History 15/03/20 battle of the Atlantic as “wolf packs” preyed on allied convoys
a German submarine of the Second world became a real nightmare for the British and Americans. Acting in groups, they sank a few thousand troops and transport vessels allies, from time to time while remaining invulnerable.
the Revival
the Role of submarines was highly appreciated by the Germans during the First world war. Despite the imperfection of the technical base, the design decisions of the time were the basis of the latest developments.
the Main advocate of submarines in the Third Reich were made by Admiral Karl Doenitz, an experienced submariner who had distinguished themselves in the battles of the First world. With 1935, with his direct participation, the submarine fleet of Germany began its rebirth soon turned into a strike force of the Kriegsmarine.
the beginning of the Second world war, the submarine fleet of the Reich consisted of only 57 units, which were divided into three classes of displacement – large, medium and Shuttle. However, Doenitz quantity is not confused, he knew the capabilities of the German shipyards at any time to increase performance.
“a Surprise” to Britain
After before Germany surrendered Europe, England, in fact, remained the only force opposing the Reich. However, its ability is largely dependent on the supply of food, raw materials and weapons from the New world. In Berlin understood that block the sea route, and England will be not only material resources, but without reinforcements, which were mobilized in the British colonies.
However, the success of the surface fleet of the Reich for re-opening of Britain was temporary. In addition to the superior forces of the Royal Navy German ships were opposed by the British air force, before which they were powerless.
from Now on, the German military leadership to rely on submarines less vulnerable in front of the aircraft and is able to approach undetected to the enemy. But most importantly, the construction of the submarines had cost the Reich much cheaper than most surface ships, and for maintenance of the submarine required a smaller number of people.
pack Tactics
Doenitz became the founder of a new tactical scheme, which operated the German submarine fleet of world war II. This so-called concept of group attacks (Rudeltaktik), nicknamed by the British “wolf pack” (Wolfpack) at which the submarine had committed a series of coordinated attacks on previous objectives.
According to the plan Doenitz groups of 6-10 submarines were supposed to line up on a broad front in line on the path of the intended route of the convoy of the enemy. As soon as one boat was found the enemy vessels, she began the harassment while sending the coordinates and the course of its movement to the headquarters of the submarine forces.
Attack of the combined forces of the “pack” was carried out at night from a surface position, when the silhouette of the submarine was almost indistinguishable. Given that the speed of submarines (15 knots) was higher updates the rate at which the moving convoy (7-9 knots) possibilities for tactical maneuver they had plenty.
For the entire period of the war was formed about 250 of the “wolf packs”, and the composition and number of vessels in them were constantly changing. For example, in March 1943, British convoys HX-229 and SC-122 was attacked by “a bunch” of 43 submarines.
Great advantages of the German submarine fleet was given the use of “cash cows” – supply submarines XIV series, due to which significantly increased the autonomy of the strike group during the campaign.
the Hunt
Of the 57 German submarines for operations in the Atlantic fit was only 26, but this number was sufficient to in September 1939 to put down 41 enemy ship with a total weight of 153 879 tons. The first victims of the “wolf pack” was a British court – liner “Athenia” and the carrier “Corages”. Another carrier – “Ark Royal,” having escaped the sad fate, as torpedoes with magnetic detonators fired by German submarine U-39, detonated before the time.
Later U-47 under the command of Kapitan-Lieutenant günther Prina entered the RAID the British military base of Scapa Flow and sank the battleship “Royal oak”. These events forced the British government to remove from the aircraft carriers of the Atlantic and to restrict the movement of other large warships.
the Success of the submarine fleet of Germany made Hitler, until that time, skeptical about submarine warfare, to change his mind. The führer gave the go-ahead for the mass construction of submarines. Over the next 5 years into the Kriegsmarine entered 1108 submarines.
1943 was the apogee of the German submarine fleet. During this period the depths of the sea at a time plied 116 “of volchih packs”. Greatest “escort battle” occurred in March 1943, when German submarines inflicted heavy damage to four convoys of the allies: sunken were 38 vessels with a total tonnage 226 432 BRT.
aces of the Deep
On the shore of the German submariners deserved reputation as a chronic drunks. Indeed, returning from a RAID once every two or three months they were blackout drunk. However, this was probably the only measure that allowed to remove the enormity of the stress that had accumulated during his stay under water.
Among these drunks were the real aces. For example, the above-mentioned Gunther Prien, which account for 30 ships with a gross tonnage of 164 953 tons. He became the first German officer to be awarded the title of Chevalier of the Knight’s cross with oak leaves. However, the hero of the Reich was not destined to become the most successful German submarine: 7 March 1941 his boat sank during the attack the allied convoy.
In the end, the list of German aces of the divers was headed by Otto Kretschmer, who destroyed 44 ships with a total displacement of 266 629 tons. He was followed by Wolfgang Fierce with 43 vessels with a displacement of 225 712 tons and Erich Topp, sink 34 warships watersaiznemties 193 684 tons.
Apart in this series stands the name of captain max-Martin Teichert that on his boat U-456 in April 1942, staged a real hunt for the British cruiser “Edinburgh”, transporting from Murmansk 10 tons of Soviet gold as payment of lend-lease. Died a year later, Teichert did not know what cargo he sank.
success tips
During the whole period of the war, the German submarine sank 2603 warships and transport vessels allies with a total displacement of 13.5 million tons. Including 2 battleships, 6 carriers, 5 cruisers, 52 destroyers and more than 70 warships of other classes. The victims of these attacks were more than 100 thousand soldiers and sailors of the allied fleet.
the Most effective should recognize the group of submarines West. Its 10 submarines attacked convoys, sinking 33 of the ship with a total tonnage of 191 414 BRT. This “wolf pack” only lost one submarine – U-110. However the loss was very painful: it was here that the British found the cryptographic materials for the naval code, “Enigma”.
Even at the end of the war, realizing the inevitability of defeat, the German shipyard has continued to churn out submarines. However, more submarines did not return from a mission. For comparison. If over the years 1940-1941 were lost 59 submarines, in 1943-1944, the number has reached 513! In all the years of the war allied forces were 789 sunk by German submarines, which killed 32 000 sailors.
in may 1943, the efficacy of PLO allies has increased significantly in this connection, Karl Doenitz was forced to withdraw the sub from the North Atlantic. Attempts to return the “wolf pack” on the initial line were not successful. Doenitz decided to wait for the commissioning of new submarines of the XXI series, but their release was delayed.
By this time the allies have concentrated in the Atlantic of the order of 3,000 combat and support ships and 1,400 aircraft. Before the landings in Normandy, they struck an underwater fleet of Germany crushing blow, from which it is not recovered.
Russian Seven
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