German submarine UD-4

History
Netherlands
NameHNLMS O 26
Ordered24 June 1938
BuilderRotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij, Rotterdam
Laid down20 April 1939
FateIncomplete, captured by German on 14 May 1940
Nazi Germany
NameUD-4
Launched23 November 1940
Commissioned28 January 1941
Decommissioned19 March 1945
FateScuttled on 3 May 1945
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeO 21-class submarine
Displacement
  • 990 tons surfaced
  • 1205 tons submerged
Length77.70 m (254 ft 11 in)
Beam6.80 m (22 ft 4 in)
Draught3.95 m (13 ft 0 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph) surfaced
  • 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged
Range
  • 10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 28 nmi (52 km; 32 mi) at 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) submerged
Complement39
Armament
  • 4 × 21 in (533 mm) bow torpedo tubes
  • 2 × 21 in stern torpedo tubes
  • 2 × 21 in (1×2) external-traversing TT amidships
Service record as UD-4[2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 30 414
Commanders:
  • K.Kapt. Helmut Brümmer-Patzig[3]
  • 28 January – 15 October 1941
  • K.Kapt. Rudolf von Singule[4]
  • 16 October 1941 – 29 April 1942
  • Kptlt. Hinrich-Oscar Bernbeck[5]
  • 30 April – May 1942
  • June – 8 December 1942
  • K.Kapt. Friedrich Schäfer[6]
  • 23 March 1943 – 22 November 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Fritz Bart[7]
  • 23 November 1944 – 19 March 1945
Operations: None
Victories: None

UD-4 was an O 21-class submarine. The boat was laid down as the Dutch submarine HNLMS K XXVI and renamed HNLMS O 26 but was captured during German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II and commissioned in the Kriegsmarine.

Ship history

The submarine was ordered on 24 June 1938 and laid down on 20 April 1939 as K XXVI at the Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij, Rotterdam. During construction she was renamed O 26. Following the German invasion of 10 May 1940, the not yet launched O 26 was captured at the yard by the invading forces.[8]

The Germans decided to complete her. The launch took place on 23 November 1940. She served in the Kriegsmarine as UD-4 and was commissioned on 28 January 1941,[8] with Korvettenkapitän Helmut Brümmer-Patzig in command.[9]

UD-4 among other types in the heavily damaged port of Kiel, April 1945.

From January to April 1941, UD-4 served as school boat in Kiel when attached to the 1st Flotilla. In May, she was transferred to the 3rd Flotilla also in Kiel where she was used as a trial boat. She remained there until July that year. In August 1941, the boat was transferred to the 5th Flotilla also in Kiel where she was used as a school boat until December 1942. In January 1943, UD-4 was transferred to Gotenhafen where she served as a school boat for 24th Flotilla and 27th Flotilla until January 1945. From January to March 1945, she was based in Hela and transferred to the 18th Flotilla where she served as a school boat.[8]

On 19 March 1945, UD-4 was decommissioned. On 3 May 1945, she was scuttled in Kiel.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Dutch Submarines: The O 21 submarine class". dutchsubmarines.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Foreign U-boats UD-4". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Helmut Brümmer-Patzig". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Rudolf von Singule". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hinrich-Oscar Bernbeck". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Friedrich Schäfer". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Fritz Bart". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d "Dutch Submarines: The submarine O 26". dutchsubmarines.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  9. ^ Busch & Röll 1999, p. 41.

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 978-1-55750-186-8.
  • 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 978-0-85177-593-7.