German submarine U-132 (1941)

German submarine U-132 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 10 August 1940 by Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 11, launched on 10 April 1941 and commissioned on 29 May that year under Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Vogelsang.

U-132 returns to La Pallice
History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-132
Ordered: 7 August 1939
Builder: Vegesacker Werft GmbH, Bremen-Vegesack
Laid down: 10 August 1940
Launched: 10 April 1941
Commissioned: 29 May 1941
Fate: Sunk, 4 November 1942
General characteristics
Class and type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Range:
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Ernst Vogelsang
  • 29 May 1941 – 4 November 1942
Operations:
  • Four:
  • 1st patrol: 7 September – 21 October 1941
  • 2nd patrol: 15 January – 8 February 1942
  • 3rd patrol: 10 June – 16 August 1942
  • 4th patrol: 6 October – 4 November 1942
Victories:
  • Eight commercial ships sunk (32,964 GRT)
  • One warship sunk (2,216 tons)
  • One ship damaged (6,690 GRT)
  • One ship declared a total loss (4,367)

In four patrols, U-132 sank eight ships for a total of 32,964 gross register tons (GRT).[1] She was a member of three wolfpacks. The submarine was lost after an attack on Convoy SC-107 in November 1942.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-132 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN 6-cylinder 4-stroke M 6 V 40/46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-132 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

1st patrol

U-132 departed on her first patrol when she left Trondheim in Norway on 7 September 1941. Rounding the North Cape, she criss-crossed that part of the Barents Sea northwest of Murmansk before heading further east. She sank two Soviet ships, Argun and RT-8 Seld on 18 October.

The boat docked in Kirkenes, also in Norway, on 21 October.

2nd patrol

Having moved from Kirkenes back to Trondheim in late October 1941, U-132 commenced her second foray on 15 January 1942. Her route took her due west through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands to a point 10 nmi (19 km; 12 mi) west of Reykjavík. Here she sank USCGC Alexander Hamilton on the 29th.

She then moved to the port of La Pallice in occupied France, arriving on 8 February.

3rd patrol

The boat's most successful patrol began when she left La Pallice on 10 June 1942. Having crossed the Atlantic Ocean, she was attacked by the Canadian minesweeper HMCS Drummondville shortly after torpedoing Dinaric (see below), in the St. Lawrence Seaway. The warship's depth charges damaged the U-boat's ballast pumps and resulted in the loss of 4 m³ of fuel. She sank three ships in short order, Anastasios Pateras, Hainaut and Dinaric, all southeast of Cap Chat, Quebec on 6 July.

Fourteen days later, the submarine attacked Frederika Lensen near Anticosti Island. The ship was towed to Grand Valée Bay and beached, but with her back broken, she was declared a total loss.

The boat returned to La Pallice on 16 August.

4th patrol and loss

U-132 left La Pallice for the last time on 6 October 1942. Operating southeast of Cape Farewell (Greenland), she was triumphant after sinking Hobbema and Empire Lynx, but was sunk, probably by falling debris from the ammunition ship Hatimura when that vessel exploded, following an attack by U-132 and U-442 on 4 November. All 47 crew members died; there were no survivors.[3]

Wolfpacks

U-132 took part in three wolfpacks, namely.

  • Endrass (12–17 June 1942)
  • Panther (13–19 October 1942)
  • Veilchen (20 October - 3 November 1942)

Previously recorded fate

Had originally been recorded as sunk the next day, 5 November 1942, by British aircraft of No. 120 Squadron RAF. The 120 Squadron attack, in the same area southeast of Cape Farewell where U-132 inadvertently sunk herself, had actually been on U-89 operating nearby, causing severe damage but not sinking her.

Summary of raiding history

Date Ship Name Flag Tonnage Fate Position Deaths
18 October 1941Argun Soviet Union3,487Sunk67°41′N 41°03′EUnknown
18 October 1941RT-8 Seld Soviet Union608Sunk67°03′N 41°11′EUnknown
29 January 1942USCGC Alexander Hamilton United States2,216Sunk64°10′N 22°56′W32
6 July 1942Anastassios Pateras Greece3,382Sunk49°30′N 66°30′W3
6 July 1942Dinaric United Kingdom2,555Sunk49°30′N 66°30′W4
6 July 1942Hainaut Belgium4,312Sunk49°13′N 66°49′W1
20 July 1942Frederika Lensen United Kingdom4,367Total loss49°22′N 65°12′W4
30 July 1942Pacific Pioneer United Kingdom6,734Sunk43°30′N 60°35′W0
4 November 1942Empire Lynx United Kingdom6,379Sunk55°20′N 40°01′W0
4 November 1942Hatimura* United Kingdom6,690Damaged55°30′N 40°00′W28
4 November 1942Hobbema Netherlands5,507Sunk55°28′N 39°52′W4

*Credit for sinking this vessel belongs to U-442

References

  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-132". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hatimura". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 March 2009.

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. 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). 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. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-132". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 132". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 9 December 2014.
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