German submarine U-372

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-372
Ordered:	23 September 1939
Builder:	Howaldtswerke, Kiel
Yard number:	3
Laid down:	17 November 1939
Launched:	8 March 1941
Commissioned:	19 April 1941
Fate:	Sunk 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean in position 32°28′N 34°37′E / 32.467°N 34.617°ECoordinates: 32°28′N 34°37′E / 32.467°N 34.617°E, by depth charges from Royal Navy destroyers and an RAF Wellington bomber.
General characteristics
Class & 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
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) various AA guns
Service record[1]
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla 2 January – 30 November 1942 - Training 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1942 – 1 March 1944
Commanders:	Kptlt. Heinz-Joachim Neumann 2 January – 12 September 1942
Operations:	1st patrol: 9 July – 13 August 1941 2nd patrol: 10 September – 13 October 1941 3rd patrol: 13 November – 16 December 1941 4th patrol: 17–31 January 1942 5th patrol: 15 June – 12 July 1942 6th patrol: 27 July – 4 August 1942
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk (11,751 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship sunk (14,650 GRT)

German submarine U-372 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 November 1939 by Howaldtswerke, Kiel as construction number 3, launched on 8 March 1941 and commissioned on 19 April 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Joachim Neumann.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-372 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[2] 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).^[2]

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).^[2] 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-372 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, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

The boat's career began with training at 1st U-boat Flotilla on 19 April 1941, followed by active service on 1 July 1941 as part of the 1st Flotilla until 13 December 1941, whence she joined 29th U-boat Flotilla for operations in the Mediterranean.

In 6 patrols she sank 3 merchant ships, for a total of 11,751 gross register tons (GRT), and an auxiliary warship of 14,650 GRT.

Wolfpacks

U-372 took part in three wolfpacks, namely

• Brandenburg (15 September – 1 October 1941)
• Störtebecker (16–19 November 1941)
• Steuben (19 November – 2 December 1941)

Fate

U-372 was sunk on 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean, SW of Haifa, in position 32°28′N 34°37′E / 32.467°N 34.617°E, by depth charges from Royal Navy destroyers HMS Sikh, HMS Zulu, HMS Croome, HMS Tetcott and an RAF Wellington bomber. All hands survived.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[3]
5 August 1941	Belgravian	United Kingdom	3,136	Sunk
5 August 1941	Swiftpool	United Kingdom	5,205	Sunk
19 September 1941	Baron Pentland	United Kingdom	3,410	Sunk
30 June 1942	HMS Medway	Royal Navy	14,650	Sunk

See also

• Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)

References

1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-372". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
2. Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-372". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2014.

Bibliography

• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 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.
• Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-372". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.