German submarine U-10 (1935)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-10.

German submarine U-10 was a Type IIB U-boat built before World War II for service in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. As she was one of the first batch of boats built following the renunciation of the Treaty of Versailles, she was only capable of coastal and short cruising work. This led to her being reassigned to training duties after the Norwegian campaign of 1940 together with many of her sister boats.

U-9, a typical Type IIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-10
Ordered	20 July 1934
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	544
Laid down	22 April 1935
Launched	13 August 1935
Commissioned	9 September 1935
Fate	Stricken 1 August 1944 at Danzig
General characteristics
Class and 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:	U-boat School Flotilla 11 – 26 September 1935 1st U-boat Flotilla 27 September 1935 – 3 October 1937 3rd U-boat Flotilla 4 October 1937 – 14 April 1939 U-boat School Flotilla 15 April 1939 – 30 June 1940 21st U-boat Flotilla 1 July 1940 – 1 August 1944
Identification codes:	M 04 324
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Heinz Scheringer 11 September – 21 December 1935 K.Kapt. Werner Emil Hermann Scheer 21 December 1935 – 1 May 1936 Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Heinz Beduhn 1 May 1936 – 29 September 1937 Kptlt. Hannes Weingärtner 30 September 1937 – 3 April 1938 Kptlt. Hans-Rudolf Rösing October 1937 – August 1938 Kptlt. Herbert Sohler 4 April – 31 July 1938 Oblt.z.S. Kurt von Gossler 1 August 1938 – 4 January 1939 Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Georg-Wilhelm Schulz 5 January – 15 October 1939 Oblt.z.S. Günther Lorentz 10 October 1939 – 2 January 1940 Oblt.z.S. Joachim Preuss January – 9 June 1940 Kptlt. Rolf Mützelburg 10 June – 29 November 1940 Kptlt. Wolf-Rüdiger von Rabenau 30 November 1940 – 9 June 1941 Oblt.z.S. Kurt Ruwiedel 10 June – 29 November 1941 Oblt.z.S. Hans Karpf 30 November 1941 – 22 June 1942 Oblt.z.S. Christian-Brandt Coester 23 June 1942 – February 1943 Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Strenger February 1943 – February 1944 Oblt.z.S. Kurt Ahlers February – 1 July 1944
Operations:	5 patrols: 1st patrol: 7 – 19 September 1939 2nd patrol: 26 September – 15 October 1939 3rd patrol: a. 28–31 January 1940 b. 5 February 1940 4th patrol: 14 – 20 February 1940 5th patrol: 3 – 23 April 1940
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (6,356 GRT)

After almost five years she was stricken on 1 August 1944 at Danzig (now Gdańsk) and broken up.

Design

German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-10 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 (250 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-10 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]

Operational history

U-10 was one of the first batch of submarines to be assigned to an operational unit of the Kriegsmarine, serving with the 1st U-boat Flotilla, at the time known as the Weddigen Flotilla.^[2]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[3]
17 February 1940	Kvernaas	Norway	1,819	Sunk
18 February 1940	Ameland	Netherlands	4,537	Sunk

References

1. Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.
2. Blair, Clay. Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters, 1939-1942.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-10". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.

Bibliography

• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

• "The Type IIB boat U-10". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
• Hofmann, Markus. "U 10". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.

54°24′N 18°42′E