German submarine U-203

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Niemiecki okret podwodny U-203 (U-Boot typu VII) na Atlantyku (2-2546).jpg
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-203
Ordered23 September 1939 [1]
Builder Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number632
Laid down28 March 1940 [1]
Launched4 January 1941 [1]
Commissioned18 February 1941 [1]
FateSunk 25 April 1943 by British aircraft and a British warship. 10 dead, 38 survivors
General characteristics
Class and type Type VIIC U-boat
Displacement
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20.3 ft) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15.4 ft) pressure hull
Draught4.74 m (15.6 ft)
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
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depthCalculated crush depth: 220 m (720 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 36 449
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 11 patrols: [1]
  • 1st patrol:
  • 5 – 29 June 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 10 – 31 July 1941
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 20 – 30 September 1941
  • 4th patrol:
  • 18 October – 12 November 1941
  • 5th patrol:
  • 25 December 1941 – 29 January 1942
  • 6th patrol:
  • a. 12 March – 30 April 1942
  • b. 3 – 4 June 1942
  • 7th patrol:
  • 4 June – 29 July 1942
  • 8th patrol:
  • a. 27 August – 11 September 1942
  • b. 11 – 18 September 1942
  • 9th patrol:
  • 15 October – 6 November 1942
  • 10th patrol:
  • 6 December 1942 – 7 January 1943
  • 11th patrol:
  • 3 – 25 April 1943
Victories:
  • 21 merchant ships sunk
    (94,270  GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (17,052  GRT)

German submarine U-203 was a German Type VIIC submarine U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. [1]

Contents

Built as yard number 632 of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft AG in Kiel, she was laid down on 28 March 1940, launched on 4 January 1941 and commissioned on 18 February under Kapitänleutnant Rolf Mützelburg.

U-203 carried out eleven patrols with the first flotilla and is credited with sinking 21 ships for 94,270  gross register tons  (GRT) and damaging a further three for 17,052 GRT. She was a member of eleven wolfpacks.

She was sunk by British carrier-borne aircraft and a British warship southeast of Greenland on 25 April 1943.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-203 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. [2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 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 460/8–27 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). [2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). [2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-203 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [2]

Service history

First, second and third patrols

On 24 June 1941, nineteen days into her first patrol while en route from Kiel to St. Nazaire in France, U-203 attacked and sank the GRT 4,956 GRT British merchant ship Kinross, which was part of Convoy OB 336. Later that day, she attacked the 4,402 GRT Norwegian ship Soløy, which was with Convoy HX 133.

Arriving at St. Nazaire on 29 June, the crew of U-203 stayed ashore for another eleven days before the boat made her second patrol. Seventeen days into it, she attacked Convoy OG 69 which was sailing to Gibraltar. On the 27th, U-203 sank the 2,475 GRT British merchant ship Hawkinge. The British Lapland and the Swedish Norita, also OG 69 merchant ships, were sunk the following day, adding a further 1,330 GRT and 1,516 GRT respectively to the U-boat's record.

Six days into her third patrol she joined a wolfpack attack on Convoy HG 73 On 26 September she sank the British ships Avoceta and Lapwing and the Norwegian Varanberg, destroying another 7,362 GRT of shipping. Avoceta's sinking killed 123 people. The Convoy Commodore was aboard, but was one of the few dozen survivors.

Fourth, fifth and sixth patrols

Sixteen days into her fourth patrol, on 3 November, U-203 attacked and sank Empire Gemsbuck (5,626 GRT) and Everoja (4,830 GRT), British merchant ships of Convoy SC 52. Everoja was Latvian owned and carried an Irish cargo. However, she transferred to the British registry and sailed under the Red Ensign. [3] Twenty-one days into her fifth patrol on 15 January 1942, U-203 sank a small (632 GRT) Portuguese ship, Catalina. Two days later, the Norwegian ship Octavian would also be sunk. It was never confirmed that the Octavian was sunk by the U-203. It was surmised, the Octavain was actually never in the area where the U-203 said it was torpedoed. The Octavian was positively identified and found on 4 July 2018 off the coast of Maryland. Four torpedoes were fired at the Canadian ship North Gaspe, which survived the attack. One torpedo detonated close to the ship, but none actually hit.

U-203's sixth patrol resulted in a total loss of 14,232 GRT to the Allies and two additional ships damaged, including the British merchant ships San Delfino and Empire Thrush . Damaged were the American tanker Henry F. Sinclair, Jr. and the Panamanian flagged tanker Stanvac Melbourne.

