German submarine U-38 (1938)
 U-37, (an identical U-boat to U-38) at Lorient in 1940. |
|
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-38 |
| Ordered: | 29 July 1936[1] |
| Builder: | AG Weser, Bremen[1] |
| Yard number: | 943[1] |
| Laid down: | 15 April 1937[1] |
| Launched: | 9 August 1938[1] |
| Commissioned: | 24 October 1938[1] |
| Fate: | Scuttled 5 May 1945 west of Wesermünde and later broken up in 1948.[2] |
| General characteristics [3][4] | |
| Type: | Type IXA submarine |
| Displacement: | 1,032 t (1,016 long tons) surfaced 1,152 t (1,134 long tons) submerged |
| Length: | 76.6 m (251 ft 4 in) o/a 58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: | 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) o/a 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Height: | 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in) |
| Draft: | 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,400 hp (3,281 kW) 2 × SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW) |
| Speed: | 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h) surfaced 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h) submerged |
| Range: | 19,425 nmi (35,975 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced 144 nmi (267 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
| Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement: | 48 to 56 |
| Armament: | • 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) • 22 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedoes • 1 × Utof 105 mm/45 deck gun (110 rounds) • AA guns (2 cm FlaK 30) |
| Service record | |
| Part of: | Kriegsmarine:[2] 6th U-boat Flotilla (24 October 1938-31 December 1939) 2nd U-boat Flotilla (1 January 1940-30 November 1941) 24th U-boat Flotilla<br(1 December 1941-31 March 1942) 21st U-boat Flotilla (1 April 1942-30 November 1943) 4th U-boat Flotilla (1 December 1943-28 February 1945) 5th U-boat Flotilla (1 March 1945-5 May 1945) |
| Identification codes: | M 20 675[1] |
| Commanders: | Heinrich Liebe Heinrich Schuch Ludo Kregelin Helmut Laubert Paul Sander Goske von Möllendorff Herbert Kühn Georg Peters[2] |
| Operations: | 11[1][2] |
| Victories: | 35 ships sunk for a total of 188,967 gross register tons (GRT) 1 ship damaged for a total of 3,670 GRT[5] |
German submarine U-38 was a Type IXA U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.[2]
Her keel was laid down on 15 April 1937, by AG Weser of Bremen. She was commissioned 24 October 1938 with Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe in command.[2]
U-38 conducted eleven patrols, as part of several flotillas. During her career, U-38 managed to sink over 30 enemy vessels and damaged a further one. U-38 ranks as one of the most successful U-boats in World War II.[6] On 5 May 1945, U-38 was scuttled west of Wesermünde. Throughout the war, U-38 suffered no losses among her crew.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Service record
[edit] 1st Patrol
U-38 left the port of Wilhelmshaven, with Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe in command, on 19 August 1939. The ship operated off the coast of Lisbon, prior to returning to port on 18 September 1939. During this four week long patrol, U-38 sank two ships.
On 5 September 1939 U-38 stopped the French ship Pluvoise and examined her papers and released her. Pluvoise broadcast the event, which would warn others of the U-boat. Liebe was reprimanded.
