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| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-58 |
| Ordered | 17 June 1937 |
| Builder | Deutsche Werke AG,Kiel |
| Yard number | 257 |
| Laid down | 29 September 1937 |
| Launched | 12 October 1938 |
| Commissioned | 4 February 1939 |
| Fate | Scuttled at Kiel, 3 May 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type IIC coastal submarine |
| Type | Coastal submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in) |
| Draught | 3.82 m (12 ft 6 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 22 men |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 11 081 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | |
German submarineU-58 was aType IICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine that served in theSecond World War. She was produced byDeutsche Werke AG,Kiel. Ordered on 17 June 1937, she waslaid down on 29 September as yard number 257. She waslaunched on 12 October 1938 andcommissioned on 4 February 1939 under the command ofOberleutnant zur See Herbert Kuppisch.
German Type IIC submarines were enlarged versions of the originalType IIs.U-58 had a displacement of 291 tonnes (286 long tons) when at the surface and 341 tonnes (336 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (254 t), however.[3] The U-boat had a total length of 43.90 m (144 ft 0 in), apressure hull length of 29.60 m (97 ft 1 in), abeam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in), and adraught of 3.82 m (12 ft 6 in). The submarine was powered by twoMWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinderdiesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, twoSiemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36double-acting electric motors producing a total of 410 metric horsepower (300 kW; 400 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft)propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).[3]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).U-58 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes at the bow, fivetorpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of 25.[3]
U-58 was initially assigned to the5th U-boat Flotilla during her training period, until 31 December 1939, when she was reassigned to the1st U-boat Flotilla for a front-line combat role.U-58 carried out twelve war patrols, sinking seven ships for a total 24,549 gross register tons (GRT).[1]
U-58, along withU-57, were both used for testing a new flooding valveschnorchel head during August 1943, that Deutsche Werke had constructed in June. For the test the schnorchel replaced the aftperiscope. The initial trial was successful and a collapsible schnorchel forward of the bridge was envisaged for Type VIIC boats.[4]
U-58's first three patrols, completed during her workup and training period, were uneventful cruises in theNorth Sea. No ships were attacked during this period.
The submarine's luck changed for the better on New Year's Day 1940. The (neutral) Swedish steam merchant shipLars Magnus Trozelli (1,951 GRT) was hit with a single torpedo and sunk at58°14′N01°36′W / 58.233°N 1.600°W /58.233; -1.600. Two days later the 2,475 GRTSvartön, also Swedish flagged, was sunk at57°48′N01°47′W / 57.800°N 1.783°W /57.800; -1.783 while traveling with convoy HN-6.
U-58's fifth patrol was really only a six-day transit from Kiel toWilhelmshaven. Her sixth patrol began from the latter port on 27 January 1940. On 3 February, at 09.36 hours, the only success of this patrol occurred when the small 815 GRT Estonian merchantmanReet was sunk with a single torpedo. Two previous shots earlier in the day had missed their mark (02.15 and 04.52 hours respectively). There were no survivors.
The U-boat's seventh patrol was an unsuccessful 34-day foray in the waters between Scotland and Norway. The boat returned to Kiel on 3 May 1940.
An eighth patrol into the North Sea wasU-58's most successful in terms of tonnage destroyed, however all 8,401 GRT credited for this patrol comprised a single ship, the British Boom Defense VesselHMS Astronomer, which was sunk at58°01′N02°12′W / 58.017°N 2.200°W /58.017; -2.200 by three torpedo hits (two of which were coups de grâce). 101 of the 105 souls aboard survived to be picked up by other Royal Navy vessels.
The veteran submarine's ninth patrol saw her headed for a new home port inLorient, France. Command was assumed byOblt.z.S.Heinrich Schonder, who remained in charge of the boat for the rest of her career. Along the way, the 1,591 GRT Norwegian steam merchantGyda was sunk by a single torpedo. This was a rather bold attack, given that the ship was being escorted by aSunderland flying boat, a well known U-boat killer. The merchant vessel sank in less than a minute at55°50′N09°00′W / 55.833°N 9.000°W /55.833; -9.000.
Departing Lorient on 29 July 1940,U-58 headed north toward Ireland, where she sank the 4,360 GRT Greek merchant shipPindos (a straggler from convoy SL-40), on 4 August with two torpedoes. The ship capsized to port before sinking at55°22′N08°50′W / 55.367°N 8.833°W /55.367; -8.833; however, 29 of the 32 crew escaped in lifeboats. The patrol terminated at Lorient on 12 August 1940.
The U-boat's eleventh patrol was uneventful and she was transferred to a new home port,Bergen in Norway. En route, she attacked and sank the 4,956 GRT British merchantmanConfield, a straggler from convoy HX 76. Although not sunk by the torpedo hit, the abandoned derelict was later shelled and sunk by the British sloopWeston.
U-58 departed Bergen on 14 October 1940 for her final patrol, a transit back to Kiel. There she was transferred to the 22nd U-boat flotilla for service as a training boat. She remained in this role under various commanders for the rest of the war. She was eventually scuttled at Kiel on 3 May 1945 to keep her out of the hands of the advancing Allies. The wreck was subsequently raised andbroken up for scrap.
| Date | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate and location[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 1940 | Lars Magnus Trozelli |  Sweden | 1,951 | Sunk at58°14′N01°36′W / 58.233°N 1.600°W /58.233; -1.600 |
| 3 January 1940 | Svartön | Sweden | 2,475 | Sunk at57°48′N01°47′W / 57.800°N 1.783°W /57.800; -1.783 |
| 3 February 1940 | Reet |  Estonia | 815 | Sunk |
| 1 June 1940 | HMSAstronomer |  Royal Navy | 8,401 | Sunk at58°01′N02°12′W / 58.017°N 2.200°W /58.017; -2.200 |
| 18 July 1940 | Gyda |  Norway | 1,591 | Sunk at55°50′N09°00′W / 55.833°N 9.000°W /55.833; -9.000 |
| 4 August 1940 | Pindos |  Greece | 4,360 | Sunk at55°22′N08°50′W / 55.367°N 8.833°W /55.367; -8.833 |
| 8 October 1940 | Confield |  United Kingdom | 4,956 | Sunk |
