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Wolfpack West

{{infobox military unit

|unit_name= Wolfpack West

|dates= 8 May - 20 June 1941

|country= {{flag|Nazi Germany}}

|branch= Kriegsmarine

|role=

|size= 23 submarines

|command_structure=

|battles=Convoy OB 317
Convoy OB 318
Convoy OB 322
Convoy OB 327
Convoy OB 328
Convoy OB 329
Convoy OB 330
Convoy SC 30
Convoy HX 126
Convoy HX 128

|commander1=

|commander1_label=

|commander2=

|commander2_label=

|commander3=

|commander3_label=

|notable_commanders=Gerhard Bigalk
Engelbert Endrass
Robert Gysae
Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat
Wilhelm Kleinschmidt
Claus Korth
Herbert Kuppisch
Fritz-Julius Lemp
Wolfgang Lüth
Ernst Mengersen
Adalbert Schnee
Klaus Scholtz
Heinrich Schonder
Herbert Schultze
Robert Gysae
Karl Thurmann
Helmut Rosenbaum
Herbert Wohlfarth
Robert-Richard Zapp

}}

West was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated during the World War II Battle of the Atlantic from 8 May 1941 to 20 June 1941.

{{Cite web

|url = http://www.uboat.net/ops/wolfpacks/3.html

|title = Wolfpack West

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

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

|access-date= 21 October 2014

}}

This wolfpack was responsible for sinking 33 ships ({{GRT|191,414|disp=long}}) and damaging a further four ships ({{GRT|33,448}}), making it one of the most successful wolfpacks of World War II.

Raiding Summary

class="sortable wikitable"
scope="col"|Date

! scope="col"|U-boat

! scope="col"|Name of ship

! scope="col"|Nationality

! scope="col"|Tons

! scope="col"|Convoy

! scope="col"|Comments

align="right" |8 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-97|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Ramillies

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |4,553

|align="left" |OB 317

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |9 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-110|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Bengore Head

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |2,609

|align="left" |OB 318

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |9 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-201

2}}

|align="left" |Empire Cloud

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |5,969

|align="left" |OB 318

|align="left" |Damaged

align="right" |9 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-110|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Esmond

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |4,976

|align="left" |OB 318

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |9 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-201

2}}

|align="left" |Gregalia

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |5,802

|align="left" |OB 318

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |10 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-556

2}}

|align="left" |Aelybryn

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |4,986

|align="left" |OB 318

|align="left" |Damaged

align="right" |10 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-556

2}}

|align="left" |Empire Caribou

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |4,861

|align="left" |OB 318

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |10 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-556

2}}

|align="left" |Gand

|align="left" |{{flag|Belgium}}

|align="right" |5,086

|align="left" |OB 318

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |13 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-98|1940|2}}

|align="left" |HMS Salopian

|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}

|align="right" |10,549

|align="left" |SC 30

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |13 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-111|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Somersby

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |5,170

|align="left" |SC 30

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |20 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-556

2}}

|align="left" |British Security

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |8,470

|align="left" |HX 126

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |20 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-556

2}}

|align="left" |Cockaponset

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |5,995

|align="left" |HX 126

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |20 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-556

2}}

|align="left" |Darlington Court

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |4,974

|align="left" |HX 126

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |20 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-109|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Harpagus

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |5,173

|align="left" |HX 126

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |20 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-94|1940|2}}

|align="left" |John P. Pedersen

|align="left" |{{flag|Norway}}

|align="right" |6,128

|align="left" |HX 126

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |20 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-94|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Norman Monarch

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |4,718

|align="left" |HX 126

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |20 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-98|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Rothermere

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |5,356

|align="left" |HX 126

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |20 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-111|1940|2}}

|align="left" |San Felix

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |13,037

|align="left" |OB 322

|align="left" |Damaged

align="right" |21 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-93|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Elusa

|align="left" |{{flag|Netherlands}}

|align="right" |6,235

|align="left" |HX 126

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |21 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-98|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Marconi

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |7,402

|align="left" |OB 322

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |22 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-111|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Barnby

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |4,813

|align="left" |HX 126

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |29 May 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-557

2}}

|align="left" |Empire Storm

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |7,290

|align="left" |HX 128

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |2 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-108|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Michael E.

