Wolfpack Hecht

Last updated

Hecht (English: "Pike") was the name of two "wolfpacks" of German U-boats that operated during World War II.

Contents

First wolfpack "Hecht'

The first wolfpack code-named Hecht, comprising three U-boats, operated east of Iceland from 27 January to 4 February 1942. [1] During this period one Allied convoy passed through Hecht's patrol area, Arctic convoy PQ 9/10, comprising ten merchant ships bound for the Soviet Union. It departed Reykjavik on 1 February and was undetected, arriving without incident at Murmansk on 10 February. [2] After this Hecht was disbanded, with U-352 and U-455 continuing to the North Atlantic, while U-435 remained on station for four more days before heading north to join patrol group Umbau in the Barents Sea.

U-boats, commanders and dates

Second wolfpack "Hecht'

The second operated in the North Atlantic from 8 May to 18 June 1942. During this period Hecht successfully attacked three west-bound convoys, and sank 14 ships for a total of 62,709  gross register tons  (GRT). [3] After forming in the Atlantic on 8 May the Hecht boats headed west, sighting slow convoy ON 92 south of Iceland. They attacked over the next three days and sank seven ships without loss. [4] [5]

On 20 May Hecht boats sighted slow convoy ON 94 east of the Grand Banks, but lost it in fog. [6]

On 31 May ON 96 was sighted south of Cape Farewell, but this was also lost in worsening weather. [7]

On 8 June convoy ON 100 was sighted five days out from the UK; an attack developed which sank five ships and an escort vessel over four days, again without loss. [8] [9]

On 12 June convoy ON 102 was sighted, but attacks over three days and nights brought little success; one ship was sunk, but two U-boats were damaged so severely they had to return to base. [10]

At this point BdU brought Hecht’s patrol to an end.

U-boats, commanders and dates

Ships hit by this wolfpack

From convoy ONS 92

Empire Dell & Llanover

Around 02:00 on 12 May 1942, U-124 fired three torpedoes and hit the 7,065-ton British CAM ship Empire Dell and the 4,959-ton British collier Llanover. The Master, 38 crew and seven Royal Air Force personnel from Empire Dell were rescued before she sank. Two crew members were lost. [11] The badly damaged Llanover was scuttled by HMCS Arvida. Her crew of 46; Master, 39 men, and 6 gunners were rescued.

Cocle

At 03:40 on 12 May the 5,630-ton Panamanian merchant ship Cocle was torpedoed and sunk by U-94. Only 38 survivors from her crew of 42 were picked up by the British rescue ship Bury . [12]

Cristales & Mount Parnes

At 03:55 on 12 May U-124 attacked again, firing two torpedoes and hitting the 5,389-ton British merchant ship Cristales and the 4,371-ton Greek merchant ship Mount Parnes. The crew of Cristales abandoned ship, and all 65, plus 7 gunners and 10 passengers were rescued, while their ship was later sunk by gunfire by HMCS Shediac. [13] After her 33 crew abandoned ship, Mount Parnes was also scuttled by an escort vessel. [14]

Batna

At 03:51 on 13 May, the 4,399-ton British collier Batna was torpedoed and sunk by U-94. One crew member was lost while the master, 34 crewmen and six gunners were picked up by the British rescue ship Bury. [15]

Tolken

At 06:18 on 13 May, the 4,471-ton Swedish merchant ship Tolken was hit by a single torpedo from U-94. The U-boat was driven off by the convoy escorts, but returned at 09:30. Approaching the damaged ship on the surface, the U-boat was shot by the ship's machine guns. At 10:20 the U-boat attacked again with torpedoes. The first failed to explode, but the second five minutes later hit and sank the ship. There were no losses amongst the ship's crew of 34, and all were picked up by the British rescue ship Bury. [16]

Independent passage

Maria da Gloria

At 22:10 on 5 June U-94 shelled an unmarked sailing ship. The ship stopped after being hit by two rounds, the U-boat ceased fire, and the crew abandoned ship. Then at 22:50 the schooner was sunk by U-boat's gunfire. She turned out to be the 320-ton neutral Portuguese fishing boat Maria da Gloria, and only 8 from her crew of 44 survived. [17]

From convoy ONS 100

FFL Mimosa

At 04:10 on 9 June, the Free French Navy Flower-class corvette Mimosa (J6254) was hit by one of two torpedoes fired by U-124, and sank immediately after the boilers exploded. The commander, 58 French sailors and 6 British sailors, were lost. The four survivors were picked up by HMCS Assiniboine. [18]

Empire Clough & Ramsay

At 03:40 hours on 10 June, U-94 fired three torpedoes at a group of three ships from the convoy, and hit and sank two British merchant ships; the 6,147-ton Empire Clough, [19] and the 4,855-ton Ramsay. [20]

Pontypridd

At 14:46 on 11 June, the 4,458-ton British merchant ship Pontypridd was hit by two torpedoes fired by U-569, seriously damaging her. At 16:06, U-94 fired the coup de grâce at the straggling ship, which sank an hour later. Two crew members were lost, and the master was taken prisoner by U-569, and was confined to the Milag Nord POW camp, while 42 crewmen and three gunners were later picked up by HMCS Chambly. [21]

Dartford

At 06:12 on 12 June the 4,093-ton British merchant ship Dartford was torpedoed and sunk by U-124. [22]

From convoy ONS 102

Seattle Spirit

At about 06.20 on 18 June, U-124 fired two spreads of two torpedoes at three ships of Convoy ONS 102, en route from Murmansk to New York. One torpedo struck the 5,627-ton American merchant ship Seattle Spirit, causing flooding and a boiler explosion which killed one officer and two men below. The remaining 9 officers, 28 men, 11 armed guards (the ship was armed with a 4-inch (100 mm) gun, four .50 caliber and four .30 caliber machine guns) and 7 passengers abandoned ship in lifeboats. They were picked up by the corvette HMCS Agassiz, and Seattle Spirit was shelled and sunk at 20:30 by Agassiz after it was determined she could not be salvaged. [23]

Related Research Articles

German submarine U-556 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 2 January 1940 at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg as yard number 532, launched on 7 December 1940, and commissioned on 6 February 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Herbert Wohlfarth, who commanded her for her entire career. U-556 conducted only two patrols, sinking six ships totalling 29,552 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging one other of 4,986 GRT, before she was sunk on 27 June 1941.

