German submarine U-99 (1940)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-99.

History
U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-99
Ordered:	15 December 1937
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number:	593
Laid down:	31 March 1939
Launched:	12 March 1940
Commissioned:	18 April 1940
Fate:	Scuttled, 17 March 1941, south-east of Iceland. Three dead and 40 survivors^[1]
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type VIIB submarine
Displacement:	753 tonnes (741 long tons) surfaced 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length:	66.50 m (218 ft 2 in) o/a 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.50 m (31 ft 2 in)
Draught:	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	220 m (720 ft) Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 7th U-boat Flotilla
Identification codes:	M 17 046
Commanders:	Otto Kretschmer
Operations:	Eleven 1st patrol: 18–25 June 1940 2nd patrol: 27 June – 21 July 1940 3rd patrol: 25 July – 5 August 1940 4th patrol: 4–25 September 1940 5th patrol: 13–22 October 1940 6th patrol: 30 October – 8 November 1940 7th patrol: 27 November – 12 December 1940 8th patrol: 22 February – 17 March 1941
Victories:	35 ships sunk (totaling 198,218 GRT) three auxiliary warships sunk - 46,440 GRT five ships damaged - 37,965 GRT one ship taken as a prize - 2,136 GRT

German submarine U-99 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 31 March 1939 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 593. She was launched on 12 March 1940 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Otto Kretschmer and was assigned to the 7th U-boat Flotilla based in Kiel and later in St Nazaire.

U-99 was one of the most successful German U-boats in the war, sinking 38 ships for a total tonnage of 244,658 gross register tons (GRT) of Allied shipping in eight patrols. She damaged five more ships and took one vessel as a prize.

Design

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-99 had a displacement of 753 tonnes (741 long tons) when at the surface and 857 tonnes (843 long tons) while submerged.^[2] She had a total length of 66.50 m (218 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-99 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

From April to June 1940, the crew of U-99 were under training, based at Kiel and St. Nazaire.

1st patrol

On 18 June, U-99 departed Kiel for operations in the North Sea west of Norway. She was attacked by an Arado Ar-196 seaplane from the German battleship Scharnhorst, having been mistaken for a British submarine. Two days later, U-99 was attacked by two aircraft; minor damage was inflicted.^[3] She returned to Kiel on 25 June.

2nd patrol

U-99 departed Wilhelmshaven on 27 June to patrol southwest of Ireland. On 29 June, she was attacked by British aircraft. A crash dive was carried out with the result that the boat hit the seabed, causing some damage which was able to be repaired.^[3] During this patrol, U-99 sank six ships. A seventh was captured.^[4] An attack on the 5,360 GRT Manistee was called off on 7 July, when the armed merchant ship fired upon the U-boat.^[5] On 8 July, over 100 depth charges were dropped by the escorts of Convoy HX 53, but U-99 escaped undamaged.^[3] The patrol ended on 21 July.

Painting of Estonian merchant ship SS Merisaar's lifeboat approaching German submarine U-99 in July 1940

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage^{[Note 1]}	Fate
5 July 1940	Magog ^†	Canada	2,053	Sunk
7 July 1940	Bissen	Sweden	1,514	Sunk
	HMS Manistee	Royal Navy	5,360	Escaped
	Sea Glory	United Kingdom	1,964	Sunk
8 July 1940	Humber Arm ^‡	United Kingdom	5,758	Sunk
12 July 1940	Ia	Greece	4,861	Sunk
12 July 1940	Merisaar^*	Estonia	2,136	Captured
18 July 1940	Woodbury	United Kingdom	4,434	Sunk

† Convoy HX 52, ‡ Convoy HX 53, * sunk by German bombing, 15 July 1940

3rd patrol

On 25 July, U-99 departed Lorient for the North Atlantic. Four ships were sunk and three others damaged. On the 31st, the escorts of Convoy OB 191 dropped 20 depth charges on the boat without effect. Later that evening, a flying boat also attacked her, again without causing any damage.^[3] The patrol ended on 5 August.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage^{[Note 1]} (GRT)	Fate
28 July 1940	Auckland Star	UK	13,212	Sunk
29 July 1940	Clan Menzies	UK	7,226	Sunk
31 July 1940	Jamaica Progress	UK	5,475	Sunk
31 July 1940	Jersey City ^†	UK	6,322	Sunk
2 August 1940	Alexia ^{†, ‡}	UK	8,016	Damaged
	Lucerna ^{†, ‡}	UK	6,556	Damaged
	Strinda ^{†, ‡}	Norway	10,973	Damaged

† Convoy OB 191, ‡ Damaged

4th patrol

U-99 departed Lorient on 4 September for the North Atlantic; seven ships were sunk. The patrol ended on the 25th. U-99 was slightly damaged in an air raid on Lorient on 27 September.^[3]

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage^{[Note 1]} (GRT)	Fate
11 September 1940	Albionic	UK	2,468	Sunk
15 September 1940	Kenordoc ^†	Canada	1,780	Sunk
16 September 1940	Lotos ^†	Norway	1,327	Sunk
17 September 1940	Crown Arun ^‡	UK	2,372	Sunk
21 September 1940	Baron Blythswood ^*	UK	3,668	Sunk
	Elmbank ^*	UK	5,156	Sunk
	Invershannon^*	UK	9,154	Sunk

