U-537 conducted three patrols and holds the distinction of making the only armed German landing in North America during World War II, when her crew installed the automatic Weather Station Kurt in Martin Bay, Labrador on 22 October 1943.[3] She was then sent to the Far East. On 10 November 1944 in the Java Sea east of Surabaya, U-537 was sunk with all hands—58 officers and men—by torpedoes from USS Flounder (SS-251).[1]
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-537 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.[4] 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).[4]
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).[4] 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-537 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.[4]
Service historyedit
First patroledit
U-537 left Kiel on 18 September 1943 and sailed to Bergen, Norway, departing from there on her first patrol on 30 September. She sailed across the North Atlantic, and on 22 October she set up Wetter-Funkgerät Land-26 (code-named "Kurt") automatic weather station in Martin Bay, Labrador. The weather station was only discovered by accident by Canadian authorities in 1981.[5]
While on anti-shipping patrol off Newfoundland on 31 October, the U-boat was attacked by a Canadian Hudson aircraft from No. 11 Squadron RCAF, which fired eight rockets, all missing. On 10 November a Canadian Catalina aircraft from No. 5 Squadron RCAF attacked her with four depth charges off Cape Race. The U-boat escaped unharmed, but the next day another Catalina of 5 Squadron attacked with four depth charges which slightly damaged the submarine. Surface ships then joined the hunt, but all failed to locate her, and U-537 arrived safely at Lorient on 8 December.[6]
Second patroledit
U-537 sailed from Lorient on 25 March 1944 and traveled around Africa, and then crossed the Indian Ocean to Batavia, which she reached on 2 August after a voyage of 131 days.[7]
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Weather station Kurt erected in Labrador in 1943". U-boat.net. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-537 from 30 Sep 1943 to 8 Dec 1943". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-537 from 25 Mar 1944 to 2 Aug 1944". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-537 from 9 Nov 1944 to 9 Nov 1944". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
^. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
Bibliographyedit
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.
External linksedit
Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-537". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
April 12, 2024
german, submarine, type, boat, nazi, germany, kriegsmarine, during, world, keel, laid, down, april, 1942, deutsche, werft, hamburg, commissioned, january, 1943, with, kapitänleutnant, peter, schrewe, command, schrewe, commanded, boat, nearly, years, until, los. German submarine U 537 was a Type IXC 40 U boat of Nazi Germany s Kriegsmarine during World War II Her keel was laid down on 10 April 1942 by Deutsche Werft in Hamburg She was commissioned on 27 January 1943 with Kapitanleutnant Peter Schrewe in command Schrewe commanded the boat for nearly two years until her loss 1 U 537 in Martin Bay LabradorHistoryNazi GermanyNameU 537Ordered10 April 1941BuilderDeutsche Werft AG Hamburg FinkenwerderYard number355Laid down10 April 1942Launched7 November 1942Commissioned27 January 1943FateSunk in the Java sea by USS Flounder on 10 November 1944General characteristicsClass and typeType IXC 40 submarineDisplacement1 144 t 1 126 long tons surfaced 1 257 t 1 237 long tons submergedLength76 76 m 251 ft 10 in o a 58 75 m 192 ft 9 in pressure hullBeam6 86 m 22 ft 6 in o a 4 44 m 14 ft 7 in pressure hullHeight9 60 m 31 ft 6 in Draught4 67 m 15 ft 4 in Installed power4 400 PS 3 200 kW 4 300 bhp diesels 1 000 PS 740 kW 990 shp electric Propulsion2 shafts 2 diesel engines 2 electric motorsSpeed18 3 knots 33 9 km h 21 1 mph surfaced 7 3 knots 13 5 km h 8 4 mph submergedRange13 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 submergedTest depth230 m 750 ft Complement4 officers 44 enlistedArmament6 torpedo tubes 4 bow 2 stern 22 53 3 cm 21 in torpedoes 1 10 5 cm 4 1 in SK C 32 deck gun 180 rounds 1 3 7 cm 1 5 in SK