List of all U-boats
U-559
Type | VIIC | |||||||||||||||||
Ordered | 16 Oct 1939 | |||||||||||||||||
Laid down | 1 Feb 1940 | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 535) | ||||||||||||||||
Launched | 8 Jan 1941 | |||||||||||||||||
Commissioned | 27 Feb 1941 | Oblt. Hans Heidtmann (Knights Cross) | ||||||||||||||||
Commanders |
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Career 10 patrols |
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Successes | 4 ships sunk, total tonnage 11,811 GRT 1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,060 tons 2 ships a total loss, total tonnage 6,117 GRT | |||||||||||||||||
Fate |
Sunk on 30 October 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea north-east of Port Said, in position 32.30N, 33.00E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Pakenham, HMS Petard and HMS Hero and the British escort destroyers HMS Dulverton and HMS Hurworth, after being located by a British Vickers Wellesley aircraft (47 Sqn RAF/F). 7 dead and 38 survivors. | |||||||||||||||||
Loss position |
Wolfpack operations
U-559 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Goeben (20 Sep 1941 - 5 Oct 1941)
General notes on this boat
30 Oct 1942. The sinking boat was boarded by three men from HMS Petard who had swum over to her. Two of them went down with the wreck when it foundered, but they had managed to pass out the Enigma code machine, with the current rotor settings, and the cipher books. This allowed the Allies to read naval traffic for several weeks and crack Enigma codes thereafter.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-559 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
U-boat Emblems
We have 2 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.
23rd Flotilla |
Coat of Arms |
Media links
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