U 81 (War Navy)

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U 81 was a German submarine of type VII C, which was used in the Second World War by the German Kriegsmarine. The boat sank, among others, the British aircraft carrier Ark Royal.

History

The order for the boat was awarded on 25 January 1939 to the Vegesack shipyard (Bremer Vulkan) in Bremen-Vegesack. The keel was laid on May 11, 1940, the launching on February 22, 1941, the commissioning under chief lieutenant to the lake Friedrich Guggenberger finally took place on February 26. April 1941.

Until 30 November 1941 it belonged as a training and front boat to the 1st U-flotilla in Kiel and Brest. From 1 December 1941 U 81 belonged until its destruction on 9 December 1941. January 1944 for the 29th flotilla in La Spezia, Salamis and Pola in the Mediterranean.

Operational statistics
During his service, U 81 completed 18 ventures on which 19 ships with a total tonnage of 48,393 GRT were sunk, including the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal with 22,600 t.

First undertaking
The boat ran on 17. July 1941 at 08:00 in Trondheim and on 7 August 1941 in Kirkenes. During this 22-day and 2,569 sm over and 580 sm underwater enterprise in the North Sea and the Murman Coast, no ships were sunk or damaged.

The boat moved on the 9. August 1941 from Kirkenes to Trondheim to the shipyard.

Second company
The boat ran on 27. August 1941 at 08:00 from Trondheim and on 19 September 1941 at 12:45 in Brest. During this 24-day and approximately 4,800 sm over and 137 sm underwater venture into the North Atlantic and southwest of Iceland, two ships with 8,943 GRT were sunk and one ship with 7,465 GRT damaged.

September 9, 1941: Sink of the British steamer Empire Springbuck ( ) with 5,591 GRT. The steamer was sunk by two torpedoes. He had loaded 6,085 tons of explosives and steel and was on his way from Boca Grande (Cuba) via Sydney to Leith and London. The ship was a latecomer of the convoy SC-42 with 65 ships. It was a total loss with 42 deaths.

10 September 1941: Sink of the British steamer Sally Maersk ( ) with 3,252 GRT. The steamer was sunk by two torpedoes. He had loaded 4,527 tonnes of wheat and was on his way from Three Rivers via Sydney (Nova Scotia) to Sharpness. The ship belonged to the convoy SC-42. There were no losses, 34 survivors.

September 10, 1941: Damage of the British steamer Empire Hudson with 7,465 GRT. The steamer was damaged by a torpedo and sunk the same day by U 82.

Third company
The boat departed from Brest on October 29, 1941 at 2:00 p.m. and arrived at La Spezia on December 10, 1941. U 81 returned to Brest on October 31, 1941 due to bomb damage, and on October 4, 1941. November 1941 again. On this 40-day and approximately 5,500 sm over and 442 sm under water long enterprise, in which the St