U-56

Type

IIC

 
Ordered17 Jun 1937
Laid down 21 Sep 1937 Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 255)
Launched3 Sep 1938
Commissioned26 Nov 1938Oblt. Wilhelm Zahn
Commanders
26 Nov 1938 - 21 Jan 1940  Kptlt. Wilhelm Zahn
22 Jan 1940 - 13 Oct 1940  Oblt. Otto Harms
14 Oct 1940 - 21 Apr 1941  Kptlt. Werner Pfeifer
22 Apr 1941 - 19 Jan 1942   Wolfgang Römer
20 Jan 1942 - 14 Nov 1942  Oblt. Günther-Paul Grave
15 Nov 1942 - 27 Feb 1944  Oblt. Hugo Deiring
28 Feb 1944 - 30 Jun 1944  Oblt. Werner Sausmikat
1 Jul 1944 - 22 Feb 1945  Ltn. Heinrich Miede
9 Jan 1945 - 5 Feb 1945  Ltn. Walter Kaeding (in deputize) (Knights Cross) -- acting
23 Feb 1945 - Apr, 1945  Oblt. Joachim Sauerbier
Career12 patrols 26 Nov 1938 - 31 Dec 1939  5. Flottille (training)
1 Jan 1940 - 31 Oct 1940  1. Flottille (front boat)
1 Nov 1940 - 18 Dec 1940  24. Flottille (training)
19 Dec 1940 - 30 Jun 1944  22. Flottille (school boat)
1 Jul 1944 - 28 Apr 1945  19. Flottille (school boat)
Successes3 ships sunk for a total of 8,860 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 16,923 GRT
1 ship damaged for a total of 3,829 GRT
Fate

Sunk on 28 Apr, 1945 at Kiel, in position 54.19N, 10.10E, by bombs from British aircraft. 6 dead and 19 survivors.

See the 5 ships hit by U-56 - View the 12 war patrols

Attacks on this boat

6 Sep 1940
The British submarine HMS Tribune attacks a submarine about 15 nautical miles north-east of St. Kilda, Hebrides in position 57º58'N, 08º14'W. All torpedoes fired missed their target. It leaves little doubt that the torpedoes were fired against the German submarine U-56 as this was the only submarine passing through that general area on that day. The Germans however reported no attack.

1 recorded attack on this boat.

General notes on this boat

30 Oct 1939. One of 4 German U-boats operating west of the Orkneys U-56 locates the British battleships Nelson, Rodney and Hood with 10 destroyers and attacks. Torpedo failure ruins the favorable attack chance.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-56 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.



U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2
Wynn, Kenneth


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Books dealing with this subject include:

German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Niestle, Axel, 1998.
Hitler's U-boat War. Blair, Clay, 1996.
Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II. Blair, Clay, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.


There was another U-56 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 18 Apr 1916 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 23 Jun 1916. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about the U 56 during WWI.