German submarine U-848

German submarine U-848 was a Type IXD2 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Laid down in Bremen and completed in February 1943, the boat was a long-range Type IX, with four bow and two stern torpedo tubes.

U-848 under attack from a very low flying aircraft.
History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-848
Ordered: 20 January 1941
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number: 1054
Laid down: 6 January 1942
Launched: 6 October 1942
Commissioned: 20 February 1943
Motto: et quo volverunt! (and the wish!)
Fate: Sunk, 5 November 1943 (10°09′S 18°00′W)
General characteristics
Class and type: Type IXD2 submarine
Displacement:
  • 1,610 t (1,580 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,799 t (1,771 long tons) submerged
Length:
  • 87.58 m (287 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:
  • 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught: 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in)
Installed power:
  • 9,000 PS (6,620 kW; 8,880 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) surfaced
  • 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 12,750 nmi (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 57 nmi (106 km; 66 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 55 to 64
Armament:
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Commanders:
Operations: 1st patrol: 18 September – 5 November 1943
Victories: 1 commercial ship sunk (4,573 GRT)

She was commanded throughout her brief service life by Korvettenkapitän Wilhelm Rollmann, who led her through her sea trials and onto her first war patrol on 18 September 1943.

Design

German Type IXD2 submarines were considerably larger than the original Type IXs. U-848 had a displacement of 1,610 tonnes (1,580 long tons) when at the surface and 1,799 tonnes (1,771 long tons) while submerged.[3] The U-boat had a total length of 87.58 m (287 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in), a beam of 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in), a height of 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in), and a draught of 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines plus two MWM RS34.5S six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines for cruising, producing a total of 9,000 metric horsepower (6,620 kW; 8,880 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.85 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 200 metres (660 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 121 nautical miles (224 km; 139 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 12,750 nautical miles (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-848 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 24 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 150 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 with 2575 rounds as well as two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns with 8100 rounds. The boat had a complement of fifty-five.[3]

Service history

U-848's first patrol was to join the Monsun Gruppe, based in the Indian Ocean. On 2 November 1943, she torpedoed and sank the unescorted 4,573 GRT British steamship Baron Semple NW of Ascension Island. All hands were lost.

U-848 under attack
U-848 under attack

Fate

She was intercepted after 49 days on 5 November 1943, off the coast of Brazil, by the United States Navy aircraft from VB-107. She was depth charged by 3 PB4Y-1 Liberators. All 63 hands were lost.

Summary of raiding history
Date Ship Nationality Tonnage Fate
2 November 1943 Baron Semple  United Kingdom 4,573 Sunk
gollark: Wouldn't 50% year-on-year growth starting from 1 megacars now put them at more than 20 million in 2030?
gollark: How many cars per year do they have now?
gollark: Good for them, I suppose.
gollark: Really? I heard it was worsening because China was imposing strict power limits on factories and stuff.
gollark: I would assume it's partly down to supply chain horrors.

References
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXD2 boat U-848". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-848". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 74-75.

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.
  • Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Bridgland, Tony, Waves of Hate, Leo Cooper, Great Britain: 2002. ISBN 0-85052-822-4.

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