German submarine U-69 (1940)

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-69
Ordered:	30 May 1938
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Cost:	4.439.000 Reichsmark
Yard number:	603
Laid down:	19 September 1939
Launched:	12 October 1940
Commissioned:	2 November 1940
Fate:	Sunk, 17 February 1943 by HMS Fame
General characteristics
Class and 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
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
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
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 (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	7th U-boat Flotilla 2 November 1940 – 17 February 1943
Commanders:	Kptlt. Jost Metzler 2 November 1940 – 28 August 1941 Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen Auffermann 24–28 August 1941 Kptlt. Wilhelm Zahn 28 August 1941 – 31 March 1942 Kptlt. Ulrich Gräf 31 March 1942 – 17 February 1943
Operations:	Ten: 1st patrol: 10 February – 1 March 1941 2nd patrol: 18 March – 11 April 1941 3rd patrol: 5 May – 8 July 1941 4th patrol: 21–27 August 1941 5th patrol: 1 September – 1 October 1941 6th patrol: 30 October – 8 December 1941 7th patrol: a. 18–26 January 1942 b. 31 January – 17 March 1942 8th patrol: 12 April – 25 June 1942 9th patrol: 15 August – 5 November 1942 10th patrol: 2 January – 17 February 1943
Victories:	17 ships sunk (69,515 GRT); one ship damaged - 4,887 GRT; one ship a total loss - 5,445 GRT

German submarine U-69 was the first Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. This meant that compared to previous U-boats, she could travel further afield for longer, with a payload of eleven torpedoes, an 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck gun for smaller vessels and a flak gun for use against aircraft. U-69 was very successful, sinking over 72,000 gross register tons (GRT) of Allied shipping in a career lasting two years, making her one of the longest surviving, continuously serving, U-boats. Her most infamous attack was on the civilian ferry SS Caribou, which sank off the coast of Newfoundland in October 1942, killing 137 men, women and children. She was rammed and sunk by HMS Fame on 17 February 1943.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-69 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. 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). While on the surface 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); while two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) were use when the submarine was 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).

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