U - 37 ( under the command of Kapitänleutnant Asmus Nicolai Clausen ) back to its base in Kiel on March 22, 1941 , after returning from her last war patrol . After the U - 37 pulled from the front and used as a school ship for the training of new crew German U-boats . We can see the remnants of the damage in the tower supervisor , which most likely resulted from a mild collision with HMS Walker ( current U - 37 rush immersed himself only 90 meters away from the British destroyers ! ) . The incident occurred in the same battle in which Germany lost whiz - whiz best U - boat : Günther Prien , Schepke Joachim , Joachim Matz , and Otto Kretschmer
By : Alif Rafik Khan
Ship Data :
Type : IX
Order : July 29, 1936
Start making of : March 15, 1937 at AG Weser , Bremen ( werk 942 )
Release date: May 14, 1938
Operation : August 4, 1938
commander :
August 4, 1938 - 24 September 1939 : Heinrich Schuch Kapitänleutnant
25 September 1939 - May 6, 1940 : Korvettenkapitän Werner Hartmann ( Knight )
May 6, 1940 - October 26, 1940 : Victor Kapitänleutnant Oehrn ( Knight )
October 26, 1940 - May 2 1941 Kapitänleutnant Asmus Nicolai Clausen ( Knight )
May 3, 1941 - November 15, 1941 Kapitänleutnant Ulrich Folkers ( Knight )
16 November 1941 - June 30th 1942 Oberleutnant zur See Gustav - Adolf Janssen
July 1, 1942 - January 3, 1943 : Oberleutnant zur See Albert Lauzemis
January 4, 1943 - 19 November 1943 : Oberleutnant zur See Hinrich Kelling
20 November 1943 - January 8 1944, Oberleutnant zur See Peter Gerlach
January 9, 1944 - December 21, 1944, Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Seiler
December 22, 1944 - 8 May 1945: Eberhard von Wenden Kapitänleutnant
career :
11 patrols ( 280 days at sea )
1 April 1938 - 31 August 1939 6 . Flottille ( front boat )
1 September 1939 - 31 December 1939 6 . Flottille ( front boat )
January 1, 1940 - April 30, 1941 2 . Flottille ( front boat )
May 1, 1941 - March 31, 1942 26 . Flottille ( school ship )
1 April 1942 - June 30th 1944 22 . Flottille ( school ship )
July 1, 1944 - May 3 1945: 4 . Flottille ( test vessel )
achievement :
53 ships sunk for a total tonnage of 200,124 GRT
2 ships sunk for a total tonnage of 2,404 GRT
1 ship damaged for a total tonnage of 9494 tons
Final :
Drowned on May 8, 1945 in Sonderburg Bay , Flensburg ( position 54.55N , 09.47E ) , and later the remains sold as a separate wrecks .
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On 18 April 1943 U - 37 back to base in Wilhelmshaven after completing her fourth patrol . At the time of this mission , the submarine operating off the coast of Norway under the leadership of Werner Hartmann Korvettenkapitän as part of the " Unternehmen Weserübung " . Unfortunately , the achievements obtained are not as successful as previous missions . On patrol to the 2nd and 3rd of his , U - 37 , respectively sank 8 ships . This time he's " only " took home three banner just above the periscope . Cries of the spirit of the Vikings " Westward - ho ! " That adorn guard towers U - 37 was later adapted by Hartmann for a new boat , U - 198 , which completed the first patrol and the only one under his command with satisfactory results in 1943. Just information , Nicolai Clausen , a former officer of Trustees to - 1 in U - 37, which later was promoted to commander , also using the emblem " Westward - ho ! " on other ships which then dikapteninya , namely U - 129 and U - 182
sources :
Magazine " U - Boot Im Focus " 2nd edition 2007
Private photo collection of Thomas Craig
www.en.wikipedia.org
www.uboat.net
www.ubootwaffe.net
www.wehrmacht - awards.com