German submarine U-1 (1935)

Last updated
U 1 Kriegsmarine.jpg
Prewar picture of U-1
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-1
Ordered2 February 1935 [1]
Builder Deutsche Werke, Kiel [2]
Cost1,500,000 Reichsmark
Yard number236 [2]
Laid down11 February 1935 [2]
Launched15 June 1935 [2]
Commissioned29 June 1935 [2]
FateSunk 6 April 1940 north of Terschelling by a British mine [3]
General characteristics
Class and type Type IIA coastal submarine
Displacement
  • 254  t (250 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
  • 381 t (375 long tons) total
Length
Beam
  • 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a)
  • 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
Draught3.83 m (12 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 700  PS (510 kW; 690 shp) (diesels)
  • 360 PS (260 kW; 360 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
  • 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 1,050 nmi (1,940 km; 1,210 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 35 nmi (65 km; 40 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth80 m (260 ft)
Complement3 officers, 22 men
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 27 893
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Klaus Ewerth
  • 29 June 1935 – 30 September 1936
  • Kptlt. Alexander Gelhaar
  • 1 October 1936 – 2 February 1938
  • Unknown
  • 3 February – 28 October 1938
  • Kptlt. / K.Kapt. Jürgen Deecke
  • 29 October 1938 – 6 April 1940 [4]
Operations:
  • 2 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 15 – 29 March 1940
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 4 – 6 April 1940
Victories: None

German submarine U-1 was the first U-boat (or submarine) built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine following Adolf Hitler's abrogation of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles in 1935, which banned Germany possessing a submarine force.

Contents

A Type IIA U-boat, she was built at the Deutsche Werke shipyards in Kiel, yard number 236, her keel being laid on 11 February 1935 amid celebration. She was commissioned on 29 June 1935 after a very rapid construction, and was manned by crews trained in the Netherlands.

Design

German Type II submarines were based on the Finnish submarine Vesikko. U-1 had a displacement of 254 tonnes (250 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (254 t), however. [5] The U-boat had a total length of 40.90 m (134 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 27.80 m (91 ft 2 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and a draught of 3.83 m (12 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 360 metric horsepower (260 kW; 360 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft). [5]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph). [5] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-1 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of 25. [5]

Service history

Her pre-war service was unremarkable, but she did gain a reputation as a poor ship. Her rapid construction, combined with the inadequacy of the technology which was used to create her, made her uncomfortable, leaky and slow. When war came, there were already plans to shelve her and her immediate sister boats for use as training boats only.

Despite this however, owing to a shortage of available units she sailed on 29 March 1940 against British shipping operating off Norway, close to the limit of her effective operating range. She failed to find a target, but was sent out again on 4 April, in preparation for Operation Weserübung (the invasion of Norway).

Fate

U-1 sent a brief radio signal on 6 April, giving her position, before she disappeared. She was struck by a mine in British minefield Field No. 7 in the North Sea north of Terschelling at position 54°14′N05°07′E / 54.233°N 5.117°E / 54.233; 5.117 . The entire aft section of the boat was blown off and all hands lost. In June 2007, the wreck of U-1 was located by divers.

She was the first of over 1,000 U-boats to serve during the Battle of the Atlantic, and one of over 700 to be lost at sea.

Related Research Articles

German submarine <i>U-2</i> (1935) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-2 was a Type IIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid down 11 February 1935 by Deutsche Werke of Kiel as yard number 237; she was launched on 1 July and commissioned on 25 July 1935 with Oberleutnant zur See (Oblt.z.S.) Hermann Michahelles in command.

German submarine <i>U-3</i> (1935) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-3 was a Type IIA U-boat laid down at the Deutsche Werke in Kiel on 11 February 1935 as yard number 238. She was commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 6 August 1936 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See (Oblt.z.S.) Hans Meckel.

German submarine <i>U-5</i> (1935) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-5 was a Type IIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She was laid down on 11 February 1935, launched on 14 August and commissioned 31 August that year, under Oberleutnant zur See Rolf Dau.

German submarine U-632 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 4 September 1941 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 27 May 1942, and commissioned on 23 July 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hans Karpf.

German submarine U-854 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-644 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 1 December 1941 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 20 August 1942, and commissioned on 15 October 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Kurt Jensen.

German submarine U-648 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 24 December 1941 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 16 September 1942, and commissioned on 12 November 1942 under the command of Leutnant zur See d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl.

German submarine U-649 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 12 January 1942 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 30 September 1942, and commissioned on 19 November 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Raimund Tiesler.

German submarine U-647 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 29 December 1941 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 16 September 1942, and commissioned on 5 November 1942 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Willi Hertin.

German submarine U-668 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 11 October 1941 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 5 October 1942, and commissioned on 16 November 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang von Eickstedt.

German submarine U-670 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 25 November 1941 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 15 December 1942, and commissioned on 26 January 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Guido Hyronimus.

German submarine U-671 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 2 December 1941 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 15 December 1942, and commissioned on 3 March 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See August-Wilhelm hewicker.

German submarine U-672 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 24 December 1941 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 27 February 1943, and commissioned on 6 April 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ulf Lawaetz.

German submarine U-673 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 20 January 1942 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 27 February 1943, and commissioned on 8 May 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Gerhard Haelbich.

German submarine U-675 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 9 April 1942 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 8 May 1943, and commissioned on 14 July 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Karl-Heinz Sammler.

German submarine U-680 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 12 October 1942 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 20 November 1943, and commissioned on 23 December 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Max Ulber.

German submarine U-683 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 23 December 1942 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 7 March 1944, and commissioned on 30 May 1944 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Günter Keller.

German submarine U-719 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 3 July 1942 at the H. C. Stülcken Sohn yard at Hamburg, launched on 28 April 1943, and commissioned on 27 July 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Klaus-Dietrich Steffens. Attached to 5th U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-719 completed her training period on 30 April 1944 and was assigned to front-line service.

German submarine U-720 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 17 August 1942 at the H. C. Stülcken Sohn yard at Hamburg, launched on 5 June 1943, and commissioned on 17 September 1943 under the command of Leutnant zur See Wolf-Harald Schüer.

German submarine U-733 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 13 October 1941 at the Schichau-Werke yard at Danzig, launched on 5 September 1942, and commissioned on 14 November 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wilhelm von Trotha.

References

  1. Busch & Röll 1999a, p. 15.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Rössler 1979, p. 99.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IIA U-boat U-1". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  4. Busch & Röll 1999b, p. 283.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.

Bibliography