German submarine U-56 (1938)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-56.
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-56
Ordered17 June 1937
BuilderDeutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number255
Laid down21 September 1937
Launched3 September 1938
Commissioned26 November 1938
Decommissioned3 April 1945
FateScuttled on 3 May 1945
General characteristics
Class and typeType IIC coastal submarine
Displacement
  • 291 t (286 long tons) surfaced
  • 341 t (336 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a)
  • 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Height8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught3.82 m (12 ft 6 in)
Installed power
  • 700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels)
  • 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Range
  • 1,900 nmi (3,500 km; 2,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 35–42 nmi (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth80 m (260 ft)
Complement3 officers, 22 men
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 22 134
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Wilhelm Zahn[2]
  • 26 November 1938 – 21 January 1940
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Harms[3]
  • 22 January – 13 October 1940
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Werner Pfeifer[4]
  • 14 October 1940 – 21 April 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Römer[5]
  • 22 April 1941 – 19 January 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther-Paul Grave[6]
  • 20 January – 14 November 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Hugo Deiring[7]
  • 15 November 1942 – 27 February 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Werner Sausmikat[8]
  • 28 February – 30 June 1944
  • Lt.z.S. Heinrich Miede[9]
  • 1 July 1944 – 22 February 1945
  • Lt.z.S. Walter Käding[10]
  • 9 January – 5 February 1945
  • Oblt.z.S. Joachim Sauerbier[11]
  • 23 February - 3 April 1945
Operations:
  • 12 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 25 August – 8 September 1939
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 12 – 19 September 1939
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 23 October – 13 November 1939
  • 4th patrol:
  • 27 November – 5 December 1939
  • 5th patrol:
  • 27 December 1939 – 11 January 1940
  • 6th patrol:
  • a. 27 January – 17 February 1940
  • b. 4 – 5 March 1940
  • 7th patrol:
  • 14 – 20 March 1940
  • 8th patrol:
  • 4 – 26 April 1940
  • 9th patrol:
  • 21 May – 14 June 1940
  • 10th patrol:
  • 29 June – 21 July 1940
  • 11th patrol:
  • 25 July – 14 August 1940
  • 12th patrol:
  • 19 August – 15 September 1940
Victories:
  • 3 merchant ships sunk
    (8,860 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (16,923 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (3,829 GRT)[12]

German submarine U-56 was a Type IIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that served in the Second World War. She was built by Deutsche Werke, Kiel as yard number 255. Ordered on 17 June 1937, she was laid down on 21 September, launched on 3 September 1938 and commissioned on 26 November under the command of Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Zahn.

U-56 was initially assigned to the 5th U-boat Flotilla during her training period, until 31 December 1939, when she was reassigned to the 1st U-boat Flotilla for operations. She carried out twelve war patrols, sinking three ships for a total 8,860 gross register tons (GRT) and one auxiliary warship of 16,923 GRT; she also damaged one vessel of 3,829 GRT.

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "German Type II U-boat U-56". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wilhelm Zahn". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto Harms". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Werner Pfeifer". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfgang Römer". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Günther-Paul Grave". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hugo Deiring". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  8. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Werner Sausmikat". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  9. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Heinrich Miede". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  10. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Walter Käding". uboat.net. Retrieved 6 June 2024.}
  11. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Joachim Sauerbier". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  12. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships Hit by U-56". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 November 2012.