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |7,628

|align="left" |OB 327

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |3 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-75|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Eibergen

|align="left" |{{flag|Netherlands}}

|align="right" |4,801

|align="left" |OB 327

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |3 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-48|1939|2}}

|align="left" |Inversuir

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |9,456

|align="left" |OB 327

|align="left" |Damaged

align="right" |3 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-75|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Inversuir

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |9,456

|align="left" |OB 327

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |4 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-101|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Trecarrell

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |5,271

|align="left" |OB 327

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |5 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-48|1939|2}}

|align="left" |Wellfield

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |6,054

|align="left" |OB 328

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |6 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-48|1939|2}}

|align="left" |Tregarthen

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |5,201

|align="left" |OB 329

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |6 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-43|1939|2}}

|align="left" |Yselhaven

|align="left" |{{flag|Netherlands}}

|align="right" |4,802

|align="left" |OB 328

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |8 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-108|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Baron Nairn

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |3,164

|align="left" |OB 328

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |8 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-108|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Dirphys

|align="left" |{{flag|Greece}}

|align="right" |4,240

|align="left" |

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |8 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-48|1939|2}}

|align="left" |Pendrecht

|align="left" |{{flag|Netherlands}}

|align="right" |10,746

|align="left" |OB 329

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |9 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-101|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Trevarrack

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |5,270

|align="left" |OB 329

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |10 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-108|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Christian Krohg

|align="left" |{{flag|Norway}}

|align="right" |1,992

|align="left" |OB 329

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |10 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-204

2}}

|align="left" |Mercier

|align="left" |{{flag|Belgium}}

|align="right" |7,886

|align="left" |OB 330

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right" |13 June 1941

|align="center"|{{GS|U-77|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Tresillian

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right" |4,743

|align="left" |OB 330

|align="left" |Sunk

U-Boats

Of the 23 U-boat commanders, 19 were either, or went on to become, recipients of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.

class="wikitable"
width="50px" |U-boat

| width="180px"|Commander

| width="140px"|From

| width="140px"|To

| width="100px"|Notes

align="center"|{{GS|U-43|1939|2}}

|align="left" |Wolfgang Lüth

|align="right" |17 May 1941

|align="right" |16 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-46|1938|2}}

|align="left" |Engelbert Endrass

|align="right" |19 May 1941

|align="right" |6 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-48|1939|2}}

|align="left" |Herbert Schultze

|align="right" |2 June 1941

|align="right" |8 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-66|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Robert-Richard Zapp

|align="right" |24 May 1941

|align="right" |5 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-73|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Helmut Rosenbaum

|align="right" |31 May 1941

|align="right" |16 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-74|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat

|align="right" |13 May 1941

|align="right" |22 May 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-75|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Helmuth Ringelmann

|align="right" |2 June 1941

|align="right" |20 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-77|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Heinrich Schonder

|align="right" |6 June 1941

|align="right" |20 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-93|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Claus Korth

|align="right" |8 May 1941

|align="right" |26 May 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-94|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Herbert Kuppisch

|align="right" |8 May 1941

|align="right" |29 May 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-97|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Udo Heilmann

|align="right" |8 May 1941

|align="right" |27 May 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-98|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Robert Gysae

|align="right" |8 May 1941

|align="right" |27 May 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-101|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Ernst Mengersen

|align="right" |2 June 1941

|align="right" |20 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-108|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Klaus Scholtz

|align="right" |2 June 1941

|align="right" |20 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-109|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Hans-Georg Fischer

|align="right" |13 May 1941

|align="right" |23 May 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-110|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Fritz-Julius Lemp

|align="right" |9 May 1941

|align="right" |9 May 1941

|align="center"|U-boat was lost

align="center"|{{GS|U-111|1940|2}}

|align="left" |Wilhelm Kleinschmidt

|align="right" |13 May 1941

|align="right" |5 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-2012}}

|align="left" |Adalbert Schnee

|align="right" |8 May 1941

|align="right" |13 May 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-2042}}

|align="left" |Walter Kell

|align="right" |5 June 1941

|align="right" |16 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-5532}}

|align="left" |Karl Thurmann

|align="right" |13 June 1941

|align="right" |20 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-5562}}

|align="left" |Herbert Wohlfarth

|align="right" |10 May 1941

|align="right" |20 May 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-5572}}

|align="left" |Ottokar Arnold Paulssen

|align="right" |25 May 1941

|align="right" |20 June 1941

|align="left" |

align="center"|{{GS|U-7512}}

|align="left" |Gerhard Bigalk

|align="right" |16 June 1941

|align="right" |20 June 1941

|align="left" |

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Uboat}}

{{use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:West}}

Category:Wolfpacks of 1941