1941

U-boats that made it into the Mediterranean

During 1941 32 U-boats were sent towards the Straits of Gibraltar in an attempt to enter the Mediterranean. 27 of those managed to complete their passage while 2 were sunk at Gibraltar and 4 more sustained damage and had to return to their French bases.

At the end of 1941 Germany had managed to get 26 U-boats in the Mediterranean. Also, at that time they had 21 U-boat in various stages of operations as 5 (U-75, U-79, U-95, U-433 and U-557) had already been sunk, U-95 and U-433 both within a week after arrival into the region.


U-boatEntry dateNotesDate of loss
U-37121 Sep 19414 May 1944
U-9726 Sep 194116 Jun 1943
U-55926 Sep 194130 Oct 1942
U-33129 Sep 194117 Nov 1942
U-753 Oct 194128 Dec 1941
U-795 Oct 194123 Dec 1941
U-20511 Nov 194117 Feb 1943
U-8112 Nov 19419 Jan 1944
U-43315 Nov 194116 Nov 1941
U-56516 Nov 194124 Sep 1944
U-43124 Nov 194121 Oct 1943
U-9526 Nov 194128 Nov 1941
U-55726 Nov 194116 Dec 1941
U-56227 Nov 194119 Feb 1943
U-65228 Nov 19412 Jun 1942
U-961 Dec 1941Severely damaged in passage, retured to France.
U-5582 Dec 1941Damaged during passage, retured to France.
U-2087 Dec 1941Sunk while attempting passage
U-3729 Dec 19414 Aug 1942
U-3759 Dec 194125 Jul 1943
U-4539 Dec 194121 May 1944
U-56810 Dec 194128 May 1942
U-37411 Dec 194112 Jan 1942
U-7416 Dec 19412 May 1942
U-7716 Dec 194129 Mar 1943
U-43217 Dec 1941Damaged while in passage, aborted.
U-8318 Dec 19414 Mar 1943
U-57320 Dec 19412 May 1942
U-20221 Dec 1941Damaged while in passage, aborted.
U-45121 Dec 1941Sunk while attempting passage.
U-13323 Dec 194114 Mar 1942
U-57723 Dec 194115 Jan 1942

U-boats lost in the Mediterranean in 1941

U-75. Type VIIB. Launched on 18 Oct 1940 and commissioned on 19 Dec 1940.
Sunk on 28 December 1941 in the Mediterranean north-west of Mersa Matruh, in position 31.50N, 26.40E, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Kipling.
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 3 Oct 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 86.

U-79. Type VIIC. Launched on 25 Jan 1941 and commissioned on 13 Mar 1941.
Sunk on 23 December 1941 in the Mediterranean Sea north of Sollum, in position 32.15N, 25.19E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Hasty and HMS Hotspur.
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 5 Oct 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 79.

U-95. Type VIIC. Launched on 18 Jul 1940 and commissioned on 31 Aug 1940.
Sunk on 28 November 1941 in the Mediterranean Sea south-west of Almeria, in position 36.24N, 03.20W, by a torpedo from the Dutch submarine HrMs O 21.
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 26 Nov 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 2.

U-433. Type VIIC. Launched on 15 Mar 1941 and commissioned on 24 May 1941.
Sunk at 2155hrs on 16 November 1941 in the Mediterranean Sea east of Gibraltar, in position 36.13N, 04.42W, by depth charges and gunfire from the British corvette HMS Marigold.
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 15 Nov 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 1.

U-557. Type VIIC. Launched on 22 Dec 1940 and commissioned on 13 Feb 1941.
Sank on 16 December 1941 in the Mediterranean Sea west of Crete, in position 35.31N, 23.19E, after erroneous ramming by the Italian torpedo boat Orione.
-Arrival in Mediterrananean: 26 Nov 1941. Days in the Mediterranean: 20.

5 U-boats lost in the Mediterranean in 1941.


U-boats in the Mediterranean