German submarine U-205

German submarine U-205 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 19 June 1940 by the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard at Kiel as yard number 634; launched on 20 March 1941; and commissioned on 3 May 1941 under the command of Franz-Georg Reschke.

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-205
Ordered	16 October 1939
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	634
Laid down	19 June 1940
Launched	20 March 1941
Commissioned	3 May 1941
Fate	Sunk, 17 February 1943
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
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	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
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	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × G7e torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK C/34 deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record[1][2]
Part of:	3rd U-boat Flotilla 3 May – 1 November 1941 29th U-boat Flotilla 1 November 1941 – 17 February 1943
Identification codes:	M 38 350
Commanders:	Kptlt. Franz-Georg Reschke 3 May 1941 – 19 October 1942 Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Bürgel 19 October 1942 – 17 February 1943
Operations:	11 patrols: 1st patrol: 24 July – 23 August 1941 2nd patrol: 23 September – 2 October 1941 3rd patrol: 3 November – 10 December 1941 4th patrol: 5 January – 10 February 1942 5th patrol: 17 March – 6 April 1942 6th patrol: 6 May – 8 June 1942 7th patrol: 11 – 23 June 1942 8th patrol: 3 August – 12 September 1942 9th patrol: a. 20 October – 19 November 1942 b. 20 – 24 November 1942 10th patrol: 12 – 26 January 1943 11th patrol: a. 2 – 9 February 1943 b. 11 – 17 February 1943
Victories:	1 warship sunk (5,450 tons)

She was sunk on 17 February 1943 by HMS Paladin at 32°56′N 22°01′E.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-205 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[3] 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).^[3]

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).^[3] 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-205 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[3]

Service history

Part of the 3rd U-boat Flotilla, U-205 carried out two patrols in the North Atlantic. Joining 29th U-boat Flotilla, she carried out a further nine patrols in the Mediterranean.

First patrol

U-205's first patrol began when she left Trondheim on 24 July 1941; she travelled through the gap between Greenland and Iceland (the Denmark Strait) and docked at Brest in occupied France, on 23 August 1941.

Second patrol

Leaving Lorient on 23 September 1941, U-205 was attacked and damaged by aircraft on 27 September and returned to port, arriving in Lorient on 2 October 1941.

Third patrol

On 3 November 1941 U-205 left Lorient and joined Wolfpack Arnauld. Breaking through the Gibraltar barrage, U-205 joined the 29th U-Flotilla in La Spezia on 10 December 1941.

Fourth patrol

U-205 left La Spezia on 5 January 1942 and returned on 10 February.

Fifth patrol

Having left La Spezia on 17 March, U-205 reached Salamis on 6 April 1942.

Sixth patrol

Sailing from La Spezia on 6 May 1942, U-205 reached Salamis on 8 June 1942.

Seventh patrol

On the return leg, U-205 successfully attacked the British light cruiser HMS Hermione on 16 June 1942, guarding convoy MW-11 killing 87 crewmen and the beloved ship's cat 'Convoy'. The U-boat docked in La Spezia on 23 June.

Eighth patrol

On 3 August 1942, U-205 sailed from La Spezia for Pula, arriving there on 10 September 1942.

Ninth patrol

Pola, 20 October 1942 – La Spezia, 19 November 1942 and La Spezia, 20 November 1942 – Pola, 24 November 1942

Tenth patrol

Pola, 12 January 1943 – Salamis 26 January 1943

Last patrol and sinking

Leaving Salamis on 2 February 1943, U-205 was manoeuvering to attack a convoy off Apollonia, Cyrenaica on 17 February 1943 when she was spotted by a Bristol Blenheim bomber of the South African Air Force and attacked by British destroyer HMS Paladin at 32°56′N 22°1′E. Forced to surface by depth charges, U-205's crew abandoned ship after opening the sea vents. A boarding party from HMS Paladin managed to salvage documents and radio equipment. A second warship, HMS Gloxinia, attempted to tow the still-floating submarine to the beach, but failed. U-205 sank about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) off shore.

Wolfpacks

U-205 took part in one wolfpack, namely:

• Arnauld (5 – 18 November 1941)

Aftermath

U-205 is widely believed to be the submarine with the erroneous number U-307 in Peter Keeble's book Ordeal by Water, in which he describes his dive to recover encrypting equipment from a sunken U-boat.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage (Tons)	Fate[4]
16 June 1942	HMS Hermione	Royal Navy	5,450	Sunk

See also

• Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)
• Convoy HG 73