German submarine U-100 (1940)

For other ships of the same name, see German submarine U-100.
Career
Name: U-100
Ordered: 15 December 1937
Builder: Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number: 594
Laid down: 22 May 1939
Launched: 10 April 1940
Commissioned: 30 May 1940
Fate: Sunk, 17 March 1941
General characteristics
Class and type: Type VIIB U-boat
Displacement: Surfaced 753 tons tons
submerged 857 tons
Length: Overall 66.6 m
pressure hull 48.8 m
Beam: Overall 6.2 m
pressure hull 4.7 m
Draught: 4.74 m
Propulsion: Surfaced: two supercharged MAN, 6 cylinder, 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesels totalling 2,800 - 3,200bhp(2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490.
Speed: Surfaced 17.9 knot (33 km/h)
submerged 8 knot (15 km/h)
Range: Surfaced: 16,095 km
submerged: 175 km
Test depth: 230 m (754 ft). Calculated crush depth: 250-295 m (820-967 ft)
Complement: 44 to 48 officers & ratings
Armament: • 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes: 4 bow, 1 stern
• 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
• 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck gun with 220 rounds
• 1 × C30 20 mm AA
Service record
Part of: Kriegsmarine:
7th U-boat Flotilla
Commanders: Kptlt. Joachim Schepke
(May 1940–March 1941)
Operations: 6 patrols
Victories: 25 ships sunk for a total of 135,614 gross register tons (GRT)
4 ships damaged for a total of 17,229 GRT
1 ship a total loss 2,205 GRT

German submarine U-100 was a Type VIIB U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. U-100, given its short-lived existence, was one of the most successful and deadly Nazi German U-Boats to have served in World War II.[1]

Contents

Combat record

First patrol

U-100 was first launched on 10 April 1940, with a crew of 53, under the command of captain Joachim Schepke. On its first active patrol, U-100 came into contact with two allied convoys, OA-198 and OA-204. U-100 shadowed both convoys with the following results;

Second patrol

On 11 September 1940 U-100 left its base for on its second active patrol, coming into contact with allied convoy HX 72, with the following results;

Third patrol

After resupplying, U-100 departed for its third active patrol on 12 October 1940. During that 11-day patrol, U-100 came into contact with two allied convoys, HX-79 and SC-7, with the following results;

Fourth patrol

On 7 November 1940 U-100 departed on its fourth active duty patrol. On 22 November U-100 came into contact with allied convoy SC-11, and began to shadow it with the following results;

Fifth patrol

On 2 December 1940 U-100 left its home port on its fifth active patrol, sinking two vessels from convoy OB-256, then later a third solo vessel. They were;

Sixth and final patrol

On 9 March 1941 U-100 departed on its sixth and what would be its final active patrol. U-100 approached convoy HX 112 from astern in the pre-dawn hours of 17 March 1941 and was detected at a range of 1000 meters by Type 286 RADAR aboard HMS Vanoc.[2] U-100 was the first U-boat detected by RADAR during World War II, and was rammed and sunk by Vanoc while attempting to submerge.[3] Six of the 53 members of its crew survived, spending the remainder of the war as POWs [1].

References

Notes
  1. ^ "Type VIIB U-100". ubootwaffe.net. http://ubootwaffe.net/ops/boat.cgi?boat=100. Retrieved 2010-01-08. 
  2. ^ Rohwer & Hummelchen (1992) p.54
  3. ^ Macintyre, Donald, CAPT RN "Shipborne Radar" United States Naval Institute Proceedings September 1967 pp.78-79
Bibliography
  • Rohwer, J. and Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X. 

Further reading