Monsun Gruppe
Encyclopedia
The Monsun Gruppe or Monsoon Group was a force of German U-boat
s (submarine
s) that operated in the Pacific and Indian Ocean
s during World War II
. Although similar naming conventions were used for temporary groupings of submarines in the Atlantic, the longer duration of Indian Ocean patrols caused the name to be permanently associated with the relatively small number of U-boats operating out of Penang
, (with its capital, George Town
) The Indian Ocean was the only place where German
and Japan
ese forces fought in the same theatre. Arrangements were made to avoid incidents between U-boats and Japanese submarines - attacks on other submarines were strictly forbidden.
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, Britain
's most prized possession, but also the shipping routes and strategic raw materials that the British needed for their war effort. In the early years of the war German merchant raider
s and pocket battleships had sunk a number of merchant ships in the Indian Ocean; however as the war progressed it became more difficult for them to operate in the area and by 1942 most were either sunk or dispersed. From 1941, U-boats were also considered for deployment to this area but due to the successful periods known as the First
and Second Happy Time
s, it was decided that sending U-boats to the Indian Ocean would be an unnecessary diversion. There were also no foreign bases
in which units could operate from and be resupplied, hence they would be operating at the limits of their range. As a result the Germans concentrated their U-boat campaign in the North Atlantic.
Japan’s entry into the war in 1941 led to the capture of European South-east Asian colonies such as British Malaya
and the Dutch East Indies
. In May and June, 1942, Japanese submarines began operating in the Indian Ocean and had engaged British forces
in Madagascar
. The British had invaded the Vichy
-controlled island in order to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands.
in 1941 had ended the use of overland routes which were for the delivery of strategic materials from southeast Asia, and few axis ships were able to avoid Royal Navy patrols of the North Atlantic. Japan was interested in exchanging military technology with Germany, the Japanese submarine I-30
initiated the submerged transport of strategic materials in the summer of 1942 by delivering 1500 kg of mica
and 660 kg of shellac
. Japanese submarines designed for the vast distances of the Pacific were more capable transports than the compact German U-boats which were designed for operations around coastal Europe; but large Italian submarines had proved ineffective for convoy attacks. The Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina
) converted seven Italian submarines operating from BETASOM
into "transport submarines
" in order to exchange rare or irreplaceable trade goods with Japan. They were: The Bagnolin, the Barbarigo
, the Cappellini
(renamed Aquilla III in May 1943), the Finzi, the Giuliani, the Tazzoli and the Torelli
.
at the time. A few days after Cappellini reached the East Indies, U-511 became the first U-boat to complete the voyage. This boat carried the Japanese naval attache Admiral Kichisaburō Nomura
from Berlin
to Kure
. The boat was given to Japan as RO-500; its German crew returned to Penang to provide replacement personnel for the main submarine base being established at a former British seaplane
station on the west coast of the Malayan Peninsula. A second base was established at Kobe
; small repair bases were located at Singapore
, Jakarta
and Surabaya
. As part of the dispersal of U-boat operations following heavy losses in the North Atlantic during the spring of 1943, Wilhelm Dommes
was ordered to sail his U-178
from his operating area off South Africa to assume command at Penang.
season. The Italian armistice with the allies became effective as the operation proceeded. The Italian submarine Ammiraglio Cagni
surrendered at Durban, South Africa rather than continuing to Penang. The converted Italian cargo submarines were taken over by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine
) and renumbered with UIT prefixes.
A second wave of Monsun Gruppe U-boats was dispatched from Europe to make up for losses in transit.
, then from air patrols in the mid-Atlantic narrows and around the Cape of Good Hope, and finally from allied submarines lurking around Penang with the aid of decrypted arrival and departure information.
when Germany surrendered in 1945.
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 (submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s) that operated in the Pacific and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
s during 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...
. Although similar naming conventions were used for temporary groupings of submarines in the Atlantic, the longer duration of Indian Ocean patrols caused the name to be permanently associated with the relatively small number of U-boats operating out of Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, (with its capital, George Town
George Town, Penang
George Town was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek, ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000. More recently, George Town has improved a notch to rank as the 9th most liveable city in Asia in a survey of 254 cities worldwide according to an international location ratings survey by , an...
) The Indian Ocean was the only place where German
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...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese forces fought in the same theatre. Arrangements were made to avoid incidents between U-boats and Japanese submarines - attacks on other submarines were strictly forbidden.