German submarine <i>U-509</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-509 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 1 November 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard in Hamburg as yard number 305. She was launched on 19 August 1941, and commissioned on 4 November 1941 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Karl-Heinz Wolff.

German submarine U-98 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II, operating from March 1941 until she was sunk in November 1942.

German submarine <i>U-502</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-502 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 2 April 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard in Hamburg with yard number 292, launched on 18 February 1941 and commissioned on 31 May under the command of Kapitänleutnant Jürgen von Rosenstiel.

German submarine <i>U-504</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-504 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 29 April 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard in Hamburg as yard number 294, launched on 24 April 1941 and commissioned on 30 July 1941 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Hans-Georg Friedrich "Fritz" Poske. Initially attached to the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training, the U-boat was transferred to the 2nd flotilla on 1 January 1942 for front-line service. She was a member of six wolfpacks.

German submarine <i>U-37</i> (1938) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-37 was a Type IXA U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 15 March 1937 at the DeSchiMAG AG Weser yard in Bremen, launched on 14 May 1938, and commissioned on 4 August 1938 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Schuch as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla.

Endrass was a "wolfpack" of German U-boats that operated from 12 to 17 June 1942 in attacking Convoy HG 84 that comprised 23 Allied ships. The group's name commemorated the U-boat commander Engelbert Endrass, who was killed in action in December 1941.

Blücher was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated during the World War II Battle of the Atlantic from 14 to 28 August 1942. They attacked the Freetown, Sierra Leone to Liverpool convoys SL-118 and SL-119, and sank six ships for a total of 41,984 gross register tons (GRT), and damaged one (10,552 GRT). The group was named after Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher (1742–1819), a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall in the Napoleonic Wars.

German submarine <i>U-255</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-255 was a Type VIIC U-boat that served in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 21 December 1940 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack, launched on 8 October 1941 and commissioned on 29 November 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Reinhart Reche.

German submarine <i>U-43</i> (1939) German world war II submarine

German submarine U-43 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The keel for U-43 was laid down in August 1938 at Bremen; she was launched in May 1939 and commissioned in August.

German submarine <i>U-66</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-66 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 20 March 1940 at the AG Weser yard at Bremen, launched on 10 October and commissioned on 2 January 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Richard Zapp as part of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla.

Hai was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated from 3 to 21 July 1942 in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. They attacked the Liverpool to Freetown, Sierra Leone convoy OS-33, sinking eight ships for a total of 61,125 gross register tons (GRT).

Wolf was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated from 13 July to 1 August 1942, attacking Convoy ON 115 in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. They sank two ships sunk totalling 12,078 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged another (8,093 GRT).

Vorwärts was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated from 25 August to 26 September 1942, in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. They attacked several convoys, principally Convoy ON 127, sailing from Liverpool to New York, and sank fifteen ships for a total of 79,331 gross register tons (GRT), and damaged nine (81,141 GRT).

German submarine <i>U-101</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-101 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She had a highly successful career.

German submarine <i>U-558</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-558 was a Type VIIC U-boat in the service of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She sank 18 ships totalling 94,099 GRT before being sunk by bombers on 20 July 1943.

German submarine U-177 was a Type IXD2 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 25 November 1940, at the DeSchiMAG AG Weser yard in Bremen, as yard number 1017. She was launched on 1 October 1941, and commissioned on 14 March 1942, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Schulze. After a period of training with the 4th U-boat Flotilla at Stettin, the boat was transferred to the 10th flotilla on 1 October 1942, and based at Lorient, for front-line service, she was then reassigned to the 12th flotilla at Bordeaux on 1 December.

German submarine U-652 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 5 February 1940 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 7 February 1941, and commissioned on 3 April 1941 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Georg-Werner Fraatz.

German submarine U-65 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Over the course of six war patrols between 9 April 1940 and 28 April 1941, she sank twelve ships and damaged three others for a total loss of 88,664 gross register tons (GRT).

German submarine <i>U-105</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-105 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She was ordered on 24 May 1938 as part of Germany's naval rearmament program. Her keel was laid down in Bremen on 16 November 1938. After roughly seven months of construction, she was launched on 15 June 1940 and formally commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 10 September 1940.

References

  1. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfpack Hecht". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  2. ↑ Ruegg, Hague pp.25-26
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfpack Hecht". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  4. ↑ Blair p.599
  5. ↑ Edwards pp.62-68
  6. ↑ Edwards p.68
  7. ↑ Edwards p.69
  8. ↑ Blair p.600
  9. ↑ Edwards pp.69-72
  10. ↑ Edwards p.72
  11. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Empire Dell (Catapult armed merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  12. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Cocle (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  13. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Cristales (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  14. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Mount Parnes (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  15. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Batna (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  16. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Tolken (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  17. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Maria da Gloria (Sailing ship)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  18. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "FFL Mimosa (J 6254) (Corvette)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  19. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Empire Clough (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  20. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ramsay (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  21. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Pontypridd (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  22. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Dartford (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  23. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Seattle Spirit (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2010.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.