U-109

U-109. It was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Commissioned in late 1940, the submarine conducted eleven war patrols, primarily in the Atlantic Ocean, and was credited with sinking over 80,000 GRT of Allied shipping. Its operational history spanned some of the most critical phases of the Battle of the Atlantic before it was ultimately destroyed by Allied forces in 1943.

Service history

U-109 was commissioned into the 2nd U-boat Flotilla in Bremen for training before being assigned to front-line service with the same unit. In 1942, it was transferred to the 10th U-boat Flotilla based in Lorient, a major U-boat base in occupied France. Its service coincided with the peak of German submarine warfare, operating during periods of great success for the U-boat Arm as well as the increasing effectiveness of Allied countermeasures like Hedgehog and Ultra intelligence. The boat's career took it across the North Atlantic and into the waters off the East Coast of the United States and the Caribbean Sea.

Construction and design

The submarine was constructed by AG Weser at its Deschimag shipyard in Bremen as part of the Kriegsmarine's pre-war building program. As a Type IXB, it was a larger ocean-going design with greater range and torpedo capacity than the more numerous Type VII boats. It had a displacement of 1,051 tonnes surfaced and featured six torpedo tubes, a 10.5 cm deck gun, and various anti-aircraft weapons. This design enabled extended patrols far from bases in Bordeaux or Saint-Nazaire, targeting Allied convoys along key routes like those to and from Liverpool and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Patrols and engagements

On its first patrol in April 1941, U-109 operated west of Ireland but recorded no successes. Its second patrol in July 1941, under the command of Hans-Georg Fischer, saw it sink its first ship, the British freighter SS Anselm, southwest of Freetown. The boat's most successful period came under Heinrich Bleichrodt, including a patrol in early 1942 as part of the Operation Drumbeat offensive off the United States, where it sank several vessels including the tanker SS Coamo. Later patrols under Fritz-Julius Lemp and others targeted convoys such as Convoy ON 166 and Convoy SC 122, though Allied escort groups and air cover from the Royal Air Force and United States Navy made attacks increasingly perilous.

Commanders

* **Hans-Georg Fischer**: 5 December 1940 – 2 October 1941. Fischer commanded the boat's first two patrols, achieving its initial sinkings. * **Heinrich Bleichrodt**: 3 October 1941 – 14 January 1943. A seasoned commander and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, Bleichrodt led U-109 during its most prolific phase, including operations in the Caribbean and off Newfoundland. * **Fritz-Julius Lemp**: 15 January 1943 – 23 March 1943. The son of the famed U-boat ace Günther Prien's contemporary, Otto, Lemp commanded one patrol before leaving the boat. * **Hans-Joachim Schwantke**: 24 March 1943 – 4 May 1943. Schwantke was in command during the boat's final, fatal patrol.

Fate

On 4 May 1943, while attacking Convoy ONS 5 south of Iceland, U-109 was detected and depth-charged by the British Flower-class corvette HMS ''Pink''. The attack was supported by the Castle-class corvette HMS ''Loosestrife''. The submarine was sunk with all 54 hands lost, including its commander, Hans-Joachim Schwantke. Its loss occurred during "Black May", a period of devastating losses for the Kriegsmarine that forced Karl Dönitz to withdraw U-boats from the North Atlantic. The wreck lies in the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Category:World War II submarines of Germany Category:Type IXB submarines Category:Ships built in Bremen