The British steam freighter SS Manaar was sunk on 6 September 1939. U-38 opened fire on the freighter and fire was returned. This was the first time that a merchantman fired at a U-boat. U-38 sank the Manaar with torpedoes. As Manaar had fired at him, Liebe did not assist survivors.[7] Radio Officer James Turner remained at his post until the last moment. As he was leaving he found two Lascars, one badly injured. Turner rescued both men while under continuous fire from U-38, for this he was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal.[8]
On 11 September 1939, while flying the Irish tricolour, the Inverliffey was shelled and sunk.[9] In spite of Captain William Trowsdale's protestation that they were Irish, Liebe said that they "were sorry" but they would sink Inverliffey as she was carrying petrol, which was contraband to England. The crew took to the lifeboats. Inverliffey burned fiercely, endangering the lifeboats. At risk to herself, U-38 approached and threw lines to the lifeboats and towed them to safety.[10] As Captain Trowsdale's lifeboat was damaged, they were allowed to board the U-boat. The captain did not have a lifebelt, so he was given one. U-38 stopped the American tanker R.G. Stewart and put Inverliffey's crew on board. Just two days earlier, Inver tankers transferred its ships from the Irish to the British registry.[11][12]
[edit] 2nd Patrol
After nearly two months ashore, U-38 again left Wilhelmshaven, with Heinrich Liebe in command, on 12 November 1939. This second patrol of the boat was to operate off the waters northwest of Norway.[13]
On 17 November 1939, Naval High Command (SKL) issued secret orders for U-38 and U-36 to scout the location for Basis Nord, a secret German naval base to be used for raids on allied shipping located off of the Kola Peninsula, provided by the Soviet Union that month.[14] The mission required coded messages to be flashed to Soviet naval vessels patrolling the area preceding a Soviet escort to the prospective base location.[15]
U-36 never made it out of the Norwegian Sea and was sunk by the British submarine HMS Salmon.[15] U-38 rounded North Cape uneventfully and arrived in Teriberka Bay by mid-afternoon on 26 November.[16] Running silently into the bay, U-38 had to avoid being spotted by merchant vessels in order to help maintain the Soviet Union's attempted appearance of neutrality at that time.[16] U-38's captain commented that, while in the area of the North Cape and the Kola Peninsula, he had observed thirty to forty targets and regrettably had been "harmless to [all] of them."[16]
After completing the clandestine reconnaissance mission, U-38 returned to raiding duties and sank three ships, two British and one Greek. The British steam freighter SS Thomas Walton was sunk on 7 December. The Greek steam freighter SS Garoufalia was sunk on 11 December, and the British steam freighter SS Deptford was sunk on 13 December. After an operation period of four and one half weeks, U-38 returned to port in Wilhelmshaven on 16 December.[13]
[edit] Third Patrol
Once again, U-38 would spend considerable time ashore, prior to leaving port on 26 February 1940, again with Heinrich Liebe in command, for operations in the Western Approaches.[17]
During this patrol, U-38 sank six ships. First sunk was the neutral Irish steam trawler ST Leukos on 9 March, with a single shell at point-blank range off Tory Island, all 11 crew were lost.[18] The Leukos was fishing in the company of British trawlers; it has been speculated that she positioned herself between the surfacing U-boat and the fleeing British in the belief that her neutral markings would protect her.[19] This event was followed by the sinking of the Danish motor freighters SS Argentina on 17 March and the SS Algier and SS Christiansborg on 21 March. The Norwegian motor freighter MV Cometa was sunk on 26 March. The sixth and final ship sunk during this third patrol was the Finnish steam freighter SS Signe on 2 April. After nearly six weeks on the high seas, U-38 returned home again to Wilhelmshaven on 5 April 1940.[17]
[edit] 4th Patrol
U-38 left its home port of Wilhelmshaven with Heinrich Liebe in command on 8 April 1940. U-38 would patrol the waters off of Norway, supporting the occupation of Norway by Nazi troops. During this patrol, U-38 reported problems with its torpedoes, as the HMS Effingham was fired upon with no damage taken. U-38 would return to port on 27 April 1940.[20]
There were two naval battles of Narvik on 10 April 1940 and 13 April 1940. U-38 and U-65 were positioned at the entrance of the fjord. When the Royal Navy arrived, U-38 fired at HMS Valiant and at HMS Southampton missing both.[21] In the second battle, U-38 fired at HMS Effingham, but the torpedoes pre-matured[22] (exploded before reaching their target).
