German submarine U-102 (1940)

	U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-102
Ordered	15 December 1937
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	596
Laid down	22 May 1939
Launched	21 March 1940
Commissioned	27 April 1940
Fate	Sunk south-west of Ireland on 1 July 1940, by HMS Vansittart
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIB submarine
Displacement	753 tonnes (741 long tons) surfaced; 857 t (843 long tons) submerged;
Length	66.50 m (218 ft 2 in) o/a ; 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in) pressure hull ;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.50 m (31 ft 2 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	17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) surfaced; 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged;
Range	8,700 nmi (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	220 m (720 ft); Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and ; processing systems	Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) bow torpedo tubes ; 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines ; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck gun with 220 rounds; 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun ;
Service record
Part of:	7th U-boat Flotilla ; 27 April – 1 July 1940;
Identification codes:	M 13 990
Commanders:	Kptlt. Harro von Klot-Heydenfeldt; 27 April – 1 July 1940;
Operations:	1 patrol:; 22 June – 1 July 1940;
Victories:	1 merchant ship sunk ; (5,219 GRT)

Last updated February 16, 2024

German submarine U-102 was a Type VIIB submarine of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

The U-boat was laid down on 22 May 1939 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard at Kiel as yard number 596, launched on 21 March 1940 and commissioned on 27 April under the command of Kapitänleutnant Harro von Klot-Heydenfeldt to serve with the 7th U-boat Flotilla from 27 April 1940 to 1 June for crew training and operationally until she was sunk on 1 July. She sank one Allied ship, claiming 5,219 gross register tons (GRT).

Design

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-102 had a displacement of 753 tonnes (741 long tons) when at the surface and 857 tonnes (843 long tons) while submerged.^[1] She had a total length of 66.50 m (218 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing 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, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing 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).^[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).^[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-102 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[1]

Service history

U-102's first and only patrol began on 22 June 1940. Having sunk the Clearton about 180 nmi (330 km; 210 mi) west of Ushant (often known as Ouessant, an island in northwest France)^[2] on 1 July, she was herself sunk on the same day as the latter ship by depth charges from a British destroyer, HMS Vansittart.^[3]

43 men died with the submarine; there were no survivors.

After the U-boat's sinking, Vansittart rescued the 26 survivors from Clearton.

Previously Recorded Fate

U-102 was originally believed to have been sunk in the Bay of Biscay due to unknown causes on or after 30 June 1940.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate^[4]
1 July 1940	Clearton	United Kingdom	5,219	Sunk

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References

1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.
↑ The Times Atlas of the World - Third edition, revised 1995, ISBN 0 7230 0809 4, p. 14
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VII boat U-102". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-102". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.

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.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VII boat U-102". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 102". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.

48°33′N10°26′W / 48.550°N 10.433°W / 48.550; -10.433

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[FOOTNOTEGröner199143–44-1] 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.

[2] The Times Atlas of the World - Third edition, revised 1995, ISBN 0 7230 0809 4, p. 14

[U-boat-3] Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VII boat U-102". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.

[4] Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-102". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.

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v t e German Type VII submarines
Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36
Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102
Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210
Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1011 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308
Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218
Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062
Preceded by: Type II Followed by: Type IX List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in July 1940
Shipwrecks	1 Jul: Clearton, U-102 2 Jul: Arandora Star, U-26 3 Jul: Bretagne, Mistral, Mogador, Provence 4 Jul: Rigault de Genouilly 5 Jul: HMS Foylebank, HMS Whirlwind, Zeffiro 6 Jul: Dunkerque, HMS Shark 9 Jul: Bruges, HMS Salmon 10 Jul: Leone Pancaldo 11 Jul: HMS Escort, HMS Warrior 16 Jul: HMS Imogen, HMS Phoenix 19 Jul: Bartolomeo Colleoni 20 Jul: Nembo, Ostro 21 Jul: HMS Brazen 23 Jul: HMS Narwhal 25 Jul: HMS Thames 27 Jul: HMS Codrington, HMS Wren 30 Jul: HMS Delight
Other incidents	3 Jul: Courbet, Dunkerque, La Capricieuse, Léopard, Paris, Surcouf, Le Triomphant 4 Jul: Argos Hill , British Corporal 5 Jul: Liguria 9 Jul: HMS Foxglove 10 Jul: HMS Corfu, HMS Hermes 16 Jul: HMS Glasgow 27 Jul: Lepanto 28 Jul: HMS Alcantara
1939 1940 1941 June 1940 August 1940

History
U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
Nazi Germany
Name	U-102
Ordered	15 December 1937
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	596
Laid down	22 May 1939
Launched	21 March 1940
Commissioned	27 April 1940
Fate	Sunk south-west of Ireland on 1 July 1940, by HMS Vansittart
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIB submarine
Displacement	753 tonnes (741 long tons) surfaced 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length	66.50 m (218 ft 2 in) o/a 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.50 m (31 ft 2 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	17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) surfaced 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range	8,700 nmi (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	220 m (720 ft) Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems	Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) bow torpedo tubes 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck gun with 220 rounds 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	7th U-boat Flotilla 27 April – 1 July 1940
Identification codes:	M 13 990
Commanders:	Kptlt. Harro von Klot-Heydenfeldt 27 April – 1 July 1940
Operations:	1 patrol: 22 June – 1 July 1940
Victories:	1 merchant ship sunk (5,219 GRT)