History
Nazi Germany
NameU-1195
Ordered25 August 1941
BuilderF Schichau GmbH, Danzig
Yard number1565
Laid down6 February 1943
Launched2 September 1943
Commissioned4 November 1943
FateSunk 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 / 50.5561833°N 0.9382806°W / 50.5561833; -0.9382806[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 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
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)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
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 / 50.5561833°N 0.9382806°W / 50.5561833; -0.9382806 (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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  4. ^ Patrol Data for U-1195, retrieved 31 October 2011
  5. ^ a b 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.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  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

German Type VII submarines
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in April 1945
Recreational dive sites
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