German submarine U-13 (1935)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-13.

German submarine U-13 was a Type IIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine which was commissioned on 30 November 1936, following construction at the Deutsche Werke shipyards at Kiel. The first commander on board was Hans-Gerrit von Stockhausen. In her career she completed nine patrols, all while serving with the 1st U-boat Flotilla. The U-boat succeeded in sinking nine ships and damaging three more.

U-9, a typical Type IIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-13
Ordered	2 February 1935
Builder	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number	248
Laid down	20 June 1935
Launched	9 November 1935
Commissioned	30 November 1935
Fate	Sunk 31 May 1940, in the North Sea
General characteristics
Class & type	Type IIB coastal submarine
Displacement	279 t (275 long tons) surfaced 328 t (323 long tons) submerged
Length	42.70 m (140 ft 1 in) o/a 27.80 m (91 ft 2 in) pressure hull
Beam	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height	8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
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	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
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	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB mines 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla 1 November 1935 – 1 August 1939 1 September 1939 – 31 May 1940
Identification codes:	M 15 421
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Hans-Gerrit von Stockhausen 30 November 1935 – 30 September 1937 Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Karl Daublebsky von Eichhain 1 October 1937 – 5 November 1939 Kptlt. Heinz Scheringer 6 November 1939 – 2 January 1940 Oblt. Wolfgang Lüth 16 – 28 December 1939 Oblt. Max-Martin Schulte 3 January – 31 May 1940
Operations:	9 patrols 1st patrol: a. 25 – 31 August 1939 b. 2 – 6 September 1939 2nd patrol: 11 September – 3 October 1939 3rd patrol: 25 October – 3 November 1939 4th patrol: 15 – 25 November 1939 5th patrol: 9 – 15 December 1939 6th patrol: 24 January – 5 February 1940 7th patrol: a. 16 – 29 February 1940 b. 2 – 3 March 1940 c. 25 – 26 March 1940 8th patrol: a. 31 March – 19 April 1940 b. 21 April – 2 May 1940 9th patrol: 26 – 31 May 1940
Victories:	9 merchant ships sunk (28,056 GRT) 3 merchant ships damaged (26,218 GRT)

Design

German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-13 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 (254 t), however.^[1] 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).^[1]

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).^[1] 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-13 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.^[1]

Fate

U-13 was sunk on 31 May 1940, in the North Sea 11 nautical miles (20 km) south-east of Lowestoft, in position 52°26′N 02°02′E by depth charges from the British sloop HMS Weston. There were no casualties.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[2]
10 September 1939	Magdapur	United Kingdom	8,641	Sunk (mine)
16 September 1939	City of Paris	United Kingdom	10,902	Damaged (mine)
24 September 1939	Phryné	France	2,660	Sunk (mine)
30 October 1939	Cairnmona	United Kingdom	4,666	Sunk
19 November 1939	Bowling	United Kingdom	793	Sunk
6 January 1940	City of Marseilles	United Kingdom	8,317	Damaged (mine)
31 January 1940	Start	Norway	1,168	Sunk
1 February 1940	Fram	Sweden	2,491	Sunk
6 February 1940	Anu	Estonia	1,421	Sunk (mine)
17 April 1940	Swainby	United Kingdom	4,935	Sunk
26 April 1940	Lily	Denmark	1,281	Sunk
28 April 1940	Scottish American	United Kingdom	6,999	Damaged