German submarine U-16 (1936)

U-16
History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-16
Ordered: 2 February 1935
Builder: Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number: 251
Laid down: 5 August 1935
Launched: 38 April 1936
Commissioned: 16 May 1936
Fate: Sunk on 25 October 1939 in the English Channel near Dover. 28 dead[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: IIB coastal submarine
Displacement:
  • 279 t (275 long tons) surfaced
  • 328 t (323 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a)
  • 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height: 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
Draught: 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in)
Installed power:
  • 700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels)
  • 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Range:
  • 1,800 nmi (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 35–43 nmi (65–80 km; 40–49 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 80 m (260 ft)
Complement: 3 officers, 22 men
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 13 014
Commanders:
  • Heinz Beduhn
  • Hannes Weingärtner
  • Udo Behrens
  • Horst Wellner
Operations: Three
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship sunk for a total of 3,378 GRT
  • One auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 57 GRT

German submarine U-16 was a Type IIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that served during World War II. It was launched on 28 April 1936, under the command of Heinz Beduhn, with a crew of 23. Its last of four commanders was Horst Wellner.

Design

German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-16 had a displacement of 279 tonnes (275 long tons) when at the surface and 328 tonnes (323 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however.[2] The U-boat had a total length of 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in), a pressure hull length of 28.20 m (92 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and a draught of 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-16 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of twentyfive.[2]

Service history

From 2 September 1939, until 25 October 1939, U-16 took part in the laying of mines in open water in and around the English Channel, to hamper allied shipping. On 28 September 1939, U-16 sank the Swedish 3,378 ton Nyland. The 57 ton French Sainte Claire was sunk by one of the mines laid by U-16 on 21 November 1939.

Fate

On 25 October 1939, U-16 was transiting the Dover Strait when it was attacked by HMS Puffin and HMS Cayton Wyke. Trying to avoid the depth charges from both ships, U-16 ran aground on the Goodwin Sands, an area that was notorious for both sides. U-16 was lost with all hands; other U-Boats were subsequently obliged to take the significantly longer route north of Scotland to the Western Approaches and the north Atlantic.[1]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[3]
28 September 1939 Nyland  Sweden 3,378 Sunk
21 November 1939 Ste. Claire  French Navy 57 Mined

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. 1 2 Kemp 1999, pp. 61-2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-16". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 16 September 2014.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6. 
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. 
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4. 
  • Kemp, Paul (1999). Ships hit by U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3. 

Coordinates: 51°9′N 1°28′E / 51.150°N 1.467°E / 51.150; 1.467

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