Indian Ocean trade routes
The Indian Ocean was considered strategically important, containing not only IndiaBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, Britain
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
's most prized possession, but also the shipping routes and strategic raw materials that the British needed for their war effort. In the early years of the war German merchant raider
Merchant raider
Merchant raiders are ships which disguise themselves as non-combatant merchant vessels, whilst actually being armed and intending to attack enemy commerce. Germany used several merchant raiders early in World War I, and again early in World War II...
s and pocket battleships had sunk a number of merchant ships in the Indian Ocean; however as the war progressed it became more difficult for them to operate in the area and by 1942 most were either sunk or dispersed. From 1941, U-boats were also considered for deployment to this area but due to the successful periods known as the First
First Happy Time
The First Happy Time was a phase of the Battle of the Atlantic during which Germany Navy U-boats enjoyed significant success against the British Royal Navy and its allies...
and Second Happy Time
Second happy time
The Second Happy Time , also known among German submarine commanders as the "American shooting season" was the informal name for a phase in the Second Battle of the Atlantic during which Axis submarines attacked merchant shipping along the east coast of North America...
s, it was decided that sending U-boats to the Indian Ocean would be an unnecessary diversion. There were also no foreign bases
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
in which units could operate from and be resupplied, hence they would be operating at the limits of their range. As a result the Germans concentrated their U-boat campaign in the North Atlantic.
Japan’s entry into the war in 1941 led to the capture of European South-east Asian colonies such as British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
. In May and June, 1942, Japanese submarines began operating in the Indian Ocean and had engaged British forces
Battle of Madagascar
The Battle of Madagascar was the Allied campaign to capture Vichy-French-controlled Madagascar during World War II. It began on 5 May 1942. Fighting did not cease until 6 November.-Geo-political:...
in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. The British had invaded the Vichy
Vichy
Vichy is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. It belongs to the historic province of Bourbonnais.It is known as a spa and resort town and was the de facto capital of Vichy France during the World War II Nazi German occupation from 1940 to 1944.The town's inhabitants...
-controlled island in order to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands.
Axis strategic raw materials
The German invasion of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1941 had ended the use of overland routes which were for the delivery of strategic materials from southeast Asia, and few axis ships were able to avoid Royal Navy patrols of the North Atlantic. Japan was interested in exchanging military technology with Germany, the Japanese submarine I-30
Japanese submarine I-30
I-30 was a Type B1 submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. After operating in the Indian Ocean she participated in a Yanagi mission, aimed at connecting Japan and Nazi Germany by submarine. She was the first Japanese submarine to reach Europe, arriving at Lorient, France in...
initiated the submerged transport of strategic materials in the summer of 1942 by delivering 1500 kg of mica
Mica
The mica group of sheet silicate minerals includes several closely related materials having highly perfect basal cleavage. All are monoclinic, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, and are similar in chemical composition...
and 660 kg of shellac
Shellac
Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is processed and sold as dry flakes , which are dissolved in ethyl alcohol to make liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on colorant, food glaze and wood finish...
. Japanese submarines designed for the vast distances of the Pacific were more capable transports than the compact German U-boats which were designed for operations around coastal Europe; but large Italian submarines had proved ineffective for convoy attacks. The Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
) converted seven Italian submarines operating from BETASOM
BETASOM
BETASOM BETASOM BETASOM (an Italian language acronym of Bordeaux Sommergibile. was a submarine base established at Bordeaux by the Italian Regia Marina Italiana during World War II....
into "transport submarines
Merchant submarine
A merchant submarine is a type of submarine intended for trade, and being without armaments, it is not considered a warship like most other types of submarines...
" in order to exchange rare or irreplaceable trade goods with Japan. They were: The Bagnolin, the Barbarigo
Italian submarine Barbarigo
Barbarigo was a World War II Italian built for the Italian Royal Navy . The submarine was converted into a transport to carry materiel between Germany and Japan in 1943, but disappeared on her first mission in that capacity, sometime after 16 June 1943....
, the Cappellini
Italian submarine Cappellini
Comandante Cappellini or Cappellini was a World War II Italian built for the Italian Royal Navy .Operating under the BETASOM command, Comandante Cappellini made war patrols in the Atlantic Ocean sinking or damaging 31,000 tons of enemy shipping. She participated in the rescue of the survivors of...