† Convoy SC 3, ‡ Convoy HX 71, * Convoy HX 72

5th patrol

On 13 October, U-99 departed Lorient to patrol the North West Approaches. Six ships from Convoy SC 7 were sunk and another was damaged. The patrol ended on 22 October.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage^{[Note 1]} (GRT)	Fate
18 October 1940	Empire Miniver	UK	6,055	Sunk
	Fiscus	UK	4,815	Sunk
	Niritos	Greece	3,854	Sunk
19 October 1940	Clintonia ^†	UK	3,106	Damaged
	Empire Brigade	UK	5,154	Sunk
	Snefjeld	Norway	1,643	Sunk
	Thalia	Greece	5,875	Sunk

6th patrol

U-99 departed Lorient for the North West Approaches on 30 October 1940; four ships were sunk. The patrol ended on 8 November.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage^{[Note 1]} (GRT)	Fate
3 November 1940	Casanare	UK	5,376	Sunk
3 November 1940	HMS Laurentic	Royal Navy	18,724	Sunk
4 November 1940	Patroclus	UK	11,314	Sunk
5 November 1940	Scottish Maiden ^†	UK	6,993	Sunk

† Convoy HX 83

7th patrol

On 27 November, U-99 departed Lorient for the North Atlantic. Four ships were sunk. The patrol ended on 12 December.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage^{[Note 1]} (GRT)	Fate
2 December 1940	HMS Forfar (F30)	Royal Navy	16,402	Sunk
2 December 1940	Samnanger	Norway	4,276	Sunk
3 December 1940	Conch ^†	UK	8,376	Sunk
7 December 1940	Farmsum ^‡	Netherlands	5,237	Sunk

† Convoy HX 90, ‡ Convoy OB 252

8th patrol

U-99 departed Lorient on 22 February 1941 to patrol in the North Atlantic; eight ships were sunk. U-99 was attacked herself, with severe damage inflicted. Kretschmer surrendered and scuttled the submarine with the loss of three lives.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage^{[Note 1]} (GRT)	Fate
7 March 1941	Athelbeach ^†	UK	6,568	Sunk
7 March 1941	Terje Viken	UK	20,638	Sunk
16 March 1941	Beduin ^‡	Norway	8,136	Sunk
	Ferm ^‡	Norway	6,593	Sunk
	Franche-Comté ^‡	UK	9,314	Damaged
	J. B. White	Canada	7,375	Sunk
	Korshamn ^‡	Sweden	6,673	Sunk
	Venetia ^†	UK	5,728	Sunk

† Convoy OB 293, ‡ Convoy HX 112

Fate

On 17 March 1941, U-99 had just fired the last of her torpedoes and sunk Korshamn when the Watch Officer spotted a destroyer, south-east of Iceland in approximate position 61°N 12°W / 61°N 12°W / 61; -12Coordinates: 61°N 12°W / 61°N 12°W / 61; -12. He immediately ordered a dive, contrary to Kretschmer's standing orders,^[6] but once the boat was under it was quickly fixed on ASDIC and attacked by HMS Walker and Vanoc. U-99 was driven deep by the attack but was nonetheless severely damaged. Kretschmer had no choice but to surface; immediately a barrage of fire greeted the boat. Kretschmer sent a message to Donald Macintyre, Walker's captain, "CAPTAIN TO CAPTAIN. I AM SUNKING [sic] PLEASE RESCUE MY CREW."^[7] He then ordered that the boat should be scuttled. Forty crew, including Kretschmer, were rescued to become POWs. Three crewmen - the engineering-officer and two ratings - lost their lives.^[8] The engineering officer re-entered the sinking U-boat and perished while opening the galley hatch, to hasten the boat's sinking and prevent the British from boarding it.^[9]

Macintyre took Kretschmer's binoculars as a souvenir.^[10]

Wolfpack operations

U-99 operated with the following Wolfpacks during her career:

Wolfpack 1 (20–22 September 1940)
Wolfpack 2 (17–19 October 1940)

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

↑ Kemp 1997, p. 69.
1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.
1 2 3 4 5 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IVVB boat U-99". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Merisaar". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Manistee (F104)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
↑ Fairbank White 2006, p. 79.
↑ Fairbank White 2006, p. 81.
↑ C.B. 04051 (20) "U 99" Interrogation of Survivors. Naval Intelligence Division, Admiralty. April 1941. p. 7.
↑ C.B. 04051 (20) "U 99" Interrogation of Survivors. Naval Intelligence Division, Admiralty. April 1941. p. 14.
↑ Fairbank White 2006, p. 82–83.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. pp. 23, 27, 28, 32, 35, 42–44, 48–49. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
Fairbank White, David (2006). Bitter Ocean – The dramatic story of the Battle of the Atlantic 1939–1945. Headline Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-7553-1089-0.
Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.

External links

Hofmann, Markus. "U 99". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 8 December 2014.
uboataces.com webpage with insignia for U-99
uboatarchive.net U-99 Interrogation of Survivors, Naval Intelligence Division, April 1941

German Type VII submarines

Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36

Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102

Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210

Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308

Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218

Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062

Preceded by: Type II Followed by: Type IX List of U-boats of Germany

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in March 1941

Shipwrecks	4 Mar: Bernhard Schulte, Elbing, Gumbinnen 7 Mar: U-70 11 Mar: HMS Witherington 14 Mar: Western Chief 17 Mar: U-99, U-100 18 Mar: Bremen, HMS Rosaura 20 Mar: Mackay-Bennett 21 Mar: Benwyvis 23 Mar: U-551 25 Mar: Britannia 26 Mar: HMS York 27 Mar: Faraday 28 Mar: Fiume 29 Mar: Pola, Zara 30 Mar: Umona 31 Mar: HMS Bonaventure Unknown date: U-47

Other incidents	1 Mar: Empire Simba 25 Mar: Escaut

1940 1941 1942 February 1941 April 1941

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