[edit] 5th Patrol
For her fifth patrol, U-38 would again depart from Wilhelmshaven with Heinrich Liebe in command on June 6. U-38 was to patrol the waters off southern Ireland. During this patrol, Liebe would hit six ships, two of which were sailing in convoy at the time. On June 14, U-38 sank the Greek steam freighter SS Mount Myrto. The next day, U-38 sank two ships, both sailing as part of the HX-47 convoy, sailing from Halifax to England. First sunk was the Canadian steam freighter SS Erik Boye, followed by the Norwegian motor tanker MV Italia. Five days later, June 20, the Swedish steam freighter SS Tilia Gorthon was torpedoed and sunk. The Belgian steam freighter SS Luxembourg was sunk on June 21, followed by the Greek steam freighter SS Neion on the following day. After three weeks at sea, U-38 returned to Wilhelmshaven on July 2, 1940.[23]
During this patrol, U-38 was able to land Walter Simon, a Nazi agent, at Dingle Bay in Ireland on June 12. Not realising that the passenger services of the Tralee and Dingle Light Railway had been closed fourteen months earlier, he asked when the next train to Dublin was. He was arrested and interned in the Curragh Camp for the duration of the war.[24]
[edit] 6th Patrol
U-38 would depart Wilhelmshaven for the last time on 1 August 1940, again with Heinrich Liebe in command. On this month long patrol off the western coast of Ireland, U-38 would hit and sink three ships, all of which were in convoy at the time of attack. On 7 August the Egyptian liner SS Mohamed Ali El-Kebir was sunk while traveling with HX-61, from Halifax to Gibraltar, 320 died.[25] The British steam freighter SS Llanfair was hit and sunk, traveling as part of convoy SL-41 from Sierra Leone to England. The third and final ship hit on the sixth patrol of U-38 was the British steam freighter SS Har Zion, while traveling with the convoy OB-225, from Liverpool to the United States. After his four weeks at sea Liebe returned U-38 to its new home port of Lorient, France on 3 September 1940.[26]
[edit] 7th Patrol
For her first patrol from Lorient, France, and her seventh career patrol, U-38 would again be under the command of Heinrich Liebe. U-38 departed on 25 September, for operations in the Northwest Approaches. She would hit five ships on this patrol, sinking four of them. On 1 October, the British motor freighter MV Highland Patriot was torpedoed and sunk. After two weeks of no victories, U-38 sank the Greek steam freighter SS Aenos on 17 October, sailing as part of convoy SC 7, from Sydney, Nova Scotia to England. The following day, the British steam freighter SS Carsbreck was damaged, but not sunk, while traveling with the convoy SC-7 from Sydney to Grimsby, England. On 19 October, two ships were hit, both sailing as part of the convoy HX 79: the Dutch SS Bilderdijk and the British steam freighter SS Matheran. Following these successes, U-38 returned to Lorient on 24 October 1940.[27]
[edit] 8th Patrol
Again, U-38 would depart Lorient with Liebe in command on 18 December 1940. The eighth war patrol of her career would again involve operations in the Northwest Approaches. During this patrol, U-38 would hit and sink two ships. On 27 December, U-38 sank the British ship SS Waiotira, and on 31 December, she sank the Swedish motor freighter SS Valparaiso, sailing as part of the convoy HX-97 from Halifax to Glasgow. U-38 returned to port on 22 January 1941.[28]
[edit] 9th Patrol
U-38 would spend two and a half months in port, before leaving for operations off the western coast of Africa on 9 April 1941, with Heinrich Liebe yet again in command. This would prove to be U-38's most successful patrol, with the sinking of eight ships. On 4 May, the Swedish steam freighter SS Japan was torpedoed and sunk while traveling with convoy OB-310 from England to the United States. The following day, the British motor freighter MV Queen Maud was torpedoed and sunk. On 23 May, the Dutch motor freighter SS Berhala was sunk while traveling with the Convoy OB 318, from England to America. The British steam freighter SS Vulcain was torpedoed and sunk on 24 May. Six days later, on 29 May, the British steam freighter SS Tabaristan was hit and sunk. The following day another British ship was sunk, the steam freighter SS Empire Protector. On 31 May, the Norwegian steam freighter SS Rinda was torpedoed and sunk as well. The eighth, and final ship sunk during U-38's eighth patrol was the British steam freighter SS Kingston Hill on 8 June. U-38 then returned to Lorient on 29 June 1941, after spending eleven and one half weeks at sea.[29]
