The Type VIIA U-boat U-30 - German U-boats of WWII (original) (raw)
List of all U-boats
| Type | VIIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Ordered | 1 Apr 1935 | |
| Laid down | 24 Jan 1936 | AG Weser, Bremen (werk 911) |
| Launched | 4 Aug 1936 | |
| Commissioned | 8 Oct 1936 | Kptlt. Hans Cohausz |
| Commanders | 8 Oct 1936 - 31 Oct 1938 Kptlt. Hans Cohausz15 Feb 1938 - 17 Aug 1938 Kptlt. Hans PauckstadtNov, 1938 - Sep, 1940 Kptlt. Fritz-Julius Lemp (Knights Cross) Sep, 1940 - 31 Mar 1941 KrvKpt. Robert Prützmann1 Apr 1941 - Apr, 1941 Oblt. Paul-Karl LoeserApr, 1941 - 22 Apr 1941 Oblt. Hubertus Purkhold (German Cross in Gold) 23 Apr 1941 - 9 Mar 1942 Oblt. Kurt Baberg (German Cross in Gold) 10 Mar 1942 - 4 Oct 1942 Oblt. Hermann Bauer5 Oct 1942 - 16 Dec 1942 Ltn. Franz SaarMay, 1943 - 1 Dec 1943 Oblt. Ernst Fischer2 Dec 1943 - 14 Dec 1944 Oblt. Ludwig Fabricius17 Jan 1945 - 23 Jan 1945 Oblt. Günther Schimmel | |
| Career8 patrols | 8 Oct 1936-31 Aug 1939 2. Flottille (active service)1 Sep 1939-31 Dec 1939 2. Flottille (active service)1 Jan 1940-30 Nov 1940 2. Flottille (active service)1 Dec 1940-30 Nov 1943 24. Flottille (training)1 Dec 1943-23 Jan 1945 22. Flottille (school boat) | |
| Successes | 16 ships sunk, total tonnage 86,165 GRT1 auxiliary warship sunk, total tonnage 325 GRT1 ship damaged, total tonnage 5,642 GRT1 warship damaged, total tonnage 31,100 tons | |
| Fate | Decommissioned on 23 January 1945 and used as instructional boat. Scuttled on 5 May 1945 in Kupfermühlen Bay near Flensburg. Wreck broken up in 1948. | |
| Final location |
See the 19 ships hit by U-30 - View the 8 war patrols
Wolfpack operations
U-30 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Prien (15 Jun 1940 - 17 Jun 1940)
Attacks on this boat and other events
14 Sep 1939
After stopping the British freighter Fanad Head, the boat was attacked by three British Blackburn Skua aircraft (803 Sqn FAA) from HMS Ark Royal, two of which were destroyed by the explosions of their own bombs. Three U-boat crew were wounded by shrapnel and two British airmen captured.
14 Sep 1939
After sinking the British freighter Fanad Head, the boat was bombed by six Swordfish (810 and 821 Sqn FAA) from HMS Ark Royal and depth charged by HMS Bedouin and HMS Punjabi for four hours before managing to escape.
2 recorded attacks on this boat.
General notes on this boat
3 Sep 1939. This boat sank the first ship in the war when she sank the 13,581 ton passenger ship Athenia by mistake (taking her to be an Armed Merchant Cruiser, AMC).
19 Sep 1939. U-30 stops by Reykjavík, Iceland to drop off an injured sailor (Adolph Schmidt) from the attack on 14 Sep. The boat arrived at 0900 and left shortly after 1200 local time, heading back to Germany.
7 Jul 1940. This boat was the first U-boat to make use of the newly captured French bases when she arrived at Lorient on 7 July 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-30 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
U-boat Emblems
We have 3 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.
There was another U-30 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 15 Nov 1913 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 26 Aug 1914. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about SM U 30 during WWI.
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