German submarine U-110 (1940) facts for kids
U-110 and HMS Bulldog
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Nazi Germany |
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| Name | U-110 |
| Ordered | 24 May 1938 |
| Builder | DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen |
| Yard number | 973 |
| Laid down | 1 February 1940 |
| Launched | 25 August 1940 |
| Commissioned | 21 November 1940 |
| Homeport | Lorient, France |
| Fate | Captured, 9 May 1941, sunk the following day |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | German Type IXB submarine |
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| Draught | 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) |
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| Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement | 48 to 56 officers and ratings |
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The German submarine U-110 was a Type IXB U-boat used by Nazi Germany during World War II. This submarine became famous because it was captured by the Royal Navy on May 9, 1941. The British found very important secret code documents and an Enigma machine on board. This capture, called "Operation Primrose," was kept a huge secret for many months. Even President Franklin D. Roosevelt only learned about it in January 1942.
Contents
Submarine Design and Features
German Type IXB submarines were larger than earlier German submarines. U-110 weighed about 1,051 tons when it was on the surface. When it was underwater, it weighed about 1,178 tons. The submarine was about 76.5 meters (251 feet) long. Its strong inner hull, called the pressure hull, was about 58.75 meters (192 feet) long.
The U-110 was powered by two diesel engines when on the surface. These engines produced a lot of power, about 4,400 horsepower. When underwater, it used two electric motors, which produced about 1,000 horsepower. The submarine had two propellers. It could go as deep as 230 meters (750 feet) underwater.
Speed and Travel Range
On the surface, U-110 could travel at a maximum speed of 18.2 knots (about 33.7 kilometers per hour). When submerged, its top speed was 7.3 knots (about 13.5 kilometers per hour). The submarine could travel a long distance without needing to refuel. On the surface, it could go about 12,000 nautical miles (22,000 kilometers) at 10 knots. Underwater, it could travel about 64 nautical miles (119 kilometers) at 4 knots.
Weapons and Crew
U-110 was well-armed for its missions. It had six torpedo tubes, which are special tubes for firing torpedoes. Four were at the front (bow) and two were at the back (stern). It carried 22 torpedoes. For fighting on the surface, it had a large 10.5 cm (4.1 inch) deck gun with 180 rounds. It also had anti-aircraft guns to defend against planes. These included a 3.7 cm (1.5 inch) gun and a twin 2 cm (0.8 inch) gun. The submarine usually had a crew of about 48 sailors.
Service History of U-110
The building of U-110 began on February 1, 1940, in Bremen, Germany. It was built by a company called DeSchiMAG AG Weser. The submarine was officially launched on August 25, 1940. It was then put into service on November 21, 1940.
U-110 was part of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla, a group of submarines. Its commander was Kapitänleutnant Fritz-Julius Lemp. He commanded U-110 for its entire time in service. Lemp was known as a very successful U-boat commander.
Operational Missions
First Patrol Mission
U-110 started its first patrol from Kiel, Germany, on March 9, 1941. It sailed through the area between the Faroe Islands and Shetland Islands to reach the Atlantic Ocean. On March 16, it damaged a ship called Erodona south of Iceland. Later, on March 23, it also damaged another ship named Siremalm.
During the attack on Siremalm, a torpedo hit the ship but did not explode. Then, the U-boat's deck gun had a problem. The crew forgot to remove a cover from the gun's muzzle before firing. This caused an explosion that injured three sailors. Because of this damage, U-110 had to end its patrol early. It arrived in Lorient, France, on March 29.
Second Patrol and Capture
U-110 left Lorient for its second patrol on April 15, 1941. On April 27, it sank a ship called Henri Mory off the coast of Ireland.
Its next targets were ships in a group called convoy OB 318. This was near Cape Farewell, Greenland. U-110 successfully sank two ships from the convoy, Esmond and Bengore Head. However, the British escort ships quickly reacted. The British corvette, HMS Aubrietia, found the U-boat using its ASDIC (sonar) system. Aubrietia and the British destroyer Broadway then dropped depth charges. These explosions forced U-110 to come to the surface.
Operation Primrose: The Secret Capture
U-110 was badly damaged but still afloat. HMS Bulldog and Broadway stayed close to the U-boat. Broadway fired two depth charges near U-110. This was done to make the German crew leave the submarine before they could sink it themselves. Commander Lemp told his crew, "Last stop, everybody out," meaning they should abandon the ship.
As the German sailors came onto the deck, they were fired upon by Bulldog and Broadway. Some sailors were hit by gunfire, and others drowned. The British stopped firing when they realized the Germans were surrendering. Lemp saw that U-110 was not sinking. He tried to swim back to it to destroy the secret materials, but he was never seen again. Some say he was shot by a British sailor. In total, 15 German sailors died, and 32 were captured. The captured crew members were sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Canada.
A British team from Bulldog, led by Sub-Lieutenant David Balme, boarded U-110. They took everything valuable and secret they could find. This included a special code book called Kurzsignale and an Enigma machine. The Enigma machine was a German device used to send secret coded messages. William Stewart Pollock, a former radio operator, found the Enigma machine and codebooks in the radio room. These items were very important for the British codebreakers at Bletchley Park.
U-110 was taken in tow towards Iceland, but it sank the next day because of the damage it had taken. The secret documents and the Enigma machine captured from U-110 helped the British to break German codes. This was a huge advantage for the Allies during the war.
Wolfpacks
U-110 was part of one wolfpack. A wolfpack was a group of U-boats that worked together to attack convoys of ships.
- West (May 9, 1941)
Modern Connections
The 2000 film U-571 was partly inspired by the capture of U-110. However, the film incorrectly shows American sailors capturing the Enigma machine, when it was actually the British Royal Navy.
In 2007, the submarine's chronometer (a very accurate clock) was shown on a TV show called Antiques Roadshow. It was owned by the grandson of the captain of the ship that captured U-110.
Summary of Raiding History
| Date | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
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| 16 March 1941 | Erodona |  United Kingdom |
6,207 | Damaged |
| 23 March 1941 | Siremalm |  Norway |
2,468 | Damaged |
| 27 April 1941 | Henri Mory | United Kingdom |
2,564 | Sunk |
| 9 May 1941 | Bengore Head | United Kingdom |
2,609 | Sunk |
| 9 May 1941 | Esmond | United Kingdom |
4,976 | Sunk |
See also
- U-571, a film inspired by the capture of U-110.
- Monteith POW camp (Camp 23)
Other Captured U-boats