[edit] 10th Patrol
For the first time in her career, U-38 would head to sea with a new commander, Kapitän zur See Heinrich Schuch. U-38 left on 6 August, for a five-week patrol in the North Atlantic. During this time one ship was hit, the Panamanian steam freighter SS Longtanker on 18 August. U-38 returned to Lorient on 14 September 1941.[30]
[edit] 11th and 12th Patrols
U-38 would depart from Lorient for the last time on 15 October, again with Heinrich Schuch in command. Her eleventh patrol was to take place in the North Atlantic. During a period of five weeks though, not a single ship was hit and U-38 traveled to the German U-boat base in Bergen, Norway on 21 November. She would later depart Bergen on 23 November and arrive in Stettin on 29 November 1941.[31]
[edit] Life after active duty
From December 1941 through November 1943, U-38 was used as a training boat in the 24th U-boat Flotilla and the 21st U-boat Flotilla. After serving for two years as a training boat, U-38 was used as a testing boat, until she was scuttled by her crew on 5 May 1945.[2]
[edit] Raiding career
During her service in the German Kriegsmarine, U-38 sank 35 commercial ships for 188,967 GRT, and damaged another commercial ship for 3,670 GRT.[5]
| Date[5] | Ship[5] | Nationality[5] | Tonnage[5] | Fate[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 September 1939 | Manaar |  British |
7,242 | sunk at 38°28′N 10°50′W / 38.467°N 10.833°W |
| 11 September 1939 | Inverliffey  [notes 1][9] |
British |
9,456 | sunk at 48°14′N 11°48′W / 48.233°N 11.8°W |
| 7 December 1939 | Thomas Walton | British |
4,460 | sunk at 67°52′N 14°28′E / 67.867°N 14.467°E |
| 11 December 1939 | Garoufalia |  Greek |
4,708 | sunk at 64°36′N 10°42′E / 64.6°N 10.7°E |
| 13 December 1939 | Deptford | British |
4,101 | sunk at 62°15′N 05°08′E / 62.25°N 5.133°E |
| 9 March 1940 | Leukos | Irish |
216 | sunk at 55°20′N 08°45′W / 55.333°N 8.75°W |
| 17 March 1940 | Argentina |  Danish |
5,375 | sunk at 60°47′N 00°30′W / 60.783°N 0.5°W |
| 21 March 1940 | Algier | Danish |
1,654 | sunk at 60°17′N 02°49′W / 60.283°N 2.817°W |
| 21 March 1940 | Christiansborg | Danish |
3,270 | sunk at 60°17′N 02°49′W / 60.283°N 2.817°W |
| 26 March 1940 | Cometa |  Norwegian |
3,794 | sunk at 60°06′N 04°36′W / 60.1°N 4.6°W |
| 2 April 1940 | Signe |  Finnish |
1,540 | sunk at 58°52′N 01°31′W / 58.867°N 1.517°W |
| 14 June 1940 | Mount Myrto | Greek |
5,403 | sunk at 50°03′N 10°05′W / 50.05°N 10.083°W |
| 15 June 1940 | Erik Boye |  Canadian |
2,238 | sunk at 50°37′N 08°44′W / 50.617°N 8.733°W |
| 15 June 1940 | Italia | Norwegian |
9,973 | sunk at 50°37′N 08°44′W / 50.617°N 8.733°W |
| 20 June 1940 | Tilia Gorthon |  Swedish |
1,776 | sunk at 48°32′N 06°20′W / 48.533°N 6.333°W |
| 21 June 1940 | Luxembourg |  Belgian |
5,809 | sunk at 47°25′N 04°55′W / 47.417°N 4.917°W |
| 22 June 1940 | Neion | Greek |
5,154 | sunk at 47°09′N 04°17′W / 47.15°N 4.283°W |
| 7 August 1940 | Mohamed Ali El-Kebir | British |
7,529 | sunk at 55°22′N 13°18′W / 55.367°N 13.3°W |
| 11 August 1940 | Llanfair | British |
4,966 | sunk at 54°48′N 13°46′W / 54.8°N 13.767°W |
| 31 August 1940 | Har Zion | British |
2,508 | sunk at 56°20′N 10°00′W / 56.333°N 10°W |
| 1 October 1940 | Highland Patriot | British |
14,172 | sunk at 52°20′N 19°04′W / 52.333°N 19.067°W |
| 17 October 1940 | Aenos | Greek |
3,554 | sunk at 59°00′N 13°00′W / 59°N 13°W |
| 18 October 1940 | Carsbreck | British |
3,670 | damaged at 36°20′N 10°50′W / 36.333°N 10.833°W |
| 19 October 1940 | Bilderdijk |  Dutch |
6,856 | sunk at 56°35′N 17°15′W / 56.583°N 17.25°W |
| 19 October 1940 | Matheran | British |
7,653 | sunk at 57°00′N 17°00′W / 57°N 17°W |
| 27 December 1940 | Waiotira | British |
12,823 | sunk at 58°10′N 16°56′W / 58.167°N 16.933°W |
| 31 December 1940 | Valparaiso | Swedish |
3,760 | sunk at 60°01′N 23°00′W / 60.017°N 23°W |
| 4 May 1941 | Japan | Swedish |
5,230 | sunk at 09°50′N 17°50′W / 9.833°N 17.833°W |
| 5 May 1940 | Queen Maud | British |
4,976 | sunk at 07°54′N 16°41′W / 7.9°N 16.683°W |
| 23 May 1940 | Berhala | Dutch |
6,622 | sunk at 09°50′N 17°50′W / 9.833°N 17.833°W |
| 24 May 1941 | Vulcain | British |
4,362 | sunk at 09°20′N 15°35′W / 9.333°N 15.583°W |
| 29 May 1941 | Tabaristan | British |
6,251 | sunk at 06°32′N 15°23′W / 6.533°N 15.383°W |
| 30 May 1941 | Empire Protector | British |
6,181 | sunk at 06°00′N 14°25′W / 6°N 14.417°W |
