Hartmann's wolfpack
Encyclopedia
Hartmann’s wolfpack was a formation of the German
Navy
in World War II
, a "wolfpack" of U-boat
s that operated during the early stages of the Battle of the Atlantic.
during the Second World War in its wolfpack tactic against allied convoy
s. Its operations were in October 1939, during the earliest stage of the Atlantic campaign.
The name "Hartmann" was unofficial, taken from that of its commander, Werner Hartmann
. Unlike later packs which had specific code names this formation was left without an official designation.
The original intent of the U-boat Command (BdU
) was to organize two packs of five boats each; one composed of Type VIIB’s
from 7th ("Wegener") flotilla and the other of the larger Type IX’s
of 6th ("Hundius") flotilla.
In the event, several boats were unavailable, so the operation was adjusted to form a single pack comprised six boats. This arrangement meant forming a unit of different type of vessel, who had not previously operated together. The whole force was commanded by Hartmann, flotilla commander of the Hundius flotilla.
. The last boat, , which was delayed in departing, was ordered to take the southabout route through the Channel
; this was more dangerous, but was deemed practicable.
In the event U–40 became trapped by the Allies' Channel defences, the Dover Barrage; on 13 October she struck a mine and was destroyed.
The remaining five boats under Hartmann’s command took station in the Western Approaches. The German signals intelligence branch, B-Dienst
, which had penetrated British naval codes, was able to give notice of a convoy (KJF 3) from the Caribbean
and BdU instructed the pack to intercept.
Three boats found the convoy and attacked, while a fourth failed to make contact. The fifth, , met a freighter sailing independently; she attacked, but was counter-attacked by two destroyers that came to the scene and was destroyed.
The attack on KJF 3 was an ad hoc affair (Blair describes it as "an uncoordinated free for all"); though four ships were sunk, one of the attacking boats, was destroyed by the convoy escorts.
A second convoy, HG 3 from Gibraltar
, was detected by B-dienst and Hartmann’s boats were again ordered to intercept. made contact and shadowed while the other two closed. The attack sank three ships without loss to the attackers.
Following this the boats were relieved, and returned home.
The original pack tactic envisaged that command and co-ordination would be exercised at sea; however while this had worked on exercise in the Baltic
and North Sea
s it was unworkable in the wider reaches of the Atlantic. Hartman reported it was impossible to maintain an overview of the situation from his U-boat in the midst of the ocean and equally impossible to maintain contact with his charges.
The experience was also soured by the continuing torpedo problems that the U-boat Arm suffered during the first years of the conflict.
Following this, wolfpack tactics were shelved until the following year, when they were tried again with more success during the so-called "Happy Time".
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Navy
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a "wolfpack" of U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s that operated during the early stages of the Battle of the Atlantic.
Background
Hartmann’s wolfpack was the first essay by the German NavyKriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
during the Second World War in its wolfpack tactic against allied convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s. Its operations were in October 1939, during the earliest stage of the Atlantic campaign.
The name "Hartmann" was unofficial, taken from that of its commander, Werner Hartmann
Werner Hartmann
Captain Werner Hartmann was a German U-boat commander in World War II. He sank 26 ships, amounting to over 115,000 tons sunk, ranking him as the 25th most successful commander in the war.-Career:...
. Unlike later packs which had specific code names this formation was left without an official designation.
The original intent of the U-boat Command (BdU
BDU
The abbreviation BDU may refer to:*Battle Dress Uniform, United States' combat uniforms.*Befehlshaber der U-Boote , commander-in-chief of Germany's submarine fleets in WW-II.*FAA location identifier for Boulder Municipal Airport...
) was to organize two packs of five boats each; one composed of Type VIIB’s
German Type VII submarine
Type VII U-boats were the most common type of German World War II U-boat. The Type VII was based on earlier German submarine designs going back to the World War I Type UB III, designed through the Dutch dummy company Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw den Haag which was set up by Germany after...
from 7th ("Wegener") flotilla and the other of the larger Type IX’s
German Type IX submarine
The Type IX U-boat was designed by Germany in 1935 and 1936 as a large ocean-going submarine for sustained operations far from the home support facilities. Type IX boats were briefly used for patrols off the eastern United States in an attempt to disrupt the stream of troops and supplies bound for...
of 6th ("Hundius") flotilla.
In the event, several boats were unavailable, so the operation was adjusted to form a single pack comprised six boats. This arrangement meant forming a unit of different type of vessel, who had not previously operated together. The whole force was commanded by Hartmann, flotilla commander of the Hundius flotilla.
Operations
The first five boats sailed independently in October 1939 from bases in NW Germany, sailing northabout around the coast of Scotland in order to reach the Western ApproachesWestern Approaches
The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. The rectangle is higher than it is wide, the north and south boundaries defined by the north and south ends of the British Isles, the eastern boundary lying on the western coast, and the...
. The last boat, , which was delayed in departing, was ordered to take the southabout route through the Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
; this was more dangerous, but was deemed practicable.
In the event U–40 became trapped by the Allies' Channel defences, the Dover Barrage; on 13 October she struck a mine and was destroyed.
The remaining five boats under Hartmann’s command took station in the Western Approaches. The German signals intelligence branch, B-Dienst
B-Dienst
The B-Dienst was a German naval codebreaking organisation. During World War II, B-Dienst solved British Naval Cypher No. 3, providing intelligence for the Battle of the Atlantic, until the British Admiralty introduced Naval Cypher No. 5 on 10 June 1943. B-Dienst also solved a number of merchant...
, which had penetrated British naval codes, was able to give notice of a convoy (KJF 3) from the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and BdU instructed the pack to intercept.
Three boats found the convoy and attacked, while a fourth failed to make contact. The fifth, , met a freighter sailing independently; she attacked, but was counter-attacked by two destroyers that came to the scene and was destroyed.
The attack on KJF 3 was an ad hoc affair (Blair describes it as "an uncoordinated free for all"); though four ships were sunk, one of the attacking boats, was destroyed by the convoy escorts.
A second convoy, HG 3 from Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, was detected by B-dienst and Hartmann’s boats were again ordered to intercept. made contact and shadowed while the other two closed. The attack sank three ships without loss to the attackers.
Following this the boats were relieved, and returned home.
Aftermath
This first attempt at operating a wolf pack was, over all, not a success. In the course of the operation Hartmann's skippers had sunk seven ships from two convoys and another four ships sailing alone (stragglers and independent sailings). However three of the six U-boats had been destroyed, some 10% of the available Type VII (sea-going) and Type IX (ocean-going) vessels the U-boat Arm had.The original pack tactic envisaged that command and co-ordination would be exercised at sea; however while this had worked on exercise in the Baltic
Baltic
-Northern Europe:* The Baltic Sea* Baltic states : Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia* The Baltic region, an ambiguous term referring to the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea...
and North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
s it was unworkable in the wider reaches of the Atlantic. Hartman reported it was impossible to maintain an overview of the situation from his U-boat in the midst of the ocean and equally impossible to maintain contact with his charges.
The experience was also soured by the continuing torpedo problems that the U-boat Arm suffered during the first years of the conflict.
Following this, wolfpack tactics were shelved until the following year, when they were tried again with more success during the so-called "Happy Time".