German submarine U-597

German submarine U-597 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-597
Ordered	16 January 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	573
Laid down	13 January 1941
Launched	1 October 1941
Commissioned	20 November 1941
Fate	Sunk southwest of Iceland by a British aircraft on 12 October 1942[1]
General characteristics
Class and 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
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
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 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record[2]
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla 20 November 1941 – 30 June 1942 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 July – 12 October 1942
Identification codes:	M 42 993
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Eberhard Bobst 20 November 1941 – 12 October 1942
Operations:	2 patrols: 1st patrol: 27 June – 16 August 1942 2nd patrol: 16 September – 12 October 1942
Victories:	None

She was a member of eight wolfpacks, carried out two patrols but sank no ships.

She was sunk southwest of Iceland by a British aircraft on 12 October 1942.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-597 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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-597 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

The submarine was laid down on 13 January 1941 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 573, launched on 1 October and commissioned on 20 November under the command of Kapitänleutnant Eberhard Bopst.

She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 20 November 1941 for training and the 1st flotilla from 1 July 1942 for operations.

First patrol

U-597 departed Kiel on 27 June 1942 and headed for the Atlantic Ocean. Her route took her through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands toward Newfoundland^[4]

She arrived in Brest in occupied France on 16 August.

Second patrol and loss

She departed Brest on 16 September and was sunk less than a month later on 12 October by depth charges dropped by a British B-24 Liberator of No. 120 Squadron RAF piloted by Squadron Leader Terry Bulloch.^[5]

Forty-nine men died in U-597; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-597 took part in eight wolfpacks, namely:

• Wolf (13 – 30 July 1942)
• Pirat (30 July – 3 August 1942)
• Steinbrinck (3 – 11 August 1942)
• Blitz (22 – 26 September 1942)
• Tiger (26 – 30 September 1942)
• Luchs (1 – 6 October 1942)
• Panther (6 – 12 October 1942)
• Leopard (12 October 1942)

References

1. Kemp 1997, p. 92.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-597". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
3. Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
4. The Times Atlas of the World - Third edition, revised 1995, ISBN 0 7230 0809 4, p. 55
5. "Squadron Leader Terry Bulloch - obituary". Daily Telegraph. 23 November 2014. Archived from the original on 24 November 2014. Retrieved 23 November 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.
• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
• Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. p. 91. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
• Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
• Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-597". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.