Submarine warfare in the Black Sea campaigns (1942)

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Submarine warfare in the Black Sea in World War II
Part of the Black Sea Campaigns of the Eastern Front of World War II
Date1942
Location
Western Black Sea coast
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania
Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Germany
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Italy
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg  Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Romania.svg Unknown Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg Unknown
Strength
Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg 6 U-boats
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg 6 submarines
Flag of Romania.svg 1 submarine
Flag of Bulgaria.svg Anti-submarine forces
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg 34 submarines
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg Anti-submarine forces
Casualties and losses
Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg 1 cargo sunk
Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg 1 tanker scuttled
Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg 1 tug sunk
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg 1 submarine lost
Flag of Romania.svg 2 cargo sunk
Flag of Romania.svg 1 tug sunk
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg 9 submarines sunk
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg 4 submarines lost in Sevastopol operations
Flag of Turkey.svg 8 neutral Turkish vessels lost
Flag of Turkey.svg 1 refugee ship sunk

Submarine warfare in the Black Sea in World War II during 1942 involved engagements between primarily submarines of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet attacking Axis merchantmen defended by Romanian and German naval warships. These engagements were a part of the Black Sea campaigns between Axis and Soviet naval forces.

Contents

Background

As during the first 1941 campaign, the Soviet Navy sent submarines against the Axis supply lines along the western coast of the Black Sea. A number of neutral Turkish vessels were also attacked near the Bosporus area, resulting in the Struma disaster. Once again, Axis defenses primarily consisted of Romanian-laid fields of mines: 5000 mines were laid (both anti-submarine and floating), the Soviet Navy possessed 34 submarines including 14 of new construction but only 20 were operational ready. [1] German U-boats began operating in the Black Sea during late 1942, without scoring any hits while the Romanian submarine Delfinul departed for her final patrols.

Sevastopol operations

A separate action was accomplished (alongside other Soviet Navy units) to supply and later evacuate troops from the Siege of Sevastopol. While carrying away men from the besieged city, Soviet submarine ShCh-214 was torpedoed and sunk in surface action by Italian MAS boats on 19 June. [2] [ self-published source? ] A second loss occurred on 26 June when Soviet submarine "S-32" was sunk, most likely by German bombers (while Italian midget-submarines CB-3 and CB-4 also take credit of this victory but their attacks did not matched with S-32's last mission). [3] [ self-published source? ] With the Axis finally victorious in Sevastopol, the Soviet Navy scuttled submarines "D-6" and "A-1" to avoid their capture. [4] [ self-published source? ] [5] [ self-published source? ]

Engagements

Outcome

German U-boats of the 30th U-boat Flotilla failed to sink or damage enemy target during this first year of operations in Black Sea, while Delfinul departed for her last ineffective patrols. Soviet submarines have been extimated to have sunk 13 targets in the Black Sea (13,000 GRT) but only 6 of them directly supporting Axis operations on the Crimea. [1] Other sources raise the total number to 17 targets sunk (but with less tonnage: 12,900 GRT). [47]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 John F. O'Connell, Submarine Operational Effectiveness in the 20th Century: Part Two (1939–1945), 2011, p. 200
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "ShCh-214 of the Soviet Navy - Soviet Submarine of the ShCh (Scuka) class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  3. "S-32 of the Soviet Navy - Soviet Submarine of the S (Stalinec) class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  4. "D-6 / Yakobinets of the Soviet Navy - Soviet Submarine of the D (Dekabrist) class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  5. "A-1 of the Soviet Navy - Soviet Submarine of the A (AG) class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
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  11. Piero Crociani,Pier Paolo Battistelli, Italian Navy & Air Force Elite Units & Special Forces 1940–45, 2013, p.22
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  20. Antony Preston, Warship 2001–2002, p. 79
  21. Donald A Bertke, Gordon Smith, Don Kindell, World War II Sea War, Vol 7: The Allies Strike Back p. 179
  22. Mikhail Monakov, Jurgen Rohwer, Stalin's Ocean-going Fleet: Soviet Naval Strategy and Shipbuilding Programs 1935–1953, p. 266
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  26. Antony Preston, Warship 2000–2001, Conway Maritime Press, 2001, p. 79
  27. "SS Carpati (+1942) on wrecksite.eu". wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
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  29. Donald A Bertke, Gordon Smith, Don Kindell, World War II Sea War, Volume 7: The Allies Strike Back, Bertke Publications, 2014, p. 179
  30. Antony Preston, Warship 2000–2001, Conway Maritime Press, 2001, p. 70
  31. "Duikers ontdekken Russische onderzeeër WO II" [Divers discover WW II Russian submarine] (in Dutch). NOS Journaal. 13 September 2010.
  32. Donald A Bertke, Gordon Smith, Don Kindell, World War II Sea War, Volume 7: The Allies Strike Back, Bertke Publications, 2014, p. 180
  33. Jipa Rotaru, Ioan Damaschin, Glorie și dramă: Marina Regală Română, 1940–1945, Ion Cristoiu Publishing, 2000, p. 96 (in Romanian)
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  35. Antony Preston, Warship 2000–2001, Conway Maritime Press, 2001, p. 80
  36. Jipa Rotaru, Ioan Damaschin, Glorie și dramă: Marina Regală Română, 1940–1945, Ion Cristoiu Publishing, 2000, p. 273 (in Romanian)
  37. 1 2 3 Donald A Bertke, Gordon Smith, Don Kindell, World War II Sea War, Volume 8: Guadalcanal Secured, Bertke Publications, 2015, p. 77
  38. Donald A Bertke, Gordon Smith, Don Kindell, World War II Sea War, Vol 8: Guadalcanal Secured, Bertke Publications, 2015, p. 77
  39. "ShCh-212 of the Soviet Navy - Soviet Submarine of the ShCh (Scuka) class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  40. "Shch-212 on wrecksite.eu". wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  41. Helgason, Guðmundur. "M-31". uboat.net.
  42. Nicolae Koslinski, Raymond Stănescu, Marina română in al doilea război mondial: 1942–1944, Făt-Frumos Publishing, 1996, pp. 53–54 (in Romanian)
  43. "The Type IIB U-boat U-9 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
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  45. Antony Preston, Warship 2000–2001, Conway Maritime Press, 2001, p. 75
  46. Donald A Bertke, Gordon Smith, Don Kindell, World War II Sea War, Volume 4: Germany Sends Russia to the Allies, Bertke Publications, 2012, p. 323
  47. Spencer C. Tucker, World War II at Sea: An Encyclopedia, Volume 1, 2011, p. 113