Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)

Mediterranean U-boat Campaign Part of the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II Date September 21, 1941 to May, 1944 Location Mediterranean Sea Result Decisive Allied Victory Belligerents  Royal Navy  Royal Australian Navy  United States Navy Other Allied navies  Kriegsmarine  Regia Marina Strength 62 U-boats Casualties and losses 95 merchant ships sunk 24 major warships sunk 62 U-boats lost

The Mediterranean U-boat Campaign lasted approximately from September 21, 1941 to May 1944 during World War II. The Italians had failed to neutralise Malta as a British base and Axis supply convoys to north Africa suffered severe losses as a result. This in turn threatened Axis armies' ability to fight. The Kriegsmarine aimed at isolating Malta so as to interrupt British supply convoys to the island. As the Allies gained the upper hand, u-boat operations became targeted at the various landings in southern Europe.

Some 60 U-boats were sent to assist the Italians, though many were attacked in the Strait of Gibraltar (of which 9 were sunk while attempting passage and 10 more were damaged). Had these U-boats been deployed in the Atlantic, or directly along the coasts of Britain, Germany would have had an advantage.^{[citation needed]} The sea is clear and calm body of water which made escape more difficult for the U-boats. Germany's objective failed. No U-boat of the Mediterranean ever returned to the Atlantic and all were either sunk in battle or scuttled.^{[citation needed]}

The beginning

German submarine U-371 was the first U-boat to enter the Mediterranean. She became the first target of an Allied tactic called "Swamp" after 3 years, in which ships and aircraft surround and threaten a U-boat forcing her to remain submerged till her batteries or air run out and then finishing her.

By December 23, 1941, 34 more U-boats had been sent to the Mediterranean. 27 entered successfully, 3 were sunk at Gibraltar and 5 were damaged and had to return to their French bases. U-95 and U-557 were sunk within a week after arrival in the region.

1942

15 U-boats entered the sea in 1942 while 2 failed. But the year was bad for them. 14 were sunk in 1942. Thus, the fleet's strength remained the same.

1943

14 U-boats were sent this year. Two were sunk at Gibraltar while one cancelled her mission due to damage.

1944

12 U-boats were sent to cross Gibraltar in 1944. 3 of them sank while attempting entry.

Most U-boats failed to sink any ship. The bulk of U-boats lost this year were in Toulon.

U-455 vanished along with 51 men in the Mediterranean some time after 6 April 1944.

U-466 was the last U-boat to be scuttled in the Mediterranean. This was done when the Allied Operation Dragoon was launched.

List of U-boats in the Mediterranean

U-73 U-74 U-75 U-77 U-79 U-81

U-83 U-95 edit] Success and failure HMS Barham explodes as her 15 inch magazine ignites, 25 November 1941. The Germans sunk 95 allied merchant ships totalling 449,206 tons, and 24 Royal Navy warships including 2 carriers, 1 battleship, 4 cruisers and 12 destroyers at the cost of 62 U-boats. Noteworthy successes were the sinkings of HMS Barham, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Eagle , HMS Penelope. U-boats sunk by Allied submarines Four U-boats were sunk by Allied submarines in the Mediterranean. German submarine U-95 was sunk on November 28, 1941 in the western Mediterranean, south-west of Almería in position 36°14′N 3°12′W / 36.24°N 03.20°W / 36.24; -03.20 (U-95 wreck) by torpedoes from the Dutch submarine HrMs O 21. 35 men died but 12 survived. U-301 was sunk on 21 January 1943 in the Mediterranean, west of Bonifacio, in position 41°16′N 7°02′E / 41.27°N 07.04°E / 41.27; 07.04 (U-301 wreck) by torpedoes from the British submarine HMS Sahib. 45 men dead but 1 survived. U-303 was sunk on 21 May 1943 in the western Mediterranean south of Toulon, in position 42°30′N 6°00′E / 42.50°N 06.00°E / 42.50; 06.00 (U-303 wreck) by torpedoes from the British submarine HMS Sickle. 20 men died and 28 survived. Cape Spartivento, in position 37°30′N 16°00′E / 37.50°N 16.00°E / 37.50; 16.00 (U-374 wreck), by torpedoes from the British submarine HMS Unbeaten. Only 1 person out of 45 survived. See also Military history of Gibraltar during World War II 29th U-boat Flotilla References Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР MV Kitsap (1925) Gormanston, County Meath Look at other dictionaries: Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War I) — Mediterranean U boat Campaign Part of the Mediterranean Theatre of World War I Date 1914 October 1918 Location Mediterranean Sea …   Wikipedia Mediterranean naval engagements during World War I — Warbox conflict=Mediterranean naval engagements during World War I partof=Naval warfare of World War I campaign= caption= date=August, 1914 October, 1918 place=Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea result=Inconclusive combatant1=flagicon|France|naval… …   Wikipedia Mediterranean, Middle East and African theatres of World War II — Mediterranean and African theatres of World War II Part of World War II …   Wikipedia East African Campaign (World War II) — Warbox conflict=East African Campaign partof=African Campaigns, World War II campaign= caption=Personnel from the King s African Rifles (KAR) collect weapons (mostly Carcano 1891 rifles) captured from Italian forces at Wolchefit Pass, Ethiopia,… …   Wikipedia Naval warfare in the Mediterranean during World War I — Naval warfare in the Mediterranean (1914 1918) Part of Naval warfare of World War I The Mediterranean Sea and surrounding regions …   Wikipedia World War I — This article is about the major war of 1914–1918. For other uses, see World War One (disambiguation) and Great War (disambiguation). World War I …   Wikipedia Naval warfare of World War I — Naval warfare in World War I was mainly characterized by the efforts of the Allied Powers, with their larger fleets and surrounding position, to blockade the Central Powers by sea, and the efforts of the Central Powers to break that blockade or… …   Wikipedia World War II — the war between the Axis and the Allies, beginning on September 1, 1939, with the German invasion of Poland and ending with the surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, and of Japan on August 14, 1945. Abbr.: WWII * * * or Second World War (1939–45)… …   Universalium World War I — the war fought mainly in Europe and the Middle East, between the Central Powers and the Allies, beginning on July 28, 1914, and ending on November 11, 1918, with the collapse of the Central Powers. Abbr.: WWI Also called Great War, War of the… …   Universalium Military history of Gibraltar during World War II — v · …   Wikipedia 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”