After a period of training as part of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla, U-116 was assigned to the front-line as part of the 1st U-boat Flotilla on 1 February 1942.[4] She sailed from Kiel on 4 April 1942, bound for Bergen, Norway, via Heligoland, and departed Bergen on 25 April, circling the British Isles before arriving at Lorient in occupied France, on 5 May.[6]
2nd patrol
U-116 sailed from Lorient on 16 May 1942 on a patrol to the mid-Atlantic lasting 25 days, arriving back at her homeport on 9 June, without any success.[7]
3rd patrol
U-116 was more successful on her third patrol which took her south to the coast of West Africa, attacking Convoy OS-33 south of the Azores on 12 July 1942. Soon after midnight she fired one torpedo at the 7,093 GRT merchant ship Cortona, causing some damage; although the ship was then sunk by U-201.[8] Nine hours later U-116 fired two torpedoes into the 4,284 GRT British merchant ship Shaftesbury, which sank in 15 minutes.[9] The U-boat returned to Lorient on 23 August, after 58 days at sea.[10]
^ abcdHelgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XB boat U-116". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-116". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-116 from 25 Apr 1942 to 5 May 1942". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-116 from 16 May 1942 to 9 Jun 1942". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Cortona (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Shaftesbury (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-116 from 27 Jun 1942 to 23 Aug 1942". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-116 from 22 Sep 1942 to 6 Oct 1942". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-116". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 October 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. ISBN1-55750-186-6.
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. ISBN3-8132-0514-2.
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. ISBN0-85177-593-4.
Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN1-85409-515-3.
External links
Hofmann, Markus. "U 116". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 December 2014.
Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type X boat U-116". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
german, submarine, 1941, other, ships, with, same, name, german, submarine, german, submarine, type, minelaying, boat, nazi, germany, kriegsmarine, during, world, historynazi, germanynameu, 116ordered31, january, 1939buildergermaniawerft, kielyard, number615la. For other ships with the same name see German submarine U 116 German submarine U 116 was a Type XB minelaying U boat of Nazi Germany s Kriegsmarine during World War II HistoryNazi GermanyNameU 116Ordered31 January 1939BuilderGermaniawerft KielYard number615Laid down1 July 1939Launched3 May 1941 1 Commissioned26 July 1941 2 FateMissing since 6 October 1942 in the North Atlantic 2 General characteristics 3 Class and typeType X submarine minelayerDisplacement1 763 tonnes 1 735 long tons surfaced 2 177 tonnes 2 143 long tons submergedLength89 80 m 294 ft 7 in o a 70 90 m 232 ft 7 in pressure hullBeam9 20 m 30 ft 2 in o a 4 75 m 15 ft 7 in pressure hullHeight10 20 m 33 ft 6 in Draught4 71 m 15 ft 5 in Propulsion2 supercharged GW F 46 a 9 pu 9 cylinder four stroke diesel engines 4 800 PS 4 700 bhp 3 500 kW 2 AEG GU 720 8 287 electric motors 1 100 PS 1 100 shp 810 kW Range18 450 nautical miles 34 170 km 21 230 mi at 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph surfaced 93 nmi 172 km 107 mi at 4 knots 7 4 km h 4 6 mph submergedTest depthCalculated crush depth 220 m 720 ft Complement5 officers 47 enlistedArmament2 53 3 cm 21 in stern torpedo tubes 15 torpedoes 66 SMA mines 1 10 5 cm 4 1 in deck gun 200 rounds various AA gunsService record 4 5 Part of 2nd U boat Flotilla 26 July 1941 31 January 1942 1st U boat Flotilla 1 February 6 October 1942Commanders K Kapt Werner von Schmidt 26 July 1941 10 September 1942 Oblt z S Wilhelm Grimme 11 September 6 October 1942Operations 4 patrols 1st patrol 25 April 5 May 1942 2nd patrol 16 May 9 June 1942 3rd patrol 27 June 23 August 1942 4th patrol 22 September 6 October 1942Victories 1 merchant ship sunk 4 284 GRT 1 merchant ship damaged 7 093 GRT She was ordered on 31 January 1939 and laid down on 1 July at Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft Kiel as yard number 615 She was launched on 3 May 1941 and commissioned under the command of Korvettenkapitan Werner von Schmidt on 26 July of that year 4 Contents 1 Service history 1 1 1st patrol 1 2 2nd patrol 1 3 3rd patrol 1 4 4th patrol 2 Summary of raiding history 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksService history Edit1st patrol Edit After a period of training as part of the 2nd U boat Flotilla U 116 was assigned to the front line as part of the 1st U boat Flotilla on 1 February 1942 4 She sailed from Kiel on 4 April 1942 bound for Bergen Norway via Heligoland and departed Bergen on 25 April circling the British Isles before arriving at Lorient in occupied France on 5 May 6 2nd patrol Edit U 116 sailed from Lorient on 16 May 1942 on a patrol to the mid Atlantic lasting 25 days arriving back at her homeport on 9 June without any success 7 3rd patrol Edit U 116 was more successful on her third patrol which took her south to the coast of West Africa attacking Convoy OS 33 south of the Azores on 12 July 1942 Soon after midnight she fired one torpedo at the 7 093 GRT merchant ship Cortona causing some damage although the ship was then sunk by U 201 8 Nine hours later U 116 fired two torpedoes into the 4 284 GRT British merchant ship Shaftesbury which sank in 15 minutes 9 The U boat returned to Lorient on 23 August after 58 days at sea 10 4th patrol Edit For her fourth patrol U 116 sailed under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wilhelm Grimme Leaving Lorient on 22 September 1942 11 she sent her last radio message on 6 October whilst in the North Atlantic at position 45 00 N 31 30 W 45 000 N 31 500 W 45 000 31 500 Coordinates 45 00 N 31 30 W 45 000 N 31 500 W 45 000 31 500 and was never heard from again 56 men were lost with her 2 4 Summary of raiding history EditDate Name Nationality Tonnage GRT Fate 12 12 July 1942 Cortona United Kingdom 7 093 Damaged12 July 1942 Shaftesbury United Kingdom 4 284 SunkReferences Edit Kemp 1999 pp 92 93 a b c Kemp pp 92 93 Groner 1991 pp 76 77 a b c d Helgason Gudmundur The Type XB boat U 116 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 20 December 2009 Helgason Gudmundur War Patrols by German U boat U 116 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 20 December 2009 Helgason Gudmundur Patrol of U boat U 116 from 25 Apr 1942 to 5 May 1942 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 20 December 2009 Helgason Gudmundur Patrol of U boat U 116 from 16 May 1942 to 9 Jun 1942 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 20 December 2009 Helgason Gudmundur Cortona Steam merchant German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 20 December 2009 Helgason Gudmundur Shaftesbury Steam merchant German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 20 December 2009 Helgason Gudmundur Patrol of U boat U 116 from 27 Jun 1942 to 23 Aug 1942 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 20 December 2009 Helgason Gudmundur Patrol of U boat U 116 from 22 Sep 1942 to 6 Oct 1942 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 20 December 2009 Helgason Gudmundur Ships hit by U 116 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 3 October 2014 Bibliography EditBusch Rainer Roll 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 Roll 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 Groner 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 amp Armour ISBN 1 85409 515 3 External links EditHofmann Markus U 116 Deutsche U Boote 1935 1945 u boot archiv de in German Retrieved 6 December 2014 Helgason Gudmundur The Type X boat U 116 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 6 December 2014 Portals Military of Germany World War II Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title German submarine U 116 1941 amp oldid 1086198825, 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