Of all the weapons available to Hitler during the Second World War, perhaps none was more deadly than the U-boat. Operating from their secure bases along the coast of Occupied Europe, packs of these submarines targeted the vital shipping routes that the Allies depended on to sustain their fight against Nazi Germany. The success of these “wolf packs” threatened to bring the Allies’ war in Europe to its knees. Yet the U-boat crews suffered some of the heaviest losses of any fighting arm of the Second World War.
THE U-96 SUBMARINE
The main task of German U-boats was not tactical combat against warships but more strategic operation. Their primary mission was to reduce or stop all maritime supply routes by attacking freighters, tankers and all kinds of merchant ships that were bringing goods and supplies to the Allies. German submarines devastated trans-Atlantic shipping while sinking 8,000 merchant vessels and warships and killing tens of thousands. The Type VII C, was the most successful and most produced submarine of all time.
THE BACKBONE OF THE U-BOAT FLEET
The most famous U-boat during World War II was undoubtedly U-96, which gained widespread recognition due to its depiction in the iconic German war film “Das Boot.” This Type VIIC submarine was commissioned in 1940 and went on to have a highly successful and storied career during the war.
What made U-96 stand out was its remarkable combat record, having sunk a total of 27 Allied ships, totaling over 180,000 tons. Under the command of Captain Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock, U-96 became known for its daring and aggressive tactics in engaging enemy vessels. With its skilled crew and effective leadership, the submarine evaded numerous depth charge attacks and successfully carried out multiple torpedo strikes on enemy convoys.
The U-96 exemplified the technology that made the U-boat so deadly while the crew was the best Nazi Germany had to offer.
THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
One of the most notable engagements involving U-96 was during the infamous Battle of the Atlantic, where it played a significant role in disrupting Allied supply lines. The submarine’s ability to evade detection and deliver deadly blows to enemy ships made it a feared adversary among Allied forces.
The Battle of the Atlantic was one of the most bitterly fought and grueling campaigns of the Second World War, spanning the conflict’s entire length. By its end, some 3,500 Allied merchant vessels and 175 warships had been sunk (the majority by U-boats), and over 72,000 seamen killed, figures that do not include the hundreds of Allied aircraft and aircrew lost fighting the U-boat menace. And menacing it was, so much so that by March 1943, the devastation wrought on Allied shipping bringing vital supplies from Canada and the USA to Britain left British leaders facing the very real possibility that they might not be able to continue the War.
However, advances in anti-submarine technology, improvements in the quality and quantity of Allied ships, aircraft, and tactics, and the growing inability of Nazi Germany to wage war meant the tide turned against the U-boats. By the end of the War in May 1945, 783 subs had been lost along with over 30,000 crewmen, proportionally some of the heaviest losses sustained by any fighting arm during WWII.
THE FINAL CHAPTER
U-96 survived all its operations against the enemy and only fell victim to American bombs on 30th March 1945 as an empty submarine, before being subsequently scrapped. The loss of U-96 marked the end of an era for the submarine and its crew, but its legacy continued to live on through its remarkable wartime achievement.
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