German submarine U-212

German submarine U-212 was a Type VIIC U-boat that served with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Laid down on 17 May 1941 as yard number 641 at F. Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel, she was launched on 11 March 1942 and commissioned on 25 April under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Vogler.

For other ships with the same name, see Type 212 submarine.
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-212
Ordered16 October 1939[1]
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel[1]
Yard number641[1]
Laid down17 May 1941[1]
Launched11 March 1942[1]
Commissioned25 April 1942[1]
FateSunk by British warships on 21 July 1944[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught4.74 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
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Helmut Vogler
  • 25 April 1942 – 21 July 1944
Operations:
  • 12 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 12 – 26 September 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 10 October – 5 November 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • a. 19 November – 25 December 1942
  • b. 28 – 31 December 1942
  • 4th patrol:
  • a. 28 February – 1 March 1943
  • b. 8 March – 7 April 1943
  • 5th patrol:
  • 20 April – 16 May 1943
  • 6th patrol:
  • 3 June – 12 July 1943
  • 7th patrol:
  • a. 26 July – 4 August 1943
  • b. 5 – 10 August 1943
  • 8th patrol:
  • 11 October – 2 December 1943
  • 9th patrol:
  • a. 10 January – 12 March 1944
  • b. 8 – 10 April 1944
  • 10th patrol:
  • a. 6 – 9 June 1944
  • b. 12 – 16 June 1944
  • 11th patrol:
  • 22 – 24 June 1944
  • 12th patrol:
  • a. 28 June – 1 July 1944
  • b. 5 – 21 July 1944
Victories: 1 merchant ship sunk
(80 GRT)

She began her service career in training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 11th flotilla on 1 October 1942, the 13th flotilla on 1 June 1943 and the 3rd flotilla on 1 November.

She was a member of thirteen wolfpacks. She carried out twelve patrols, but sank only one ship.

She was sunk by British warships on 21 July 1944.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-212 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-212 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]

Service history

First to sixth patrols

Her first six patrols were of little interest; being confined to the waters of the north: around Iceland, Greenland, Bear Island and Jan Mayen Island. In that time (September 1942 to July 1943), she was based at Narvik, Bergen and Hammerfest in Norway.

Seventh patrol

It was during this sortie that the boat could claim her only victim; the Soviet Majakovski, sunk by a mine on 5 August 1943, laid by U-212 on 31 July.

Eighth patrol

The submarine departed Bergen and Norwegian waters, on 11 October 1943. Passing through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands, she headed for Newfoundland, docking at La Pallice / La Rochelle in occupied France, on 2 December.

Ninth patrol

Patrol number nine was U-212's longest, at 63 days.

She was strafed by an unidentified Leigh Light – equipped aircraft on 14 January 1944. The 37mm AA gun malfunctioned after just one round was fired and the barrel of a 20mm weapon burst. No damage was inflicted by the air attack on the outbound U-boat.

On 25 February 1944, she met U-549 to transfer some radar detection equipment. Both submarines were caught on the surface by an unidentified Catalina flying boat. U-549 dived immediately, but U-212 chose to put up some resistance before joining her sister. The boat was not damaged.

She was also unsuccessfully attacked by an unidentified B-24 Liberator on 8 March while inbound.

Tenth patrol

If her ninth foray was her longest, her tenth and thirteenth outings were the shortest – three days each. They both started and finished in La Pallice.

This mission was also cut short; while sailing to interfere with the D-Day landings, the boat was attacked by two 57mm Tsetse cannon-firing Mosquitoes of No. 228 Squadron RAF. U-212 returned to base for repairs on 9 June 1944.

Eleventh patrol

The boat did not get out of the Bay of Biscay, moving to Brest at the end of her fourteenth effort.

Twelfth patrol and loss

She left France for the last time on 5 July 1944. She was sunk south of Brighton in the English Channel on 21 July by depth charges dropped from the British frigates HMS Curzon and Ekins.

Forty-nine men died; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-212 took part in thirteen wolfpacks, namely:

  • Boreas (22 November – 9 December 1942)
  • Eisbär (27 March – 5 April 1943)
  • Siegfried (25– 27 October 1943)
  • Siegfried 1 (27– 30 October 1943)
  • Körner (30 October – 2 November 1943)
  • Tirpitz 1 (2 – 8 November 1943)
  • Eisenhart 4 (9 – 15 November 1943)
  • Schill 3 (18 – 22 November 1943)
  • Rügen (15 – 26 January 1944)
  • Hinein (26 January – 3 February 1944)
  • Igel 1 (3 – 17 February 1944)
  • Hai 1 (17 – 22 February 1944)
  • Preussen (22 February – 4 March 1944)

Summary of raiding history
Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage (GRT) Fate[4]
5 August 1943 Majakovski  Soviet Union 80 Sunk

References
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC Uboat U-212". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-212". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-212". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 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). 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). 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.
  • Bishop, Chris (2006). Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939-45. London: Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-904687-96-2.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-212". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 212". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.

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