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German submarineU-231

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
German World War II submarine

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-231
Ordered7 December 1940
BuilderGermaniawerft,Kiel
Yard number661
Laid down30 January 1942
Launched1 October 1942
Commissioned14 November 1942
FateSunk on 13 January 1944[1]
General characteristics
Class & typeType VIICsubmarine
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][2]
Part of:
Identification codes:M 50 310
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Wolfgang Wenzel
  • 14 November 1942 – 13 January 1944
Operations:
  • 3 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • a. 13 April – 31 May 1943
  • b. 27 – 29 July 1943
  • c. 23 – 24 September 1943
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 27 September – 22 November 1943
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 26 December – 13 January 1944
Victories:None

German submarineU-231 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.

The submarine waslaid down on 30 January 1942 at theFriedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard atKiel as yard number 661,launched on 1 October, andcommissioned on 14 November under the command ofKapitänleutnant Wolfgang Wenzel.[1]

After training with the5th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel,U-231 was transferred to the3rd U-boat Flotilla on 1 May 1943 which was based atLa Pallice in France, for front-line service. In three war patrols, the U-boat sank or damaged no merchant ships. She was a member of elevenwolfpacks.

U-231 was sunk on 13 January 1944 in the North Atlantic northeast of theAzores by a British aircraft.

Design

[edit]

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-231 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel 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, twoAEG GU 460/8–27double-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).[3]

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).[3] 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-231 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes, one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]

Service history

[edit]

First patrol

[edit]

U-231 departedKiel on 13 April 1943. On the 22nd, she was attacked on two occasions byCatalina aircraft ofNo. 190 Squadron RAF. Both attacks caused no damage, although a man was lost overboard during the first. She was then attacked on the 23rd (twice), the first of which resulted in a floodedconning tower. She was also attacked on 21 May by AmericanAvenger aircraft from the carrierUSS Bogue. The result was a chlorine gas leak and both radio transmitters being knocked out and the boat returnedLa Pallice in occupied France on 31 May.

Second patrol

[edit]

This foray commenced fromBordeaux, took her to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and terminated in La Pallice.

Third patrol and loss

[edit]

U-231 was sunk northeast of theAzores bydepth charges from a RAFVickers Wellington of172 Squadron on 13 January 1944. Seven men died, there were 47 survivors.

Wolfpacks

[edit]

U-231 took part in elevenwolfpacks, namely:

  • Star (27 April - 4 May 1943)
  • Fink (4 – 6 May 1943)
  • Elbe (7 – 10 May 1943)
  • Elbe 1 (10 – 14 May 1943)
  • Mosel (19 – 22 May 1943)
  • Schlieffen (14 – 22 October 1943)
  • Siegfried (22 – 27 October 1943)
  • Siegfried 1 (27 – 30 October 1943)
  • Körner (30 October - 2 November 1943)
  • Borkum (1 – 3 January 1944)
  • Borkum 3 (3 – 13 January 1944)

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcHelgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-231".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved26 July 2012.
  2. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."War Patrols by German U-boat U-231".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved26 July 2012.
  3. ^abcdGröner 1991, pp. 43–46.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999).German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999).Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler.ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991).U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Kemp, Paul (1999).U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour.ISBN 1-85409-515-3.

External links

[edit]
  • Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-231".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved26 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus."U 231".Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved26 December 2014.
Type VIIA
Type VIIB
Type VIIC
Type VIIC/41
Type VIID
Type VIIF
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in January 1944
Shipwrecks
Other incidents
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