German submarine U-705

{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image=

|Ship caption=

}}

{{Infobox ship career

|Ship country=Nazi Germany

|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}

|Ship name=U-705

|Ship ordered=9 October 1939{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u705.htm

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-705

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=2010-03-12

}}

|Ship yard number=764

|Ship laid down=11 October 1940

|Ship builder=HC Stülcken & Sohn, Hamburg

|Ship launched=13 October 1941

|Ship commissioned=30 December 1941

|Ship fate=Sunk on 3 September 1942

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=

|Ship class=Type VIIC submarine

|Ship displacement=

{{convert|769|t|LT|0|lk=on}} surfaced
{{convert|871|t|LT|0|abbr=on}} submerged

|Ship length=

{{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
{{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship beam=

{{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
{{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught={{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship power=

{{convert|2800|–|3200|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
{{convert|750|PS|kW shp|abbr=on}} (electric)

|Ship propulsion=

2 shafts
2 × diesel engines
2 × electric motors

|Ship speed=

{{convert|17.7|kn}} surfaced
{{convert|7.6|kn}} submerged

|Ship range=

{{convert|8,500|nmi|abbr=on|lk=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
{{convert|80|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged

|Ship test depth=

{{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}}
Crush depth: {{convert|250|–|295|m|ft|abbr=on}}

|Ship complement=4 officers, 40–56 enlisted

|Ship sensors=

|Ship EW=

|Ship armament=

5 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
14 × torpedoes
1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun (220 rounds)
1 x 2 cm FlaK 30 AA gun

|Ship notes=

}}

{{Infobox service record

|is_ship=yes

|partof=

5th U-boat Flotilla
30 December 1941 – 31 July 1942
6th U-boat Flotilla
1 August – 3 September 1942

|codes=M 46 975

|commanders=

Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Karl-Horst Horn
30 December 1941 – 3 September 1942

|operations=*1 patrol:

1 August – 3 September 1942

|victories=*1 merchant ship sunk
({{GRT|3,279}})

}}

File:Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945_Coastal_Command_HU91244.jpg

German submarine U-705 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Commissioned on 30 December 1941, she served with the 5th U-boat Flotilla until 31 July 1942 as a training boat, and as a front boat of 6th U-boat Flotilla under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Karl-Horst Horn, until her sinking on 3 September 1942.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-705 had a displacement of {{convert|769|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|871|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} She had a total length of {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a pressure hull length of {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a beam of {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a draught of {{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of {{convert|2800 to 3200|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of {{convert|750|PS|kW shp}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.23|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|17.7|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.6|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|80|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|8500|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. U-705 was fitted with five {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

Service history

Departing on her first and only patrol on 1 August 1942, U-705 left Kiel to encircle the British Isles and turn back after crossing more than half of the Atlantic. On 15 August while cruising some {{convert|550|nmi|km}} south-east of Iceland, she caught sight of a number of vessels; Convoy SC 95, and the merchant ship Balladier.

Diving after first being seen, she stayed submerged for nearly four hours before firing a torpedo at the starboard side of the Balladier. Listing to the starboard side, the armed guards were unable to return fire on U-705, with the ship sinking after seven minutes.{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2045.html

|title=Balladier article

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=2010-03-16

}}

On 24 August, the Norwegian corvette {{HNoMS|Potentilla}} and {{HMS|Viscount|D92|6}} of convoy ON 122 located U-705. Dropping five depth charges from the Viscount, along with a further ten from the Potentilla, the two were unable to cause damage to the boat. A further fifty-seven charges were dropped at her and {{GS|U-135|1941|2}}, finally damaging her stern torpedo tube.

=Fate=

On 3 September 1942, Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys of No. 77 Squadron RAF dropped depth charges at U-705, causing her to sink with all hands lost in the Bay of Biscay.{{cite book |work=Hitler's U-Boat War |volume=1 |title=The Hunters 1939–1942 |last=Blair

|first=Clay |publisher=Random House |year=1996 |isbn=0-394-58839-8 |page=662&663}}

=Wolfpacks=

U-705 took part in one wolfpack, namely:

Lohs (11 – 26 August 1942)

Summary of raiding history

class="wikitable sortable"
width="100px"\|Date ! width="110px"\|Ship Name ! width="120px"\|Nationality ! width="25px" \|Tonnage (GRT) ! width="50px" \|Fate{{cite web \|url=http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u705.html \|title=Ships hit by U-705 \|last=Helgason \|first=Guðmundur \|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net \|access-date=9 February 2014 }}
align="right"\|15 August 1942 \|align="left" \|Balladier \|align="left" \|{{flag\|United States\|1912}} \|align="right"\|3,279 \|align="left" \|Sunk

class="wikitable sortable"

width="100px"|Date

! width="110px"|Ship Name

! width="120px"|Nationality

! width="25px" |Tonnage (GRT)

! width="50px" |Fate{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u705.html

|title=Ships hit by U-705

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=9 February 2014

}}

align="right"|15 August 1942

|align="left" |Balladier

|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}

|align="right"|3,279

|align="left" |Sunk

References

Bibliography

{{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
{{cite book |last1=Busch |first1=Rainer |last2=Röll |first2=Hans-Joachim |title=Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945 |date=1999|volume=IV |publisher=Mittler|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn |isbn=3-8132-0514-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vXKwAAAAIAAJ |language=de}}
{{cite book |last1=Gröner |first1=Eric |last2=Jung |first2=Dieter |last3=Maass |first3=Martin |translator-last1=Thomas|translator-first1=Keith|translator-last2=Magowan|translator-first2=Rachel |title=German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels |date=1991 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |volume=2 |isbn=0-85177-593-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Udg-0AEACAAJ|ref=CITEREFGröner1991}}