German submarine U-1195

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-1195
Ordered	25 August 1941
Builder	F Schichau GmbH, Danzig
Yard number	1565
Laid down	6 February 1943
Launched	2 September 1943
Commissioned	4 November 1943
Fate	Sunk by HMS Watchman by depth charges on 7 April 1945 to the south east of the Isle of Wight at 50°33′22.26″N 0°56′17.81″W[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns
Service record
Part of:	21st U-boat Flotilla 4 November – 31 December 1943 24th U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 31 October 1944 5th U-boat Flotilla 1 November – 31 December 1944 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 7 April 1945
Identification codes:	M 54 254
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Karl-Heinz Schröter 4 November 1943 – 31 October 1944 Kptlt. Ernst Cordes 1 November 1944 – 7 April 1945
Operations:	1 patrol: 25 February – 7 April 1945
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (18,614 GRT)

German submarine U-1195 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine.

Her keel was laid down 6 February 1943, by F. Schichau, of Danzig. She was commissioned 4 November 1943.^[2]

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1195 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[3] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-1195 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[3]

Service history

Under the command of Ernst Cordes, she sank the Liberty Ship John R. Park.^[4][5] on 21 March 1945. Another account suggests the ship sunk was the James Eagan Layne^[6] though this sinking is usually credited to U-399.^[7]

U-1195 attacked Convoy VWP 16 in the English Channel, sinking the troop transport Cuba^[1] on 6 April 1945. She was sunk by one of the convoy's escorts, the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Watchman, using a Hedgehog antisubmarine mortar^[8] on 7 April 1945 to the southeast of the Isle of Wight at 50°33′22.26″N 0°56′17.81″W (WGS84) in 30 metres (98 feet) of water.^[1] Fifty crew members were alive when she sank; however, only 14 survived.^[5][9] Kemp reports the crew had to make a risky underwater escape from the wrecked vessel.^[10]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[11]
21 March 1945	John R. Park	United States	7,194	Sunk
6 April 1945	Cuba	United Kingdom	11,420	Sunk

References

1. Dive Wight and Hampshire, Martin Pritchard and Kendal McDonald, ISBN 0-946020-15-9
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-1195". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
3. Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
4. Patrol Data for U-1195, retrieved 31 October 2011
5. McCartney, Innes (2002). Lost patrols : submarine wrecks of the English Channel. Penzance: Periscope. ISBN 978-1-90438-104-4.
6. Dive South Cornwall, wreck of JEL, p43, Richard Larn, ISBN 0-946020-25-6
7. James Egan Layne at uboat.net; retrieved 21 July 2020
8. "HMS Watchman, destroyer".
9. "Submarine Casualties Booklet". U.S. Naval Submarine School. 1966. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
10. Kemp p245
11. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-1195". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 December 2014.

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). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 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 and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-1195". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.