German submarine U-137 (1940)

German submarine U-137 was a Type IID U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in World War II. Her keel was laid down on 16 November 1939 by Deutsche Werke in Kiel. She was launched on 18 May 1940 and commissioned on 15 June 1940 with Oberleutnant zur See Herbert Wohlfarth in command.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-137.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-137
Ordered25 September 1939
BuilderDeutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number266
Laid down16 November 1939
Launched18 May 1940
Commissioned15 June 1940
FateScuttled on 5 May 1945 at Wilhelmshaven
General characteristics
Class and typeType IID coastal submarine
Displacement
  • 314 t (309 long tons) surfaced
  • 364 t (358 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.92 m (16 ft 2 in) (o/a)
  • 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught3.93 m (12 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels)
  • 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 12.7 knots (23.5 km/h; 14.6 mph) surfaced
  • 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth80 m (260 ft)
Complement3 officers, 22 men
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Herbert Wohlfarth
  • 15 June – 14 December 1940
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans-Ferdinand Massmann
  • 15 December 1940 – 7 December 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Herbert Brüning
  • 8 December 1941 – 1 September 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Gerth Gemeiner
  • 2 September 1942 – 27 December 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther Schimmel
  • 28 December 1943 – 24 January 1945
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Fischer
  • 25 January – 28 February 1945
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans-Joachim Dierks
  • March – 5 May 1945
Operations:
  • 4 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 21 – 29 September 1940
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 9 – 17 October 1940
  • 3rd patrol:
  • a. 3 – 22 November 1940
  • b. 24 – 27 November 1940
  • c. 17 – 20 June 1941
  • 4th patrol:
  • a. 21 June - 4 July 1941
  • b. 24–26 July 1941
  • c. 28–29 August 1941
Victories:
  • 6 merchant ships sunk
    (24,136 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (4,917 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (10,552 GRT)

U-137 conducted four patrols, sinking six ships totaling 24,136 gross registered tons (GRT) and damaged one vessel of 4,917 GRT. She also damaged one auxiliary warship of 10,552 GRT. She was scuttled on 5 May 1945 at Wilhelmshaven, a week before Germany's surrender. U-137 never suffered any casualties to her crew.

Design

German Type IID submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-137 had a displacement of 314 tonnes (309 long tons) when at the surface and 364 tonnes (358 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however.[1] The U-boat had a total length of 43.97 m (144 ft 3 in), a pressure hull length of 29.80 m (97 ft 9 in), a beam of 4.92 m (16 ft 2 in), a height of 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in), and a draught of 3.93 m (12 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 410 metric horsepower (300 kW; 400 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12.7 knots (23.5 km/h; 14.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph).[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-137 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of 25.[1]

Operational career

First patrol

U-137 made the short journey from Kiel to Stavanger in Norway in September 1940. It was from the Nordic port that she began her first patrol on the 21st. Her route took her through the gap between the Faroe and Shetland Islands and on in to the Atlantic west of Scotland and Ireland.

She sank Manchester Brigade west of Malin Head on the 26th and damaged Ashantian on the same date. The ship had been abandoned by her crew; the master and eight crew-members had returned to the vessel where the master was scandalized to see that the ship had been looted following the presence of a boarding party from the armed trawler HMS Wolves. Ashantian was repaired and returned to service in September 1941. She was sunk in April 1943.

Continuing her success, the U-boat sank Stratford, in the same general area as her other victims, also on the 26th.

U-137 arrived at Lorient on the French Atlantic coast, on 29 September.

Second patrol

U-137 torpedoed the British Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Cheshire northwest of Ireland on 14 October 1940. The Chesire did not sink, and was towed to Belfast Lough, then moved to Liverpool for repairs that took six months.

Having set off from Lorient on 9 October, U-137 returned there on the 17th.

Third patrol

Sortie number three commenced with U-137's departure from Lorient on 3 November 1940 and returning to her old hunting grounds west of Scotland and north of Ireland. Her run of victories continued, sinking Cape St. Andrew west north-west of Aran Island on the 13th; Planter on the 16th north north-west of Bloody Foreland and two ships on the same day, from the same convoy (HG-46), Veronica and Saint Germain north north-west of Tory Island on 17 November.

The submarine steamed to Norway, again round the British Isles, docking in Bergen, on 22 November.

Fourth patrol

The boat's last operational patrol was to the north of the Shetland Islands, but she did not attack any targets. She then moved from Bergen to Helsingör in Denmark[2] and on to Kiel, arriving there on 29 August 1941.

Fate

U-137 became a 'school' (or training) boat in December 1940, a position she would hold for the rest of the war. She was one of many that were scuttled in Raederschleuse (a lock named after the Grand Admiral), in Wilhelmshaven, on 5 May 1945. The wreck was broken up, although the post-war date is unknown.

Summary of raiding history
Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[3] Convoy Position Deaths
26 September 1940 Ashantian  United Kingdom 4,917 Damaged OB 218 55°10′N 11°00′W 4
26 September 1940 Manchester Brigade  United Kingdom 6,042 Sunk OB 218 54°53′N 10°22′W 56
26 September 1940 Stratford  United Kingdom 4,753 Sunk OB 218 54°50′N 10°40′W 2
14 October 1940 HMS Cheshire  Royal Navy 10,552 Damaged 55°13′N 13°02′W 0
13 November 1940 Cape St. Andrew  United Kingdom 5,094 Sunk Straggler 55°14′N 10°29′W 15
16 November 1940 Planter  United Kingdom 5,887 Sunk Sailing alone 55°38′N 08°28′W 13
17 November 1940 Saint Germain  United Kingdom 1,044 Sunk HG-46 55°40′N 08°40′W 0
17 November 1940 Veronica  Sweden 1,316 Sunk HG-46 55°20′N 08°45′W 17

References

Notes
  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.
  2. The Times Atlas of the World - Third edition, revised 1995, ISBN 0 7230 0809 4, p. 11
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-137". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 December 2014.

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). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [The U-Boat War, 1939-1945: German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). "U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels". German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 137". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IID boat U-137". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
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