German submarine U-119 was a Type XB minelaying U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down at the Germaniawerft in Kiel on 15 May 1940 as yard number 624. She was launched on 6 January 1942 and commissioned under Kapitänleutnant Alois Zech on 2 April 1942, he was replaced by Kptlt. Horst-Tessen von Kameke on 15 April 1943, who remained in command until her loss.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-119 |
| Ordered | 7 August 1939 |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number | 624 |
| Laid down | 15 May 1940 |
| Launched | 6 January 1942[1] |
| Commissioned | 2 April 1942[1] |
| Fate | Sunk on 24 June 1943[1] by a British warship |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type | Type X submarine minelayer |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.71 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | Calculated crush depth: 220 m (720 ft) |
| Complement | 5 officers, 47 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record[3][4] | |
| Part of: |
|
| Identification codes: | M 43 666 |
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: |
|
| Victories: | |
U-119's service career began with the 4th U-boat Flotilla on 2 April 1942 where she underwent training. She was declared operational on 1 February 1943 when she moved over to the 12th flotilla.
Operational career
editThe boat made a short run from Kiel to Frederikshaven in Denmark and back from 4 to 10 August 1942.
First patrol
editHer first patrol commenced with her departure from Kiel on 6 February 1943. She crossed the North Sea and skirted the northern coast of Iceland, arriving at Bordeaux in occupied France on 1 April.
Second patrol and loss
editU-119 was unsuccessfully attacked on 29 April 1943 by a Short Sunderland flying boat of 461 Squadron RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force). The boat sustained no damage but one man was killed.
She sank Halma on 3 June east of Halifax, Nova Scotia and damaged John A. Poor on 27 July. Both ships were attacked with mines laid by U-119 on 1 June.
U-119 was sunk by a combination of depth charges, gunfire and ramming from HMS Starling on 24 June 1943.[1]
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 June 1943 | Halma |  Panama |
2,937 | Sunk (Mine) |
| 28 July 1943 | John A. Poor |  United States |
7,176 | Damaged (Mine) |
References
edit- ^ a b c d Kemp 1999, p. 126.
- ^ Gröner 1991, p. 116.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XB boat U-119". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-119". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-119". 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.
- 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.
External links
edit- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type X boat U-119". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 119". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 December 2014.
44°59′N 12°24′W / 44.983°N 12.400°W