German submarine U-28 (1936)

Unterseeboot 28 (also known as U-28) was a Type VIIA submarine of the Kriegsmarine.

Her keel was laid down December 2 1935, by AG Weser of Bremen. She was launched on July 14 1936, and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on September 12 1936, with Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Ambrosius in command. Ambrosius was succeeded by nine other commanding officers over the next eight years.

The first war patrol of "U-28" took place from August 19 1939 to September 29 1939 under the command of Günter Kuhnke. On September 14 while patrolling around the mouth of St George's Channel, "U-28" sunk a 5,000 ton freighter which was her only sinking of the patrol.

"U-28"'s second war patrol took place from November 8 1939 to December 12 1939 again under the command of Günter Kuhnke. For this patrol "U-28" was instructed to lay a minefield near the port city of Swansea. En route to Bristol "U-28" sank two ships; the 5,000 ton Dutch tanker MV Sliedrecht and the 5,100 ton British freighter SS Royston Grange. "U-28" then laid its minefield near Swansea and returned to port in Germany. While the minefield was not an immediate success, 60 days after it was laid it sank the 9,600 ton British freighter SS Protesilaus.

"U-28"'s third war patrol took place from February 18 1940 to March 25 1940 again commanded by Günter Kuhnke. On yet another mine laying mission, "U-28" was instructed to lay mines off a British Naval Base at Portsmouth. After "U-28" laid the minefield she went on to sink two ships for 11,200 tons.

"U-28"'s fourth war patrol was aborted while still in the North Sea due to mechanical problems.

"U-28"'s fifth war patrol took place from June 8 1940 to July 7 1940 again commanded by Günter Kuhnke. On this patrol "U-28" was sent to the Western Approaches and turned in an average performance of three ships for 10,300 tons.

"U-28"'s sixth war patrol took place from August 11 1940 to September 17 1940 and was one of Günter Kuhnke most productive. In August, "U-28" sunk two ships for 5,500 tons. On September 10 "U-28" found and tracked an Outbound 210. In the darkness of early morning on September 11, "U-28" attacked the convey and claimed to have sunk two large freighter's (13,000 tons each) and damage to a 10,000 ton tanker bringing his total for the patrol to five ships for 30,000 tons. However during the postwar analysis he was only credited with sinking a 2,000 ton Dutch freighter and damaging a 4,700 ton British freighter; which combined with his earlier sinkings brought his total to 4 ships for 9,945 tons. On his return to Lorient he was awarded a Knight's Cross for his work.

"U-28"'s seventh and final war patrol took her from Lorient back to Germany; because of the heavy seas and foul weather "U-28" sank only half a ship for 2,694 tons. (U-28 and U-31 shared credit for the sinking of the SS Matina). On November 15 1940 "U-28" returned to Germany and was turned over to the training command. Günter Kuhnke went on to command U-125.

"U-28" conducted seven patrols, sinking 13 ships totaling 56,272 tons and damaging two others totaling 10,067 tons.

In comparison to the other U-boats that operated during this time span "U-28" was a below average performer.

Fate

"U-28" sank by accident on March 17 1944, at the U-boat pier in Neustadt. During a training exercise, the boat had passed under a dummy freighter used for target practice. The commander-in-training failed to note the position of the stationary freighter, and the U-boat's conning tower was ripped off. Water flooded the control room, but the other compartments remained intact. The crew escaped by slowly equalizing the water pressure in the boat and swimming to the surface. The boat was raised in March 1944 but was stricken on August 4, 1944. The submarine's crew suffered no casualties during her career.

References

* [http://www.uboat.net/boats/u28.htm uboat.net webpage for "U-28"]
* [http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/boat.cgi?boat=28 ubootwaffe.net webpage about "U-28"]
* [http://www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u0028.html u-boot-archiv.de webpage for "U-28"]

ee also

*List of U-boats