, an opening for taking over the torpedoes on the upper deck, had not been properly closed, U 43 at Lorient pier overflowed and sank. The boat could be lifted, but the repair of the damage was not finished until the beginning of May of the following year.

Seventh venture

The boat left Lorient on May 11, 1941 at 7:40 p.m. and returned there on July 1, 1941 at 10:00 a.m. On this 51-day and approximately 6,962 nm above and 271 nm underwater undertaking east of the Azores , three ships with 8,017 GRT were sunk.

  • May 15, 1941: sinking of the French sailing ship Notre Dame du Châtelet (488 GRT) by artillery. It was on the way to Newfoundland . There were two survivors. ( Location )
  • June 6, 1941: The Dutch steamer Yselhaven (4,802 GRT) is sunk by two torpedoes. He drove in ballast and was on his way to Liverpool. The ship belonged to convoy OB-328. There were 24 dead and ten survivors. ( Location )
  • June 17, 1941: The British motor ship Cathrine (2,727 GRT) is sunk by two torpedoes. It carried 3,700 tons of  magnesium ore and was on its way from Pepel ( Sierra Leone ) via Freetown to Barrow . The ship belonged to convoy SL-76 with 60 ships. There were 24 dead and three survivors. ( Location )

Eighth venture

The boat left Lorient on August 2, 1941 at 2:00 p.m. and returned there on September 23, 1941 at 9:00 a.m. No ships were sunk or damaged on this 52-day, 7,230 nm above and 251 nm underwater expedition in the North Atlantic, southwest of Iceland.

Ninth venture

The boat left Lorient on November 10, 1941 at 9:00 a.m. and returned there on December 16, 1941 at 4:30 p.m. During this 37 day long and about 5,400 nm above and 158 nm underwater operation in the North Atlantic and off Cape Race , three ships with 17,975 GRT were sunk.

  • November 29, 1941: The British steamer Thornliebank (5,569 GRT) is sunk by two torpedoes. He had loaded general cargo and ammunition and was on his way from Barry via Freetown (Sierra Leone) to the Middle East . The ship belonged to convoy OS-12 with 55 ships. It was a total loss with 75 dead. ( Location )
  • November 30, 1941: The British steamer Ashby (4,868 GRT) is sunk by two torpedoes. He drove in ballast and was on the way from Middlesbrough via Freetown (Sierra Leone) to Pepel (Sierra Leone). The ship was a straggler of convoy OS-12 with 55 ships. There were 17 dead and 33 survivors. ( Location )
  • December 2, 1941: The American tanker Astral (7,542 GRT) was sunk by two torpedoes. He had petroleum loaded and was on his way from Aruba to Lisbon . It was a total loss with 37 dead. ( Location )

Tenth venture

The boat left Lorient on December 30, 1941 at 4 p.m. and entered Kiel on January 22, 1942 at 3 p.m. During this 24-day and approximately 3,200 nm above and 188 nm underwater expedition in the North Atlantic, three ships with 17,469 GRT were sunk.

  • January 14, 1942: The British steamer Empire Surf (6,641 GRT) is sunk by two torpedoes. He was ballasted and on his way from Manchester to Jacksonville, Florida . The ship belonged to convoy ON-55 with 28 ships. There were 47 dead and six survivors. ( Location )
  • January 14, 1942: The Panamanian steamer Chepo (5,707 GRT) is sunk by a torpedo. He had loaded 1,769 t of general cargo and was on the way from Liverpool via the Clyde to Boston and New York. The ship belonged to convoy ON-55. There were 17 dead and 21 survivors. ( Location )

Eleventh venture

The boat left Kiel on July 4, 1942 at 9:00 a.m. and entered Lorient on August 15, 1942 at 4:45 p.m. No ships were sunk or damaged during this 43-day, 6,562-nautical-miles above and 250-nautical-miles underwater expedition into the North Atlantic.

Twelfth venture

The boat left Lorient on September 23, 1942 at 6:00 p.m. and returned there on December 9, 1942 at 12:30 p.m. A ship with 9,131 GRT was sunk on this 77 day long and 8,159 nm above and 1,390 nm underwater expedition in the western Atlantic and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

  • November 18, 1942: Fatal damage to the US tanker Brilliant (9,131 GRT) by two torpedoes. It reached the port of St. John’s (Nova Scotia), but then broke in two during the transfer from St. John's to Halifax (Nova Scotia) and sank. The tanker had loaded 13,500 tons of  gas oil and was en route from New York to Belfast. He belonged to convoy SC-109. There were no dead and 60 survivors. ( Location )

Thirteenth venture

The boat left Lorient on January 9, 1943 at 17:20 and returned there on March 31, 1943 at 11:00. On this 81 day long and approximately 10,650 nm above and 760 nm underwater expedition in the Central Atlantic and the Canary Islands , a ship with 5,154 GRT was sunk.

  • March 3, 1943: sinking of the German motor ship Doggerbank (5,154 GRT) by three torpedoes. It was erroneously identified as the British freighter Dunedin Star by U 43 and sunk. The Dogger Bank was a blockade breaker on the way back from Japan ; she came back two weeks earlier than expected. Of the 365 men on board, only one survived. This sinking was later removed from the submarine's war diary on higher orders. ( Location )

Fourteenth company and whereabouts

The boat ran from Lorient on July 13, 1943 and was sunk on July 30, 1943 southwest of the Azores. No ships were sunk or damaged on this 17-day venture in the mid-Atlantic, southwest of the Azores.

On July 30, 1943, the boat was sunk southwest of the Azores by a Mark 24 FIDO aircraft torpedo of an Avenger of the US aircraft carrier USS Santee at position 34 ° 57 ′  N , 35 ° 11 ′  W in marine grid reference CE 7776. All 55 crew members were killed.

U 43 lost a crew member during its service before the sinking.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bodo Herzog, Günter Schomaekers: Knight of the Deep. Gray wolves. The most successful submarine commanders in the world. Welsermühl, Wels et al. 1976, ISBN 3-85339-136-2 , p. 143.
  2. ^ The Doggerbank story

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