German submarine U-255

U-255 at Narvik flying four victory pennants and the flag of the merchant ship SS Paulus Potter after the attack on the ships of Convoy PQ 17
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-255
Ordered23 September 1939[1]
BuilderBremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack[1]
Yard number20[1]
Laid down21 December 1940[1]
Launched8 October 1941[1]
Commissioned29 November 1941[1]
Decommissioned1 September 1944[1]
Recommissioned2 March 1945[1]
Fate
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught4.74 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
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)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 47 763
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Reinhart Reche
  • 29 November 1941 – 6 June 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Harms
  • 7 June 1943 – August 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmuth Heinrich
  • 2 March – 17 May 1945
Operations:
  • 15 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • a. 23 June – 15 July 1942
  • b. 18 – 20 July 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 4 August – 9 September 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • a. 13 – 25 September 1942
  • b. 29 September – 3 October 1942
  • c. 7 – 18 January 1943
  • 4th patrol:
  • 23 January – 9 February 1943
  • 5th patrol:
  • 22 February – 15 March 1943
  • 6th patrol:
  • a. 29 March – 29 April 1943
  • b. 9 – 16 July 1943
  • 7th patrol:
  • a. 19 July – 19 September 1943
  • b. 5 – 13 October 1943
  • 8th patrol:
  • 26 February – 11 April 1944
  • 9th patrol:
  • 6 – 8 May 1944
  • 10th patrol:
  • 6 – 15 June 1944
  • 11th patrol:
  • 22 – 24 April 1945
  • 12th patrol:
  • 28 – 30 April 1945
  • 13th patrol:
  • 2 – 3 May 1945
  • 14th patrol:
  • 5 – 7 May 1945
  • 15th patrol:
  • 8 – 19 May 1945
Victories:
  • 10 merchant ships sunk
    (47,640 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (1,200 tons)
  • 1 merchant ship total loss
    (7,191 GRT)

German submarine U-255 was a Type VIIC U-boat that served in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 21 December 1940 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack, launched on 8 October 1941 and commissioned on 29 November 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Reinhart Reche.[1]

One of the most successful U-boats to operate in Arctic waters,[3] she operated from Norway during 1942–1943, and then from France in 1944–1945, sailing on 15 combat patrols, sinking ten merchant ships totalling 47,640 GRT and damaging another of 7,191 GRT enough for it to be written off as a total loss.[4] She also sank the 1,200-tons Edsall-class destroyer escort USS Leopold.[4] At the end of the war U-255 surrendered to the British, and was sunk during Operation Deadlight on 13 December 1945.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-255". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Archived from the original on 29 October 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-255". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  3. ^ Bishop, C. (2006). Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939-45. Amber Books.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Hit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).