German submarine U-565

German submarine U-565 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 30 March 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 541, launched on 20 February 1941 and commissioned on 10 April 1941 under Oberleutnant Johann Jebsen.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-565
Ordered24 October 1939
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number541
Laid down30 March 1940
Launched20 February 1941
Commissioned10 April 1941
FateScuttled on 30 September 1944 after being earlier bombed by US aircraft on 19 and 24 September 1944 at position 38°00′28″N 23°35′51″E / 38.00778°N 23.59750°E / 38.00778; 23.59750 in the Skaramanga.
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 41 992
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Johann Jebsen
  • 10 April 1941 – 17 March 1942
  • Kptlt. Wilhelm Franken
  • 17 March 1942 – 7 October 1943
  • Kptlt. Fritz Henning
  • 8 October 1943 – 24 September 1944
Operations:
  • 20 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 8 July - 6 August 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 1 September – 7 October 1941
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 3 November – 25 December 1941
  • 4th patrol:
  • 21 January – 17 March 1942
  • 5th patrol:
  • 11 – 30 April 1942
  • 6th patrol:
  • 7 May – 10 June 1942
  • 7th patrol:
  • 9 July – 4 August 1942
  • 8th patrol:
  • a. 16 – 25 August 1942
  • b. 31 August – 4 September 1942
  • 9th patrol:
  • 25 October – 13 November 1942
  • 10th patrol:
  • 23 November 1942 – 1 January 1943
  • 11th patrol:
  • 14 February – 5 March 1943
  • 12th patrol:
  • 8 April – 12 May 1943
  • 13th patrol:
  • 17 June – 23 July 1943
  • 14th patrol:
  • 7 September – 1 October 1943
  • 15th patrol:
  • 23 October – 4 November 1943
  • 16th patrol:
  • 6 – 23 November 1943
  • 17th patrol:
  • 12 – 27 December 1943
  • 18th patrol:
  • 15 February – 7 March 1944
  • 19th patrol:
  • 1 April – 2 May 1944
  • 20th patrol:
  • 26 August – 13 September 1944
Victories:
  • 3 merchant ships sunk
    (11,347 GRT)
  • 2 warships sunk
    (6,990 tons)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (17,565 GRT)

Design

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German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-565 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-565 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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The boat's service began on 10 April 1941 with training as part of the 1st U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 29th flotilla on 1 January 1942 in the Mediterranean where she remained until being scuttled in 1944. In 20 patrols she sank three merchant ships, for a total of 11,347 gross register tons (GRT), plus two warships sunk and another two merchant ships damaged.[3]

Wolfpacks

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She took part in two wolfpacks, namely:

  • Arnauld (5 – 18 November 1941)
  • Wal (10 – 12 November 1942)

Fate

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U-565 was badly damaged by bombs dropped by US aircraft on 19 and 24 September 1944 in the Mediterranean near Skaramanga in Greece. She was scuttled on 30 September 1944 at Skaramanga Bay.

Summary of raiding history

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Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[4]
11 March 1942 HMS Naiad   Royal Navy 5,450 Sunk
23 April 1942 Kirkland   United Kingdom 1,361 Sunk
18 December 1942 HMS Partridge   Royal Navy 1,540 Sunk
24 February 1943 Nathanael Greene   United States 7,176 Damaged
27 February 1943 Seminole   United Kingdom 10,389 Damaged
20 April 1943 Michigan   United States 5,594 Sunk
20 April 1943 Sidi-Bel-Abbès   Free France 4,392 Sunk

See also

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References

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Notes

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

Citations

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  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-565". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. ^ Busch & Röll 1999.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-565". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 May 2014.

Bibliography

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  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-565". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 565". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 28 December 2014.