German submarine U-593

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German submarine U-593 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 December 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 569, launched on 3 September 1941 and commissioned on 23 October under Kapitänleutnant Gerd Kelbling.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-593
Ordered16 January 1940
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number569
Laid down17 December 1940
Launched3 September 1941
Commissioned23 October 1941
FateSunk on 13 December 1943 at position 37°38′N 05°58′E / 37.633°N 5.967°E / 37.633; 5.967 by US & Royal Navy.
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record[1]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 38 214
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 16 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 2 – 28 March 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 20 April – 18 June 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 22 July – 19 August 1942
  • 4th patrol:
  • 3 – 15 October 1942
  • 5th patrol:
  • 2 – 16 November 1942
  • 6th patrol:
  • 29 November – 31 December 1942
  • 7th patrol:
  • 6 February – 8 March 1943
  • 8th patrol:
  • 13 – 21 March 1943
  • 9th patrol:
  • 25 March – 4 April 1943
  • 10th patrol:
  • a. 8 – 23 April 1943
  • b. 24 – 28 April 1943
  • 11th patrol:
  • 13 June – 11 July 1943
  • 12th patrol:
  • 27 July – 8 August 1943
  • 13th patrol:
  • 15 September – 5 October 1943
  • 14th patrol:
  • 26 October – 7 November 1943
  • 15th patrol:
  • 25 – 29 November 1943
  • 16th patrol:
  • 1 – 13 December 1943
Victories:
  • 9 merchant ships sunk
    (38,290 GRT)
  • 4 warships sunk
    (2,954 tons)
  • 1 merchant ship total loss
    (8,426 GRT)
  • 1 warship total loss
    (1,625 tons)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (4,853 GRT)
  • 2 warship damaged
    (1,677 tons)

The boat's service began on 23 October 1941 with training as part of the 8th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 7th flotilla on 1 March 1942 and moved on to the 29th flotilla on 1 November.

Design

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German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-593 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-593 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

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U-593 made 16 patrols between March 1942 and December 1943, and sank 13 ships, for a total of 38,290 GRT and 2,954 tons. She made three patrols in the Atlantic from her base in Germany and from St Nazaire in occupied France, and sank three ships. She briefly clashed with British forces on their way to the St Nazaire Raid in March 1942. In October U-593 transferred to the Mediterranean and from various bases there made a further 13 patrols, sinking 8 merchant ships and 4 naval vessels, before being sunk in December 1943.[3]

Fate

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U-593 departed Toulon on 1 December 1943 for her 16th war patrol. On 12 December she intercepted convoy KMS 34, outbound from Gibraltar, off the coast of Algeria. Making an attack she hit the escorting destroyer Tynedale, but was pursued by other escorts who engaged in a Swamp operation. During the 32 hour hunt U-593 torpedoed Holcombe, one of her pursuers, but was caught by the destroyers Wainwright and Calpe off Bougie, Algeria. In the afternoon of 13 December she was forced to the surface with depth charges and abandoned. All her crew escaped, and were picked up by the Allied ships.[4][5][6][Note 1]

Wolfpacks

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In addition she took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

Summary of raiding history

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Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[7]
14 May 1942 Stavros   Greece 4,853 Damaged
25 May 1942 Persephone   Panama 8,426 Total loss
5 August 1942 Spar   Netherlands 3,616 Sunk
12 November 1942 Browning   United Kingdom 5,332 Sunk
18 March 1943 Dafila   United Kingdom 1,940 Sunk
18 March 1943 Kaying   United Kingdom 2,626 Sunk
27 March 1943 City of Guildford   United Kingdom 5,157 Sunk
11 April 1943 Runo   United Kingdom 1,858 Sunk
22 June 1943 USS LST-333   United States Navy 1,625 Total loss
22 June 1943 USS LST-387   United States Navy 1,625 Damaged
5 July 1943 Devis   United Kingdom 6,054 Sunk
5 July 1943 HMS LCM-1123[Note 3]   Royal Navy 52 Sunk
5 July 1943 HMS LCM-1129[Note 3]   Royal Navy 52 Damaged
21 September 1943 William W. Gerhard   United States 7,176 Sunk
7 September 1943 USS Skill   United States Navy 815 Sunk
3 November 1943 Mont Viso   Free France 4,531 Sunk
12 December 1943 HMS Tynedale   Royal Navy 1,000 Sunk
12 December 1943 HMS Holcombe   Royal Navy 1,087 Sunk

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ The position of her sinking is given variously as 37°58′N 05°58′E / 37.967°N 5.967°E / 37.967; 5.967 (Kemp) and 37°38′N 05°58′E / 37.633°N 5.967°E / 37.633; 5.967 (Niestle)
  2. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  3. ^ a b Being carried by Devis.

Citations

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  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-593". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. ^ U-593: war patrols at uboat.net; retrieved 20 January 2021
  4. ^ Blair p.457
  5. ^ Kemp p.161
  6. ^ Niestle p.73
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-593". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 April 2014.

Bibliography

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  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-593". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 593". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 29 December 2014.