German submarine U-988

German submarine U-988 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 2 October 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 188, launched on 3 June 1943 and commissioned on 15 July 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Erich Dobberstein.

History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-988
Ordered: 25 May 1941
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number: 188
Laid down: 2 October 1942
Launched: 3 June 1943
Commissioned: 15 July 1943
Fate: Sunk on 29 June 1944 in the English Channel at 49°37′N 03°41′W by RN frigates HMS Essington, HMS Cooke, HMS Duckworth and HMS Domett, and RAF Liberator
General characteristics
Class and type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
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. Erich Dobberstein[1]
  • 15 July 1943 - 29 June 1944
Operations: 1 patrol
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship total loss (7,058 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk (2,385 GRT)
  • 1 warship total loss (925 tons)

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-988 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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-988 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 one twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

U-988′s career began on 15 July 1943 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. On 8 September 1943, she collided with U-983 in the Baltic Sea north of Loba (54°46′N 17°14′E). As a result of the collision, U-983 sank with the loss of five of her 43 crew.[3]

U-988 began active service on 1 June 1944 as part of the 7th U-boat Flotilla.

Wolfpacks

U-988 took part in no wolfpacks.

Fate

U-988 send last radio message on 18 June, informing about an air attack, and was lost with all hands thereafter, and her fate is not certain.[4] It is believed, that U-988 attacked three ships in 27-29 June and then was sunk on 29/30 June 1944 in the English Channel west of Guernsey at 49°37′N 03°41′W at dawn by the Royal Navy frigates HMS Essington, HMS Cooke, HMS Duckworth, and HMS Domett, after being damaged by and Royal Air Force Liberators of No. 244 Squadron.[5]

There appeared however a theory, that U-988 could have been sunk after an attack of Polish Wellington Mk XIV from 304 Squadron, piloted by Leopold Antoniewicz, which was credited with sinking a submarine on 18 June in the approximate position 49°03′N 04°48′W.[4] Then, the submarine sank on 29/30 June could have been U-1191.[4]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[6]
27 June 1944 HMS Pink  Royal Navy 925 Total loss
28 June 1944 HMS Maid of Orleans  Royal Navy 2,385 Sunk
29 June 1944 Empire Portia  United Kingdom 7,058 Total loss

References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Erich Dobberstein". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
  3. "U-983". Uboat. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  4. Kasperski, Tadeusz (2010). "Tajemnica U-boota Dywizjonu 304" [A mystery of No. 304 Squadron's U-boot]. Morze, Statki i Okręty (in Polish). No. 2(89)/2010. pp. 51–53. ISSN 1426-529X.
  5. "Clearing The Channel: Air Force, Part 33". Legion. 25 June 2009.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-988". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 March 2015.

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). Ships hit by U-Boats Destroyed – German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour Press. p. 200. ISBN 1-85409-321-5.
  • Sharpe, Peter (1998). Ships hit by U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.

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