German submarine U-186

German submarine U-186 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 24 July 1941 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 1026. She was launched on 11 March 1942 and commissioned on 10 July with Korvettenkapitän Siegfried Hesemann in command.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-186
Ordered15 August 1940
BuilderDeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number1026
Laid down24 July 1941
Launched11 March 1942[1]
Commissioned10 July 1942[1]
FateSunk by HMS Hesperus, 12 May 1943[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeType IXC/40 submarine
Displacement
  • 1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range
  • 13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament
Service record[2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 05 693
Commanders:
  • K.Kapt. Siegfried Hesemann
  • 10 July 1942 – 12 May 1943
Operations:
  • 2 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 31 December 1942 – 5 March 1943
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 17 April – 12 May 1943
Victories: 3 merchant ships sunk
(18,782 GRT)

The U-boat's service began with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla. She then moved to the 10th flotilla on 1 January 1943 for operations. The submarine carried out two patrols and was a member of nine wolfpacks. She sank three ships totalling 18,782 gross register tons (GRT).

She was sunk by a British destroyer on 12 May 1943.

Design

edit

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-186 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.[3] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 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 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-186 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[3]

Service history

edit

First patrol

edit

U-186's first patrol took her from Kiel, across the North Sea and into the Atlantic Ocean through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. She sank Ocean Vagabond on 11 January 1943 south of Iceland. This ship had already been damaged by U-513 in September 1942. U-186 also sank Hastings and Eulima on 23 February 1943 (part of Convoy ON 166) about 310 nmi (570 km; 360 mi) south of Cape Race (Newfoundland). She arrived at Lorient in occupied France, on 5 March 1943.

Second patrol and loss

edit

The boat departed Lorient on 17 April 1943. On 12 May she was sunk northwest of the Azores by depth charges dropped by the British destroyer HMS Hesperus. Fifty three men died. There were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

edit

U-186 took part in nine wolfpacks, namely:

  • Habicht (10 – 19 January 1943)
  • Haudegen (19 January - 2 February 1943)
  • Nordsturm (2 – 9 February 1943)
  • Haudegen (9 – 15 February 1943)
  • Taifun (15 – 20 February 1943)
  • Amsel (22 April - 3 May 1943)
  • Amsel 4 (3 – 6 May 1943)
  • Rhein (7 – 10 May 1943)
  • Elbe 2 (10 – 12 May 1943)

Summary of raiding history

edit
Date Ship Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)
Fate[4]
11 January 1943 Ocean Vagabond   United Kingdom 7,174 Sunk
23 February 1943 Eulima   United Kingdom 6,207 Sunk
23 February 1943 Hastings   United States 5,401 Sunk

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Kemp 1999, pp. 115–6.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-186". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-186". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.

Bibliography

edit
  • 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.
  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolfpacks - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. pp. 160, 207, 211. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
  • 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.
  • Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
edit
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-186". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 186". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.

41°54′N 31°49′W / 41.900°N 31.817°W / 41.900; -31.817