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German submarine U-32 (1937)
U-32 IWM HU 1011
Pre-war photograph of U-32. Note the boat's number on the conning tower which was erased on the commencement of hostilities
Career War Ensign of Germany 1938-1945
Name: U-32
Ordered: 1 April 1935
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
Cost: 4,189,000 Reichsmark
Yard number: 913
Laid down: 15 March 1936
Launched: 25 February 1937
Commissioned: 15 April 1937
Fate: Sunk, 30 October 1940
General characteristics
Type: Type VIIA submarine
Displacement: 626 tonnes (616 long tons) ↑
745 t (733 long tons) ↓
Length: 64.5 m (211 ft 7 in) o/a
44.5 m (146 ft 0 in) pressure hull
Beam: 5.85 m (19 ft 2 in) o/a
4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draft: 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Propulsion: 2 × MAN 6-cylinder 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines totalling 2,100–2,310 bhp (1,570–1,720 kW). Max rpm: 470-485
2 × Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW). Max rpm: 322
Speed: 17 knots (20 mph; 31 km/h) ↑
8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) ↓
Range: 6,200 nmi (11,500 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h) ↑
73–94 nmi (135–174 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) ↓
Test depth: 220 m (720 ft)
Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement: 42–46 officers and ratings
Armament: • 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
• 11 × torpedoes or 22 TMA mines or 33 TMB mines
• 1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun (220 rounds)
• 1 × C30 20 mm AA
Service record[1][2]
Part of: 2nd U-boat Flotilla
(15 April 1937–30 October 1940)
Identification codes: M 00 459
Commanders: Kptlt. Werner Lott
(15 April 1937–15 August 1937)
KrvKpt. Paul Büchel
(16 August 1937–11 February 1940)
Oblt. Hans Jenisch
(12 February 1940–30 October 1940)
Operations: Nine:
1st patrol:
27 August–1 September 1939
2nd patrol:
5–30 September 1939
3rd patrol: 28 December 1939–22 January 1940
4th patrol:
26 February–23 March 1940
5th patrol:
8–14 May 1940
6th patrol:
3 June–1 July 1940
7th patrol:
15 August–8 September 1940
8th patrol:
18 September–6 October 1940
9th patrol:
24–30 October 1940
Victories: 20 commercial ships sunk (116,836 GRT)
four commercial ships damaged (32,274 GRT)
one warship damaged (8,000 GRT)

German submarine U-32 was a Type VIIA U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Her keel was laid down on 15 March 1936 by AG Weser of Bremen as Werk 913. She was launched on 25 February 1937 and commissioned on 15 April with Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Werner Lott in command. On 15 August 1937, Lott was relieved by Korvettenkapitän (Krv.Kpt.) Paul Büchel and on 12 February 1940 Oberleutnant zur See (Oblt.z.S.) Hans Jenisch took over, he was in charge of the boat until her loss.[1]

Service history[]

U-32 conducted nine patrols, sinking 20 ships, for a total of 116,836 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging five more, totalling 40,274 GRT. On 28 October 1940 U-32, under the command of Hans Jenisch, sank the 42,348-ton liner Empress of Britain, which had been previously damaged by German bombs. Empress was the largest ship sunk by a U-boat.[1]

Fate[]

U-32 was sunk northwest of Ireland, in position 55°37′N 12°19′W / 55.617°N 12.317°W / 55.617; -12.317Coordinates: 55°37′N 12°19′W / 55.617°N 12.317°W / 55.617; -12.317, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Harvester and Highlander on 30 October 1940. Nine of her crew died, 33 survived and were taken prisoner, including Jenisch, who spent six and a half years in British captivity before returning to Germany in June 1947.[1][3]

Summary of raiding history[]

Date Name of Ship Nationality Tonnage Fate[4]
18 September 1939 Kensington Court Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 4,863 Sunk
28 September 1939 Jern Flag of Norway Norway 875 Sunk
5 October 1939 Marwarri Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 8,063 Damaged (mine)
6 October 1939 Lochgoil Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 9,462 Damaged (mine)
31 December 1939 Luna Flag of Norway Norway 959 Sunk
2 March 1940 Lagaholm Flag of Sweden Sweden 2,818 Sunk
18 June 1940 Altair Flag of Norway Norway 1,522 Sunk
18 June 1940 Nuevo Ons Flag of Spain (1938 - 1945) Spain 108 Sunk
18 June 1940 Sálvora Flag of Spain (1938 - 1945) Spain 108 Sunk
19 June 1940 Labud Flag of SFR Yugoslavia Yugoslavia 5,334 Sunk
22 June 1940 Eli Knudsen Flag of Norway Norway 9,026 Sunk
30 August 1940 Chelsea Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 4,804 Sunk
30 August 1940 Mill Hill Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 4,318 Sunk
30 August 1940 Norne Flag of Norway Norway 3,971 Sunk
1 September 1940 HMS Fiji Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 8,000 Damaged
22 September 1940 Collegian Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 7,886 Damaged
25 September 1940 Mabriton Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 6,694 Sunk
26 September 1940 Corrientes Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 6,863 Damaged
26 September 1940 Darcoila Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 4,084 Sunk
26 September 1940 Tancred Flag of Norway Norway 6,094 Sunk
28 September 1940 Empire Ocelot Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 5,759 Sunk
29 September 1940 Bassa Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 5,267 Sunk
30 September 1940 Haulerwijk Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands 3,278 Sunk
2 October 1940 Kayeson Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 4,606 Sunk
28 October 1940 Empress of Britain Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 42,348 Sunk

See also[]

References[]

Notes
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "The Type VIIA boat U-32 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/u32.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-19. 
  2. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-32 - Boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/u32.html. Retrieved 2009-12-19. 
  3. Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed, German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. 1997. p. 67. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3
  4. http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u32/html
Bibliography

External links[]


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