German submarine U-7 (1935)

German submarine U-7 was a Type IIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, based out of Kiel during World War II. It was one of the smaller versions, and was first launched on 29 June 1935 with a crew of 29. Its first commander was Kurt Freiwald. U-7 would have 16 commanders over the course of its service, the last being Günther Loeschcke.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-7.
U-9, a typical Type IIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-7
Ordered: 20 July 1934
Builder: Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number: 541
Laid down: 11 March 1935
Launched: 29 June 1935
Commissioned: 18 July 1935
Fate: Sunk 18 February 1944 west of Pillau. 29 dead
General characteristics
Class and type: IIB
Type: Coastal submarine
Displacement:
  • 279 t (275 long tons) surfaced
  • 328 t (323 long tons) submerged
Length: 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in)
Beam:
  • 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a)
  • 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Draught: 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in)
Installed power:
  • 700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels)
  • 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Range:
  • 1,800 nmi (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 35–43 nmi (65–80 km; 40–49 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 80 m (260 ft)
Complement: 3 officers, 22 men
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 16 723
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Kurt Freiwald[1]
  • 18 Jul 1935 – 3 Oct 1937
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Salman[2]
  • 10 February 1938 – 5 February 1939
  • Kptlt. Werner Heidel[3]
  • 18 December 1938 – 13 October 1939
  • Kptlt. Karl Schrott[4]
  • 14 Oct 1939 - Oct 1940
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther Reeder[5]
  • February 1941 – 29 March 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Ernst-Ulrich Brüller[6]
  • January - February 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans-Günther Kuhlmann[7]
  • 30 March – 16 June 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Heinrich Schmid[8]
  • 17 June 1941 – 15 January 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Siegfried Koitschka[9]
  • 16 January – October 1942
  • Lt.z.S. Otto Hübschen[10]
  • September 1942 - December 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Schrenk[11]
  • 8 October 1942 - January 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther Loeschcke[12]
  • January – 18 February 1944
Operations: 6
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship sunk 2,694 GRT;
  • 1 merchant ship total loss 1,830 GRT

During the war U-7 was responsible for sinking two vessels.

On 18 February 1944, west of Pillau, U-7 sank in what is believed to have been a malfunction during a diving manoeuvre. There were no survivors.[13]

Design

German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-7 had a displacement of 279 tonnes (275 long tons) when at the surface and 328 tonnes (323 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however.[14] The U-boat had a total length of 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in), a pressure hull length of 28.20 m (92 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and a draught of 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).[14]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph).[14] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-7 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of twentyfive.[14]

Service history

U-7 was ordered on 20 July 1934, i.e. in violation of the Versailles Treaty, which denied Germany possession of submarines. The U-boat was not laid down until 11 March 1935, and launched on 29 June 1935, within weeks of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, which granted Germany parity with the British Empire in submarines.

Commissioned on 18 July 1935 with Kapitänleutnant Kurt Freiwald in command, U-7 mainly served as a training boat except for two brief deployments during the Invasion of Poland in 1939 and Operation Weserübung in 1940.

On 18 February 1944, west of Pillau, U-7 sank in what is believed to have been a malfunction during a diving manoeuvre. There were no survivors.[13]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)		 Fate[15]
22 September 1939 Akenside  United Kingdom 2,694 Sunk
29 September 1939 Takstaas  Norway 1,830 Total loss

References
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Kurt Freiwald". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto Salman (German Cross in Gold)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Werner Heidel". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Karl Schrott". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Günther Reeder (German Cross in Gold)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ernst-Ulrich Brüller". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hans-Günther Kuhlmann". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Heinrich Schmid". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Siegfried Koitschka (Knight's Cross)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  10. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto Hübschen". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  11. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hans Schrenk". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  12. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Günther Loeschcke". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  13. Kemp 1997, p. 170.
  14. Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.
  15. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-7". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 October 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.
  • 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 (1997). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Neistlé, Axel (2014). German U-Boat Losses during World War II: Details of Destruction (2 ed.). Havertown: Frontline Books (published 30 June 2014).
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IIB boat U-7". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 7". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 1 February 2015.

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