German submarine U-107 (1940)

Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine:; 2nd U-boat Flotilla
Commanders:	KrvKpt. Günther Hessler; (October 1940–December 1941); Kptlt. Harald Gelhaus; (December 1941–June 1943); Kptlt. Volker Simmermacher; (July 1943–August 1944); Ltn. Karl-Heinz Fritz; (August 1944)
Operations:	16 patrols
Victories:	37 ships sunk for a total of 207,375 gross register tons (GRT); Two auxiliary warships sunk for a total of 10,411 GRT; Three ships damaged for a total of 17,392 GRT; One auxiliary warship (USS Rapidan) of 8,246 GRT damaged

German submarine U-107 (1940)
German submarine U-107 (1940)
	U-107 at Lorient in November 1941
Name:	U-107
Ordered:	24 May 1938
Builder:	AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number:	970
Laid down:	6 December 1939
Launched:	2 July 1940
Commissioned:	8 October 1940
Homeport:	Lorient, France
Fate:	Sunk, 18 August 1944
General characteristics
Class & type:	Type IXB U-boat
Displacement:	Surfaced 1,051 tons tons; submerged 1,178 tons
Length:	Overall 76.5 m (251 ft 0 in); pressure hull 58.7 m (192 ft 7 in)
Beam:	Overall 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in); pressure hull 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Draught:	4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:	Diesel/Electric, 2x MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9 cylinder diesel engines, 4,400 hp (3,300kW), 2xSSW GU345/34 double acting electric motors, 1000 hp (740kW)
Speed:	Surfaced 33.7 km/h (18.2 knots); submerged 13.5 km/h (7.3 knots)
Range:	Surfaced: 22,200 km (12,000 nmi) at 19 km/h (10 knots); submerged: 118 km (64 nmi)) at 7 km/h (4 knots)
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	48 to 56 officers and ratings
Armament:	6 x 53.3cm Torpedo tubes: four bow, two stern (22 torpedoes); 1 x 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun with 110 rounds;

For other ships of the same name, see German submarine U-107.

German submarine U-107 was a Type IXB U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. Between January 1941 and August 1944, it sailed on 16 active patrols at a time when a U-boat averaged a lifespan of seven to 10 patrols. During that time, U-107 sank 39 Allied ships, in addition to damaging another four ships. It was launched on 2 July 1940, based at the U-boat port of Lorient, with a crew of 53 under the initial command of Günther Hessler. It was later commanded, in order, by Harald Gelhaus, Valker Simmermacher and its final commander, Karl Heinz Fritz.[1]

Combat actions

First patrol

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Convoy	Position
3 February 1941	Empire Citizen	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	4,683	Convoy OB 279	58°12′N 23°22′W / 58.2°N 23.367°W / 58.2; -23.367
3 February 1941	Crispin	Royal Navy	5,051	Convoy OB 279	56°38′N 20°05′W / 56.633°N 20.083°W / 56.633; -20.083
6 February 1941	Maplecourt	Canada	3,388	Convoy SC 20	57°33′N 17°24′W / 57.55°N 17.4°W / 57.55; -17.4
23 February 1941	SS Manistee	Royal Navy	5,360	Convoy OB 288	58°13′N 21°33′W / 58.217°N 21.55°W / 58.217; -21.55

Second patrol and most successful period

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Convoy	Position
8 April 1941	Helena Margareta	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	3,316	Convoy OG 57	33°00′N 23°52′W / 33°N 23.867°W / 33; -23.867
8 April 1941	Eskdene	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	3,829	Convoy OG 57	34°43′N 24°21′W / 34.717°N 24.35°W / 34.717; -24.35
9 April 1941	Harpathian	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	4,671	Convoy OG 57	32°22′N 22°53′W / 32.367°N 22.883°W / 32.367; -22.883
9 April 1941	Duffield	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	8,516	Convoy OG 57	31°13′N 23°24′W / 31.217°N 23.4°W / 31.217; -23.4
21 April 1941	Calchas	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	10,305		23°50′N 27°00′W / 23.833°N 27°W / 23.833; -27
30 April 1941	Lassell	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	7,417	Convoy OB 309	12°55′N 28°56′W / 12.917°N 28.933°W / 12.917; -28.933
17 May 1941	Marisa	Netherlands	8,029		06°10′N 18°09′W / 6.167°N 18.15°W / 6.167; -18.15
18 May 1941	Piako	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	8,286		07°52′N 14°57′W / 7.867°N 14.95°W / 7.867; -14.95
27 May 1941	Colonial	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	5,108	Convoy OB 318	09°13′N 15°09′W / 9.217°N 15.15°W / 9.217; -15.15
28 May 1941	Papalemos	Greece	3,748		08°06′N 16°18′W / 8.1°N 16.3°W / 8.1; -16.3
31 May 1941	Sire	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	5,664		08°50′N 15°30′W / 8.833°N 15.5°W / 8.833; -15.5
1 June 1941	Alfred Jones	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	5,013	Convoy OB 320	08°00′N 15°00′W / 8°N 15°W / 8; -15
8 June 1941	Adda	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	7,816	Convoy OB 323	08°30′N 14°39′W / 8.5°N 14.65°W / 8.5; -14.65
13 June 1941	Pandias	Greece	4,981		07°49′N 23°28′W / 7.817°N 23.467°W / 7.817; -23.467

