Wolfpack West | |
---|---|
Active | 8 May - 20 June 1941 |
Country | Nazi Germany |
Branch | Kriegsmarine |
Size | 23 submarines |
Engagements | Convoy OB 317 Convoy OB 318 Convoy OB 322 Convoy OB 327 Convoy OB 328 Convoy OB 329 Convoy OB 330 Convoy SC 30 Convoy HX 126 Convoy HX 128 |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Gerhard Bigalk Engelbert Endrass Robert Gysae Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat Wilhelm Kleinschmidt Claus Korth Herbert Kuppisch Fritz-Julius Lemp Wolfgang Lüth Ernst Mengersen Adalbert Schnee Klaus Scholtz Heinrich Schonder Herbert Schultze Robert Gysae Karl Thurmann Helmut Rosenbaum Herbert Wohlfarth Robert-Richard Zapp |
West was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated during the World War II Battle of the Atlantic from 8 May 1941 to 20 June 1941. [1]
This wolfpack was responsible for sinking 33 ships (191,414 gross register tons (GRT)) and damaging a further four ships (33,448 GRT), making it one of the most successful wolfpacks of World War II.
Of the 23 U-boat commanders, 19 were either, or went on to become, recipients of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.
U-boat | Commander | From | To | Notes |
U-43 | Wolfgang Lüth | 17 May 1941 | 16 June 1941 | |
U-46 | Engelbert Endrass | 19 May 1941 | 6 June 1941 | |
U-48 | Herbert Schultze | 2 June 1941 | 8 June 1941 | |
U-66 | Robert-Richard Zapp | 24 May 1941 | 5 June 1941 | |
U-73 | Helmut Rosenbaum | 31 May 1941 | 16 June 1941 | |
U-74 | Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat | 13 May 1941 | 22 May 1941 | |
U-75 | Helmuth Ringelmann | 2 June 1941 | 20 June 1941 | |
U-77 | Heinrich Schonder | 6 June 1941 | 20 June 1941 | |
U-93 | Claus Korth | 8 May 1941 | 26 May 1941 | |
U-94 | Herbert Kuppisch | 8 May 1941 | 29 May 1941 | |
U-97 | Udo Heilmann | 8 May 1941 | 27 May 1941 | |
U-98 | Robert Gysae | 8 May 1941 | 27 May 1941 | |
U-101 | Ernst Mengersen | 2 June 1941 | 20 June 1941 | |
U-108 | Klaus Scholtz | 2 June 1941 | 20 June 1941 | |
U-109 | Hans-Georg Fischer | 13 May 1941 | 23 May 1941 | |
U-110 | Fritz-Julius Lemp | 9 May 1941 | 9 May 1941 | U-boat was lost |
U-111 | Wilhelm Kleinschmidt | 13 May 1941 | 5 June 1941 | |
U-201 | Adalbert Schnee | 8 May 1941 | 13 May 1941 | |
U-204 | Walter Kell | 5 June 1941 | 16 June 1941 | |
U-553 | Karl Thurmann | 13 June 1941 | 20 June 1941 | |
U-556 | Herbert Wohlfarth | 10 May 1941 | 20 May 1941 | |
U-557 | Ottokar Arnold Paulssen | 25 May 1941 | 20 June 1941 | |
U-751 | Gerhard Bigalk | 16 June 1941 | 20 June 1941 |
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 U-333 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 11 March 1940 at the Nordseewerke yard at Emden, launched on 14 June 1941, and commissioned on 25 August 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Peter-Erich Cremer. After training with the 5th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, on 1 January 1942 U-333 was transferred to the 3rd U-boat Flotilla based at La Pallice for front-line service.
German submarine U-48 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II, and the most successful that was commissioned. During her two years of active service, U-48 sank 51 ships for a total of 299,477 GRT and 1,060 tons; she also damaged four more for a total of 27,877 GRT over twelve war patrols conducted during the opening stages of the Battle of the Atlantic.
German submarine U-124 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She operated in the Atlantic as part of the 2nd U-boat flotilla, both west of Scotland and east of the eastern US coast. She was also present off northern South America.
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 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 U-99 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 31 March 1939 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 593. She was launched on 12 March 1940 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Otto Kretschmer and was assigned to the 7th U-boat Flotilla based in Kiel and later in St Nazaire.
German submarine U-83 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-438 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
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 U-96 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 16 September 1939, by Germaniawerft, of Kiel as yard number 601. She was commissioned on 14 September 1940, with Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock in command. Lehmann-Willenbrock was relieved in March 1942 by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel, who was relieved in turn in March 1943 by Oblt.z.S. Wilhelm Peters. In February 1944, Oblt.z.S. Horst Willner took command, turning the boat over to Oblt.z.S. Robert Rix in June of that year. Rix commanded the boat until 15 February 1945.
German submarine U-68 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 20 April 1940 at the DeSchiMAG AG Weser yard at Bremen as yard number 987, launched on 22 October and commissioned on 1 January 1941 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Karl-Friedrich Merten as part of 2nd U-boat Flotilla.
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.
Johann Mohr was a captain with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.
German submarine U-402 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.
German submarine U-203 was a German Type VIIC submarine U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.
German submarine U-407 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 12 September 1940 by Danziger Werft, Danzig as yard number 108, launched on 16 August 1941 and commissioned on 18 December 1941 under Oberleutnant zur See Ernst-Ulrich Brüller.
German submarine U-67 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated in World War II. She was laid down in the AG Weser yard in Bremen as yard number 986 on 5 April 1940. She was launched on 30 October and was commissioned on 22 January 1941 under Korvettenkapitän Heinrich Bleichrodt.
German submarine U-108 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She was laid down at DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 971 on 27 December 1938, launched on 15 July 1940 and commissioned on 22 October under Korvettenkapitän Klaus Scholtz.
German submarine U-118 was a Type XB minelaying U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.