German submarine U-307

German submarine U-307 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The U-boat was laid down on 5 November 1941, and commissioned on 18 November 1942.

History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-307
Ordered: 20 January 1941
Builder: Flender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number: 307
Laid down: 5 November 1941
Launched: 30 September 1942
Commissioned: 18 November 1942
Fate: Sunk by depth charges, 29 April 1945[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
  • 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
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:
Speed:
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
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. Friedrich-Georg Herrle
  • 18 November 1942 – 1 December 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Krüger
  • 2 December 1944 – 29 April 1945
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories: 2 vessels (7,226 GRT)

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-307 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 Germaniawerft F46 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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-307 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 two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

Despite carrying out 13 war patrols between July 1943 and April 1945, U-307 sank only two vessels; the 7,176-ton American Liberty ship SS William S. Thayer on 30 April 1944, fifty miles south of Bear Island, and the 50-ton Norwegian Army motor boat Lennox in Van Mijenfjorden, Spitsbergen, on 18 August 1944.

In September 1944, together with the supply ship Carl J. Busch, U-307 transported the men of Operation Haudegen, a German military meteorological mission, to Svalbard.

Wolfpacks

U-307 took part in twelve wolfpacks, namely.

  • Wiking (5 September – 8 October 1943)
  • Monsun (3 October – 23 November 1943)
  • Eisenbart (28 October – 8 December 1943)
  • Boreas (28 February – 10 March 1944)
  • Thor (17–26 March 1944)
  • Donner (17–20 April 1944)
  • Donner & Keil (20 April – 3 May 1944)
  • Grimm (31 May - 6 June 1944)
  • Trutz (8 June – 10 July 1944)
  • Rasmus (6–13 February 1945)
  • Hagen (13–21 March 1945)
  • Faust (21–29 April 1945)

Fate

U-307 was sunk on 29 April 1945 in the Barents Sea near Murmansk, Russia, in position 69°24′N 33°44′E by depth charges from the British Loch class frigate HMS Loch Insh. There were 37 dead and 14 survivors.

Summary of raiding history

Date Ship Name Nationality Displacement Fate[3]
30 April 1944 William S. Thayer  United States 7,176 Sunk
18 August 1944 Lennox  Norway 50 Sunk
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References

  1. Kemp 1999, p. 254.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-307". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.

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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.
  • Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-307". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 307". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.

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