Third Patrol

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Convoy	Position
24 September 1941	Dixcove	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	3,790	Convoy SL 87	31°12′N 23°41′W / 31.2°N 23.683°W / 31.2; -23.683
24 September 1941	Lafian	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	4,876	Convoy SL 87	31°12′N 23°32′W / 31.2°N 23.533°W / 31.2; -23.533
24 September 1941	John Holt	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	4,975	Convoy SL 87	31°12′N 23°32′W / 31.2°N 23.533°W / 31.2; -23.533

Fifth Patrol

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Convoy	Position
31 January 1942	San Arcadio	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	7,419		38°10′N 63°50′W / 38.167°N 63.833°W / 38.167; -63.833
6 February 1942	Major Wheeler	United States	3,431		E of Cape Hatteras
21 February 1942	Egda	Norway	10,068	Convoy ON 65	41°12′N 52°55′W / 41.2°N 52.917°W / 41.2; -52.917 Damaged

Sixth Patrol

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Position
29 May 1942	Western Head	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	2,599	19°57′N 74°18′W / 19.95°N 74.3°W / 19.95; -74.3
1 June 1942	Bushranger	Panama	4,536	18°15′N 81°25′W / 18.25°N 81.417°W / 18.25; -81.417
7 June 1942	Castilla	Honduras	3,910	20°15′N 83°18′W / 20.25°N 83.3°W / 20.25; -83.3
8 June 1942	Suwied	United States	3,249	20°00′N 84°48′W / 20°N 84.8°W / 20; -84.8
10 June 1942	Merrimack	United States	2,606	19°47′N 85°55′W / 19.783°N 85.917°W / 19.783; -85.917
19 June 1942	Cheerio	United States	35	18°02′N 67°40′W / 18.033°N 67.667°W / 18.033; -67.667
26 June 1942	Jagersfontein	Netherlands	10,083	31°56′N 54°48′W / 31.933°N 54.8°W / 31.933; -54.8

Eighth Patrol

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Position
3 September 1942	Hollinside	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	4,172	38°00′N 09°00′W / 38°N 9°W / 38; -9
3 September 1942	Penrose	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	4,393	38°00′N 09°00′W / 38°N 9°W / 38; -9
7 October 1942	Andalucia Star	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	14,943	06°38′N 15°46′W / 6.633°N 15.767°W / 6.633; -15.767

Ninth Patrol

4 March 1943, came under attack from an unidentified Allied aircraft.

Moderately damaged by the attack.

22 March 1943 at 14:35 it came under attack from another unidentified Allied aircraft

Undamaged

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Convoy	Position
22 February 1943	Roxborough Castle	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	7,801		38°12′N 26°22′W / 38.2°N 26.367°W / 38.2; -26.367
13 March 1943	Oporto	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	2,352	Convoy OS 44	42°45′N 13°31′W / 42.75°N 13.517°W / 42.75; -13.517
13 March 1943	Marcella	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	4,592	Convoy OS 44	42°45′N 13°31′W / 42.75°N 13.517°W / 42.75; -13.517
13 March 1943	Sembilangan	Netherlands	4,990	Convoy OS 44	42°45′N 13°31′W / 42.75°N 13.517°W / 42.75; -13.517
13 March 1943	SS Clan Alpine	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	5,442	Convoy OS 44	42°45′N 13°31′W / 42.75°N 13.517°W / 42.75; -13.517

Tenth Patrol

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Convoy	Position
1 May 1943	Port Victor	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	12,411		47°49′N 22°02′W / 47.817°N 22.033°W / 47.817; -22.033

Eleventh Patrol

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Convoy	Position
28 August 1943	SS Albert Gallatin	United States	7,176		Off Savannah, Georgia Damaged
11 September 1943	USS Rapidan (AO-18)	United States Navy	8,246	Convoy NG 385	32°39′N 79°43′W / 32.65°N 79.717°W / 32.65; -79.717 Damaged

Fifteenth Patrol

Date	Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Convoy	Position
13 June 1944	Lark	United States	148		43°00′N 65°12′W / 43°N 65.2°W / 43; -65.2 Damaged

Sixteenth and final patrol

On 16 August 1944, U-107 departed on active patrol. It was intercepted on 18 August in the Bay of Biscay, west of La Rochelle, in position 46°46′N 03°49′W / 46.767°N 3.817°W / 46.767; -3.817Coordinates: 46°46′N 03°49′W / 46.767°N 3.817°W / 46.767; -3.817, by Allied forces, and was sunk by depth charges from Short Sunderland EJ150 (coded NS-W) of No. 201 Squadron, Royal Air Force. All 58 hands were lost.^[3]^[4]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to U-107.

Notes

↑ Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed, German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. 1997. p. 210. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3
↑ Campbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two ISBN 0-87021-459-4 pp.248&249
↑ "The Type IXB boat U-107 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/u107.htm. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
↑ Landers, Brian. "Caught on the Surface". Cudham: Kelsey Publishing. pp. 16–22. ISSN 0143-7240.

Bibliography

This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).

[1] Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed, German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. 1997. p. 210. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3

[2] Campbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two ISBN 0-87021-459-4 pp.248&249

[3] "The Type IXB boat U-107 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/u107.htm. Retrieved 22 February 2010.

[Aeroplane0412-4] Landers, Brian. "Caught on the Surface". Cudham: Kelsey Publishing. pp. 16–22. ISSN 0143-7240.

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v t e German Type IXB submarine
U-64 U-65 U-103 U-104 U-105 U-106 *U-107* U-108 U-109 U-110 U-111 U-122 U-123 U-124
Preceded by: Type IXA Followed by: Type IXC
List of U-boats of Germany