German submarine U-538

History

Nazi Germany
Name:	U-538
Ordered:	10 April 1941
Builder:	Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number:	356
Laid down:	18 April 1942
Launched:	20 November 1942
Commissioned:	10 February 1943
Fate:	Sunk, November 1943 southwest of Ireland by British warships^[1]
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement:	1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power:	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:	13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 10 February – 31 October 1943 2nd U-boat Flotilla 1 – 21 November 1943
Commanders:	Kptlt. Johann-Egbert Gossler 10 February – 21 November 1943
Operations:	24 October – 21 November 1943
Victories:	None

German submarine U-538 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as yard number 356 on 18 April 1942, launched on 20 August and commissioned on 10 February 1943 with Kapitänleutnant Johann-Egbert Gosseler in command.

U-538 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 10 February 1943. She was reassigned to the 2nd flotilla for operations on 1 November.

She carried out one patrol and did not sink any ships. She was a member of one wolfpack.

She was sunk in November 1943 southwest of Ireland by British warships.

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-538 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.^[2] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-538 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.^[2]

Service history

Patrol and loss

The boat departed Kiel on 10 April 1943, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean. She was heading for the French Atlantic ports.

She was sunk on 21 November 1943 southwest of Ireland by depth charges dropped from the British frigate Foley and the sloop HMS Crane.

Fifty-five men died; there were no survivors.^[1]

Wolfpacks

U-538 took part in one wolfpack, namely.

Eisenhart 1 (9–15 November 1943)

References

1 2 Kemp 1997, p. 159.
1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, p. 68.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-538". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.

German Type IXC/40 submarines

U-167 U-168 U-169 U-170 U-183 U-184 U-185 U-186 U-187 U-188 U-189 U-190 U-191 U-192 U-193 U-194 U-525 U-526 U-527 U-528 U-529 U-530 U-531 U-532 U-533 U-534 U-535 U-536 U-537 U-538 U-539 U-540 U-541 U-542 U-543 U-544 U-545 U-546 U-547 U-548 U-549 U-550 U-801 U-802 U-803 U-804 U-805 U-806 U-841 U-842 U-843 U-844 U-845 U-846 U-853 U-854 U-855 U-856 U-857 U-858 U-865 U-866 U-867 U-868 U-869 U-870 U-877 U-878 U-879 U-880 U-881 U-889 U-1221 U-1222 U-1223 U-1224 U-1225 U-1226 U-1227 U-1228 U-1229 U-1230 U-1231 U-1232 U-1233 U-1234 U-1235

Preceded by: Type IXC Followed by: Type IXD

List of U-boats of Germany

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1943

Shipwrecks	1 Nov: U-405 2 Nov: USS Borie, Hatsukaze, Sendai, Storaa, U-340, W-26 5 Nov: U-848 6 Nov: USS Beatty, U-226, U-842 9 Nov: U-707 10 Nov: U-966 11 Nov: Suzunami 12 Nov: U-508 13 Nov: HMS Dulverton, I-34 16 Nov: USS Corvina, U-280 17 Nov: USS McKean 18 Nov: Empire Dunstan, U-718 19 Nov: USS Sculpin, U-211 20 Nov: USS Discoverer, U-536, U-768 21 Nov: Empire Arthur, U-284, U-538 22 Nov: HMS Hebe 24 Nov: Aigle, FR 11, USS Liscome Bay, Melville E. Stone, Volta 25 Nov: I-19, Makinami, Ōnami, Toa Maru, U-600, U-849, Yūgiri 26 Nov: Rohna 27 Nov: John P. Gaines 28 Nov: U-542 29 Nov: I-21, USS Perkins, U-86 Unknown date: USS Capelin, HMS Simoom, U-648

Other incidents	15 Nov: HMS Quail

1942 1943 1944 October 1943 December 1943

Coordinates: 45°40′N 19°35′W / 45.667°N 19.583°W / 45.667; -19.583

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