German submarine U-105 (1940)

U-105 was ordered by Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine on 24 May 1938; her keel was laid down on 16 November 1938 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 968. She was launched on 15 June 1940 and commissioned on 10 September under the command of Kapitänleutnant Georg Schewe.[1]

German Type IXB submarines were slightly larger than the original German Type IX submarines, later designated IXA. U-105 had a displacement of 1,051 tonnes (1,034 long tons) when at the surface and 1,178 tonnes (1,159 long tons) while submerged.[5] The U-boat had a total length of 76.50 m (251 ft), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[5]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[5] When submerged, the boat could operate for 64 nautical miles (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 12,000 nautical miles (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-105 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[5]

U-105 left Lorient on her second patrol on 22 February 1941 and underwent a 112-day voyage in the Atlantic Ocean. Along with U-124, she was directed by the Oberkommando der Marine (Supreme naval headquarters), to attack Convoy SL-67.[8] During this attack, U-105 sank the merchant ship Harmodius,[9] on 8 March.[10] Collectively, the two U-boats sank a total of 28,148 tons.[8] U105 then stalked Convoy SL-68, sinking Medjerda [11] on 18 March,[12] Mandalika on 19 March [11] and Clan Ogilvy,[13] Benwyvis[14] and Jhelum, [15] all on the 21st. U-105 went on to score Nazi Germany's first kill off the coast of South America when she sank Ena de Larrinaga[16] on 5 April 1941.[17][18] Later during the patrol she sank Oakdene, part of Convoy OG-59. On 6 May,[17] Benvrackie,[14] part of Convoy OB 312; on the 13th,[14] Benvenue[14] part of Convoy OB 314 and on the 15th,[14] Rodney Star on 16 May and Scottish Monarch on 1 June [19][20] as part of Convoy OB 319. This was the second most successful U-boat patrol of the entire Second World War, with 12 ships sunk for a total of 71,450 GRT.[21] On 5 May 1941, the 105mm deck gun exploded, wounding six crew members. U-105 returned to Lorient on 13 June,[22] and remained there until 3 August, when she departed on her third war patrol.[23]

On 5 August she was assigned to wolfpack 'Hammer' and remained with it until it was disbanded on 12 August,[24] when she was reassigned to wolfpack 'Grönland', with which she remained until its disbanding on 27 August.[25] She was then assigned to wolfpack 'Margrave',[26] and sank the Panamanian merchant ship Montana, [27] part of Convoy SC 42, on 11 September.[28] She returned to Lorient nine days later.[23] U-105 left Lorient on her fourth patrol on 8 November 1941 and spent 36 days in the North Atlantic. On 14 November she was assigned to wolfpack 'Steuben' and remained with it until 2 December.[29] Having sunk no ships during the patrol, she returned to Lorient on 13 December 1941.[30] Georg Schewe left the boat shortly after this patrol, and was replaced as commander by Heinrich Schuch.[1]

On 25 January 1942 U-105 left Lorient on her fifth patrol. On 31 January she sank the British warship HMS Culver, part of Convoy SL 98,[31] south-west of Ireland,[32] and, on 5 February 1942, she rescued seven men from a crashed German Dornier Do 24 350 miles off the coast of France. U-105 returned to Lorient on 8 February.[33] Seventeen days later, on 25 February, U-105 left Lorient. Between 25 and 27 March, she sank the British merchant ship Narragansett and the Norwegian merchant ship Svenør off the east coast of the United States. U-105 returned to Lorient on 15 April after spending 50 days in the North Atlantic,[34] and left on another patrol on 7 June. While crossing the Bay of Biscay, she was attacked by an Australian Short Sunderland aircraft from No. 10 Squadron RAAF. U-105 sought shelter in Ferrol, Spain[35] and did not leave until 28 June, when she departed for Lorient, which she reached on the 30th. The attack apparently caused serious damage, as she did not sail again until 23 November.[36] During this period, Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Adolf Schweichel was put in command of the boat, but did not undertake any patrols[37] and was replaced by Oberleutnant zur See Jürgen Nissen, under whose command U-105 left Lorient.[38]

While patrolling the North Atlantic she succeeded in sinking three British merchant ships; Orfor [39] on 14 December 1942, C.S. Flight on 12 January 1943, and British Vigilance, part of Convoy TM 1, on 24 January, as well as the American freighter[40] Cape Decision on the 27th.[38] U-105 returned to Lorient on 14 February,[38] and remained there until 16 March. During this patrol, (on 1 April), the boat's commander, Jürgen Nissen, was promoted to Kapitänleutnant.[41] On 15 May 1943 U-105 sank the Greek merchant ship Maroussio Logothetis [42] 250 miles southwest of Freetown.[43] On 2 June 1943, while passing close to Dakar, U-105 was attacked and sunk by a Potez-CAMS 141 flying boat "Antarés" from Free French Squadron 141. All 53 crew members were killed.[1][44][45]