List of all U-boats

U-54

Type

VIIB

 
Ordered16 Jul 1937
Laid down13 Sep 1938 F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 589)
Launched15 Aug 1939
Commissioned23 Sep 1939Kptlt. Georg-Heinz Michel
Commanders
23 Sep 1939 - 30 Nov 1939  Kptlt. Georg-Heinz Michel
5 Dec 1939 - 13 Feb 1940  KrvKpt. Günter Kutschmann
Career
1 patrol
23 Sep 1939-31 Dec 1939  7. Flottille (training)
1 Jan 1940-13 Feb 1940  7. Flottille (active service)
SuccessesNo ships sunk or damaged
Fate

Sunk on or about 13 February 1940 in the North Sea north of Terschelling, in approx. 55.00N, 05.00E, by a mine in the British barrage Field No. 4 or Field No. 6, laid by the British destroyers HMS Ivanhoe and HMS Intrepid. 41 dead (all hands lost). (FDS/NHB, June 1983).

Loss position

View the 1 war patrol

U-54 sent no radio messages after leaving Heligoland with the order to operate of Cape Finisterre and was reported missing on 14 February 1940. Parts of two of its torpedoes were recovered: on 14 March 1940 by the German patrol boat V-1101 in approx. position 54.57N, 06.45E and on 16 April 1940 by the German Q-ship Schiff 37 in the Skagerrak. It is very likely that the boat was mined and sunk in one of two barrages laid by British destroyers on its exit route on 2 and 13/14 January 1940.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-54 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-54 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 22 Feb 1916 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 25 May 1916. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about SM U 54 during WWI.




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