German submarine U-D4

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1938-1945.svg Nazi Germany
Name:U-D4
Builder: Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij , Rotterdam
Laid down: 20 April 1939
Launched: 23 Novovember 1940
Commissioned: 28 January 1941
Decommissioned: 19 March 1945
Fate: Scuttled 3 May 1945
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: O 21-class submarine
Displacement:
  • 990 tons surfaced
  • 1205 tons submerged
Length: 77.70 m (254 ft 11 in)
Beam: 6.80 m (22 ft 4 in)
Draught: 3.95 m (13 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:
Range:
  • 10,000  nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 28  nmi (52 km; 32 mi) at 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) submerged
Complement: 39
Armament:
  • 4 × 21 in (533 mm) bow torpedo tubes
  • 2 × 21 in stern torpedo tubes
  • 2 × 21 in (1×2) external-traversing TT amidships

U-D4 was an O 21-class submarine. The boat was laid down as the Dutch submarine K XXVI and renamed O 26 but was captured during German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II and commissioned in the Kriegsmarine.

<i>O 21</i>-class submarine

The O 21 class was a class of seven submarines, built for the Royal Netherlands Navy. The ships were still incomplete at the start of the German invasion of the Netherlands O 21, O 22, O 23 and O 24 were hastily launched and escaped to the United Kingdom. O 25, O 26 and O 27 were not able to escape and were captured by the German forces. The Kriegsmarine ordered the completion of the ships and they entered German service as UD-3, UD-4 and UD-5. The submarines diving depth was 100 metres (330 ft).

Submarine Watercraft capable of independent operation underwater

A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term most commonly refers to a large, crewed vessel. It is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely operated vehicles and robots, as well as medium-sized or smaller vessels, such as the midget submarine and the wet sub. The noun submarine evolved as a shortened form of submarine boat; by naval tradition, submarines are usually referred to as "boats" rather than as "ships", regardless of their size.

Keel laying formal recognition of the start of a ships construction

Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship.

Contents

Ship history

The submarine was ordered on 24 June 1938 and laid down on 20 April 1939 as K XXVI at the Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij , Rotterdam. During construction she was renamed O 26. Following the German invasion of 10 May 1940, the not yet launched O 26 was captured at the yard by the invading forces. [2]

Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij shipyard

The Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM), was the largest pre-World War II shipbuilding and repair company in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, existing from 1902 to 1996. It built 355 mostly major seagoing vessels, 18 of which were submarines. During its existence, the wharf operated 12 floating docks and in its heyday employed 7,000 people at one time.

Battle of the Netherlands Nazi invasion of the Netherlands

The Battle of the Netherlands was a military campaign part of Case Yellow, the German invasion of the Low Countries and France during World War II. The battle lasted from 10 May 1940 until the surrender of the main Dutch forces on 14 May. Dutch troops in the province of Zeeland continued to resist the Wehrmacht until 17 May when Germany completed its occupation of the whole country.

The Germans decided to complete her. The launch took place on 23 November 1940. She served in the Kriegsmarine as U-D4 and was commissioned on 28 January 1941, [2] with Helmut Brümmer-Patzig in command. [3]

Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military forces. The ceremonies involved are often rooted in centuries old naval tradition.

Helmut Patzig, also known as Helmut Brümmer-Patzig was a German U-boat commander in the Kaiserliche Marine in World War I, and the Kriegsmarine in World War II. He was captain of U-86, the vessel that sank a Canadian hospital ship, HMHS Llandovery Castle, in 1918. Patzig evaded conviction for the war crime at the Leipzig War Crimes Trials in 1921 because he fled German jurisdiction. During the Second World War he returned to naval service, serving as commander of the 26th U-boat Flotilla, a U-boat training group, from 1943 into 1945.

From January to April 1941 U-D4 served as school boat in Kiel when attached to the 1st Flotilla. In May she was transferred to the 3rd Flotilla also in Kiel where she was used as a trial boat. She remained there until July that year. August 1941 the boat was transferred to the 5th Flotilla also in Kiel where she was used as a school boat until December 1942. In January 1943 U-D4 was transferred to Gotenhafen where she served as a school boat for 24th Flotilla and 27th Flotilla until January 1945. From January to March 1945 she was based in Hela and transferred to the 18th Flotilla where she served as a school boat. [2]

Kiel Place in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 249,023 (2016).

1st U-boat Flotilla 1935-1944 submarine unit of the German Navy

The 1st U-boat flotilla also known as the Weddigen flotilla, was the first operational U-boat unit in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine (navy). Founded on 27 September 1935 under the command of Fregattenkapitän Karl Dönitz, it was named in honor of Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen. Weddigen, a U-boat commander during World War I, died on 18 March 1915 after his submarine U-29 was rammed by the British battleship HMS Dreadnought in the North Sea.

3rd U-boat Flotilla flotilla

The 3rd U-boat Flotilla, also known as Lohs Flotilla, was the third operational U-boat unit in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. Founded on 4 October 1937 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hans Eckermann, it was named in honour of Oberleutnant zur See Johannes Lohs. Lohs, a U-boat commander during World War I, died on 14 August 1918 after his submarine UB-57 was sunk by a mine.

19 March 1945 U-D4 was decommissioned and on 3 May 1945 the boat was scuttled in Kiel. [2]

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References

  1. ↑ "Dutch Submarines: The O 21 submarine class". dutchsubmarines.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Dutch Submarines: The submarine O 26". dutchsubmarines.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  3. ↑ Busch & Röll 1999, p. 41.

Bibliography

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