German submarine U-624 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 15 July 1941 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 600, launched on 31 March 1942 and commissioned on 28 May 1942 under Kapitänleutnant Ulrich Graf von Soden-Fraunhofen.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-624 |
| Ordered | 15 August 1940 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Yard number | 600 |
| Laid down | 15 July 1941 |
| Launched | 31 March 1942 |
| Commissioned | 28 May 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk on 7 February 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 55°42′N 26°17′W / 55.700°N 26.283°W, by a RAF B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record[1] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 04 328 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | |
Design
editGerman Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-624 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie 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 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] 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-624 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.[2]
Service history
editThe boat's service began on 28 May 1942 with training as part of the 8th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 7th Flotilla, operating out of St.Nazaire, on 1 October 1942 for active service in the North Atlantic .
In just two patrols she sank five merchant ships and three warships for a total of 39,855 gross register tons (GRT) and 873 tons, plus one merchant ship damaged.
Fate
editU-624 was sunk on 7 February 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 55°42′N 26°17′W / 55.700°N 26.283°W. She was caught unawares on the surface whilst transmitting to base a lengthy report of the previous night's action around Convoy SC 118. A RAF B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft of (Sqdn. 220/J), operating out of Londonderry Port, depth charged her 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) astern of the convoy. All 45 hands were lost.
Wolfpacks
editU-624 took part in five wolfpacks, namely:
- Puma (23 – 29 October 1942)
- Natter (30 October – 8 November 1942)
- Kreuzotter (8 – 24 November 1942)
- Habicht (10 – 19 January 1943)
- Haudegen (19 January – 7 February 1943)
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 October 1942 | Kosmos II |  Norway
|
16,966 | Sunk |
| 29 October 1942 | HMS LCT-2190[Note 2] |  Royal Navy
|
291 | Sunk |
| 29 October 1942 | HMS LCT-2192[Note 2] | Royal Navy
|
291 | Sunk |
| 29 October 1942 | HMS LCT-2284[Note 2] | Royal Navy
|
291 | Sunk |
| 29 October 1942 | Pan-New York |  United States
|
7,701 | Sunk |
| 18 November 1942 | President Sergent |  United Kingdom
|
5,344 | Sunk |
| 18 November 1942 | Parismina | United States
|
4,732 | Sunk |
| 18 November 1942 | Yaka | United States
|
5,432 | Damaged |
| 25 January 1943 | Lackenby | United Kingdom
|
5,112 | Sunk |
References
editNotes
edit- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
- ^ a b c Being carried by Kosmos II
Citations
edit- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-624". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-624". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
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). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. pp. 148–149. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
- Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links
edit- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-624". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.