(renamed Aquilla III in May 1943), the Finzi, the Giuliani, the Tazzoli and the Torelli
Italian submarine Luigi Torelli
Luigi Torelli was a of the Italian navy during World War II. The vessel operated in the Atlantic from late-summer 1940 until mid-1943, then was sent to the Far East. After Italy’s surrender in 1943, the Torelli was taken over by the German Navy then, in the waning months of the war, the Japanese...
.
Joint operations in the Indian Ocean
The idea of stationing U-boats in Malaya and the East Indies for operations in the Indian Ocean was first proposed by the Japanese in December 1942. As no supplies were available at either location, the idea was turned down, although a number of U-boats operated around the Cape of Good HopeCape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
at the time. A few days after Cappellini reached the East Indies, U-511 became the first U-boat to complete the voyage. This boat carried the Japanese naval attache Admiral Kichisaburō Nomura
Kichisaburō Nomura
-External links:...
from Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to Kure
Kure
Kure can refer to:*KURE, a radio station in Ames, Iowa*Kure Software Koubou, Japanese video game development company*Kure, Hiroshima , a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan**Kure Line, a rail line in the city...
. The boat was given to Japan as RO-500; its German crew returned to Penang to provide replacement personnel for the main submarine base being established at a former British seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
station on the west coast of the Malayan Peninsula. A second base was established at Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
; small repair bases were located at Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
and Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
. As part of the dispersal of U-boat operations following heavy losses in the North Atlantic during the spring of 1943, Wilhelm Dommes
Wilhelm Dommes
Wilhelm Dommes was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
was ordered to sail his U-178
German submarine U-178
German submarine U-178 was a Type IXD2 U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.Ordered on 28 May 1940, the U-boat was laid down on 24 December 1940 at the AG Weser yard at Bremen, was launched on 25 October 1941, and commissioned on 14 February 1942, under the...
from his operating area off South Africa to assume command at Penang.
Early submarine patrols to Penang
- Japanese submarine I-30 sailed 22 August 1942 carrying German torpedoTorpedoThe modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es, Torpedo Data ComputerTorpedo Data ComputerThe Torpedo Data Computer was an early electromechanical analog computer used for torpedo fire-control on American submarines during World War II . Britain, Germany, and Japan also developed automated torpedo fire control equipment, but none were as advanced as US Navy's TDC...
, search RADARRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
, MetoxMetoxThe Metox, named after its manufacturer, was a pioneering high frequency very sensitive radar warning receiver manufactured by a small French company in occupied Paris, which could detect ASV transmissions from patrolling Allied aircraft. It is not clear whether the design was German or French or...
, hydrophoneHydrophoneA hydrophone is a microphone designed to be used underwater for recording or listening to underwater sound. Most hydrophones are based on a piezoelectric transducer that generates electricity when subjected to a pressure change...
array, 50 Enigma machineEnigma machineAn Enigma machine is any of a family of related electro-mechanical rotor cipher machines used for the encryption and decryption of secret messages. Enigma was invented by German engineer Arthur Scherbius at the end of World War I...
s and 240 Bolde SONARSonarSonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
countermeasureCountermeasureA countermeasure is a measure or action taken to counter or offset another one. As a general concept it implies precision, and is any technological or tactical solution or system designed to prevent an undesirable outcome in the process...
charges. She struck a mineNaval mineA naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
and sank off Singapore on 13 October 1942. - Tazzoli sailed in a cargo configuration on 21 May 1943 and was sunk by aircraft in the Bay of Biscay.
- Barbarigo sailed in a cargo configuration on 17 June 1943 and was sunk by aircraft in the Bay of Biscay.
- Cappellini sailed in a cargo configuration on 11 May 1943 with 160 tons of mercuryMercury (element)Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
, aluminum, weldingWeldingWelding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
steelSteelSteel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, 20mm gunGunA gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
s, ammunitionAmmunitionAmmunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
, bombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
prototypePrototypeA prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
s, bombsightBombsightA bombsight is a device used by bomber aircraft to accurately drop bombs. In order to do this, the bombsight has to estimate the path the bomb will take after release from the aircraft. The two primary forces during its fall are gravity and air drag, which makes the path of the bomb through the air...
s and tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
blueprintBlueprintA blueprint is a type of paper-based reproduction usually of a technical drawing, documenting an architecture or an engineering design. More generally, the term "blueprint" has come to be used to refer to any detailed plan....
s; she reached Singapore on 13 July 1943. - U-511 sailed on 10 May 1943 and sank the 7,200-ton American Liberty ShipLiberty shipLiberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
Samuel Heintzelman before reaching Penang on 17 July 1943. - Giuliani sailed in a cargo configuration on 16 May 1943 and reached Singapore on 1 August 1943.
- U-178 sailed on 28 March 1943 and sank the 6,600-ton Dutch freighter Salabangka, the 2,700-ton Norwegian freighter Breiviken, the 6,700-ton British freighter City of Canton, the 7,200-ton American Liberty ship Robert Bacon and the 4,800-ton Greek freighters Michael Livanos and Mary Livanos before reaching Penang on 27 August 1943.
- Torelli sailed in a cargo configuration on 18 June 1943 and reached Penang on 27 August 1943.
First wave of Monsun Gruppe U-boats
With the base established, twelve submarines were assigned to the "Monsun Gruppe" and directed to proceed to Penang, patrolling along allied trade routes for the duration of their voyage. The group name reflected an intent; that the opening of the Indian Ocean U-boat campaign should coincide with the MonsoonMonsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
season. The Italian armistice with the allies became effective as the operation proceeded. The Italian submarine Ammiraglio Cagni
Cagni class submarine
The Cagni- or Ammiraglio Cagni-class was a class of submarines built for Italy's Regia Marina during World War II.-Design:...
surrendered at Durban, South Africa rather than continuing to Penang. The converted Italian cargo submarines were taken over by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine
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...
) and renumbered with UIT prefixes.
- U-200German submarine U-200German submarine U-200 was a Type IXD2 U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. U-200 was sunk southwest of Iceland in position by depth charges from a British Consolidated B-24 Liberator of No. 120 Squadron RAF...
sailed on 11 June 1943 and was sunk off IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
by a PBY CatalinaPBY CatalinaThe Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
on 24 June. - U-514German submarine U-514German submarine U-514 was a Type IXC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II, commissioned in December 1941 and sunk by RAF aircraft after 19 months.Humphrey Metzgen and John Graham, , University of West Indies Press, 2007,...
sailed on 3 July 1943 and was sunk by a B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
of the RAFRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
s 224 Squadron in the Bay of Biscay on 8 July. - U-506German submarine U-506German submarine U-506 was a Type IXC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 11 July 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard at Hamburg, launched on 20 June 1941, and commissioned on 15 September 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Erich Würdemann...
sailed on 6 July 1943 and was sunk by an American 1st A/S Squadron B-24 Liberator in the Bay of Biscay on 12 July. - U-509 sailed on 3 July 1943 and was sunk by aircraft from USS SanteeUSS Santee (CVE-29)The second USS Santee was launched on 4 March 1939 as Esso Seakay under a Maritime Commission contract by the Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Chester, Pennsylvania, sponsored by Mrs...
on 15 July. - U-516 sailed on 8 July 1943 but returned to FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on 23 August after transferring its fuel to other boats, enabling them to continue when their tanker was sunk. - U-847 sailed on 29 July 1943 but was damaged by ice in the Denmark StraitDenmark StraitThe Denmark Strait or Greenland Strait |Sound]]) is an oceanic strait between Greenland and Iceland...
and was diverted to fuel other boats in the North Atlantic before being sunk by aircraft from USS CardUSS Card (CVE-11)USS Card was a Bogue-class escort aircraft carrier. Her hull was laid down on 27 October 1941 as a C-3 cargo ship but it was acquired from the Maritime Commission while under construction and was converted into an escort carrier.She was launched as AVG 11 on 27 February 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma...
on 27 August. - Ammiraglio Cagni sailed in combat configuration in early July 1943 but surrendered after the Italian armistice became effective on 8 September 1943.
- U-533 sailed on 6 July 1943 and was sunk by a Bristol BlenheimBristol BlenheimThe Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
of 244 Squadron RAF, in the Gulf of Aden on 16 October. - U-183 sailed on 3 July and reached Penang 27 October 1943, and was sunk two years later in the Java Sea by .
- U-188 sailed on 30 June 1943 and sank the 7,200-ton American Liberty ship Cornelia P. Spencer before reaching Penang on 31 October.
- U-532 sailed on 3 July 1943 and sank one Norwegian, one Indian and two British freighters before reaching Penang on 31 October.
- U-168German submarine U-168German submarine U-168 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.Her keel was laid down on March 15, 1941 by the Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG in Bremen...
sailed on 3 July 1943 and sank the 2,200-ton British freighter Haiching before reaching Penang on 11 November.
A second wave of Monsun Gruppe U-boats was dispatched from Europe to make up for losses in transit.
- U-219 sailed on a minelaying mission on 22 October 1943 but returned to France on 1 January 1944 after being diverted to fuel other boats in the North Atlantic.
- U-848 sailed on 18 September 1943 and sank the 4,600-ton British freighter Baron Semple before being sunk by US navy PB4Y Liberators in the South Atlantic on 5 November.
- U-849 sailed on 2 October 1943 and was sunk by a USN PB4Y Liberator in the South Atlantic on 25 November.
- U-850 sailed on 18 November 1943 and was sunk by aircraft from USS BogueUSS Bogue (CVE-9)USS Bogue was the lead ship in the Bogue-class of escort aircraft carriers in the United States Navy during World War II. She was originally classified AVG-9, but was changed to ACV-9, 20 August 1942; CVE-9, 15 July 1943; and CVHP-9, 12 June 1955.Bogue was laid down on 1 October 1941 as Steel...
on 20 December. - U-510German submarine U-510German submarine U-510 was a Type IXC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II, which later served in the French Navy. The submarine was laid down on 1 November 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard at Hamburg, launched on 4 September 1941, and commissioned on 25 November 1941 under the...
sailed on 3 November 1943 and sank the 7,400-ton British tanker San Alvaro, the 9,200-ton American freighter E.G.Seubert, and three more freighters before reaching Penang on 5 May 1944.
Later sailings from Europe
Submarines attempting to reach Penang from Europe suffered heavy attrition, first from bombers in the Bay of BiscayBay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
, then from air patrols in the mid-Atlantic narrows and around the Cape of Good Hope, and finally from allied submarines lurking around Penang with the aid of decrypted arrival and departure information.
- Japanese submarine I-8Japanese submarine I-8The Japanese submarine I-8 was a World War II Junsen Type J-3 Imperial Japanese Navy submarine, famous for completing a technology exchange mission to German-occupied France and back to Japan in 1943....
sailed 5 September 1943 with a cargo of anti-aircraft guns, torpedo and aircraft engines, and ten German technicians; and reached Singapore on 5 December 1943. - U-177German submarine U-177German submarine U-177 was a Type IXD2 U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 25 November 1940 at the AG Weser yard at Bremen, launched on 1 October 1941, and commissioned on 14 March 1942 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Schulze...
sailed on 2 January 1944 and was sunk by a USN PB4Y Liberator in the South Atlantic on 6 February 1944. - Bagnolini sailed in a cargo configuration as UIT-22 on 26 January 1944 and was sunk off the Cape of Good Hope by RAF 262 Squadron Catalinas on 11 March.
- U-801 sailed on 26 February 1944 and was sunk by aircraft from USS Block IslandUSS Block Island (CVE-21)USS Block Island was a for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first of two escort carriers named after Block Island Sound off Rhode Island. Block Island was launched on 6 June 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation of Seattle, Washington, under a Maritime Commission...
on 16 March. - U-1059 sailed on 12 February 1944 with a cargo of torpedoes and was sunk by aircraft from USS Block Island on 19 March.
- U-851 sailed on 26 February 1944 with a cargo of mercury and 500 U-boat batteriesBattery (electricity)An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
, and disappeared in March 1944. - U-852 sailed 18 January 1944 and sank the 4,700-ton Greek freighter Peleus and the 5,300-ton British freighter Dahomian before being sunk in the Arabian SeaArabian SeaThe Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
by RAF Vickers WellingtonVickers WellingtonThe Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
s on 3 April. - U-1062 sailed on 3 January 1944 with a cargo of torpedoes and reached Penang on 19 April.
- U-1224German submarine U-1224German submarine U-1224 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. She was constructed by Deutsche Werft of Hamburg, used as a training ship for Japanese sailors, and transferred into Japanese service on February 15, 1944.-Kriegsmarine :His keel was...
sailed as Japanese RO-501 in April 1944 and was sunk in the Atlantic by USS Francis M. RobinsonUSS Francis M. Robinson (DE-220)USS Francis M. Robinson , a of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Commander Francis M. Robinson , who was a recipient of the Navy Cross....
on 13 May 1944. - U-843 sailed ón 18 February 1944 and sank the 8,300-ton British freighter Nebraska before reaching Jakarta on 11 June.
- U-490German submarine U-490German submarine U-490 was a Type XIV supply and replenishment U-boat of the of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II.Her keel was laid down on 21 February 1942, by Germaniawerft of Kiel...
sailed in an oilerReplenishment OilerA replenishment oiler or fleet tanker is a naval auxiliary ship with fuel tanks and dry cargo holds, which can replenish other ships while underway in the high seas. Such ships are used by several countries around the world....
configuration on 6 May 1944 with a cargo of supplies, spare parts and electronics; she was sunk by aircraft from USS CroatanUSS Croatan (CVE-25)USS Croatan was an escort carrier launched on 1 August 1942 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation of Seattle, Washington, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. J. S. Russell; and commissioned on 28 April 1943, Captain J. B...
on 12 June 1944. - U-860 sailed on 11 April 1944 and was sunk in the South Atlantic by aircraft from USS SolomonsUSS Solomons (CVE-67)USS Solomons was a Casablanca class escort carrier of the United States Navy, the second ship to carry the name.She was converted from a Maritime Commission hull built by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company of Vancouver, Washington. Her keel was laid on 19 March 1943. Soon thereafter, she was...
on 15 June. - Japanese submarine I-29Japanese submarine I-29I-29, code-named Matsu , was a B1 type submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy used during World War II on two secret missions with Germany, during one of which she was sunk.-Type B Submarines:...
sailed on 16 April 1944 with 10 Enigma machines and the latest German RADAR technology; she was torpedoed by USS SawfishUSS Sawfish (SS-276)USS Sawfish , a Gato-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the sawfish, a viviparous ray which has a long flat snout with a row of toothlike structures along each edge...
on 26 July 1944. - U-537 sailed on 25 March 1944 and reached Jakarta on 2 August.
- U-181 sailed 16 March 1944 and sank the 7,100-ton British freighter Tanda, the 7,100-ton Dutch freighter Garoet and the 5,300-ton British freighters Janeta and King Frederick before reaching Penang on 8 August.
- U-196 sailed on 16 March 1944 and sank the 5,500-ton British freighter Shahzada before reaching Penang on 10 August.
- U-198German submarine U-198German submarine U-198, was a Type IXD2 U-boat which fought in World War II.She was built by the Deschimag AG Weser in Bremen. The boat was sunk on 12 August 1944 near the Seychelles, in position , by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Findhorn and the Indian Black Swan class sloop HMIS...
sailed 20 April 1944 and sank the 3,300-ton South African freighter Columbine, the 5,100-ton British freighter Director, the 7,300-ton British freighter and the 7,200-ton British freighter before being sunk in the Indian Ocean on 12 August 1944 by a Royal Navy hunter-killer group built around ShahHMS Shah (D21)The USS Jamaica , was an escort aircraft carrier of World War II that served in the British Royal Navy as HMS Shah . Returned to the USA at War's end, she was converted into a merchant vessel and she was sold into civilian service in 1946 as Salta...
and BegumHMS Begum (D38)The USS Bolinas was an escort aircraft carrier launched 11 November 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding, Tacoma, Washington; sponsored by Mrs. G. B. Sherwood, wife of Commander Sherwood; and commissioned 22 July 1943, Captain H. L...
. - U-180 sailed in an oiler configuration on 20 August 1944 and was sunk by mines leaving port.
- U-862 sailed on 3 June 1944 and sank five ships before reaching Penang on 9 September.
- U-861 sailed on 20 April 1944 and sank the 1,700-ton Brazilian troopship Vital de Oliveira, the 7,200-ton American Liberty ship William Gaston, the 7,500-ton British freighter Berwickshire and the 5,700-ton Greek freighter Toannis Fafalios before reaching Penang on 22 September.
- U-859 sailed on 4 April 1944 with a cargo of mercury and sank the 6,300-ton Panamanian freighter Colin, the 7,200-ton American Liberty ship John Berry and the 7,400-ton British freighter Troilus before being torpedoed off Penang by HMS TrenchantHMS Trenchant (P331)HMS Trenchant was a British T class submarine of the Second World War.On completion she was given over to the crew of HMS Thrasher whose submarine was due for a refit.-Service:...
on 23 September. - U-871 sailed on 31 August 1944 and was sunk by a RAF B-17 on 26 September 1944.
- U-863 sailed on 26 July 1944 and was sunk by USN PB4Ys on 29 September.
- U-219 sailed in a cargo configuration on 23 August 1944 and reached Jakarta on 11 December.
- U-195 sailed in an oiler configuration on 20 August 1944 and reached Jakarta on 28 December.
- U-864 sailed with a cargo of mercury and plans and parts for Messerschmitt Me 163Messerschmitt Me 163The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, designed by Alexander Lippisch, was a German rocket-powered fighter aircraft. It is the only rocket-powered fighter aircraft ever to have been operational. Its design was revolutionary, and the Me 163 was capable of performance unrivaled at the time. Messerschmitt...
and Me 262Messerschmitt Me 262The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
fighters on 5 February 1945 and was torpedoed by HMS VenturerHMS Venturer (P68)HMS Venturer was a Second World War British submarine.-Construction:Venturer was the lead boat of the British V class submarine, a development of the successful U-class...
on 9 February. - U-234 sailed in a cargo configuration with 74 tons of leadLeadLead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, 26 tons of mercury, 12 tons of steel, seven tons of optical glass, 43 tons of aircraft plans and parts, 560 kg of uranium oxideUranium oxideUranium oxide is an oxide of the element uranium.The metal uranium forms several oxides:* Uranium dioxide or uranium oxide * Uranium trioxide or uranium oxide...
and a disassembled Me 262 on 1 April 1945 and surrendered at Portsmouth Naval ShipyardPortsmouth Naval ShipyardThe Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
when the war ended.
Submarine patrols from Penang
Although operations from Penang had originally been envisioned as patrols along the trade routes while transporting strategic materials to Europe, many were turned back after allied patrols sank South Atlantic refueling assets.- Japanese submarine I-30 sailed on 22 April 1942 and reached France on 2 August.
- Japanese submarine I-8 sailed on 27 June 1943 carrying tungstenTungstenTungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A hard, rare metal under standard conditions when uncombined, tungsten is found naturally on Earth only in chemical compounds. It was identified as a new element in 1781, and first isolated as...
and an extra crew for U-1224, and reached France in late August 1943. - Japanese submarine I-34 sailed 12 November 1943 and was torpedoed by HMS TaurusHMS Taurus (P399)HMS Taurus was a Second World War British T class submarine, built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow.-As HMS Taurus:The submarine was laid down on the 30th of September 1941, and launched on 27 June 1942. She served in the Mediterranean and the Pacific Far East during the Second World War...
the following day. - U-178 sailed 27 November 1943 with a cargo of 121 tons of tinTinTin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
, 30 tons of rubberRubberNatural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
and two tons of tungsten. She sank the 7,200-ton American Liberty ship Jose Navarro before reaching France on 25 May. - Japanese submarine I-29 sailed 16 December 1943 with a cargo of rubber, tungsten, and two tons of goldGoldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
; she reached France on 11 March 1944. - U-532 sailed 4 January 1944 with a cargo of tin, rubber, tungsten, quinineQuinineQuinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic , antimalarial, analgesic , anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic...
and opiumOpiumOpium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
; and sank the 7,200-ton American Liberty ship Walter Camp two ships before returning to Penang after the refueling oiler Brake was sunk. - U-188 sailed 9 January 1944 with a cargo of tin, rubber, tungsten, quinine and opium; and sank seven British freighters before reaching France on 19 June.
- U-168 sailed 28 January 1944 with 100 tons of tin, tungsten, quinine and opium; and sank a 4,400-ton Greek freighter and the 1,400-ton British repair ship Salviking before returning to Jakarta after Brake was sunk.
- Cappellini sailed for France in a cargo configuration as UIT-24 with about 130 tons of rubber, 60 tons of zincZincZinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
, five tons of tungsten, 2 tons of quinine, and 2 tons of opium on 9 February 1944; but returned to Penang after Brake was sunk. - U-183 sailed 10 February 1944 with a cargo of tin, rubber, tungsten, quinine and opium; and sank the 5,400-ton British freighter Palma, the 7,000-ton British tanker British Loyalty and the 5,300-ton British freighter Helen Moller before returning to Penang after Brake was sunk.
- Guiliani sailed for France in a cargo configuration as UIT-23 on 15 February 1944 and was torpedoed three days later by HMS Tally-HoHMS Tally-Ho (P317)HMS Tally-Ho was a British submarine of the third group of the T class. She was built as P317 by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow, and John Brown & Company, Clydebank, and launched on 23 December 1942. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Tally-Ho, probably after Tally-ho,...
. - Japanese submarine I-52 sailed for France in a cargo configuration on 23 April 1944 with a cargo including two tons of gold and was sunk by TBF AvengerTBF AvengerThe Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
s from USS Bogue on 23 June 1944. - U-183 sailed on 17 May 1944 and sank one ship before returning to Penang on 7 July.
- U-1062 sailed for France in a cargo configuration on 6 July 1944 and was sunk in the Atlantic on 5 October.
- U-168 sailed 4 October 1944 and was torpedoed two days later by Zwaardvisch.
- U-181 sailed 19 October 1944 and sank one ship before returning to Jakarta on 5 January 1945.
- U-537 sailed 8 November 1944 and was torpedoed the following day by USS FlounderUSS Flounder (SS-251), a Gato class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the flounder, a valuable food fish, many varieties of which are found in great schools along the Atlantic coast north of Cape Cod....
. - U-196 sailed 11 November 1944 and disappeared while traversing an allied minefieldNaval mineA naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
. - U-862 sailed 18 November 1944 and sank two ships in the only German U-boat Pacific patrol of the war before returning to Jakarta on 15 February 1945.
- U-843 sailed for NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
on 10 December 1944 and was sunk in the KattegatKattegatThe Kattegat , or Kattegatt is a sea area bounded by the Jutland peninsula and the Straits islands of Denmark on the west and south, and the provinces of Västergötland, Scania, Halland and Bohuslän in Sweden on the east. The Baltic Sea drains into the Kattegat through the Øresund and the Danish...
by RAF MosquitoesDe Havilland MosquitoThe de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
on 2 April 1945. - U-510 sailed for Norway with 150 tons of tungsten, tin, rubber, molybdenumMolybdenumMolybdenum , is a Group 6 chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42. The name is from Neo-Latin Molybdaenum, from Ancient Greek , meaning lead, itself proposed as a loanword from Anatolian Luvian and Lydian languages, since its ores were confused with lead ores...
and caffeineCaffeineCaffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
on 6 January 1945; and sank the 7,100-ton Canadian freighter Point Pleasant Park before surrendering in France. - U-532 sailed for Norway on 13 January 1945 with a cargo of 110 tons of tin, eight tons of tungsten, eight tons of rubber, four tons of molybdenum and smaller quantities of seleniumSeleniumSelenium is a chemical element with atomic number 34, chemical symbol Se, and an atomic mass of 78.96. It is a nonmetal, whose properties are intermediate between those of adjacent chalcogen elements sulfur and tellurium...
, quinine, and crystals. The type IXC40 boat sank the 3,400-ton British freighter Baron Jedburgh and the 9,300-ton American tanker Oklahoma; and surrendered at LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
when the war was over. - U-861 sailed 14 January 1945 with 144 tons of tungsten, iodineIodineIodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The name is pronounced , , or . The name is from the , meaning violet or purple, due to the color of elemental iodine vapor....
, tin, and rubber; and arrived in Norway on 18 April. - U-195 sailed for Norway in an oiler configuration on 17 January 1945 but returned to Jakarta on 3 March after experiencing engine trouble.
- U-183 sailed on 24 April 1945 and was torpedoed two days later by USS BesugoUSS Besugo (SS-321)USS Besugo , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the besugo, a fish of the porgie family....
.
Japanese salvage
Six boats remaining in Japanese territory were taken over by the Imperial Japanese NavyImperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
when Germany surrendered in 1945.
- U-181 (type IXD2 cruiser) became I-501 and was scrapped at Singapore after Japan surrendered.
- U-862 (type IXD2 cruiser) became I-502 and was scrapped at Singapore after Japan surrendered.
- UIT-24 (originally Cappellini, then Aquilla III) became I-503 and was found at Kobe when Japan surrendered and scuttled by the US navy in Kii Suido.
- UIT-25 (originally Torelli) became I-504 and was found at Kobe when Japan surrendered and scuttled by USN in Kii Suido.
- U-219 (type XB minelayerMinelayerMinelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
) became I-505 and was scrapped at Jakarta after Japan surrendered. - U-195 (type IXD1 oiler) became I-506 and was scrapped at Jakarta after Japan surrendered.