Seventh, eighth and ninth patrols

A seventh patrol beginning 4 June 1942, resulted in 32,985 GRT of shipping destroyed. The Brazilian Pedrinhas and the British Putney Hill were sunk on 26 June. Two days later the American Liberty Ship Sam Houston was torpedoed and then finished off with 43 rounds from the deck gun. The British Cape Verde was sunk on 9 July and the Panamanian tanker Stanvac Palembang on 11 July bringing the tally to five victories on this successful patrol.

The next 23-day sortie was unfruitful; however, the U-boat's commander, Rolf Mützelburg, died during this patrol on 11 September. Taking the opportunity to go swimming in the Atlantic southwest of the Azores, he dived from the conning tower and struck the deck with his head and shoulder when the U-boat lurched suddenly in the swell. The doctor from U-462, a 'Milk Cow' supply submarine, arrived the next day, but too late. Rolf Mützelburg was buried at sea on 12 September 1942 in position 36°14′N31°21′W / 36.233°N 31.350°W / 36.233; -31.350 . He was replaced by Kptlt. Hermann Kottman, who served as captain for the remainder of U-203's career.

Her ninth patrol, beginning 15 October 1942 and terminating 6 November, yielded two further ships sunk. The British merchantmen Hopecastle and Corinaldo (5,178 and 7,131 GRT, respectively) were sunk on 29 October and 30 October while traveling with Convoy SL-125.

Loss

U-203 undertook two more patrols, both unsuccessful. On 25 April 1943 while south of Cape Farewell, Greenland she was sunk by depth charges in position 55°05′N42°25′W / 55.083°N 42.417°W / 55.083; -42.417 . She had been attacked by Fairey Swordfish aircraft operating from the British escort carrier HMS Biter and the British destroyer HMS Pathfinder. Ten men were killed, there were 38 survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-203 took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely:

Summary of raiding history

U-203 sank 21 ships and damaged three others for a total of 111,322 GRT.

DateShipNationalityTonnage
(GRT)		ConvoyFate [4]
24 June 1941 Kinross Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,956 OB 336 Sunk
24 June 1941 Soløy Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,402 HX 133 Sunk
27 July 1941 Hawkinge Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,475 OG-69 Sunk
28 July 1941 Lapland Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,330 OG-69 Sunk
28 July 1941 Norita Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1,516 OG-69 Sunk
26 September 1941 Avoceta Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,442 HG-73 Sunk
26 September 1941 Lapwing Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,348 HG-73 Sunk
26 September 1941 Varangberg Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,842 HG-73 Sunk
3 November 1941 Empire Gemsbuck Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,626 SC 52 Sunk
3 November 1941 Everoja Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,830 SC 52 Sunk
15 January 1942 Catalina Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 632Sunk
17 January 1942 Octavian Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,345Sunk
21 January 1942 North Gaspe Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg  Canada 888Damaged
10 April 1942 San Delfino Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,072Sunk
11 April 1942 Harry F. Sinclair, Jr. Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 6,151Damaged
12 April 1942 Stanvac Melbourne Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 10,013Damaged
14 April 1942 Empire Thrush Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,160Sunk
26 June 1942 Pedrinhas Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil 3,666Sunk
26 June 1942 Putney Hill Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,216Sunk
28 June 1942 Sam Houston Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176Sunk
9 July 1942 Cape Verde Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,914Sunk
11 July 1942 Stanvac Palembang Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 10,013Sunk
29 October 1942 Hopecastle Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,178 SL-125 Sunk
30 October 1942 Corinaldo Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,131 SL-125 Sunk

Patrol log

PatrolDepartureDateReturnDateDuration (Days)
1stKiel5 June 1941St Nazaire29 June 194125
2ndSt Nazaire10 July 1941St Nazaire31 July 194122
3rdSt Nazaire20 September 1941Brest30 September 194111
4thBrest18 October 1941Brest12 November 194126
5thBrest25 December 1941Brest29 January 194236
6thBrest12 March 1942Brest30 April 194250
7thLorient4 June 1942Brest29 July 194256
8thBrest27 August 1942Brest18 September 194224
9thBrest15 October 1942Lorient6 November 194223
10thLorient6 December 1942Brest7 January 194333
11thBrest3 April 1943Sunk25 April 194323

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-203". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. ↑ Sweeney, Pat (2010). Liffey Ships and Shipbuilding. Mercier. ISBN   978-1-85635-685-5. p. 226
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-203". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 December 2014.

Bibliography

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