German submarine U-210


The German submarine U-210 was a Type VIIC U-boat that served with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Laid down on 15 March 1941 as yard number 639 at F. Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel, she was launched on 23 December and commissioned on 21 February 1942.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-210 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-210 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

U-210 undertook a single war patrol, departing Kiel on 18 July 1942 under the command of Rudolf Lemcke and heading for the north central Atlantic Ocean. The patrol was uneventful until 6 August 1942, when Convoy SC 94 was located. Despite heavy fog, U-210 was spotted on radar by the Canadian destroyer. The U-boat nearly escaped into the fog but the destroyer suddenly reappeared a mere away as U-210 crossed its bow. Both ships opened fire; while the range was too close for the destroyer's main guns, machine gun fire shot up the bridge and conning tower, preventing use of the deck gun. As the destroyer passed astern, a shell from her rear battery hit the conning tower, killing the entire bridge crew;.50-caliber machine gun fire silenced the submarine's flak gun. The senior surviving officer of U-210 ordered her to dive, but forced a slow straight course which allowed Assiniboine to ram her just abaft the conning tower as she dove. This resulted in the submarine's electric motors failing and damage to the propellers. The ballast tanks were blown and the attacking destroyer rammed again as U-210 surfaced; a pattern of shallow-set depth charges was dropped at the same time. As the submarine sank, Assiniboine hit her with another shell. 37 survivors were pulled from the water and became prisoners of war. Six men of her crew died during this battle.

Wolfpacks

U-210 took part in two wolfpacks, namely: