Unterseeboot 371
Encyclopedia
German submarine U-371 was a Type VIIC 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...
of the 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...
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 It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine.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...
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...
. The submarine was laid down on 17 November 1939 at the Howaldtswerke
Howaldtswerke
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft is a German shipbuilding company, headquartered in Kiel. In 2009 it was the largest shipyard in Germany and has more than 2,400 employees. It has been part of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems owned by ThyssenKrupp, since 2005...
yard at Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, launched on 27 January 1941, and commissioned on 15 March 1941 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Heinrich Driver. After training, U-371 was ready for front-line service with 1st U-boat Flotilla from 1 July 1941.
Operating mostly in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, in 19 patrols between June 1941 and May 1944 the U-boat sank 13 ships totalling 67,573 tons, including the American destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, and damaged six more totalling 30,572 tons.
U-371 was sunk at 04:09 local time on 4 May 1944 in the Mediterranean north of Constantine
Constantine, Algeria
Constantine is the capital of Constantine Province in north-eastern Algeria. It was the capital of the same-named French département until 1962. Slightly inland, it is about 80 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, on the banks of Rhumel river...
, in position 37°49′N 05°39′E by a force of American, French and British destroyers. Three men were killed, and there were 49 survivors.
Construction and Design
Howaldtswerke
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft is a German shipbuilding company, headquartered in Kiel. In 2009 it was the largest shipyard in Germany and has more than 2,400 employees. It has been part of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems owned by ThyssenKrupp, since 2005...
yard at Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, on 17 November 1939. Just over a year and two months later, U-371 was launched from Kiel on 27 January 1941. She was formally commissioned later that year on 15 March 1941. U-371 carried 5 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s (4 located in the bow, 1 in the stern) and had one C35 88mm/L45 deck gun
Deck gun
A deck gun is a type of artillery cannon mounted on the deck of a ship or submarine.The deck gun was used as a defensive weapon against smaller boats or ships and in certain cases where torpedo use was limited. Typically a crew of three; gunner, loader, and layer, operated the gun, while others...
with 220 rounds. She could also carry 14 G7e torpedo
G7e torpedo
The G7e or more appropriately the G7e/T2, G7e/T3, and G7e/T4 Falke torpedoes were, with the exception of the T4 model, the standard torpedoes for Germany during World War II...
es or 26 TMA mines and had a crew of 44-52 men.
1st patrol
U-371 left KielKiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
on 5 June 1941, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Driver, and sailed out into the north Atlantic. She sank two merchant ships; the British 6,373 ton Silverpalm on 12 June and the Norwegian 4,765 ton Vigrid on 24 June, before arriving at Brest, France
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
on 1 July.
2nd patrol
The U-boat sailed from Brest on 23 July 1941 to patrol between the coast of PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. Early on 30 July she sank two more merchant ships south-east of the Azores, both from Convoy OS-1; the British 6,935 ton Shahristan, and the Dutch 7,049 ton Sitoebondo. She returned to Brest on 19 August.
3rd patrol
U-371 departed from Brest on 16 September 1941, sailing south, and then through the Strait of GibraltarStrait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
into the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. After patrolling the coast of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, the U-boat arrived at Salamis
Salamis Island
Salamis , is the largest Greek island in the Saronic Gulf, about 1 nautical mile off-coast from Piraeus and about 16 km west of Athens. The chief city, Salamina , lies in the west-facing core of the crescent on Salamis Bay, which opens into the Saronic Gulf...
in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
on 24 October, having had no successes, officially transferring to 23rd U-boat Flotilla on 1 November.
4th & 5th patrols
U-371 made two more patrols along the coast of Egypt and in the Eastern Mediterranean in December 1941–January 1942 and again in March 1942, but sank no ships.6th patrol
Now part of 29th U-boat Flotilla U-371 left Salamis again on 21 April 1942 under the temporary command of Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Joachim Neumann, and headed south to the coast of Egypt. However on 7 May the U-boat was depth charged by two submarine chasers and was so heavily damaged that she had to return to base. The U-boat arrived back at Salamis on 9 May.7th patrol
Command of U-371 was now assumed by Kapitänleutnant Waldemar MehlWaldemar Mehl
Waldemar Mehl was a German U-boat commander during World War II, and recipient of the...
, who took the U-boat from Salamis to Pola
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
, Venezia Giulia
Julian March
The Julian March is a former political region of southeastern Europe on what are now the borders between Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy...
, in early July, not sailing on a combat patrol until 5 September when he took the U-boat along the length of the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
, and through the eastern Mediterranean to the coast of British Palestine and French Syria, arriving back at Salamis on 18 September, and returning to Pola in mid-October.
8th & 9th patrols
The U-boat left Pola and sailed to Messina, SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
on 1–4 December 1942, leaving on 7 December to attack the Allied shipping off the coast of French Algeria
French Algeria
French Algeria lasted from 1830 to 1962, under a variety of governmental systems. From 1848 until independence, the whole Mediterranean region of Algeria was administered as an integral part of France, much like Corsica and Réunion are to this day. The vast arid interior of Algeria, like the rest...
after "Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
", the invasion of North Africa. There on 7 January 1943 she attacked Convoy MKS-5 sinking the British naval trawler
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
, and later the same day damaged the 7,159 ton British troopship
Troopship
A troopship is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime...
Ville de Strasbourg. The U-boat then sailed to La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
in north-western Italy, arriving on 10 January 1943.
10th patrol
The Algerian coast now became U-371s hunting ground, and she left La Spezia on 14 February 1943 to return there to sink the unescorted 2,089 ton British merchant ship Fintra on 23 February, and to damage the 7,176 ton American liberty shipLiberty ship
Liberty 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...
Daniel Carroll from Convoy TE-16, before returning to La Spezia on 3 March.
11th patrol
U-371 departed La Spezia again on 7 April 1943, once more heading to the Algerian coast, where she sank the 1,162 ton Dutch merchant ship Merope on 27 April, before heading to her new home port of ToulonToulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
in southern France on 11 May 1943.
12th patrol
After leaving Toulon on 3 July 1943, on the 10th U-371 attacked Convoy ET-22A damaging two American ships; the 6,561 ton tanker Gulfprince and the 7,176 ton liberty shipLiberty ship
Liberty 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...
Matthew Maury, returning to Toulon on the 12th.
13th & 14th patrol
U-371 next patrol lasted from 22 July until 11 August 1943 during which she sank the 6,004 ton British merchant ship Contractor, part of Convoy GTX-5. U-371 patrolled again from 21 August to 3 September 1943, but made no successful attacks.15th patrol
Leaving Toulon on 7 October 1943, U-371 once more haunted the Algerian coast, sinking the British minesweeper on 11 October, the American destroyerDestroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
on the 13th, and on the 15th torpedoed the American liberty ship James Russell Lowell, damaging it so badly that it was declared a total loss. The U-boat returned to base on 28 October.
16th & 17th patrols
The U-boat's next patrol was short, lasting from 15 to 23 November 1943, and was unsuccessful. Her next patrol began on 22 January 1944, and took her to the western coast of Italy after the launching of "Operation ShingleOperation Shingle
Operation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
", the Allied landings at Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
. She made no successful attacks and returned to Toulon on 13 February.
18th patrol
U-371 departed Toulon on 4 March 1944 and returned to the Algerian coast. On 17 March she attacked Convoy SNF-17, sinking the 17,024 ton Dutch troopshipTroopship
A troopship is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime...
Dempo, and badly damaging the 6,165 ton American C2 cargo ship
Type C2 ship
Type C2 ships were designed by the United States Maritime Commission in 1937-38. They were all-purpose cargo ships with five holds, and U.S. shipyards built 173 of them from 1939-1945. Compared to ships built before 1939, the C2s were remarkable for their speed and fuel economy. Their design speed...
Maiden Creek, which later broke in two after being beached. The U-boat returned to Toulon on 25 March. Three days later, U-371s commander, Waldemar Mehl, received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, before leaving the U-boat to serve on the staff of FdU Mittelmeer
Führer der U-Boote
The post of Führer der U-Boote was the senior commanding officer of the submarine service in the pre-World War II German Kriegsmarine, and the title of several senior commands during the war. From January 1936 and until 17 October 1939, Karl Dönitz served in this position...
("U-boat Command Mediterranean"). On 5 April the command of U-371 passed to Oberleutnant zur See Horst-Arno Fenski
Horst-Arno Fenski
Horst-Arno Fenski was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, former commander of .
19th patrol
Under the command of Oblt. Horst-Arno Fenski, U-371 left Toulon for the final time at about 19:00 at on 23 April 1944, and headed back to the coast of Algeria, patrolling from 10 to 15 miles offshore.On 28 April U-371 received a report of a large convoy and set course to intercept. On the night of 2 May the U-boat surfaced in order to top up its batteries by running on its diesel engines, as it expected to contact the convoy within a few hours. Unfortunately when U-371 surfaced she found herself almost in the middle of the convoy, and immediately crash-dived to about 100 metres (328.1 ft). After an hour the U-boat surfaced again and headed toward the convoy, but was soon detected by the American destroyer escort
Edsall class destroyer escort
The Edsall class destroyer escorts were built primarily for ocean anti-submarine escort service during World War II. The lead ship, USS Edsall was commissioned on 10 April 1943 at Orange, Texas. The class was also known as the FMR type from their Fairbanks-Morse Reduction-geared diesel drive...
. As the destroyer closed to 3000 metres (9,842.5 ft) U-371 fired a T-5 acoustic torpedo
G7es torpedo
The G7es or Zaunkönig T-5 was a torpedo employed by German U-boats during World War II. It was known as the GNAT to the British.- Description :...
from her stern tube, and immediately dived. The Menges was hit, and the aft third of the ship was destroyed, killing 31 men and wounding 25. However she remained afloat and was towed to Bougie
Béjaïa
Béjaïa, Vgaiet or Bejaya is a Mediterranean port city on the Gulf of Béjaïa in Algeria; it is the capital of Béjaïa Province, Kabylia. Under French rule, it was formerly known under various European names, such as Budschaja in German, Bugia in Italian, and Bougie...
, Algeria, and later repaired and returned to service.
U-371 was now unlucky enough to be the first victim of an Allied submarine hunting tactic called "Swamp". This called for the area of a known or suspected U-boat to be packed with escort ships and patrol aircraft. They would then systematically and continually search the area, forcing the U-boat to remain submerged until its batteries ran out or it tried to escape on the surface. Either option was almost hopeless. U-371 found herself being relentlessly hunted by the American destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
s and , the Free French
Free French Naval Forces
Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Emile Muselier.- History :...
and L'Alcyon, and the British .
When the U-371 first attempted to surface after crippling the Menges depth charges forced her back down, while putting out all the lights, damaging the hydroplanes
Diving plane
A diving plane, also known as a hydroplane, is a control surface found on submarines which allow the vessel to pitch its bow and stern up or down to assist in the process of submerging or surfacing the boat, as well as controlling depth when submerged....
, and rupturing the trim tanks. The U-boat levelled off at about 200–215 m (656.2–705.4 ), leaking badly. The depth charge attacks continued at about 30-minute intervals, with increasing accuracy, and the U-boat sustained further damage.
At around 06:00 on 3 May U-371 attempted to evade Asdic detection by lying on the sea floor. This would also conserve battery power, which was becoming dangerously low. U-371 lay in the sea bed at around 240 metres (787.4 ft) for the rest of the day, hoping that the attackers would give up the hunt. Late that night though, the surface vessels could still be heard, but with the air quality in the boat rapidly deteriorating, the emergency lighting system out, and having taken on about 15 tons of water, the U-boat's commander decided that their only hope was to surface and attempt to escape in the darkness.
Blowing her ballast tanks only attracted the attention of the attackers, which began dropping depth charges again, and the U-boat was still stuck. The crew had to run from one end of the U-boat to the other while the engines ran at full power in order to break the grip of the mud before the U-boat finally began to surface. All torpedo tubes were loaded and readied for firing, and all guns were manned when U-371, with her batteries practically exhausted, surfaced and ran for safety.
After fifteen minutes the enemy was seen coming up astern, immediately opening fire and scoring several hits. The U-boat returned fire, but the situation was clearly hopeless and most of her crew jumped overboard. As a last show of defiance the U-boat fired a T-5 acoustic torpedo from her stern tube, and managed to hit the Sénégalais, causing some damage.
By this time, around 04:00 on 4 May 1944, only the commander Horst-Arno Fenski
Horst-Arno Fenski
Horst-Arno Fenski was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, the Engineering Officer and a control room petty officer remained aboard. The latter two remained below to flood the tanks, which caused U-371 to sink so rapidly that they were unable to escape.