Convoy battles

OG-69

United Kingdom - Gibraltar (North Atlantic)

24 Jul 1941 - 30 Jul 1941

The Convoy
First sightingOn 24 Jul 1941 by U-68
Escorts

U-boats

U-79*, U-126 *, U-331, U-68, U-561 *, U-562, U-203 * and U-564 (briefly)

* U-boats that fired torpedo or used the deck gun


The battle

The convoy was located by B-Dienst, the German intelligence service, on 24 July and then confirmed by Fw-200 Condor aircraft. Initially 8 U-boats are directed towards it while another 6 boats are vectored against the SL.80 located the same day. The SL.80 escapes and the operation is withdrawn on the 26th. Actual U-boat contact is only on the 26th at 1745hrs, when U-68 finds the convoy after Fw-200 guidance. Between 1930 and 2040hrs U-79, U-371 and U-561 reached the convoy. U-79 attacked then as first U-boat in the early morning of 27th. In the same time U-331 also reached the convoy, but was forced aside by the escorts. 2 hours later arrived U-126 and U-203, which sunk immediate a ship. At 0330hrs were U79 and U-203 attacked from the escorts with depth charges. The U-boats shadowed the convoy in the daylight of 27th and attacked once more in the night. Last attack shot U-203 in the evening of the 28th. Last contact had Tiesenhausen's U-331 in the morning of 29th. 8 ships are sunk for 12,762 tons, no additional ships are damaged. The U-boats shooted 25 torpedoes and were attacked 6 times with depth charges and 2 times with guns. Only U-562 was damaged after an attack with depth charges and had to leave for heading home.

Article compiled by Tom Linclau

Ships hit from convoy OG-69


Date U-boat Commander Name of ship Tons Nat.Map
27 Jul 1941U-79Wolfgang Kaufmann Kellwyn1,459brA
27 Jul 1941U-203Rolf Mützelburg Hawkinge2,475brB
27 Jul 1941U-126Ernst Bauer Erato1,335brC
27 Jul 1941U-126Ernst Bauer Inga I1,304nwD
28 Jul 1941U-561Robert Bartels Wrotham1,884brE
28 Jul 1941U-203Rolf Mützelburg Lapland1,330brF
28 Jul 1941U-203Rolf Mützelburg Norita1,516swG
 11,303

7 ships sunk (11,303 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.


20 convoys on route OG were hit by U-boats in the war. Read more about them.


Return to convoy information - convoy battles page.