German submarine U-25 (1936)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-25.

German submarine U-25 was one of two Type IA ocean-going submarines produced by Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. Constructed by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 903, U-25 was commissioned on 6 April 1936. It experienced a short, but successful combat career, sinking eight ships and damaging one.

U-25 in about 1936; the number on the conning tower was removed at the beginning of the war
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-25
Ordered	17 December 1934
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser Bremen
Yard number	903
Laid down	28 June 1935
Launched	14 February 1936
Commissioned	6 April 1936
Fate	Sunk by a British mine around 2 August 1940, in the North Sea north of Terschelling[1]
General characteristics [2]
Type	Type IA ocean-going submarine
Displacement	862 t (848 long tons) surfaced 982 t (966 long tons) submerged Official displacement was 712 tons standard
Length	72.39 m (237 ft 6 in) o/a
Beam	6.21 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
Draught	4.30 m (14 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	Diesel-electric 2 × MAN M8V40/46 8-cylinder diesel engines with 2,900–3,080 PS (2,860–3,040 shp; 2,130–2,270 kW) 2 × BBC GG UB720/8 double-acting electric motors with 1,000 PS (990 shp; 740 kW)
Speed	18.6 knots (34.4 km/h; 21.4 mph) surfaced 8.3 knots (15.4 km/h; 9.6 mph) submerged
Range	7,900 nmi (14,600 km; 9,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 78 nmi (144 km; 90 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	200 m (660 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 39 enlisted
Armament	6 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 14 × torpedoes 28 × TMA mines 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 naval gun 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record
Part of:	2nd U-boat Flotilla 1 April 1936 – 2 August 1940
Identification codes:	M 10 950
Commanders:	KrvKpt. Eberhard Godt 6 April 1936 – 3 January 1938 Kptlt. Werner von Schmidt 3 January – 12 December 1938 Kptlt. Otto Schuhart 10 December 1938 – 3 April 1939 Oblt. Georg-Heinz Michel 4 April – 4 September 1939 Kptlt. / KrvKpt. Viktor Schütze 5 September 1939 – 19 May 1940 Kptlt. / KrvKpt. Heinz Beduhn 20 May – 2 August 1940
Operations:	5 patrols: 1st patrol: 18 October – 19 November 1939 2nd patrol: 13 January – 19 February 1940 3rd patrol: 3 April – 6 May 1940 4th patrol: 8 – 29 June 1940 5th patrol: 1 – 2 August 1940
Victories:	7 merchant ships sunk (33,209 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship sunk (17,046 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (7,638 GRT)

Service history

Until 1940, U-25 was primarily used as a training vessel. During its trials it was found that the Type IA submarine was difficult to handle due to its poor stability and slow dive rate. In early 1940, the boat was called into combat duty due to the shortage of available submarines. U-25 participated in five war patrols, sinking eight ships and badly damaging one.

On 17 January 1940, 10 miles north of Shetland, U-25 torpedoed SS Polzella. Enid (Captain Wibe), of then-neutral Norway en route to Dublin, went to assist Polzella. U-25 then shelled and sank Enid. Her crew escaped in their lifeboats. None of Polzella's crew survived.

U-25 sank eight vessels for a total of 50,255 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged one for 7,638 GRT.

Fate

Around 2 August 1940, while on a mine-laying mission near Norway, U-25 passed through British minefield Field No. 7, striking a mine. The boat sank, taking all 49 hands with it.^[1]

Wolfpacks

U-25 took part in one wolfpack, namely:

• Prien (12 – 17 June 1940)

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name of Ship	Nationality	Tonnage[Note 1]	Fate[3]
31 October 1939	Baoulé	France	5,874	Sunk
17 January 1940	Enid	Norway	1,140	Sunk
17 January 1940	Polzella	United Kingdom	4,751	Sunk
18 January 1940	Pajala	Sweden	6,873	Sunk
22 January 1940	Songa	Norway	2,589	Sunk
3 February 1940	Armanistan	United Kingdom	6,805	Sunk
13 February 1940	Chastine Mærsk	Denmark	5,177	Sunk
13 June 1940	HMS Scotstoun	Royal Navy	17,046	Sunk
19 June 1940	Brumaire	France	7,638	Damaged