German submarine U-107 (1940)


German submarine U-107 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.
Between January 1941 and August 1944, she sailed on 16 active patrols at a time when a U-boat averaged a lifespan of seven to ten patrols. During that time, U-107 sank 39 Allied ships, in addition to damaging another four ships. The U-boat was launched on 2 July 1940, based at the U-boat port of Lorient, with a crew of 53 under the initial command of Günther Hessler. She was later commanded, in order, by Harald Gelhaus, Valker Simmermacher and her final commander, Karl Heinz Fritz.

Design

s were slightly larger than the original German Type IX submarines, later designated IXA. U-107 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-107 was fitted with six torpedo tubes, 22 torpedoes, one SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a SK C/30 as well as a C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.

Service history

First patrol

DateNameFlagTonnageConvoyPosition
3 February 1941Empire Citizen4,683Convoy OB 279
3 February 1941Crispin5,051Convoy OB 279
6 February 1941Maplecourt3,388Convoy SC 20
23 February 19415,360Convoy OB 288

Second patrol and most successful period

DateNameFlagTonnage ConvoyPosition
8 April 1941Helena Margareta3,316Convoy OG 57
8 April 1941Eskdene3,829Convoy OG 57
9 April 1941Harpathian4,671Convoy OG 57
9 April 1941Duffield8,516Convoy OG 57
21 April 1941Calchas10,305
30 April 1941Lassell7,417Convoy OB 309
17 May 1941Marisa8,029
18 May 1941Piako8,286
27 May 1941Colonial5,108Convoy OB 318
28 May 1941Papalemos3,748
31 May 1941Sire5,664
1 June 1941Alfred Jones5,013Convoy OB 320
8 June 1941Adda7,816Convoy OB 323
13 June 1941Pandias4,981

Third patrol

Fifth patrol

DateNameFlagTonnage ConvoyPosition
31 January 1942San Arcadio7,419
6 February 1942Major Wheeler3,431E of Cape Hatteras
21 February 1942Egda10,068Convoy ON 65 Damaged

Sixth patrol

DateNameFlagTonnage ConvoyPosition
29 May 1942Western Head2,599
1 June 1942Bushranger4,536
7 June 1942Castilla3,910
8 June 1942Suwied3,249
10 June 1942Merrimack2,606
19 June 1942Cheerio35
26 June 1942Jagersfontein10,083

Eighth patrol

DateNameFlagTonnage ConvoyPosition
3 September 1942Hollinside4,172
3 September 1942Penrose4,393
7 October 1942Andalucia Star14,943

Ninth patrol

DateNameFlagTonnage ConvoyPosition
22 February 1943Roxborough Castle7,801
13 March 1943Oporto2,352Convoy OS 44
13 March 1943Marcella4,592Convoy OS 44
13 March 1943Sembilangan4,990Convoy OS 44
13 March 19435,442Convoy OS 44

Tenth patrol

Eleventh patrol

Fifteenth patrol

Sixteenth and final patrol

U-107 took part in 15 wolfpacks, namely.