| 31 May 1941 | Rinda | Norwegian |
6,029 | sunk at 06°52′N 15°14′W / 6.867°N 15.233°W |
| 8 June 1941 | Kingston Hill | British |
7,628 | sunk at 09°35′N 29°40′W / 9.583°N 29.667°W |
| 18 August 1941 | Longtaker |  Panamanian |
1,700 | sunk at 61°25′N 30°50′W / 61.417°N 30.833°W |
[edit] References
- Notes
- ^ While the Inverliffey was a British vessel, she was flying the flag of Ireland the day that she was sunk.
- References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "U-38 Type IXA". ubootwaffe.net. http://ubootwaffe.net/ops/boat.cgi?boat=38. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-38". German U-boats of WWII. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/u38.htm. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Type IXA". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/types/ixa.htm. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ "Type IX U-Boat". German U-boat. Uboataces.com. http://www.uboataces.com/uboat-type-ix.shtml. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-38". WWII U-boat successes. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/successes/u38.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Most Successful U-boats". U-boat Operations. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/ops/successful_boats.htm. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ^ Blair, page 82.
- ^ NAVAL-HISTORY.NET. "The George Cross at Sea". http://www.naval-history.net/WW2MedalsBr-GC.htm#turn. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ a b "Dáil Éireann – Volume 77". Sinking of Ships. Parliamentary Debates. 27 September 1939. http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0077/D.0077.193909270020.html. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (First patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_264.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ "Inverliffey". Allied Ships hit by U-boats. uboat.net. http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/16.html. Retrieved 2009-08-23.
- ^ Visser, Auke. "International Esso Tankers". Early War Incident. http://www.aukevisser.nl/inter/id522.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Second patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_265.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Philbin III (1994) p. 95
- ^ a b Philbin III (1994) p. 96
- ^ a b c Philbin III (1994) p. 97
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Third patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_266.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Boyle, Sean, Leukos blown out of the water Journal of the Maritime Institute of Ireland Spring 1987
- ^ "Steam Trawler Leukos". Remember. Maritime Institute of Ireland. http://www.mariner.ie/history/remember/kenneth-king-paintings/leukos. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Fourth patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_267.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Blair, page 150
- ^ Blair, page 155
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Fith patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_268.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Hull, Mark (2003). Irish Secrets. Irish Academic Press. pp. 110. ISBN 0716527561.
- ^ Blair, page 180
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Sixth patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_269.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Seventh patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_270.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Eighth patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_271.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Ninth patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_272.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Tenth patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_273.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-38 (Eleventh patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_274.html. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- Bibliography
- Philbin III, Tobias R., The Lure of Neptune: German-Soviet Naval Collaboration and Ambitions, 1919 – 1941, University of South Carolina Press, 1994, ISBN 0872499928
- Blair, Clay (1996). Hitler's U-Boat War. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 0297840762.
[edit] External links
- u-boot-archiv.de webpage for U-38 (German)
[edit] See also
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