C 30 AA gun 1 twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA gunsService record 1 2 Part of 4th U boat Flotilla 27 January 31 July 1943 10th U boat Flotilla 1 August 1943 30 September 1944 33rd U boat Flotilla 1 October 9 November 1944Identification codes M 49 804Commanders Kptlt Peter Schrewe 27 January 1943 9 November 1944Operations 3 patrols 1st patrol a 18 23 September 1943 b 30 September 8 December 1943 2nd patrol a 25 March 2 August 1944 b 1 October 1944 3rd patrol 9 10 November 1944Victories NoneU 537 conducted three patrols and holds the distinction of making the only armed German landing in North America during World War II when her crew installed the automatic Weather Station Kurt in Martin Bay Labrador on 22 October 1943 3 She was then sent to the Far East On 10 November 1944 in the Java Sea east of Surabaya U 537 was sunk with all hands 58 officers and men by torpedoes from USS Flounder SS 251 1 Contents 1 Design 2 Service history 2 1 First patrol 2 2 Second patrol 2 3 Third patrol 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksDesign editGerman Type IXC 40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs U 537 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 4 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 4 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 4 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 537 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 4 Service history editFirst patrol edit U 537 left Kiel on 18 September 1943 and sailed to Bergen Norway departing from there on her first patrol on 30 September She sailed across the North Atlantic and on 22 October she set up Wetter Funkgerat Land 26 code named Kurt automatic weather station in Martin Bay Labrador The weather station was only discovered by accident by Canadian authorities in 1981 5 While on anti shipping patrol off Newfoundland on 31 October the U boat was attacked by a Canadian Hudson aircraft from No 11 Squadron RCAF which fired eight rockets all missing On 10 November a Canadian Catalina aircraft from No 5 Squadron RCAF attacked her with four depth charges off Cape Race The U boat escaped unharmed but the next day another Catalina of 5 Squadron attacked with four depth charges which slightly damaged the submarine Surface ships then joined the hunt but all failed to locate her and U 537 arrived safely at Lorient on 8 December 6 Second patrol edit U 537 sailed from Lorient on 25 March 1944 and traveled around Africa and then crossed the Indian Ocean to Batavia which she reached on 2 August after a voyage of 131 days 7 Third patrol edit U 537 left Batavia for Surabaya in Indonesia on 1 October 1944 and began her third and final patrol on 9 November 8 On 10 November she was spotted and sunk with all hands 58 officers and men in the Java Sea at position 7 13 S 115 17 E 7 217 S 115 283 E 7 217 115 283 by torpedoes from USS Flounder SS 251 1 U 537 was one of 10 German U boats lost in Asian or East African waters during the war 9 References edit a b c d Helgason Gudmundur The Type IXC 40 boat U 537 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 1 March 2010 Helgason Gudmundur War Patrols by German U boat U 537 U boat patrols uboat net Retrieved 1 March 2010 Thorne R G 2004 A Cherished Past Newfoundland s Front Row Seat to History St John s NL Thorton Publishing Ltd pp 82 88 a b c d Groner 1991 p 68 Helgason Gudmundur Weather station Kurt erected in Labrador in 1943 U boat net Retrieved 18 March 2009 Helgason Gudmundur Patrol of U boat U 537 from 30 Sep 1943 to 8 Dec 1943 U boat patrols uboat net Retrieved 1 March 2010 Helgason Gudmundur Patrol of U boat U 537 from 25 Mar 1944 to 2 Aug 1944 U boat patrols uboat net Retrieved 1 March 2010 Helgason Gudmundur Patrol of U boat U 537 from 9 Nov 1944 to 9 Nov 1944 U boat patrols uboat net Retrieved 1 March 2010 The U Boat War in Indian Ocean Archived from the original on 11 July 2011 Retrieved 20 November 2010 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 External links editHelgason Gudmundur The Type IXC 40 boat U 537 German U boats of WWII uboat net Retrieved 7 December 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title German submarine U 537 amp oldid 1217203613, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
