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voor de liefhebbers van U-Boote :)

Kriegsmarine U-107 / Submarine (Warship Profile 8)

This is the history of U-107 in words and pictures, one of the most successful U-Boats in Hitler's navy. Illustrated with numerous photos, 2 pages of maps, colour centerfold.

1971 | ISBN: N/A | 26 pages | PDF | 4.57 MB

General notes on this boat
29 Mar 1941. U-107 under Kptlt. Günther Hessler put out from Lorient, France at 19:30 on 29 March, 1941 for what would become the most successful patrol of the entire war against allied merchant shipping. She left the base along with U-94 commanded by Kptlt. Kuppisch but then U-107 headed southwards. 

Her operational area was around the Canary Islands and nearby Freetown where she sank 14 ships for a total of 86,699 tons, starting with the British merchant SS Eskdene which required some 2 torpedoes and 104 rounds from the heavy 105mm fast firing deck cannon. The largest ship sunk during that patrol was the British Calchas of 10,305 tons. On 1 June, 1941 they sank the British U-boat-trap Alfred Jones of 5,013 tons. 

On 3 and 4 of May U-107 refuelled from the German support ship Nordmark. There they also met U-105. Five days later they took on board 14 torpedoes and some food, fuel and water from the support ship Egerland. The boat returned to Lorient on 2 July 1941. 

Kptlt. Hessler married Karl Dönitz's daughter, Ursula, in November 1937. At that time Hessler was serving on the torpedo boats but in April 1940 he joined the U-boat force. Because Hessler was his son-in-law Dönitz had trouble giving Hessler his deserved Knights Cross and eventually Grand Admiral Raeder signed the papers. 

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in May 1944 but it was of course installed prior to that date. 

Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-107 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

Thanks to submariner :)