List of all U-boats

U-45

Type

VIIB

 
Ordered21 Nov 1936
Laid down23 Feb 1937 F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 580)
Launched27 Apr 1938
Commissioned25 Jun 1938Kptlt. Alexander Gelhaar
Commanders
25 Jun 1938 - 14 Oct 1939  Kptlt. Alexander Gelhaar
Career
2 patrols
25 Jun 1938-31 Aug 1939  7. Flottille (active service)
1 Sep 1939-14 Oct 1939  7. Flottille (active service)
Successes2 ships sunk, total tonnage 19,313 GRT
Fate

Sunk on 14 October 1939 in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, in position 50.58N, 12.57W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Inglefield, HMS Ivanhoe, HMS Intrepid and HMS Icarus. 38 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

See the 2 ships hit by U-45 - View the 2 war patrols

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-45 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.


Media links


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1

Wynn, Kenneth


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay

There was another U-45 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 15 Apr 1915 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 9 Oct 1915. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about SM U 45 during WWI.




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