Unterseeboot 32 (1937)

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U-32
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Kriegsmarine
Type	VIIA
Fieldpost number	M 00 459
Shipyard	AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	913
Ordered	April 1, 1935
Laid down	March 15, 1936
Launched	February 25, 1937
Commissioned	April 15, 1937
Career
Patrols	9
Flotillas	2. Unterseebootsflottille
Commanders	Werner Lott Paul Büchel Hans Jenisch
Successes
20 ships sunk for a total of 116.836 GRT 4 ships damaged for a total of 32.274 GRT 1 warship damaged for a total of 8.000 tons
Fate
Sunk October 30, 1940 north-west of Ireland. 9 dead and 33 survivors.

Unterseeboot 32 (also known as U-32) was a Type VIIA U-boat (submarine) of the Kriegsmarine.

Her keel was laid down March 15, 1936 by AG Weser of Bremen. She was launched on February 25, 1937 and commissioned on April 15, 1937 with Kapitänleutnant Werner Lott in command. On August 15, 1937 Lott was relieved by Paul Büchel, and on February 12, 1940 Oberleutnant zur See Hans Jenisch took over and commanded the boat until her loss.

U-32 conducted nine patrols, sinking 20 ships totalling of 116,836 tons, and damaging five more totalling 40,274 tons. On October 28, 1940 U-32, under the command of Hans Jenisch, sank the 42,348-ton liner Empress of Britain, which had been previously damaged by German bombs. Empress was the largest ship sunk by a U-boat.

[edit] Fate

On 30 October 1940, U-32 was sunk northwest of Ireland, in position 55°37′N 12°19′W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Harvester and HMS Highlander. Nine of her crew died, 33 survived and were taken prisoner, including Jenisch, who spent six and a half years in British captivity before returning to Germany in June 1947.