German submarine U-50 (1939)
 U-50 in Wilhelmshaven, 2 March 1940 |
|
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-50 |
| Ordered: | 21 November 1936 |
| Builder: | Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number: | 585 |
| Laid down: | 3 November 1938 |
| Launched: | 1 November 1939 |
| Commissioned: | 12 December 1939 |
| Fate: | Sunk, 6 April 1940, in the North Sea north of the Terschelling. 44 dead. |
| 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 |
| Identification codes: | M 00 375 |
| Commanders: | Max-Hermann Bauer |
| Operations: | 2 |
| Victories: | 4 ships sunk for a total of 16.089 gross register tons (GRT) |
German submarine U-50 was a Type VIIB U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Ordered on 21 Novemner 1936 in violation of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, she was laid down as werk 585 at the yards of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft AG in Kiel on 3 November 1938. She was launched on 1 November 1939 and commissioned on 12 December 1939 by Kapitänleutnant Max-Hermann Bauer, who was the sole commander of the ship. In its short career it conducted only two patrols, both serving 7th U-boat Flotilla. In this time it succeeded in sinking four ships totalling 16,089 gross register tons (GRT).
Contents |
[edit] Service History
[edit] First War Patrol
Departing Helgoland on 6 February 1940, U-50 proceeded north of the British Isles. It was here she sighted her first victim at 22.40 hours on 11 February 1940. The neutral Sweedish steam merchant Orania (1,854 GRT) was homeward bound from Argentia with a load of maize, bran, and oil cakes. Despite running fully illuminated, the U-Boat was unable to identify her as neutral and attacked with a single torpedo at 23.54 hours about 65 miles north-northeast of the Shetland Islands. All 24 souls aboard abandoned ship in two lifeboats, but one with fourteen occupants was never seen again. The remaining ten survivors were picked up the next day by HMS Faulknor, transferred to HMS Foxhound, and landed at Lerwick.
In the early morning hours of 15 February 1940, U-50 crossed paths with her second victim, the 4,895 GRT Danish steam merchant Maryland travelling unescorted. The first torpedo, fired at 01.54 hours, detonated prematurely (a common problem early in the war). A second shot at 02.07 hours broke the merchant's back and she sank in seven minutes. All 34 aboard perished; only a wrecked lifeboat was found later, at North Uist.
U-50 travelled south after this encounter and found her third victim, the neutral Dutch steam merchant Tara (4,760 GRT) west of Cape Finisterre. Despite her neutral affiliation, she was travelling without neutrality markings (according to the U-Boat captain's log). The submarine had spotted her at midnight and attacked with a single torpedo at 01.38 hours, which missed. A second torpedo at 02.54 hours found its mark. All hands abandoned ship in two lifeboats as U-50 moved in to deliver a coup de grâce at 03.12 hours. The vessel sank twenty minutes later. One lifeboat made landfall along the Spanish coast. The other was picked up by the Spanish fishing trawler Milin; its occupants were landed at La Coruna.
At 00.20 hours on 22 February 1940, U-50 located convy OGF-19 and torpedoed the 4,580 GRT British tanker British Endeavour about 100 miles west of Vigo. Five were killed in the attack, and the remaining thirty-three (including the ship master) abandoned ship and were picked up by the British merchant Bodnant. The survivors were landed at Funchal, Portugal on 26 February 1940.
The U-Boat terminated this successful patrol at Kiel on 4 March 1940 after 28 days at sea.
[edit] Second War Patrol
U-50's second and final patrol begain 5 April 1940. She departed Kiel and was never heard from again.
[edit] Fate
U-50 ran afoul of a minefield and sank on 6 April 1940 in the North Sea north of the Terschelling. Her exact position is not known, but probably near 51°14′N 05°07′E / 51.233°N 5.117°ECoordinates: 51°14′N 05°07′E / 51.233°N 5.117°E. All 44 sailors were killed.
Mines laid down by Allied destroyers HMS Express, HMS Esk, HMS Icarus, and HMS Impulsive in the North Sea on 3 March 1940 were probably responsible for the destruction of U-50 as well as several other U-boats as they returned to port.
